Thirdly, there must be a quiet contentedness, to be content with what God bestows and we receive; else we cross our selves, we crave for bread, and will have what we list. We do not pray for dainties and costliness of apparel, but for bread, that pittance the Lord shall be pleased to bestow upon us: Now if nothing but dainties and curiosities will serve us, it is more then the Lord allows, and we can expect to be bestowed upon us. If we have meat and cloth we must not look to the quantity, not for a month, or a quarter, but go to the Lord as to a market; let him dispose it, or else we beg one thing and desire another; the Lord will be content to give us bread, not pearls; not to cocker us, but to give us what we stand in need of. That of Hagar should be our prayer; Give me not too much, lest I be proud; nor too little, lest I put forth my hand to wickedness, 1but give me food convenient. It is better to be at Gods allowance then our own. A child happily would have a coat four or five yards too long, and to tire him, or fire to burn him; but a father will not have it too long, to tyre him, or fire to burn him. So our Father, we would over-flow our measures: out-run our portions too beyond our need. It is with us as it is with diets, sick men would have hot wines, and salt meats, and eat excessively; but the Physician orders all his diet; for if he ⟨p. 50⟩should have his fill, it would kill him. A full body and a full stomach would increase the humour: So the Lord is a marvellous skilful Physician: we have proud hearts and would have dainties; and if we should have riches as we would, God should lose his honour which now he hath by us being kept under hatches; therefore the Lord diets us. Divers creatures are kept in divers things; Cherries are kept in Sugar, but Beef is kept in salt pickle, and not in sugar, for otherwise it would stink. Nothing would serve some if the Lord should not diet them, but they would be as proud and as saucy as ever they could; therefore the Lord is compelled to diet them: Thus we should be content with the least pittance that the Lord sees fitting for us; and he that is thus, the Lord will give him enough for his baits in this pilgrimage. And thus much for this Petition.
Thirdly, there must be a quiet contentednes, to be content with what God bestowes and we receive; else we crosse our selves, we crave for bread, and will have what we list. We doe not pray for dainties and costlinesse of apparell, but for bread, that pittance the Lord shall be pleased to bestow upon us: Now if nothing but dainties and curiosities will serve us, it is more then the Lord allowes, and we can expect to be bestowed upon us. If we have meat and cloath wee must not looke to the quantity, not for a month, or a quarter, but goe to the Lord as to a market; let him dispose it, or else wee beg one thing and desire another; the Lord will be content to give us bread, not pearles; not to cocker us, but to give us what we stand in need of. That of Hagar should be our prayer; Give me not too much, lest I be proud; nor too little, lest I put forth my hand to wickednesse, 1but give me food convenient. It is better to be at Gods allowance then our owne. A childe happily would have a coat foure or five yards too long, and to tire him, or fire to burne him; but a father will not have it too long, to tyre him, or fire to burne him. So our Father, wee would over-flow our measures: out-run our portions too beyond our need. It is with us as it is with dyets, sicke men would have hot wines, and salt meates, and eate excessively; but the Physitian orders all his dyet; for if hee ⟨p. 50⟩should have his fill, it would kill him. A full body and a full stomack would increase the humour: So the Lord is a marvelous skilfull Physitian: we have proud hearts and would have dainties; and if we should have riches as we would, God should lose his honour which now he hath by us being kept under hatches; therefore the Lord dyets us. Divers creatures are kept in divers things; Cherries are kept in Sugar, but Beefe is kept in salt pickell, and not in sugar, for otherwise it would stinke. Nothing would serve some if the Lord should not dyet them, but they would be as proud and as saucie as ever they could; therefore the Lord is compelled to dyet them: Thus we should be content with the least pittance that the Lord sees fitting for us; and he that is thus, the Lord will give him enough for his baites in this pilgrimage. And thus much for this Petition.
- 1Prov. 30.
