A30598:552
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.
3. Reas. Because the Lord delights so much in the prayers of his people, that he might draw out their prayers: Oh! the voice is sweet, the voice of prayer it is very melodious in the ears of God: It's true, God delights in a praising voice too, but here in this world, rather in prayer, why? because God shall have a praising voice to all eternity, Gods Saints shall be praising him to all eternity, but they shall not be praying to him to all eternity; now God delighting so much in the praying voice of his Saints, and he knowing he shall have a great deal of praise from his people when they are delivered from great troubles, no marvel he doth exercise his people: that which pleases God more than Heaven and Earth is, the exercise of the faith and the prayers of his people, they are the most pleasing things to God in all the world, and therefore he brings into straights.
4. Reas. Because God would discover wicked men: Before he brings his great salvation, he would discover those that are vile and wicked, that they should not partake of that great salvation: As in our times, we know how God in every straight we have been in hath made some useful discovery to us, it hath been a discovering time, of many that we have known to be vile and naught, that we did not know before: Luke, 2.35. (you know the place) A sword shall pierce through thy soul, why? that the thoughts of many may be discovered: there shall be great afflictions and troubles, and the end I aim at is, to discover the thoughts of many: How have mens thoughts been discovered by plots? when God was bringing his people into Canaan ⟨p. 317⟩he would not have a rebellious generation come in among them; and all the trouble they had in the wilderness, it was by a mixture of a base and vile generation, that you have plain in Num. 11. when they were in such a distressed condition, and in a murmuring and a vexing way, mark the 4. verse, The mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: They disturbed all the host of God: And certainly if men should not be discovered, more than they are, if God should come to set up a full reformation amongst us herein England, to bring us to that Canaan we desire, we should be so troubled with a mixed multitude, the mixed multitude would so vex and trouble the Church of God, that they should scarce ever have peace among themselves; and therefore God in mercy will discover them beforehand, before Canaan comes he will discover this mixed multitude.