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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 10 › Plea 7: The seventh 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.
The seventh PLEA.
But howsoever you may lessen my affliction, yet I am sure it is. far greater than the afflictions of others.
First, It may be it is thy discontent that makes it greater, when (indeed) it is not so in its self. Secondly, If it were greater than others; why is thy eye evil because the eye of God is good? why shouldest thou be discontented the more, because God is gracious to others? Thirdly, Is thy affliction greater than others? Then in this thou hast an opportunity to honour God more than others: So thou shouldst consider, Doth God afflict me more than other men? God gives me an opportunity in this, to honour him in this affliction more than other men, to exercise more grace than other men; let me labour to do it then. Fourthly, If all afflictions were laid upon a heap together: It's a notable expression of Solon that wise Heathen (saith he) Suppose all the afflictions that are in the World were laid upon an heap, and every man should come and take a proportion of those afflictions, every one equally, there is scarce any man but would rather say, Let me have the afflictions that I had before, or else he were like to come to a greater share, a greater affliction if so be he should equally share with the whole world; Now for you that are poor (that are not in extremity of poverty) if all the riches in the world were laid together, and you should have an equal share, you would be poorer, but take all afflictions and sorrows whatsoever, if all the sorrows in the world were laid ⟨p. 174⟩