The rare jewel of Christian contentment Wherein is showedThe rare jewel of Christian contentment Wherein is shewed

And indeed when we are strangers to our own hearts we cannot tell how to quiet our selves, but if we be very well versed in our own hearts, when any thing falls out so as to disquiet us, we find out the cause of it presently, and so quickly come to be quiet. So a man that hath a Watch, and he understands the use of every wheel and pin, if it goes amiss he will presently find out the cause of it; but one that hath no skill in a Watch, when it goes amiss he knows not what the matter is, and therefore cannot mend it. So indeed our hearts are as a Watch, and there are many wheels, and windings and turnings there, and we should labour to know our hearts well, that when they are out of tune we may know what the matter is. 2. This knowledge of our hearts will help us to Contentment, because by this We shall come to know what is most suitable to our condition. As thus, A man that knows not his own heart, he thinks not what need he hath of affliction, and upon that he is disquieted; but that man or woman that hath studied their own hearts, when God comes with afflictions upon them, they can say, I would not for any thing in the world have been without this affliction, God hath so suited this affliction to my condition, and hath come in such a way, that if this affliction had not come, I am afraid I should have fallen into sin: A poor ignorant man that takes Physic, the Physic works, and he thinks it will kill him, because he knows not the ill humours that are in his body, and therefore he understands not how suitable the Physic is to him; but a Physician takes a Purge, and it makes him extremely sick, saith the Physician, I like this the better, it doth but work upon the humour that I know is the cause of my disease, and upon that such a man that hath knowledge and understanding of his body, and the cause of his distemper, he is not troubled or disquieted; So would we be if we did but ⟨p. 84⟩know the distempers of our own hearts; Carnal men and women they know not their own spirits, and therefore they fling and vex upon every affliction that doth befall them, they know not what distempers are in their hearts, that may be healed by their afflictions, if it please God to give them a sanctified use of them. 3. By knowing their own hearts, they know what they are able to manage, and by this means they come to be content;

And indeed when we are strangers to our own hearts we cannot tell how to quiet our selves, but if we be very well versed in our own hearts, when any thing falls out so as to disquiet us, we find out the cause of it presently, and so quickly come to be quiet. So a man that hath a Watch, and he understands the use of every wheel and pin, if it goes amiss he will presently find out the cause of it; but one that hath no skill in a Watch, when it goes amiss he knows not what the matter is, and therefore cannot mend it. So indeed our hearts are as a Watch, and there are many wheels, and windings and turnings there, and we should labour to know our hearts well, that when they are out of tune we may know what the matter is. 2. This knowledge of our hearts will help us to Contentment, because by this We shall come to know what is most sutable to our condition. As thus, A man that knows not his own heart, he thinks not what need he hath of affliction, and upon that he is disquieted; but that man or woman that hath studied their own hearts, when God comes with afflictions upon them, they can say, I would not for any thing in the world have been without this affliction, God hath so suted this affliction to my condition, and hath come in such a way, that if this affliction had not come, I am afraid I should have fallen into sin: A poor ignorant man that takes Physick, the Physick works, and he thinks it will kill him, because he knows not the ill humors that are in his body, and therefore he understands not how sutable the Physick is to him; but a Physician takes a Purge, and it makes him extreamly sick, saith the Physician, I like this the better, it doth but work upon the humor that I know is the cause of my disease, and upon that such a man that hath knowledge and understanding of his body, and the cause of his distemper, he is not troubled or disquieted; So would we be if we did but