'J"he rare Jewel ofCbripi~nContentmenr. 41 n'ot oi, in~ recr~t way i~ aChfillian fed by the dew of the bier.. ling of God, a p~~r nun m won.Ui1 th&t liath but a little which twn gr~ceJ lives a mere. (;Ot:tented liFe ~en his .ric~ neighbor .that twh a gre~t d~al ~omtng in, we find it fo ordmmly,fo th~t tho·ugh they have but a little~ y~ubey have a fecret bletftng of God· going in ir, that tbey are not able to exprefs to a·ny other man ; if yoLJ would come to them and fay, How c:omes it that you I1ve fo comfortably as you do? they are.not able to tell you what they have,bot they find there is a fweetnefs in what they do en joy,and they know this by experience that they never had fnch fweetnefs in former times,that though they had more plen- . ty in former times then_noYV they h~ve, yet they know they had not fuch rweetnefs;but bmv this comes they cannot tell·aod we may lhew fome particulars, even that Godly men do enjoy, that makes their condition to be fvveet. As now, Take thefe four or five particulars thara Godly man finds Contentment in whst he hath, though it be never fo litde. 1. BtMu(e in whAt he hath, he h.!th the love of Gcd, he bath Gods love to him in what he hath:If a.Ki.ng lhould fend a piece ofmeat from his owne table,it is a great deal more comfortable to a Counier then if he had twenty dilhes at ordinary al!owance,ifthelKing fend but any little tbiog and fay,go and carry this to fuch ~man as a token of my love, Oh bow delightful is that unto him!Are your husbands atS~a,and fend you a token of their love, it is more then forty times fo much that you have in your hou(es already: Every good thing the people ofGod do enjoy, they enjoy it in Gods love, as a token ofGods love, and coming fromGods' eternal love unto them,_ this muil needs be very fwee t unto them. 2. what they have it iJ fantiified unto thnn far gooJ; Othe~ men have what they enjoy in a way of common provjdence,. but the Saints in a fpe cial way; others have what they have and there is all, they have t'iieat ana drink,and .houfes, and cloaths, and money, and that•s all. But agracious heart finds contentment in this,t have it,and I have a fan6tified ufe of it too;I find God going along with what I have to draw my heart neerer to him and fane'tifie my heart to him ; If I 6nd rny heart dmvn H neeret
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=