our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience in case of imprisonment Paul had his prison-songs and could play the sweet lesson of contentment when his feet were in the stocks one calls it bonae conscientiae Paradisus the Paradise of a good conscience and if it be so then in prison wee may be in Paradise When the times are troublesome good conscience makes a calme If conscience he clear what though the dayes be cloudy Is it not a contentment to have a friend alwayes by to speak a good word for us such a friend is conscience Good conscience as Davids Harp drives away the evil spirit of discontent When thoughts begin to arise and the heart is disquieted Conscience saith to a man as the King did to Nehemlah Why is thy countenance sad So saith Conscience hast not thou the seed of God in thee art not thou an heir of the Promise Hast not thou a treasure that thou canst never be plundered of Why is thy countenance sad Oh keep conscience clear and you shall never want contentment For a man to keep the pipes of his body the veines and arteries free from colds and obstructions is the best way to maintaine health So to keep conscience clear and to preserve it from the obobstructions of guilt is the best way to maintaine contentment First conscience is pure and then peaceable SECT 5. 5. Rule Learn to deny your selves Look well to your affections bridle them in Do two things 1. Mortifie your desires 2. Moderate your delights 1. Mortifie your desires Wee must not be of the Dragons temper who they say is so thirsty that no water will quench his thirst Mortifie therefore your inordinate affection in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your evill affection to shew that our desires when they are inordinate are evill Crucifie your desires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be as dead men a dead man hath no appetite Quest. How should a Christian martyr his desires Quest. 1. Get a right judgment of the things here below They are mean beggarly things Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not The appetite must be guided by reason the affections are the feet of the soule therefore they must follow the judgement not lead it 2. Often seriously meditate of mortality Death will soon crop those flowers which wee delight in and pull down the fabrick of those bodies which we so garnish and beautifie Think when you are locking up your money in your chest who shall shortly lock you up in your coffin 2. Moderate your delights Set not your hearts too much upon any creature What we over-love we shall over-grieve Rachel set her heart too much upon her children and when she had lost them she lost her self too such a veine of grief was opened as could not be stenched she refused to be comforted Here was discontent When we let any creature lie too near our heart when God pulls away that comfort a piece of our heart is rent away with it Too much fondnesse ends in frowardnesse Those that would be content in the want of mercy must be moderate in the enjoyment Ionathan dipt the rod in honey he did not thrush it in Let us take heed of ingulphing our selves in pleasure better have a spare diet then by having too much to surfeit SECT 6. 6. Rule Get much of heaven into your heart Spiritual things satisfie the more of heaven is in us the lesse earth will content He that hath once tasted the love of God his thirst is much quenched toward sublunary things the joyes of Gods Spirit are heart-filling and heart-chearing joyes he that hath these hath heaven begun in him Rom. 14. 17. and shall we not be content to be in heaven Oh get a sublime heart Seek the things that are above flie aloft in your affections thirst after the graces and comforts of the Spirit the Eagle that flies above in the aire fears not the stinging of the serpent the serpent creeps on his belly and stings onely such creatures as goe upon the earth Discontent is a Serpent that stings onely an earthly heart an heavenly soule that with the Eagle flies aloft findes abundantly enough in God to give contentment and is not stung with the cares and disquiets of the world SECT 7. 7. Rule Look not so much on the dark side of your condition as on the light God doth chequer his providences white and black as the pillar of cloud had its light side and dark look on the light side of thy estate who looks on the back side of a landskip Suppose thou art cast in a Law-suit there is the dark side yet thou hast some land left there is the light side Thou hast sickness in thy body there is the dark side but grace in thy soule there is the light side Thou hast a childe taken away there is the dark side thy husband lives there is the light side Gods providences in this life are various represented by those speckled horses among the Myrtle-trees which were red and white mercies and afflictions are interwoven God doth speckle his worke Oh saith one I want such a comfort but weigh all thy mercies in the balance and that will make thee content If a man did want a finger would he be so discontented for the losse of that as not to bee thankfull for all the other parts and joints of his body Look on the light side of your condition and then all your discontents will easily disband doe not pore upon your losse but ponder upon your mercies What wouldst thou have no crosse at all Why should one man think to have all good things when himselfe is good in part wouldst thou have no evill about thee who hast so much evill in thee thou art not fully sanctified in this life how then thinkest thou to be fully satisfied never look for perfection of contentment till there be perfection of grace SECT 8. 8. Rule Consider in what a posture we stand here in the world 1. We are in a military condition we are souldiers now a souldier is content with any thing what though he hath not his stately house his rich furniture his soft bed his full table yet doth not complaine he can lie in straw as well as doune he mindes not his lodging but his thoughts run upon dividing the spoile and the garland of honour that shall bee set upon his head and for hope of this is content to runne any hazard endure any hardship Were it not absurd to hear him complaine that he wants such provision and is faine to lie out in the fields a Christian is a military person he fights the Lords battels he is Christs Ensigne-bearer Now what though hee endures hard fare and the bullets flie about he fights for a Crowne and therefore must be content 2. We are in a peregrine condition Pilgrims and Travellers A man that is in a strange
onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shadow and picture of it the Beryll not the true Diamond theirs was but civill this is sacred theirs was only from principles of Reason this of Religion theirs was onely lighted at Nature's torch this at the Lamp of Scripture Reason may a little teach Contentment as thus Whatever my condition be this is that I am born to and if I meet with crosses it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Catholick miserie all have their share why therefore should I be troubled Reason may suggest this and indeed this may be rather constraint then content but to live securely and chearfully upon God in the abatement of creature-supplyes Religion onely can bring this into the souls exchequer 2. Contentment is an intrinsecall thing it lies within a man not in the barke but the root Contentment hath both its fountaine and stream in the soule the Beame hath not its light from the Aire the beams of comfort which a contented man hath do not arise extrinsicè from forraigne comforts but from within as sorrow is seated in the spirit The heart knowes its own grief So Contentment lies within in the soul and doth not depend upon externals Hence I gather that outward troubles cannot hinder this blessed Contentment it is a spirituall thing and ariseth from spirituall grounds viz. The apprehension of Gods love When there is a tempest without there may be musick within a Bee may sting through the skin but it cannot sting to the heart Outward afflictions cannot sting to a Christians heart where Contentment lies Thieves may plunder us of our money and plaâ—e but not of this pearl of Contentment unlesse wee are willing to part with it for it is locked up in the cabinet of the heart The soule who is possessed of this rich treasure of Contentment is like Noah in the Arke that can sing in the midst of a Deluge 3. Contentment is an Habituall thing is shines with a fixed light in the firmament of the soul. Contentment doth not appear onely now and then as some Starrs which are seen but seldome it is a setled temper of the heart One action doth not denominate he is not said to be a liberall man that gives alms once in his life a covetous man may do so but he is said to be liberall that is given to liberality that is who upon all occasions is willing to indulge the necessities of the poor so he is said to be a contented man that is given to Contentment It is not casuall but constant Aristotle in his Rhetorick distinguisheth betweene colours in the face that arise from passion and those which arise from complexion the pale face may look red when it blusheth but this is only a passion he is said properly to be ruddy and sanguine who is constantly so it is his complexion He is not a contented man who is so upon an occasion and perhaps when he is pleased but who is so constantly it is the habit and complexion of his soul. CHAP. VII Reason pressing to holy Contentment HAving opened the nature of Contentment I come next to lay down some reasons or arguments to Contentment which may preponderate with us The first is Gods precept It is charged upon us as a duty Be content with such things as you have the same God who hath bid us beleeve hath bid us be content if we obey not we runne our selves into a spirituall praemunire Gods Word is a sufficient warrant it hath authority in it and must be a supersedeas or sacred Spell to discontent Ipse dixit was enough among Pythagor as his Scholars Be it enacted is the Royall stile Gods Word must be the star that guides and his Will the weight that moves our obedience his fiat is a Law and hath majesty enough in it to captivate us into obedience our hearts must not be more unquiet then the raging Sea which at his Word is still'd 2. The second reason inforcing Contentment is Gods promise For Hee hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. Where God hath engaged himselfe under hand and seale for our necessary provisions If a King should say to one of his Subjects I will take care for thee as long as I have any Crown-revenues thou shalt be provided for if thou art in danger I will secure thee if in want I will supply thee would not that Subject be content Behold God hath here made a Promise to the Beleever and as it were entered into bond for his security I will never leave thee Shall not this charm down the devil of discontent Leave thy fatherless children with me I will preserve them alive Me thinks I see the godly man on his death-bed much discontented and heare him complaining What will become of my wife and children when I am dead and gone they may come to poverty saith God Trouble not thy self Be content I will take care of thy children and Let thy widowes trust in mee God hath made a Promise to us that he will not leave us and hath entail'd the promise upon our wife and children and will not this satisfie True Faith will take Gods single bond without calling for witnesses 3. Be contented by vertue of a Decree What ever our condition be God the great Umpire of the world hath ab aeterno decreed that condition for us and by his providence ordered all appertinances thereunto Let a Christian often think with himselfe who hath plac'd me here whither I am in an higher sphere or in a lower not chance or fortune as the pur-blinde Heathens imagined no it is the wise God that hath by his providence fixed me in this Orbe We must act that scene which God will have us say not Such an one hath occasioned this to me look not too much at the under-wheel We read in Ezekiel of a wheele within a wheel Gods Decree is the cause of the turning of the wheeles and his Providence is the inner wheele that moves all the rest Gods Providence is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or helme which turnes about the whole ship of the Universe Say then as holy David I was silent because thou Lord didst it Gods Providence which is nothing else but the carrying on of his Decree should be a supersedeas and counterpoison against discontent God hath set as in our station and he hath done it in wisdome We fancy such a condition of life good for us whereas if we were our owne carvers we should often cut the worst piece Lot being put to his choice did choose Sodom which soon after was burnt with fire Rachel was very desirous of children Give mee children or I die and it cost her her life in bringing forth a childe Abraham was earnest for Ishmael O that Ishmael may live before thee but he had little comfort either of him or
tempts to the forbidden fruit not distinguishing between what is needful and what is lawful What saith he dost thou want a livelihood never be such a fool as starve take the rising side at a venture be it good or bad eat the bread of deceit drink the wine of violence Thus you see how the discontented man is a prey to that sad tentation to steale and take Gods name in vaine Contentation is a shield against tentation for he that is conented knowes as well how to want as to abound He will not sinne to get a living though the bill of fare growes short he is content He lives as the birds of the aire upon Gods Providence and doubts not but he shall have enough to pay for his passage to heaven 2. Discontent tempts a man to Atheisme and Apostacie sure there is no God to take care of things here below would he suffer them to be in want who have walked mournfully before him saith discontent Throw off Christs livery desist from thy religion Thus Iobs wife being discontented with her condition saith to her husband Dost thou still retain thy integrity as if she had said Dost thou not see Iob what is become of all thy Religion Thou fearest God and eschewest evil and what art thou the better see how God turnes his hand against thee he hath smitten thee in thy body estate relations and Dost thou still retain thy integrity what stil devour stil weep and pray before him Thou fool cast off Religion turne Athiest Here was a sore tentation that the Divel did hand over to Iob by his discontented wife only his grace as a golden shield did ward off the blow from his heart Thou speakest as one of the foolish women What profit is it saith the discontented person to serve the Almighty Those that never trouble themselves about Religion are the prosperous men and I in the mean while suffer want as good give over driving the trade of Religion if this be all my reward This is a sore tentation and oft it prevailes Atheisme is the fruit that grows out of the blossome of discontent Oh then behold the excellency of contentment it doth repell this tentation If God be mine saith the contented spirit it is enough though I have no lands or tenements his smile makes heaven His loves are better then wine Better is the gleanings of Ephraim then the vintage of Abiezer I have little in hand but much in hope my livelihood is short but this is his promise even eternall life I am pursued by malice but better is persecuted godlinesse then prosperous wickednesse Thus divine contentment is a spiritual antidote both against sinne and tentation 6. Contentment sweetens every condition Christ turned the water into wine so Contentment turnes the water of Marah into spirituall wine Have I but little yet it is more then I can deserve or challenge This modieum is in mercy 't is the fruit of Christs blood 't is the legacy of free grace a smal present sent from a King is highly valued this little I have is with a good conscience 'T is not stolen water guilt hath not muddied or poisoned it it runs pure This little is a pledge of more this bit of bread is an earnest of that bread which I shall eat in the Kingdome of God This little water in the cruse is an earnest of that heavenly Nectar which shall be distill'd from the true Vine Doe I meet with some crosses my comfort is if they be heavy I have not far to go I shall but carry my cross to Golgotha and there I shall leave it My crosse is light in regard of the weight of glory Hath God taken away my comforts from me 't is well the Comforter still abides Thus Contentment as an honey-comb drops sweetnesse into every condition Discontent is a leaven that sowers every comfort it puts aloes and wormwood upon the brest of the creature it lessens every mercy it trebbles every crosse but the contented spirit suckes sweetnesse from every flower of providence it can make a treacle of poison Contentation is full of Consolation 7. Contentment hath this excellency it is the best commentator upon Providence it makes a faire interpretation of all Gods dealings Let the Providences of God be never so darke or bloody Contentment doth construe them ever in the best sense I may say of it as the Apostle of charity It thinks no evil Sicknesse saith Contentment is Gods furnace to refine his gold and make it sparkle the more the prison is an Oratory or house of prayer What if God melts away the creature from me he saw perhaps my heart grew too much in love with it had I been long in that fat pasture I should have surfeited and the better my estate had been the worse my soule would have beene God is wise he hath done this either to prevent some sinne or to exercise some grace What a blessed frame of heart is this A contented Christian is an Advocate for God against unbeliefe and impatience Whereas Discontent takes every thing from God in the worst sense it doth implead and censure God This evill I feele is but a symptome of greater evill God is about to undoe mee The Lord hath brought us hither into the wildernesse to slay us The contented soule takes all well and when his condition is never so bad he can say Yet God is good SECT 2. The second Argument to Contentation The second Argument or Motive Contentment is a Christian hath that which may make him content 1. Hath not God given thee Christ in him there are unsearchable riches He is such a golden mine of wisdome and grace that all the Saints and Angels can never dig to the bottome Hee is an enriching pearle a sparkling Diamond the infinite lustre of his merits makes us shine in Gods eyes in him there is both fulnesse and sweetnesse he is ineffabile bonum Scrue up your thoughts to the highest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and pinacle stretch them to the utmost period let them expatiate to their full latitude and extent yet they fall infinitely short of those ineffable and inexhaustible treasures which are locked up in Jesus Christ and is not here enough to give the soul content A Christian that wants necessaries yet having Christ he hath the one thing needfull 2. Thy soule is exercised and enamel'd with the graces of the Spirit and is not here enough to give contentment Grace is of a divine birth it is the new plantation it is the flower of the heavenly Paradise 't is the embroydery of the Spirit 't is the seed of God 't is the sacredunction 't is Christs pourtraiture in the soule 't is the very foundation on whch the superstructure of glory is laid O of what infinite value is Grace What a Jewell is Faith well may it be call'd precious Faith
am I not higher Discontents are nothing else but the aestuations and boilings over of pride 2. The second cause of discontent is envie which Augustine calls vitium diabolicum the sinne of the Devill Satan envied Adam the glory of Paradise and the robe of innocence he that envies what his neighbour hath is never contented with that portion which Gods providence doth parcel out to him as envie stirs up strife this made the Plebeian faction so strong amongst the Romanes so it creates discontent the envious man looks so much upon the blessings which another enjoyes that he cannot see his own mercies and so doth continually vexe and torture himselfe Cain envied that his brothers sacrifice was accepted and his rejected hereupon he was discontented and presently murderous thoughts began to arise in his heart 3. The third cause is Covetousnesse This is a radical sinne Whence are vexing Law-suits but from discontent and whence is discontent but from covetousnesse Covetousnesse and contentedness cannot dwell in the same heart Avarice is an heluo that is never satisfied The covetous man is like Behemoth behold he drinketh up a river he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth There are foure things saith Solomon say It is not enough I may adde a fifth The heart of a covetous man he is still craving Covetousnesse is like a Wolfe in the brest which is ever feeding and because a man is not satisfied he is never content 4. The fourth cause of Discontent is Iealousie which is sometimes occasion'd through melancholy and sometimes misapprehension The spirit of jealousie causeth this evil spirit Jealousie is the rage of a man and oft this is nothing but suspicion and phansie yet such as creates reall discontent 5. The fifth cause of Discontent is distrust which is a great degree of Atheisme The discontented person is ever distrustfull The bill of provision growes low I am in these straits and exigencies can God help me Can be prepare a table in the wildernesse sure hee cannot My estate is exhausted can God recrute me My friends are gone can God raise me up more sure the arme of his power is shrunk I am like the dry fleece can any water come upon this fleece If the Lord would make windowes in Heaven might this thing be Thus the Anchor of hope and the shield of faith being cast away the soul goes pining up and down Discontent is nothing else but the Echo of unbeliefe and remember distrust is worse then distress 2. Discontent is evil in the concomitants of it whch are two 1. Discontent is joyned with a sullen melancholy a Christian of a right temper should be ever chearfull in God Serve the Lord with gladness A signe the oile of grace hath been poured into the heart when the oile of gladness shines in the countenance Chearfulnesse credits Religion how can the discontented person be chearfull Discontent is a dogged sullen humour because wee have not what wee desire God shall not have a good word or look from us as the Bird in the cage because she is pent up and cannot fly in the open aire therefore beats herselfe against the cage and is ready to kill her selfe Thus that peevish Prophet I doe well to be angry to the death 2. Discontent is accompanied with unthankfulness because we have not all wee desire wee never minde the mercies which we have we deale with God as the widow of Sarepta did with the Prophet the Prophet Elijah had been a means to keep her alive in the famine for it was for his sake that her meale in the barrel and her oile in the cruse failed not but assoon as ever her sonne dies she falls into a passion and begins to quarrel with the Prophet What have I to doe with thee O thou man of God art thou come to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my son So ungratefully do we deal with God we can be content to receive mercies from God but if he doth crosse us in the least thing then through discontent we grow techy and impatient and are ready to fly upon God thus God loseth all his mercies We read in Scripture of the thankoffring The discoÌ„tented person cuts God short of this the Lord loseth his thank-offering A discontented Christian repines in the midst of mercies as Adam who fin'd in the midst of Paradise Discontent is a Spider that sucks the poison of unthankfulnesse out of the sweetest flower of Gods blessings and by a devilish chymistry extracts dross out of the most refined Gold The discontented person thinks every thing he doth for God too much and every thing God doth for him too little O what a sin is unthankfulnesse it is an accumulative sinne What Cicero saith of Parricide I may say of Ingratitude there are many sinnes bound up in this one sinne it is a voluminous wickednesse and how full of this sinne is Discontent A discontented Christian because hee hath not all he would therefore dishonours God with the mercies which he hath God made Eve out of Adams rib to be an helper as the Father speaks but the Devil made an arrow of this rib and shot Adam â—o the heart So doth discontent take the rib of Gods mercy and ungratefully shoot at him Estate Liberty shall be employed against God Thus it is often-times behold then how Discontent and Ingratitude are interwoven and twisted one within another thus Discontent is sinful in its concomitants 3. It is sinfull in its Consequences which are these 1. It makes a man very unlike the Spirit of God The Spirit of God is a meek Spirit The Holy Ghost descended in the likenesse of a Dove A Dove is the embleme of meeknesse A discontented spirit is not a meek spirit 2. It makes a man like the Devil The Devil being swell'd with the poison of envy and malice is never content Just so is the Male-content The Devil is an unquiet spirit he is still walking about 't is his rest to be walking And herein is the discontented person like him for he goes up and down vexing himselfe Seeking rest and finding none hee is the Devils picture 3. Discontent disjoynts the soul it untunes the heart for duty Is any man afflicted let him pray But is any man discontented how shall he pray Lift up pure hands without wrath Discontent is full of wrath and passion The Male-content cannot lift up pure hands he lifts up leprous hands he poisons his prayers will God accept of a poison'd sacrifice Chrysostome compares prayer to a fine Garland Those saith he that make a Garland their hands had need be clean Prayer is a precious Garland the heart that makes it had need be clean Discontent throwes poison into the spring which was death among the Romanes Discontent puts the heart into a disorder and mutiny and such a one cannot serve the Lord without distraction 4.
goes down at noone-day life ends before the evening of old age comes Nay sometimes the Sun of life sets presently after Sun-rising Quickly after the dawning of Infancy the night of death approaches nay sometimes the life is eclipsed before the dawning of Infancy when the mothers womb becomes the tombe Oh how short is the life of man The consideration of the brevity of life may worke the heart to contentment Remember thou art to be here but a day pà rùm viae quid multùm viatici thou hast but a short way to go and what needs a long provision for a short way if a Traveller hath but enough to bring him to his journies end hee desires no more We have but a day to live perhaps we may be in the twelfth houre of the day why if God give us but enough to bear our charges till night it is sufficient Let us be content If a man had the lease of an house or farme but for two or three dayes and hee should fall a building and planting would he not be judged very indiscreet So when wee have but a short time here and death calls us presently off the stage to thirst immoderately after the world and pull downe our soules to build up an estate is it not extream folly Therefore as Esau said once in a profane sens concerning his birth-right Lo I am at the point to die and what profit shall this birth-right doe to me So let a Christian say in a Religious sense Lo I am even at the point of death my grave is going to be made and what good will the world do me if I have but enough till Sun-setting I am content SECT 10. The tenth Argument to Contentation The tenth Argument or Motive to Contentment is Consider seriously the nature of a prosperous condition There are in a prosperous estate three things 1. Plus molestiae more trouble Many who have abundance of all things to enjoy yet have not so much content and sweetnesse in their lives as some that go to their hard labour Sad solicitous thoughts do often attend a prosperous condition Care is the malus genius or evil spirit which haunts the rich man and will not suffer him to bee quiet When his chest is full of gold his heart is full of care either how to manage or how to encrease or how to secure what hee hath gotten Oh the troubles and perplexities that do waite upon prosperity The worlds high seats are very uneasie Sun shine is pleasant but somtimes it scortcheth with its heat the Bee gives honey but sometimes it stings Prosperity hath its sweetnesse and also its sting Competency with Contentment is farre more eligible Never did Iacob sleep better then when hee had the heavens for his Canopy and an hard stone for his pillow A large voluminous estate is but like a long trailing garment which is more troublesome then useful 2. In a prosperous condition there is plus periculi more danger and that two wayes First Ex parte ipsius in respect of a mans self The rich mans Table is oft his snare hee is ready to ingulph himselfe too deep in these sweet waters In this sense it is hard to know how to abound It must be a strong braine that beares heady wine hee had need have much wisdome and grace that knowes how to bear an high condition either he is ready to kill himselfe with care or surfet himselfe upon luscious delights Oh the hazard of honour the damage of dignity Pride security rebellion are the three wormes that breed of plenty The pastures of prosperity are ranke and surfeting How soon are wee broken upon the soft pillow of ease Prosperity is often a trumpet that sounds a retreat it calls men off from the pursuit of Religion The Sun of Prosperity oft dulls and puts out the fire of zeale How many soules hath the plurisie of abundance kill'd They that will be rich fall into snares The world is birdlime at our feet it is full of golden sands but they are quicksands Prosperity like smooth Iacob will supplant and betray a great estate without much vigilancy will be a thief to rob us of heaven such as are upon the pinacle of honour are in most danger of falling Saepiùs ventis agitatur ingens Pinus celsae graviore casu Decidunt turres feriúntque summos Fulmina montes c. Hor. carm l. 2. ode 10. A lower estate is lesse hazardous The little Pinnace rides safe by the Shore when the gallant Ship advancing with its mast and top-saile is cast away Homo victus in Paradiso victor in stercore Adam in Paradise was overcome when Iob on the dung-hill was a conquerour Samson fell asleep on Delilahs lap Some have fallen so fast a sleep on the lap of ease and plenty that they have never awaked till they have been in hell The worlds fawning is worse then its frowning and it is more to be feared when it smiles then when it thunders Prosperity in Scripture is compared to a candle Iob 29. 3. When his candle shined upon my head How many have burnt their wings about this candle Segetem ubert as nimiae sternit rami onere franguntur ad maturitatem non pervenit nimia foecunditas The corne being over-ripe sheds and fruit when it mellowes begins to rot When men doe mellow with the Sun of Prosperity commonly their soules begin to rot in sin How hard is it for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven His golden weights keep him from ascending up the hill of God and shall wee not be content though wee are placed in a lower Orbe What if wee are not in so much bravery and gallantry as others we are not in so much danger as we want the honour of the world so the temptations Oh the abundance of danger that is in abundance We see by common experience that Lunaticks when the Moone is declining and in the waine are sober enough but when it is in the full they are more wild and exorbitant When mens estates are in the waine they are more serious about their soules more humble but when it is the full of the Moone and they have abundance then their hearts beginne to swell with their estates and are scarce themselves Those that write concerning the severall Climates observe that such as live in the Northern parts of the world if you bring them into the South part they lose their stomacks and dye quickly but those that live in the more Southerne hot climates bring them into the North and their stomacks mend and they are long-lived Give me leave to apply it bring a man from the cold starving climate of poverty into the hot Southern climate of prosperity and he begins to lose his appetite to good things hee growes weak and a thousand to one if all his Religion doth not die but bring a Christian from