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The rare jewel of Christian contentment Wherein is showedThe rare jewel of Christian contentment Wherein is shewed
The rare jewel of Christian contentment Wherein is showed; 1. What contentment is. 2. The holy art or mystery of it. 3. Several lessons that Christ teacheth, to work the heart to contentment. 4. The excellencies of it. 5. The evils of murmuring. 6. The aggravations of the sin of murmuring. By Jeremiah Burroughs. The first of the eleven volumes that are published by Thomas Goodwin, William Greenhil, Sydrach Simpson, Philip Nigh, William Bridge, John Yates, William Adderly.The rare jewel of Christian contentment Wherein is shewed; 1. What contentment is. 2. The holy art or mystery of it. 3. Several lessons that Christ teacheth, to work the heart to contentment. 4. The excellencies of it. 5. The evils of murmuring. 6. The aggravations of the sin of murmuring. By Jeremiah Burroughs. The first of the eleven volumes that are published by Thomas Goodwin, William Greenhil, Sydrach Sympson, Philip Nye, William Bridge, John Yates, William Adderly.
London: printed for Ben. Billingsley, 1666
THE RARE JEWEL OF CHRISTIAN CONTENTMENT. › Sermon 5: SERMON, V. at Stepney. Aug. 24. 1645.
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.
The Fifth Lesson that Christ teaches, it is this, He teacheth us wherein consists any good that is to be enjoyed in any creature in the world. It's true, before it hath been taught that there is a vanity in the Creature; that is, take the Creature considered in it's self, but yet though there be a vanity in the Creature in it's self, in respect of satisfying the soul for its portion, yet there is some goodness in the Creature, though there be a vanity, there is some desirableness: But wherein doth that consist? It consists not in the nature of the Creature it self, for that is nothing but vanity; but it consists in the reference it hath to the first being of all things. This is a Lesson that Christ teaches, If there be any good in an estate, or in any comforts in this world, it is not so much that it pleases my sense, that it is suitable to ⟨p. 80⟩my body, but the reference it hath to God the First being, that by these creatures there should be somewhat of Gods Goodness conveyed to me, and I may have a sanctified use of the creature to draw me nearer to God, and that I enjoy more of God, and be made more serviceable for the Glory of God in the place where God hath set me, here's the good of the Creature; Oh were we but instructed in this Lesson, did we but understand, and throughly believe this to be a truth, that there is no creature in all the world hath any goodness in it any further than it hath reference to the first infinite Supreme Good of all, that so far as I can enjoy God in it, so far it is good to me, and so far as I do not enjoy God in it, so far there is no goodness in any thing that I have in the creature: how easy were it then for one to be contented; As thus, Suppose a man had a great estate but a few years ago, and now it is all gone, I would but appeal to this man, When you had your estate, wherein did you account the good of that estate to consist? a carnal heart would say, any body might know that; that it brought me in so much a year, and that I could fare of the best, and be a man of repute in the place where I live, and men would regard what I said, I might be clothed as I would, and lay up portions for my children, in this consisted the good of my estate; this man now never came into the School of Christ to know wherein the good of an estate did consist, no marvel if he be disquieted when he hath lost his estate:
The Fifth Lesson that Christ teaches, it is this, He teacheth us wherein consists any good that is to be enjoyed in any creature in the world. It's true, before it hath been taught that there is a vanity in the Creature; that is, take the Creature considered in it's self, but yet though there be a vanity in the Creature in it's self, in respect of satisfying the soul for its portion, yet there is some goodness in the Creature, though there be a vanity, there is some desirableness: But wherein doth that consist? It consists not in the nature of the Creature it self, for that is nothing but vanity; but it consists in the reference it hath to the first being of all things. This is a Lesson that Christ teaches, If there be any good in an estate, or in any comforts in this world, it is not so much that it pleases my sense, that it is sutable to