hee. And surely
[3600]Seneca thinks he takes delight in seeing thee. "The gods are well
pleased when they see great men contending with adversity," as we are to
see men fight, or a man with a beast. But these are toys in respect, [3601]
"Behold," saith he, "a spectacle worthy of God; a good man contented with
his estate." A tyrant is the best sacrifice to Jupiter, as the ancients
held, and his best object "a contented mind." For thy part then rest
satisfied, "cast all thy care on him, thy burthen on him," [3602]"rely on
him, trust on him, and he shall nourish thee, care for thee, give thee
thine heart's desire;" say with David, "God is our hope and strength, in
troubles ready to be found," Psal. xlvi. 1. "for they that trust in the
Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed," Psal. cxxiv. 1. 2.
"as the mountains are about Jerusalem, so is the Lord about his people,
from henceforth and for ever."

MEMB. II.
_Deformity of body, sickness, baseness of birth, peculiar discontents_.

Particular discontents and grievances, are either of body, mind, or
fortune, which as they wound the soul of man, produce this melancholy, and
many great inconveniences, by that antidote of good counsel and persuasion
may be eased or expelled. Deformities and imperfections of our bodies, as
lameness, crookedness, deafness, blindness, be they innate or accidental,
torture many men: yet this may comfort them, that those imperfections of
the body do not a whit blemish the soul, or hinder the operations of it,
but rather help and much increase it. Thou art lame of body, deformed to
the eye, yet this hinders not but that thou mayst be a good, a wise,
upright, honest man. [3603]"Seldom," saith Plutarch, "honesty and beauty
dwell together," and oftentimes under a threadbare coat lies an excellent
understanding, _saepe sub attrita latitat sapientia veste_. [3604]Cornelius
Mussus, that famous preacher in Italy, when he came first into the pulpit
in Venice, was so much contemned by reason of his outside, a little lean,
poor, dejected person, [3605]they were all ready to leave the church; but
when they heard his voice they did admire him, and happy was that senator
could enjoy his company, or invite him first to his house. A silly fellow
to look to, may have more wit, learning, honesty, than he that struts it
out _Ampullis jactans, &c. grandia gradiens_, and is admired in the world's
opinion: _Vilis saepe cadus nobile nectar habet_, the best win