Required reading
Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs (available from Amazon or free on the internet,
here for example)
- Chapter 12.
My notes and thoughts
Burroughs now turns in Chapter 12 to the topic of 'How to attain contentment' - although I think I should say that Burroughs continues to tell us 'How to attain contentment' as that is what I thought he had been doing all along, not just now in a small chapter at the end. Some of his points here are repeats of earlier ideas and overlap themselves, but if this chapter is more a summary then the beginning of a new aspect of our 'Rare Jewel', then that would make sense.
His first point that 'the greatness of the mercies that we have, and the meanness of the things that we lack' was just hanging out for the proof text: 'I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us' (Romans 8:18). As I've said before, if there is one criticism to be laid upon Burroughs is that he doesn't show that his Scriptural ideas are indeed Scriptural. Oh well, I need to be content with what we have, don't I? :)
One more installment on Burroughs tomorrow then Flavel begins - I must have miscalculated somewhere so we begin Flavel a day later than expected. Sorry...
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
3 comments:
I think Edwards assumed a degree of foundational Scriptural familiarity from his hearers that cannot be assumed in our day. Or perhaps he expected the Lord's Day afternoon to be spent searching the Scriptures to "see if it were so". I don't know for sure. But those Puritans use the stories and names from the Bible, even the really obscure ones, all the time expecting their readers will know just who they're talking about.
My thoughts on this chapter may be found here:
http://lauriemo.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-to-attain-contentment.html
Laurie, I agree. The Puritans assumed a great amount of Biblical literacy. But even in saying that, often they barely let a sentence seem to go by without supplying a proof text.
I think there has to be some sort of happy medium. You want to show that your core concept is from Scripture, without overloading the reader with too many texts (particularly when some appear weak at best).
I agree - Burroughs has been telling us how to attain contentment all along, not just in this chapter.
I also agree that he wasn't as specific in pointing out all of his scripture references, even though he often referred to such. That's one reason I have appreciated Laurie's full posts on each chapter - she includes the scriptural backup.
Romans 8:18 is certainly a great text to use here. Thanks.
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