A65276:152
The Art of Divine Contentment
Autarkeia, or, The art of divine contentment by Thomas Watson.
London: printed by T.M. for Ralph Smith, 1654
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. My child goes on in rebellion;1 I fear I have brought forth a child for the Devil.2 It is indeed sad to think that hell should be paved with the skulls of any of our children, and certainly the pangs of grief which the mother hath in this kind are worse then her pangs of travel; but▪ though you ought to be humbled; yet not discontented: for consider
1. My childe goes on in rebellion;1 I fear I have brought forth a child for the Devill.2 It is indeed sad to think that hell should be paved with the skulls of any of our children, and certainly the pangs of griefe which the mother hath in this kinde are worse then her pangs of travell; but▪ though you ought to be humbled; yet not discontented: for consider
- 11. Branch.
- 2Reply.
1. You may pick something out of your child's undutifulness;1 the ⟨p. 73⟩child's sin is sometimes the Parents Sermon; quod dolet, docet, the undutifulness of children to us may be a memento to put us in mind of our undutifulness once to God. Time was when we were rebellious children; how long did our hearts stand out as Garrisons against God? how long did he parley with us, and beseech us ere we would yield? he walked in the tenderness of his heart towards us, but we walked in the frowardness of our hearts towards him; and since grace hath been planted in our souls, how much of the wild Olive is still in us? how many motions of the Spirit do we daily resist? how many unkindnesses and affronts have we put upon Christ? Let this open a spring of etance; look upon your childs rebellion, and mourn for your […] rebellion.