sor of moderate wealth. He, who has entered the chase for fame, power, or pleasure, will find his wishes become more vehement, as well as more expanded, by every new instance of success; and will soon perceive, that, what he once thought to be sufficient good, has ceased to be good at all. If he gains all that he pursues; he will, therefore, be continually less and less satisfied; and, while he snatches on the right hand, and devours on the left, he will still be hungry in the midst of his gluttony and plunder.

Incomparably more wise, and hopeful, is the latter of these modes. The wishes, which are directed to worldly enjoyments, can be controlled, to an indefinite degree, by reason, firmness, and regular pre-concertion. In this case, the mind, demanding only moderate enjoyments, may ordinarily be in a good measure satisfied: for, moderate enjoyments not only exist in our present state, but are commonly attainable, without much difficulty, by the great body of mankind. Our wishes, in this case, are suited to our circumstances. As, therefore, our enjoyment is commensurate to the satisfaction of our wishes; so, when our wishes are moderate, the moderate enjoyments, which this world supplies, will furnish us with sufficient gratification.

Without this moderation of our desires, contentment cannot exist. An eager pursuit of earthly good would make an Angel discontented. Vehement desires, ungratified, are sure and copious sources of misery. The demands of enjoyment, in the mind which cherishes them, are too high to be satisfied by any thing, which this world has to give. The mind seeks for enjoyment, not with the spirit of a rational, industrious man. but with that of a miser; and cries unceasingly, "Give, give;" but, whatever may be its acquisitions, is never sufficiently satisfied to be able to say, "It is enough."

7. Contentment involves Self-approbation.

All enjoyment commences in the state of the mind itself. When that is disturbed, no external gratifications can be relished, or regarded. No seasoning, no daintiness, will enable him, who is languishing under a fever, to relish even the choicest viands. But to ease of mind, self-approbation is indispensable. Unless the Conscience approve, and smile; serenity can never overspread the world within. So long as the Conscience reproaches, wounds, and terrifies; the soul must be perturbed, restless, and unhappy. That Contentment should exist in such a mind, can neither be proper, nor possible. But, whenever the man begins to submit to be controlled by his Conscience, he begins to be approved by himself. The tumult of the soul then begins to subside: the storm ceases to lower, and to threaten: the violence of the blast is hushed: the angry clouds disperse. A summer evening overspreads the soul; calm, serene, bright; the promise of a future, peaceful, and delightful day.

II. I shall now briefly mention some of the benefits of Content

ment.

1. This disposition of mind secures to us the Favour of God. The preceding Observations make it evident, that Contentment is, in an extensive sense, obedience to the Divine Will. It is also directly, and repeatedly, commanded in the Scriptures. To Timothy, St. Paul writes, Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. To the Hebrews he says, universally, Be content with such things as ye have. This injunction he also enforces by the best of all reasons: viz. that God hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. That God is pleased with obedience to his commands, needs no illustration. Equally unnecessary would be an attempt to show, that a state of mind, formed, as Contentment obviously is, chiefly of faith, submission, humility, gratitude, and self-government, must be obedience eminently acceptable. But him, whom God approves, He will bless. The promises of the divine favour to such, as cordially obey the divine will, are spread every where throughout the Scriptures; and not one of them will fail of being accomplished. But the favour of God is the sum of all benefits, and the source whence every other proceeds. Contentment begins with a hope of the divine favour; and, as a contnued course of obedience to the commands of God, originates unceasingly new hopes, and makes sure of new communications of the same invaluable blessing.

2. Contentment enables him, who possesses it, to perform his duty with more exactness, and more pleasure, than he can otherwise attain.

The contented mind is unincumbered by many cares, and many hindrances, which usually obstruct, and retard, men in the performance of their duty. The serenity of its disposition leaves it at full leisure calmly to examine, and therefore clearly to understand, and thoroughly to feel, the nature, direction, and amount, of its duty. Satisfied with the divine dispensations, and assured of the approbation of Him, whose dispensations they are, it is prepared, beforehand, to accord with their tenour, and to perform whatever they may require. In this case, its obedience obviously becomes easy, cheerful, and of course delightful; as well as uniform, and exact. It is the punctilious and cheerful obedience of a child; compared with which the occasional and reluctant performances of a discontented man, are merely the mercenary drudgery of an unfaithful servant. But to perform our duty with pleasure, is to lead a life of enjoyment: for, our duty returns every moment of our lives. To perform our duty, also, with exactness, is not only delightful in itself; but is a continual source of self-approbation and peace; and the only source, whence these blessings can be derived.

3. The man, in whom this spirit prevails, is secured from many Temptations and many Sins, to which others are exposed.

A discontented man naturally indulges, and is always liable to, the sin of murmuring against God, arraigning his Justice, Wisdom, and Goodness, and hardening his heart against his Mercy; because he is impatient under his own allotments, and unwilling to accord with any proposals from a Being, whose Character he disrelishes, and whose Conduct he regards as the source of his troubles. The envious man is prompted by his ruling disposition to repine at the blessings of others; to accuse God of partiality in bestowing them; to wish them lessened; to resort not unfrequently to active, insidious, and malignant exertions for the purpose of lessening them; and to exercise a kind of infernal joy, when they are taken away. Such a man turns a gloomy, misanthropic eye on all those, who, he thinks, are richer, greater, wiser, or happier, than himself. From these rebellious and fiend-like dispositions, from the temptations which they create, and the sins to which they lead, the contented mind is delightfully free. Satisfied with its own lot, it feels no anxiety, mortification, or opposition to its Maker, because others are possessed of superior good. Particularly, it is undisturbed by the sight of superior wealth in the possession of others; of superior power, pleasures, reputation, and influence. On all these splendours it can look, as the eagle on the Sun, with a steady and serene eye; and can find its happiness not lessened, but increased, because others are happy. The disposal, both of its own concerns and theirs, it is willing to leave wholly to God; and prepared to enjoy any good, which He is pleased to bestow, whoever may be the recipient. Thus,

4. It is a disposition eminently Peaceful and Comfortable.

On the one hand, it is preserved from many troubles, suffered by others; and on the other, finds many pleasures, which others never know. The stress, experienced in an unceasing course of disaperers Na Ascontented, covetous, and ambitious mett, is chef who has acquired this delightful sprit. Busy rehe pain of ungratified desires, and from was that he restres wil be ungratified, Nor is how this compicion of wo, which springs incessaאשתאל מות לנ n the press and faithfulness of God; remi: from reluc

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basagrance, of many a wilderness into a fruitful field. The sorrow, which it feels, will be all allayed by the remembrance, that they come rom the hand of the Infinitely Good; and by the hope that hey will all terminate in the promotion of its own best interests. Tahe blast of calamity, also, it yields, like the willow; and is, threfore, not rooted up and destroyed. In the mean time, wmenver troubles arrive, however numerous or great they may e, their distressing efficacy is always allayed by the soothing, bany, influence of peace and self-approbation.

This delightful influence, also, is regularly diffused ove every enjoyment. The enjoyments of the contented man arein his view, all gifts, and blessings; not acquisitions, made by hiswn ingenuity and efforts. As gifts, they are relished with gratude to their Glorious Author. The light, in which they are sen by this grateful disposition, is always glossy and brilliant; rd the taste, which they furnish, is singularly sweet. Thus the onented man finds pleasures, where others find only troubles. Thus, when troubles arrest him, their bitterness is allayed: andhus all the pleasures, which he finds, are enhanced by his ownhappy disposition. Even in seasons, when darkness overspreds the world; and such seasons, it must be acknowledged, thee are; when the gloom overshadows his mind, as well as the mids of those around him; and when the face of the Sun of Righteousness is eclipsed, to the eyes of mankind; hope, humble and serene, will lift up her exploring eye, and behold the divine lunnary still visible, and environing the intervening darkness with a circle of Glory.

5. Contentment renders its possessor eminently Pleasing anaComfortable to others.

Uniform serenity, cheerfulness, and sweetness of dispostion, constitute that character in man, which to his fellow-men is more agreeable than any other. Religion itself, however pious and benevolent the mind may be, is despoiled, if sensibly destitute of this disposition, of its peculiar burnish and beauty. It will indeed be approved, and esteemed. But it will not be entirely relished. Gravity, existing beyond a certain degree, may render it forbidding. Reserve may render it suspicious; and a sor rowful, melancholy aspect may excite a sympathy, so painful, as to make it unwelcome. But a sweet, serene, and cheerful, temper is the object, not only of esteem, but of delight. The presence of a person, who manifests this temper, is universally coveted; and diffuses a kind of lustre over every circle. He is accordingly welcomed to every house, and to every company. Even men, destitute of Religion, will strongly relish his company; and will never mention his character without pointed commendation.

Beside the immediate, and extensive, pleasure, which such a person communicates to those with whom he converses, this dis

position reommends his opinions, his rules of life, his various conduct and he several plans, which he proposes for the benefit of manind. Multitudes will embark with readiness and ardour in the romotion of purposes, which he recommends; because they are ecommended by him; because they think favourably of whateve he proposes, and love to unite with him in any pursuit. This, tis spirit, beside rendering him eminently agreeable to others, gives him an influence with mankind, which he could not othervie possess; and in the happiest manner increases his power to cgood. It deserves particular consideration, that some of the mos popular men, who have ever lived in this country, have not be distinguished for brilliancy of genius, extensiveness of views r profoundness of research; but, while they possessed respectble talents, were remarkably distinguished by the dispositior, which I have here described.

Of tls disposition, Contentment is the uniform, and the only efficacias, source. By a discontented man, it can be assumed only byeffort, and for a moment; and must speedily, and characteristicaly, give way to the uneasy, fretful spirit, which has taken possesson of his mind. There is, indeed, a native good humour, which i pleasant to the possessor, and very agreeable to those with wom he converses. But this desirable disposition, although possesang many advantages, is radically defective, because it is a mere propensity, and not a moral principle. Too frail to sustain the rice shocks, or the long-continued pressure, of adversity, it is prone to give way in seasons of severe trial; and is incapable of the serene and steady endurance, so characteristical of a contented nind. Such a mind may bend; but, while life lasts, it will not break. Where native good humour would shrink, and fly, from the conflict, on innumerable occasions; the Contented mind will firmly brave the danger; sustain the assault; and, with a cool, noiseless, unruffled energy, in the end, overcome. At the same time, such a mind will always find at hand a Divine Auxiliary, an Almighty Friend, ever present, ever watchful, ever extending his arm to protect, strengthen, and give the victory. This indispensable aid, native good humour cannot claim. All its ultimate reliance is fixed on this world. Its ts eye is never lifted upward; but fastens on earth, and time, for all its resources. Contentment, on the contrary, while she finds more sweetness in earthly enjoyment than good humour can ever find, and far more effectually lightens the pressure of calamity by the assistance, which this world presents, fixes her eye on the Heavens for superior aid; and sees the thickest darkness of suffering, and even of death, delightfully illumined by beams of Glory, shining from beyond the grave!