'I g-o _ The rare Jewel of Cbriflian Gontentment: -. thing in way of fervice for God; certainly there is not fo great a d1ftance between other Creatures and Mm-kind, as there is between Man-kind and God. ~;ris an expreffion of that Mar~ ' · -tyr M~fter Hoop(r,. that we read -of in the ~ook of Martyrs, in Jabouu;1g ro work hls ovvn heart, and the hearts of others·to contentedne{fe in the midll: of his fufferings:; he hat-it this fimilitude, an9 you may be put in mind of tbarevery day, (faith he) 1 look upon the creature, and fee vvhat it fuffcrs to be u[eful to me: as thus, The bruit beafls mull: die, mull: be_roafied in the :fire, and boy! 'd, mufl come upon the trencber, be hack'd all in .pieces,mull: be chewed in the mouth, and in the fiomach turn'd to that which is loathfome, if one lhould behold ir, and all to nourilh me, to be ufefDl to my body; 'and fball not I be willing to be made any thing for God, for his Service; what abundance of alterations the creature comes underto be maQe ufeful for me, to preferve me; then if God vvill do fo with me for his ufe, as hedeith fubjeet the creatures to me for my ufe, why lhould ·not I refl contented? 1f God will ~ake away my _efiate, and make 'me poor; if God w1II take away my life, hack me in pieces, put m>! in prifon, whatfoever he doth, yet I iliall not fuffer more for God than the cretture doth for me; and furely I am infinitely more bound to God than the creature is to me, and there is not fo much dillance between me and the creatu~e, as between me .:wd God : fuch Coniiderations as thefe wrought the hem of that Martyr to contentedneffe in his fuffering$. And every time time the creature is upon your trenches, you may think, What! dorh God make the creature fuffer for my ufe ? not only for my nourifument, but f0r mY, delight; what am I tben in refpeet _of the infinite God? ' The Sixth CONSIDER A 1' I ON. Another Confideration for the working of Contentment, it is, To cmjider that ~e h11ve p11t ~little time in this Warld : If thou beefi godly ,thou '01alt never fuffer but onfy in this World; why, do but lhut your eyes, and prerently another life is to come, _as , that Martyr fai$1 to his fellow Martyr, Do but lhut your eyes, (faith he ) and the next timc.they are opened, you thall be in ... another
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