August 25, 2009

Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment - Burroughs - X - Chapter 8

Required reading 
Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Chapter 8.

My notes and thoughts
After a chapter on why we should seek contentment, Burroughs now tells us why we shouldn't seek discontentment by providing five reasons why a murmuring spirit is evil.
I particularly liked his comparison of an affliction with grumbling against God: 'There is an affliction upon you and that is grievous, but there is a murmuring heart within and that is more grievous.  Oh, that we could but convince men and women that a murmuring spirit is a greater evil than any affliction, whatever the affliction!'
I thought the best section against murmuring was when Burroughs showed it was below a Christian who is:
1) a child of God: 'As if a King's son were to cry out that he is undone for losing a toy'
2) a spouse of God: 'Oh, Jesus Christ does not love to see his spouse with a scowling countenance; no man loves to see discontent in the face of his wife, and surely Christ does not love to see discontent in the face of his spouse.'
3) as the temple of God: 'And are you the temple of the Holy Ghost, and does he dwell in you, and yet for all that you murmur for every little thing?'  This point on the Holy Spirit was good, but way too brief!
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

1 comment:

Keith said...

Agreed! Murmering - discontent - is against the One who has saved us, against the One who died for us. Then on p143, If conversion includes our giving ourselves up to God how can we then grumble against him.