Ofthe excellencyo contentment,& themeant to el,tainit.gdY' let him doetomearfeemcthyodinhis eyes. And this was that a.Sam.rf.ne. leffonwhichour Sauiour taught his Difciples,when as they ambitioufly flroue one with another who fhouldbe grea- tefl; not to fatisfie their ambition by fupplanting oneano- ther,or attaining vntopreferments,but to fitbduetheir pride, and moderate their concupifcence, becomming as meeke and humble as thofe little children which hee fet before Mac.iS3.4. them. And thus all()mutt we looke for fufficiencie ofriches, not 4.Se11.6. in our outward eflate,but in our mind; not by adding toour ¡jwe wo,dld wealth, but by diminifhing our concupifcence : for though baue content. the world may thinke it a lirange paradox, yet it isanvn- mestinri- doubted truth, that aman is made truely rich, not bymulti- i yardmod plicati on, but by fubfira6tion ; not by encreafing his riches,ueroafneffe. but byabatinghis immoderate deliires. For feeing the whole riches ofthe world are finite, and the mindofmaninTome fort infiniteand vnfatiabie; therefore there can be no fulnes or fufficiencieby feting riches toour minds,whichis impof- fible; but by limiting and circumfcribing our defires and concupifcence, making them fo little as that they may bec fatisfied, feeing the other canneuer be fo great, as to fill and fatisfie them in their full largeneflè. And ifwee thus confine our vnlimited defires with true content,we(hall attainevnto greater andbetter riches, then the wholeworld can yeeld, forthat may giuevs much,but not enough, and where there is not enough there iswant,andhe thatvvanteth is flil poore, feeing penurieand pouerty goe together;but content brin- gethfufftciencieto the nteanefl eflate, and hee that bath fuf- ficienciewanteth nothing,and bee who wanteth nothingis aboueall others truely rich. And thus the Apoftleprefcri- beth away howa chriflian maybee rich, andneuer neede to feekehelpefrom the earthly mammon: Godlineff (faithhee) r.Tims.i, ifgreat riches,w,thcontentation. So thata man may bee rich withoutriches,when godlines and contentation do meet to- gether. And to the famepurpofe one ofthe ancients well de- îneth riches:Thofe (faithhe) aretrue and neuer wafting ri- chr foft. in ches,todelire that onelywhich is neceffarie for vfe,and well Geñ.to.Hom, to difpofeofthofe things which are thustobevfed :for asan 37,
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