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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 › Direction 4: The Fourth DIRECTION.
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 Fourth DIRECTION.
And especially if I add a Fourth Rule, and that is, That I walk by rule in that work I am called to. I am called to such a business, but I must manage this work that I am called to by Rule, I must walk by the Word, order my self in this business according to Gods mind so far as I am able, then add this to the other, and then the quiet and peace of that soul may be made even perfect in a kind, when I know it is not the work I put my self upon, but God hath called me to it, and I walk by ⟨p. 197⟩the rule of the World in it, then let come what will come, God he is to take care of me there. It was a speech of a Heathen (saith he) if thou wilt subject all things to thy self, do thou subject thy self to reason, and by that thou wilt make all things to be under thee: I may add a little more to it, if you will subject all things under you, subject your self to God, and then the truth is, all things are under you; It hath been that which many times we have hinted, the reason why many of our Gentry have been so malignant among us is, because they are willing to be slaves themselves under some above them at Court, so they may keep their neighbours under to be slaves to them: for you know any man heretofore that was great at the Court, he could crush any Country-man that he was angry withal. If there were an Arbitrary Government, then all those that would be willing to be vassals and slaves to the Prince, they can make all others vassals and slaves under them. Now be thou willing to be a vassal and slave unto God, to be absolutely under Gods command, and then (I say) all things in the world are under thee, All are yours (saith the Apostle) Life and Death, every thing is yours, and you are Christs, and Christ is Gods: All things in the world are serviceable to that man or woman that is serviceable to God. It is a mighty commendation of Gods service, be thou willing to be serviceable to God, and God makes all things in the world to be thy servants, for so they are. You will say, How are they my servants, I cannot command them? They are servants in this, that God doth order them all to work for thy good, there's nothing in the world: but (saith God) it shall work for thy good, and be serviceable to thee, if thou wilt be serviceable to me, who would not be now Gods Servant; Subject thy self to God, and all things shall be subjected to thee.