A77976:195
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 13
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.
CHAP. XIII.
Sin wrong the Counsels of God in setting that Order in the World that he hath set.
Thirdly, Thou wrongest the Counsels of God in setting that order in the world which he hath set. To understand it know this, God in his Eternal Counsel hath set a due order in all his Creatures, they walk in an orderly way to fetch about that end that he himself did intend. As a Workman that makes a curious work, puts every wheel and piece in a right frame, and due order, that so by that order his Art hath placed in the work, the work may attain unto that end he made it for: So God hath done, he hath made all things by weight and measure in due order. God made all things good, very good, and all that one Creature might be serviceable to another; as one wheel to a curious Watch is serviceable to another, and all to bring about the end of the Workman; so God in his eternal Will and Counsel hath set all things in that proportion and order that he may fetch about his own end. But sin is the thing, and the only thing that break the order of God in the world, and strikes at Gods Work to break it all to pieces what lies in the sinner. If we should suppose that all the cunning Artificers in the whole Nation, ⟨p. 73⟩nay in all the world, should join together to make a curious work in a curious frame, perhaps they have been seven years in making of it, and at length bring it to perfection, and things be made in that order and exactness, that it is to admiration, so that this work is worth more than can be imagined, because of the curious art and order in this work: But suppose now, one should come, and (through ignorance, much more if knowingly) give it a blow and strike it all to pieces; what a mischievous thing were this? Certainly there is this in sin, for there is infinite depth of Counsel and Wisdom of God in setting all things in frame, that one thing should be serviceable to another; and at length all should come to be for Gods glory. Now there is no Creature can break the order God hath made but Men and Angels, none but those Creatures that are capable of Sin. And certainly Sin doth not only aim to break Gods order, but doth it actually; Sin brings disorder, and doth break the order God hath set: Only God by his mighty Power knows how to bring Sin it self to that, that he will have his glory from it, to take occasion at least by it to bring things into their right order again.