A77976:554
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.
1 This thy Pros• it cost dear▪ exceeding dear; ⟨p. 430⟩of thou make up thy reckoning, and put all in that it cost thee, you will find you be no gainers at all. When men have got any thing in possession, they usually reckon, I but, what did this cost me? thus much, or thus much; and if they see that the costs and charges comes not so high as the benefit, then they applaud themselves as gainers. Well, you have gotten Estates, Preferments, Honours, be it what it will in the world; but what did it cost you? Some sin or other, did you not strain your Conscience in that benefit you have got? And if did so, certainly if this be put in the reckoning, if there were any sin in it thou hast got nothing by the bargain: What hope hath a hypocrite though he hath gained? though he may seem to have gained his own hearts desire, yet if all be reckoned, put in what Sin it cost, and there is no gain at all. If any of you should go to Sea, and when you come there, you suffer shipwreck, and yet thou makest a shift to get home, by boat or some other way, saving your life, and when you come home, you have brought a toy or trifle to your wife; now hath this been a good voyage? do you reckon this a good voyage? perhaps it was for a toy you suffered shipwreck, and you bring this home; do you think this will make the voyage good when you have cast up your reckoning? How many men and women in the world for trifles and toys, suffer shipwreck of a good Conscience? when you look upon that you have got, it is but a trifle and a toy; you might have been happy without it, and you have ventured ⟨p. 431⟩shipwreck of a good Conscience for this; do you think your prosperity to be delighted in that you have got in sinful, and vile evil ways? I remember the Prophet when he came to Ahab, when he had gotten Naboths Vineyard by most cursed, sinful, wicked ways, 1 Kings, 21. 19. God bad him go and meet Ahab, and say, What hast thou killed, and gotten possession? As if the Prophet should say, Oh wretched man that thou art, thou hast gotten possession of the Vineyard, but hast thou killed, and gotten possession? So may I say to any wicked man or woman in the world that hath got by ways of sin; What hast thou sinned, and gotten possession? lied, and gotten possession? cozened and cheated, and gotten possession? Dost thou think good will come of this? art thou happy in the enjoyment of this? Well,