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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 7: The Seventh 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 Seventh DIRECTION.
A seventh rule is, Do not promise to your selves too much before-hand, do not make account of too great things: It is good for us to take hold very low, and not think to pitch too high, do not soar too high in your thoughts before-hand, to think, O if I had this and this, and imagine great matters to your selves, but be as good Jacob, you know he was a man that lived a very contented life in a mean condition, (saith he) Lord, if I may but have clothes to put on, and meat to eat; he looked no higher, he was content with that: so if we would not pitch our thoughts high, and think that we might have what others have, so much, and so much, when we meet with disappointments we would not be so much troubled: and so Paul, If we have but meat and drink, and clothing, let us be therewith content; he did not soar too high aloft, those that look at high things in the world, they meet with disappointments, and so they come to be discontent; be as high as you will in spiritual meditations, God gives liberty there to any of you to be as high as you will, above Angels, but for your outward estate God would not have you aim at high things, Seekest thou great things (saith the Lord to Baruch) seek them not, you shall have your life for a prey. In these times especially, it were a very great evil for any to aim at great things, Seek them not, be willing to take hold low, and to creep low, and if God doth raise thee, thou shalt have cause to bless him, but if thou shouldest not be raised there would not be much trouble, one that creeps low cannot fall far, but it is those that are on high whose fall doth bruise them most; that is a good rule, promise not your selves great matters, neither aim at any great things in the world.
A seventh rule is, Do not promise to your selves too much before-hand, do not make account of too great things: It is good for us to take hold very low, and not think to pitch too high, do not soar too high in your thoughts before-hand, to think, O if I had this and this, and imagine great matters to your selves, but be as good Jacob, you know he was a man that lived a very contented life in a mean condition, (saith he) Lord, if I may but have cloathes to put on, and meat to eat; he look'd no higher, he was content with that: so if we would not pitch our thoughts high, and think that we might have what others have, so much, and so much, when we meet with disappointments we would not be so much troubled: and so Paul, If we have but meat and drink, and cloathing, let us be therewith content; he did not soar too high aloft, those that look at high things in the world, they meet with disappointments, and so they come to be discontent; be as high as you will in spiritual meditations, God gives liberty there to any of you to be as high as you will, above Angels, but for your outward estate God would not have you aim at high things, Seekest thou great things (saith the Lord to Baruch) seek them not, you shall have your life for a prey. In these times especially, it were a very great evil for any to aim at great things, Seek them not, be willing to take hold low, and to creep low, and if God doth raise thee, thou shalt have cause to bless him, but if thou shouldest not be raised there would not be much trouble, one that creeps low cannot fall far, but it is those that are on high whose fall doth bruise them most; that is a good rule, promise not your selves great matters, neither aim at any great things in the world.