A30598:534
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
THE SAINTS DUTY IN TIMES OF EXTREMITY.THE SAINTS DVTY IN TIMES OF EXTREMITY.
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.
4. There is a fourth wicked stand-still, and that is out of sullenness of spirit; and that is more particular, and that is of many men and women, especially that are in some troubles of conscience, and when they are seeking of God, and performing duties that God requires of them, and do not find that encouragement that their hearts desire, they leave off all, and have no mind to do any thing, but even stand still and die, and will even sink in a sullen discouragement, and go no further, leave off their work, leave off duty, what should I go on in doing duty, for I get no good by it, I am never a whit the better? and so they stand still out of a sullen discouragement: The Devil himself is the most discouraged Spirit in the world, and yet he is the proudest Spirit in the world; and this standing still out of discouragement, may come out of pride, and stoutness of heart, though you think it is out of Humility.
4. There is a fourth wicked stand-still, and that is out of sullennesse of spirit; and that is more particular, and that is of many men and women, especially that are in some troubles of conscience, and when they are seeking of God, and performing duties that God requires of them, and do not find that encouragement that their hearts desire, they leave off all, and have no mind to do any thing, but even stand still and die, and will even sink in a sullen discouragement, and go no further, leave off their work, leave off duty, what should I go on in doing duty, for I get no good by it, I am never a whit the better? and so they stand still out of a sullen discouragement: The Devil himselfe is the most discouraged Spirit in the world, and yet he is the proudest Spirit in the world; and this standing still out of discouragement, may come out of pride, and stoutnesse of heart, though you think it is out of Humility.
5. There is a sluggish standing still, and that is sinful and wicked, when people stand still because they are idle, and are loth to venture themselves, or to put themselves to trouble, to go forward in any work, this work is tedious; and thus the sluggard he stands still, and is ready to catch at any Argument, that may plead for his standing still: My brethren this is not that stand still here, that we should stand still and do nothing, and be sluggards; no, but the stand still here is, after we have gone on, and done to the utmost that we are able, that then we should stand still, and commit the work to God, as if we had done nothing at all; there is the stand still: I shall speak of more presently; As that worthy Divine said, he would labour to preach, as if he expected no assistance, and then he would expect assistance, as if he had not laboured at all; So Warriors and people in danger, they should prepare in the use of all means, as if they expected no further help, and then they should expect help from God, as if they had used no means at all; so we must use means: As that brave speech of Joab, Come let us play the