A77996:401
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 9: The Ninth 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.
But yet there may be a temptation in this. To murmur at Gods dispose when your Calling is low and mean, and you can do little service; this is many times a temptation to those that are poor, those that are servants, and those that are of weak parts, and are fain to work hard to provide bread for their families; it's many times a grievous burden to them to think, such men the Lord uses in public service, and I live in an obscure way, and to what purpose is my life?
But yet there may be a temptation in this. To murmure at Gods dispose when your Calling is low and mean, and you can do little service; this is many times a temptation to those that are poor, those that are servants, and those that are of weak parts, and are fain to work hard to provide bread for their families; it's many times a grievous burden to them to think, such men the Lord uses in publick service, and I live in an obscure way, and to what purpose is my life?
First, To help against this temptation that thou mayest not murmur against this condition, Do but consider, though thy condition be low and mean, yet thou art in the body, thou art a member of the body though thou beest but a mean member, the Toe, and the Finger hath its use in the body, though it be not the Eye, though it be not the Head, or the Heart, yet it hath its use in the body. And it is an excellent expression that I remember Austin hath about this, (saith he) it is better to be the meanest member in the body, than to be the highest member and more excellent and cut off from the body, it is better to be a little sprig in the Tree joined to the Root, than to be an Arm cut off from the Root. Now other men that have but common gifts in the world, that are not members of Jesus Christ, (indeed) they seem to have more excellency than those that are godly, that are in a mean condition, mean parts, mean callings, but they are not of the body, they are not joined to the Root, and therefore their condition is worse. As a great Arm of a Tree when it is cut off it hath a great many leaves upon it, and it seems a great deal more glorious than those little sprigs that are upon the Tree, but that little Sprig is in a better condition, why? Because joined to the Tree, and hath sap from the root and flourisheth, but the other will wither and die within a while: So it is with all the men of the world, they be but like great Boughs cut off from the Tree, though they have excellent parts, and have great estates, and pomp, and glory in the world, they have no union with Jesus Christ the Root: But now others that live in a poor condition, a poor Tradesman, a poor servant, a poor labouring man that labours for his family every day, yet he being godly, (saith he) though I have but little for the present, little glory, little credit, little comfort, yet I am joined to the body, and there I have supply, and that that will feed me with comfort, blessing, and mercy to all eternity: So all that are in a poor condition in this world, if they be godly, do but think of that;