The rare jewel of Christian contentment. By Jeremiah Burroughs, preacher of the Gospel to…The rare jevvel of Christian contentment. By Jeremiah Burroughs, preacher of the Gospel to…

2. It doth unfit you for duty, a man or woman that is in a contented frame, you may turn such a one to any thing at any time, he is fit for to go to God at any time, but when one is in a discontented condition, then a man or woman is exceeding ⟨p. 135⟩unfit for the service of God. And it causes many distractions in duty, it unfits for duty, and when you come to perform duties, oh the distractions that are in your duties, when your spirits are discontented; when you hear of any ill news from Sea and cannot bear it, or of any il from a friend, or any loss or cross, oh what distractions do they cause in the performance of holy duties. When you should be in enjoying communion with God, you are distracted in your thoughts about the cross that hath befallen you, whereas had you but a quiet spirit, though there should great crosses befall you, yet they would never hinder you in the performance of any duty,

2. It doth unfit you for duty, a man or woman that is in a contented frame, you may turn such a one to any thing at any time, he is fit for to go to God at any time, but when one is in a discontented condition, then a man or woman is exceeding ⟨p. 135⟩unfit for the service of God. And it causes many distractions in duty, it unfits for duty, and when you come to performe duties, oh the distractions that are in your duties, when your spirits are discontented; when you hear of any ill news from Sea and cannot bear it, or of any il from a friend, or any losse or crosse, oh what distractions doe they cause in the performance of holy duties. When you should be in injoying communion with God, you are distracted in your thoughts about the crosse that hath befallen you, whereas had you but a quiet spirit, though there should great crosses befall you, yet they would never hinder you in the performance of any dutie,

3. Consider What wicked risings of heart, & resolutions of spirit there are many times in a discontented fit. In some discontented fits the heart rises against God, and against others and sometimes hath even desperate resolutions what to do to help themselves If the Lord should have suffered you to have done, (sometimes in a discontented fit) what you had thought to do, what wonderful misery had you brought upon your selves, oh it was a mercy of God that did stop you, had not God stopped you, but let you go on when you thought to help your selves this way and the other way, oh it had been ill with you, do you but remember those risings of heart and wicked resolutions that sometimes you have had in a discontented mood, and learn to be humbled upon that.