1o The ra;e J~~d ~fCbriftian Contentment.· my body, but the reference1t bath -to-God the -Fir·a 'being, that by ihere.creatutes there1hould be fomwhat of GGds Goodncfs conveyed eo. rpe, and ;l_m~y have a fantl:ified ufc of the creature to draw me neerer to God~ and that I enjoy more of God, and b~ made more ferviceable "for the: Glory of God in the place where Qvd bath fet ·me, ·here's the good of the Creature • Oh were we b~1t inltru&ed m this Le!fon, did we but underlland, and taroughly beleeve eh is to be a tmtb, that there is no creature in all the wmld bath any goodnefs in it any further than it bath reference to tbe firn infinite Supream Good of all, that fo far as I can enjoy God in it, fo far it is good to me, a(:)d fo far as· I do not enjoy God io it, fo far there .is n_o goodnefs in any thin.p that I . have in the creature : how eafie .were it then for one ro b! contented ; As thus, Suppofe aman had a gr.eat eltate but a few years ago, and no9\f it is ilii gone, I would ' . but appeal to this man, When you nad your eflate vvherein did you account the good of that eltate to con fill! a carnal heart would fay, any body mig.ht kno'lq that; that it brought me iJl fo much a year, and that I could fare of the belt, and be a man of repute in the place where I live, and men would regard what I fa id, I might be c;louhed as I wou-ld; and lay up portions fot my children, in this confiG:ed the good of my eltate ; this man now never came into the School of Chrifl to know · whereir-~ the goed of an e!hte did confifl:, no marvaii if he be aifquieted when he hatb' lofi his efiate : But now a Chriltian . that bath been in ~.he School of Chrifl, and. bath been inflrueted in the Art of contentment,when fuch an one bath an efbtc he thinks, in that I have an efiate above my brethren,in this con-. fills the good ef it to me, in that I have an opportunity to ferve God the3eeter, and I enjoy a great deal of Gods mercy to my Soul conveyed to me through the creature, and hereby I am enabled eo do a great deal of good, and therein I acco-.nt the good of my eflate. Now/ God bath taken this away for 11\e; now if God wonld be pleafed to Make up the enjoyment of himfelf anotf1er vvay; that is, will call me to honor him by fuffering, and if I may do God as much Service now in my wayoffuffering, that is, to thew forth the Grace of his Spirit in the way or'my fufferi11g as I did in the way of pro'fperiry; I · have .
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