Jeremiah Burroughs was a Puritan preacher in England that was greatly used of God. He was tutored in school by Thomas Hooker, a man who later emigrated to America, and founded the state of Connecticut. Burroughs wrote a number of books in his time including a commentary on Hosea, and The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. This excerpt is from his book A Treatise of Earthly-Mindedness.
They can be so content with so little in this world and can live such comfortable lives in the enjoyment of so little. Perhaps you cannot tell how to have comfortable lives unless you have so much coming in each year, so much provision. But one who is heavenly, a godly man or woman can tell how to live a joyful and happy life in the lack of the things of this world. Though they have only a little, just bread and water, mean habitations, mean clothes, low esteem in the world, they can still go through the world with a joyful heart, blessing God all their days.
There are many poor and low people in this world whose houses are filled more with the blessings of God in one day than many a rich, noble, great men have in twenty or forty years. This argues that they have their conversations in heaven, that though they lack comfort in this world, yet they can live comfortable lives. Surely it is something that causes them to rejoice, when they can rejoice in the lack of outward things, when there joy does not depend on the things of this world.
If men who have earthly hearts lose even their outward comforts they cry out "O we are undone!" And you might see mighty alterations in their countenances. They have nothing to cheer their hearts when they lose the things of this world, but it is not so with the saints. Whatever crosses they meet with in this world, yet they still rejoice in Christ, blessing God. A man that has nothing to do with another country is like a dead man there, he goes there with little joy. But a man who has been trading in another country and has great riches and has thrives there, whatever he seems to be here he is a great man there! O how comfortably does that man go to that country.
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