A30598:309
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment
The rare jewel of Christian contentment wherein is showed, I. What contentment is, II. The holy art or mystery of it, III. Several lessons that Christ teacheth, to work the heart to contentment, IV. The excellencies of it, V. The evils of murmuring, VII. The aggravations of the sin of murmuring / by Jeremiah Burroughs.The rare jewel of Christian contentment wherein is shewed, I. What contentment is, II. The holy art or mystery of it, III. Several lessons that Christ teacheth, to work the heart to contentment, IV. The excellencies of it, V. The evils of murmuring, VII. The aggravations of the sin of murmuring / by Jeremiah Burroughs.
London: printed for Peter Cole, 1649
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I remember that the Heathens accounted it very base, Plutarch doth report of a certain people that did use to manifest their disdain to men that were overmuch dejected by any affliction, they did condemn them to this punishment, to wear women's clothes all their days, or such a space of time at least they should go in woman's clothes in token of shame and disgrace to them because they had such effeminate spirits, they thought it against a manlike spirit, and therefore seeing they did un-man themselves they should go as women, now shall they account it an unmanlike spirit, to be overmuch dejected in afflictions; and shall not a Christian account it an unchristian-like spirit to be overmuch dejected by any affliction whatsoever? I remember another compares murmuring spirits, to children when they are weaning, what a deal of stir have you with your children when you wean them, how froward and vexing are they? So when God would wean thee from some outward comforts in this world, Oh how fretting and discontented art thou! Children will not sleep themselves, nor let their mothers sleep when they are weaning; and so when God would wean us from the world, and we fret, vex, and murmur, this is a childish spirit.
I remember that the Heathens accounted it very base, Plutarch doth report of a certain people that did use to manifest their disdain to men that were overmuch dejected by any affliction, they did condemn them to this punishment, to wear womens cloaths all their daies, or such a space of time at least they should go in womans cloaths in token of shame and disgrace to them because they had such effeminate spirits, they thought it against a manlike spirit, and therefore seeing they did un-man themselves they should go as women, now shall they account it an unmanlike spirit, to be overmuch dejected in afflictions; and shall not a Christian account it an unchristian-like spirit to be overmuch dejected by any affliction whatsoever? I remember another compares murmuring spirits, to children when they are weaning, what a deal of stir have you with your children when you wean them, how froward and vexing are they? So when God would wean thee from some outward comforts in this world, Oh how fretting and discontented art thou! Children will not sleep themselves, nor let their mothers sleep when they are weaning; and so when God would wean us from the world, and we fret, vex, and murmur, this is a childish spirit.