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…

Oh saith another I find my affliction is such, that God with-draws▪ Himself from me in mine affliction, that is that that troubles me, and can any body be quiet then? can any body he satisfied with such a condition ⟨p. 168⟩when the Lord shall with-draw himself? were my afflictions never so great, yet if I found not God with-drawing himself from me I hope I could be content with any affliction, but I cannot find the presence of God with me in this affliction, as sometimes I have found, and it is that that troubles me, and makes me to be in such a condition as I am.

Oh saith another I find my affliction is such, that God with-draws▪ Himself from me in mine affliction, that is that that troubles me, and can any body be quiet then? can any body he satisfied with such a condition ⟨p. 168⟩when the Lord shall with-draw himself? were my afflictions never so great, yet if I found not God with-drawing himselfe from me I hope I could be content with any affliction, but I cannot find the presence of God with me in this affliction, as somtimes I have found, and it is that that troubles me, and makes me to be in such a condition as I am.

Now to that I answer thus, First it is a very evil thing for men and women upon every affliction to conclude that God is departed from them, it may be when it comes to be examined there is no other reason why thou thinkest that God is withdrawn and departed, but because he doth afflict thee, now for thee to make such a conclusion, that every time God lays an affliction upon thee he is departed▪ this is a sinful distemper of thy heart, and is very dishonourable to God, and grievous to his Spirit. In the 17. of Exod. 7. verse, you may see how God was displeased with such a kind of distemper as this is. And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the Children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord saying, is the Lord amongst us or not? Mark, they did murmur because they were brought into afflictions, but see what the Text saith, therefore the place was called Massah and Meribah, because they tempted the Lord saying, is the Lord amongst us or not? This was to tempt God; sometimes we are afraid God is departed from us, and it was merely because we are afflicted; I beseech you observe that Scripture, God calls it a tempting of him when he afflicts any, for them to conclude and say that God is departed from them. If a Child should cry out of his Father, and say that his Father is turned to be an enemy to him, because he doth correct him; this would be taken ill; I beseech you consider of this one place, it may be of very great use to you, that you may not be ready to think that God is departed, because you are afflicted.