Again,o Riches, as the Heathen man truly observeth, consist not so much in the possession of them, as in the fruition of them. But it is contentment alone that giveth a man a comfortable use and fruition of what he hath, that procureth him profit and pleasure of what he possesseth. Forp where a man resteth not content with what he hath, there is the mind so carried after that he further desireth and hath not, that he no more regardeth or joyeth in what he hath,q than if it were not at all. And where a man is discontent with his present estate, there is all that he hath, be it never so much, rather a burden than any way a benefit •••o him; like meat that agreeing ⟨p. 148⟩not with the stomach, lieth in it undigested, and not only proveth unpleasant and unprofitable, affording neither good relish nor sound nourishment, but noisome also and burdensome to the whole body. So that where contentment is not, a man regardeth nothing: and where discontent is, it infecteth and tainteth all things, and so maketh them, as if some malignant blast had blown on them, unsavoury and distasteful to him that so hath them, rather sick of them, than endowed with them. And certainly as ar man diseased in body can have little joy of his wealth, be it never so much; since as the Heathen man saith,s A golden crown can not cure the head-ache, nor a Velvet slipper give ease of the gout, nor a Purple robe fray away a burning fever. Andt A sick man is alike sick, wheresoever ye lay him, on a bed of gold, or on a pad of straw, with a silken quilt or with a sorry rug on him. So no more can riches, gold and silver, land or living, had a man much more than ever any man had, minister unto him much joy, yea or any true and sound joy at all, where the mind is distract and discontent: without contentment there is no joy of ought; there is no profit, there is no pleasure in ought.u All without it is but vanity and vexation of Spirit.
Againe,o Riches, as the Heathen man truly observeth, consist not so much in the possession of them, as in the fruition of them. But it is contentment alone that giveth a man a comfortable use and fruition of what he hath, that procureth him profit and pleasure of what hee possesseth. Forp where a man resteth not content with what hee hath, there is the mide so carried after that hee further desireth and hath not, that hee no more regardeth or joyeth in what hee hath,q than if it were not at all. And where a man is discontent with his present estate, there is all that he hath, be it never so much, rather a burthen than any way a benefit •••o him; like meat that agreeing ⟨p. 148⟩not with the stomacke, lieth in it undigested, and not onely proveth unpleasant and unprofitable, affording neither good rellish nor sound nourishment, but noisome also and burthensome to the whole body. So that where contentment is not, a man regardeth nothing: and where discontent is, it infecteth and tainteth all things, and so maketh them, as if some malignant blast had blowne on them, unsavoury and distastefull to him that so hath them, rather sicke of them, than endowed with them. And certainly as ar man diseased in body can have little joy of his wealth, be it never so much; since as the Heathen man saith,s A golden crowne can not cure the head-ach, nor a Velvet slipper give ease of the gout, nor a Purple robe fray away a burning fever. Andt A sicke man is alike sicke, wheresoever yee lay him, on a bed of gold, or on a pad of straw, with a silken quilt or with a sory rug on him. So no more can riches, gold and silver, land or living, had a man much more than ever any man had, minister unto him much joy, yea or any true and sound joy at all, where the minde is distract and discontent: without contentment there is no joy of ought; there is no profit, there is no pleasure in ought.u All without it is but vanitie and vexation of Spirit.
- o[Greek or Hebrew]. Aristot. rhetor. lib. 1. cap. 5. Quo mihi divitiae, quarum si dempseris usum, Quamvis dives opum, semper egenus ero. Maxim. eleg. 1. Legatur hac de re •eletis differtatio apud Stob cap. 95.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Aristot. rhetor. lib. 1. cap. 5. Quo mihi divitiae, quarum si dempseris usum, Quamvis dives opum, semper egenus ero. Maxim. eleg. 1. Legatur hac de re •eletis differtatio apud Stob cap. 95.
- pUltra see cupiditas porrigit, & foelicitatem suam non attendit. Sence. de benef. lib 2. cap. 27. Novis semper cupiditatibus occupati, non quid habeamus, sed quid petamus inspicimus: non ad id quod est, sed ad id quod appetitur, intenti. Ib. lib. 3. cap. 3. Quidest quod faciat obl•vionem acceptorum? cupiditas accipiendorum. Idem epist. 81. Quid aveamus, quam quid habeamus, mens frequentius cogitat.Vltra se cupiditas porrigit, & foelicitatem suam non attendit. Sence. de benef. lib 2. cap. 27. Novis semper cupiditatibus occupati, non quid habeamus, sed quid petamus inspicimus: non ad id quod est, sed ad id quod appetitur, intenti. Ib. lib. 3. cap. 3. Quidest quod faciat obl•vionem acceptorum? cupiditas accipiendorum. Idem epist. 81. Quid aveamus, quam quid habeamus, mens frequentius cogitat.
- qAvaro tam deest quod habet, quam quod non habet. P. Sir. Des•nt inopiae multa, avaritiae omnia. Idem Sence. epist. 108.Avaro tam deest quod habet, quam quod non habet. P. Syr. Des•nt inopiae multa, avaritiae omnia. Idem Sence. epist. 108.
- rNon domus & fundus, non aeri• acervus & auri Aegreto domini deduxit corpore febres, Non animo curas. Hor. ep. 2. l. 1.
- s[Greek or Hebrew]. Plut. de tranquill.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Plut. de tranquill.
- t[Greek or Hebrew]. Socr. apud Stob. c. 92. Non magnis opibus jucundè corpora curant: Nec calidae citius decedunt corpore febres, Textilibus si in picturis ostroque rubenti Jactaris, quam si plebeia in veste cubandum est. Lucret. l. 2. Quemadmodum, nihil differt, utrum aegrum in ligneo lecto, an in aureo colloces; quocunque illum transtuleris, morbum suum secum transfert: sic nihil refert, utrum animus aeger in divitiis an in paupertate ponatur; malum suum illum sequitur. Sen. ep. 17.
