A30598:160
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.
That place that we have in the first of James, seems to allude to that condition of men that have all their estates within themselves, Jam. 1.4. But let patience have her perfect work that we may be perfect, and entire, wanting nothing: the word there used signifies to have the whole inheritance to our selves, not a broken inheritance, but that where all lies within themselves; as a man that hath not a piece of his estate here, and a piece there, but he hath it all lie together; and the heart being patient under afflictions finds it self to be in such an estate as this is, finds his whole inheritance to be together, and all entire within it's self. And now still to show this by further similitudes, it is with him being filled with good things, just like as it is with many a man that enjoys abundance of comforts at home, at his own house, God grants to him a convenient habitation, ⟨p. 60⟩a comfortable yoke-fellow, and fine walks and gardens, and hath all things at home that he could desire; now this man cares not much for going abroad, other men are fain to go abroad to take the air, but he hath a sweet air at home, and they are fain to go abroad to see friends, because they have railings and contendings at home; many ill husbands will give this reason, (if his wife make any moan, and complaint of his ill husbandry) of their bad husbandry, and will make that their excuse to go abroad, because they can never be quiet at home. Now we account those men most happy that have all at home; those that have close houses that are unsavoury, and smells ill, they delight to go into the fresh air; I but it is not so with many others that have these at home; those that have no good cheer at home, they are fain to go abroad to friends, but those that have their Tables furnished, they had as live stay at home: so a carnal man he hath but little Contentment in his own spirit; it's Austins similitude (saith he) an ill conscience is like a scolding wife, a man (saith he) that hath an ill conscience he cares not to look into his own soul, but loves to be abroad, and look into other things, but never looks to himself, but one that hath a good conscience he delights in looking into his own heart, he hath a good conscience within him: and so a carnal heart, because there's nothing but filthiness, a filthy stink in himself, nothing but vileness and baseness, within him;
That place that we have in the first of James, seems to allude to that condition of men that have all their estates within themselves,