A77976:458
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.
Secondly, All Sin, it is from the Devil, either Originally, or at least by way of a Cause, helping it forward: Sin is the work of the Devil, not only a joining with him, but his work: therefore Christ is said to come to dissolve the works of the Devil: Sin is from the Devil, therefore it is said in 1 John, 3. 8. He that commits sin is of the Devil, for the Devil sinneth from the beginning; and to this purpose the Son of man was manifest, that he might destroy the works of the Devil: He that commits sin is of the Devil, it comes from the Devil. And so John, 8. 44. Brethren (these things which I speak concerning the reference Sin hath to the Devil, though they may seem hard and harsh, yet) it is to be observed, none speaks so much of Sins coming from the Devil as John, who was of the most loving, sweet Nature of any of the Disciples; and yet when he comes to speak of sin, he speaks of it in the most harsh terms that possibly can be; so that it comes not from harshness, but may stand with a loving and sweet Nature to speak of sin in the harshest terms that we can do: for John the most loving, and beloved Disciple of Christ, so full of love; and yet none spake so harshly of sin, especially in its reference it hath to the Devil, as he saith here, Joh. 8. 44. You are of the Devil, and his lust you will do: Thus Sin, the lusts of Sin come from the Devil, and it makes ⟨p. 359⟩a man or a woman to be the Child of the Devil: So the Scripture is clear it comes from him Originally; all Sin that is in you, is Originally the Spawn of the very Devil himself in your souls; and originally it comes from him: as all Sin originally comes from his temptations and suggestions, so also the Devil helps forward and furthers all sin that is in your souls, this is the evil of it. But here understand this aright, The Devil is not so the cause of all Sin, as God is the cause of all Grace, not so: It is true, the Devil hath a hand in every Sin, but not such a hand in Sin, as God hath in Grace; for God hath such a hand in the work of Grace, that he doth not only give a principle of Grace, but all the operation of Grace is so from him, as it would never stir but by him, he gives the will to work and do all; the will and the deed are from him: But all Sin is not so from the Devil, though originally it is, and the Devil puts it on;