A77976:525
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.
2 And then for the Authority of the Word: It is a great mercy for men and women, to be in such a condition, that their heart should be continually under the authority of the Word; howsoever you think it a brave thing that you can get your hearts above the Word: but certainly it is one of the greatest mercies of God upon the earth, for God to keep the hearts of men and women under the authority of the Word. But that man or woman that thinks lightly of troubles of Conscience, such a one can slight the Word, regards it not, let what will be spoken, he can easily put it off, because the main hold that the Word hath, upon the heart of a man or ⟨p. 407⟩woman, it is upon their Conscience, the Word takes hold upon their Conscience, and brings down the heart under the power of it: but if the Word take not hold upon conscience, it takes not hold at all. But let a man or woman come to know what trouble of conscience for sin is, and what the power and authority of the word is, and how then doth the soul prise the word? no man or woman ever comes to prise the word tell they have felt the pow•er of the word troubling their conscience; then they come to prise the word. You have a famous place for this, Job 33. 16. Then he opens the, ears of man, and seals their instruction. That is, God coming upon men, in times of affliction, opens their ears, and seals their instructions; that is, makes the word come with power and authority. As a thing sealed, comes with more authority, than a blank, or a writing not sealed; Sealed, that is when the word comes with power; That, I may with-draw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man: That is, Having Sealed instruction, •he humbles the heart; First, he causeth the word to come with power, and then he humbles the heart, He keepeth back his, soul from the pit, and his life from perishing, he is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pains, (and so forth) And in vers. 23. If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness: Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down unto the pit. That is, when God comes to •eal Instruction, and to humble the heart, •and to cause pains to be