The Evil of Evils

they, it may be, are at home (many of them) mending their clothes, or perhaps at some worse exercise on the Sabbath; and thus have neither God, nor the World; are miserable here, and like to be eternally miserable. If there had been given to this Place by the Parliament, or any other, so much, as that every Sabbath day morning, sixpence a piece should have been given by way of dole; nay, if it had been but a twopenny dole, we should have had abundance; whereas now scarce any once come: And as, not many mighty, not many rich or noble come, so not many very poor, and outwardly miserable come. Me thinks when any of you look upon their condition, you should have your hearts raised to bless God that hath made a difference ⟨p. 508⟩between you and them: and when you be crossed in your families, think with your selves, Why should I be discontented because I have this or that cross? doth not God make my condition a thousand times better than many hundreds that live near to me? do not I every day, nay every hour almost in the street, see hundreds of people, I would be loth to change conditions withal? And who hath made the difference? who hath put a difference between you and them? You that have Estates, and comfortable Yoke-fellows, and Children about you, that have your Tables spread, and Houses furnished, and Lodging, and good Friends, and God hath made known Himself, and given his Ordinances unto you, and hopes of Eternal Life; Oh what a difference is between you, and such wretched Creatures as these are? And yet there are many of such poor Creatures thus afflicted, that (may be) look upon themselves, and do acknowledge they be miserable Creatures in regard of affliction, but never think themselves miserable in regard of sin, they understand not that misery. But now I speak to you who have heard these Sermons of the evil of sin, or read them, I hope by this time you come to understand what a deal of evil there is in sin, that so you may put both together, woeful Affliction, and Sin. If there be any here account themselves miserable by affliction, as I suppose (though you be not in that extremity of poverty that others are, yet) many think themselves miserable by affliction, that little think your selves miserable by sin all this ⟨p. 509⟩while:

they, it may be, are at home (many of them) mending their cloaths, or perhaps at some worse exercise on the Sabbath; and thus have neither God, nor the World; are miserable here, and like to be eternally miserable. If there had been given to this Place by the Parliament, or any other, so much, as that everie Sabbath day morning, sixpence a piece should have been given by way of dole; nay, if it had been but a twopenny dole, we should have had abundance; whereas now scarce any once come: And as, not many mightie, not many rich or noble come, so not many very poor, and outwardly miserable come. Me thinks when any of you look upon their condition, you should have your hearts raised to bless God that hath made a difference