Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

456 Oftheexcellency ofcantentment, & themeans to obtain it. efleemed much, how great foeuer, which is not enough. §.SeE43. But the excellencie of this fpirituall contentment may That content- herebymoref urtherappeare ,inthatwhofoeuerhathit,hath ment is a mud- a medicine of all miferies: for it is that which eafeththe bur- finefor aim,- then ofall affliEtions,and maketh them light and eatie:it tur- ferirs. neth ourpouertie intothe greatefiriches, fupplying all out- ward wants with inward comforts; and euen whilea we are owners o£ nothing, it maketh vs lords of all things; while(} we feeme poore, it caufeth vs that we be not poore indeed, but only in appearance, feeing thereby we haue a fecret ri- ches that the world doth not take notice of; which giueth vs enough, and inableth vs to helpe others. For fo the ApoPrie faith ofhimfelfe, and ofother ofthe faithfull, that they were a.Cor.6.1o. nocfimpliepoore, but as itwerepoere, making many roch; ae having nothing, and yet po¡feffïng all tdings : and of fuch the Prou.t3.7. Wife man fpeaketh; There is (faith he) that maketb himfelfe richand bath nothing, and that maketh himfelfe peore, hawing great riches. Now this way ofinrichingamans felfe in the middefl ofpouertie is by contentation, as he afterwards ex. poundeth it : The righteous (faith he) eateth to the contentati- Nibil interefl an of his mind, but the belly of the wicked /hall want. The reafon vtrum non deft- hereofis, becaufe a contented mind borroweth whatfoeuer deres, an babe- 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, if we be ficke,this content is our brll Phyfition, which both mitigates our paine, and giues vs flrength alto to beare it; without which curry one is intollerablie ficke in the time of health. Finally, if we beoppreffed with cares, this content will free vs from them, by canting vs to call them vpon the Lord, vpon whom we wholy refl,being affured of his power to helpe vs, and of his will alfo, by his gratious promifes. So the Pfalmifl faith, Pfalme /5.s a. Cash thy burl hen vpon the Lord, and he fhall helpe thee: and the 7áPeo1.7. ApoRie Peter willeth vs ro coft all our care on qod,for be carerb for vs: whereas he that wanteth this fpirituall contentment inCod, is continually tormented with carking care in the mid deft of all his abundance; for his wealth, though neuer foplentiful!, is vnto him as a great tandingpoole, which though