Works of Joseph Hall, Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV.
SEuenthly, our thoughts, 7 Of that which is diuerſe from it, or contrary to it.leauing a while the conſideration of the thing as it is in it ſelfe, ſhall deſcend vntounto it as reſpectiuely with others; and therefore firſt ſhall meditate of that which is diuerſe from it, or contrarie vntounto it.
What doeſt thou here then, O my ſoule? What doeſt thou here groueling vponupon earth? where the beſt things are vanity, the reſt no better than vexation. Looke round about thee, and ſee whether thine eies can meet with any thing but either ſinnes or miſeries. Thoſe few and ſhort pleaſures thou ſeeſt, end euer ſorrowfully; and in the meane time are intermingled with many grieuances. Here thou heareſt one cry out of a ſicke body, whereof there is no part which affords not choice of diſeaſes. This man layeth his hand vponupon his conſuming lungs, and complaineth of ſhort wind: that other, vponupon his riſing ſpleene: a third ſhaketh his painfull head: another roares out for the torment of his reines or bladder: another for the racking of his gowty ioints: one is diſtempered with a watery Dropſie, another with a windie Collicke, a third with a fiery Ague, a fourth with an earthen Melancholy; one grouels and fometh with the falling ſickneſſe; another lyeth bed-rid, halfe ſenſeleſſe with a dead Palſie. There are but few bodies that complaine not of ſome diſeaſe; and that thou maieſt not looke farre, it is a wonder if thy ſelfe feele not alwaies one of theſe euills within thee. There, thou heareſt another lament his loſſe: either his eſtate is impaired by ſuretiſhip, or ſtealth, or ſhipwracke, or oppreſsion; or his childe is vnruly, or miſcarried; or his wife dead, or diſloyall; another tormented with paſsions; each one is ſome way miſerable. But, that which is yet more irkeſome, thy one eare is beaten with curſings and blaſphemies; thy other with ſcornefull, or wanton, or murthering ſpeeches; thine eyes ſee nothing but pride, filthineſſe, profaneneſſe, bloud, exceſſe; and whatſoeuer elſe might vex a righteous ſoule: and if all the world beſides were innocent, thou findeſt enough within thy ſelfe to make thy ſelfe wearie, and thy life lothſome. Thou needeſt not fetch cauſe of complaint from others; thy corruptions yeeld thee too much at home; euer ſinning, euer preſuming; Sinning euen when thou haſt repented: yea, euen while thou repenteſt, ſinning. Goe to now, my ſoule, and ſolace thy ſelfe here below, & ſuffer thy ſelfe beſottted with theſe goodly contentments; worthy of no better, while thou fixeſt thy ſelfe on theſe: ſee if thou canſt finde any of theſe aboue; and if thou canſt meet with any diſtemper, any loſſe, any ſinne, any complaint, from thy ſelfe or any other aboue, deſpiſe thine Heauen as much as now thou loueſt the earth. Or if all this cannot enough commend vntounto thee the ſtate of Heauenly Glory, caſt downe thine eyes yet lower, into that deepe and bottomleſſe pit, full of horror, full of torment, where there is nothing but flames, and teares, and ſhrikes, and gnaſhing of teeth, nothing but Fiends and tortures: where there is palpable darkneſſe, and yet perpetuall fire; where the damned are euer boyling, neuer conſumed; euer dying, neuer dead; euer complaining, neuer pitied; where the Glutton, that once would not giuegive a cruſt of bread, now begs for one drop of water; and yet alas, if whole riuers of water ſhould fall into his mouth, how ſhould they quench thoſe riuers of Brimſtone that feed this flame? where there is no intermiſsion of complaints, no breathing from paine, and after millions of yeeres, no poſsibility of comfort. And if the rod wherewith thou chaſtiſeſt thy children, O Lord, euen in this life, be ſo ſmart and galling, that they hauehave beene brought downe to the brim of deſpaire; and in the bitterneſſe of their ſoule hauehave intreated death to releaſe them: What ſhall I thinke of their plagues, in whoſe righteous confuſion thou inſulteſt, and ſaieſt; Aha, I will auenge mee of mine enemies? Euen that thou ſhalt not be thus miſerable, O my ſoule, is ſome kinde of happineſſe: but that thou ſhalt be as happy, as the reprobate are miſerable, how worthy is it of more eſtimation, than thy ſelfe is capable of?