Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

46 z Of the excellency ofcontentrttent,& the meow to obtain it. Si adnaturam ill man faid well, if we liue according to nature,we fhallne- vises nunquam uer be poore,if according to opiniou,we fhall neuer be rich; eris ad ept "Poneffi nature defiring but a litde,andopinion being infatiable. Hee nunquam di- therefore who is indued with Gods fpirituall graces, godli- uer. ezigaum neffe,andconrentation,is truely rich, though his outward e- naturadefide, llate,be neuer fo meane; and of him that maybe truelyfaid, rae,opinioim which the fpirit fpeaketh to the Angell of the Church of antrum. Epi- curus aped Smyrna ; / ! rro v thy ponerrv,but thou art rich. For hee only is Senecam epift. rich in Gods eflimate, who is rich vnto eternity, laying vp 16, in (lore the fruits, not of earthly abundance but of vertue : Apoc.a.9. he which hath fuch peace and tranquillity of mind, that bee Solumállum defireth nothing, nor is toffed with the wauesof concu i- uou t,gsium fcence neither loathing his old Rote, nor feekin new,b aouit, qui t di- r , g y leesaternitati, perpetuaildeuiring,making himfelfepoore in abundance of &c. Ambrof. wealth. The oncly way therefore to attaine Efficiencie of ad Simplic.c. riches, is to haue in all eflates a contented mind; for thus we épi(l.ro; maybe rich in the middefl ofpouerty, feeing he is rich who path enough,and he hath enough whole Rate agreeth with Nonqui parum his mind ; neither ishee poore whohath litt le, butheewho feabet fedqui not being fuffrced defireth more. Whereas if weewantthis plus cupie pau- per efl.Senec. contenttnent,though we haue neuer fo great Rore of wealth, yet we remainepoote; neither can It byfatisfying our minds make vs happie, but only change our mifcrie, making vs now want in plenty, who before wanted through penury. And this commeth to paffe becaufe our minds continuing ficke and difeafed with difcontent,which arifeth from their infatiety,doe make riches as troublefome,and more burthen- fonie veto vs then our pouerty. For as bee who is ficke of the drople is alike tormentedwith vnfatiable therR, whether he drinke in filuer piare, or in earthen pots; and he who is ficke of a feuer is alike ill at eafe, when he heck) in a bed ofiuorie, and when he licth in abcdofwood; becaufe wherefiseuer he Both lie his difeafe followeth him : fo ifour mindsbee ficke ofcouetoufneffe, it mattereth not whether wee hauemuch or little, feeing there outward things cannot cure the in- ward difeafes of the mind, nor whether wee beepoore.or wealthie , feeing our concupifccnce Rill accompanieth vs. Fitsally,