The Evil of Evils

3 Again, Many complain to others, but very little between God and their own Souls in secret; their complaints be more large, when they come to them than when they are between God and their own souls in their Closets: now if it be for thy sin thou complainest, then though thou dost complain to them that through Gods blessing may help, yet thy chief complaint will be to God at the throne of grace, and there thou wilt pour forth thy soul in the bitterness of thy heart. Many come to the Minister and complain That they be wretched sinners, but scarce go to God in secret: or content themselves with some Prayers, just as they are in the Book, or the like, but never pour forth their souls in secret for sin. This is another Note that it is rather for Affliction, than for sin.

3 Again, Many complain to others, but very little between God and their own Souls in secret; their complaints be more large, when they come to them than when they are between God and their own souls in their Clossets: now if it be for thy sin thou complainest, then though thou dost complain to them that through Gods blessing may help, yet thy chief complaint will be to God at the throne of grace, and there thou wilt pour forth thy soul in the bitternesse of thy heart. Many come to the Minister and complain That they be wretched sinners, but scarce go to God in secret: or content themselves with some Prayers, just as they are in the Book, or the like, but never pour forth their souls in secret for sin. This is another Note that it is rather for Affliction, than for sin.

4 Another Note is this, If it be for Affliction more than for sin, any one that hath grief upon them, according to that grief that is upon them, they be ready to aggravate that grief: As thus, suppose a man or a woman troubled for the death of their Father, or Husband, or Wife, Oh such a ones dear friend is dead, father dead, or husband, or wife is dead; well, they be mightily troubled and perplexed for this: Now if any come and speak any thing to aggravate their sorrow, they close with it presently; as thus, You complain of sorrow for your father; I he was a loving father, and they presently close with it, and this aggravates their sorrow; and so you have lost your husband; Oh! never woman lost so precious a husband as I! so that which is spoken to aggravate that which lies upon the spirits of men and women they be ready to close withal. So now, if you would know what lies upon your spirits, when men and women be troubled, for trial, what they be troubled for, here is the art of a Minister, or a Christian to find out what lies upon the spirits of men or women; some say sin; well, but it may be its not that; how shall we find it out? Thus, Whatsoever lies upon the heart that troubles them, they will be very willing to acknowledge any thing said to aggravate it that lies upon their Spirits most. If any come and tell them of the Evil of Sin, and aggravate it, and say, This is an evil condition, and you must be humbled for it, and throughly apply the Word of God to them, to show how deeply they are to be humbled,