A77976:428
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.
4 Nay, they are not only forerunners to give notice of what is like to be, But they be the very beginnings of the miseries of Hell: every evil a wicked man doth suffer, he may look upon it but as the beginnings of everlasting torments, if he die so, if he be not delivered from the guilt of sin, and this is that which makes it grievous: 'tis not so much the pain that lies upon a man for the present, as that he by this pain is told what he shall have for ever; it is as a summons of him to bear the wrath of God eternally; and this is that which is the beginning of that everlasting torment he shall endure. Suppose there were one to be executed, and he were to die some grievous and fearful death; well, it may be when the Tormentor comes at first, he doth but ⟨p. 337⟩a little pain his hand, put his wrist to pain, ties his hands, and he cries out of the pain of his wrist. Alas! what is this? Doth he cry for this? What is this but a preparation for those dreadful torments that are now about to be executed upon him. So all men and women in the guilt of Sin, when they have any affliction, sickness, or trouble, I say, so long as they be in that estate they may look upon it but as the girting of their hands with the cords. A little pain they be put to by the strictness of the cord that binds them, but this is but to the body, and so prepares them to be cast out into utter darkness, as you know the Phrase is, Take him that came without the wedding garment, and bind him hand and foot and cast him into utter darkness. Thy Afflictions be but as bindings of thee, they are but the beginnings of those everlasting pains thou art like to have: and that should make the least Affliction of any ungodly man or woman in the world exceeding dreadful to them; now I feel pain, but what is this but the beginning of sorrows? I am now a sinking, but how far I shall sink, I do not know.
4 Nay, they are not only forerunners to give notice of what is like to be, But they be the very beginnings of the miseries of Hell: every evil a wicked man doth suffer, he may look upon it but as the beginnings of everlasting torments, if he die so, if he be not delivered from the guilt of sin, and this is that which makes it grievous: 'tis not so much the pain that lies upon a man for the present, as that he by this pain is told what he shall have for ever; it is as a summons of him to bear the wrath of God eternally; and this is that which is the beginning of that everlasting torment he shall endure. Suppose there were one to be executed, and he were to die some grievous and fearful death; well, it may be when the Tormenter comes at first, he doth but