The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

Mariners when they are at Sea they care not what clothes they have then, though they be pitched and tarred, and but a clout about their necks, and any mean clothes, but they think when they come home, then they shall have their fine silk stockings, and brave suits, & laced bands and such things, and shall be very fine; and so they are contented abroad upon that thought that it shall be otherwise with them when they come home, and though they have nothing but salt meat, and a little hard fare, yet when they come to their houses then they shall have any thing: Thus it should be with us in this world, the truth is, we are all in this world but as Sea-faring men, tossed up and down on the waves of the Sea of this world, and our haven is Heaven, and we are here travelling, but our home it is another world, that long home. Indeed some men have better accommodations than others have in travelling; it's true, it's a great mercy of God to us in England, in that we can travel with such delight and accommodations more than they can in other Countries; and through Gods mercy we have as great accommodations in our travelling to Heaven in England as any place under Heaven hath, but yet ⟨p. 78⟩though we do meet with travellers fare sometimes, yet it should not be grievous to us: The Scripture tells us plainly that we must behave our selves here but as pilgrims and strangers, In 1 Peter, 2.11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the Soul: Consider what your condition is, you are pilgrims and strangers, do not think to satisfy your selves here. A man when he comes into an Inn, If there be a fair cupboard of plate he is not troubled that it is not his own, Why? Because he is going away; so let us not be troubled when we see other men have great estates, but we have not, why? we are going away into another Country, you are lodging here but as it were for a night, if you should live an hundred years in comparison of eternity it is not so much as a night, it is but as you were travelling, and were come into an Inn: And were not this a madness for a man to be discontent because he hath not what he sees there, seeing it may be he is to go away again within half a quarter of an hour?

Marriners when they are at Sea they care not what cloathes they have then, though they be pich't and tar'd, and but a clout about their necks, and any mean cloaths, but they think when they come home, then they shall have their fine silk stockings, and brave sutes, & lac'd bands and such things, and shall be very fine; and so they are contented abroad upon that thought that it shall be otherwise with them when they come home, and though they have nothing but salt meat, and a little hard fare, yet when they come to their houses then they shall have any thing: Thus it should be with us in this world, the truth is, we are all in this world but as Sea-faring men, tost up and down on the waves of the Sea of this world, and our haven is Heaven, and we are here travelling, but our home it is another world, that long home. Indeed some men have better accommodations than others have in travelling; it's true, it's a great mercy of God to us in England, in that we can travell with such delight and accommodations more than they can in other Countries; and through Gods mercy we have as great accommodations in our travelling to Heaven in England as any place under Heaven hath, but yet