Providence

“When God lays men upon their backs, then they look up to heaven. God’s smiting His people is like the musician’s striking upon the violin, which makes it put forth melodious sound. How much good comes to the saints by affliction! When they are pounded they send forth their sweetest smell. Affliction is a bitter root, but it bears sweet fruit. " All Things for Good " pg. 56”

“"All things work together for good." Rom 8:28- This is as Jacob's staff in the hand of faith, with which we may walk cheerfully to the mount of God. What will satisfy or make us content, if this will not? All things work together for good. This expression " work together " refers to medicine. Several poisonous ingredients put together, being tempered by the skill of the apothecary, make a sovereign medicine, and work together for the good of the patient. So all God's providences being divinely tempered and sanctified, do work together for the best to the saints. He who loves God and is called according to His purpose, may rest assured that every thing in the world shall be for his good. “ All Things for Good ””

“"Sin is worse than hell, but yet God, by His mighty over ruling power, makes sin turn to the good of His people. Hence that golden saying of Augustine, 'God would never permit evil, if He could not bring good out of evil.'" ~ “ Doctrine of Repentance ””

“The wisdom of God works for good. God's wisdom is our oracle to instruct us. As He is the mighty God, so also the Counsellor (Isa. ix. 6). We are oftentimes in the dark, and, in matters intricate and doubtful know not which way to take; here God comes in with light. " I will guide thee with mine eye " (Psa. xxxxii. 8). " Eye, " there, is put for God's wisdom. Why is it the saints can see further than the most quick-sighted politicians? They foresee the evil, and hide themselves; they see Satan's sophisms. God's wisdom is the pillar of fire to go before, and guide them. “ All Things for Good ””

“God would have us to depend on him though we do not see how the thing may be brought about; otherwise, we do not show a quiet spirit. Though an affliction is on you, do not let your heart sink under it. So far as your heart sinks and you are discouraged under affliction, so much you need to learn this lesson of contentment. ~ The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs”

“A contented heart looks to God's disposal, and submits to God's disposal, that is, he sees the wisdom of God in everything. In his submission he sees his sovereignty, but what makes him take pleasure is God's wisdom. The Lord knows how to order things better than I. The Lord sees further than I do; I only see things at present but the Lord sees a great while from now. And how do I know but that had it not been for this affliction, I should have been undone. ~ The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs”

“Many men and women will in general say that they must submit to God in affliction; I suppose that if you were to go now from one end of this congregation to the other, and speak thus to every soul: 'Would you not submit to God's disposal, in whatever condition he might place you?', you would say, 'God forbid that it should be otherwise!' But we have a saying, There is a great deal of deceit in general statements. In general, you would submit to anything; but what if it is in this or that particular case which crosses you most?-Then, anything but that! We are usually apt to think that any condition is better than that condition in which God has placed us. Now, this is not contentment; it should be not only to any condition in general, but for the kind of affliction, including that which most crosses you. God, it may be, strikes you in your child.-'Oh, if it had been in my possessions' you say, 'I would be content!' Perhaps he strikes you in your marriage. 'Oh,' you say, 'I would rather have been stricken in my health.' And if he had struck you in your health-'Oh, then, if it had been in my trading, I would not have cared.' But we must not be our own carvers. Whatever particular afflictions God may place us in, we must be content in them. ~ The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs”

“God hath work to do in this world; and to desert it because of its difficulties is to cast off His authority.”

“True faith will trust God's heart where it cannot trace His hand!”

“When we grow careless of keeping our souls, then God recovers our taste of good things again by sharp crosses.”

“You can never depend too much upon God, nor too little upon the creature.”

“The providence of God is like a Hebrew word, it can only be read backwards.”

“Providence is like a curious piece of tapestry made of a thousand shreds, which, single, appear useless, but put together, they represent a beautiful history to the eye.”

“Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.”

“Since God is content with Himself alone, if you have Him, you may be content with Him alone, and it may be, that is the reason why your outward comforts are taken from you, that God may be all in all to you.”

“Affliction doth not rise out of the dust or come to men by chance; but it is the Lord that sends it.”

“It is our duty to look to God's commands, and not to His decrees.”

“God's decrees are eternal, most wise, free, unchangeable, most holy and pure, and effectual.”

“Set no time to the Lord the creator of time, for His time is always best.”

“Why should I tremble at the plow of my Lord that makes deep furrows on my soul? For He is no idle husbandman, He purposes a crop.”

“Whatsoever crook there is in one's lot, it is of God's making.”

“It is He that has posted every one in their relations by His providence.”

“It is the duty of the saints, especially in times of straits, to reflect upon the performances of Providence for them in all the states and through all the stages of their lives.”

“Providence neither does nor can do any thing that is really against the true interest and good of the saints.”

“A wise Spirit sitting in all the wheels of motion, and governing the most eccentric creatures and their most pernicious designs to blessed and happy issues.”

“The worst that God does to His children is to whip them to heaven.”

“God enriches by impoverishing; He causes the augmentation of grace by the diminution of an estate.”

“Affliction is a bitter root, but it bears sweet fruit.”

“A Christian comes to contentment not so much by way of addition, as by way of subtraction.”