The rare Je.wel of Chriftian Contentmem~ 3 I I ' . ~ a mean co-nditi~;;, ··and then let God but faili.ion and fuite his· heart to that condition and he will be content. As now· in a mans going, Suppofe a man had amighty long Leg, and his other Leg were ibort,vvby, though one of his ·legs be longer than ordinary, yet he couid riot go fo well as. a man that bath botb. his legs tborter· then he. I compare a long Leg, when one is longer than another,toa man that hath a high condition-)and ·is very rich, and a great man in .the world, but be hath a gre~t proud hem too, that _is longer and larger tlTan his condiaion : naw this man cannot but be troubled in bis condition: - Now another man that is in amean condition, his condition i!r low; and his heart is lo~V too ·; fo that his heart and his condition is both even tegerher,and this man goes on with more eafe abundanti y than the other cloth : So that now a gracious heart works after this manner, The Lord bath been plea[:ed to bring ,down my condition, flOW if the Lord bring dOivne mY, heart ' and make it even with my condition~ then I a'm'well enough~ · '.And:Co when God·hrings d01vn his condition, he'dothnot fo mucn labour to raife up his condition again,as to bring down his h~art to his cotidition: The Heathens themfelves they. had - a. little glimps o.fthis; . they could fay, That the befi riches that ·is,it is the poverty 9f deftres: that is .a fpeech of a rleathen,that is, If. a man or wonian have their defires cttt fuort;and ·have no Ja'rge dell res, that man ant:! WOman they are rich, When they can bring their deGres to be but low : So this is the Art ofcontentm.er.t. Not tofeek to a-dd to our cpnditions, but to fubftraa from our delires. ·Another bath this,The way to be rich, faith he,it is not by errcreafing of wealth, but by dirninillling of ot~r defires i for certa·in!y that man or woman is a rich man or wo• man that bath their defires fatisfied, now a contented man harh· his defires fatisfied;· God fatisfie-s brs de!ires, that is, all confi· dered, he is fac;sfied in his condition for the prefent tt be the ~eft condition, and fo he comes to this Contentment by way of- 1 Subflrattlon and not addition. TheThird thing in the :art of Contentment is thi-s,4 Chrifti-: An comes to Contentment, no.t [9 much by gettin,g off his bur_deili' . that ,-is upon him, as by the Adding amther burden to him : this i!r a way that fleJ'n and blood hath ltittle skit in. Yo~1 will fay hmv is - \ . - thif~~-:.
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