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…

The Eighth and last thing that this quietness of Spirit is opposite to, is desperate risings of heart against God in a way of rebellion: That is most abominable: I hope many of you have learned so far to be content, as to keep down your hearts from such distempers; and yet the truth is, not only wicked men, but sometimes the very Saints of God find the beginnings of this, when an affliction lies long, and is very sore and heavy upon them indeed, and strikes them as it were in the master vein; they find somewhat of this in their hearts, a rising against God, their thoughts begin to bubble, and their affections begin to stir in rising against God himself; especially such as together with their corruptions have much melancholy, and the Devil working both upon the corruptions of their hearts, and the melancholy distemper of their bodies; though there may lie much grace at the bottom, yet there may be some risings against God himself under affliction. Now Christian quietness is opposite to all these things: that is, When afflictions come, be it what affliction it will be, yet you do not murmur, though you be sensible, though you make your moan, though you desire to be delivered, and seek it by all good means, yet you do not murmur nor repine, you do not fret, nor vex, there is not that tumultuousness of spirit in you, there is not unsettledness in your spirits, there are not distracting fears in your hearts, no sinking discouragements, no base shiftings, no risings in rebellion any way against God: This is the quietness of Spirit under an affliction, and that is the second thing when the soul is so far able to bear an affliction as to keep quiet under it.

The Eighth and last thing that this quietnesse of Spirit is opposite to, is desparate risings of heart against God in a way of rebellion: That is most abominable: I hope many of you have learned so far to be content, as to keep down your hearts from such distempers; and yet the truth is, not only wicked men, but sometimes the very Saints of God find the beginnings of this, when an affliction lies long, and is very sore and heavy upon them indeed, and strikes them as it were in the master vein; they find somewhat of this in their hearts, a rising against God, their thoughts begin to bubble, and their affections begin to stir in rising against God himself; especially such as together with their corruptions have much melancholy, and the Devil working both upon the corruptions of their hearts, and the melancholy distemper of their bodies; though there may lie much grace at the bottom, yet there may be some risings against God himself under affliction. Now Christian quietnes is opposite to all these things: that is, When afflictions come, be it what affliction it will be, yet you do not murmur, though you be sensible, though you make your moan, though you desire to be delivered, and seek it by all good means, yet you do not murmur nor repine, you do not fret, nor vex, there is not that tumultuousnesse of spirit in you, there is not unsettlednesse in your spirits, there are not distracting fears in your hearts, no sinking discouragements, no base shiftings, no risings in rebellion any way against God: This is the quietnesse of Spirit under an affliction, and that is the second thing when the soul is so far able to bear an affliction as to keep quiet under it.