A77976:467
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.
If it be a slavery, and a great evil to be subject to men, though good men, subject to their will, and nothing else, without Law; then what an evil is it to be in subjection and slavery to the will of the ⟨p. 367⟩devil? merely at his will? and yet every wicked man is so. We should account it a very sore thing if we should come under Arbitrary Government, to be subject to the will of men. Now so long as thou remainest under the power of Sin, thou remained under the government of the devil himself; this is a sorer evil than affliction: A man were better live in any Country, though not so fruitful as England, and suffer hardship in his Estate, so he live like a Free man, than to live here, or in any other fruitful Country, and live under Arbitrary Government. This we hope for, not to be under the Wills of men, but the Laws made by them. Then it were better to endure hardship and any affliction, than bear this, to be at the will of the Devil, and full his will.
If it be a slavery, and a great evil to be subject to men, though good men, subject to their will, and nothing else, without Law; then what an evil is it to be in subjection and slaverie to the will of the ⟨p. 367⟩devil? meerly at his will? and yet every wicked man is so. We should account it a very sore thing if we should come under Arbitrary Government, to be subject to the will of men. Now so long as thou remainest under the power of Sin, thou remained under the government of the devil himself; this is a sorer evil than affliction: A man were better live in any Countrie, though not so fruitful as England, and suffer hardship in his Estate, so he live like a Free man, than to live here, or in any other fruitful Countrie, and live under Arbitrary Government. This we hope for, not to be under the Wills of men, but the Laws made by them. Then it were better to endure hardship and any affliction, than bear this, to be at the will of the Devil, and ful•l his will.