I 64 7 be rare Jewel of Cbrijtian Contentmnt fin: Mark that text in H~b. I z. I I. N8'fl (faith the Scripture) NI) chaft~ning for the prt{ent is io:yotu, bat grievous; neverthele[s 11/terppards it yieldetiJ tbe peACeable jr11it of righuoufnefi· ~Jnta them which are exercifed thereby. Its true, our affliction~ are not joyous but grievous ; though at firfl: vvben our affiittions comes it is very grievous, but yet (faith the text) aftm:tards it yieldetb ihe peaee able frnit of righuorunt(s to tho{e ~hat ~re ex• erd{ed thereby; When thou hafl been a long t1me m the School of affilictions, thou art a ve-cy dullard in Chrifis Sc.hool if thou hafl not learned this Contentment , J h11ve /enrned (faith SaiGt Paul in every fhue there11itb to be cBntent: Paul had learned this Jeffon quick! y, thou hafi been a learning man.y:__years, perhap$ thou maieH fay as Heman did. Th~~t thou art ~ajfltaeJ from thy youth up, in 88 P{11!m. Oh its a very evil thing if being exercifed long W1th afflictions you are not yet contented. The eye is as tender a part as any in a mans body, but: yet the eye is able to continue in, and bear agreat deal of Cold, becaufe it is more ufed to it: fo thofe that are ufed to afflictions, thofe that God exercifes much with afflictions (thougb they have tender fpirits otherwife) yet they lhould have learned Contentednefs by this time. a Ne~v Cart may creek and make a noife, but after the ufe of it a while it will not do fo: So when thou wert firfi a Chriflian newly cone inco the work of Cb.ri!t, perhaps thou makeft a noife and canft not bear aftlicti.ons; but art thou an old Chri",. .flian, and yet wilt thou be a murmuring Cbrifiian ! Oh that is .. a iliame for any that are antient profcffors, that have be.en a long time in the School of Jefus Chrilt to have murmuring an~; difconrented fpirits.and thus you ·have ha Cif Eleven A~gravauons of this fin of murmuring and difcontentment. . But now my Brethren becauft this difcontented humor, IS a "fery tough hP.mor, and it is very hard to ·work upon; tbers.tno~e that are di(contented bur will ha.ve fomthing to fay for tbe~r difcontent, J lhall therefore defire to take away what every d1fc~n-. tcnted heart hatb to f~y for bimfelf~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=