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

So it is an argument of a gracious magnitude of spirit, that whatsoever befalls it, yet it is not always whining and complaining so as others are, but goes on still in its way and course, and blesses God and keeps in a constant tenor whatsoever thing befalls it: such things as causes others to be dejected, and fretted and vexed, and takes away all the comfort of their lives, it makes no alteration at all in the spirits of these men and women, I say this is a sign of a great deal of strength of Grace.

So it is an argument of a gracious magnitude of spirit, that whatsoever befalls it, yet it is not always whining and complaining so as others are, but goes on still in its way and course, and blesses God and keeps in a constant tenour whatsoever thing befalls it: such things as causes others to be dejected, and fretted and vexed, and takes away all the comfort of their lives, it makes no alteration at all in the spirits of these men and women, I say this is a sign of a great deal of strength of Grace.

3. It's also an argument of a great deal of beauty of Grace. It's a speech that Seneca a Heathen once had, saith he, When you go abroad into groves and woods: and there you see the tallness of the trees and their shadows, it strikes a kind of awful fear of a Deity in you, and when you see the vast rivers and fountains, ⟨p. 105⟩and deep waters that strikes a kind of fear of a God in you, but (saith he) do you see a man that is quiet in tempests, and that lives happily in the midst of adversities, why do not you Worship that man? He doth think him a man even to be honoured that shall be quiet and live a happy life though in the middest of adversities. The Glory of God appears here more than in any of his Works? there is no Works that God hath made, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and all the World, wherein so much of the Glory of God doth appear, as in a man that lives quietly in the midst of adversity. That was that that convinced the King, when he saw the three children could walk in the midst of the fiery furnace & not to be touched, the King was mightily convinced by this, that surely their God was a great God indeed, and that they were highly beloved of their God that could walk in the midst of the furnace and not be touched, whereas the others that came but to the mouth of the furnace were devoured; so when a Christian can walk in the midst of fiery trials, and not his garments singed, but have comfort and joy in the midst of all (as Paul in the stocks) can sing (that wrought upon the Jailer:) so it will convince men when they see the power of Grace in the middest of afflictions, such afflictions as would make others to roar under them, yet they can behave themselves in a gracious and holy manner; Oh! it's the glory of a Christian. It is that that is said to be the glory of Christ (for so by Interpreters it is thought to be meant of Christ) In