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…

A third aggravation is this, For men that are of parts and abilities, that God hath given wisdom to, for them to be discontent and murmur, that is more then if others do it. Murmuring and discontentedness it too much in the weakest, yet we can bear with it sometimes in children and women that are weak, but for those that are men, men of understanding, that have wisdom, that God employs in public service, that they should be discontent with every thing, this is an exceeding great evil; for men in their families (to whom God hath given parts and wisdom) when things fall out amiss there, to be always murmuring and repining, their sin is greater then for women or children to do it.

A third aggravation is this, For men that are of parts and abilities, that God hath given wisdom to, for them to be discontent and murmur, that is more then if others do it. Murmuring and discontentednesse it too much in the weakest, yet we can bear with it sometimes in children and women that are weake, but for those that are men, men of understanding, that have wisdom, that God imployes in publick service, that they should be discontent with every thing, this is an exceeding great evill; for men in their families (to whom God hath given parts and wisdom) when things fall out amisse there, to be alwaies murmuring and repining, their sin is greater then for women or children to do it.

A fourth aggravation Is the consideration of the freeness of all Gods mercies to us. What ever we have it is of free cost, what though we have not all we would have, seeing what we have is free? If what we have were earned then it were somewhat, but when we consider that all is from God, for us to murmur at his dispensations is very evil. Suppose a man were in a family entertained by a friend, and he did not pay for his board but he hath it given him for nothing, it's expected such a one should not be ready to find fault with every thing in the house, with servants or with meat at table or the like, if such a one that hath plentiful provision and all given him Gratis, and pays nothing for his board, should be discontented if a cup should not be filled for him as he would have it, or if he should stay a minute of an hour longer for a thing then he would, this we would account a great evil: So it is with us, we are at Gods table every day, and it is upon free-cost whatever we have: It is accounted very unmannerly for a man at his friends table to find fault with things though at home he may be bold: Now when we