A30598:130
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.
The Ninth thing wherein the mystery of Christian Contentment consists, is this, Not only the good things that he hath, he hath the dew of Gods blessing in them, and they are very sweet to him; but all the afflictions, all the evils that do befall him he can see love in them all: And can enjoy the sweetness of love in his afflictions, as well as in his mercies; yea the truth is, the afflictions of Gods people comes from the same Eternal love that Jesus Christ did come from. And that speech of Hierom, He is a happy man that is beaten when the stroke is a stroke of love. All Gods strokes are strokes of love and mercy, all Gods ways are mercy and truth, to those that fear him and love him, Psalm. 25.10. The ways of God, the ways of affliction, as well as the ways of prosperity, are mercy and love to him. Grace gives a man an eye, a piercing ⟨p. 45⟩ye to pierce into the Counsels of God, those Eternal Counsels of God for good unto him, even in his afflictions, to see the love of God in every affliction as well as in prosperity. Now this is a mystery to a carnal heart, they can see no such thing, perhaps they think God loves them when he prospers them, and makes them rich; but they think God loves them not when he doth afflict them, that's a mystery; but grace instructs men in that mystery, grace enables men to see love in the very frowns of Gods face, and so comes to receive contentment.
The Ninth thing wherein the mystery of Christian Contentment consists, is this, Not only the good things that he hath, he hath the dew of Gods blessing in them, and they are very sweet to him; but all the afflictions, all the evils that do befall him he can see love in them all: And can enjoy the sweetness of love in his afflictions, as well as in his mercies; yea the truth is, the afflictions of Gods people comes from the same Eternal love that Jesus Christ did come from. And that speech of Hierom, He is a happy man that is beaten when the stroke is a stroke of love. All Gods strokes are strokes of love and mercy, all Gods waies are mercy and truth, to those that fear him and love him, Psalm. 25.10. The wayes of God, the waies of affliction, as well as the waies of prosperity, are mercy and love to him. Grace gives a man an eye, a piercing ⟨p. 45⟩