A30598:129
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment
The rare jewel of Christian contentment wherein is showed, I. What contentment is, II. The holy art or mystery of it, III. Several lessons that Christ teacheth, to work the heart to contentment, IV. The excellencies of it, V. The evils of murmuring, VII. The aggravations of the sin of murmuring / by Jeremiah Burroughs.The rare jewel of Christian contentment wherein is shewed, I. What contentment is, II. The holy art or mystery of it, III. Several lessons that Christ teacheth, to work the heart to contentment, IV. The excellencies of it, V. The evils of murmuring, VII. The aggravations of the sin of murmuring / by Jeremiah Burroughs.
London: printed for Peter Cole, 1649
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Fifthly, There's another thing that shows the sweetness that there is in that little that the Saints have, by which they come to have contentment, whereas others cannot; that is, Every little that they have, it is but as an earnest penny of all the glory that is reserved for them, it is given them by God, but as the Fore-runner of those eternal mercies that the Lord intends for them; now if a man hath but twelve pence given to him as an earnest penny for some great possession that he must have; is not that better than if he had forty pounds given unto him otherwise? So every comfort that the Saints have in this world, it is an earnest penny to them of those eternal mercies that the Lord hath provided for them; as every affliction that the wicked have here it is but the beginning ⟨p. 44⟩of sorrows, and fore-runner of those eternal sorrows that they are like to have hereafter in Hell; so every comfort thou hast is a fore-runner of those eternal mercies thou shalt have with God in Heaven; not only the consolations of Gods Spirit are the fore-runners of those eternal comforts thou shalt have in Heaven; but when thou sittest at thy Table, and rejoicest with thy wife and children and friends, thou mayest look upon every one of those but as a fore-runner, yea the very earnest-penny of eternal life unto thee. Now then if this be so, no marvel though a Christian be contented; (this is a mystery to the wicked:) I have what I have out of the love of God, and I have it sanctified to me by God, and I have it of free-cost from God by the purchase of the blood of Jesus Christ, and I have it as a fore-runner of those eternal mercies that are reserved for me; and in this my soul rejoices, There's a secret dew of Gods goodness, and blessing upon him in his estate that others have not; and by all this you may see the meaning of that Scripture, Prov. 16.8. Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right. A man that hath but a little, yet if he hath it with righteousness, it is better than a great deal without right; yea, better than the great revenues of the wicked: so you have it in another Scripture; That's the next Particular in Christian Contentment; the mystery is in this, That he lives upon the dew of Gods blessing, in all the good things that he doth enjoy.
Fifthly, There's another thing that shews the sweetness that there is in that little that the Saints have, by which they come to have contentment, whereas others cannot; that is, Every little that they have, it is but as an earnest penny of all the glory that is reserved for them, it is given them by God, but as the Fore-runner of those eternal mercies that the Lord intends for them; now if a man hath but twelve pence given to him as an earnest penny for some great possession that he must have; is not that better than if he had forty pounds given unto him otherwise? So every comfort that the Saints have in this world, it is an earnest penny to them of those eternall mercies that the Lord hath provided for them; as every affliction that the wicked have here it is but the beginning