The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

And then a second Scripture is in the 2. of Job, 10. vers. A speech of Job to his wife, what saith Job when his wife would have had him curse God and die? (that was a degree beyond murmuring) saith he, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women, shall we receive good at the band of God and not evil? you see Job did help himself against all murmuring thoughts against the ways of God with this consideration, that he had received so much good from the Lord; what though we receive evil, yet do not we receive good as well as evil? let us set one against the other, that's the way we should go. In the 17. of Ecclesiastes the 14. vers. you have a notable Scripture there whereby you may see what course is to be taken when the heart rises in murmuring, In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of Adversity consider; what should they consider? (mark what follows) God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. God also hath set the one over against the other, that's thus, When thou art in prosperity, then indeed every man can be joyful, but what if Afflictions befalls him, what then? then consider, consider what? That God hath set one over against the other, thou hast a great deal of Affliction, and thou hast had a great deal of prosperity, thou hast many troubles, and thou hast had many mercies, make one column of mercies, and one column of afflictions, and write one against the other, and fee if God hath not filled one column as full as the other, you look altogether upon your afflictions, but look upon your mercies also; for instance, It may be God hath afflicted you in one child, but he hath been merciful to you in another child, set one against the other, God afflicted David in Absalom, but he was merciful to David ⟨p. 156⟩in Solomon, and therefore when David cried out, Oh Absalom my Son my Son! if David had thought upon Solomon, and cried, Oh Solomon my son my son, it would have quieted him.

And then a second Scripture is in the 2. of Job, 10. vers. A speech of Job to his wife, what saith Job when his wife would have had him curse God and die? (that was a degree beyond murmuring) saith he, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women, shall we receive good at the band of God and not evil? you see Job did help himself against all murmuring thoughts against the waies of God with this consideration, that he had received so much good from the Lord; what though we receive evil, yet do not we receive good as well as evil? let us set one against the other, that's the way we should go. In the 17. of Ecclesiastes the 14. vers. you have a notable Scripture there whereby you may see what course is to be taken when the heart rises in murmuring, In the day of prosperity be joyfull, but in the day of Adversity consider; what should they consider? (mark what follows) God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. God also hath set the one over against the other, that's thus, When thou art in prosperity, then indeed every man can be joyfull, but what if Afflictions befals him, what then? then consider, consider what? That God hath set one over against the other, thou hast a great deal of Affliction, and thou hast had a great deal of prosperity, thou hast many troubles, and thou hast had many mercies, make one column of mercies, and one column of afflictions, and write one against the other, and fee if God hath not fil'd one column as full as the other, you look altogether upon your afflictions, but look upon your mercies also; for instance, It may be God hath afflicted you in one child, but he hath been merciful to you in another child, set one against the other, God afflicted David in Absolom, but he was merciful to David