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…

Concerning the first, take this description; Christian Contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, freely submitting to, and taking complacency in Gods wise, and fatherly dispose in every condition.

I shall break open this description, for it is a box of precious ointment, very comfortable and useful for troubled hearts, in troubled times and conditions.

I shall break open this discription, for it is a box of precious o•ntment, very comfortable and useful for troubled hearts, in troubled times and conditions.

First, Contentment (I say) is a sweet [inward] heart-thing, it is a work of the spirit within doors: It is not only a not-seeking help to our selves by outward violence, or a forbearance of discontented murmuring expressions, in froward words and carriages against God or others; but it is the inward submission of the heart. Psal. 62. 1. Truly, my soul waiteth upon God; and ver. 5. My soul wait thou only upon God, so it is in your •ooks; but the words may be translated as rightly, My soul be thou silent unto God; Hold thy peace O my soul: Not only the tongue must hold its peace, but the soul must be silent: Many may sit down silently, forbearing discontented expressions, yet are inwardly swollen with discontentment; now this manifesteth a perplexed distemper and a great frowardness in their hearts: And God notwithstanding their outward silence hears the peevish fretting language of their souls. The shoe may be smooth and neat without, whilst the flesh is pinched within: There may be much calmness and stillness outwardly, and yet wonderful confusion, bitterness; disturbance and vexation within. Some are so weak that they are not able to contain the disquietness of their own spirits, but in words and behaviour discover what woeful perturbations there are within, their spirits being like the raging Sea casting forth nothing but mire and dirt, being not only troublesome to themselves but to all those they live with: Others there are who are able to keep in such distempers of heart, (as Judas did when he betrayed Christ with a kiss,) but still they boil inwardly and eat like a Canker: As David speaks concerning some whose words are smoother