A77976:498
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.
Corollaries and Consequences from all the former Particulars. › Chapter 50
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.
I remember in the story of Erancis Spira, he saith thus (because his friends thought it a kind of Frenzy, and that it was not trouble of Conscience for sin) Oh saith he to his friends, I would to God it were Frenzy, either feigned or real; if it were feigned Frenzy, ⟨p. 387⟩then I could put it off when I pleased: if it were a real Frenzy, there were a great deal more hope of Gods mercy, I should not apprehend Gods wrath as I do, but it is otherwise with me. Brethren, those that have felt trouble of Conscience for sin, upon whose hearts God hath settled, but the guilt of any one sin: what do you think of trouble of Conscience for sin? they feel reality, they find that there is really unto them, that which is a greater burden, and grief, and trouble than all the miseries of the world. Dreadful expressions are many of them that Francis Spir•• hath, which is a most dreadful example of horror of Conscience for sin; Oh! (saith he) I feel the very torments of hell within me, and this afflicts my Conscience with intolerable pain: Oh! that some body would let out this tired soul out of my body; Oh! that I were in the place of the damned, that I might be but free from FEARING any thing that is yet WORSE to come. For though he did acknowledge, there was greater torments in hell, yet he professed he did desire to be in hell, that he might be freed from the torture of his Spirit, that was still in fear of worse, that was to come. And verily a most hideous story it is, that shows the dreadfulness of a wounded and troubled Conscience for Sin.
I remember in the storie of Erancis Spira, he saith thus (because his friends thought it a kind of Frenzie, and that it was not trouble of Conscience for sin) Oh saith he to his friends, I would to God it were Frenzie, either feigned or real; if it were feigned Frenzie, ⟨p. 387⟩then I could put it off when I pleased: if it were a real Frenzie, there were a great deal more hope of Gods mercy, I should not apprehend Gods wrath as I do, but it is otherwise with me. Brethren, those that have felt trouble of Conscience for sin, upon whose hearts God hath setled, but the guilt of any one sin: what do you think of trouble of Conscience for sin? they feel reallitie, they find that there is reallie unto them, that which is a greater burthen, and grief, and trouble than all the miseries of the world. Dreadful expressions are many of them that Francis Spir hath, which is a most dreadful example of horror of Conscience for sin; Oh! (saith he) I feel the very torments of hell within me, and this afflicts my Conscience with intolleroble pain: Oh! that some body would let out this tyred soul out of my body; Oh! that I were in the place of the damned, that I might be but free from FEARING any thing that is yet WORSE to come. For though he did acknowledg, there was greater torments in hell, yet he professed he did desire to be in hell, that he might be freed from the torture of his Spirit, that was still in fear of worse, that was to come. And verily a most hidious story it is, that shews the dreadfulness of a wounded and troubled Conscience for Sin.