NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 285 



and wades through the profound depths of pa- 

 tience : for as he that devotes himself to a soli- 

 tary life, lives a life most congruous to devotion ; 

 so he that devotes himself to piety, lives a life 

 analogous to contemplation. 



For what signifies the court, but to remon- 

 strate the prince his magnificence ; and the pa- 

 lace, but to heighten his enjoyments ? On the 

 other hand, where humility is celebrated to 

 piety, there content dwells every where* in an 

 humble breast ; and humility and penitency,like 

 links concatinate, content themselves with the 

 garb of a cottage. Thus we may read the state 

 of the world : but that which I always approved 

 of as the best state, was to seek the blessings of 

 content in every condition. Then welcome 

 woods, rocks, rivers, groves, rivulets; nay it's 

 possible the very shades of a forest, in some mea- 

 sure answer to the comforts of life; and life an- 

 swers to the ends of the great Creator. Consider 

 therefore that the soul's great diadem is Christ ; 

 and Christ, by wisdom and sanctification every 

 Christian knows, is God. And who but God 

 created this stupendous creation ; and drest up 

 this imbelish'd fabrick of heaven and earth, when 

 he made the majesty of his invisibility visible, 

 and placed man in this sublunar orb, to conduct 

 and manage his fellow-creatures. But man im- 

 prudently transgressing, in not answering the 



