The Art of Divine Contentment

4. Let us compare our condition with what it was once,¹ and this will make us content.

1. 14. Comparison.

First, let us compare our spiritual estate with what it was once. What were we when we lay in our blood? we were heirs apparent to hell, having no right to pluck one leaf from the ⟨p. 260⟩tree of the promise; it was a Christless and hopeless condition,^* Ephes. 2. 12. but now God hath cut off the entail of hell and damnation; he hath taken you out of the wild Olive of nature, and engrafted you into Christ, making you living branches of that living Vine; he hath not only caused the light to shine upon you, but into you^*, and hath interested you in all the privileges of sonship; is not here that may make the soul content?

First, let us compare our spirituall estate with what it was once. What were we when we lay in our blood? we were heirs apparent to hell, having no right to pluck one leafe from the ⟨p. 260⟩tree of the promise; it was a Christless and hopelesse condition,^* Ephes. 2. 12. but now God hath cut off the entaile of hell and damnation; he hath taken you out of the wild Olive of nature, and ingraffed you into Christ, making you living branches of that living Vine; he hath not onely caused the light to shine upon you, but into you