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Reading Classics Together - The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment (II)
- 06/25/09
- 27
Today we come to our second reading in Jeremiah Burroughs' The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. If you have not yet started the book but would like to read along with us, you're not too late. We are only two chapters in and you can still easily catch up.
Last week I had said that we would read chapters 2 and 3, but several participants in this program suggested that was hurrying things too much. I think they are right, so this week we will look only at chapter 2 and next week will turn to the third chapter. We will try to maintain a good, slow-for-summer pace of a chapter per week.
Summary
It is undoubtedly a little too early to get too excited about the book, but through the first couple of chapters I feel like this book is going to be one of my favorites. Everything Burroughs writes seems to smack me right between the eyes. He so clearly has that ability so many of the Puritan writers had to probe into the deepest recesses of the heart and to bring truth to bear on it.In this chapter Burroughs looks to "The Mystery of Contentment." The business of this book, he says, is to do just this--to open to you the art and mystery of contentment. The mystery is this: how can a person be content with his affliction and yet thoroughly sensible of it at the same time, so that he even endeavors to remove it. "How to join these two together: to be sensible of an affliction as much as a man or woman who is not content; I am sensible of it as fully as they, and I seek ways to be delivered from it as well as they, and yet still my heart abides content--this is, I say, a mystery, that is very hard for a carnal heart to understand."
He provides seven "things for opening the mystery of contentment," though he assures that reader that much more could be side besides these.
First, it may be said of one who is contented in a Christian way that he is the most contended man in the world, and yet the most unsatisfied man in the world. A man who has learned how to be content can be satisfied with any low condition in the world and yet he cannot be at all satisfied in the enjoyment of all the world. It is worth sharing a lengthy quote here:
A carnal heart could be satisfied if he might but have outward peace, though it is not the pace of God; peace in the state, and his trading, would satisfy him. But mark how a godly heart goes beyond a carnal. All outward peace is not enough; I must have the peace of God. But suppose you have the peace of God. Will that not quiet you? No, I must have the God of peace; as the peace of God so the God of peace. That is, I must enjoy that God who gives me the peace; I must have the Cause as well as the effect. I must see from whence my peace comes, and enjoy the Fountain of my peace, as well as the stream of my peace. And so in other mercies: have I health from God? I must have the God of my health to be my portion, or else I am not satisfied. It is not life, but the God of my life; it is not riches, but the God of those riches, that I must have, the God of my preservation, as well as my preservation.
Second, a Christian comes to contentment not so much by way of addition as by way of subtraction. In other words, a Christian finds contentment by subtracting from his desires rather than adding to them. A carnal heart believes it can only be made content by adding such and such possessions; a Christian heart realizes that "the root of contentment consists in the suitableness and proportion of a man's spirit to his possessions. ... The heart is contented and there is comfort in those circumstances."
Third, a Christian comes to contentment not so much by getting rid of the burden that is on him as by adding another burden to himself. This is to say that a Christian labors and burdens himself with his own sin. "The heavier the burden of your sin is to your heart, the lighter will the burden of your affliction be to your heart, and you shall come to be content."
Fourth, it is not so much the removing of the affliction that is upon us as the changing of the affliction, the metamorphosing of the affliction, so that it is quite turned and changed into something else. "You shall be poor still as to your outward possessions, but this shall be altered; whereas before it was a natural evil to you, it comes now to be turned to a spiritual benefit to you. And so you come to be content."
Fifth, a Christian comes to this contentment not by making up the wants of his circumstances, but by the performance of the work of his circumstances. "A carnal heart thinks, I must have my wants made up or else it is impossible that I should be content. But a gracious heart says, 'What is the duty of the circumstances God has put me into?'" Burroughs says also, "I know nothing more effective for quieting a Christian soul and getting contentment than this, setting your heart to work in the duties of the immediate circumstances that you are in now, and taking heed of your thoughts about other conditions as a mere temptation." Here he offers a great illustration about a child climbing a hill, but I will lead you to seek that out on your own.
Sixth, a gracious heart is contented by the melting of his will and desires into God's will and desires; by this means he gets contentment. "In one sense, he comes to have his desires satisfied though he does not obtain the thing that he desired before." He does this by making God's will and his own the same.
Finally, the mystery consists not in bringing anything from outside to make my condition more comfortable, but in purging out something that is within. Those who are worldly demand what is outside themselves to bring out contentment; Christians know that contentment comes by putting to death the evil desires that lurk within.
As I read this week's chapter, challenged at each of the seven points (and wishing that I could read it again and again) I realized that this is a book useful for arming me before trials come. Sure, it would be a book to read in the midst of a trial, but even better, I think, it is a book to read in times of peace, in times of relative contentment. Here we can arm ourselves for those tough times, those inevitable tough times, when we will be faced with great discontentment and will have to choose whether we will embrace the circumstances and find joy in them or whether we will become bitter, allowing our circumstances to master us.
What a treasure this book is. And we are only two chapters in.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I write books and blogs for fun while doing web design and consulting for a living. I worship and serve at 
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Comments (27)
I put 20 quotes and very brief comments here:http://reicheru.wordpress.com/2009/06/24/the-mystery-of-contentment/
The grasshopper analogy was kind-of neat. Maybe one day I'll google grasshoppers and see if I can find information about what they eat...
Tim,
you wrote "It is undoubtedly a little too early to get too excited about the book, but through the first couple of chapters I feel like this book is going to be one of my favorites. Everything Burroughs writes seems to smack me right between the eyes."
It may be early, but I too think this will make my favorite list. And I am getting hit between the eyes too. It is a timely read for me.
I am reading it online and so I don't have the chapter divisions you do. I read further than required but I guess that saves me some reading for next week. However, in my blog post about this week's reading I focused on his fifth point.
Here is part of my post:Some of his suggestions are very practical. In particular, I would like to consider his fifth point which reads: A Christian comes to this contentment not by making up the wants of his circumstances, but by the performance of the work of his circumstances. This really is a gem. Instead of worrying, complaining, whining, fretting or performing any other non-profitable and possibly detrimental actions, Burroughs implores the reader to be proactive in seeking contentment.
The rest can be read here.
Thanks again Tim!
I’m trying to keep it personal. And I see I’m falling short. Yes, this is a very helpful book so far.
Of the 13 parts of the Mystery of Contentment (from both chapters 2 and 3), the 3 most helpful to me right now are:
# 3: Take on a heavier burden—see the sin in your heart. When you grieve over your sins being revealed because of the affliction, the affliction itself will become lighter.
# 8: Feed on God’s dew. Be content with what you have because: it is from God’s love; it has been sanctified for good; it is free.
# 9. It is all from love. See the love of God even in the afflction because all His ways are mercy and truth to those who love him (Ps 25:10).
I want more of my satisfaction to come from trusting that God is in control, that His hand has allowed what has happened, and that he is more than enough to meet my needs in the midst of it. God brings light out of darkness, and He will morph this into something better.
My summary/personal struggle is here: “Contentment is a mystery”.
I saw that you were reading this book last week and thought I would jump in. A friend , who has a great Puritan collection, brought it to care-group last night for me so that I could catch up before my own came in the mail. I'm glad you slowed down. This book is meant to be savored and reflected on.
Your lengthy quote, Tim, is one for reflection. God must be the object of our contentment, not just the source. If we are content with life, but not the God of life, then we are really not content in our inner person as a result of God's gracious working. It is just a "flash of mood," as Burroughs says in chapter one.
I'm glad you've decided to slow down. Discontent tends to have a vast and intricate root system in our hearts. It takes time and a lot of reflection and prayer to root it out. This is about my fourth time through this book and I'm just as challenged as the first time. After the Bible, this is one of the top 3 books I would recommend to any Christian, and Number 1 for women. Our fears as women tend to be wrapped up in "what will happen ifs". If we've learned to be content in all circumstances, we can rest. Anyway, I've included a post on a couple of points - one from the end of chapter one and Point 3 from Chapter 2 here: http://lauriemo.blogspot.com/2009/06/holiness-and-contentment-kiss-each.html
I'll post an overview within the next day or two.
This is a great book! I couldn't help but read ahead but came back this morning to re-read chapter two. Thanks for going slow. As was said above, this needs to be savored and re-read often.
As I was reading this chapter I kept thinking about the fourth beatitude of our Lord in Matthew 5:6. He spoke of hungering and thirsting for righteousness. The first three beatitudes describe an emptying process (poor in spirit, mourn, meek). Once we are emptied we need to be filled. If the word righteousness is kin to the word justification we realize that what our Lord was really describing was a heart that thirsts for God! It is a blessing to hear our Lord's affirmation that when we hunger for Him we shall be filled.
This emphasis on the mysterious combination of contentment in our afflictions while being discontent if we owned the whole world is very challenging. I was especially blessed by his teaching that contentment does not come by addition (I could be content if I only had...) but rather by subtraction. Today I must work on accepting my circumstances as the perfect will of God for me today. My contentment is in Him alone.
Tim,Thanks for pointing out this book. I love the way Burroughs digs in to the Bible, the folksy way he writes, and the depth he goes to.I also like the way he spends chapter two pointing out how completely different spiritual contentment is from the idea the carnal mind has about being content. I blogged about this under the title "Everything You Think About Contentment is Wrong" at http://www.scriptoriumdaily.com/2009/06/25/everything-you-think-about-contentment-is-wrong/Fred Sanders
A little C. S. Lewis is applicable here: “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”from “The Weight of Glory”
Wouldn’t it be great if we would put away the mud pies so we could savor the glory of the sea? Nothing is greater than God, yet we too often settle for so much less, crowding out the joy we could be having with our Maker.
Tim, like you I am coming to love all that Burroughs is writing here. I found the most convicting thing about chapter 2 to be his exhortation to "do the work of our circumstances." My wife and I have a very modest income and do without much that our friends and family have. This is very difficult at times and leads to covetousness and a complaining spirit (and words, too). I was much encouraged to consider that God has ordained my current circumstances and has given me and my wife work to do in them, not in merely trying to get out of them. I'm finding that reading Burroughs draws me into prayer, and for that, I thank God. I look forward to chapter 3.
Somehow, I missed that you were going to be going through a Jeremiah Burroughs book, and so I really appreciate you extending your invitation! Several years ago, I was tremendously blessed by all that he wrote in The Saints' Happiness, and grew to deeply love the beatitudes because of his sermons. If I can get a copy of TRJoCC in hand, in time, I would love to join you all as you read through it!
I also echo what a good book this is after only reading the first two chapters. I'm also grateful that this reading together will be at a slow-for-summer pace of a chapter each week! :)
There has been so much to glean out of this second chapter, but point 5 is what had the biggest impact for me. As Laura M. mentioned about "our fears as women", for much of my life I was the "Queen of what if's". Much of that began to change six years ago with the understanding of God's Sovereignty, but this book is helping me to better define this sin while making known the means of grace in helping to overcome it. Instead of looking back and wondering what I could have done differently (which Burroughs says may be but a temptation), I need to be asking what God requires of me in the present situation He has brought me to. To learn to quiet my heart and make it gracious to all of His plans.
This is a quote that I want to soak deeply into my heart: "If God has glory, I have glory; God's glory is my glory, and therefore God's will is mine; if God has riches, then I have riches; if God is magnified, then I am magnified; if God is satisfied, then I am statisfied; God's wisdom and holiness is mine, and therefore his will must needs be mine, and my will must needs be his.' This is the art of a Christian's contentment: he melts his will into the will of God, and makes over his will to God: 'Oh Lord, thou shalt choose our inheritance for us" (Psalm 47:4)."
//Finally, the mystery consists not in bringing anything from outside to make my condition more comfortable, but in purging out something that is within. Those who are worldly demand what is outside themselves to bring out contentment; Christians know that contentment comes by putting to death the evil desires that lurk within.\\
This seventh point spoke the most to me as I read through the second chapter. To me it speaks of how we have been conditioned our whole lives, to look for outside ways to relieve our burdens, afflictions and sufferings. Our whole “American” way of life is always about comfort and peace. The only comfort and peace we can have Is through gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, as Burroughs points out. “These are the mysterious ways of godliness, that the men of this world never think of.”
It has been a wonderful blessing to read the first two chapters of this book. I cant wait to get further into it.
I am also glad that we have slowed down, one chapter a week is plenty for me.
Patrick
Romans 8:13For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
The way of contentment for us as Christians is by the Spirit to “put to death the deeds of the body.” As Burroughs points out, this is “a way that the world has no skill in.” The world barrages us daily with countless ways to live according to the flesh. As Christians, we come to understand that satisfaction is not ours in any of these. Contentment does not come by adding to what we want, but by subtracting from our desires.
Do not look to this world or anything outside for peace and contentment. Peace and contentment are the natural results of allowing the perfect alignment of God’s will with our own. We must abandon our hopes and expectations for the world around us. We must tear up our plans and discard our intentions. Let God loose the chains that we have so willingly bound ourselves in- the chains of this world locked tightly about us by our self-seeking stakes in it.
Glad I stumbled across this post. Someone gave me this book years ago but I haven't read it yet. Need to see if I can locate it so I can participate in the discussion here.
Tim, thank you for selection this book. It contains a lot of wisdom. I am glad we will only take one chapter a week; so we can focus on the wisdom here.
I too, found point seven most helpful. "The mystery consists not in bringing anything from outside to make my condition more comfortable, but in purging out something that is within." This wisdom from God is folly to the world. But we must remove from us anything that does not please God.
@ Tim Taylor:You can read the book on-line at this link if you haven't located a hardcopy:
http://www.monergism.com/contentment.html
The chapter divisions are different, but other than that, it's the same text as far as I've noticed.
" though it is not the pace of God," should be peace of God.
Spelling error in post "quote"
Tim,My wife and I are getting a late start, we started the first reading last night, hoping to finish it and read the second so we can get involved in the discussion. we are looking forward to this!
Best,
Tom
Hi again,
I've been reading the online version and have found so many great quotes. And my mom saw a bunch of the quotes on my blog and she ended up ordering a copy for herself.
I wonder, though if my heart bent might be slightly different from Burroughs in particular regard. I'm going off my memory here, and am not checking what I read online, so my impression could be wrong.
Though he may have acknowledged something along the lines of contentment in both times of plenty and times of poverty. But I felt he had a strong bias toward the times of poverty. While it may sound wonderful, I think we need to remember Paul's words in Phil. 4:2 - "I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need."
Not just the needy times, but the plentiful ones too. I think Burroughs pointed out a couple rich Biblical characters whose riches didn't seem to lead to a fall, but, my impression is that he was in strong support of contentment in the low circumstances.
He was writing about the most contented man being the most unsatisfied in that he could be content with little, but having a lot wouldn't ultimately satisfy (again, this is from my memory).
While I agree that riches and good times in and of themselves should not be looked to for ultimate satisfaction, I think it could be possible to be content in those plentiful times and in the times of need. Maybe it's harder for the rich, but it probably isn't impossible. Remember the camel comparison in Matt. 23:26:
23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
--"[W]ith God all things are possible." This, I believe, could apply to the contentment situation of both the rich and poor and those somewhere in the middle.
While Burroughs may agree with that, I feel like it's heart bent (maybe strongly) favors the idea that contentment accompanies times of need more easily than in times of plenty.
Just some thoughts...could be wrong...
Rachael: I am not saying that you are wrong, but perhaps this might give you a different perspective. I can not find where Burroughs said that impoverished times and contentment were better suited to each other than times of plenty and contentment. He did say that "many Christians" have achieved more good (acquired more spiritual riches) by their poverty than in their wealth. He also said that, as a rule, Godly people come out of an affliction (poverty) better for it, but that it is the rare Godly person who is not worse off for his or her prosperity.
Isn't it a far greater example of faith to turn the affliction of poverty into good than it is to be content in one's prosperity (however much "good" we do with our wealth)?
I've posted two additional posts pertaining to this chapter: and overview here: http://lauriemo.blogspot.com/2009/06/rare-jewel-chapter-two.htmlAnd an expansion of point 4 here: http://lauriemo.blogspot.com/2009/06/contentment-creating-light-out-of.html
Thanks Tim for making it a chapter/week , this ceartainly needs to be read over and over and I like what you said at the end"..this is a book useful for arming me before trials come...", like bringing up kids, you better practise and know how you are going to react when, I should say IF your teenagers come home and tell you this.... or that....,... it's too late then to read a book on it! How did he know that I would say" This is hard"!
I would suggest it might be helpful regarding Burroughes' Rare Jewel to have a look at the article drawn from it in the Gospel Magazine. It can be retrived from the archive section of the GM web site (www.gospelmagazine.org.uk) Issue date Jan-Feb 2008.
Tim,I must confess, I have no merry words of cheer about this chapter.
I have struggled to write my most recent blog post, and all I can muster is that I am struggling with most of what he says.
I am not suggesting that his words aren't true, but he is banging hard against long held, entrepreneurial, American dream kind of stuff.
When a recession such at this, deals a possible death blow to something that you worked 20 years to build, contentment, as he describes it, is hard to come by.
So..that's it. I am mentally wrestling at the moment. I have an open mind, and am completely willing that God might show me that I still have some stiff neck to remove.
So..here's my blog post ( http://bit.ly/5rBQ1), but frankly, it is presently just a bunch of whining.
The point that encouraged me the most was the exhortation that God himself is to be our treasure - not His gifts or blessings. I love what he wrote in relation to Psalm 73:25. "If God gave you not only earth but heaven, that you should rule over sun, moon and stars, and have rule over the highest of the sons of men, it would not be enough to satisfy you, unless you had God himself." Wow.
I'm behind, but would still like to comment. My burden right now is my mother who lives with me and my husband and our three children 7, 5, and 1. She had an accident a couple years ago and has lost part of her memory. She has trouble remembering things like where she sits at the dinner table, where cups, plates, and utensils are in the kitchen, etc. She asks the same questions over and over and can not walk down the street without forgetting how to get home. She doesn't know what day or month it is, forgets to shower for days, won't eat unless I prepare her food, and yet she is my mother, able to joke, discuss issues, people, ideas. She does strange things like use our fish food container as an ashtray, drop her nicorette gum on the floor, use the kids' puzzle box for garbage, etc. Some days, everything goes well, many days I feel a huge burden. She is not saved and since she rarely goes anywhere, our family is her only witness.
When Burroughs said in Part III, "What, do you think that there is no way for the contentment of your spirit, but to get rid of your burden? O you are deceived. The way of contentment is to add another burden, that is, to labor to load and burden your heart with your sin; the heavier the burden of your sin is to your heart, the lighter will the burden of your affliction be to your heart, and so you shall come to be content." it really made sense for me.
When I feel utter guilt for being short with my mother, who cared for me as I care for my children, who can't help her mental state, I am more content to serve her. When I am in painful disappointment at my inability to love her and serve her as Christ did for me - in all my selfish glory, I find myself content, knowing this is good and right for me to be right here learning these things and having a good work done in me. When I see my kids crying because something of theirs was damaged by my mother unintentionally, I am content to teach them that the Lord wants us to love her and look at her heart, not her actions. We are in our Lord's glorious will and in our sinful hearts, we are learning to find contentment.
I'm joining a little late, but I'd wanted to comment after each chapter. In fact, I tried to post this comment after Week One's post; but since the blog doesn't seem to allow for additional comments there, I'm commenting here instead. :)
I guess I'd like to start by being transparent and confessing that Burroughs might have been describing me personally when he says, "The last thing that quietness of spirit is the opposite of is desperate risings of the heart against God by way of rebellion. That is the most abominable. I hope many of you have learned so far to be content as to restrain your hearts from such disorders. Yet the truth is that not only wicked men, but sometimes the very saints of God find the beginnings of this, when an affliction remains for a long time and is very severe and heavy indeed upon them, and strikes them, as it were, in the master vein. They find in their hearts something of a rising against God, their thoughts begin to bubble, and their affections begin to move in rebellion against God himself. Especially in this the case with those who besides their corruptions have a large measure of melancholy. The Devil works both upon the corruption of their hearts and the melancholy disease of their bodies, and though much grace may lie underneath, yet under affliction there may be some risings against God Himself." (Chapter 1, Roman Numeral II, Point Number 8)... and later,"There must be a submission to God in every affliction, as to the time and continuance of the affliction. ‘Perhaps I could submit and be content’, says someone, ‘but this affliction has been on me a long time, three months, a year, many years, and I do not know how to yield and submit to it, my patience is worn out and broken.’ It may even be a spiritual affliction-you could submit to God, you say, in any outward affliction, but not in a soul-affliction. Or if it were an affliction upon the soul, trouble upon the heart, if it were the withdrawing of God’s face-’Yet if this had been but for a little time I could submit; but to seek God for so long and still he does not appear, Oh how shall I bear this?’ We must not be our own disposers for the time of deliverance any more than for the kind and way of deliverance." (Chapter 1, Roman Numeral IX, Point Number 2)
I can attest to the fact that Burroughs speaks the truth.
My egregious discontentment was the root of my falling away from my beloved Savior for an extended period of time. Many volumes could be devoted to the wise and loving disciplinary trial to which our Lord faithfully subjected me. I could devote many more volumes to a panegyric of the Lord, who returned me to His fold. For He is faithful, gracious, and merciful. Truly, all of His ways are good and His timing is perfect.
I love Him much, for He has forgiven me for much. I have been humbled to the depths of my soul, which has brought me great inward peace. I would exhort you to be vigilant in your pursuit of the Lord, your study of His word, and your participation in His church. Apart from Christ, all is vanity.