A77976:550
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 53
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.
in sin, that though a man or woman had all the joys and prosperity that possibly the world can afford, yet one drop of an evil conscience, the guilt of one sin in an evil conscience, is enough to swallow up all, and make this man miserable in the height of all prosperity. Let a man be raised up as high as the world can raise him, set upon a Throne, having a Sceptre in his hand, and a Crown upon his head, having all the Pomp and Glory the world can afford; yet if sinful, yea, if he have but the guilt of any one Sin upon his Spirit, this man is a miserable man. But let any one be as poor as Job, and sitting upon the dunghill scraping his sores, if delivered from the evil of sin, this man is a happy man. I remember a Speech of Anselm that I have read; That he had rather be in Hell without sin, than in Heaven with sin: looking upon sin as so great an evil, as if to be rid of sin would make ⟨p. 428⟩a man happy under the torments of Hell: and being under the guilt of sin, it would make a man miserable, though in Heaven. Certainly then the guilt of Sin, makes a man miserable in all outward prosperity; and the deliverance from Sin, will make a man happy under all outward afflictions and miseries. So though a man be prosperous in his worldly estate, yet if Sinful, that hath enough in it to make a man miserable: especially considered in this, if there be these two Branches in it:
in sin, that though a man or woman had all the joyes and prosperitie that possibly the world can afford, yet one drop of an evil conscience, the guilt of one sin in an evil conscience, is enough to swallow up all, and make this man miserable in the height of all prosperitie. Let a man be raised up as high as the world can raise him, set upon a Throne, having a Scepter in his hand, and a Crown upon his head, having all the Pomp and Glorie the world can afford; yet if sinful, yea, if he have but the guilt of any one Sin upon his Spirit, this man is a miserable man. But let any one be as poor as Job, and sitting upon the dunghil scraping his sores, if delivered from the evil of sin, this man is a happie man. I remember a Speech of Anselm that I have read; That he had rather be in Hell without sin, than in Heaven with sin: looking upon sin as so great an evil, as if to be rid of sin would make ⟨p. 428⟩a man happy under the torments of Hell: and being under the guilt of sin, it would make a man miserable, though in Heaven. Certainly then the guilt of Sin, makes a man miserable in al outward prosperity; and the deliverance from Sin, will make a man happie under all outward afflictions and miseries. So though a man be prosperous in his worldly estate, yet if Sinful, that hath enough in it to make a man miserable: especially considered in this, if there be these two Branches in it: