A77976:118
The Evil of Evils
The eighth book of Mr Jeremiah Burroughs. Being a treatise of the evil of evils, or the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Wherein is showed, 1 There is more evil in the least sin, than there is in the greatest affliction. 2 Sin is most opposite to God. 3 Sin is most opposite to mans good. 4 Sin is opposite to all good in general. 5 Sin is the poison, or evil of all other evils. 6 Sin hath a kind of infiniteness in it. 7 Sin makes a man conformable to the Devil. All these several heads are branched out into very many particulars. / Published by Thomas Goodwin, William Bridge, Sydrach Simpson, William Adderly, [double brace] William Greenhil, Philip Nigh, John Yates.The eighth book of Mr Jeremiah Burroughs. Being a treatise of the evil of evils, or the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Wherein is shewed, 1 There is more evil in the least sin, than there is in the greatest affliction. 2 Sin is most opposite to God. 3 Sin is most opposite to mans good. 4 Sin is opposite to all good in general. 5 Sin is the poyson, or evil of all other evils. 6 Sin hath a kind of infiniteness in it. 7 Sin makes a man conformable to the Devil. All these several heads are branched out into very many particulars. / Published by Thomas Goodwyn, William Bridge, Sydrach Sympson, William Adderly, [double brace] William Greenhil, Philip Nye, John Yates.
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1654
Title page typeset from the transcription.
THE EVIL of EVILS: OR, The Exceeding Sinfulness OF SIN. › Chapter 6
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First, It is most opposite to God who is the chiefest Good. The meanest Capacity may easily understand, That which is most opposite to the chiefest good, that must needs be the chiefest evil: I suppose the weakest in this Congregation will understand this way of Reasoning, that evil that is most opposite to the chiefest good, that must needs be the chiefest evil; but sin is that which is most opposite to God, who is the chiefest good, and therefore must needs be the chiefest evil. That then is that I must make good.
FIrst, It is most opposite to God who is the chiefest Good. The meanest Capacity may easily understand, That which is most opposite to the chiefest good, that must needs be the chiefest evil: I suppose the weakest in this Congregation will understand this way of Reasoning, that evil that is most opposit to the chiefest good, that must needs be the chiefest evil; but sin is that which is most opposite to God, who is the chiefest good, and therfore must needs be the chiefest evil. That then is that I must make good.
Quest. How doth it appear that sin is most opposite to the chiefest good?
Answ. Brethren, When I have made out this, I shall show sin to be very sinful, and the greatest venom of sin lies in this one thing I am now opening. Should I tell you never so much of the evil of sin, in the danger that comes by it, Hell ⟨p. 34⟩that follows it: should I write a Book about Hell and Damnation for sin, it hath not so much to humble the Soul in a saving manner, as this I now treat about: perhaps I might scare you in preaching of Hell and Damnation, but discovering this I now speak of, the opposition sin hath unto God; it hath more in it to humble the Soul in a saving manner, and to cause the Soul to feel sin to be most evil where it is most evil; to be the greatest burden where it is most weighty. This Point I say hath more power in it than any other; therefore let me set upon this, and see how I make this good, That sin is most opposite to God the chiefest good. There be these four things discover the truth of this.