The rare Jewel of C brijiian Contentment. 35 Power, that is, tocreatelightoutof darkr.efs, to bring good out of eV.il, no1v by this way a Chrifiian comes to be content. God bath given a Chrifiian fucb a vertue, as can turn affii&i~ns into mercies, can turn darknefs into light; if a man had -the · power that Chrifi had when the water pots vvel'e fil'd he could bJ a word curn the water into wine; if you that have nothing but water to drink, yet if you had a power to turn it into 'r'Yine then you may be <;Ontented : certainly a Chr.i!lian hath recei· ved this power from God, to work thus miraculou£1y; it is the nature of Grace to tum water into vvine,that is, tG tum the water of your affii6l:ion, into the wine of Heavenly confolation. If yoa undetft:and this in a·carnal \V ay) I knmv it will be ridiculous,for amini!ler to fpeak thus before you,and many carnal people are ready to make fuch expreffions as thefe to be ridiculo~s, undcrrfhndiog them i:1 a carnal way: Jttft as Nicodem;u in the 3 of JJhn, whnt ! c.zn 4 man b~ b.rn wh~n hd1 9Jd, c4,. ' h~ ~nter th( bcond time il;tiJ his moth~rs ~omb and be .born? So when· liVe fpeak of grace that it can turn water into vvine, and turn pov~rcy into rich~s, and make poverty a gainful! trade; faitn a carnal heart, Let them have that trade if they will, and let them have water to drink; and fee if rhey can turn it into wine: Oh ! rake heed thou fpeakeH: not in a fcornful way of /tbe YVaies of God; grace bath the p01ver to tllrn afflictions into mercies. TYVo-meo 11ull have one affi cbon, and to one man it .thall be as gall and IVormwoo l,and it lhall be wine and hone.y, and ,deiightfulners, and joy, and advantage, and riches, to another. This is the Myfiery ofContent~ent, not fo much by removing the evil, as by m<:tamorpbofing the evil, by changing the evil into good,- - _ The fifth thing is this,A Chri/li.<tn !COtn~Jto tf.is Conten.tmfnt, by m~~ing r~p the 'fMnts of his ' ~?~dition, by the performance of the ._?r~ of his condition~ Th1s lS the way of Contentment. There is fuch a condition tbat I am in,many-wants,I want this and the other comfmt, we! 1bo .v lh 1ll I come to.be fatisfied and content? A carnal bear't thinks thi!,I mull have·my wants made ll p or elle it is impoffible that I iliould be content: No,but faith l gracio~s heart,Whlt is the duty of the coadition G )d hath put me mto? Indeed my co:1dttioi1 is changed, I was not long · G l fince
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