A77976:426
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.
And so for the manner and measure of Affliction: When God comes to his Children when ⟨p. 335⟩sin is pardoned, God weighs it out: As a skilful Physician weighs out Physic, though that which the Patient takes, it may be is Poison in it self, yet the Physician will be sure there shall not be one dram too much, and there shall be enough mixed with it, that shall be proportionable to weaken the strength of that poison, that it shall do no hurt, but good: but now if he give poison to Vermin, he gives it without mixture, or weight, he never stands weighing for them, let them eat and burst themselves, he will mix no help there: when he gives Poison to Vermin, 'tis to destroy them. So all Afflictions that come to wicked men, when God comes upon them in a way of a Curse for sin, God gives it to them as we give Poison to Vermin to destroy them: but the afflictions that come to Saints, when Sin is pardoned, God gives that which indeed in its own Nature is Poison, but it is so weighed out, that there is not one dram too much, and so mixed with Ingredients of the mercy and goodness of God, as only it works good to them to work out corruption, and do them no hurt at all: Here's the difference of afflictions upon those whose sins be pardoned, and those who have guilt upon them. Hearken to this you that have the guilt of sin, when any evil comes to you, for ought you know it comes as poison to Vermin to kill you; whereas if your hearts be humbled for sin, and sin▪ pardoned, if you be under never so much affliction, it comes but as from a skilful loving Physician, that weighs out the Physic, to do the Patient good. ⟨p. 336⟩This is the Second thing wherein the Curse of affliction consists when it comes for sin.
And so for the manner and measure of Affliction: When God comes to his Children when ⟨p. 335⟩sin is pardoned, God weighs it out: As a skilful Physitian weighs out Physick, though that which the Patient takes, it may be is Poyson in it self, yet the Physitian will be sure there shall not be one dram too much, and there shall be enough mixt with it, that shal be proportionable to weaken the strength of that poyson, that it shall do no hurt, but good: but now if he give poyson to Vermine, he gives it without mixture, or weight, he never stands weighing for them, let them eat and burst themselves, he will mix no help there: when he gives Poyson to Vermine, 'tis to destroy them. So all Afflictions that come to wicked men, when God comes upon them in a way of a Curse for sin, God gives it to them as we give Poyson to Vermine to destroy them: but the afflictions that come to Saints, when Sin is pardoned, God gives that which indeed in its own Nature is Poyson, but it is so weighed out, that there is not one dram too much, and so mixed with Ingredients of the mercie and goodness of God, as only it works good to them to work out corruption, and do them no hurt at all: Here's the difference of afflictions upon those whose sins be pardoned, and those who have guilt upon them. Hearken to this you that have the guilt of sin, when any evil comes to you, for ought you know it comes as poyson to Vermine to kil you; whereas if your hearts be humbled for sin, and sin pardoned, if you be under never so much affliction, it comes but as from a skilful loving Physitian, that weighs out the Physick, to do the Patient good.