The rare Jewel of ChriJJ-ian Contentmenr. 27 except. it may be raid of.you,that_as you are the the .moR conten-" ted man fo you ·are the moll unfatisfied man i.n the world. You will ray, how is th~t? A man that bath learned the art of Contentment is the moll contented with any low conditon. that he hath i·n the I'Torld,& yet he cannot be fatisfi.ed with tae _ injoyment pf all the world, and yet he is con~ented if he hath but a crufl, but bread and water, that ·is ifGod difpofes of him fo~ the things of the world, to have but bread and water for his pre[ent condition,b e can be fatisfied with Gods di(pofe in that., yet if God 1hou1d give! ~unto him Kngdoms and Empires,all the world to rule, if he lho~IEI give it him for his portion, he -vvould not be fatisfi.ed vvith r,hat,bere's the myflery ofit,though h~s heart be fo inlarged,as the injoyment o~ all the world and ten thou[and vvorlds cannot ratisfie him for his purtion; yet he hath a heart quieted uncle~ Gods difpofe, if he gives him but bread and water, to joyn thefe two together this mull needs be agreat art and myllery. Though he be contented with God·in a little_yet thofe things· that \Vould ~untent oth~r men, wilt not content him; The.men of the world they reek after eflates, and think if they bad.thus much, and thus much, they would be - content, they aim at no great matters ; but it I had ( perhaps fome man thinks)but two or three hundred a year,tberi I ilioutd be ~ell enough ; if I h1 d but a hundred a year, or a tboufand · a year (faith another) then I fuould be fatisfied : but (aitb a gracious 'heart, If he had ten hundred thoufang tilnes fo much . a year, it would not (atisfie him, if he had the quinrdfence of of all the excellencies of all the creatures in the world, it cou~d not fatisfie him, yet t~is rpan can ling, and be merry, and joyful when he bath but a crufl of bread and a littl.e warer i11 the world : Surely Religion is a ~rear myflery, great is t h~ myflery of Godlinefs, noton! y in the Dottrina:l part of it, but in the Pratl:ical part of it alfo. Godlinefs teacht!i us inis myfier.y, Not to be fatisfied vvith ail the world for our portion, and yet tobe content ~vith tbe meanefl condition in wh ii·h we are, _As Luther, when he had great grfts fent him from Dukes and Princes,be refufed ir, and faith h~, I .did vehemently proteCt God fuotild not put me~off fo; 'tis not that which wil! c0nrent lJle. A little in the world ~vill corrtent a Chri·fiian for ·hi F 1 paffage
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=