DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING OF A LINE 



selves to get what they have no need of. Can any man charge 

 God, that he hath not given him enough to make his life happy ? 

 No, doubtless ; for nature is content with a little : and yet you 

 shall hardly meet with a man that complains not of some want ; 

 though he, indeed, wants nothing but his will, it may be, 

 nothing but his will of his poor neighbour, for not worshipping, 

 or not flattering him : and thus, when we might be happy and 

 quiet, we create trouble to ourselves. I have heard of a man 

 that was angry with himself because he was no taller, and of a 

 woman that broke her looking-glass because it would not shew 

 her face to be as young and handsome as her next neighbour's 

 was. And I knew another, to whom God had given health, 

 and plenty ; but a wife, that nature had made peevish, and her 

 husband's riches had made purse-proud, and must, because she 

 was rich, and for no other virtue, sit in the highest pew in the 

 church ; which, being denied her, she engaged her husband 

 into a contention for it ; and, at last, into a law-suit with a 

 dogged neighbour, who was as rich as he, and had a wife as 

 peevish and purse-proud as the other: and this law-suit begot 

 higher oppositions, and actionable words, and more vexations 

 and law-suits ; for you must remember, that both were rich, 

 and must therefore have their wills. Well, this wilful, purse- 

 proud law-suit, lasted during the life of the first husband : after 

 which his wife vexed and chid, and chid and vexed, till she also 

 chid and vexed herself into her grave ; and so the wealth of 

 these poor rich people was curst into a punishment ; because 

 they wanted meek and thankful hearts ; for those only can make 

 us happy. I knew a man that had health and riches, and several 

 houses, all beautiful and ready furnished, and would often trouble 

 himself and family to be removing from one house to another : 

 and being asked by a friend, Why he removed so often from 

 one house to another ? replied, * It was to find content in some 

 one of them.' But his friend knowing his temper, told him, if 

 he would find content in any of his houses, he must leave him- 

 self behind him ; for, content will never dwell but in a meek 

 and quiet soul. And this may appear, if we read and consider 

 what our Saviour says in St. Matthew's Gospel ; for he there 

 says, * Blessed be the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 

 Blessed be the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed 

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