t 7 6 1 ht Rare J~wtl of chriftian Contentment. Firll, To help againfl this temptation, tbat thou mayeH not 1l'll.4tmur againfi this condition ; Do but confider, though thy c::mdition be low and mean, yet thou art in the Body , thou art a mernbe. of' the Body though thou beefi but a mean Member, the Toe, and the Finger bath its ufe in the body, though it be not the Eye , though it be not the Head, or the Heart, yet it bath its ufe in the Body. And it is an excellent expreffion I reremember Sr. A~tftin bath about this, (faith he) it is better to be the meaneR Member in the-body, than to be the highefi M~mber and more excellent and cut off rhe from the Body, it is better to be ·a little fprig in t~e Tree joyned to tbe Root, th_(n to be an Arm cut off from the Root. Now other men that 'have but common gifts in theworld ; that are not Members of J efus Chrill, (indeed ) they feemto hne more excellency than thofe that are godly , that are in a mean condition , mean parts,mean callirigs, but t~ey are not of the Body, they are not joyned to. the Root, and therefore their condition is worfe. As agreat Arm of a Tree when it is cut off it )lath a great ·many leaves up.- - on it, and it feems a great deal more glorious_ tiun thore Itttle .' fprigs that are upon the Tree, but that little Sprig is in-a better condition : Why;. Becaufe joyned to the Tree , and bath fap from the Root and flonr il11eth, but the other will \Vither and die within a while : So it is with all the men of the vvorld, they be but like great Boughs cut off from the Tree , . thot~gh they have excellent parts, and have great eflate~ and pomp and glo;y in the vvorld , they have no union with Jefus Chrill tk1toot : But now others thac 1tve in a poor condition, · a poor Trades.. man ~ a poor fervant, a poor ~abonring man .tba:t labours for his family every day, yet he be1~g ~odly, ( f~llh he) t.hough -1 have buUittle for the prefent, httle glory , httle credit ,_httle comfort , yet I am joyned to the body, and there I have fuppiy and thlt that will feed me with comfort, bleffing and mercy to all eternity : So all that are in a poor condition in th is world .. jf they be Godly'. do bu._t think of .tha.t ; though thou beef.t mean ,. yet thou art ~n t~e &ody an:! Joyned to the Root , thou art joyned to the prmcipld of tonif.ort ; good , bleffing ,_and mercy that will hold--out to et~rrury, when thoufa~d thouf.tnds of glorious pompous men 10 the ~vorld lhall Wtther and , pe-
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