460 Of theexcellency ofcontentment,& themeasra to ebtam it. for they being endleffe, there would be no end ofafpiring ; but outdelres toour eflate, being content with that degree ofhonour which Godby lawfullmeanes doth call vs vnto ; counting it our chiefe honour to contemne thofe honours, which on ill and unlawfull conditions are offeredvnto vs; and that wee are then truely great, when aswee can defpife wicked.greatneffe. For feeing the excellencie bothofho- nours them felues, andof their degreeand quantity, confi- Beth chiefly inmens minds and opinions, andnot in anyab- folute goodneflè that is in themfelues ; thereforeheebath e- nough ofthem indeed, who hath enough in his owne opini- on; and thoughhe bebut meanely aduanced, yet ifhiseflate giue contentment to his mind, or rather hismind to it, hee flandethnot in need ofmore preferments, becaufe hee bath asmuch as he defireth. Whereas ifthe concupifcence be not ouerruledwith reafon and religion, the more honours wee haue, the more ambition allo; and confequently the leffe content. For feeing all defiring and afpiring commeth from opinionof want, andhee that euer wanteth can neuerbee fatiffied; therefore it mattereth not how great our prefer- mentsare in themfelues, ifwe thinke them little vntovs, fee- inghee who thinketh hee bath too little, Hill affediethmore, andcan neuer becontent till his ovineheart telleth him,that he bath enough. Iftherefore we would hauecontentment in honours, wemua notlabour to attainevnto it by multiply.. ingofpreferments, but by moderating our ambition,letting beforevs the exampleof the prophet Dauid, who beingby God himfelfeannointed king, did not ambitioufly afpire to take poffeffton of the royall throne, by cutting off Saul, though he were reieöled byGod, but waited till the Lord himfelfe did make him a way, by giuing vnto him lawfull meanes : and when bee was highefl in his eflate beewas not haughtyin his heart, but was as humble as a wained child, when he welded the fcepter,and held in his hand foueraigne power, wherebyhauinghis mind farre under his condition, though through his fottnes ambition hee loll hiskingdome, yet not his content,but was willing to accept ofany eftate which the Lord wouldafligne vino him.Heream I(fatth,he) let
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