The Art of Divine Contentment

It is a sweet temper of spirit whereby a Christian carries himself^* in an equal poise in every condition. The nature of this will appear more clear in these three Aphorisms.

It is a sweet temper of spirit wherby a Christian carries himself^* in an equal poize in every condition. The nature of this will appear more clear in these three Aphorisms.

1. *See aquanimiter fert, B•de.Se aquanimiter fert, B•de.

1. Contentment is a divine thing; §1it becomes ours not by acquisition, ¹but infusion: it is a slip taken off from the tree of life, and planted by ⟨p. 37⟩the Spirit of God in the soul; it is a fruit that grows not in the garden of Philosophy, but is of an heavenly birth: It is therefore very observable, that Contentment is joined with Godliness, and goes in equipage; But Godliness with Contentment is great gain^*. Contentment being a consequent of Godliness, or concomitant, or both: I call it divine, to contradistinguish it to that Contentment which a moral man may arrive at; Heathens have seemed to have this Contentment, but it was only [Greek or Hebrew], the shadow and picture of it, the Beryl, not the true Diamond: theirs was but civill, this is sacred: theirs was only from principles of Reason, this of Religion: theirs was only lighted at Nature's torch, this at the Lamp of Scripture. Reason may a little teach Contentment; as thus, Whatever my condition be, this is that I am born to