456 Oftheexcellency ofcantentment, & themeans to obtainit. efleemed much, howgreat foeuer, which isnot enough. §.SeE43. But the excellencie of this fpirituall contentment may Thatcontent- herebymorefurtherappeare,inthatwhofoeuerhathit,hath ment isa mud- a medicine ofall miferies: for it is that which eafeththe bur- finefor aim,- then ofall affliEtions,andmaketh them light and eatie:it tur- ferirs. neth ourpouertie intothe greatefiriches, fupplying all out- ward wants with inward comforts; and euenwhilea we are owners o£nothing, it maketh vs lordsof all things; while(} we feemepoore, it caufeth vs that we be not poore indeed, but only in appearance, feeing therebywe haue a fecret ri- ches that the world doth not take notice of; which giueth vs enough, and inablethvs tohelpe others. For fo theApoPrie faithofhimfelfe, andofother ofthe faithfull, that they were a.Cor.6.1o. nocfimpliepoore, but as itwerepoere, making many roch; ae having nothing, andyet po¡feffïng all tdings : and of fuch the Prou.t3.7. Wifeman fpeaketh; There is (faith he) that maketb himfelfe richandbathnothing, andthat maketh himfelfe peore, hawing great riches. Now this way ofinrichingamans felfe in the middefl ofpouertie is bycontentation, as he afterwardsex. poundeth it : The righteous(faith he) eateth to thecontentati- Nibil interefl an ofhis mind, but thebelly ofthewicked /hallwant. The reafon vtrum non deft- hereofis, becaufe a contented mindborrowethwhatfoeuer deres, anbabe- it wantethofitfelfe; for harming little it defireth no more, as.Scnec.epifl. defiring nothing, it wanteth nothing, and he that wanteth nothing, is ofall others moil rich. Againe, ifwe be ficke,this content is our brll Phyfition, which both mitigates our paine, and giues vs flrength alto to beareit; without which curry one is intollerablie ficke in the time ofhealth. Finally, ifwe beoppreffed with cares, this content will free vsfrom them, by cantingvs to call themvpon the Lord, vpon whom we wholy refl,being affuredof his power tohelpe vs, andof his will alfo, by his gratious promifes. So thePfalmifl faith, Pfalme /5.sa. Cash thy burlhenvpon theLord, andhe fhallhelpe thee: and the 7áPeo1.7. ApoRie Peter willeth vs rocoft allour careonqod,forbecarerb for vs: whereas he that wanteth this fpirituall contentment inCod, is continually tormented with carkingcare in the middeft ofall his abundance; for his wealth, though neuer foplentiful!, is vnto himas a great tandingpoole, which though
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