The rare Jewel o[CbriftiaN> Contentment. ~05 make of a thing, we lhotlld rather make ufe of the good one than of the ill ; Ob my brethren, {I would I could now fpeak only eo fuch as are godly) retain good thoughts of God, take heed of judging God to be a hard Mafter, make good interpretations of his waies, and that's a fpeci,al means to help you to contentment in all your courfes._ The Eleventh DIRECT I ON. Jf)o not {o mHab reg~rd the fancies ~f othlr men, as >rhat indud you feel )DUr {ehm ; For the reafon of our difcontentment many time!, is rather from the fancies of other men, than from what we.find we want our [elves, vye think poverty to be [uch a great evil, why? Becaufe it is fo efteemed by others, more tha~ tvhat people feel in it themfelves, except they be in exrremity of poverty: Pll give you an evident demo:1flration that almott alt the difcontent in the world is rather from the fancies of others. than from the evil th:~t is upon themfei ves. You that think yeur eftates to be low, and you are thereupon difcontent, an~ it is a grievous affliction to you, but if all men in the World were poorer than you, then you I'VOuld not be dJfcootent, then you would rejoyce in your eflates, though you had not a penny more than you have : As take a man that can get but his. tYVelve pence a day, and you will fay, this were but a poor thing to maintain a Famtly? &ut fuppofe there were no man in the world that had more that:! this, yea, that all other men but your felves had fomewhat lefs wagestban you, then yoa would think yoLtr condition pretty good; yet you lhould have no more· then than you have now; therefor·e it appears by this, that it's. rather from the fancies of other men than I'Vhat you feel that ~akes you think your condition to be fo grievous ; . for if all the men in the world 1ook'd upon you as happy, more happy 1han themfelves, then you would be contented;Oh,let not your happiners depend upon the fancies of other men. It is a fpeech of Chryfo/fom I remember in this very cafe, let us. not make the people in this cafe to be our Lords, as we mufl not make men to be the Lords of our faith, fo not the Lords of our comforts ; "that is, that om ~omfort !Jloul~ depend more upon their ima- ~ination~;
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