A30598:535
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 SAINTS DUTY IN TIMES OF EXTREMITY.THE SAINTS DVTY IN TIMES OF EXTREMITY.
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.
5. There is a sluggish standing still, and that is sinful and wicked, when people stand still because they are idle, and are loth to venture themselves, or to put themselves to trouble, to go forward in any work, this work is tedious; and thus the sluggard he stands still, and is ready to catch at any Argument, that may plead for his standing still: My brethren this is not that stand still here, that we should stand still and do nothing, and be sluggards; no, but the stand still here is, after we have gone on, and done to the utmost that we are able, that then we should stand still, and commit the work to God, as if we had done nothing at all; there is the stand still: I shall speak of more presently; As that worthy Divine said, he would labour to preach, as if he expected no assistance, and then he would expect assistance, as if he had not laboured at all; So Warriors and people in danger, they should prepare in the use of all means, as if they expected no further help, and then they should expect help from God, as if they had used no means at all; so we must use means: As that brave speech of Joab, Come let us play the ⟨p. 307⟩men, let us fight for our Cities, and the people of our God, and then let God do what seemeth him good; then he would stand still, and look for his salvation of God; a speech even of Joab himself, not then a sluggish stand still, it is no hindrance at all to any preparations that may be used: therefore all these are naught.
5. There is a sluggish standing still, and that is sinful and wicked, when people stand still because they are idle, and are loth to venture themselves, or to put themselves to trouble, to go forward in any work, this work is tedious; and thus the sluggard he stands still, and is ready to catch at any Argument, that may plead for his standing still: My brethren this is not that stand still here, that we should stand still and do nothing, and be sluggards; no, but the stand still here is, after we have gone on, and done to the utmost that we are able, that then we should stand still, and commit the work to God, as if we had done nothing at all; there is the stand still: I shall speak of more presently; As that worthy Divine said, he would labour to preach, as if he expected no assistance, and then he would expect assistance, as if he had not labour'd at all; So Warriors and people in danger, they should prepare in the use of all means, as if they expected no further help, and then they should expect help from God, as if they had used no means at all; so we must use means: As that brave speech of Joab, Come let us play the