The Art of Divine Contentment

1. Consider the Excellency of it. Contentment is a flower that doth not grow in every Garden;¹ it teacheth a man how in the midst of want to abound. You would think it were excellent, if I could prescribe a receipt, or antidote against poverty; ⟨p. 119⟩but behold, here is that which is more excellent; for a man to want, and yet have enough, this alone contentment of spirit brings. Contentatio is [Greek or Hebrew], a remedy against all our troubles, a levamen to all our burdens, it is the cure of care. Contentation, though it be not properly a Grace, it is rather a disposition of mind; yet in it there is optimum temperamentum, an happy temperature and mixture of all the graces: It is a most precious compound which is made up of Faith, Patience, Meekness, &c. which are the ingredients put into it. Now there are in specie these seven rare excellencies in Contentment.

1. Consider the Excellency of it. Contentment is a flower that doth not grow in every Garden;¹ it teacheth a man how in the midst of want to abound. You would think it were excellent, if I could prescribe a receit, or antidote against poverty; ⟨p. 119⟩but behold, here is that which is more excellent; for a man to want, and yet have enough, this alone contentment of spirit brings. Contentatio is 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a remedy against all our troubles, a levamen to all our burdens, it is the cure of care. Contentation, though it be not properly a Grace, it is rather a disposition of minde; yet in it there is optimum temperamentum, an happy temperature and mixture of all the graces: It is a most precious compound which is made up of Faith, Patience, Meeknesse, &c. which are the ingredients put into it. Now there are in specie these seven rare excellencies in Contentment.

1. 1The first Argument to Contentation.