The Evil of Evils

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, ⟨p. 533⟩and lay sin before them in its right colours: if sin trouble them, they join with it, and say, It is evil indeed, the Lord humble me, and show me more of this Evil of Sin, and they like that Word of God that lays home the Evil of Sin most. But if it be not Sin that they are troubled for, by these speakings against Sin their hearts be hardened, and their hearts rise against the aggravation of sin; but if it be Affliction, come and pity and condole them, and say, Alas! you have such sorrows, and troubles, and Oh! poor Creatures it is pity but some others should help you; I, they take this, and this aggravates their sorrow. 'Tis observable in David when he fled from Absalom, how ready he was to entertain any thing that might aggravate his sorrow. When Ziba came and accused Mephibosheth, though it were very unlikely, he presently embraceth it.

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 tryal, 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 agravate it that lies upon their Spirits most. If any come and tell them of the Evil of Sin, and agrravate 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 shew how deeply they are to be humbled,