. t 11Z -- 7pt Rare Jewel. of Chriftian Contentment. ginatio~s, than-upon ~hat Ne. _feel in ou~ ~elves. it may De others tbmk you to be m an afflicted conditiOn, yea, but I thank God, for my felf {do not fo apptehend it, were it not for the ciifgrace, difefieem and Oightmg of other men, my condition would not be fo bad to me ~s-t:towit is; this is that Nhich make:$ my condition afflictive. The TNelfth D I RE C T I 0 N. Be not inordiruuly t11k..m up ~it.h the c~mf~rts of thiJ world when you have them. When you have them,do not take too much conrent in them: that's a certain rule, that look how inordinate· any man or woman is in forrow when a comfort is taken from them, fo much immoderate were they in the rejoycin~ in the comfort when they had it: ar now fot in!tance, God takes away a child, and you are inordinat~ly forroNfu1, beyond what God allows in anatural or Chiifiian way; now, though I never knevv before how your heart was towards the child, yet when I fee this ( though you be a meer firanger to me) I may without breach of charity conclude, that your heart was immoderately fee upon your child or husband, or upon any other comfort that I fee you grieving for, when God bath taken it away, if yon hear ill tidings about your efbtes, and your hearts are dejected immoderately, and you are in ad1fcontented way bec~tU[e of fuch and fuch a crofs, certainly your hearts were immoderately fer upon the world, and fo likewife for your credit, if you hear <!thets report this or that ill of you, and your hearts are dejected becaufe you think yon fuffer in your name, your hearts Nere inorclmateIy fet upon -your name and credit, non therefore tbe way for you not to be immoderate in your fonows for affliCtions, it is not to be immoderate in your lo-ve and delights when you have profperity. And thcfe are the principal Dircttions !or our beip taat we may live quiet, and contented lives. My brethren, to conclude all for this point, if I could tell you that I knew how to thew you a ~vay never to be in want of any thing~ 1make no queltion but then we thould have much ·locking to fuch a Sermon,whe~ a mat' thould L!nQertake to ~f~ men
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