The Works of Jeremiah Burroughs 8, Part · Chapter 66
CHAP. LXVI.
Uſe 16. If there be more Evil in Sin than in Affliction, Then when Sin and Affliction meet, they make a man moſt miſerable.
NOW we come to the Two laſt Uſes; we muſt inſiſt a little longer upon them: eſpecially the laſt, as having ſeveral branches.
Ʋſe XVI. Therefore if there be more evil in Sin than in Affliction; Hence, what a miſerable Condition be thoſe in, that have both theſe evils upon them, and that in a high degree. That Affliction doth make a man in a very ſad and miſerable condition, that ſence teacheth men and women; every one doth account thoſe men and women that are under great afflictions to be under great miſeries: well, but now you have heard in theſe many Sermons, how that there is another Evil, greater than all Afflictions. Now then, what if both theſe Evils come together, and concur both together to make a man miſerable? then he is a miſerable man every way. Then he is a miſerable man to Sence and Reaſon of men, to the judgment of the world; and then he is a miſerable man in the judgement of the holy Ghoſt too; in the judgment of God, and the Saints, in the Judgment of the Word: when both ſhall come and joyn together to make a man to be miſerable, ſure theſe be miſerable perſons indeed. If a Child of God ſee a man in affliction, he will not preſently judg him miſerable, becauſe he doth not know; it may be he is godlie, if he be godlie, he is not miſerable, though he be afflicted; but the world preſently judges him miſerable, becauſe afflicted: On the other ſide, the world judges him not miſerable though he be ſinful, if he be not afflicted: On the one hand, the godlie man judges that man in affliction, not miſerable, if not ſinful; on the other hand, the world judges that man not miſerable that is not afflicted, though he be ſinful. But now when both theſe be together in one man, as a ſinful man, ſo an afflicted man in a high degree; this all judg miſerie. And what a companie of moſt miſerable wretches have we in this world? how manie in woful ſtraits and extremities, for the Bodie? in their eſtates, for want of bread, for want of cloaths, in want of houſe, in want of fire, in want of all neceſſaries that can be; their bodies diſeaſed, full of pains, their bodies deformed, their very parts of Nature exceeding loathſom, unfit for Service every way, in all outward appearance, for their outward eſtates extreamly miſerable; and yet together with this extreamly wicked alſo, extreamly ſinful: go into their houſes, there is nothing but beggerie, and miſerie there, and there is as much wickedneſs and iniquitie, as beggerie and miſerie: it may be theſe poor Creatures thus miſerable, their hearts be full of Atheiſm, live without a God in the World, know not God, know not Chriſt, know nothing of their IMMORTAL SOULS, know nothing of another Life, live juſt like Bruit Creatures, in all filthie uncleanneſſe; it may be ſuffer for their wickedneſs before men, are whip't, put in the Stocks, or Cage, lie in dark Dungeons, in cold, nakedneſs, and hunger, and all for their ſin and wickedneſs: what woful Creatures are theſe, and how many hundreds, nay thouſands, have you of this kind of Creatures in this Stepney, that are ſuch objects of pittie, that me thinks ſhould make all your hearts bleed when you conſider them, and how many you have of them in this place: were it, I confeſs, that the charge of Souls in this place ſhould lie upon me, I ſhould think I had work enough to do with ſuch poor Creatures as theſe; if I ſhould live Methuſelah's daies, and ſhould make everie day to be more hours than twenty four; yet work enough for all my time; I ſhould think I had little time for any refreſhment any other way; knowing how many poor ſouls are in ſuch a condition that perhaps are not onlie outwardlie miſerable, and inwardlie poor; but their outward miſerie, encreaſeth by their inward miſerie, the one encreaſeth the other: As it is a great evil for ſin to bring affliction; ſo a great evil for affliction to encreaſe ſin as their affliction doth; there affliction puts them upon ſwearing, lying, prophanneſs, cozening, keeps them from ſanctifying the Sabbath, ſeldom come in the Congregation: I perſwade my ſelf, there be thouſands belonging to this place, ſcarce ever heard Sermon in this place, ſcarce know whether Chriſt be man or woman, ſcarce know any more than if they had lived among the Turks; and yet theſe poor Creatures live miſerable lives every way for their bodies: Alas, I ſuppoſe there be very few of theſe I preach to now, that be Hearers of me now; perhaps God may have ſome love to ſome poor Creatures that may come creeping into the Congregation, that may hear me: this Exerciſe was intended for ſuch Poor that might come in the morning, for many of the Richer ſort had rather take their eaſe, and give them room enough; they might ſupply the want of their room, and yet how few of them come here: 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 between you and them: and when you be croſt 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 neer to me? do not I everie 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 furniſh't, 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 acknowledg they be miſerable Creatures in regard of affliction, but never think themſelves miſerable in regard of ſin, they underſtand not that miſerie. 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, woful Affliction, and Sin. If there be anie here account themſelves miſerable by affliction, as I ſuppoſe (though you be not in that extremitie of povertie that others are, yet) many think themſelves miſerable by affliction, that little think your ſelves miſerable by ſin all this while: nay, ſome may be have thought themſelves ſo miſerable by affliction that you have made out and meaſured Gods intentions of good to you hereafter by that; you have your Hell here for the preſent, and therefore think you ſhall have Heaven hereafter. This is the great Argument many men and women have, becauſe they have a Hell here, therefore they ſhall have Heaven hereafter. But be it known unto thee, if together with thine affliction thou ſtill remaineſt ſinful and wicked, thou maieſt have a Hell here; and a Hell Eternal hereafter alſo. Mark what is ſaid of Sodom, unclean and filthy Sodom who lived in all manner of filthineſs like bruit Beaſts; it is ſaid of them in the Epiſtle of Jude, ver. 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorah, and the Cities, about them in like manner giving themſelves over to fornication, and going after ſtrange fleſh, are ſet forth for an example, ſuffering the vengeance of Eternal fire. Mark, Sodom ſuffered the vengeance of Eternal fire, and yet Sodom ſuffered the vengeance of preſent fire; there came fire in this world, and brimſtoue, and conſumed them for uncleanneſſe who burned in Luſt; and yet for all the fire and brimſtone upon them in this world, the Holy Ghoſt ſaith, that they ſuffered the vengeance of Eternal fire; they were ſent down from fire in this world, to Eternal fire in that world to come So certainly, many people be ſent from miſery in this world to Eternal miſery; and all the miſeries on them in this world, be but the beginnings of miſery, but as the per-boyling of fleſh to the roaſting hereafter; they have a little heat of miſery here, but 'tis but as the per-boyling to the roaſting in Hell hereafter. Know therefore, all thoſe that are miſerable here, and ſinful, and wicked; let them know, the Juſtice of God is an infinite ſtream, and there is never a whit the leſs to run becauſe of al that hath run before, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill; as in Iſa. 5. 25. after God had ſpoken of dreadful wrath againſt his people, ſaith he, Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled againſt his people, and he hath ſtretched out his hand againſt them, and ſmitten them, and the hills did tremble, and their Carkaſſes were torn in the midſt of the ſtreet; for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill. Mark, Gods wrath is ſo terrible, that hills and mountains tremble at it: We hope now, we that endured ſo much ſhall endure no more; mark what he ſaith next, For all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill: So though God have manifeſted ſome diſpleaſure, or brought woful miſerie upon thy Body, Eſtate, or Name, and yet thy heart not brought to the true work of Repentance; for all this, the hand of God is ſtretched out ſtill, and Eternally againſt thee, if ſo be thou return not from ſin. For thee to think there will be an end at laſt, becauſe thou haſt endured hard things, is juſt like the Fool I have read of, one that ſate by a running ſtream, a river, and he would have gone over, but he thought he could not yet; but there had a great deel of water run away, and he ſaw it ſtill running apace, and ſo ſate ſtill, hoping it would have done running before night, nay ſaith he, it hath run a great deal, at laſt I hope it will be dry, and never conſidered it was fed by the Fountain, and was a running ſtream: Such is the folly of many people that think becauſe that they ſuffer ſomewhat now, ere long they ſhall ſuffer no more: Doeſt thou not know Gods wrath is a continual ſtream, fed from an Eternal Fountain? Some reaſon thus, Becauſe I proſper, therefore I hope God loves me: And others reaſon thus, Becauſe I am afflicted, I hope He loves me: but both theſe Reaſons will certainly deceive thee. Oh that I had here many of theſe people to ſpeak to, I would enlarge my ſelf much to them, for my ſoul even bleeds over them: Oh conſider, thou that art under great afflictions (if God have brought any ſuch poor Creature to this Exerciſe) conſider you are under great and ſore afflictions, and ſenſible of them; Oh if thou wert but delivered from ſin and wickedneſs, the greater part of thy miſery by far, were gone and over: What wouldeſt thou do to deliver thy ſelf from miſery? thou art in woful poverty, and in painful diſeaſes, and grievous extremities; Oh if one ſhould come to help thee, he would be a good Maſter that could but deliver thee from thy woful pain, and thy miſerable poverty and extremity. We know, if God do but give a heart to turn from ſin, the greateſt of thy miſery were gone, and thou wilt preſently be in a better condition than the greateſt Emperor, or Monarch, or Prince in the world, in a ſinful condition. I would but put this to any of thoſe poor ſinful Creatures, ſenſible enough of their miſery by affliction; Suppoſe thou wert quite delivered from outward miſerie, and thou hadeſt an Eſtate given thee to live bravely, and in as great pomp as any Gentleman or Knight; ſo that thou that wert in great beggery and miſery, now comeſt to live like a man of faſhion: wouldeſt not thou think it a woful evil for thee, upon a ſudden to be put in the ſame beggery thou wert in before, in rags, and beggeſt for a farthing? If now thy Eſtate be changed, and thou rideſt in thy Coach, and haſt all thy heart can dedeſire, wouldeſt not thou account it a woful condition to be preſently put in that woful beggery and penury thou wert in before? This would ſink thy heart. Know, the commiſſion of any one ſin, is a greater miſery than if there ſhould be ſuch a change of thy Eſtate; if God ſhould give thee a heart to turn from thy ſin, perhaps thine affliction might be taken away, for it's a puniſhment for ſin; and as you know David ſaith, I have been yong, and now am old, yet never ſaw I the Righteous forſaken, and his ſeed begging their bread. And truly that he hath ſaid, I verily beleeve moſt of you may ſay, That in all your lives you never ſaw one, that you had good evidence of, to be truly godly and gracious, to go up and down as our common beggers in that woful perplexity. I do not ſay but godly righteous men may be in want and in need, but for my part I never knew any godly and righteous, but one way or other, God ſtirred up ſome to Releive them: Or if they have been forced to ſeek relief of ſome, they have gone and made known their condition to others their neighbors, and ſo they have commended them to others, and thoſe to others, and ſo they are commended from one to another, that either know them, or by the recommendation of them that do know them, and ſo are releived. But to go in ſuch an extravagant way, from door to door a begging their bread, I hardly think you can give example of any godly have been ſo: And if God would but turn the heart of ſome poor, wretched, miſerable Creature, ſo that there might appear godlineſſe in them, God would provide for them. Its true, though there be not godlineſſe, we ſhould not let them periſh, God forbid; let them not want that which is abſolutely neceſſary, let them not ſtarve; yet the Scripture ſaith, Let them that will not work, not eat; let not us do more than the Scripture commands, to give liberty in ſuch waies as increaſeth ſin; and let not us nouriſh that which nouriſheth ſin; but inquire after them that be godly, and releive them: And if poor people would depend upon God in his wayes, he would provide for them. And know if thy Afflictions ſhould not be taken away, if thy ſin were gone, thou wouldeſt be far more able to bear thy Affliction: for a man that hath a ſore ſhoulder cannot bear a burthen, but if the ſoreneſſe be gone, he can bear it the better: ſo thy Affliction would not be ſo heavy, if thou wert godly, as it is now; nay, it would be ſanctified to thee, and thon wouldeſt bear them the better. I confeſſe, this is hard to convince them that be ignorant of God & the nature of grace; but certainly there is a truth in theſe things; therefore though it be rare for God to come in with his ſaving grace into the heart of ſuch that be miſerably afflicted; though it is true, their Affliction doth not hinder, for were it not for their wickedneſſe, they might be happy; I would not make their Affliction greater than it is, they might be happy were it not for their wickedneſſe: but we ſee it ſo rare, becauſe their Education is ſuch, there is no good Principle in them, and nothing to work upon in them; being bred up in Atheiſm, therefore it is very rare. But becauſe it is ſo rare, ſo much the greater will Gods grace be, if God have ſome of theſe poor Creatures in this Congregation at this preſent, and ſpeak to their hearts; how much more rare would it be becauſe it is not often ſeen? what if God paſs by great, rich men, Noble men, Princes, and ſhall look into thy Cottage, and on thy miſerable Eſtate, and convert thy Soul, and ſhew merciemercy to thee: What! for God to ſet his heart upon thee! and give the Blood of his Son for thee! and to make thee an Heir with Jeſus Chriſt! give thee an Inheritance in the Kingdom of Glory, and in Life! to make thee come and reign with him Eternally! Oh the infiniteneſs of Gods grace, that ever God ſhould ſet his heart upon ſuch a poor Creature as thou art! Therfore go away with theſe thoughts; Oh wretched Creature, how have I lived without God in the world, and look't for nothing but a little bread and drink, and thought my ſelf happy if I could but get this; and thus lived miſerably here, and I confeſs have thought my ſelf a miſerable wretch all this while; but God hath told me this at this preſent, there is a worſe evil than all this; the evil of ſin I have been full of all my life; and put both together, how miſerable are we? and therefore the Lord be merciful to me: if God ſtrike thy heart, know, thy ſoul is as precious in Gods eyes as the richeſt man in the world, as King or Prince; the greateſt Noble man's in the Land is not more precious in Gods eyes than thine: yea, and the Miniſters of the Goſpel be ſent by God to preach Jeſus Chriſt to thee, as well as to preach to the richeſt and greateſt in the world; Chriſt came to ſhed his blood for thee, as wel as for the greateſt in the world; and the Kingdom of Heaven is opened as wide to thee as to the greateſt and richeſt; though 'tis true, thou canſt not deliver thy ſelf from outward affliction, yet thou maiſt deliver thy Soul from Hell as well as the greateſt in the world: therefore be not miſerable here, and miſerable hereafter, but look after God, and Chriſt, and Eternal Life; though thou beeſt not like to be great here, yet who knows but that thou maieſt be crowned with Glory Eternally hereafter? there is fulneſs of Mercy in God. Poor Creatures, if they ſee a Coach come, if they think a Gentleman be there, or a Noble man, how they run, and cry out, Oh good my Lord, or your Worſhip, and lift up their voyces for Alms: If an ordinary man come, they will deſire relief, and beſeech them for a halfpenny or a farthing: but if a rich and a great man paſs by, then they cry and lift up their voyces; why? becauſe they think there is more to be had. Oh know, there is fulneſs of Riches and Grace in God, to turn thy miſery to Eternal felicity; there is mercy enough in God to raiſe thee from thy low, weak, miſerable eſtate, to the height of glory and happineſs: And if God cauſe his Word to prevail with thy Soul, thou maieſt go away with the beſt dole that ever thou hadeſt in all thy life. And thus much I thought to ſpeak to thoſe poor people that were both ſinful, miſerable, and afflicted.