A77976:577
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 55
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.
and harden their hearts against them? What? You make Conscience of Superstition because sinful, and is not this Sin, as well as that? to be unfaithful, and stubborn, and stout; if you make Conscience of one sin, why not of another? therefore all you that seem to have more tender Consciences than others, and more afraid of the least sin than others; be sure you walk exactly, and especially have a care of your duty towards ⟨p. 452⟩men, with whom you walk; for they can spy you presently, if you trip.
A Second Instruction I commend to those that make Conscience of little, of the least Sin; is this, Be sure you be as yielding and tractable in all other things as possible you may, in all things lawful: I ground it upon this, Because those whose Consciences be tender, and dare not commit the least Sin, for any seeming good; they cannot but stand out rather than commit some evils, some things that they be required to do they dare not do, because sinful, it cannot be but in some things they must stand out, because they be convinced that it is a sin: now this the world judges stoutness, and pride, you make Conscience of it, but they think it pride, and stoutness of spirit, why? Cannot you do this as well as others? when alas God knows, and your Consciences tells you, that you would with all your hearts, but cannot; you should sin against, and wound your own consciences, therefore let them do what they will, you cannot do what is required; let masters rage, and be angry, and husbands be displeased, you cannot yield, your consciences will not suffer you. Now that you may convince them, that it is conscience, and not stubbornness, how shall this be known, that it is consciousness, and not stubbornness? for we cannot see into your consciences? I give you this Note to discover it, to them; be more pliable and yielding in all other things, and there, to go beyond all other women, or children, or servants. As now, if there be a woman whose Conscience cannot ⟨p. 453⟩yield to some things, and her husband is displeased because he believes it is stoutness, now that her husband may believe it Conscience and not stoutness, it concerns that woman to observe whatsoever gives content to her husband in every thing else; & to be more yielding, and pliable, and tractable, and herein denying her own will, to give content to her husband in other things, and hereby he will be convinced, sure she is not stout and stubborn in other things; why? because in this I find her more pliable, and yielding, and willing, than before. So for Servants, if you cannot yield in that your Masters would have you; strive to give him the more content in other things: Children to your Parents, in other things be more dutiful, and one neighbour to another;