A77976:514
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 51
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.
Now in them, Usually the cause is Atheism, or slighting of God. Woeful desperate Atheism is in the hearts of many great Scholars, many pregnant Wits, many that w•ll speak much of Religion, ⟨p. 398⟩yet they are desperate Atheists in their hearts, therefore from thence it comes. Therefore when you see learned men, understanding men, go on in such and such sinful ways, and slight all that is said concerning the evil of sin, do not wonder at it; for woeful desperate Atheism lies under abundance of Knowledge, a great deal of knowledge, learning, wit, and parts; and yet slight sin: this is the Cause, the Atheism in their spirits. Compare these two Scriptures together, Psalm, 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God: and in Prov. 14. 9. Fools make a mock of sin: that is, those fools that do say in their hearts, there is no God, those fools make a mock of sin, and they think lightly of all that hath been said of the evil of sin: and what need so much ado about the evil of sin? they can slight it, and make light of it; well, it is such that make a mock of sin, as say in their hearts, there is no God; or otherwise, it comes from desperate wickedness, slighting of God: Perhaps men are not grown so far, to be plain, downright Atheists, yet they have slight thoughts of God: Oh what slighting the Majesty of God is this, for any man or woman, to think it a light matter to sin against God? or for trouble of Conscience for Sin, to be a slight matter: thus it will appear to spring from some of these Causes. Perhaps if thou thy self beest but crossed in any thing, or any thing come cross to thy will, thou thinkest it a great thing, and art troubled woefully, and art in a rage; when thou art crossed, thou thinkest it intolerable, it must ⟨p. 399⟩not be born or suffered, that any should cross you: but when it comes to cross God, and sin against him; thou hast slight thoughts of it, and it is a matter of nothing to cross God, or sin against God is a slight matter: to cross you, or to do any evil against you is unsufferable; what a slighting of God is this, that if you be crossed in your will, it is so unsufferable; and yet to have such slight thoughts of sinning against God. This is the First.