the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Contentment
Charles Buck Theological Dictionary
or Is a disposition of mind in which our desires are confined to what we enjoy, without murmuring at our lot, or wishing ardently for more. It stands opposed to envy, James 3:16 . to avarice, Hebrews 13:5 . to pride and ambition, Proverbs 13:10 . to anxiety of mind, Matthew 6:25; Matthew 6:34 . to murmurings and repinings, 1 Corinthians 10:10 . Contentment does not imply unconcern about our welfare, or that we should not have a sense of any thing uneasy or distressing; nor does it give any countenance to idleness, or prevent diligent endeavours to improve our circumstances. It implies, however, that our desires of worldly good be moderate; that we do not indulge unnecessary care, or use unlawful efforts to better ourselves; but that we acquiesce with and make the best of our condition, whatever it be. Contentment arises not from a man's outward condition, but from his inward disposition, and is the genuine offspring of humility, attended with a fixed habitual sense of God's particular providence, the recollection of past mercies, and a just estimate of the true nature of all earthly things Motives to contentment arise from the consideration of the rectitude of the Divine government, Psalms 97:1-2 . the benignity of the Divine providence, Psalms 145:1-21 : the greatness of the Divine promises, 2 Peter 1:4 . our own unworthiness, Genesis 32:1-10 . the punishments we deserve, Lamentations 3:39-40 . the reward which contentment itself brings with it, 1 Timothy 6:6 . the speedy termination of all our troubles here, and the prospect of eternal felicity in a future state, Romans 5:2 . Barrow's Works, vol. 3: ser. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; Burroughs on Contentment; Watson's Art of ditto; Hale's Con. p 59; Mason's Christian Morals, vol. 1: ser.2.
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Buck, Charles. Entry for 'Contentment'. Charles Buck Theological Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/cbd/c/contentment.html. 1802.
