A Seventh Plea

But howsoever you may lessen my affliction, yet I am sure it is far greater than the afflictions of others.

First, It may be it is your discontent that makes it greater, when (indeed) it is not so in itself.

Secondly, If it were greater than others: why is your eye evil because the eye of God is good? Why should you be discontented the more because God is gracious to others?

Thirdly, Is your affliction greater than others? Then in this you have an opportunity to honor God more than others; so you should consider, Does God afflict me more than other men? God gives me an opportunity in this to honor Him in this affliction more than other men? To exercise more grace than other men, let me labor to do it then.

Fourthly, If all afflictions were laid upon a heap together: It is a notable expression of Solon that wise Heathen (says he,) Suppose all the afflictions that are in the world were laid upon a heap, and every man should come and take a proportion of those afflictions, every one equally, there is scarce any man but would rather say, let me have the afflictions that I had before. Or else he were like to come to a greater share, a greater affliction if he should equally share with all the world. Now for you that are poor, (that are not in extremity of poverty) if all the riches in the world were laid together, and you should have an equal share, you would be poorer. But take all afflictions and sorrows whatsoever, if all the sorrows in the world were laid together in a heap, and you had but an equal share of them, your portion would be rather more than it is now for the present. And therefore do not complain, that it is more than others, so as to murmur because of that.

"However you may minimize my affliction, I am sure it is far greater than the afflictions of others."

First, it may be your discontent that makes it feel greater, when it is not actually so.

Second, even if your affliction is greater than others' — why should you be resentful because God is gracious to others? Why does His kindness to them make you discontented?

Third, if your affliction is greater than others', then you have a greater opportunity to honor God than others do. Think of it this way: God is afflicting me more than other people. He is giving me an opportunity to honor Him in affliction more than others can. He is giving me a chance to exercise more grace than others. Let me make the most of that.

Fourth, consider what the wise pagan Solon once observed. He said: suppose all the afflictions in the world were heaped together, and every person came to take an equal share. There is scarcely anyone, he said, who would not prefer to take back the afflictions they already had. An equal share of the world's total suffering would likely be more, not less, than what most people currently bear. Consider this for those of you who are poor but not in extreme poverty: if all the wealth in the world were pooled and divided equally, you would actually be poorer than you are now. But if all the sorrows and afflictions in the world were pooled and divided equally, your share would likely be greater than your current portion. So do not complain that your afflictions are greater than others' — at least not to the point of murmuring.