The rare ]ewel of CbriftiaN Contentme~r. I 8 9 · cy in that that thou hadll once, an·d therefore let that content thee. The Third C 0 N SJ: DE R AT I 0 N. - · The Confideration oftht abund~tnce of wercin tEat God' l:e-· flo-ws, and we enjoy. It is a fpeech of L~~ther,(raitb he} the Sea of Gods mercy fuonld fwallow up all our particular afflictions, name.... any affiietion that is upon thee, there's a,Sea of mercy to nv.allaw it up. If you pour a pail full cf water on the floor vf your houfe,it makes-a greatfuew, but if you throw it imo the Sea, there is no appearance of it; fo·affi ctions confidered in themfelves, we think they are very great, but let them be confidered ·with-the Sea of Gods mercies we do enjoy, theo they are not fo much, ttiey are nothing in comparifon. The Fourth C 0 N S I D ERA T I 0 N. Confitler the rMy of God towards t:!l creaturn, God carries on all creatures in a viciffirude of feveral conditions; as thus we have not ahvaies Summer, but Winter fucceeds Summer; we have not alwaies Day,but D.ty and Night; we have not alwai es fair weather, but fair and foul; the vegetivecreatures do nor !lwaies flourifu,but the f~p is in the root,and they fee m as if they were dead: there's a viciffitude of all things in the World: th~ Sun cloth not thine alvvaies to us here, but there is d'arkndle comes after light; noi'Y feeing God bath fo ordered thing~ vvitb all creatures that there is a mixture· of conditions ; why fh ould we think it much that there ihould be a viciffitude of condi cior. s wirh us,fometimes in a way ofprofperity,andfometimes in a· way of affi16tionr The Fifth CONSIDERATION. A further Confidefation is this,The CreMflte-; do fujfer for 111, r~hy fhvuld not we be ~illing tll fuffer, to be {erviceab!e to God? God fubje&s other creatures, they are fain·to tore their l.ives for us, to lore what ever beauty tnd excellency they have to be fer- ~iceable to U!!, yvhy lhoul~ not ~ve be willing to pa;t w-ith- ~ry ' - thl:' g; ' \
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