and when he supposed all creature-succours both for delight & necessity to be quite removed.1 This, this is the life which Christians should endeavour, and may attain by the vigorous regular actings of precious faith. This is the gain of Contentment, which comes in by godliness, when providences are black and likely to be bloody; now, The just shall live by his faith*. That speech of learned Mr. Gataker is weighty,* and well worth the marking, A contented mind argues a religious heart, and a discontented mind argues an irreligious heart. And that worthy Divine Mr. Greenham was bold to say, They never felt Gods love, or tasted forgiveness of sins, who are discontented. This likewise was an holy breathing of reverend Dr. Hall in his Meditations, I have somewhat of the best things, I will wit ⟨image 7⟩thankfulness enjoy them, and will want the rest with contentment. By attaining and maintaining this frame of heart, we might have much of heaven on this side heaven. Holy contentment maketh them truly rich, whom the oppressing world maketh very poor*. Hereby our sweetest morsels shall be well seasoned, and our bitterest potions well sweetened*. Had we learned to enjoy contentment in Jehovah, who is immutable and all-sufficient, this heavenly frame of spirit should never perish or change in the midst of the most amazing alterations in Church and State,6 with which his Majesty is pleased to exercise us; whereas because we live alone upon sublunaries, therefore we are apt with Nabal to die upon the nest* ▪ through dejectedness, upon the approach of imagined dangers. When God seeth cause to cut us short of many creature-accommodations, faith will moderate our desires after them, assuring the soul that nothing is withdrawn, or withheld, which might be really advantageous; and doubtless it is a great piece of happiness upon earth, not to long after that which the Lord is pleased to deny*. Indeed men act rather like Heathens then ⟨image 7⟩Christians, when they fret upon some particular inferior disappointments, notwithstanding Gods liberality laid forth upon them in many other respects. As Alexander the Monarch of the world was discontented because Ivy would not grow in his gardens at Babylon. Diogenes the Cynic was herein more wise, who finding a Mouse in his satchel, said, he saw that himself was not so poor, but some were glad of his leavings.
and when he supposed all creature-succors both for delight & necessity to be quite removed.1 This, this is the life which Christians should endevor, and may attaine by the vigorous regular actings of precious faith. This is the gain of Contentment, which comes in by godlinesse, when providences are black and likely to be bloudy; now, The just shall live by his faith*. That speech of learned Mr. Gataker is weighty,* and well worth the marking, A contented minde argues a religious heart, and a discontented minde argues an irreligious heart. And that worthy Divine Mr. Greenham was bold to say, They never felt Gods love, or tasted forgivenes of sins, who are discontented. This likewise was an holy breathing of reverend Dr. Hall in his Meditations, I have somewhat of the best things, I will wit ⟨image 7⟩thankfulnesse enjoy them, and will want the rest with contentment. By attaining and maintaining this frame of heart, we might have much of heaven on this side heaven. Holy contentment maketh them truly rich, whom the oppressing world maketh very poor*. Hereby our sweetest morsels shall be well seasoned, and our bitterest potions well sweetned*. Had we learned to enjoy contentment in Iehovah, who is immutable and all-sufficient, this heavenly frame of spirit should never perish or change in the mid'st of the most amazing alterations in Church and State,6 with which his Majesty is pleased to exercise us; whereas because we live alone upon sublunaries, therefore we are apt with Nabal to die upon the nest* ▪ through dejectednesse, upon the approach of imagined dangers. When God seeth cause to cut us short of many creature-accommodations, faith will moderate our desires after them, assuring the soul that nothing is withdrawn, or withheld, which might be really advantageous; and doubtlesse it is a great piece of happinesse upon earth, not to long after that which the Lord is pleased to deny*
- 1vers. 17, 18.
- *Hab. 2. 4.
- *Heb. 10. 28.
- *Dives est qui suâ forte gaudet, animus est potissimùm qui divites facit. Sen.
- *Prov. 17. 1.
- 6Nihil tam acerbum est, in quo non aequus animus solatium inveniat. Id.
- *1. Sam. 25. 37.
- *Beatus est qui quae non habet, non cupit. Aug, Omnia habet qui nihil concupiscit. Sen.
