i. 15,) therefore doth not murmur, but admire: he doth not say his

comforts are small, but his sins are great. He thinks it a mercy he is out of hell; therefore, is contented. He doth not go to carve out a more happy condition to himself; he knows the worst piece God cuts him is better than he deserves. A proud man is never contented; he is one that hath an high opinion of himself; therefore, under small blessings is disdainful, under small crosses impatient. The humble spirit is the contented spirit; if his cross be light, he reckons it in the inventory of his mercies; if it be heavy, yet takes it upon his knees, knowing that when his estate is bad, it is to make him the better. Where you lay humility for the foundation, contentment will be the superstructure, and Christ the topstone.

_Keep a clear Conscience._ 1 Tim. iii. 9.

Contentment is the _manna_ that is laid up in the ark of a good conscience. Oh, take heed of indulging any sin! It is as natural for guilt to breed disquietude, as for the earth to breed worms. Sin lies like Jonah in the ship, it raises a tempest. If dust or motes be gotten into the eye, they make the eye water, and cause a soreness in it; if the eye be clear, then it is free from that soreness. If sin be gotten into the conscience, which is as the eye of the soul, then grief and disquiet breed there: but keep the eye of conscience clear, and all is well. What Solomon saith of a good stomach, I may say of a good conscience (Prov. xxvii. 7.) To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet; so to a good conscience every bitter thing is sweet; it can pick contentment out of the Cross. A good conscience turns the waters of Marah into wine. Would you have a quiet heart? Get a smiling conscience. I wonder not to hear Paul say, he was in every state content; when he could make that triumph--I have lived in all good conscience unto this day, Acts, xxiii. 1. When once a man's reckonings are clear, it must needs let in abundance of contentment into the heart. A good conscience can suck contentment out of the bitterest drug: under slanders--This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, 2 Cor. i. 12. In case of imprisonment, Paul had his prison-songs, and could play the sweet lesson of contentment when his feet were in the stocks, Acts xvi. 24. Augustine calls it the paradise of a good conscience. When the times are troublesome, a good conscience makes a calm: if conscience be clear, what though the days be cloudy?... Oh, keep conscience clear, and you shall never want contentment!

THE HIDING PLACE.

Amid this world's tumultuous noise, For peace my soul to Jesus flies; If I've an interest in his grace, I want no other hiding place.

The world with all its charms is vain, Its wealth and honors I disdain; All its extensive aims embrace, Can ne'er afford a hiding place.

A guilty sinful heart is mine, Jesus, unbounded love is thine! When I behold thy smiling face, Tis then I see my hiding place.

To save, if once my Lord engage, The world may laugh, and Satan rage: The powers of hell can ne'er erase My name from God's own hiding place.

I'm in a wilderness below, Lord, guide me all my journey through, Plainly let me thy footsteps trace, Which lead to heaven my hiding place.

Should dangers thick impede my course, O let my soul sustain no loss; Help me to run the Christian race, And enter safe my hiding place.

Then with enlarged powers, I'll triumph in redeeming love, Eternal ages will I praise My Lord for such a hiding place.

FOOTNOTE:

[A] 'Tis a comfortable thought that the promises of God are all given for the express purpose that we may have great and strong consolations, who make our duty and our privilege to be found pleading them at the throne of grace;

O then be earnest, take no nay, He'll answer every good desire; Give him your hearts, though cold as clay, They'll melt like wax before the fire.