A65276:415
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.
SECT. 4.
Contentment is the Manna that is laid up in the Ark of a good conscience; Oh, take heed of indulging any sin. 'Tis as natural for guilt to breed disquiet, as for puttered matter to breed vermin. Sin lies as Jonah in the ship, it raiseth a tempest. If dust, or motes be gotten into the eye, they make the eye water, and cause a soreness in it; if the eye be clear, then it is free from that soreness: If sin be gotten into the conscience, which is as the eye of the soul, then grief and disquiet breeds there; but keep the eye of conscience clear, and all is well. What Solomon saith of a good stomach, I may say of a good conscience: 1To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet; so to a ⟨p. 242⟩good conscience every bitter thing is sweet; it can pick contentment out of the Cross. Good conscience turns the waters of Marah into wine. Would you have a quiet heart, get a smiling conscience. I wonder not to hear Paul say, he was in every state content; When he could make that triumph, I have lived in all good conscience to this day