er add or diminish, take away or prevent. There is one good
and necessary thing that his heart is upon, and that cannot be taken from
him; and therefore all things else are indifferent, and of small
concernment to him.

Now what wanteth such a man of perfect peace, who is reconciled to God,
and at peace within himself? When peace guardeth the heart and mind
within, compasseth it as a castle or garrison, to hold out all the vain
alarms of external things, may not all the world be troubled about him?
What though the floods lift up their voice, if they come not into the
soul? If he be one and the same in peace and trouble, prosperity and
adversity, do not lament him in the one more than the other. It is the
mind that maketh your condition good or bad; but yet, I say, the believer
hath likewise peace with all the creatures, which the world hath not, and
even in this he is a privileged man. He is in league with the stones of
the field, and in peace in his tabernacle, Job v. 23. All things are his,
because he is Christ's, and all are Christ's, who is the possessor of
heaven and earth, at least the righteous heir of both, 1 Cor iii. 21. The
unbeliever hath no right to the creature; though there be a cessation for
a time between them and him, yet that is no peace, for they will at length
be armed against him. They are witnesses already against him, and groan to
God for the corruption that man's sin hath subjected them unto. His table
is, it may be, full, yet it is a snare unto him; he getteth ease and
quietness outwardly: nay, but it slayeth the fool and destroyeth him. But
the godly man is at peace, through Christ's blood, with all crosses and
comforts; the sting and enmity of all evils is taken away by Christ.
Poverty is made a friend, because Christ was poor; hunger and thirst is
become a friend, because Christ was hungry and thirsty; reproach and
contempt is at peace with him, because Christ was despised; afflictions
and sorrows are reconciled to him, because Christ was a man of sorrows,
and acquainted with griefs; in a word, death itself is become a friend,
since Christ subdued it by lasting of it. I may say, the worst things to a
natural man are become best friends to the believer; the grave keepeth his
body and dust in hope. Death is a better friend than life, for it
ministers an entry into glory: it is the door of eternal life: it taketh
down the tabernacle of mortality, that we may be clothed upon with
immortality. In s