A77976:241
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 21
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. XXI.
A Seventh Corollary.] If Sin hath done thus much against God, then all that are now converted had need do much for God.
A Seventh Corollarie.] If Sin hath done thus much against God, then all that are now converted had need do much for God.
Seventhly, Another is this, If Sin have done so much against God, and so much wronged God, hence it follows, That all those that have heretofore lived in a sinful way, and God hath now been pleased to enlighten them, and work upon their hearts, had need now do much for God: This follows clearly, thou didst heretofore live in ways of sin, and what didst thou do in all this? Nothing but strike at God, and wrong God all that time of thy Natural Estate, till God opened thine eyes, and awakened thy conscience: Oh think now what a deal of wrong have I done to God all my life, if I have done nothing else? well, now God opens thine eyes, Oh now thou hadst need to do much for God. If God have showed himself, and given hopes of mercy, and that he hath pardoned me; this will certainly prevail with any heart that God hath turned: What! have I done so much against God heretofore! Oh I have cause to seek the honour of God upon my hands and feet all my days, that if I can do any thing for God: What! I such a vile wretch, and yet out of Hell! yea, and hope ⟨p. 110⟩to be pardoned! Oh any thing I can do for him, though to creep upon my hands and feet all my days in this world, to suffer all the hardships in the world, shame, loss of estate, any thing in the world; no matter how great and hard the suffering be that God calls for. There is infinite Reason I should do and suffer all for God, for I have wronged God by sin, and thus we shall turn sin to grace as it were, and of Poison make an Antidote against poison, by taking advantage by sin to be more obedient unto God. You that have been swearers and wronged God that way, now sanctify Gods Name the other way: You that have broken so many Sabbaths, now sanctify Sabbaths: true, all that you can do cannot make up the wrong, but that will show thy good will, that thou wilt do what thou canst, and manifest to God and all the world, That if thou hadst ten thousand times more strength than thou hast thou couldest lay it out for God; and certainly any man or woman that have been great sinners, if God have humbled them and pardoned them, they will be great Saints for the time to come: Carry this home with you, any that have been vile, perhaps you think you have grace because you are not so vile as heretofore you have been;