A30598:193
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.
It is said of Pompey, that when he was to carry corn to Rome in time of dearth, he was in a great deal of danger by storms at Sea, but saith he, We must go on, it is necessary that Rome should be relieved, but it is not necessary that we should live. So it would he certainly when the soul is once taken up with the things that are of absolute necessity, it will not be much ⟨p. 76⟩troubled about other things. What are the things that do disquiet us here but some by-matters in this world? and it is because our hearts are not taken up with that one absolute necessary thing; who are the men that are most discontented, but idle persons, persons that have nothing to take up their minds, every little thing disquiets and discontents them? but now a man that hath business of great weight and consequence, if all things goes well with his great business that is in his head, he is not sensible of meaner things in the family; but now a man that lies at home and hath nothing to do, he finds fault with every thing; so it is with the heart, when the heart of a man hath nothing to do but to be busy about creature comforts, every little thing troubles him; but now, when the heart is taken up with the weighty things of eternity, with the great things of eternal life, the heart being taken up with them, these things that are here below that did disquiet it before, are things now of no consideration with him in comparison to the other, so as how things fall out here is not much regarded with him, if the one thing that is necessary be provided for.
It is said of Pompie, that when he was to carry corn to Rome in time of darth, he was in a great deal of danger by storms at Sea, but saith he, We must go on, it is necessary that Rome should be releived, but it is not necessary that we should live. So it would he certainly when the soul is once taken up with the things that are of absolute necessity, it will not be much ⟨p. 76⟩troubled about other things. What are the things that do disquiet us here but some by-matters in this world? and it is because our hearts are not taken up with that one absolute necessary thing; who are the men that are most discontented, but idle persons, persons that have nothing to take up their minds, every little thing disquiets and discontents them? but now a man that hath businesse of great weight and consequence, if all things goes well with his great businesse that is in his head, he is not sensible of meaner things in the family; but now a man that lies at home and hath nothing to do, he finds fault with every thing; so it is with the heart, when the heart of a man hath nothing to do but to be busie about creature comforts, every little thing troubles him; but now, when the heart is taken up with the weighty things of eternity, with the great things of eternal life, the heart being taken up with them, these things that are here below that did disquiet it before, are things now of no consideration with him in comparison to the other, so as how things fall out here is not much regarded with him, if the one thing that is necessary be provided for.