This week I ran across this analogy of contentment as enjoying a comfortable home life. It was written few centuries ago a puritan pastor in a book entitled, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.

“The one who is filled with good things [contentment] is just like many a man who enjoys an abundance of comforts at home, in his own house. God grants him a pleasant home, a good wife, and fine walks and gardens, and he has all things at home that he could desire. Now such a man does not care much for going out. Other men are fain to go out and see friends, because they have quarreling and contending at home. Many poor husbands will give this reason, if their wives moan, and complain of their faults and short-comings. They make it their excuse to go out, because they can never be quiet at home. Now we account those men most happy who have everything at home. Those who have confined homes that are unpleasant and evil-smelling, delight to go into the fresh air, but it is not so with many others that have good things at home. Those who have no good cheer at home are fain to go our to friends, but those who tables are well furnished would as soon stay at home. So a carnal man has little contentment in his own spirit. It is Augustine who likens a bad conscience to a scolding wife: a man who has a bad conscience does not carte to look into his own soul, but loves to be out, and to look into other things; he never looks to himself. But one who has a good conscience delights in looking into his own heart; he has a good conscience with him. A carnal heart seeks his contentment elsewhere because there is nothing but a filthy stink, vileness and baseness within himself.”

Jeremiah Burroughs
pages 76-77, (emphasis added)
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment
(1648; Banner of Truth reprint, 1964)