A77976:339
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.
they think within themselves, Oh, if it were with me as it is with such a one, it would be well, sure they have not that guilt I have, if they had they could not but be disquieted as I am.
Again, Guilt brings woeful fear upon the Conscience; no affliction can bring such fear upon the Conscience. Though there should be never such troubles and fears, and confusions in the world, alas this is not so terrible and fearful as that fear the guilty conscience hath. Take a man or woman whose conscience is delivered from the guilt of sin, such a one, though Heaven and Earth should meet, is not so much troubled. Certainly Brethren, in these great fears amongst us, that you be scared at everything, it is partly because you have not throughly made up your peace between God and your souls, and some guilt lies upon your spirits and consciences; and this indeed will make every thing terrible to you, if that lie there: Guilt upon the conscience makes God, the thoughts of God seem terrible. Now it is a greater evil for the creature not to be able to look upon God, & to have thoughts of God without being pierced with terror, than to be under any affliction in the world; sorrows, fears, and disgrace ⟨p. 273⟩and persecutions are not so terrible as this, that I am in such a condition that I cannot look up to God, nor think upon God without having the thoughts of his Majesty to be terrible to me A guilty Conscience cannot endure to have a thought of God, it is terrible to him, and therefore he labours by going into company, and sports, and business in the world, to take off the thoughts of God, because the thoughts of God pierce his heart. And so the presence of God is very terrible where guilt is upon the Conscience, and the Conscience of such a one cannot endure to come into Gods presence; nor into the Communion of Saints where Gods presence is. And he cannot endure to pray, the thoughts of that strike his heart; to go alone to pray, the presence of God when alone is extreme terrible. And this is a sadder condition than to be under any affliction: better be under any affliction than in such a case, as that the presence of God is terrible: the presence of God in Prayer, and so the presence of God in his Word; Oh the Word is terrible to such a one, the Word of God speaks nothing but terror so long as guilt remains upon the Conscience. This is worse than Affliction that that Word which is a treasure of sweetness, and goodness, and comfort to those that are gracious and godly, should be filled with terror to the soul of one that is full of guilt.