The Eighth Consideration.

Consider therefore in the next place, That a little will serve the turn to carry us through this world. We are here but in our Pilgrimage, or in our voyage; now a little will serve the turn here for the carrying of us through this world: men will not take more in a journy than may help them. If a man that is to go a journy should get a whol bundle of staves and lay them upon his shoulder, and you should ask him the reason why he carries that bundle, why saith he, I am going a great journy, and I know not what need I may have of staves to help me; it's true, to car∣ry a staff in a mans hand will help him; thus Jacob was helped by his staff over Jordan; but to carrie a bundle up∣on his shoulder will hinder him: Now a little will serve your turn, if you have but meat and drink, food and rai∣ment (saith the Apostle) be content; and the servants of God in former time, past through this world with a very little, and manie of them the less they had, the more peace and comfort they had in God, and they were the more fit to die. I remember Ecolampagius when he was to die being verie poor, profess'd that he would not have been richer than he was, for he saw what a hindrance it was, and so he could pass out of the world with more ease and qui∣et a great deal; Certainly a little will serve the turn here: we say, Nature is content with a little; and if there were Grace it would be content with less; and therefore let not our minds be upon the things of the earth: we have not so much need of the things of the earth as we think for.