A77976:312
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.
Quest. Now you will say, What do you mean when you speak of the Life of God, and that the Soul of Man is capable of the Life of God, and show how sin is opposite to God? Certainly if I should come and tell you of the flames of Hell, and torments of Hell due to sin, perhaps I might scare some more that way: but for those that have any understanding, and truly know the excellency of man, their hearts will more rise upon the opening of this, than if I should spend many Sermons to open the torments of Hell to you: well then, what is this Life of God?
Quest. Now you will say, What do you mean when you speak of the Life of God, and that the Soul of Man is capable of the Life of God, and shew how sin is opposite to God? Certainly if I should come and tell you of the flames of Hell, and torments of Hell due to sin, perhaps I might scare some more that way: but for those that have any understanding, and truly know the excellency of man, their hearts will more rise upon the opening of this, than if I should spend many Sermons to open the torments of Hell to you: well then, what is this Life of God?
Answ. 1. That everlasting Principle of grace in the souls of men united unto Christ by his Spirit, whereby men come to act and work as God doth act, and as God doth work for his own glory as the utmost end. As life is a Principle whereby the Creature moves within himself unto perfection, unto that which tends to perfection; an active Principle within it self to move towards perfection, that we account life. Now that Principle whereby a man shall come to move and work just as God moves and works (still speaking after the manner of man) that is, to have the likeness of God; not in the very same thing, but the same in proportion of likeness, ⟨p. 253⟩as the Creature is capable of: How is that you will say? Thus; This is the Life of God (so far as we can conceive of him) that God is a continual act always working for himself, and willing of himself as the last end of all: the very Life of God consists in that, and in that consists the nature of Holiness. Now then when a man hath such a Principle within him as that he can work unto God, as his last and highest end, and obey God as his chiefest good, he works as God himself doth. Now Brethren, this is the Life of God that the Children of men be capable of above all other Creatures; and it is this that makes them fit to converse with God himself; I say, it is that which makes the children of men to be fit to converse with that infinite, glorious, eternal first-Being of all things: and here is the happiness of man, That he is of that Nature that he is capable of this excellency, to have to do with the infinite eternal first-Being: For many know no more excellency than to converse with meat and drink; that Swine, and Dogs, and other Peasts do: but know, you be of more Noble Natures than so; God hath made the meanest and poorest in this Congregation, God hath made you of so Noble a Nature, that you may come to converse with the infinite, glorious, first-Being of all things. As we know the excellency of men, that which puts a difference between man and man is this; that this man that lives in a mean condition, their meanness consists in this, that they spend all their days in converse with brute Beasts, and turning the