The Art of Divine Contentment

2. Contentment prevents many temptations; discontent is a devil that is always tempting.¹ 1. It puts a man upon indirect means: He that is poor and discontented, will attempt any thing; he will go to the devil for riches; he that is proud and discontented will hang himself, as Ahithophel did when his counsel was rejected. Satan takes great advantage of our discontent; he loves to fish in these troubled waters. Discontent ⟨p. 136⟩doth both eclipse reason and weaken faith; & it is Satan policy, he doth usually break over the hedge where it is weakest. Discontent makes a breach in the soul, and usually at this breach the devil enters by a tentation, and storms the soul. How easily can the devil by his Logic dispute a discontented Christian into sin? He forms such a syllogism as this; He that is in want must study self-preservation: But you are now in want, therefore you ought to study self-preservation. Hereupon to make good his Conclusion, he tempts to the forbidden fruit, not distinguishing between what is needful and what is lawful. What? saith he, dost thou want a livelihood? never be such a fool as starve; take the rising side at a venture, be it good or bad, eat the bread of deceit, drink the wine of violence. Thus you see how the discontented man is a prey to that sad tentation, ^*to steal, and take Gods name ⟨p. 137⟩in vain. Contentation is a shield against tentation; for he that is contented, knows as well how to want, as to abound.

2. Contentment prevents many temptations; discontent is a divel that is alwaies tempting.¹ 1. It puts a man upon indirect means: He that is poor and discontented, will attempt any thing; he will go to the divel for riches; he that is proud and discontented will hang himselfe, as Achitophel did when his counsell was rejected. Satan takes great advantage of our discontent; he loves to fish in these troubled waters. Discontent ⟨p. 136⟩