Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

474 Of the motives to obtaire contestation. rnerablebleffngs of God, whereas our fumeshaue deferued, that they fhould all be taken from vs, and his iudgements and puni(hments infliCied, as a fit wages for our Gnfull fer- uice; then would we not be difcontented for that we haue not, but contented with that we haue, nor repine for wan- ting fome things, but reioyce that the Lord vouchfafethvs any thing. Againe, if we would but confider how many be- nefits we inioy which others want,who are much more wor- thie; ifwe would Tooke how many come behind vs in re- wards,that go far before vs in defert ; we would not through difcontent make our felues miferable, becaufe we cannot be fo happic as we delire; we would not fret becaufe force go before vs, but reioyce that we are preferred before fo many; nor repiningly thinke Gods liberalitie fcant and firait, be. cattle we haue not all, but rather admire and thankfully ex. toll his infinit bounty,that he vouchfafethvnto vs any thing, who haue dcferued nothing:whereas if our fingerbe alwaies vpon our fores, and our eye vpon ourwants, neuer thinking what we haue, but what we delre; ifwe alwaieslooke vpon thole who go before vs, and neuer call backe our eye vpon thofe that follow vs ; ifwe compare our wants with others pleutie, and our miferies with their ioyes; neuer looking at that wherein they alfo are defeo`ìiue, nor vpon thofeeuils, wherein they haue their (hare ; then can we neuer want for - row and difcontent, becaufe we are our owne tormenters, nor hue at cafe with comfort and quietneffe,feeing wepicke quarrels again(+ our owne peace, and whip our felues with rods of our owne making. 4.Sett 4, And thus haue T (hewed that our contentment is to be That per fed found in Ipiritual and not in worldly things: but for as much aad fall contes- as wee cannot heere haue full contentment, becaufe we are ration to not full of grace, nor be tlsroughly fatisfied with fpirituall ;eenlynappìner, be faundinhea thin s becaufe they are imperfe&l, and our delires alto g ' worldly and carnall;let vs abone all things labour to attaine vnto heaueoly happines,and to be partakers of thofe eternall ioyes which will fully fatisfie without all loathing fatietie, lecing by the infinit wifdome and power of God they are of fucha nature, that their fulueffe is accompanied with a con- tinual(