The truly blessed man, or, The way to be happy here, and forever being…

3. The prospect the man hath of the issue of the Evil. The only inward support which a man in distress hath, is in his Hope. If he hath a prospect of an end of his trouble, it gives him something to feed upon, that is of the nature of a Cordial; and though it should be long first, yet it helps to bear more patiently: but when he feels the weight, and sees no end of it, it then makes it insupportable. Despair under trouble is the height of distress; it is a deadly discouragement, when it cometh to say as they, Ezek. 37. 11. Our hope is lost.

2. In respect of the apprehension the man hath of the Evil on his mind. Every thing is to the mind of man, as he resents it. If the man be ignorant of the Evil, he is not troubled about it; if he understandeth not the evil in the thing, he maketh a light matter of it, and that is the reason why Fools make a mock of sin, Prov. 14. 9. Which they would never do, if they knew the world of mischief there is in it. On the other hand, when men do over value the evil in the thing, it makes lighter troubles the more distressing; which is the reason why worldly crosses more perplex men, then Spiritual Plagues, and the loss of a creature comfort more oppresseth them than the loss of a Soul.

2. In respect of the apprehension the man hath of the Evil on his mind. Every thing is to the mind of man, as he resents it. If the man be ignorant of the Evil, he is not troubled about it; if he understandeth not the evil in the thing, he maketh a light matter of it, and that is the reason why Fools make a mock of sin, Prov. 14. 9. Which they would never do, if they knew the world of mischie• there is in it. On the other hand, when men do over value the evil in the thing, it makes lighter troubles the more distressing; which is the reason why worldly crosses more perplex men, then Spiritual Plagues, and the loss of a creature comfort more oppresseth them than the loss of a Soul.