True Contentment in the Gain of Godliness, Part 2

True Contentment in the Gain of Godliness · Part 2

p. 41THE SECOND PART. The Sufficiencie of it in it Selfe.

HItherto of the maine Point, to wit, that Godlineſſe is great Gaine. Now becauſe this Propoſition will not either eaſily enter into mens mindes, or ſinck ſodainely into their hearts: The Holy Ghoſt by the Apoſtle is content to bring a double proofe of it.

The one drawne from the time preſent; becauſe it is able alone to giuegive a man Contentment here, that which all the world elſe is not able to do, expreſſed in this verſe:

The other taken from the time to come; becauſe it will continue with and abide by a man for euer hereafter, that which no worldly wealth, or ought elſe in the world can doe, implied in the aaVerſ. 7.next verſe.

Godlineſſe with Contentment, or, bbforeignwith Self-ſufficiencie: For ſo it is word for word in the Originall; and the word ſo properly importeth. As if he had ſaid: Godlineſſe and Contentment are two inſeparable Companions, that continually harbour and keepe houſe p. 42togither, that go euer hand in hand the one with other: ſo that a man can not hauehave the one without the other, he cannot want the one if he hauehave the other. There is no true Godlineſſe, where there is not Contentment of Minde; no true Contentment of Minde, where Godlineſſe is not.

So that the Apoſtle ſeemeth to reaſon on this wiſe.

That which of it ſelfe is ſufficient to content the minde of Man, that is true Gaine, and great Gaine indeed: For it is no ſmall matter that will ſuffice to ſtay and ſettle Mans minde.

But Godlineſſe is of it ſelfe ſufficient to content the Minde of Man, and doth euer bring true Contentment with it to him that hath it.

Godlineſſe therefore is true Gaine and great Gaine indeede.

Hence then may we deduce theſe three Concluſions to be conſidered of in order:

1. That Contentment of Minde is a moſt pretious Treaſure.

2. That Godlineſſe alone can produce and procure this Contentment.

3. That true Contentment is an vndoubted Argument of Godlineſſe.

For the firſt: ccforeign. Epicur. ap ud Laert.Contentment of Minde is an vnvaluable, an ineſtimable Treaſure. For it is that indeed that maketh Riches to be Riches. ddQuis diues? qui nil cupiat. quis pauper? auarus. Bias apud Auſon. in 7. Sap. Divitia grandes homini ſunt vi…re parc… Aequo …im… ▪ Lucret. l. 5. Nom eſſe cupidum pecunià eſt: nō eſſe emacē …ectigal eſt: contentum verò ſuis vebus eſſe maxima ſunt certiſſimaqus diuitiae. …. parad. ….Who is rich, ſaith one well, but he that liueth content with his eſtate? who is poore, but he that neuer hath enough. eeforeign. Democrit. apud Stob. c. 95.That is true wealth indeed, that freeth a man from want. But ffforeign. Chryſoſt. in 1. Cor. h…m. 13. Ex an…m… re… ſtare …quum puto, …. Auſon. Non qui parum habet, ſed qui pl… cupit, pauper eſt. Sē. ep. 2. Inſtructa. …pi… eſt in di…i… cupiditas. P. Syr.what w…th call we that, when a man p. 43is alwaies in want? Or ggSemper auarus eget. H…r. epiſt. 2. l. 1. Semper inops, quicun… cupit. Claud. in Ruff…. Egen… hoc nō abundātis ſignū eſt. Cic. parad. 6how is not that man alwaies in want, that is not cōtent with what he hath?

And on the other ſide, hhforeign Chryſ. in Eph. h…m. 21. foreign. Dires á …vꝰ, qui vt Deus, nihil indigere videtur. Varro de ling. Lat. l. 4. Ita tu pauperem iudicas, …ui nihil d…st? Sen. ep. 119. Locuples eſt, qui paupertati ſu… aptu… eſt, & paruo ſe divitem fec…. Ibid. 108. Cui cum paupertat… benè convenit, dives eſt. Ibid. 2. & Greg. in Ezech. l. 2. hom. 18.how is he poore, that ſuffreth no want? Or iiforeign. Diviti… ſunt maxim… divitijs no… indigere. Chryſ. in Pſal. 111. Qua ſunt maxima divitiae? divitiae non deſider…r…. Mart. Dum. de morib. Ibi vera copia, vbi nulla eſt indigentia. Aug de temp. 212. I… maximè diaitijs fruitur, qui minimè divitijs indiget. Sen. ep. 14. Locupletem illum facie…at non multa poſſidere, ſed modi…a de…iderare▪ de Fabricio Val. Max: l. 4. c. 3. Oīa nimirum habet, qui nihil conc…piſ…it. Ibid.Ps 111what wanteth he, that reſteth content with what he hath? kkforeign. 2. Cor. 6. 10. Sapientem nulla re indigere. Chryfippus apud Sen. ep. 9. Quid deeſſe poteſt extra de…iderium omnium pofite? quid extrinſ… … eſt ei qui omnia ſua in ſe collegit? Sen. de vit. beat. c. 16. Is mini… eget mortali…, qui mini…cupit. Quod vult habet, qui velle quod ſatis eſt, poteſt. Idem ep. 108. Sanctus ergo quiſ que terreni… non indiget, etiamſi haec non habet. pauper eſt autem qui eget eo quod non habet. … & qui non habens habere non appetit, dives eſt. Greg. in Ezech. hom. 18. Hinc illud Socratis; Quam multis ego non indigeo? Laert. & Cic. Yuſ…. 5.2 Cor 6:10Many things may he be without, and yet llCarere enint eſt egere …o quod habere velis. Cic. Tuſc…. l. 1. Et Indigentia libido inexpl…ilis. Ibid. 4.wanteth he nothing; no more than mmNon tu dives, & Angelus pauper, quia non habet … menta & r…da… & fam…los. quare? quia non indiget. tu… verè dives eris, quand… nullius indigens eri…. Aug. de temp. 74.the bleſſed Spirits and Angels in Heauen want foode or ſuch fare as we can in no wiſe liue without here vponupon earth. He is no more poore or vnhappy, becauſe he hath them not, than nnSocrates dicere ſolitus eum Dijs eſſe ſimillimum, qui qua… pauci…i…is egeret, cum Dij nullius egeant rei. Animus eſt qui divitem facit. pecunia nihil ad an…pertinet; non magis quam ad Deos immortales terrena pondera iſta omni… quae ſuſpiciunt mortales Sen. ad Helv. c. 11. Quae parat… nobis ſunt, nō habet in vſus… Deu…. Idem ep. 74. Si quis de f…licitate Diogenis dubitat, quod non aurum, non opes hab…at, poteſt idem dubitare de Deorum immortali… ſtatu, an parum beatè degant, quod illis non pr…di…, non …rti, non rur…preti…ſ…, non grande in … foenus. Idem de vit. beat. c. 8.God is, or the Angels are, becauſe they hauehave not heaps of gold and ſiluer, and other ſuch earthly traſh horded vp by them in Heauen.

Againe, ooforeign. Ariſto…. rhetor. l. 1. c. 5. Quo mihi divitiae, quarum …i dempſeri… vſus…, Qu…divet …, ſ…egenus ero. Maxim. eleg. 1. Legatur hac de re Teletis diſſertati… apud St…b. c. 95.Riches, as the Heathen man truly obſerueth, conſist not ſo much in the poſſeſsion of tem, as p. 44in the fruition of them. But it is Contentment a lone that giueth a man a comfortable vſe and fruition of what he hath, that procureth him profit and pleaſure of what he poſſeſſeth. For ppVltra ſe cupidttas porrigit, & falicitatem ſuam nō attendit. Sen. debe…efl… 27. Novis ſemper cupiditatibꝰ occupati, non quid hab…amus, ſed quid petamus inſpicimꝰ: non ad id quod est, ſed ad id quod appetitur, intenti. lb. l. 3. c. 3. Quid est quod faciat obliuionem acceptorum? cupiditas accipiendorum, Idē epiſt. 8…. Quid aveantꝰ, quā quid habeamꝰ, mēs frequentiu… cogitas.where a man reſteth not content with what he hath, there is the minde ſo caried after that he further deſireth and hath not, that he no more regardeth or joyeth in what he hath, qqAvaro tā d…est quod habet, quam quod … multa, av…riti… o…nia, Idem Sen. op. 108.than if it were not at all. And where a man is diſcontent with his preſent eſtate, there is all that he hath, be it neuer ſo much, rather a burden than any way a benefit vntounto him; like meat that a, greeing not with the ſtomacke, lieth in it vndigeſted, and not only proueth vnpleaſant and vnprofitable, affording neither good relliſh nor ſound nouriſhment, but noyſome alſo and burdenſome to the whole bodie. So that where Contentment is not, a man regardeth nothing: and where Diſcontent is, it infecteth and tainteth all things, and ſo maketh them, as if ſome malignant blaſt had blowne on them, vnſauoury and diſtaſtfull to him that ſo hathr Non domne & … a … corpor…Non animo cu…as, No… ▪ op. 2. l. 1. them, rather ſicke of them, than endowed with them. And certainely as a man diſeaſed in bodie can hauehave litle ioy of his wealth, be it neuer ſo much; ſince as the Heathen man ſaith, A golden Crowne cannot cure the Head-ach, nor a veluet ſlipper giuegive eaſe … … foreign. Plut. de tranquill.of the Gow…, nor a Purple robe fray away a burning Feuer. And, ttforeign. S…ct. apud Stab. c. 92. Non magnis … corpora c…nt: Nec calida citiꝰ … corpore …bres, Tentilibꝰ ſi in picturis oſtro que … quā …i plebe…i… veſte cubandū eſt. …dū, nihil differt, v…r…lecto, an in aur…o coll…ces; quocun que illū tranſtul…ſ… ſecū transfert: ſic nihil … age…i… divitijs an in paupertate pon…ur; malū ſ…ū illū ſequitur. Sen. ep. 17.A ſicke man is alike ſicke, whereſoeuer ye p. 45lay him, on a bed of gold, or on a pad of ſtraw, with a ſilken quilt or with a ſory rug on him. So no more can riches, gold and ſiluer, land or liuing, had a man much more than euer any man had, miniſter vntounto him much ioy, yea or any true and ſound ioy at all, where the minde is diſtract and diſcontent: without Contentment there is no ioy of ought; there is no profit, there is no pleaſure in ought. uuEccleſ. 2. 10.Eccl 2:10All without it is but vanitie and vexation of Spirit.

Will we ſee this by an Example or two further confirmed to vsus? Haman, was he not a moſt happy man, as the world accounteth happineſſe, xxNemo foelix eſt, qui iudicio ſuo miſer eſt. Salvian. de provid. lib. 1. Non est beatus, eſſe ſe qui non putat. P. Syr. Miſer eſt qui. ſe non beatiſſimum iudicat. Sen. ep. 10.if he could hauehave thought ſo himſelfe? yyEſter 3. 1, 2.the next man in the Kingdome to the King himſelfe, the greateſt one of them that then was; he tooke place by the Kings appointment of all the Princes his Peeres, and all the Kings Court, by the Kings expreſſe command, bowed and did obeyſance to him: zzEſter 5. 13.he vaunteth himſelfe of his glory, the multitude of his children, the abundance of his treaſure, his eſpeciall fauour and inwardnes both with the King and the Queene: enough a man would thinke to content any man aaEgens aquè eſt is qui non ſatis habet, & is cui nihil ſatis poteſt eſſe. Cornif. ad Herenn. l. 4.that had not an vnmeaſurable minde. And yet, ſaith he, that is the concluſion of his diſcourſe, bbEſter. 5. 13. O dives, neſcis quam pauper fis. quam inops tibi ipſi videris, qui te divitē dicis? Ambr. de Nabuth. cap. 2.all this doth me no good: It was all as good as nothing to him; he was neuer the better for all this, ſo long as he wanted a cap and a courteſie of Mordecai; becauſe Mordecai bowed not the knee vntounto him, nor adored him, as other the Kings Courtiers did. It was with him, ccforeign Plut. de tranquill.as with litle children, (ſaith an Heathen man well of ſuch) playing in the ſtreets, who, p. 46if ſome man as he paſſeth by take one of their toyes from them, are ready to caſt all the reſt away from them, though they hauehave many more left, and ſit crying and whining for that one that is gone.

Paſſe we from a Kings fauourite to a King himſelfe. King Ahab had land and liuing enough and enough, (much more than dd1. King. 16. 16.1 Kgs 16:16his Father Omri was euer borne to,) had he not wanted this Contentment of minde. But ee1. King. 21. 1, 2, 3, 4.1 Kgs 21:11 Kgs 21:21 Kgs 21:31 Kgs 21:4the litle Vineyard of his poore Neighbour was ſuch an eye-ſore to his greedy affection, that the diſcontent that he conceiued, becauſe he could not preſently compaſſe it, ffDuos ſinitimos hiſtoria vetus deſcribit, Regem A. & pauperē N. quē horum pauperiorem, quem d…iorem credimus? alter regali fulcro divitiarum praeditus, exiguam pauperis vineē deſideravit: alter animo deſpiciens regias gazas, ſuo erat contentus palmite. an non hîc magis dives, magis Reu, qui ſibi abundabat, cupiditates ſuas regiba…, vt alieni nihil concupiſceret: ille autem egentiſſi…us, cui aurū ſuum vilt, al…nus palmes pretiofiſſimus erat? Ambr. epiſt. 10 Rex ſibi egere viſu… eſt, quia vineam habebat pauper vici…. ille regni opibus affluebat, & tamen ceſpitē pauperis ſlagitabat: pauper nihil depoſſeſſionibus concupivit divitis. al…r certè cenſu pauper videtur, alter pauper eſt affectu. Idem de Nabuth c. 2.made him poorer than poore Naboth, that deſired nothing that he had; and depriued him of his whole Kingdome that he had no profit of it, tooke no pleaſure in it; but, like a man that were in extreme want and neceſſitie, he getteth him home to his houſe, & ſhutteth himſelf vp in his Chamber, like one that durſt not be ſeen abroad for feare of arreſts; he caſteth himſelf on the bed and refuſeth his meat, like a man that tooke thought for the payment of his debts: He fareth, in a word, as the former Author ſaith of ſuch, ggforeign. Plut. de tranquill.like a ſullen Hen, that hauing ſtore of barly lieng by her, getteth her aſide into ſome corner, and forſaking her meat, ſcrapeth alone by her ſelfe, there to finde ſomewhat that ſhe may be picking vp out of the dunghill.

Yea come we to them that were indeede Lords of the whole world, not in title onelyonly, but in truth, hauing and injoying that by Gods free gift, that none ſince them were euerable to come any thing p. 47neere, much leſſe to attaine vntounto. hhGeneſ. 3. 1, 2, 3.Gen 3:1Gen 3:2Gen 3:3Adam and Eve our firſt Parents, albeit they were in the garden of Eden, (a place abounding, as iiforeign Paradiſii voluptatis. Vulg. hortos delicatiſſimos. Leo Iud.the word importeth, with matter of pleaſure and delight) amids all earthly happineſſe; and had the whole world in their hands, and all the Creatures at command: yet no ſooner had the Diuell ſowen this vnhappy ſeede of Diſcontent (the very firſt ſinne of theirs, as I take it with ſome other Reuerend) in their hearts, but they began preſently to deeme themſelues poore & in want, becauſe they had not what they would; they account themſelues as depriued and debarred of all things, if they may not hauehave the fruit of that one tree that was only denied them, and kkGen. 2. 17.Gen 2:17of which God had foretold them, that whenſoeuer **Gen. 3. 3.Gen 3:3they touched it or taſted of it, it would be their bane. As if ſome great rich man, or mighty Monark, hauing wealth in abundance, and the world at will, euen whatſoeuer heart could wiſh, yet ſhould thinke himſelfe ſtreitned and cut ſhort, but a miſerable creature, or not ſo happy as he might be, becauſe he can not, with llHarpalum Alexandro mandante omni modo admiſū, vt hederam in paradiſis Babyloni adiacentibus ſereret, fruſtra fuiſſe, narrant Theophr. hiſt. plaut. l 4. c. 4. Plinhiſt. nat. l. 16. c. 34. & Plut. in Alex.Alexander, get greene Iuie to grow in his Gardens at Babylon; or becauſe he may not, with mmCum medico monente, p…rcina non apponeretur, vt pot… podagra, qua Papa laborabit, inimica, Aff…r, inquit, mihi ferculū, al diſpetto di Dio. Balaus in Iul: 3.Pope Iulius, feede vponupon Swines fleſh, or ſome other diſh by his Phyſitians forbidden him in regard of ſome diſeaſe hanging vponupon him, likely to be his bane if he do; and ſo lye languiſhing and nnforeign. Quod …nopolae ſervus de her… ſuo, quicum vinum venderet, Vippa… ipſe potabat. Plut. de tranq.longing after his owne euill, when he hath good enough at hand, as if it were miſerie for a man to want that, though he hauehave no neede of it, that would but hurt him if he had it. Ye ſee, that a man may be in Paradiſe, (I might well ſay, in heauen too, as the Diuell p. 48once was,) and yet not be happy, if he hauehave not a contented minde.

As on the other ſide, where this Contentment of Minde is, there is wealth euen in want, much more cheerefulnes in wealth: There is, as a ſtay of the deſire, ſo a reſting and a reioycing in that a man enjoyeth: and therefore a comfortable vſage of it, be it more or leſſe, becauſe content in it. It is that alone that ſeaſoneth all: it is that alone that ſweetneth all: It is that that is able, not onelyonly to ſeaſon thoſe things that are ſweet and pleaſant in their owne nature, but euen ooAnimus …q… optimū eſt …rum… condimentū. Plaut. Rudent. 2. 3. Nihil t…m acerbum eſt, in quo non …qu… animus ſolatium in …e…at. Sen, ad Helv. cap. 10.to ſweeten alſo thoſe things vntounto a man, that are harſh and vnpleaſant in themſelues.

It is Contentment therefore onelyonly that maketh a man truly wealthy, becauſe it freeth him from want, and giueth him comfort of that he hath. And as a ppforeign. Plut. de tranquill.peece of dry bread is more ſauoury to a man when he is in health, than all the dainties in the world are when he is heart-ſick: So a litle, ſaith Sal…man, euen qqPro. 17. 1. foreign … St…. … 2. c. … 5.Prov 17:1a morſell of dry bread is better and more with quiet and content, than a whole houſe full of fat beaſts with an vnquiet heart, than a whole world of wealth with a diſcontented minde.

Now two wayes may this point bee vſefull vntounto vsus.

Firſt, to informe vsus, what cauſe they hauehave to be thankfull vntounto God, be they rich or poore, whom he hath vouchſafed this grace vntounto, whom kkPhilip. …. 11, 12.he hath taught, in whatſoeuer eſtate they are, therewith to be content. For euen the pooreſt man that liueth content with his preſent eſtate, is richer than the richeſt p. 49man in the world that hath not a contented minde: he is happier than Adam and Eve were ſometime in Paradiſe, when they longed to eat of the fruit forbidden them: llSenſit Alexander teſt a cum vidit in illa Mag…ū habitatorem, quanto foelicior is, qui Nil cup…ret, quàm qui totum ſibi poſceret (poſſidet) orbem. Iuven. ſat. 14. Si cui ſua non videntur ampliſſima, licet totius mundi dominus ſit, miſer eſt. Epicuru… …pud Sen. ep. 9.he is a greater man than great Alexander himſelf, and in far better plight than he, euen for the preſent. For mmVnus Pelleo i… ueni non ſufficit orbis. Aeſtuat infoelix anguſto limite mū di, Vt Gy…ri clauſus ſcopulis, paruaque Seripho. Iuven. ſat. 10. Numquā parū eſt, quod ſatis est: numquā mul…ū eſt, quod ſatis non eſt. Poſt Darium & Ind…s pauper eſt Alexander Macedoquaerit quod ſuum faciat; maria ignota ſcrutatur, mundi clauſtra perrumpit. Quod naturae ſatis eſt, homini non eſt. Inventus eſt qui concupiſceret aliquid poſt omnia: detecto fine terrarum per ſuu… r…ditu…s orbem triſtis eſt Sen. epiſt. 119. foreign. Arrian. diſſert. l. 3. c. 9.he, ſor want hereof, when he had won the whole world, yet as if he had bin pinched and ſtraitned for roome, or penned vp in a corner or in a priſon, as if the whole world were not able to hold him, (whereas nnMors ſola fatetur Quantula …int hominum corpuſcula. mortuus idem Sarcophago contentus erit. Juven. ſat. 10.he could not take vp ſo much as ten foote of ground, as ooIn paleſtra prolapſus, cum in pulu…r… corporis veſtigium vidiſſet, Pap…, inquit, vt minimam terrae partem natura ſortiti, orbem appetim… vniuerſum? Eraſm. apophth. l. 4.his Father Philip ſaw, when he fell in the wreſtling place, and viewed the print and proportion of his body there in the duſt) ppCum Anaxagoram audiſſet mundos innumerabiles aſſer… tem, foreign Alexander apud Plut.he ſa… weeping and wailing, like a forlorne perſon, that he could not finde out a new world to be winning. Whereas, by benefit hereof many a poore Childe of God, that hath not halfe that that he had, yea that hath not a patch of land in the world, but liueth from hand to mouth by his daily labour, yet paſſeth his time as merrily, (as that Cynick ſometime told his hoaſt at Athens) as if qqforeign Dioge…. apud Plut. de tranquill.eueryevery day were Holyday, or a Feſtiuall day with him: According to that alſo which Salomon ſaith, that

p. 50rrProv. 15. 15. foreign. … …. 36. … foreign Ph… A… foreign Schol. idem fere Prou. 17 22.Prov 15:15Prov 15:36Prov 17:22A merry heart, or a contented minde, (for it is not ſpoken directly of a good Conſcience, as it is commonly taken; (though it be true alſo of that, and that be a meane to procure this;) as may appeare both by the oppoſition of the other member, and by the ſequele of the context) is a perpetuall banquet, a continuall feaſt.

The poore man then hath as great cauſe to be thankfull to God for his Contentment of minde, as… foreign omnes …ies afflict… mali. Sic… Gen. 47▪ 9. & Math. 6. 34.Gen 47:9Matt 6:34 the Rich man for his riches. Conceiue it by this Compariſon. Suppoſe two men lye ſicke of the ſame diſeaſe, a burning Fever, or ſome ſuch like hot diſeaſe, as cauſeth drought and deſireth drinke, and call both inſtantly for cold water to quench their thirſt with. The Phyſitian comming to them, biddeth giuegive the one that is more impatient, a good quantitie of cold drinke, and yet he cryeth and calleth ſtill for more. To the other he miniſtreth himſelfe a litle conſ…rue on the point of a knife, that ſlaketh his thirſt and aſſwageth his drought. Whether of the twaine in this caſe is more beholden vntounto him? So here; eueryevery one almoſt cryeth to God for wealth: few pray with wiſettProv. 30. 8 paſce me …o demenſi mei foreignProv 30:8 Agur for a competent eſtate. Now uuA foreign A…ian. diſſert. lib. …. …p. …. … …c…t … …quam … i…e…plobilē … non magis quàm vllus … ad ſa…i… … …, … deſiderium …n … inopia, ſed ex …ſt… …denti…m viſc…rum …it…r. non … illa, …d mor… eſt. quicqui… illic congeſſeri…, …n … erit cupidi…, ſ…d gra…Helv. c. 11.to one that thus prayeth, God giueth abundance of wealth, as a deale of cold water to quench his thirſt, and yet he h…th gaping ſtill **Ex m…guis vt …eſt, …di. Se…c▪ … benef lib. 3. cap. ….for more, as inſ…ti…ble, ſaith Salomon, xxProv. 30. 16.Prov 30:16as the graue, or the barren wombe, or the dry land, or yySavior ignibus Aetna …rens amor at…et h…b…di. …o…t. c…fol. l. 2. …tr. 5.the f…re that p. 51neuer hauehave enough. To another zz… multa petentibus Deſunt multa. bene eſt cui Deus obtulit parca quod ſatis eſt manu. Hor. carm. 3. 16.he giueth a Competencie, ſome ſmall pitance, but Contentment withall, as a litle Phyſicall Confection, that ſtinteth and ſtayeth his deſire. Whether of the twaine, thinke we, hauehave more cauſe to be thankfull vntounto him, and to acknowledge his goodnes towards them? The latter doubtles, as he enioyeth the greater benefit, ſo he hath greater cauſe of thankfulnes to him from whom he hath it.

Againe this may ſerue to incite vsus to labour earneſtly for this Contentment, and to pray inſtantly vntounto God for it.

And it is hard here to ſay, whether a man had more neede to perſwade the poore man to be content with his pouertie, or the rich man with his riches. For as aaMatth. 2. 9.Matt 2:9the Star that went before the Wiſemen, went when they went, and ſtayed where they ſtayed: So bbH foreign Chryſo…t. in 1. Cor. h…m. 14. N…minem pe…nia divit… fecit; im… nulli non maiorem ſui cupidita…em incu…it: plus incipi… habere poſſe, qui plus habet. Sen. …p. 119. Nunquam diues e…i…, nunquam ſatiab…re qu…ſtu: Se…per inops, quicun que c…pit. Claud. in …ſin. l. 1. Magn… inter opes inops. …or. car. 3. 16. Qui vult eſſe dives, p…per eſt. Aug. d… temp. Nunquā par… eſt, quod ſatis eſt, nunquā multū eſt, quod ſ…tis non eſt. Sen. ep. 119. Qui conti…it ſe intra natur…lem modum, paupertaten… non ſe…ti…t: qui naturalem modum …cedit, eum in ſummis opibus quo que paupertas ſequetur. Idem ad Helv. c. 11.riches flie the faſter from a man, the more eagerly he followeth them, but then ſtay, when a mans minde is ſtayed. Till that be, cc…gg. 1. 6.all is put (as the Prophet ſpeaketh in another caſe) into a broken bag, that will hold nothing, or ddforeign. Dion. Chryſoſt. …ra…. 47.into a bottomles barrell, as the prouerbe is, that is neuer a whit the fuller for all that is put in: And we are but like thoſe that hauehave a flux, that take in much, but retaine nothing, and ſo thriue not with their meat, are nothing fuller or fatter for it, till this eeforeign ani…i proſt… nium, qu… laborant, iſti, quomodo foreign illi Athen: l. 4.ſpirituall looſeneſſe of ours be by Contentment ſtayed with vsus.

p. 52As ffNum. 9. 17, 18.Num 9:17Num 9:18the Children of Iſrael therefore paſſing along the wilderneſſe, marched forward on their way when the Cloud went that conducted them, but there ſtood ſtill where it ſtayed. So may our affections walke on, while Gods hand goeth before them: but looke where God ſtayeth his hand and ceaſeth to giuegive, there ſhould our heart ſtay likewiſe, and we ceaſe to deſire.

To perſwade our hearts the rather hereunto, vſe we a double conſideration, concerning others, and concerning our ſelues.

Concerning others, either thoſe that go beyond vsus in riches, or thoſe that come ſhort of vsus in wealth.

For the former; **Nihil habet diues de diuitijs, niſs quod ab illo poſtutat pauper; vict…m & reſtitum: Caetera omnia eius ſuperſtua ſunt. Aug. de verb. Dō. 5. -nil Divitiae poterūt regales addere maius. Hor. ep. 12. l 1.he that hath more then thou haſt, can but liue and eate and drinke as thou doeſt. And therefore gg1. Tim. 6. 8. foreign Pythagor. apud Stob. cap. 99. In quantum ſitis at que , fames, & frig…ra poſcunt. Iuuen. ſat. 14. Corporis exigua deſideria ſunt … frigu… ſubmover… vult, alimē tis famer… as ſitim extinguere: quicquid extra concupiſcitur, vitijs, non vſibus laboratur. Sen. ad Helv. c. 10.1 Tim 6:8if thou haſt, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, but food and apparell; (he ſaith not hhforeign.cates or iiforeign.delicates, but kkforeign.foode, that that may feede: he ſaith not llforeign, ornamenta.ornaments or abillements, but mmforeign operimenta.couerings or nnGarments quaſ… Gard nents. Minſhew.garments, oo… toga que defendere frigus, Quamvis craſſa, queat. Horat. ſerm. lib. 1. ſatyr. 3.ſo much as may couer thee and keepe thee from cold) thou haſt as much as the mightieſt Monarke, as the wealthieſt man in the world can hauehave.

As ppExod. 16. 17, 18.Exod 16:17Exod 16:18the children of Iſraell gathered Manna, ſome more, ſome leſſe, but eueryevery man of them, hee that gathered moſt, had no more then his Homer. So here, though men gather wealth ſome more, ſome leſſe, yet hath eueryevery man but his qqDemenſans portionem, a menſura, non… menſe dictam, vt Donatus ad Terent.de…ea…e,

p. 53rrforeign Xenoph, paediae l. 8. Quid opes opibꝰ aggeritis? non vultis cogitare, quam parua vobis ſint corpora? nonne furor & vltimꝰ mentiam error eſt, cum tam exiguum capias, cupere multum? licet cenſus augeatis, fines promoveatis, nunquam tamen corpora veſtra laxabitis. Senec. ad Helv c. 10.heape he neuer ſo much vp, he can for himſelfe, for his owne perſon hauehave no more then one mans ordinary allowance: ſſforeign Epiclet. enchir. c. 61. & Clem. Al. pae dag. l. 3. c. 7. Millia frumenti tua triuerit area centum; Non tuus hoc capiet venter plus quàm meus. Horat. ſerm. lib. 1. ſat: 1. Quid proſunt multa cubicula? in vnoiac…tis. Non eſt veſtrum, vbicun que non eſtis. Sen. epiſt. 89. Legatur idem epiſt. 61.Though he threſh a thouſand quarters of corne, though he hauehave thouſands of fat oxen and fed beaſts in his ſtalls and paſtures, and ten thouſands of ſheepe in his folds and his fields, yet can his belly hold no more then an other mans may: the reſt of it goeth to others, and is nothing to him.

ttEccleſ. 5. 11. 'foreign de Alexandro Xenocrates apud Laert. Et Pheraulas apud Xenophontem paediae lib. 8. foreignEccl 5:11Where there is much meate, there are many mouths; there are many eaters: ſaith Salomon; and where there is much wealth, there are there many Partakers: And what good hath the Owner by it, but the name and uuCu. L…ntulus Augur, divitiarum maximum exemplum, quater millies H… ſuum vidit: propriè dixi; nihil enim amplius quam vidit. Senec. de benef. lib. 2. cap. 27.the ſight of it? Yea to ſpeake as the truth is, xxforeign Hieroni Pindarus Pyth. ode 1. Diſpenſatorē publicum eſſe ſe. Alex. Severus apud Lamprid.the rich man is but a Steward to prouide and yyforeign Philippus Macedo renunciantibus iumentis pabulum defore ſi pro libi… ſuo caſtra metarentur. Plut. apoph.take care for thoſe that appertaine to him and hauehave dependance vponupon him: zz…vt ſi Reticulum panis venales inter o…uſto Forte vebas hu…ro, nihilo plus accipias, quam Qui nil portaris. Horat. ſat. 1.as a beaſt or a Slaue that beareth provender and food for himſelfe and his fellowes, hauing but a ſingle ſhare of it onelyonly himſelfe.

p. 54If he hauehave more then thee and vſe it moderately, he hath no more himſelfe then thou haſt, vnleſſe it be that he taketh more aaCreſcentē ſequitur cura pecuniam: Maiorum que fames. Hor. carm. l. 3. ode 16. Diues à paupere nō diſtinguitur niſi ſolicitudiae ſola. Pauperes ditioribꝰ co plerumque latiores, quo animus corum in pauciora diſtringitur. Sen. ad Helv. c. 12. Intelligo me, non opes, ſed occupationes perdidiſſe. Ibid. 9. —miſera eſt, magni cuſtodia cenſus. Iuven. ſat. 14.care then thou takeſt. If he vſe it immoderately, with the rich Glutton in the Goſpell, bbLuk. 16. 19.Luke 16:19faring eueryevery day deliciouſly, (to omit that ccCibi condimentū fames, potionis ſitis. Socrates apud Cic. de finib. l. 2. Deſiderijs iſta condiuntur. Idem Tuſcul. 5. Et Ibid. Confer cum iſtis (Anacharſt, cui pulpa…ntum fames, Laconibus Perfis… quibus curſ…, ſudore, fame, ſiti condiebantur epulae) ſudantes, ructantes, refertos epuli… ta… opi…os bov…, qui nunquam ſitientes bibunt, nunquam eſurientes comedunt; tū intelliges, qui voluptatem …e ſequantur, eos minim… conſequi; iucunditatem que victus eſſe in deſiderio, non in ſati…tate. Epulis immenſis gloriantur, non delectantur. Sen. ad Helv. c. 11.he findeth the leſſe delight in it,) ddforeign. Tel…s de divit. & virt. foreign. Socrates apud Stob: c. 91. Levior …eiunio mors est, cruditate diſſiliunt. Sence. de provid. c. 4.he doth himſelfe the more harme, eeIſta ſi quis deſpicit, quid illi paupertas nocet? ſi quis concupiſcit, illi etiam paupertas prodeſt. Sen. ad Helv. c. 10.and it were better for him that he had leſſe: For that is verified of him that Salomon ſaith, ffEccleſ. 5. 10. foreign Teles de divit.Eccl 5:10The poore labouring mans ſleepe is ſweete vntounto him, whether he eate more or leſſe; but the rich mans ſaturity will not ſuffer him to rest: ggvides vt pallidus omnis c…ua Deſurgat dubia? Quin corpus … Heſternis vitijs, ani…i quo que pragranat vnâ, At … affligit humi divina particulā …. After vbi citius cura… ſ…pori Membra dedit, v…geius praſcripta admunia ſurgit. Horat. ſerm. l. 2. Hinc p…llor, & g…na pondule, aculorum vlcera, tremul… man…, furiales ſomni, & inqui…. Sol…non vident, & … di… vi…. Plin. hiſt. nat. lib. 15. cap. 22.it breaketh him of his ſleepe, it bereaueth him of his reſt, it impaireth his health, it is a meanes not to lengthen, but to ſhorten his life.

Againe conſider with thy ſelfe, how many an one wanteth that that thou haſt, and yet deſerueth as well at Gods hands as thou doſt. **foreign … apud Stob. c. 93.Thou lookeſt on thy rich neighbours to miſlike thine own eſtate, p. 55and to murmur for that thou wanteſt: Looke rather on thy poore brethren, hhforeign. Plut. de tranquill. —maiori ſe pauperiorum Turba compares. —Hor. ſat. 1. Aſpice quanto m… ior pars ſit pauperū. S…n. ad Helv. c. 12. Pauper fiam? inter plures …o. Idem epiſt. 24.the far greater number, and compare thine eſtate with a many of theirs, to be thankfull for what thou haſt.

Yea I may well ſay; Looke ſometime euen on thy rich neighbour, that lieth grieued with the goute, not able to ſtand on his legs, or to ſtir him without much paine on his pallet; thou haſt health and he hath wealth; iiforeign. Euripid. Telepho.whether of the two, thinkeſt thou, is the greater bleſſing of God? Thou wouldſt thinke thy ſelfe happy, if thou hadſt his worldly wealth and abilitie; and 33foreign Arrian. diſſert. l. 4. c. 9.he would thinke himſelfe happy, and that with much better reaſon too, if he had that health and abilitie of body that thou haſt.

But to returne to the poorer ſort, liker thy ſelfe. When thou ſeeſt a rich man, ſaith one, caried in his chaire or on mens ſhoulders, hauehave an eye withall to them that cary him, and that run through thicke and thin by him: llforeignWhen thou eyeſt Xerxes that mighty Monarke with his endleſſe army mmVelificatus Athos, epota que flumina Medo Prandente. Iuven. ſat. 14. Sic Eſai 37. 2….Isa 37:2diggingk foreign. Plut. de tranq. downe hills, and drying vp deepes, building bridges ouer the ſea it ſelfe, and lincking ſhore to ſhore, Aſia to Europe, making the dry land nauigable, and the Ocean paſſable on foote: caſt thine eye withall downe on thoſe miſerable ſlaues, that dig downe mount Athos vnderunder the whip, and that are maimed and disfigured, their noſes and eares cut of, becauſe the bridge they made brake as the army paſſed ouer it: thou counteſt him happy; and 44foreign Plut. ibid.they count p. 56thee happy. As if he had ſaid, applying it to vsus and our times: Thou heareſt of the King of Spaine, what millions of treaſure he hath eueryevery third yeere from his Indies: and thou thinkeſt him an happy man. I ſay not to thee, though I might ſo ſay, conſider withall, how many mouthes he hath to feede, how many Followers, how many Fauourites, how many ſhips and gallies to ſet out, how many gariſons to keepe, how many Souldiers to pay, how many Intelligencers to maintaine, &c. But, thinke withall vponupon thoſe poore wretches that row in his Gallies, that tug at the oare end vnderunder the whip, or vnderunder worſe then it, hauing ſcarce a bit of good bread to put in their mouthes, or a whole rag almoſt to hang on their backes, enduring all the miſery there that can be imagined. Thou thinkeſt him happy that hath that that thou haſt not: and they thinke thee happy that haſt not that that they hauehave, and yet haſt that that they hauehave not.

Or, (becauſe nnforeignſuch exceſſiue great ones are not ſo much regarded, ooStella terrā propi…n in occidente vel oriente locat… …iores apparent, quàm cùm ad coeli mediū elevat… fuerint. Ex Alh…eni perſpect. l. 7. Author Oculi mor. c. 6. mirab. 13.the ſunne ſheweth not ſo great when hee is at his higheſt as he doth when hee is neerer the edge of the Horizon, and the Faulcon ſeemeth leſſe ſtill, the higher he ſoreth, when hee is once gone aboue that that our weake eie-ſight can well reach. ppforeign Ariſtot. rh…t. l. 2. …. 12.thoſe that come neerer vsus, and are neerer at hand with vsus, are more in our eye, oftner qqInviden…i ver… doct…m eſt à … in…en… f…rt…am alterius. Ci…. T…ſ…. qu…ſt. l. 3.eyed, and conſequently more enuied of vsus:) rrVi…in… divos cupiditat…m irritat. S…. Ep. 7. —foreign. Hoſ…d. oper. lib. 1.A rich neighbour or two not much aboue thine owne rancke, that dwell by thee, ſet thy teeth on edge, p. 57and are a ſhrewd eye-ſore vntounto thee, and make thee thinke thy ſelfe but in euill caſe, that thou art not as they are, that thou haſt not ſo much comming in yeerely as they hauehave, that thou canſt not fare as they fare and doe as they doe. But thou conſidereſt not withall for thoſe two or three rich, how many poore and needy ones are on eueryevery ſide of thee, that come as far ſhort of thee as thou doeſt of them. Which if thou didſt, thou mighteſt iuſtly ſay, as the Pſalmiſt, ſſPſal. 147. 20.Ps 147:20The Lord hath not dealt ſo with eueryevery Nation; ſo, The Lord hath not dealt ſo with eueryevery one, no nor with many an one, as he hath done and doth with me. As the ttforeignCynick, when he found a mouſe in his ſachell, ſaid, he ſaw well that he was not yet ſo poore, but that ſome were glad of his leauings: So many a poore hungry ſoule, yea many a deere childe and ſincere ſeruant of God, would be glad of thy leauings, and yet deſerueſt thou no more than any of them do.

Laſtly, conſider thine owne vnworthines. Thou deſerueſt nothing at Gods hands but hunger and ſtripes. All that thou haſt from him thou haſt it of free gift. And therefore are we taught to pray, uuMath. 6. 12 D…, non, redde. Quia niſi Deo d…na… noſter … eſt. Aug. hom. 14.Matt 6:12GiueGive vsus our bread. If we deſerue not then ſo much as a bit of bread at Gods hands, can we not be content, when God giueth vsus aboundantly both bread and meat to feede vsus, and good clothing to couer vsus, and conuenient houſing to harbor vsus, & friends & fauour and credit and countenance in the world, ſo much of that that ſo many want, and ſo much more than we are worthy of; vnleſſe we may hauehave 55Jam. 4. 3.Jas 4:3to waſte on our 66Colo…. 3. 5.inordinate and extrauagant luſts, p. 58and to revell and not, as we ſee ſome others do?

We would thinke that begger intolerably impudent and inſolent, that comming to our dores to aske an almes, when we hauehave beſtowed on him ſome broken bread and meat, or ſome ſory (caſt coate, yet, like thoſe importunate perſons the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh of, that xxPſal. 59 15. De talibus ex Callimach… Zenodotus, foreignPs 59:15grudge and grumble if they be not ſatisfied, if they hauehave not their owne fill, and their owne will, he ſhould not be quiet and hold himſelf contented therewith, vnleſſe he might hauehave one of the beſt diſhes of meat from our bord, or one of▪ our owne ordinarie wearing ſuites giuen him. And yet is this the caſe of the greateſt number of vsus. yyQuantum vis diues es, Dei mendicus es. Aug de verb. Dō ▪ 4…. & in … ▪ An … … Idem homi… ▪ 14.We come all as Beggars to Gods mercy gate▪ and God giueth vsus out zz…. Tim▪ …. 17.aboundance of many good things, life, libertie, health of bodie, ſtrength and abilitie of limmes, foode and rayment, &c. a courteſie and competencie of each, as he ſeeth to be fitteſt for vsus: and **Imprude…ti… eſt (Imprude…tia etiā) vt á Deo divitias pet as: vt panē petas quotidianū imprudentia non eſt. aliud eſt enim vnde ſuperbias, aliud vnde viuas. Aug. in orat. dom.yet, forſooth, can we not be quiet, nor thinke our ſelues well, vnleſſe we may ſare as deliciouſly as Dives did, or go in ſilks and …attins as ſuch and ſuch do.

…Iaco… as good a man as any of vsus, was far otherwiſe minded: he prayeth to God but for aaGeneſ. 28. 20. foreign in Gen. hom. 14.Gen 28:20bread to eat, and rayment to cloth him: that if he might hauehave onelyonly, he thought himſelfe well apa…. And what made him ſo ſparing … his petition, but the ſight and conſideration of his owne vnworthineſſe: bbGen. 32. 10. Inferior ſ… quibuſ… benefic… ….Gen 32:10I am leſſe, …aith he, than the leaſt of all thy mercies. He knew he deſerued nothing, and was therefore content with any thing: he would aske no great matter, but would hold himſelfe ſatisfied▪ with whatſoeuer p. 59it ſhould pleaſe God in mercy and goodnes to allot and allow him. In a word; Beggers, as I ſaid before, we are; no better then beggers the very beſt of vsus: And Beggers, we vſe to ſay, muſt be no chooſers, they muſt not be their owne caruers. Reſt we muſt therefore contented with what God ſhall ſee good to aſſigne vsus, be it more or leſſe, being more by much than euer we either do or can deſerue any of vsus.

But is Contentment ſo neceſſarie, and ſo pretious a Iewell? let vsus in the next place then conſider by what meanes may we compaſſe it: And ſo paſſe we the ſecond point before propounded, to wit, that Godlineſſe onelyonly can procure and produce true Contentment.

ccforeign Plus. de auar.A man would thinke that as meat aſſwageth hunger, and drinke allayeth thirſt; ſo riches ſhould ſatisfie, and by ſatiſfying ſlake and quench the immoderate and inordinate deſire of wealth. But it ddforeignis herein far otherwiſe, as Salomon himſelfe, and it may well be, vponupon his owne experience informeth vsus: eeEccleſ. …. 10. foreign Plut. ibid.He that loueth money, ſaith Salomon, ſhall neuer hauehave enough of it. ffCreſcit am…r nū …, quantum ipſa pecunia creſcit. Et minus hane optat, qui non habet. Iuvē. ſat. 14. Auri nā … ▪ fames part… ſit maior ab auro. Prudent▪ pſychom. Et creſcit cupido cenſu creſcente cupido. Autor Oculim…r. c. 12.The deſire of more groweth, as a mans riches ariſe. ggforeign Teles de collat. div. & virt. foreign Chryſost. in 1. Cor. hom. 14. Sic quibus intumuit ſuffuſa venter ab v…da, Qu… plus ſint potae, plus ſitiuntur aquae. Ovid. faſt. l. 1. Habes aurum, habes argentum; & concupiſcis aurū, concupiſcis argentum: Et plenus es, & ſitis. morbus eſt, non opulentia. Sunt homines in morb…: bumore pleni ſunt, & ſemper ſ…iunt. Quomod… …actas opulentiam, qui habes hydropē conſcienti…? Aug. de verb. Dom. 5.As the Dropſie-man, the p. 58duplicate page p. 59duplicate page p. 60more he drinketh, the dryer he is, and hhforeign Ariſtoph. Pluto.thoſe that are ſicke of the greedy diſeaſe, canina appetentia, the doggiſh deſire, as they terme it, the more they deuoure, the more hungry they are▪ ſo the richer men grow, the more commonly they deſire, more greedy do they wax ordinarily of the world, then they were when they had leſſe of it. As ii…when the fruits of their ground come in aboundantly on them, they make their barnes bigger, and their ſtorehouſes larger to hold more: ſo withall they beate out the walls of their hearts to couer more, and kk… …. 30, 15, 16.inl…rge their deſire as the Grave, or as Hell; that neuer cryeth, Ho, becauſe it never hath enough; mmV… … de … flu…ina terra; Sic …n…es anim…s … …cipit ille; ne… … Ex…g… populo eſt, … …icedere ſentit. O…id me…l. 4.is neuer the fuller for all the ſoules that deſcend downe into it, no more than the ſe…is for all the riuers that empty themſelues into it.

nnforeign … de … indulg… ſibi d… …, Nec … pellit, niſi … ▪ Fugerit …, & … …orpore …. carm. 2. 2.As thoſe diſeaſed perſons therefore before mentioned, hauehave neede rather to be emptied, to hauehave ſomewhat purged out, than to hauehave more powred in… the one muſt be …id of the watry humor that poſſeſſeth his bodie, ere his drought can be ſlaked, the other of the ſalt and ſlimie ſubſtance that peſtereth his ſtomack, ere his rauenous appetitie can be ſtayed: So the Couetous perſon, that is ſo greedy of the world, and ſo immoderate and inſatiable in his deſires, hath p. 61ooforeign Plato apud St…b. c. 10. Et Socrates vt Laertiꝰ l. 2. Cleanthes, vt S…ob. c. 92. interrogatus foreign S…d & Epicur…, foreign Ibid. cap. 17. Si vu Pytho…lea diuitem facere, non pecuniae adijciendū, ſed cupiditatione detrahendum. Ex Epicure Sen. ep 21 Scitè Arriā. Epict. diſſert. lib. 3. cap. 9. foreign Et verè Clemens paedag. l. 2. 3. foreign Et Democr. apud Stob. c. 95. foreignnot neede of more to be heaped vponupon him, but hath neede rather of ſome thing to be taken away from him: he muſt hauehave that diſcontent humor of his purged out of his head, that couetous affection of his wrought out of his heart, that is the cauſe of this his greedy and inſatiable deſire, ere he can attaine to any true Contentment of minde, ere he can come to hauehave his fill. Till then all this worlds wealth will be but as ppforeign Chryſoſt. in Rom. hom. 13. Scitum est Scytharum legali, Quanto plus biberint, tanto magis ſitire Parthos. Plin. hiſt. nat. lib. 15. cap. 22. Viſe Simocatum epiſt. 52wine and ſtrong drinke to the drunkard, that further inflameth him, and increaſeth his drought; qqforeign Euſeb. apud Stob. c. 10. Cupidita… auari v… ignis eſt, cui divitiae ſunt vt lignae, qu…bus iniectis is vehementius exardeſcit. Vorag…de temp. 134. Eo maior… cupimus quo maiora venerunt: multo… concitation eſt auaritia in magnarum …p… congeſtu collocata; vt flamme infinito acrior viseſt, quo ex maiore incendio emicuit. S…. de benef. …. c. 27.as oyle or fewell to the fire, that doth not quench or ſmother it, but feede it, and make it burne fiercer than at the firſt.

If no wealth then can ſtay, or ſatisfie the minde of man, what muſt? or what may? The Apoſtle pointeth vsus to it, as here, ſo els where. rrHeb. 139.It is good, ſaith he, to hauehave the heart ſtayed, or ballaced as it were, with grace, and not with meats, nor with money neither. That that muſt keepe the ſhip ſtiffe and ſteedy on the Sea, muſt not be leauers & ſhores without it, but ſſNam que labant curvae iuſto fi…e pondere naves, Per que mare inſtabiles nimia l… uitate …eruntur. Ovid. met. l. 2.weight and ballaſt within it. So p. 62that that muſt ſtay a mans raging and ranging deſires, muſt not be the outward ſupporting of his worldly eſtate, but the inward ballacing and ſetling of the heart and minde; that which Gods grace alone can do, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh there, which is the ſame in effect with Godlineſſe, of which he intreateth here. And in regard hereof it is that the Pſalmiſt ſaith, that ttPſal. 37. 16.Ps 37:16A ſmall matter to the godly, the man that feareth God, is much better than the greatest wealth and riches, that the vngodly and the mighty hath or can hauehave. And Salomon, that ““Prov. 15. 16.Prov 15:16a litle with the feare of God is much better than great treaſures and trouble or vexation therewith.

In which words alſo Salomon cloſely and couertly rendreth a reaſon of that which his Father Dauid had before him ſaid, why A litle to the godly man ſhould be of more worth, euen the ſame in effect that the Apoſtle here hath, becauſe there is no trouble or vexation of minde, but quietneſſe and ſweet contentment withall. According to that which the ſame Salomon els-where ſaith; uuPro. 10 22. foreign Aeſchyl. Theb.Prov 10:22It is Gods bleſsing that maketh a man truly rich, and he addeth no ſorrow with it. xx1. Chr. 29. 11, 121 Chr 29:111 Chr 29:12Without Gods permiſſion and prouidence no man can hauehave riches: For yyDeut. 8. 18.Deut 8:18it is God that giueth eueryevery man power to get wealth. But zzEt …atus dat, & propitiꝰ negat. Aug. de diuerſ. 20. … Pſal. 106. 15.Ps 106:15God giueth a man money many times in his wrath: as in the wildernes he gaue the Iſraelites meat in his anger: And ſo the curſe of God many times maketh a man rich: But thoſe riches are but accurſed riches; **Multis paraſſe divitias non fini… miſeriarū ſuit, ſed mutatio. S…n. ep. 17. Dū maiore tormē to pecunia poſſidet…r, quàm queritur. …a… epiſt. 115. Nemo ſolicito bono fruitur. Idē. ep. 14. Ta…lis parta mal… …tu que …. Miſera eſt …. J…v…n. ſa…. ….there is a curſe and car…ing care, euer accompanying ſuch wealth. But where Gods bleſſing maketh a man rich, there he giueth euer p. 63withall contentment, that cauſeth comfort and quiet of minde, and maketh a man reſt ſatiſfied and well apaid with that portion of wealth, be it more or leſſe, that God hath aſſigned him.

Neither is this a common courteſie that God caſteth on all ſorts indifferently; but a peculiar bleſſing that he beſtoweth on thoſe onelyonly that louelove and feare him, and that are his beloued ones. bbPſal. 128 1, 2.Ps 128:1Ps 128:2Bleſſed is eueryevery one, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, that feareth God, and that walketh in his wayes: For thou, that ſo doeſt, ſhalt eat of the **foreign Sept. quod vetus interpr. Labores fr…ctuum tuorū, malè reddidit: Cùm foreign illic non fructum ſignificet, ſed partem corporis eam, dè qua Ariſtot. de part animal. lib. 1. foreign Id quod Auguſtinū, Proſperū que Latinos latuiſſe parum fuerit; Origenem Gratum in Rō. c. 1. fe…lliſſe mirum.labours of thine hands: happy ſhalt thou be, and it ſhall go well with thee. But, ^c Vnleſſe the Lord build the houſe, they labour but in vaine that build it: It is vaine for you, as worldly men are wont to do, to riſe vp early in the morning, and ſit vp late at euening, and toile and moile, like an horſe, all the day long, and to eat the bread of ſorrow and care; for, it is God that giueth his beloued rest: It is he alone that can giuegive ſweet comfort, and quietnes, and contentment of minde, and this grace he vouchſafeth to none but his beloued, to the Godly that louelove him, and are beloued of him.

It is Godlineſſe then alone, that can cauſe true Contentment; and that can cauſe true Contentment alone.

Godlineſſe alone is able to cauſe true Contentment: becauſe Godlineſſe alone bringeth man home vntounto God, out of whom true Contentment can not be had. For the ſoule of man, as aaGeneſ. 1. 26, 27. & 9. 5. 1. Cor. 11. 7. Epheſ. 4. 24.Gen 1:26Gen 1:27Gen 9:51 Cor 11:7Eph 4:24it beareth the image of God; ſo bbPſal. 17. 15. Omnis copia qu… non est Deꝰ meus, mihi eſt egeſtas. Aug. ſoliloq c. 13. Dei imaginem animam niſi Deus nil implet. Viſe Aug. de civit. lib. 12. cap. 1.Ps 17:15nothing can ſatisfie it, but he whoſe image it beareth. p. 64cc…eciſti nos ad te… & inquietum est cor noſtrum, donec requieſcat in t…. Aug. confeſſ. l. 1. c. 1 Humana quippe anima ad illum est ſuſpenſa, à quo formata. Et quia ad Deum ſolum appetendum facta est, omne autem quod infra appetit minus eſt, iure ei non ſufficit, quod Deus non est. Greg. mor. l. 26. cap. 36.Our Soule, ſaith Auguſtine well, was created as by God, ſo for God, and is therefore neuer quiet till it reſt in God. As ddHinc eſt quod huc illuc diſpergitur, & ab vnaqua que re faſtidio impellente re… vetur. Delecta…is ſcil. auda qua… quo pa…ſet; … ver… quem ſuffiti…ter habere poterat a…ſit. Vnde … per multa du…ur, vt quia qualitate … non p… …ſt, ſaltem varie…ate ſa…tur. Greg. Ibid.man fell at firſt into this reſtleſnes by falling away from God; ſo **Hoc adepto beata eſt, quo amiſſo miſer…eſt. Aug. ciuit. l. 12. c. 1.he can not be recouered of it, but by returning to him againe. It is with mans ſoule in this regard, as it was with Noahs Dove in the Deluge. As eeGeneſ. 8. 9.Gen 8:9the Dove, after ſhe left the Arke, found no reſt for the ſoale of her foote in the wide world, being then all a-floate, till ſhee betooke her againe thither, from whence before ſhee came forth: So neither can man, fallen from God, finde any ſure reſt for the foote of his ſoule in the whole world beſide, till he come backe to him againe ffEccleſ. 12. 7. Geneſ. 2. 7.Eccl 12:7Gen 2:7from whom it came at the firſt. But it is Godlineſſe alone, that bringeth man home vntounto God; that tyeth and knitteth the ſoule faſt vntounto God; whereof ggHoc vin…ulo pietatis obſt…, Deo relig… ſumu…, vnde & ipſ… Relig…accepi…, …. L…ant. …. 28. Ad …, & …i vni religantes a… noſtra▪ vnde Religio dicta …, omni superſtitio… …relig. cap. 55. Qu… taman a religendo, …iue religendo D…, qu…, dictā tradit Idem de civi…. Sed …. 13.Religion, ſay ſome, hath its name; that findeth reſt and repoſe for the whole man in God, which can no where elſe be found. That which Salomon, out of his owne experience, confirmeth vntounto vsus, who hhEccleſ. …. …, 11.hauing ranged abroad through all thoſe creatures and courſes, vnderunder the cope of heauen, wherein any hope of contentment ſeemed to ſhew forth it ſelfe, is in concluſion inforced to retire backe againe to God, iiEccleſ. …. 1.directing them all to him that deſire to finde true contentment, and pointing them the way to him kkEccleſ. …2. ….Eccl 2by the feare of p. 65him; that is, by Godlineſſe leading them vntounto God, that they may with him and in him finde true Contentment, as being no where elſe to be had.

Godlineſſe then, you ſee, is alone able to cauſe true Contentment. But is Godlineſſe, may ſome ſay, able to cauſe true Contentment alone, without helpe and aide of theſe outward things? Can it make a man content as well in want as in wealth? whither he hauehave worldly wealth or no?

Yea vndoubtedly. That that is ſufficient of it ſelfe alone to make a man truly happy, is of it ſelfe alone ſufficient to giuegive true contentment, though a man hauehave nothing elſe but it. For llAriſtot. ethic. l. 1. c. 7. Sed & Aug. confeſſ. l. 10. c. 20. & Epiſt. 121. c. 4, 5. & de lib arb. l. 1. c. 18. & de Triuit. l. 13. c. 3, 4, 5, 7. & in Pſal. 118. conc. 1.Ps 118Happineſſe is eueryevery mans vtmoſt ayme: and he that hath attained to it, can not but reſt content with it: mmNemo beatus qui eo quod amat (quod avet, quod habet) non fruitur. Aug. de civit. l. 8. c. 9. Fruimur autem eis in quibꝰ voluntas delectata conquieſcit. Aug. de trinit. l. 10. c. 10. & Aquin. ſū. p. 1 ^a. 2 ^a. q. 11. a. 3. Vnde Sen. Nemo fruitur bono ſolicito.he were not happy, if he found no content in his happineſſe. Whatſoeuer thing therefore is able to bring vsus vntounto happines, can not but bring to vsus Contentment togither with it. But Godlineſſe is of it ſelfe alone able to make a man happy. That which nnforeign Plutarch. Ad viuendū beatè virtus ſola ſufficit. Sē. de vit beat. cap. 16. Beata vita virtus ſatisfacit. Idē epiſt. 87. Virtus ad explendam beatā vitam ſola ſatis effica…. Ibid. 45.the Heathen men ſaid of their morall Virtue, a meere ſhadow of it, is indeed true of true Godlineſſe, it is ſufficient of it ſelfe to make him that hath it truly happy, though he hauehave nothing elſe but it. For ooApoc. 20. 6. Inde beatus, vnde bonus. Aug. epiſt▪ …2…. Impius & f…li… ſic ſimul eſſe cupit, vt nolit pius eſſe, velit tamen eſſe beatus; Quod natura negat, nec recepit ratio. d… Macrino apud Capitolinum.Rev 20:6holineſſe and happineſſe, Godlineſſe and bleſſednes are inſeparably lincked togither, and can not be ſeuered the one from the other. ppPſal. 1. 1. & 112. 1. & 119. 1. & 128. 1. Etſi videantur ignatis miſeri, tamen non poſſunt aliud eſſe quàm beati. Saluian. de prouid. l. 1. …. 2.Ps 1:1Ps 112:1Ps 119:1Ps 128:1EueryEvery holy man is an happy man, eueryevery godly man is in a bleſſed eſtate, be he rich or poore, be he in wealth or in want, p. 66whatſoeuer his worldly eſtate outwardly be. So that of true Godlines, we may well ſay, as he ſometime of diuine knowledge, the ground of it, it is not earthly gaine, nor worldly wealth, nor gold, nor ſiluer, nor corruptible treaſures, but qqDie t…iſta neſcire, ſed noſſe quomodo etiam ſine iſtis hom… poſſit eſſe beatus. Aug opiſt. 56.it is that that that can make a man happy without all theſe. And the Godly man, though he hauehave not theſe or the like, yet hath he that that can make him truly happy without them, and ſo conſequently that can giuegive him contentment in the want of them. And certainely if God be rrforeign Geneſ. 17. 1.Gen 17:1El-ſhaddai, All-ſufficient; then ſſforeign 2. Cor. 12. 9.2 Cor 12:9Gods grace and Godlineſſe that bringeth a man home vntounto God, and giueth him intereſt in God, can not but be likewiſe of it ſelfe ſufficient to make a man truly happy, and to procure vntounto him true Contentment.

But will we ſee yet more particularly by what meanes Godlineſſe worketh this Contentment in thoſe that are truly▪ poſſeſſed of it?

Firſt, ddAct. 15. 9. & 26. 18.Acts 15:9Acts 26:18it purgeth the heart of him that hath it:e foreign Socrates, ex Ariſtonymi …marijs Stob. c. 92. Sin…erum eſt niſi vas, quodcun que infundis, aceſcit▪ Horat. epiſt. 2. lib. 1. and ſo bringeth with it a ſanctified vſe of the creature. For vnleſſe the veſſell be ſeaſoned, it tainteth all that commeth into it; and how can ought taſte well then, that commeth out of it? So ffHagg. 2. 14▪ 15. V…ſe f…ido, vel oleum, vel vinum facilè corrumpitur. Ambr. ep. 3.Hag 2:14Hag 2:15vnleſſe a mans heart be ſeaſoned with grace, it pollu…eth and de…ileth all that a man dealeth with. ggTit. 1. 15.Titus 1:15VntoUnto the pure, ſaith the Apoſtle, all things are pure, but vntounto the impure and the vnbelee…ing all things are impure, becauſe their mindes and conſciences are defiled. Since the worldly man then doth but moile and ſoile and defile himſelfe with his wealth, doth but taint and pollute it, and himſelfe in the vſe of it, no meruaile, p. 67if he finde no comfort or contentment at all in it.

Nothing is pure to them, ſaith the Apoſtle, becauſe their heart is impure. hhQuid relliquiest quin habeat, quae quidem in homine dicuntur bona? Parentes, patriam incolumem, amices, genus, cognatos, diuitias? Atqui haec perinde ſunt, v…i illius animus, qui ea poſſidet. Qui vti ſcit, ei bona, illi qui non vtitur rectè, mala. Terent▪ heautont. 1. 2. Malo nihil prodeſt, quia prauo vſu corrumpit, quicquid ad illū pervenit. quemadmodum ſtomachꝰ morbo vit…atus & colligens bilē, quoſcun que accepit, cibos mutat, & omne alimentum in cauſam doloris trahit: ita animus caecus, quicquid illi commiſeris, id …nus ſuum & pernictem, & occaſionē miſeria facit. Senec. de benef. l. 5. c. 12. Ideò nihil poteſt ad malos pervenire, quod proſit; imò nihil quod non n…ceat. quaecunque enī illis contigerūt, in naturam ſuam vertunt; & …ra ſpecioſa profutura que , ſi mellori darentur, illis peſtiferaſunt. Ibid.As a foule ſtomacke, ſtuffed with Choler, turneth all into Choler, euen the fineſt and daintieſt meats ſooneſt of any, by meanes whereof no good nouriſhment can accrew to the bodie by them, nor it grow to any good plight and health: So a foule heart turneth all into ſpirituall Choler, a bitter humor and vnſauoury, that impaireth and hindreth the health and welfare of the ſoule as much, yea much more than that materiall choler doth the health and welfare of the bodie.

Whereas Godlineſſe ſanctifying and cleanſing the heart, and purging out that corruption that before tainted and polluted it, and ſo made all vncomfortable, becauſe noyſome and hurtfull, vntounto vsus, reſtoreth vntounto vsus ii1. Cor. 7. 14. 1. Tim. 4 4.1 Cor 7:141 Tim 4:4a pure and ſanctified vſe of the creature, and enableth vsus to ſuck ſpirituall nouriſhment and wholeſome iuyce euen out of temporall bleſſings; which the ſoule beginneth now to finde ſweet comfort and true contentment in, becauſe it vſeth them as it ought.

Secondly, it quieteth the Conſcience; which in the wicked, in the worldly man is euer vnquiet; and no true Contentment can be till it be quieted.

kkJob. 15. 20.Job 15:20The wicked man is continually like a woman in trauaile, ſaith Eliphaz. llEtiamſi poenar… ad tempꝰ immunes videātur & exortes reatꝰ, grauiores t…mē intra ſe poenas luunt, & ſibirei ſun…, qui alijs non videntur, at que in ſegra…iorē conſci…tiae ſententiā, cū de aliorū peccatis iudicāt. Ambr. de bono mort. c. 7. foreign Pl. de…r….His guilty Conſcience is p. 68euer and anon inwardly griping him, and with priuy pangs and throwes pinching and twiching him there, mmProv. 18. 14▪ foreign Plut. ibid.Prov 18:14where paines are moſt vnſupportable, and where nnProv. 14. 10.Prov 14:10none feeleth or oo1. Cor. 2. 11.1 Cor 2:11ſeeth ſaue himſelfe. And ppEſai. 57. 20.Isa 57:20the wicked mans ſoule, as the Prophet compareth it, is as a raging Sea, full of ſoile and filth, that is neuer at reſt, whoſe waters caſt vp mire and dirt. qqEſai. 48. 22. & 57. 21.Isa 48:22Isa 57:21VntoUnto the wicked therefore, ſaith the Spirit of God, there is no peace. rrD. Hall of Tranquill. §▪ 4.A ſeeming truce they may hauehave, true tranquillitie they cannot hauehave: **Contra quam Sē. epiſt. 105. Tutum aliqua res in mala conſcientia praeſtat, nulla ſecurum. n… cens habuit aliquā do latendi fortunā, n…quam …duciam. Verum iſtud qu…d homines; ex adu…rſo qu…d Deum. Scelus quis tutum, …llus ſecurū tulit, P. Syr.Secure they may ſeeme; but they can neuer be ſafe. If at ſome time they ſeem to hauehave reſt, and to be at eaſe; it is but as with the Sea, that ſeemeth ſtill ſometime, but indeede neuer ſtandeth ſtill, but is euer riſing or falling, ebbing or flowing, inceſſantly rolling to and fro from ſhore to ſhore: It is as with the Sea, ſſNoli huic tranquillitati confidere. m…m…to temporis m… …titur; & …d…m die vbi luſerunt navigia, ſorbentur▪ Sen. epiſt. 4.that ſeemeth calme and ſmooth ſometime, but vponupon eueryevery breath of ayre or blaſt of winde, is ready to riſe and to rage, yea vponupon ſome ſodaine guſt ſometime ſwelleth ſo, that ſhips are there ſwallowed vp ſodainely, where they lay becalmed but a litle before. Their ſeeming tranquillitie is but as the health of a feverous perſon when he is out of his fit, or the lightſomnes of a Lunatick that hath his lucida intervalla, and talketh by times as a man well in his wits.

Now what Contentment can there be in ought, while the minde is thus affected, while the Conſcience is vnquieted? ttforeign Plut. de tranquill.So long as a man is heart-ſick, he can hauehave no joy of ought, finde no relliſh in p. 69ought, be it neuer ſo pleaſant and delightfull otherwiſe, be it neuer ſo acceptable to him at other times; his wonted companie is then but tedious & troubleſome to him, his bed hard and vneaſie, his chamber too cloſe, his vſuall fare, yea or fare more dainty than vſuall, is diſtaſtfull, he findeth no good taſte in ought that he taketh: but uuforeign. Plut. … valeat poſſeſſor oportet, Qui comp…rtatis rebus benè cogitat vti. Horat. epiſt. 2. lib 1. Sanis ſuavior eſt panis, quàm pulpamentū aegrtis. Aug. de verb. Dom. 4.come health once, and that ſweetneth all againe; and then liketh he his company well againe, and can endure his bed well, and can feede ſauourly on a dry peece of courſe bread, that loathed his panada of fine manchet before. xxQui dolet, aut metuit, iuvat illum ſic domus, aut res, Vt lippum pictae tabulae, fomēta podagram, Auriculas cithar… collecta ſorde dolentes. Horat. ep. 2. lib. 1. Nihil est miſerius quàm animus hominis cō ſciꝰ. Plaut. Moſtell. 3. 1. Nec …iculigrauiu… gemu…unt aera iuvenci; Nec magis auratis pen…ens laquearibꝰ enſis Purpureas ſubter ceruices terruit.- Perſ. ſat. 3. Alludit ad Damoclis hiſtoriā, …ui ea ratione Di… …yſius confirmauit, Nihil eſſe ei beatum, cui ſemper aliquis terror impendat. Ci… Tuſ…ul. l. 5. Perpe…ua anxietas, nec menſae tempore ceſſat, …aucibus, vt morbo, ſiccis, inter que molares Difficili ereſcente cibo: ſed vina miſell… Expuit: Albani veteris pretioſa ſenectꝰ Diſpl…et▪-luvenal. ſat. 13.In like manner here: So long as a man is ſoule-ſick, he can hauehave no ioy of ought; be his outward eſtate what it will, it can no more miniſter ſound comfort vntounto him, yyforeign. Plut. de virt & vit.then hot cloths or blanckets can giuegive inward warmth to a dead corps, where naturall heate is vtterly extinct: He may force himſelfe ſometime to ſome ſeeming mirth; but, zzProu. 14. 13.Prov 14:13Euen in laughter, ſaith Salomon, the heart is heauy. **Spem vultu ſimulat, premit altū cord…d▪ lorem Virg. Aen. Non benè mendaci riſus componitur ore▪ Nec benè ſolicitis ebria verba ſonant. Tibul. 3. 6.He may ſet a good face on it in outward ſhew to others, when his heart is full of heauineſſe and bitternes within him, and ““Calceus iſte non…e vobis concinnus ſatis videtur? ſed vbipedem mihi torqu…at ipſe ſolus perſentiſco. Aemylius apud Plut▪ de vxore.wringeth and pincheth him priuily there aaProv. 14. 10. Imus praecipites, qui qu… ſibi dicat, & intus Palleat infoelix, quod proxima neſciat vxor. Perſ. ſat. 3.Prov 14:10where none is aware of it but himſelfe onelyonly that ſuſtaineth and endureth it.

p. 70And vndoubtedly, let a man ſtriue to ſmother it and ſmooth it ouer all that euer he can, let him ſtraine himſelfe to lightſomnes by all meanes that may be, let him want no outward matter of worldly either ſupport or delight, yet ſo long as he hath his guilty Conſcience racking and griping him within; though bbSardonius hic riſ… eſt: intus interī eos mordet conſcienti… vermis cauterijs omnibꝰ acrior. Caluin. inſtit. l. 1. c. 3. § 3. …quos diri cō ſciafacti Mens habet altonit…s, & ſurdo verbere caedit O…cultum quatiente intus t…rtore flagellum. Juven. ſat. 3.he may geere and grin outwardly, while he is nipped and galled inwardly, he can take no more true ioy and delight, can finde no more ſound comfort and contentment in all his wealth and his treaſures, or in his delights & his pleaſures, than ccforeign Plut. de ſera vindict.a priſoner or condemned perſon, that ſitteth drinking and ſwilling, or playing at cards and tables in the laile, while the halter that he is to be hanged withall, hangeth ouer his head.

But on the other ſide, to a quiet minde, to a good Conſcience, any thing is acceptable, yea and comfortable, as to him that is now in health. Let the minde be truly ſetled, let the Conſcience be once quieted; and the ſame man that before tooke no ioy at all in a large eſtate, found no relliſh at all in great varietie of dainties, walked melancholike to and fro in his gardens of pleaſure, had no comfort of friends and acquaintance, or of wife & children, can now finde much ſweetneſſe in a farre poorer pitance, giuegive God hearty thanks for an homely repaſt, walke cheerefully abroad, liue comfortably at home, rejoyce with his wife, be merry with his friends, be comforted in his children. And this quietnes of minde and Conſcience can nothing procure but ſincere Godlineſſe. Which therefore, as it giueth true eaſe, and worketh ſound cure of thoſe p. 71inward gripes and galls, not by benumming of a guilty Conſeience, nor dd1. Tim. 4. 2.1 Tim 4:2ſearing it, and making it ſtupid and ſenſeles, as for a time it is ſometime in the wicked; but by remouing the ground of them, eeRom. 5. 1, 2, 3.Rom 5:1Rom 5:2Rom 5:3by giuing a man aſſurance of the remiſſion of his ſinne, and of reconcilement vntounto God, and ſo freeth a man from that inward diſquiet of minde, that baniſhed and kept out all true comfort and contentment before; ſo it bringeth with it a ſweet and comfortable vſe of all Gods good creatures; which a man now enioyeth ffPſal. 41. 11.Ps 41:11as fruits of Gods louelove, as effects of Gods fauour, and ggNon tam don… quàm abs te datū: non tam munere, quàm abs te miſſum. Id …rè triumphat ſer…ò. Terent. Eunuch.in that regard more delightful than the things themſelues in themſelues are, as a preſent ſent a man from his Prince.

Thirdly, it bringeth with it aſſurance of a greater benefit than all the world is able to counteruaile; to wit, of Gods fauour, and of his fatherly louelove toward a man in Chriſt.

It is the moſt heauy and the moſt vncomfortable thing that can be for a man to be forth of Gods fauour. hhProv. 19 12. & 20. 2.Prov 19:12Prov 20:2The wrath of a King, ſaith Salomon, is as the roaring of a Lion; iiProv. 16. 14.Prov 16:14as the meſſengers of the Death. And what is the wrath of him then, kkPſal. 18. 7. & 104. 32.Ps 18:7Ps 104:32whoſe angry looke alone is able to ſhake heauen and earth? And if llEſter. 7. 6, 7.Haman had litle ioy of all his wealth and his treaſures, when Aſſuerus frowned on him, when he was fall'n forth of his fauour; no maruaile if a man hauehave no ioy of ought, finde no comfort or contentment in ought, ſo long as God frowneth on him, ſo long as he is diſpleaſed with him, while the blacke clouds of Gods heauy mmIoh. 3. 18, 36.John 3:18John 3:36wrath hang ouer his head?

p. 72And on the other ſide, by mmContrarlorum eadem eſt ratio.the law of Contraries, as Gods wrath is moſt hideous, ſo his louelove and fauour is moſt gracious. As there is nothing more diſcomfortable than the one; ſo there is nothing more comfortable than the other. nnPſal. 30. 5.Ps 30:5In thy fauour, ſaith Dauid, there is life. Yea, ooPſal 63 3.Ps 63:3Thy louing kindneſſe, it is better than life. ppMatth. 6. 25.Matt 6:25The bodie is better than rayment, and life of more worth than meat that maintaineth life, ſaith our Sauiour. And, qqJob. 2. 4.Job 2:4All that a man hath, as the Deuill ſometime ſaid, will a man giuegive for his life. But Gods fauour and the aſſurance of it is a greater bleſſing than life it ſelfe, and much more then greater then any worldly wealth, that is not at all truly deſirable, but as an help and prop to this preſent life: Able therefore alone of it ſelfe to ſtay and ſupport a man, to comfort and cheere vp a man, to giuegive him true contentment, **Quid hac Jobi miſeria miſerius? quid tamen hac infaelicitate felicius? perdiderat oīa qu… dederat Deus: ſed habuit ip sū qui oīa dederat, Deū. Aug. Data perdiderat, ſed non datorem. Idem Pſal. 66. Oīa perdiderat, & ple…u… erat. Id…m de diverſ. 12.Ps 66to make him an happy man, in the want of all worldly wealth, though he hauehave nothing elſe but it.

The old Gracians that had rrforeign Euſtath. in Iliad. foreign Inde Arcades foreign Plut. Caio Gr. foreign Tyr. Max. …rat. 11. Fagus & eſe…l… arbores glā diferae ideò vocatae …reduntur, qu…d harum fructibus …lim homines vixer…t. Iſid…r. orig. l. 17. c. 9.fed altogither on acornes before, ſſCeres frumentae invenit, cùm anteà glande veſcerentur. Plin hiſt. …at. l. 7. c. 56.after that bread-corne came in among them, ttSic odium c…pi… glandi…. —Lucret. lib. 5. … gratae poſt munus ariſtae Contingunt homines veteri… faſtidia quercus. I…en. ſa…. 14. Inde …ata Diverbia, foreign Satis quercus. Et, Poſt f…uges inventas glandibu… v…ſ…s. Legatur Plim. hiſt. l. 16. praefat. &c. 5.made no reckning of their maſt any more, but kept it onelyonly for their Swine: and uuCori… publica forma perc…ſſ… apud Laced…ni… vſum numeratae pecuniae praeſtat. Sen. de …nef. l. 5. c. 15. foreign Nicol… D…maſc. Form…t…s … corio orbes auro m…dico ſignauerunt. A…on…mus de reb. be…. Hinc Hicron. ad Ru…n. Aur… montes pollicitus ne ſcorteum quidem … profer….leathren and xxDe … ferr… videndus Plutarchus in Lycurg…. Legatur & Pliv. hiſt. nat. l. 33. c. 3. & Alex. ab▪ Alex. gen. dier. i. … ▪ 15.iron coyne began to grow out of requeſt, after that gold and ſiluer once came in vſe. p. 73So when a man hath once found the fauour & louelove of God in Chriſt, hath lighted once on it, and got aſſurance of it, he ceaſeth then to be greedy of this worldly traſh, that is in regard of it but as droſſe or peble ſtones to Gold and Diamonds, as maſte to the beſt bread-corne, yea rather of far leſſe worth and value to that, than either of theſe are to it.

To which purpoſe Dauid ſaith, that whereas the worldly mans ſong is, yyPſal. 4. 6.Ps 4:6who will ſhew vsus any good, who will tell vsus of any matter of profit? his wiſh or requeſt rather was, (with other the Godly) Lord lift thou the light of thy face, or thy fauour, on vsus. For that zzPſal. 4. 7.Ps 4:7he had found more true ioy and contentment in the aſſurance of Gods louelove, in the view of his louing countenance towards him, then they had or could reape comfort by their worldly commodities, their corne and their wine, wherein their wealth chiefly conſiſted, though they came in neuer ſo plentifully vponupon them. 22Pſal. 4. 8. & 27. 1. & 3. 5.Ps 4:8Ps 27:1Ps 3:5There was ſound reſt and aſſurance of ſafetie by the one, no ſecuritie in, or ſurety at all of the other.

Laſtly; In that 33Socrates ab …rchelao ad facultates ampli…res accerſitꝰ, foreign, inquit, foreign Arrian… in protrept. apud Stob. c. 95.it fitteth a mans minde to his meanes, while it aſſureth him both for the time preſent, that that eſtate, whatſoeuer it be, that he is then in, is the beſt and fitteſt for him; and for the time to come, that God will continually prouide for him, and neuer ſee or ſuffer him to want ought that he ſhall ſtand in neede of.

aaHeb. 13. 5. 6.Heb 13:5Heb 13:6Let your converſation, ſaith the Apoſtle, be without couetouſnes; and be Content with what you hauehave. For God hath promiſed that bbGen. 28. 15. Ioſh. 1. 5.Gen 28:15Josh 1:5he will neuer leaue nor forſake you. So that you may boldly ſay, as the Pſalmiſt, p. 74ccPſal. 27. 1.Ps 27:1The Lord is my protector, I neede feare nothing; ſo, ddPſal. 23. 1.Ps 23:1The Lord is my Shepherd, I am ſure to lacke nothing. For eeMath. 6. 33.Matt 6:33who ſo ſeeketh Gods Kingdome and the righteouſnes thereof, ſhall be ſure to hauehave all other things caſt vponupon him, that may be for his good, he ſhall hauehave the one as an ouer-plus in to the other.

It is a great ſtay of minde to a man for himſelfe or his ſonne, if the King ſhall ſay to him, as Dauid ff2. Sam. 9. 7.2 Sam 9:7to Mephiboſheth, or gg2. Sam. 19. 38.2 Sam 19:38to Barzillai the Gileadite, I will ſee that thou, or he ſhall neuer want, or, you ſhall neither of you euer want, if I may helpe it: What a ſtay of minde muſt it needs be to the Godly man then, when the King of heauen and earth ſhall ſay as much vntounto him, hhPſal. 146. 3, 4, 5, 6.Ps 146:3Ps 146:4Ps 146:5Ps 146:6he that is able to make his word good at will, and iiHebr. 7. 25.Heb 7:25liueth for euer to performe whatſoeuer he hath promiſed?

Againe, the Godly may ſay it, and aſſure himſelfe of it, that whatſoeuer eſtate he is in, that eſtate for the preſent God ſeeth to be beſt and fitteſt for him. kkQuaremulta bonis viris aduerſa eveniunt? nihil accidero bono viro mali poteſt, non miſcentur contraria. Sen. de▪ provid. cap. 2.If he be poore, pouertie is beſt for him, or elſe he ſhould not ſo be: if he be ſick, ſicknes is beſt for him then, otherwiſe God would not ſuffer him to keepe his ſick-bed: if in priſon, reſtraint of liberty is then fitteſt for him, otherwiſe the priſon ſhould no more be able to hold him, then llAct. 5. 23, 19. & 12. 6, 7.Acts 5:23Acts 5:19Acts 12:6Acts 12:7it was to hold …eter, when the dores were faſt locked on him, and a guard of ſouldiers ſet to keepe him ſure. If riches were good for him, he ſhould be ſure to hauehave them: if health were good for him, he ſhould be ſure not to want it: if liberty, mmPſal. 118. 5.Ps 118:5God without delay would enlarge him and reſtore it. nnPſal. 34. 9, 10.Ps 34:9Ps 34:10For there ſhall nothing be wanting to thoſe that feare God: The Lions ſhall p. 75lacke and ſuffer hunger; but thoſe that ſeeke the Lord, ſhall want nothing that is good. ooPſal. 84. 11.Ps 84:11God their Sunne and Sheild will giuegive them grace and glory: and no good thing will he, ppforeign Gen. 17. 1. & 15. 1.Gen 17:1Gen 15:1who is God all-ſufficient, denie vntounto them, that walke vprightly before him.

Marke the Apoſtles argument, that he vſeth for the proofe of this point: qqRom. 8. 32. Qui miſit vn…ge…itum, immiſit ſpiritum, promiſit vultum: quid tandē tibi negaturus eſt? B…rn. de temp. Nihil vnquam ei negaſſe credendum eſt, quem ad vituli hortatur eſum. Hieron. ad Damaſ. de Luc. 15. 31. foreign; Chryſoſt, in Rom. …. 15.Rom 8:32Luke 15:31He that ſpared not his Sonne, but beſtowed him vponupon vsus, how can he but giuegive vsus all things togither with him. And conceiue we the force of it by this compariſon: Suppoſe a man hauehave a frend, who hauing but one pretious Iewell of great price, that he maketh ſpeciall reckoning of, is content to part with it, and beſtow it on him for the ranſoming and redeeming of him out of captiuitie: he is content againe, when he is ſicke, to be at any charge with him for Phyſitian and Phyſick; and yet when he is in the fit of a burning Feuer, he will not by any meanes ſuffer him to hauehave a cup of cold water. May not ſuch a one in this caſe reaſon thus with himſelfe? Surely, if it were good and ſafe for me, yea were it not certainly dangerous and preiudiciall vntounto me to drinke ſuch cold and raw drinke, this my friend that thinketh nothing too good or to deere for me that may do me good, that is content to be at all this cost and charge with me for Phyſick, would neuer denie me a cup of cold water that ſtandeth him in nothing. And conſequently, if he be wiſe, he will ſtriue againſt his owne deſire of it, and bend himſelfe patiently to endure the want and deniall of it, as done in wiſdome by his friend, and out of a tender regard of his good. And in like manner doth the Apoſtle teach the Godly man to reaſon: God, that hauing p. 76but rr1. Petr. 1. 18, 19.one pretious Iewell, to ſpeake of, ſſIoh. 3. 16.John 3:16his owne Sonne and his onelyonly Sonne, was content to beſtow him vponupon me, to ſhed his heart-bloud for the ſauing1. Ioh. 4. 9.1 John 4:9 of my ſoule, if he ſaw health or wealth to be good for me, he would neuer denie it me, ttHagg 2. 9. 1 Chr. 29. 11, 12.Hag 2:91 Chr 29:111 Chr 29:12being no more than as a crum of bread or a drop of water with him. So that ſo long as he with ▪holdeth it, I know well that it is better for me to want it than to hauehave it; and therefore **foreign; …uſus apud Arrianū diſſert l… c. 1. foreign. l 2. c. …6.I will endeuor to keep my ſelfe quiet, and reſt content with the want of that, which I want for my good.

This Godlineſſe perſwadeth eueryevery Chriſtian vntounto; and this Godlineſſe enabled the ſame Apoſtle to do: uuPhilip 4. 11, 12, 13.Phil 4:11Phil 4:12Phil 4:13I hauehave learned, ſaith he, xxMagnus ille est qui fictilibus ſic vtitur quemadmodū argento▪ nec ille minor eſt qui ſic argē to vtitur, quemadmodum fictilibus. infirmi animi est pati non poſſe divitias Sen. epiſt. 5.to abound: and I hauehave learned to be in want. (Taught it a man muſt be, ere he can attaine to it; and it is a leſſon, that is not eaſily learned.) yyforeign. Georg. Piſid. de va…it. vitae.I hauehave learned to be hungry; and I hauehave learned to be full. (The one had neede to be learned as well as the other: and till a man hauehave learned it, he ſhall neuer be filled.) I hauehave learned in whatſoeuer eſtate I am, therwith to be contēt. I am able to do all things, yet zzIlle fortis eſt, qui non in ſe, ſed in Deo fortis eſt. Aug. in Pſal. 31. Bonus vir ſine Deo nemo eſt. an poteſt aliquis ſapra fortunā niſi ab illo adintus exurgere? ille dat conſilia magnifica & erecta. In vnoquo que bonorum virorum, qui Deus, ineertum eſt, rabitat Deus. Animū excellentem, moderatū, oīa tanquam minor a tranſeuntem, quicquid timemus optamus que ridentem coeleſtis potentia agitat. Non potest res tanta ſine adminiculo numinis ſtare. Sen. ep. 41.Ps 31not of mine owne ſtrength, but through the power of Chriſt enabling me. And ſo paſſe we to the third Point, that at firſt we propounded, to wit hat true Contentment is an vndoubted argument of Godlines.

A Contented minde argueth a religious heart; p. 77and a diſcontented minde argueth an irreligious ſpirit. It is a ſigne that a man ſeeth not Gods goodnes, conſidereth not his owne vnworthineſſe, when he is euer murmuring and repining, miſliking and finding fault with his owne eſtate, and enuying thoſe that be aboue him. So that where diſcontent, ment is lodged in the heart, there is Godlineſſe excluded and ſhut out of dores. And hereby may a man know himſelfe to be truly religious, if he hauehave a minde contented euer with his preſent eſtate: not aaFeras, non culpes, quod vitari nō poteſt. P. Syrus. Optimum eſt pati quod emendare non poſſis. Sen. epiſt. 107. … leve fi… patientia, Quicquid corrigere eſt nefas. Hor. carm. 1. 24.barely becauſe he can not mend the matter, or eaſe himſelfe by being diſcontent at it; (that is a kinde bbAffectio humana caninae aequanimitatis ſtupore firmata. Tertull. de patient.of doggiſh ſtupiditie, rather than Chriſtian aequanimitie, as one well ſaith:) but becauſe ccPſal. 39. 9. & 119. 75. Deū quo authore cuncta proveniunt, ſine murmuratione ſequi. Sē. ep. 107. Quicquid inciderit, non tanquam malum aſpernabitur, & in ſe caſu delatum, ſed quaſi (à Deo) delegatum ſibi (lubens amplexabitur.) Idē ep. 120.Ps 39:9Ps 119:75God hath placed him in it, and ſeeth it fitteſt and beſt for him, whoſe ddMatth. 26. 39. foreign. Arrian. Epictet. diſſert. l. 2 c 17. Placeat homini, quicquid Deo placuit. Sen. ep. 74. ob hoc ipſum quod Deo placeat. Hieron. alicubi. Deus quod vult, qui vult is ſemper eſt foelix.Matt 26:39holy will he deſireth to conforme his owne to, and eeThymarides Pythagoricus, cum diſceden… quidam quaſi bené precatus, foreign. Dij tibi dent, inquit, quae…un que volueris; at ille, foreign. Bona verba; inquit; Velim…go potius quaecun que Dij dederin…. Jamblych. de vita Pythag l. …. c. 28. Magnus eſt animus, qui ſe Deo tradidit: puſillus & degener, qui obluctatur, & de ordine mundi male exiſtimat, & Deos mavult emendare quàm ſe. Sen. epiſt. 107.not to writh and wreſt Gods to his; and therefore ffIob. 2. 10. foreign. Marc. leg. ſpir. 159.Job 2:10is willing to receiue as well euill as good from God, and gg1 Sam. 3. 18. Si Deus bonus, Diabolus mal…, nec à maloboni qui…q…, nec à bono mali quicquā poteſt pr…ve…ire. Aug.1 Sam 3:18to reſt content with whatſoeuer he doth; whom he knoweth hhEſai. 39. 8.Isa 39:8to do nothing but good, and iiPſ. 119. 71, 67.Ps 119:71Ps 119:67to do all things for his good: that which is true piety, and a good note of ſinceritie whereſoeuer it is found.

p. 78But here eueryevery man will be ready to ſay, that he may ſeeme religious, that he is well content with his eſtate, and thanketh God for it with kkIob 1 21.Job 1:21Iob, whatſoeuer it be. Well; if it be ſo, as Saint Iames ſaith, llIam. 2. 18.Jas 2:18Shew me thy faith by thy works: ſo let vsus mmAequanimitas veſtra nota ſit. Philip. 4. 5.Phil 4:5ſhew our Contentment by the effects, by the fruits of it.

Of a Note or two of Contentment then a word or two, and ſo an end.

One ſigne of Contentment then is, the vſe of lawfull meanes onelyonly; When a man deſireth not, nor endeuoureth to better his eſtate by indirect and vnwarrantable courſes: when a man doth nnPſal. 37. 1, 8. & 73. 12, 13.Ps 37:1Ps 37:8Ps 73:12Ps 73:13not fret to ſee wicked men riſe by bad meanes, nor is ſorry that he may not do as they do: much leſſe is moued to do wickedly, and to take ſuch courſes as he ſeeth wicked ones thriue withall, while himſelf and other godly, as himſelfe ſeemeth to obſerue, either decay, or elſe ſtand at a ſtay.

ooGen. 14. 23.Gen 14:23Abraham, when the King of Sodome offred him ſome part of his ſpoiles, refuſed to take ſo much as a ſhoe-latchet of him, that the King of Sodome might not ſay that he had made Abraham rich; that men might not ſay, that Abraham had bin made rich, not by Gods bleſſing, but by the Kings meanes; he might thanke the King of Sodome for his wealth. So a Godly man will not gaine, nor deſire to gaine ſo much as a ſhoe-ſtring or ſhoe-thred by prophaning Gods Sabbaths with ppN…hem. 13. 16.the Zidonian Merchants, by fraud or deceit, by oppreſſion and extortion, by biting vſury, the Deuils brokery, or by any other vnlawfull and indirect courſe; that the Deuill may not ſay, that, he hath made him rich; as p. 79he ſaid ſometime to our Sauiour, qqMatth. 4. 9.Matt 4:9All this will I giuegive thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worſhip me. For **Illas tibi divitias Diabolus dat, quas per furtum, quas per fraudem acquiris. Operis imperf. apud Chryſoſt. hom. 5.it is of the Deuils gift all that is gotten by ſuch meanes, that is compaſſed by ſuch courſes: and he hath neither a contented minde, nor a religious heart, that will ſeeke or take ought at the Diuels hand.

As the rrNum. 9. 22, 23.Num 9:22Num 9:23Iſraelites therefore trauailing through the wildernes towards the land of promiſe, (which, to hauehave gone the next way, had not bin a iourney of many dayes, yet were they many yeeres about) they were to go as God led them, as they ſaw the Cloud go before them, and not to take that way that ſeemed beſt or moſt compendious in their owne eyes. So muſt we ſſObſeruare vias Domini. Pſ 18. 22. Hebr. 11. 8. foreign. Philo de migr. Abr. Idem & Arrian. diſſer…. l. 1. c. 20. foreign Pythagor. apud Boeth. de conſol. lib. 1. proſ. 4 Laudat & Plut. in conviv. & Cit. de ſin l 4. & Sē. de vita beata c. 15. foreign Cleanthes, & Epictet. enchir. Duc me, parens celſi que dominator poli, Quocun que placuit: nulla parendi mora eſt: Aſſum impiger. fac nollo: comitabor gemens; Malus que patiar, quod bono licuit pati. Ducūt volentē fata, n…lentē trahūt. Sē. ep. 107.Ps 18:22Heb 11:8obſerue Gods wayes in our trading & trafficking, in our walking towards wealth: we muſt keepe the way that God leadeth vsus; go no other way than we can ſee him going in before vsus, follow the line of his law, though it ſeeme to lead vsus in and out, backward and forward, as if we were treading of a maze; and not take thoſe wayes, leauing the guidance of it, that ſeeme gainer and neerer in our owne eyes, and much more compendious than the other. Though we might compaſſe wealth with a word or two, with the bowe of a knee only the one way, whereas we muſt trauaile, and toile and moile much ere we come by it the other way: tho we might attaine to it within a day, or a weeke, the one way, whereas we are like to ſtay long, many yeeres, it may be, ere we come at it, the other way: yet this way muſt we keepe, and ttMath. 4. 10.Matt 4:10refuſe all the world with our Sauiour, if it be offred vsus to intice vsus out of it.

p. 80Otherwiſe as the uuNum. 14. 44, 45.Num 14:44Num 14:45Iſraelites, when they went out of Gods precincts, they went withall out of Gods protection, and ſo fell before their foes, into whoſe hands they fell, forſaking Gods ſhelter and ſauegard. So xxQui properat di…eſ…re. Pro. 28. 20, 22. foreign Menand. Nam dives qui fieri vult, Et cito vult fieri: ſed quae reuerenita legum, Quis metus aut pudor eſt vnquā properantis auari. Iuvē. ſat. 11.Prov 28:20Prov 28:22thoſe that make more haſte then good ſpeede to be rich, that balke Gods paths, and ſtep aſide out of Gods way, to compaſſe wealth, ſhall vndoubtedly come to euill. For yyQui volunt ditari. 1. Tim. 6. 9 Nō ait, qui ſunt, ſed qui fieri volunt. B…rn. de diuerſ. 36. Qui volunt, nō qui ſunt. cupiditates accuſat, nō facultates. Aug. hom. 13. & de temp. 205. Qui augere opes ambit, vitare peccatū negligit, & more aviū dum eſcam terrenarum rerum auidè conſpicit, quo ſtrā guletur peccati laqueo non agnoſcit. Greg. paſtor. lib. 3. cap. 1. § 21.1 Tim 6:9thoſe that will be rich, ſaith the Apoſtle, that ſet this downe, zzVnde habeas, quaerit nemo; ſed oportet habere. Iuuenal. ſat. 14.rich they will be, howſoeuer they come by it, per fas & nefas, by hooke or crook, as we ſay, by right or by wrong, they pierce their hearts through with many ſorrowes, peſter their mindes with many fond and noyſome lusts and deſires, and plunge themſelues into many dangerous ſnares, that at length drowne their ſoules in deſtruction.

Yea the very deſire of bettring a mans eſtate by ſuch meanes, is an euident argument of diſcontent: when it grieueth a man at the heart, that his conſcience will not giuegive him leaue, or that Gods law will notſuffer him to vſe thoſe meanes that he ſeeth worldly men grow wealthy withall. aaMalus miles eſt, qui Imperatorem gemens ſequitur. Sen. epiſt. 107. & de vita beata cap. 15. foreign Arrian. diſſert. l. 2. cap. 16.He is out of Gods way, though he ſeem to be yet in it, though he ſtride not outwardly out of it, that miſliketh it, that liketh any other way better than it, that walketh in it with an euill will. And bbMalū opus non eſt factū niſi ab ijs qui ia… mali erant. Aug. de civit Dei l. 14. c. 13.as Adam and Eve ſinned and were euill euen in deſiring to eat, before euer p. 81they taſted of the forbidden fruit: So the very deſire of libertie for ſuch courſes argueth euidently ſo far forth a minde irreligious, though the heart neuer conſent to put them in practiſe.

A ſecond Signe of a Contented minde is the vſe of ſuch lawfull meanes without Care and Couetiſe, without diſtruſtfull care, without greedy deſire.

It is the ſaying of ſome of the Ancients, and it is a true ſaying, that ccforeign Alex. paed. l. 2. c. 10. Adulter eſt in ſuā vxorem amator ardentior. Xyſtꝰ Pythag in ſentent. Iu aliena vxore omnis amor turpis eſt; in ſua nimius. Hieron. ad Iovin. lib. 1. c. 1. Intemperans in cō iugio adulter eſt vxoris ſuae. Ambr. de Philoſoph. cōtra Platon. Adulterum dicit vxoris eū eſſe, qui in ipſo quoque vſu coniugij nullam verecundiae vel honeſtatis curā habet. Aug. contra Iulian. l 2. Libido appetitꝰ est ſine iudicio, ſine modo, vt ſi vxorem amem amore meret…icio. Jul. S…al. de ſubtil. exerc. 317. § 2.A man may commit adulterie with his owne wife: So a man may commit ſpirituall fornication with the lawfull meanes, that he vſeth and lawfully may vſe, if he vſe them in vnlawfull manner. For the preuenting and auoyding whereof our Sauiour Chriſt biddeth vsus, ddMath. 6. 25.Matt 6:25Take no care, (or, no thought rather, if you will) what we ſhall eat or drinke, or wherewith we ſhall be clad. In which precept, or prohibition rather, he forbiddeth not the vſe of lawfull meanes, but the diſtruſtfull affection in the vſe of thoſe meanes. Which appeareth both by ſome of the inſtances that there he maketh vſe of, as that eeMath. 6. 26.Matt 6:26of the fowles, that yet ffMath. 24. 28. ex Iob 39. 31, 32. Legatur Aug. de oper. Monach. c. 22, 23, 24.Matt 24:28Job 39:31Job 39:32labour and flie about for their foode and their liuing, but without couetouſnes and care; as alſo by ggforeignthe word that he there vſeth, ſignifying properly ſuch hhforeign Euſtath. Iliad. d.a carking care, as euen diuideth the minde in twaine, and cutteth the very ſoule as it were aſunder.

For the better and fuller conceiuing hereof, we muſt know, that there is a twofold Care: there is iiforeign.a ſtudious care, and there is kkforeign.a carking care, which we call commonly a taking of thought: there is cura de opere, and cura de operis ſucceſſu; a care for our p. 82worke it ſelfe, and a care for the ſucceſſe of it, for the iſſue and euent of it. And it is not the former, but the latter of the two, that is there inhibited.

There is a Care for the worke it ſelfe, when a man is carefull to do his dutie, and to do well that he doth, and accordingly doth painfully and faithfully endeuor to effect it the beſt he can. And thus there is no man more carefull than the childe of God, than the Chriſtian man; becauſe llEpheſ. 6. 6.Eph 6:6he doth of Conſcience all he doth. There is another Care about the iſſue and ſucceſſe of the worke, which our Sauiour Chriſt calleth els-where, mmforeign Luk. 12. 29.Luke 12:29an hanging in ſuſpence, and doubt for the euent of it, as the meteors do in the ayre, vncertaine whither to ſtay there, or to fall downe to the ground. This is then, when a man is not content to do his beſt endeuor, but he caſteth doubts, and taketh thought for what the iſſue of it will be; he fore thinketh with himſelfe, that if he gaine not by ſuch a bargaine, he ſhall be vndone; if ſuch a debtor breake or keep not touch with him, he ſhall be vtterly ouerthrowne; if his grounds take not, or his cattle ſtand not, he ſhall not hauehave bread to put in his belly; if he can not get the fauour of ſuch a Iudge, or ſuch a great man, he ſhall neuer hauehave any good ſucceſſe in his Law ſuites, or, if he be toward the Law, his Counſell will grow out of requeſt. &c.

Conceiue it yet further by theſe two Examples. nnMark. 13. 11.Mark 13:11Our Sauiour forbiddeth his Apoſtles both ooforeignto take care, and ppforeignto take thought before hand, when they are to appeare before great perſons; both to fore-cast with themſelues what to ſpeake when they p. 83come before them, and to fore-thinke how that they ſhall ſpeake will be taken when they hauehave ſpoken it. Yet the Miniſters of the word now a daies are qqforeign vnde meditari. Lat.to ſtudie before hand what to ſpeake either in Church or Court, if they be there to appeare, becauſe they hauehave it not now ordinarily by immediate inſtinct at an inſtant, as rrMath. 10 9.Matt 10:9they then had: But they are not ſſforeignto take thought how their ſpeeches will ſpeede, but leaue the iſſue of it to Gods good will.

Againe, ttMath. 28 13, 14.Matt 28:13Matt 28:14the Prieſts bid the Souldiers ſay, that CHRISTS corps was ſtolne away by night while they ſlept, and promiſe withall uuforeignto ſecure them, or ſo to ſaue them harmleſſe, that they ſhall not neede to take further care in that kinde. The Souldiers were yet to plot and deuiſe how to tell their Tale ſo, as it might carry moſt ſhew of truth with it, and hauing ſo done, they were to relie on the Preiſts credit for the reſt, who had giuen them their word before for the iſſue of it, that it ſhould no way proue prejudiciall or jeapordous to them. In like manner it is our part to take care how to performe thoſe offices and duties that God hath called vsus vntounto in the beſt manner that we may: but for the ſucceſſe of it, when we hauehave performed our part, and done our dutie and our endeuor, we muſt, as the Apoſtle willeth vsus, xxforeign. Philip. 4. 6.Phil 4:6be wholy ſecure or careleſſe; take no thought for ought, but leaue all to God, and relie wholy vponupon him, who hath commanded vsus yy1 Pet. 5. 71 Pet 5:7to cast zzforeignall our care in this kinde vponupon him, and promiſed withall that he will take this care for vsus.

This diſtruſtfull care breedeth that aa1. Tim. 6. 10. foreign Biō apud Stob. c. 10. foreign Clem. Alex padag. l. 2. c. 3. Auiditas materia malorum omnium Amm…an. hiſt. lib. 31. parens. Latus Mauritio. Sicut radi… bonorū omnium eſt charitas, ita malorum omnium cupiditas. Aug. hom. 8.1 Tim 6:10Couetouſnes that is the Roote of all euill. Not amiſſe termed the p. 84Roote, as ſome well hauehave obſerued: becauſe as there is life oft in the roote, when there is no ſap in the branches: ſo this vice oft liueth, when other die and decay. For bbLibidinis ignis paulatim extinguitur, & cum ſenecture conſeneſcit: at avaritia augeſcit continuò, & cum ſenectute iuveneſcit, quando vitia reliqua conſen…ſcūt. Rolloc. ad 1. Tim. 6.1 Tim 6euen old men, ccAuaritia ſenilis quid ſibi velit non intelligo. poteſt enī quicquam eſſe abſurdius, quàm quo minus reſtat viae, eo plus quaerere viatici? Cic. de ſenect. Mirabilis ſanè dementia … vnim ſamptibus ſe o…rare faſtinat, cū iam par…quo tendebat, Aug. de temp. 246.againſt reaſon, that hauehave leaſt time to liue, are oft-times moſt carefull for, moſt couetous of the things of this life: they thinke, though they hauehave neuer ſo much, that vnleſſe they gather ſtill more, they ſhall want or ſtarue yet ere they die; they ſhall not hauehave meate, ſaith one, to put in their mouths while they liue, nor money to burie them with when they be dead.

But neither will ſuch eePhilip. 4. 5, 6.Phil 4:5Phil 4:6Carefulnes, or ſuch ffHebr. 13. 5.Heb 13:5Couetouſnes ſtand with Contentment: and therefore muſt be both far from vsus, if we would be accounted truly religious. We muſt baniſh all ſuch diſtruſtfull thoughts, we muſt abandon all ſuch greedy deſires. We muſt learne, as ggMatth. 6. 12.Matt 6:12we pray but for daily bread; ſo to reſt content with it when we hauehave it; yea to reſt content too, when we hauehave it not, with the want of it. We muſt learne, when we hauehave done our beſt endeuor, to leaue the iſſue and euent of our labors to God. As Ioab ſaith to his ſouldiers; hh2. Sam 10. 12.2 Sam 10:12Let d foreign Plut. de ov…r.vsus be of good courage, and fight valiantly for our King and our Country; and let the Lord then do what ſeemeth good in his ſight. So muſt we do what God hath enjoyned vsus to do; and when we hauehave ſo done, iiPſal. 37. 5.Ps 37:5commit our way for the iſſue of it to him, and relie vponupon him, and he will bring it about; he will be ſure then to giuegive ſuch iſſue to it as ſhall be for our good.

The third and laſt Note of Contentment may be kkPſal. 13. 7.Ps 13:7Silence before the Sheerer. When God commeth p. 85to ſheere a man of his ſubſtance, of his wealth and his riches, if he hauehave a contented minde, he will not murmur and repine at it, as llPſal. 106. 25.Ps 106:25the Iſraelites euer and anon when they wanted mmExod. 17. 3.Exod 17:3water, or nnExod. 16. 2, 3.Exod 16:2Exod 16:3bread, or ooNum. 11. 4, 5, 6, 7.Num 11:4Num 11:5Num 11:6Num 11:7fleſh in the wildernes: but rather praiſe God with Iob; ppIob 1 21. Abſtulit, ſed & dedit. Sen. epiſt. 64. foreign Arriā. diſſert. l. 1. c. 11. Tuliſti liberos quos ipſe dederas. non contriſtor, quod recepiſti, ago gratias quod dediſti. Hierō ad Iulian.Job 1:21God gaue it, and God taketh it: bleſſed be Gods name. qqVitam repoſcen… naturae, tanquam debitor bonae fidei, red…turus exulto. Iulian. apud Ammian. l. 25.I returne my life to Nature requiring it back, ſaid that Apoſtata, as ſome report of him, when he lay a dying, as a faithfull debtor, with a good will. So rrforeign Epictet. Enchir. Vita data est v…enda, data eſt ſine …oenore nobis Mutua, nec certe perſoluenda die. Pedo ad Liv. Non est quod nos ſuſpiciamus, tanquam inter noſtra poſiti. mutuò accepimus: (non tam data, quam commodata. Primaſ. ad 1. Cor.) vſus fructus noſter est: cuius tempora ille arbiter muneris ſui temperat. nos oportet in promptu habere, quae in incertum diem data ſunt, & appellatos ſine querela reddere. Sen. ad Marc. cap. 10.Mark 10ſhould we returne God his owne againe, that he hath pleaſed to lend vsus, as faithfull and thankfull debtors with hearty good will; ſſNon moeremus quod talem amiſimus; ſed gratias agimus, quod habuimus. Hieron. epitaph. Pa…ae.rendring thanks vntounto him, that we hauehave had them ſo long, not repining becauſe we can hauehave them no longer.

But we contrariwiſe, when we hauehave had a long time the vſe of Gods bleſſings, are wont to lay claime to them, and to account them as our owne by preſcription; and ſo, ttP…ſſimi eſt debitoris creditori facere convitium. Sen. ibid.as it falleth our ofttimes by bad borrowers and worſe pay-maſters, God looſeth a frend with vsus for asking his owne of vsus.

uuPſal. 39. 9.Ps 39:9I was dumbe, ſaith David, and opened not my mouth, becauſe it was thy doing. It is a ſigne that a man ſeeth Gods hand on him for his good, if he can be ſilent when God ſtraitneth and impaireth his eſtate.

And xxHebr. 10. 34.Heb 10:34the faithfull Hebrewes, ſaith the Apoſtle, p. 86with ioy, not quietly onelyonly but cheerefully, ſuſtained the loſſe of their worldly goods, knowing that they had better treaſure and more durable laid vp for them in heauen. It is a ſigne that yyHebr. 11. 25, 26.Heb 11:25Heb 11:26a man looketh at a better matter, when he can ſo readily and ſo cheerefully part with his wealth: as zzGen. 45. 20.Gen 45:20Iacob regarded not his houſhold-ſtuffe and ſubſtance in Canaan, when he had all the fat of Aegypt before him.

Shut we vp this laſt point with this familiar ſimilitude. A garment that hangeth looſe about a man is put off with eaſe; but ſo is not the skin that ſticketh faſt to the fleſh, nor the ſhirt that cleaueth faſt to the vlcerous leper; a tooth if it be looſe, it commeth out with eaſe, but if it ſticke faſt in the head, it is not pulled out but with paine, yea many times it bringeth away ſome peece of the gumme or the jaw with it. So here, aaTunc verè oftendimus, quia accepta recté tenuimꝰ, quū aequāimiter ad momentum ſublata toleramus Greg. mor. l. 2. c. 42. Mihi diuitiae ſi effluxerint, nihil …uferent niſi ſemetipſas: tuſtup…bis & videboris tibi ſine terelictꝰ, ſi illa a te receſſerīt. apud me diuitia aliquim locū habent; apud t… ſummum: ad poſtremum divitiae …eaſunt, tu diuiti…rum es. Senec. de vita beat. c. 12.a man is content willingly to part with his riches, when bbPſal. 62. 10. Sapiens divitias non amat, ſed mavult: non in animū illas, ſed in domum recipit. Senec. ibid. 21. Omnia iſtae nobis accedant, non hareant: vt ſi abducā tur, ſine vlla noſtri laceratione diſcedant. Idem epiſt. 74.Ps 62:10his heart is not ſet vponupon his wealth: but ccforeign. Baſil. ad divit. hom. 7. foreign. Heſiod. foreign. Antiphanes. foreign. Antipho apud Stob. cap. 10. Vip…te quibus pecu…ia ſua …bhaſit, nec ſine ſenſu avelli poteſt. Sen. de tranquill. c. 8.if his heart be glewed to it, it euen renteth his heart in two to part with it, it pulleth as it were a peece of his ſoule away with it. And that is the reaſon why ddIob. 1. 21.Job 1:21Iob bleſſed God, when he took away all that euer he had from him, whereas moſt men, if God take from them but a ſmall pitance of that they hauehave, are ready, as eeIob. 1. 11.Job 1:11the Diuell p. 87vntruly ſaid that Iob would do, euen to curſe him to his face.

To conclude then: Would we be eſteemed truly Religious? ffPhilip 4. 5.Phil 4:5Let our contentment of minde ggnota ſit omnibus.appeare to the world; in not ſeeking of theſe outward things, either by indirect courſes, or with diſtruſtfull deſire; in patient enduring the want of them, when God ſeeth good to denie them, and in quiet parting againe with them, when God ſhall call againe for them: Aſſuring our ſelues that God doth all for our good, as well in with-holding or with-drawing of them from vsus, as in conferring them vponupon vsus, or in continuing them vntounto vsus: So ſhall we be ſure of a comfortable vſe of Gods good bleſſings in this life, and of certaine enjoyment of eternall bleſſednes togither with God himſelfe in the next life.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Gataker, True Contentment in the Gain of Godliness (1620)