"Good when He gives, supremely good,

Nor less when He denies;

Even crosses from His sovereign hand

Are blessings in disguise!"

"A man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses." Luk_12:15.

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said—Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Heb_13:5.

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Php_4:11-13

The apostle Paul exhorts us to be followers of Him; even as he also was of Christ. In the character of that distinguished saint there is much that deserves our imitation; and among other particulars, the feelings he cherished in reference to his outward circumstances are especially worthy of our consideration. His temporal condition was, in general, anything but desirable; and yet he was far from being dissatisfied with it. "Not that I speak," he says, "in respect of need; for I have learned in whatever state I am, therewith to be content." In him contentment had its perfect work, so that he was, in this respect, perfect and entire, lacking nothing.

Covetousness and contentment are diametrically opposed to each other; and where the one is—the other cannot be. Let me then take heed, and beware of the former, and earnestly aspire after the latter. "He who loves silver, shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance with increase." The worldling never says, "It is enough." Like the daughters of the horse-leach, his constant cry is, "Give, give!" To the question, What is enough? The reply was once given, "It is a little more than a man has." Alas! this "little more,"—what weary days and anxious nights has it occasioned!

It is from the state of our minds that contentment arises, and not from the amount of our possessions. If we are not content with those things which we have, we are not likely to be content, if we succeeded in attaining all that we desire. The desires of the soul are unbounded. Expectations of greater happiness are constantly entertained; but how seldom are they realized! The possession of all the good we may think it desirable or even possible to attain, would still leave an aching void—there would still be "a cruel something" unpossessed. But when the mind and the present condition are brought to meet, then, and then only, will true contentment be found. If our heart is brought to our condition, our condition will then be according to our heart.

The consideration that our earthly lot is appointed by God—that it is He who fixes the bounds of our habitation—is eminently calculated to promote the spirit of which we are speaking. We are to remember that He is not merely the Creator—but the Governor of the world; and that every circumstance which transpires is under His superintendence and control. And hence we find the people of God, in every age, passing by merely second causes, until they came to the First Great Cause of all. They heard His voice, and saw His hand, in whatever befell them.

There are some who think that it is beneath the notice of God to regard such trivial events as those which make up our common everyday history. They would allow Him to interfere in the affairs of mighty empires; but for Him to regard insignificant individuals, and all the little circumstances of which their days are composed, does not comport, they suppose, with His greatness and majesty. But such people should be reminded that in the Divine estimation, the distinctions of great and small, of vast and minute, are altogether unknown. It is not a greater act of condescension in God to number the hairs of our head, than it is for Him to number the stars of heaven; the one being as near to His immensity as the other. Such is His infinite greatness, that in comparison with it—the mightiest world is on a level with the smallest atom. This doctrine is clearly taught in the volume of inspiration, and is likewise confirmed by every dictate of reason. He who rules in the armies of heaven—who commissions angels and flaming seraphs that stand before His throne, saying to one, "Come!" and he comes, and to another, "Go!" and he goes—who wheels in their appointed courses the innumerable worlds which are scattered through the immensity of space—this great, adorable, incomprehensible Being, regards with tender compassion the poor little sparrow which falls unheeded to the ground, and clothes the lowliest flower with its tints of beauty. Of His care, we are warranted in saying that nothing is too great to be above it—and that nothing, on the other hand, is too minute to be beneath it.

Were the doctrine of "chance" a doctrine of God's Word, there might then be some reason in our murmuring, and some grounds perhaps for it. But if it is He who makes poor and who makes rich—who brings low and lifts up; if whatever befalls us is by His appointment or permission, whom we profess to love and honor—then, surely, contentment with our lot must be a reasonable duty indeed.

"In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." Job_1:22. This commendation refers to the spirit with which he bore the unexampled trials which befell him—when he was hurled down, in a single day, from the highest summit of prosperity to the lowest depths of adversity! He saw the hand of God in all that took place. It was not to the invasion of the Sabeans and Chaldeans—that he traced the loss of his property. It was not to the fury of "mother nature"—that he traced the death of his children. No! He looked farther and higher! Prostrate in adoration at the Divine footstool, he exclaimed, "I came naked from my mother's womb, and I will be stripped of everything when I die. The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!" And then it is added, "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing."

Now, how important it is, that the same mind which was in him should be in us also. To murmur under the Divine dispensations—to be dissatisfied with the lot which has been appointed to us—to be always complaining of one circumstance or another—what is this, in effect—but to charge God with wrongdoing? Is it not practically to attribute folly to Him who is the only wise God, and whose knowledge and understanding are infinite? O let us beware then of a discontented spirit, remembering that God orders all our affairs. Whatever He gives us--let us thankfully receive it. Whatever He denies us—let us be satisfied without it. Whatever He takes from us—let us uncomplainingly part with it. Whatever trial He lays on us—let us endeavor patiently to bear it. We shall thus be still, and know that He is God; and we shall honor and magnify His blessed name.

Were we fully to believe, and rightly to enter into this truth—that our lot in life, with all its attendant circumstances, is chosen of God—we would, doubtless, be disposed to join with Peter, "Lord, it is good for us to be here." Wherever our lot might be cast, such would be our language. Let the sun of prosperity shine—let the clouds of adversity lower; let our path be smooth—or let it be rugged; we would be disposed to say, "It is good for us to be here." We may be often oppressed, being called to eat the bread of trouble, and drink the waters of affliction—but let us not rest until we can utter these words. We may not be able now to see how it is good; but let us think of the wisdom and love of Him who placed us there, and can we doubt it, whether we understand it or not? He is too wise to err--too good to be unkind! Oh that we might then honor Him, by trusting and praising Him for evermore.

Among the many faithful sayings which are worthy of all acceptance, this is one, that "godliness with contentment is great gain." The two blessings are like the pillars Jachin and Boaz in the temple—the one with which it was founded, the other wherein there was strength. O my soul, exercise yourself unto godliness in the first place, and then unto contentment as one of the most lovely and important of its fruits. If I am blessed with the former, I ought surely to exemplify the latter. The possession of godliness secures to me all those spiritual treasures which are in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. I can then be addressed, as was the church of Smyrna of old, "I know your poverty—but you are rich,"—rich indeed—"for all things are yours, whether the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours!" Others may mourn when some part of their earthly good is taken away; for, miserable creatures! their only portion is in this life. But if I am a child of God, the consideration of what I have in hand, and of what I have in hope, should keep me from complaining, even in the midst of the greatest temporal privations!