Review: Contentment, Prosperity, and God's Glory

Contentment, Prosperity, and God's Glory by Jeremiah Burroughs, edited by Phillip L. Simpson, Reformation Heritage Books, April 2013, 144 pages.

Oh, that you would apply your hearts to learn how to abound in what you have. It's a good sign of grace to be more concerned about how to abound than how to get abundance - to be more careful to use what you have for God than to maintain it for yourselves. ¹

Jeremiah Burroughs (1599-1646) was an English congregational preacher and member of the Westminster Assembly. He lived during a time of religious and political upheaval. Due to persecution, Burroughs fled England for exile in Holland. He left his earthly goods behind and wondered if he would see his country again. In God's providence, he returned and was appointed minister to three large and prosperous congregations. Having lived through times of extreme want, he believed it was harder for the Christian to be content in abundance than in need. To encourage himself and his flock under the "trial that is in a prosperous condition",² Burroughs preached three sermons which were intended as an appendix to his classic work, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. These sermons are now available in Contentment, Prosperity, and God's Glory, and they are just as relevant to us as when they were delivered nearly 375 years ago.

"We live here in such a way that, although we may not be as full now as we have been in the past, it may still be said of us that we are full in comparison to our brothers in other parts of the world." ³ Burroughs own words describe us pretty well, don't they? We are just as tempted to forget God when things are going well. The tug of materialism has only increased, and so has our discontent. But like the Apostle Paul before him, Burroughs believed that it was possible to learn the lesson of contentment in plenty by the grace of God.

Based on the Philippians 4:12, he unpacks principles for learning how to be full, difficulties in learning to be full, the necessity for learning to be full, and the fruits (excellencies) of having learned well. He also discusses the guilt incurred for abusing God's blessings as well as practical application so that we may enjoy and use this abundance for God. Burroughs is a very readable Puritan writer. His style is clear, simple, and very methodical. Also the editing has smoothed any difficulties with the language.

On a personal note, I jumped at the chance to review Contentment, Prosperity, and God's Glory. The Rare Jewel is on my top 10 list of books, and Burroughs is one of my favorite Puritan authors. I was not disappointed. This book challenges and encourages us to be content in the situations God has placed us, whether high or low, because we have been blessed beyond measure with Christ Himself. As a result, contentment is not a grit-your-teeth duty but the fruit of God's grace because...

"God's grace so satisfies and strengthens the heart that the things that are outside of it in the world make very little difference to it. External things cannot alter a heart full of grace."⁴

I highly recommend this book.

Many thanks to Cross Focused Reviews and Reformation Heritage Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

_____________________________________________________

1. Contentment, Prosperity, and God's Glory by Jeremiah Burroughs, edited by Phillip L. Simpson, Reformation Heritage Books, April 2013, pg. 10.
2. Ibid. xv.
3. Ibid. 9-10.
4. Ibid. 119.