A77976:430
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.
Fourthly, Sin is the Evil of all Evils, For it is the shame of all evils; it is that which makes any affliction to be a shame to us: I remember before in the opening the nature of Sin as it is against our own good, there I showed, Sin was a shame to the Soul; whether there be affliction or no; but now I am to show you how sin puts shame into other evils, not only brings shame to our selves, but puts a shame upon the evils and afflictions that are or shall be upon us: As thus, A Male factor is stigmatized, is branded; well, there is pain to his body in the branding, and then there is the shame that is in the brand that goeth along with the pain; and therefore it is, that it might be a Note of perpetual shame and reproach. So in Afflictions, there is the pain of the Affliction, and then there is the shame that is upon men through the affliction. Let men be branded, and if it be not for their sin, if it be for Righteousness, then their brands are honourable, let them be stigmatized never so much; let their Ears be cut off, and branded with an. S. or any other brand in the cheeks, or foreheads; if it be ⟨p. 339⟩for Righteousness; this is their honour and glory. As the Apostle speaks in a Triumphing way, I bear about with me the Marks of the Lord Jesus: and he glories in it. So for any man to be branded for Christ, he bears the marks of Jesus Christ, though there be pain, there is no shame. So in any Affliction God sends, if there be no sin, there may be pain but no shame: but when God comes upon men for sin, and by the very affliction God doth as it were point out the sin of man; Oh! then it is not only painful, but abundance of shame and confusion goes along with it. And therefore in that Text, Jer. 24. 9. God saith, He would cast them out for a reproach, and a taunt, and a by-word. For a reproach as well as trouble. The shame of Affliction comes from Sin: This is the Fourth Thing.
Fourthly, Sin is the Evil of all Evils, For it is the shame of all evils; it is that which makes any affliction to be a shame to us: I remember before in the opening the nature of Sin as it is against our own good, there I shewed, Sin was a shame to the Soul; whether there be affliction or no; but now I am to shew you how sin puts shame into other evils, not only brings shame to our selves, but puts a shame upon the evils and afflictions that are or shall be upon us: As thus, A Male factor is stigmatized, is branded; well, there is pain to his body in the branding, and then there is the shame that is in the brand that goeth along with the pain; and therefore it is, that it might be a Note of perpetual shame and reproach. So in Afflictions, there is the pain of the Affliction, and then there is the shame that is upon men through the affliction. Let men be branded, and if it be not for their sin, if it be for Righteousness, then their brands are honorable, let them be stigmatized never so much; let their Ears be cut off, and branded with an. S. or any other brand in the cheeks, or foreheads; if it be