lob 131. 4s8 Oftheexcellencyofcontentment,& the means to amissit. ly things beate the heart with comfort and coutentment,vn- leffe this fpiritual warmth be fir(i from the mind conueighed vnto them, and where this vitali heate is quite wanting, it is notthe monarchie ofthewhole world that will reuiue it.Let vs not therefore fceke for contentment abroad, feeing we may hauc it fo neere home, not in earthly things, but inour ownehearts, feeing the whole worldcan neithergiue, nor yet take it from vs, which when we haue, miferie it Idlecan- not make vs miferable : wemay haue (ifwe will) futficient in our owne (lore; and why then fhouid we dependvpon o- thers, and hueby borrowing,whereby wearebrought into a wilfullferuitude ?ourownemay fuffice vs, ifour mind fur. fice it (elfe : and we may abound in allplentie, ifwee benot caufes ofourowne pouertie : for let vsbut inrich our minds with content,andwe may well (corne the worlds riches;fee- ing thefmallefi pittancewill be fufficient;andenough (aswe fay) is as good asa feafi : we fee that found and healthie bo- dies, though they feedon the courfe(i fare,are flrong,fat and in good liking; whereas thofie that are difeafed, are leane and feeble, though they fit atfull tables,and feed only vpon the daintie(l food : and therefore no man defireth fickneffe, that hemay Rillfeed on delicacies,but would rather content himfelfwith the limplcfi commons, fohe might hauehealth tobearehi mcompanie : fowhen our minds are inhealth,ha- uing in them that vitali heat ofcomfortand content in God, we are fo firong and vigorous, that in the meanefl conditi- on we are replenifhed with ioy, and though men fhould take all we haue fromvs, yet whetherthey willor no, they mufi'leaue our chide treafure, content, behind them : but if webefckeofworldly concupifcence, nothing will either pleafeor cafe vs ; and all ourdelicates willbe but loathfome, iftheybe notferued inwith contestation. Satancould take away lobs goods but not his comfort, becaufe his content was not in his outward efiate,but inhis heart,and hauing no commiflìon to ranfackethat, hecould not ouercome him in thefpirituall fight, feeingthough all his riches were gone, his heart fupplied wealth enough to maintaine thewarre. And though hauing firipped him ofall, he íhould haue had leaue
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