The Evil of Evils

Use 2. And that is this, If there be such dreadful evil in Sin above all Evils of Affliction, Hence then it follows, that a man or woman may be in a most miserable condition, a miserable estate although they be delivered from affliction: I say, It is possible for a man or woman to be a most miserable creature, though they have no outward affliction; yet their condition may be very miserable, because there is evil enough in Sin to make one miserable without affliction. Most people in the world know no other miseries than that misery that comes by affliction, and they make afflictions to be the only rule and measure of a miserable condition: so much afflicted, so miserable is their estate; and so little afflicted, so happy is their estate: They think that those people that are delivered from affliction, are happy people; and those people that are under affliction, are miserable people; Oh he hath lost his estate, suffered shipwreck, hath grievous diseases in his body, is put in prison, and so lives miserably all his days: thus people look upon men and women in affliction, as if they were only miserable. Before I have done with this Use, I shall I hope, convince you, That it is not affliction, yea, all afflictions, miseries, troubles outwardly, do not make us miserable, but only sin; where there is most sin, there is most misery, though less affliction. It is a great mistake in people to judg of happiness or unhappiness by these outward things: You shall have many people when they see men and women very poor, that have no houses, nor clothes, nor meat and drink, that are ⟨p. 427⟩fain to work hard for their livings, that are sickly and weak, Oh they be in a pitiful condition: but when they see others provided of houses and land, that have attendance, and are gorgeously attired, brave diet, and good trades; these be happy men. Now the Point that hath been opened to you, will serve to rectify your Judgments in these things, and not to make afflictions or no afflictions to be the rule of happiness; but to make sin, or no sin; or less sin, to be the rule of judging of the happiness of our condition. It was the Speech of Luther, One drop of an evil Conscience is enough to swallow up all the joys in the world, all the prosperity in the world: There is so much evil:

Ʋse 2. And that is this, If there be such dreadful evil in Sin above all Evils of Affliction, Hence then it follows, that a man or woman may be in a most miserable condition, a miserable estate although they be delivered from affliction: I say, It is possible for a man or woman to be a most miserable creature, though they have no outward affliction; yet their condition may be very miserable, because there is evil enough in Sin to make one miserable without affliction. Most people in the world know no other miseries than that miserie that comes by affliction, and they make afflictions to be the only rule and measure of a miserable condition: so much afflicted, so miserable is their estate; and so little afflicted, so happie is their estate: They think that those people that are delivered from affliction, are happie people; and those people that are under affliction, are miserable people; Oh he hath lost his estete, suffered shipwrack, hath grievous diseases in his bodie, is put in prison, and so lives miserably all his daies: thus people look upon men and women in affliction, as if they were only miserable. Before I have done with this Use, I shall I hope, convince you, That it is not affliction, yea, all afflictions, miseries, troubles outwardly, do not make us miserable, but only sin; where there is most sin, there is most miserie, though less affliction. It is a great mistake in people to judg of happiness or unhappiness by these outward things: You shall have many people when they see men and women very poor, that have no houses, nor clothes, nor meat and drink, that are