A30598:262
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.
1. I would fain have such a thing, and then I could be content; but if I had it then it were but the creature that did help to my Contentment; but now it's the Grace of God in my soul that makes me content: and surely it is better to be Content with the Grace of God in my soul, than with the enjoying of an outward comfort.
2. If I had such a thing, indeed my estate might be better, but my soul would not be better, but by Contentment my soul is better, that would not be bettered by an estate, or lands, or friends; but Contentment makes my self to be better: and therefore Contentment is a better portion than the thing is that I would fain have to be my portion.
3. If I get Content by having my desire satisfied, that's but self-love; but when I am Contented with the hand of God, and am willing to be at his dispose, that comes from my love to God in having my desire satisfied, there I am contented through self-love, but through the Grace of Contentment I come to be contented out of love to God; and is it not better to be contented from a principle of love to God, than from a principle of self-love.
3. If I get Content by having my desire satisfied, that's but self-love; but when I am Contented with the hand of God, and am willing to be at his dispose, that comes from my love to God in having my desire satisfied, there I am contented through self-love, but through the Grace of Contentment I come to be contented out of love to God; and is it not beteer to be contented from a principle of love to God, than from a principle of self-love.