Burroughs - HP BV4647 C7 B87 1670

The Rare Jewel of Chri]lian Contentment. 17) rewards and Crowns for all graces, and for the honor'ing them in all conditions. lt may be in fuch a way as thou thinkell thou coulne(l honor God, God bath a Crown for that, and God bath another Crown to fet upon the heads _of thofe that hanor him in fuch a way as this is; Yea, he bath feveral forts of Crowns, {as I may fo fay ) in Heaven, and thofe Crowns he mull put upon fome bodies head, and therefore he exercifes thee in vatiety of conditions, that fo thou mighte!l have the feveral rewardi and Crowns that God bath to reward and Crown tbofe that are faithft:~l in (everal_conditions. The Ninth P L E A. Oh! BFJt the conJition that God bath put me in,m11k,.es me to le tmfervice~tble,llnd this troHbles me; it'J true,if it were on!y lln af.. jltCfion and troMble to my {elf it1ure not {o mtJcb, but I am put into fuc6 a condition by this af~iEtitm as I am unfervice4ble, ami llr» lik_e to.do God M further fervice, God puts me into a mean e-- ftt~.te,t~.nd what good can I dot and bow burdenfom( is my life to vu, bec~rH{e I Clln d9 no fervict f~r God! and this iJ grievou; to m(. . Indeed if it be true that this is thy gr~at g1ief, it is a good fign, If thou canA: fay as in the prefence of Goq , above all affliCtions here in this world to be laid afide and not eo be imployed in the fervice of God, I account that the greate(t afRielion : - I had rather bear any trouble in the world fo I might do more fervice, than to be fr~ed from trouble and to be laid afide and ' do little fe[Vice : canfi thou fay fo? It is a good fign of grace for a man to account afflielions to be great becaufe he can do the Lord but little fexvice. Few men account that any afflit1ion at all. · Bot yet there may be a temptation in this. To murmurar Gods difpofe ~V hen your calling js low and mean and you can do little fervice; this is many times a temptation to thofe that are poor, tbofe thal are fervants and thofethat are of ~veak parts, and are fain to Nork bard to provide bread for rbeir families, it's many-times a grievous burden to them to think , fuch men the J.ord ufes in publike fer vice, and .I live in an obfcure way, and to what purpo(e is my life ? Fir!l ;>. - .:- ··'

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