The rare-_J~wd D[Cbri{it'an Contentment. 2 s pie, and Magifirates a~d thofe in pubiick pla~e, which lhould make peopl~ to be fausfied and contented with a lower condition that God bath put them into,: Though your CQAaition be .Imv, yet you are not in that danger that thofe are in that are in a higher condition ; God calls them in publick -place to .fiand longer in the gap and place of danger than other peop>le, but ' we mull be content to Hay even in Jordan till the Lord lhall be plea[ed to call us ouc.- . . . . - A11d then for the vauety of,pu_r cond1tton, we mufi be conteflt with ~he particulai affii6tion,' -and the times and all the circumftances about the affiitl:ion ; f\,r fometimes the circum· fiances are greater affii6l:ions than tl;e affiiCl:ions themfelves; & for tbe variety, if God will exercife us with various affii6tions one after another : As that bath been very ob!ervable even of late, that many that have been plundered,and co:ne away,afterwards have fallen fickand died iThey have fledt6Jr 'theirlives & afcenvards the plague bath come among them, & if not that affiiCl:ion it may be fome other affi !ction.It i~ very rare that one affii_6l:io~ comes alone,commonly affi .6hons are not fingle things but .chey come one upon the neck of another: It may be God {_hikes one in his eflace,then in his body,then in his name,vvife, or child; or dear friend, and fo it comes in a various way: it is the way. 0f God ordinarily (you may find it by experience) that feldom one aiflietion comes alone, now this i~ hard vvhen one affii6lion folloi'VS after ar-JGther when there is variety of affi ittions,when tbere is amigh tychange in a condition,l,lp and down, this way, and that way;. there .indeed is tP.e tryal of a chriflian· there niufl be a fubmiffion to Gods difpofe in them. I remembe~ it is faid even of C ato that was an heath~n,that no man faw him to be changed, though he liv~d in a time vvben the Commonwealth was fo often changed, yet it is faid of him, be was the fame though his condition ~vas changed, anrJ ht:: ran tbrotigh variety of conditions. Oh that it -co.uld be f~d fo ofmany Chrifl:ians, that though their conditions be changed, yet that no body_ could fee them changed,they are the fame. Look what gr:tcious. fweet and holy rem per they were_ in before, that they are fl:ill: thus we are to rubmit to the difpof~ ofGod iri every condition. Ob;. But you ~vill fay, This that you fpeak of is good inF . deed ' \
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