A30598:417
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
THE RARE JEWEL OF CHRISTIAN Contentment. › Sermon 10 › Part 8: An Eighth Plea.
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.
An Eighth Plea.
Another reasoning that murmuring hearts have is this, They think that if the affliction were any other than it is, then they would be more contented.
First, You must know that we are not to choose our own rod that God shall beat us with.
Secondly, It may be if it were any other than it is, it were not so fit for thee as this is, it may be therefore God chooses it because it is the most cross to thee, as seeing it most suitable for the purging out of that humour that is in thee. If a patient comes to take physic and finds himself sick by it, shall he say, Oh! if it were any other potion I could bear it, it may be if it were any other than it is it would not fit thy disease; yea if it did not work as it doth it would not fit thy disease: so when thou sayest of an affliction, if it were any other than it is thou couldest bear it, do but answer thy self with this, it may be if it were any other than it is it would not be fit for me, it would not hit right to that sinful humour that there is in my soul, and therefore God sees this to be the fittest and the most suitable for me.
Secondly, It may be if it were any other than it is, it were not so fit for thee as this is, it may be therefore God chooses it because it is the most crosse to thee, as seeing it most sutable for the purging out of that humour that is in thee. If a patient comes to take phisick and finds himself sick by it, shall he say, Oh! if it were any other potion I could bear it, it may be if it were any other than it is it would not fit thy disease; yea if it did not work as it doth it would not fit thy disease: so when thou saiest of an affliction, if it were any other than it is thou couldest bear it, do but answer thy self with this, it may be if it were any other than it is it would not be fit for me, it would not hit right to that sinful humour that there is in my soul, and therefore God sees this to be the fittest and the most sutable for me.