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The rare jewel of Christian contentment ...
by Jeremiah Burroughs
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Excerpt:
stump.
stump of wood,a piece of a block,instead of a stool; or perhaps he hath scarce a bed to lie upon, or a dish to eat in j yet faith the holy Ghost, In the house of the righteous is much treasure: Let the righteous man be the poorest man in the world: It may be there are some that have come and taken all the goods out of his house for debtj perhaps his house is plundered, and all is gone, yet still, In the house of the righteous it much treasure j the righteous man can never be brought to be so poor, to have his house rifled and spoiled, but there will remain much treasure within, if he hath but a dish or a spoon, or any thing in the world in his house, there will be much treasure j so long as he is there, there is the presence of God upon, and the bltsling of God upon him, and therein is much treasure; but in the revenues of the wicked there is trouble: There is more treasure in the poorest bodies house, if he be godly,than in the house of the greatest man in the World, that hath his brave hangings, and brave wrought beds, and chairs, and couches , and cup-boards of plate, and the likej what ever he hath, he hath not so much treasure in it, as in the house of the poorest righteous soul .therefore in a verse or two aster my Text, no marvel though Paul faith he was content, you stall see in Phil. 4.18. Bur. lhave aU,andabonnd,IamfuU. I have all: Alas poor man , what had Paul that could make himfay he had all? where was there ever man more afflicted than Paul was? many times he had not tatters to hang about his bodie, to cover his nakedness,he had not bread to eat, hewas often in nakedness, and put in the stocks, and whipt, and cruelly used,yet I have a#(faith Paul)for all that. Yea you shall have it in 2. Cor.6.1 o. he prosesses there,Tfoif he did possefs aH things, as for rovrfu U, yet always rtjojcing; as poor, yet making many rich; as bavin? twtimg,-*ndyet posj'efftng tllthings: but mark what he faith, it is. As having nothing, but it is, Pofleffirig att things. He doth not fay, as possessing all th'fngs, but possessing all thmgsj it is very little I have in the world,but yet possessing all things: So that you see, a Christian hath cause to take complacencie in Gods hand, whatsoever his hand be.
The eighth thing in Contentment it is [in Gods dispose'} Submitting to, and taking compltcinck in Gods dispose. That is, the sons that hath learned this lesson of Contentment, looks up to God in all things; looks not down to the instruments or the means* as such a man did it, and it was unreasonableness of such and such instruments, and the like barbarous ufoge of siich and such, but looks up to God; a contented heart looks to Gods dilpose, and submits to Gods dispose, that is,sees the wisdom of God in all,in his fiibmiffion sees his fovereigBtie,butthatthatmakeshimtakecomplacencie, it is Gods wifdortii theLord knows how to order things better tharf !,the Lord fees further than I do,I see things butat presertt,but theLord sees a great while hence, and how do I know,buthad it not been for this affliction,I had been undone? I know that the love of God may as well stand with an afflicted eftate,as with aprojpertui estate; and such kind ofreasonings there are in a contented spirit,fubmiting unto the dispose of God.
The last thing is, This is in [every condition.'] It may be in some things you Coaldbe ctnvtfcnt: you shall have many will fay , If my affliction were but as
ion of such an one, I cou!
contentj yea but itmustbein the!
present present affliction that is upon you. we use to say, There is a greit deal of deceit in Universals; in the general, come to any man or woman, and fay,Will not you be content with Gods dispose? Yes, fay they, God forbid but we should submit to Gods hand what ever it bej you fay thus in the general, it is an easie matter to learn this lesson, but when it comes to the particular, when the cross comes fore indeed, when it strikes you in the heaviest cross that you think could befall you,what faith your heart now?Cin you in every condition be content,notonely for the matter, but for thetime, that is, to be in such a condition so long as God would have you,to be content to be at Gods time in that condition,to have such an affliction so long asGod would have the afflictio abide upon you,to be willing to stay,& not to come out of the afflictio no sooJier,than the Lord would have you come out of it? you are not conrent in your condition else jto be content mcerly that I have such a hand of God upon me, and not to stay under the hand of God, that is,not to be content under every condition, but when I can sind my heart submitting to Gods dfipose in such particular afflictions that are very hard, and very grievous, and yet my heart is quiet, here is one that hath learned the lesson of Contentment: Contentment, it is the inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, freely submitting to, and taking complacencie in Godsdispose in every condition : That is description. Now in this, there hath been Nine several things opened.
