Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

II. If we consult experience, and observe the case of the world in these things that are obvious to any person that will not shut his eye, against clear light; we will quickly perceive such fruits, as discover this root of bitterness: I shall propose a few things, that may serve to convince us in this point.

First, Who sees not a flood of miseries overflowing the world? and whether can a man go, where he shall not dip his foot, if he go not over head and ears is it? Every one at home and abroad, in city and country, in palaces, […] cottages, is groaning under some one thing •• other, ungrateful […] him. Some are oppressed with poverty, some chastened with sick•;s and pain, some are lamenting their losses; none wants a cross of […] sort or another. No man's condition is ⟨p. 38⟩so soft, but there is some thorn of uneasiness in it. And at length death the wages of sin, comes after these its harbingers, and sweeps all away. Now, what but sin has opened the sluice? There is not a complaint nor sigh heard in the world, nor a tear that falls from our eye, but it is an evidence that man is fallen as a star from heaven; for God distributeth sorrow in his anger, Job xxi. 17 This is a plain proof of the corruption of nature: forasmuch as those that have not yet actually sinned, have their share of these sorrows; yea, and draw their first breath in the world weeping, as if they knew this world, at first sight, to be a Dochim, the place of weepers. There are graves of the smallest, as well as of the largest size, in the church-yard; and there are never wanting some in the world, who like Rachel, are weeping for their children, because they are not, Mat. ii. 18.

First, Who sees not a flood of miseries overflowing the world? and whether can a man go, where he shall not dip his foot, if he go not over head and ears is it? Every one at home and abroad, in city and country, in palaces, cottages, is groaning under some one thing other, ungrateful him. Some are oppressed with poverty, some chastned with sick;s and pain, some are lamenting their losses; none wants a cross of sort or another. No man's condition is