A Christian Directory, or RULES about Contentment
fetches me out." Thus those brave spirited Christians; "they accepted not deliverance," (He. 11:35) that is, upon base dishonorable terms.
They would rather stay in prison, than purchase their liberty by carnal compliance.
Estius observes on the place, "they might not only have had their enlargements—but been raised to honor, and put into offices of trust
—yet the honor of Christ was dearer to them, than either liberty or honor." A contented Christian will not remove, until as the Israelites, he sees a pillar of cloud and fire going before him. "It is good that a man should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." (La. 3:26) It is good to wait God's leisure—and not to extricate ourselves out of trouble—until we see the star of God's providence pointing out a way to us!
A Christian Directory, or Rules about Contentment.
I proceed now to an use of direction, to show Christians how they may attain to this divine art of contentment. Certainly it is feasible, others of God's saints have reached to it. Paul here had it; and what do we think of those we read of, in that little book of martyrs,
(Hebrews 11) who had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings, who wandered about in deserts and caves—yet were contented. It is possible to attain to this divine art of contentment. And here I shall lay down some rules for holy contentment.
Rule 1. Advance FAITH. All our disquiets issue from unbelief. It is this which raises the storm of discontent in the heart. O set faith awork! It is the property of faith to silence our doubtings, to scatter our fears, to still the heart when the passions are up. Faith works the heart to a sweet serene composure. It is not having fancy food and raiment—but having faith, which will make us content. Faith chides
down passion. When reason begins to sink—let faith swim! How does faith work contentment?
1. Faith shows the soul that whatever its trials are—that they are all from the hand of a loving heavenly father. It is indeed a bitter cup— but "shall I not drink the cup which my father has given me to drink?" Faith shows the soul that whatever its trials are—that they are all sent in love to my soul. God corrects me, with the same love with which he crowns me; God is now training me up for heaven. He is only polishing his 'jewels'. These sufferings bring forth patience, humility, even the peaceful fruits of righteousness. (He. 12:11) And if God can bring such sweet fruit out of our stock, let him graft me wherever and however he pleases. Thus faith brings the heart to holy contentment.
2. Faith sucks the honey of contentment out of the hive of the promise. Christ is the vine, the promises are the clusters of grapes which grow upon this vine, and faith presses the sweet wine of contentment out of these spiritual clusters of the promises. I will show you but one cluster, "the Lord will give grace and glory;"
(Psalm 84:11) here is enough for faith to live upon. The promise is the flower out of which faith distills the spirits and quintessence of divine contentment. In a word, faith carries up the soul, and makes it aspire after more generous and noble delights than the earth affords, and to live in the world—above the world. Would you live contented lives? Live up to the height of your faith.
Rule 2. Labor for ASSURANCE. O let us get a saving interest cleared, between God and our souls! O, if there is an interest worth looking after, it is an interest between God and the soul! Labor to say, "My God." To be without money, and without friends, and without God too, is sad. But he whose faith flourishes into assurance, who can say, "I know whom I have believed!" (2 Ti. 1:2) that man has enough to give his heart contentment. When a man's debts are paid, and he can go abroad without fear of being arrested, what contentment is this! O, let your title to heaven be cleared! If God is
ours, whatever we lack in the creature, is infinitely made up in him.
Do I lack bread? I have Christ, the bread of life. Am I under defilement? his blood is like the trees of the sanctuary; not only for food—but medicine. (Ez. 47:12) If anything in the world be worth laboring for, it is to get sound evidences, that God is ours. If this is once cleared, what can come amiss? No matter what storms I meet with—iit is well with me, so long that I know where to put in for harbor. He who has God to be his God, is so well contented with his condition, that he does not much care whether he has anything else.
To rest in a condition where a person cannot say that God is his God, is matter of fear. If a person can truly say that God is his God—and yet is not contented—this is a matter of shame. "David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." (1 Sa. 30:6) It was sad with him—his city burnt, his wives taken captive, his all lost, and likely to have lost his soldiers' hearts too, (for they spoke of stoning him,) yet he had the ground of contentment within him; a saving interest in God, and this was a pillar of support to his spirit. He who knows God is his, and all that is in God is for his good—if this does not satisfy him, I know nothing that will.
Rule 3. Get a HUMBLE spirit. The humble man is the contented man; if his estate is low, his heart is lower than his estate, therefore he is content. If his esteem in the world is low—he who is little in his own eyes will not be much troubled to be little in the eyes of others.
He has a lower opinion of himself, than others can have of him. The humble man studies his own unworthiness; he looks upon himself as "less than the least of God's mercies:" (Ge. 32:10) and then a little will content him! He cries out with Paul, that he is the chief of sinners, (1 Ti. 1:15) therefore does not murmur—but admire. He does not complain that his comforts are small. He thinks it is mercy, that he is out of hell, therefore he is contented. He does not go to carve out a more happy condition to himself; he knows that the worst piece which God cuts for him—is better than he deserves.
A proud man is never contented; he is one that has a high opinion of himself; therefore under small blessings, he is disdainful; and under small crosses, he is impatient. The humble spirit is the contented spirit; if his cross is light—he reckons it the inventory of his mercies; if his cross is heavy—yet he takes it upon his knees, knowing that when his estate is worse, it is to make him the better. Where you lay humility for the foundation, contentment will be the superstructure.
Rule 4. Keep a clear CONSCIENCE. Contentment is the manna which is laid up in the ark of a good conscience! O take heed of indulging in any sin! It is as natural for guilt to breed disquiet—as for putrid matter to breed vermin. Sin lies as Jonah in the ship, it raises a tempest. If dust or splinters have 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. Just so, if sin has gotten into the conscience, which is as the eye of the soul, then grief and disquiet breed there.
Keep the eye of conscience clear—and all is well. What Solomon says of a good stomach, I may say of a good conscience, "to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." (Proverbs 27:7) So to a good conscience, every bitter thing is sweet; it can pick contentment out of the cross! A good conscience turns the bitter waters of Marah into sweet wine.
Would you have a quiet heart? Get a smiling conscience. I do not wonder to hear Paul say that he was content in every situation, when he could make that triumph, "I have lived in all good conscience to this day!" When once a man's reckonings are clear, it must needs let in abundance of contentment into the heart. Good conscience can suck contentment out of the bitterest slanders; "our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience." (2 Cor. 1:12) In case of imprisonment, Paul had his prison songs, and could play the sweet lessons of contentment, when his feet were in the stocks! (Ac. 16:25)
Augustine calls contentment, "the paradise of a good conscience!"
And if it is so—then in prison we may be in paradise! When the times are troublesome, a good conscience makes a calm. If conscience be clear, what though the days are cloudy?
Is it not a contentment to have a friend always by to speak a good word for us? Such a friend is conscience. A good conscience, as David's harp, drives away the evil spirit of discontent. When anxious thoughts begin to arise, and the heart is disquieted, conscience says to a man, as the king did to Nehemiah, "Why is your countenance sad?" So says conscience, "Have not you the seed of God in you? are not you an heir of the promise? have not you a treasure which can never be plundered? Why is your countenance sad?" O keep conscience clear—and you shall never lack contentment! For a man to keep the pipes of his body—the veins and arteries—free from colds and obstructions, is the best way to maintain health. Just so, to keep conscience clear, and to preserve it from the obstructions of guilt—is the best way to maintain contentment. First, conscience is pure—and then peaceable.
Rule 5. Learn to DENY yourselves. Look well to your affections, and bridle them in. Do two things: mortify your desires; moderate your delights.
1. Mortify your desires. We must not be of the dragon's temper, which, they say—is so thirsty, that no water will quench its thirst.
"Put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires."
(Col. 3:5) Our desires, when they are inordinate, are evil. Crucify your desires—be as dead men—a dead man has no appetite!
How should a Christian martyr his desires?
(1.) Get a right judgment of the things here below; they are poor beggarly things. "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle" (Proverbs 23:4-5) The appetite must be guided by reason. The affections are the feet of the soul; therefore they must follow the judgment, not lead it.
(2.) Often seriously meditate of mortality. Death will soon crop these flowers which we delight in; and pull down the fabric of our bodies which we so garnish and beautify. Think, when you are locking up your money in your chest—that you shall shortly be locked up in your coffin!
2. Moderate your delights. Do not set your heart too much upon any creature comfort. What we over-love, we shall over-grieve.
Rachel set her heart too much upon her children, and when she had lost them, she lost herself too! Such a vein of grief was opened, as could not be staunched, "she refused to be comforted." Here was discontent. When we let any creature creature lie too near our heart
—when God pulls away that comfort—a piece of our heart is torn away with it! Too much fondness ends in frowardness. Those who would be content in the lack of comforts, must be moderate in the enjoyment of comforts. Jonathan dipped the rod in honey—he did not thrust it in. Let us take heed of engulfing ourselves in pleasure! It is better have a spare diet, than, by having too much, to glut ourselves.
Rule 6. Get much of HEAVEN into your heart. "You satisfy me more than the richest of foods. (Psalm 63:5) Spiritual things truly satisfy! The more that heaven is in us—the less earth that will content us. He who has once tasted the love of God, his thirst is much quenched towards earthly things. The joys of God's Spirit are heart-filling and heart-cheering joys; he who has these, has heaven begun in him! (Ro. 14:27) And shall not we be content to be in heaven? O get a heavenly heart! "Seek those things which are above."
(Col. 3:1) Fly aloft in your affections, thirst after the graces and comforts of the Spirit! The eagle which flies high in the air, does not fear the stinging of the serpent. The serpent creeps on his belly, and stings only such creatures as creep upon the earth.
Rule 7. Look not so much on the dark side of your condition, as on the bright side. God chequers his providences, white and black—as the pillar of the cloud had its light side and dark
side. Look on the light side of the estate; who looks on the back side of a landscape? Suppose you have lost much in a law-suit—there is the dark side; yet you have some land left—there is the light side. You have sickness in your body—there is the dark side; but you also have grace in your soul—there is the light side. You have a child taken away—there is the dark side; your husband lives—there is the light side. God's providences in this life are variously represented by those speckled horses among the myrtle-trees which were red and white.
(Ze. 1:1) Mercies and afflictions are interwoven—God speckles his work.
"O," says one, "I lack such a comfort!" But weigh all your mercies in the balance—and that will make you content. If a man lacked a finger, would he be so discontented for the loss of that, as not to be thankful for all the other parts and joints of his body? Look on the light side of your condition, and then all your discontents will easily dissolve. Do not pore upon your losses—but ponder upon your mercies. What! Would you have no afflictions at all—and only all good things? Would you have no evil about you—who has so much evil in you? You are not fully sanctified in this life—how then think you to be fully satisfied in this life? Never look for perfection of contentment, until there is perfection of grace.
Rule 8. Consider in what a POSTURE we stand here in the world.
1. We are in a military condition—we are soldiers, (2 Ti. 2:3) A soldier is content with anything. Though he has not his stately house, his rich furniture, his soft bed, his full table—yet he does not complain; he can lie on straw as well as down; he minds not his lodging—but his thoughts run upon dividing the spoil, and the garland of honor which shall be set upon his head. For hope of this, is he content to run any hazard, and endure any hardship. Would it not be absurd to hear him complain, that he lacks such provision and is discontent to lie out in the fields? A Christian is a military person, he fights the Lord's battles, he is Christ's ensign bearer. Now, what
though he endures hard fate, and the bullets fly about him? He fights for a crown—and therefore must be content!
2. We are in a nomadic condition—we are pilgrims and travelers. A man who is in a strange country, is contented with anything. Though he has not that respect or attendance which he looks for at home, nor is capable of the privileges and amenities of that place—he is content. He knows, when he comes into his own country, he has lands to inherit, and there he shall have honor and respect. So it is with a child of God, he is in a pilgrim condition; "I am a stranger with you, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were!" (Psalm
39:12) Therefore let a Christian be content; he is in the world—but not of the world: he is born of God, and is a citizen of the New
Jerusalem! (He. 12:22) Therefore, though "he hungers and thirsts, and has no certain dwelling-place," (1 Cor. 4:11) yet he must be content: it will be better—when he comes into his own country.
3. We are in a mendicant condition—we are beggars. We beg at heaven's gate, "give us this day our daily bread." We live upon God's alms, therefore must be content with anything. A beggar must not pick and choose—he is contented with the scraps. Oh, why do you who are a beggar, murmur? Oh, why do you who are fed out of the alms-basket of God's providence, murmur?
Rule 9. Do not let your hope depend upon EXTERNAL things. Do not lean upon sandy pillars. We often build our comfort upon such a friend or estate—and when that prop is removed—all our joy is gone, and our hearts begin either to fail or fret! A lame man leans on his crutches—and if they break, he is undone! Let not your contentment go upon crutches, which may soon fail. The ground of contentment must be within yourself. The Greek word which is used for contentment, signifies self-sufficiency. A Christian has that within him—which is able to support him—that strength of faith, and good hope through grace, as bears up his heart in the deficiency of outward comforts. The philosophers of old, when their estates were gone—yet could take contentment in the goods of the mind—learning
and virtue. And shall not a believer much more in the graces of the Spirit, that rich enamel and embroidery of the soul! Say with yourself, "if friends leave me, if riches take wings—yet I have that within me, which comforts me—a heavenly treasure! When the blossoms of my estate are blown off, still there is the sap of contentment, in the root of my heart! I have still a saving interest in God, and that interest cannot be broken off!" O never place your felicity in these poor and beggarly things here below!
Rule 10. Let us often compare our condition. Make this fivefold comparison.
1. Let us compare our condition and our desert together. If we have not what we desire—we have more than we deserve. For our mercies—we have deserved less. For our afflictions—we have deserved more.
First. In regard of our MERCIES—we have deserved less.
What can we deserve? Can a man be profitable to the Almighty? We live upon free grace! Alexander gave a great gift to one of his subjects; the man being much taken with it, said, "this is more than I am worthy of!" "I do not give you this," said the king, "because you are worthy of it—but I give a gift like Alexander!" Whatever we have is not merit—but bounty! The least bit of bread is more than God owes to us! We can bring faggots to our own burning—but not one flower to the garland of our salvation. He who has the least mercy— will die in God's debt!
Secondly. In regard of our AFFLICTIONS—we have deserved more. "you have punished us less than our iniquities deserve. (Ex. 9:13) Is our condition sad? We have deserved it should be worse. Has God taken away our estate from us? He might have taken away Christ from us. Has he thrown us into prison? He might have thrown us into hell! He might as well damn us, as whip us! This should make us contented.
2. Let us compare our condition with others—and this will make us content. We look at them who are above us, let us look at them who are below us; we can see one in his silks, another in his sackcloth; one has a full cup of the choicest wine wrung out to him, another is mingling his drink with tears. How many pale faces do we behold, whom poverty has brought into a comsumption! Think of this—and be content.
It is worse with them, who perhaps deserve better than we—and are higher in God's favor. Am I in prison? Was not Daniel in a worse place—the lion's den! Do I live in a poor cottage? look on those who are banished from their cottages. We read of the primitive saints,
"Some were mocked, and their backs were cut open with whips.
Others were chained in dungeons. Some died by stoning, and some were sawed in half; others were killed with the sword. Some went about in skins of sheep and goats, hungry and oppressed and mistreated." (He. 11:37,38) Have you a gentle illness? look on those who are tormented with the stone, the gout, cancer etc. Others of God's children have had greater afflictions, and have borne them better than we. Daniel fed only upon vegetables and drank only water—yet was fairer than they who ate of the king's portion. (Dan. 1:15) Some Christians who have been in a lower condition, who have had only bread and water, have been more patient and contented, than we who enjoy abundance. Do others rejoice in affliction—and do we repine? Can they take up their cross and walk cheerfully under it—and do we under a lighter cross murmur?
3. Let us compare our condition with Christ's condition, when He was upon earth. What a poor, base condition was He pleased to be in for us! He was contented with anything. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich— yet for our sakes he became poor!" (2 Cor. 8:9) He could have brought down a house from heaven with him, or taken the high places of the earth—but he was contented to be in the wine-press,
that we might be in the wine-cellar; and to live poor that we might be eternally rich! The feeding trough was his cradle, and the cobwebs were his canopy. He who is now preparing mansions for us in heaven—had none for himself on earth, "he had nowhere to lay his head." Christ took upon him the form of a servant. (Ph. 2:7) We do not read not that He had any money. When he needed money, he had to work a miracle for it. (Mat. 17:27) Jesus Christ was in a low condition. He was never high—but when he was lifted up upon the cross, and that was his greatest humility! He was content to live poor
—and die cursed! O compare your condition with His—and learn to be content!
4. Let us compare our present condition—with what it once WAS—and this will make us content.
First, Let us compare our SPIRITUAL estate with what it was once. What were we—when we lay in our blood? We were heirs to hell, having no right to pluck one leaf from the tree of promise! It was a Christless and hopeless condition! (Ep. 2:12) But now God has cut off our destiny of hell and damnation. He has taken you out of the wild olive tree of nature—and engrafted you into Christ, making you living branches of that living vine! He has not only caused the light to shine upon you—but into you, (2 Cor. 6:6) and has made you an heir of all the privileges of divine sonship! Is not this enough to make the soul content.
Secondly, Let us compare our TEMPORAL estate with what it was once. Alas! We had nothing when we stepped out of the womb; "for we brought nothing into this world." (1 Ti. 6:7) If we have not that which we now desire—we have more than we brought with us! We brought nothing with us—but sin! Other creatures bring something with them into the world; the lamb brings wool, the silkworm silk, etc. But we brought nothing with us—but sin! What if our condition at present is low? It is better than it was once; therefore, having food and clothing, let us be content. Whatever we have, God's providence fetches it unto us! And if we lose all—yet we have as
much as we brought with us! This was what made Job content, "Naked I came out of my mother's womb!" (Job 1:21) As if he had said, though God has taken away all from me—yet why should I murmur? I am as rich as I was when I came into the world! I have as much left as I brought with me; naked I came I hither! Therefore blessed be the name of the Lord.
5. Let us compare our present condition—with what it shortly SHALL BE. There is a time shortly coming, when, if we had all the riches of the Indies, they would do us no good—we must die, and can carry nothing with us. So says the apostle, "We didn't bring anything with us when we came into the world—and we certainly cannot carry anything with us when we die!" (1 Ti. 6:7)
Therefore it follows, "So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content." Open the rich man's grave—and see what is there—you may find the miser's bones—but not his riches! Were we to live forever here on earth, or could we carry our riches into the eternal world—then indeed we might be discontented, when we look upon our empty money bags. But it is not so; God may presently seal a warrant for death to apprehend us—and when we die, we cannot carry our estate with us! Honor and riches do not descend into the grave—why then are we troubled at our outward condition? Why do we clothe ourselves with discontent? O lay up a stock of grace! Be rich in faith and good works—these riches will follow us! (Re. 14:13)
No other coin but grace, will pass current in heaven, silver and gold will not go there. Labor to be rich towards God, (Luke 12:21) and as for other things, be not much concerned—for we shall carry nothing with us into the eternal world!
Rule 11. Do not to bring your condition to your mind—but bring your mind to your condition. The way for a Christian to be contented, is not by raising his estate higher—but by bringing his heart lower! It is not by making his barns wider—but his heart narrower. A whole kingdom will not content one man; another man is satisfied with a poor hut. What is the difference? The one tries to
satisfy his lusts—the other his necessity. The one thinks what he may yet obtain—the other what he may spare.
Rule 12. Study the vanity of the creature. It matters not whether we have less or more of these earthly things—for they have vanity written upon their frontispiece. The world is like a shadow which declines. The world is delightful—but deceitful. The world promises more than it has—and it fails us when we have most need of it. All the world rings 'change', and is constant only in its disappointments! What then, if we have less of that which is at best but uncertain and changing? The world is as full of change—as of motion; so what if God cut us short in these passing vanities? The more a man has to do with the world—the more he has to do with vanity! The world may be compared to ice, which is smooth—but slippery! The world may also be compared to the Egyptian temples— very beautiful and sumptuous on the outside—but within nothing to be seen but the image of an ape! Every creature says concerning satisfaction, "it is not in me!" The world is not a filling comfort—but a flying comfort. The world is like a game at tennis; providence bandies her golden balls, first to one, then to another. Why are we discontented at the loss of these things—but because we expect that from them, that which they cannot give? "Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd." (Jon. 4:6) What a vanity was that! Is it much to see a gourd smitten and withering?
Rule 13. Get the 'imagination' regulated. It is the 'imagination' which raises the price of things, above their real worth. What is the reason one flower is worth five dollars—and another perhaps not worth one penny? 'Imagination' raises the price—the difference is rather imaginary than real. Just so, the reason why it is better to have thousands than hundreds is—because men 'imagine' it so! If we could 'imagine' a lower condition to be better—as having less worry in it, and less accounting to give for it—it would be far more prized.
The water from a paper cup, tastes as sweet as if it came out a golden chalice. Things are as we 'imagine' them. Ever since the fall, the 'imagine' is distempered; "God saw that the imagination of the
thoughts of his heart, was only evil all the time." (Ge. 6:5) 'Imagination' looks at things through a 'magnifying glass'. Pray that God will sanctify your 'imagination'; a lower condition would content you, if the mind and 'imagination' were set right. Diogenes preferred his solitary life before Alexander's royalty. Fabricius was a poor man
—yet despised the gold of King Pyrrhus. Could we cure our distempered 'imagination'—we would soon conquer our discontented heart!
Rule 14. Consider how little will suffice nature. The body is but a small thing—and is easily nourished. Christ has taught us to pray for our daily bread. Nature is content with a little. Not to thirst, not to starve—is enough. "Having food and clothing, let us be content." The stomach is sooner filled—than the eye! how quickly would a man be content, if he would study rather to satisfy his hunger—than his humor.
Rule 15. Believe that the present condition is best for us.
The flesh is not a competent judge. Gluttons are for rich banquets— but a man who regards his health, is rather for solid food. Vain men imagine that a prosperous condition is best for them; whereas a wise
Christian has his will melted into God's will, and thinks it best to be at God's will. God is wise—he knows best what we need; and if we could acquiesce in His providencial dealings with us—the quarrel would soon be at an end. O what a strange creature would man be—if he were what he could wish himself to be! Be content to be at God's allowance. God knows which is the fittest pasture to put his sheep in; sometimes a more sparse ground does well—whereas a lush pasture may rot. Do I meet with such a cross? By it, God shows me what the world is; he has no better way to wean me. Does God stint me in my temporals? He is now dieting me. Do I meet with losses? It is, that God may keep me from being lost. Every cross wind shall at last— blow me to the right port! Did we believe that condition best which God parcels out to us, we would cheerfully submit, and say, "the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places."
Rule 16. Do not too much indulge the flesh. The flesh is a worse enemy than the devil, it is a bosom-traitor! An enemy within— is worst! If there were no devil to tempt, the flesh would be another
Eve—to tempt to the forbidden fruit. O take heed of giving way to it!
Whence is all our discontent—but from our flesh? The flesh puts us upon the immoderate pursuit of the world. The flesh hunts for ease and luxury—and if it be not satisfied, then discontent begins to arise!
O let it not have the reins! Martyr the flesh! In spiritual things the flesh is a sluggard; but in secular things, it is a horse-leech, crying
"give, give!" The flesh is an enemy to suffering: it will never make a man a martyr. O keep it under control! Put its neck under Christ's yoke, stretch and nail it to his cross! Never let a Christian look for contentment in his spirit—until there is confinement in his flesh.
Rule 17. Meditate much on the glory which shall be revealed. There are great things laid up in heaven. Though things are sad for the present—yet let us be content in that it shortly will be better; it is but a short while—and we shall be with Christ, bathing ourselves in the fountain of love! We shall more never complain of needs and injuries! Our cross may now be heavy—but one sight of Christ will make us forget all our former sorrows! There are two things that should give contentment.
1. That God will make us able to bear our troubles. "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (1 Cor. 10:13) 2. After we have suffered a while—we shall be perfected in glory! The cross shall be our ladder by which we shall climb up to heaven! Be content—the scene will soon alter; God will before long, turn out water into wine—the hope of this is enough to drive away all distempers from the heart. Blessed be God—it will shortly be better! "We have no continuing city here," therefore our afflictions cannot continue. A wise man always looks to the end of a matter; "The end of the just man is peace." (Psalm 37:37) Methinks