A77996:308
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 8: SERMON, VIII. at Stepney. Sept. 21. 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.
Eighthly, It is below that that God hath had from other Christians. Others have not only been contented with little crosses, but they have triumphed under great afflictions, they have suffered the spoiling of their goods with joy, read but the latter part of the 11. of the Hebrews, and you shall find what great things God hath had from his people, and therefore not to be content with smaller crosses, this must needs be a great evil.
Eighthly, It is below that that God hath had from other Christians. Others have not onely been contented with little crosses, but they have triumphed under great afflictions, they have suffered the spoiling of their goods with joy, read but the latter part of the 11. of the Hebrews, and you shall find what great things God hath had from his people, and therefore not to be content with smaller crosses, this must needs be a great evil.
The Sixth evil that there is in a murmuring spirit, is this, By murmuring you undo your prayers, for it is exceeding contrary to the prayers you make unto God: When you come to prayer to God, you acknowledge his Sovereignty over you, you come there to profess your selves to be at Gods dispose, what do you pray for except you acknowledge that you are at his dispose, except you will stand (as it were) at his dispose, never come to petition to him, if you will come to petition to him, and yet will be your own carver, you go cross to your prayers, to come as if you would beg your bread at your Fathers gates every day, and yet you must do what you list, this is the undoing of the prayers of a Christian. I remember I have read of Latimer that speaking concerning Peter that he denied his Master (saith he) Peter forgot his pater-noster, for that was Hallowed be thy Name, and thy Kingdom come: So we may say, when you have murmuring and discontented hearts, you forget your prayers, you forget what you have prayed for, for you must make the Lords Prayer to be as a pattern for your Prayers, though you say not always the same words, what do you pray, but give us this day our daily bread? for that's Christs intention that we should have that as a pattern, and is a directory (as it were) how to make your prayers; now God doth not teach any of you to pray, Lord give us so much a year, or let me have such kind of cloth, and so many dishes at my table, Christ doth not teach you to pray so, but he teaches us to pray, Lord give us our bread, showing that you should be content with a little: What have you not bread to eat? I hope there's none of you here but have that.