A77976:302
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.
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.
Secondly, This will come more close, and particularly to demonstrate it more plainly to you, how that Sin is more against the good of a man, than ever Afflictions and troubles can be; Because sin is most against the Image of God in man, most opposite unto the Image of God in man, it defaceth that Image: therefore it must ⟨p. 146⟩needs be a greater evil than Afflictions: For Brethren, of all Creatures in the world that God made, Angels and Men were the only Creatures that God stamped his Image upon; for as it is with Princes, they use not to stamp their Image (if they be glorious magnificent Princes they use not to stamp their Image) upon Brass, or Copper, or Leather, upon base Metals, but upon pure Metals, Gold or Silver; and it is a sign the State grows low, when the Kings Image must be stamped upon lower Metals: So here, God would have his Image stamped upon some of his Creatures; now he would not take the lowest meanest Creatures, but God takes the most excellent Creatures, as I may so say, Gold and Silver; the Angels I may compare to Gold, and the Children of Men to Silver; and God makes the same Image (as the same Image that is upon the Gold, is upon the Silver) God makes the same upon Man that is upon the Angels: the same Image of God that makes the Angels glorious Creatures, doth make Man kind to be glorious too in the same Image; and our Natures be capable of the very same Image of God that the Angels themselves have; and this is the excellency of Man-kind. Now it is needful to show the excellency of Gods Image in man, that so I may show you the evil of Sin; in that it defaceth such an excellency of man, and therefore it is more against the good of man than any affliction can be.
SEecondly, This will come more close, and particularly to demonstrate it more plainly to you, how that Sin is more against the good of a man, than ever Afflictions and troubles can be; Because sin is most against the Image of God in man, most opposite unto the Image of God in man, it defaceth that Image: therefore it must ⟨p. 146⟩needs be a greater evil than Afflictions: For Brethren, of all Creatures in the world that God made, Angels and Men were the only Creatures that God stamped his Image upon; for as it is with Princes, they use not to stamp their Image (if they be glorious magnificent Princes they use not to stamp their Image) upon Brass, or Copper, or Leather, upon base Mettals, but upon pure Mettals, Gold or Silver; and it is a sign the State grows low, when the Kings Image must be stamped upon lower Mettals: So here, God would have his Image stamped upon some of his Creatures; now he would not take the lowest meanest Creatures, but God takes the most excellent Creatures, as I may so say, Gold and Silver; the Angels I may compare to Gold, and the Children of Men to Silver; and God makes the same Image (as the same Image that is upon the Gold, is upon the Silver) God makes the same upon Man that is upon the Angels: the same Image of God that makes the Angels glorious Creatures, doth make Man kind to be glorious too in the same Image; and our Natures be capable of the very same Image of God that the Angels themselves have; and this is the excellency of Man-kind. Now it is needful to shew the excellency of Gods Image in man, that so I may shew you the evil of Sin; in that it defaceth such an excellency of man, and therfore it is more against the good of man than any affliction can be.