A77976:596
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 58
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.
Is there never a man or woman here in this congregation that hath committed sin and laughed at it? or made some others commit sin and laugh at it? I speak to you as in the name of God, Is there not one man or woman whose Conscience tells them, I have sworn an oath, or told a lye, and laughed at it? made another drunk and laughed at it? Dost thou laugh at sin? rejoice at sin? take heed, come in quickly, thou hadst need fall down and mourn bitterly at Christs feet; otherwise certainly thou art the man or ⟨p. 466⟩woman at whose destruction God will laugh another day. It were thy wisdom rather to howl and cry out in anguish of Spirit, because of Sin, than to make it matter of jollity and joy; Let us all take heed of making our selves merry with sin: We must not play with edge tools: There is a notable place we have Prov. 26. 18, 19. As a mad man, who casts fire brands, arrows, and death, so is the man that deceives his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in Sport? I beseech you consider this text, many of you will cozen and cheat your neighbours, and when you have done, make a jest, and mock of it that you cozened and cheated: so what the holy Ghost speaks to such a man, and this Scripture culls out that man and woman whosoever they be that ever deceived their neighbour. And afterwards when they come among their companions, laughed at it. As mad men or women (mark what the text saith) who casts fire-brands, arrows, and death; so is the man that deceives his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in Sport? and it is but a jest, and a matter of nothing, and can jeer him, when he hath done: mark, this is a mad man that casts fire-brands, arrows, and death; Oh that God this day, would cast a fire-brand, and arrows, and every sentence of death upon thy heart that hast been guilty of this, and not humbled to this day for it, Oh it is the fool as I have showed, makes a mock of sin. What? Canst thou commit a wickedness, be drunk, or unclean, or filthy, and then thou afterward go and tell thy companions, and make a sport, or a mock at sin? Thou art one of the ⟨p. 467⟩fools in Israel, and God this day casts shame in thy face; thou hast shame cast in thy face even by the Almighty this day out of his Word. Certainly Brethren, if we understand what the evil of Sin is, when we are in any company, where men and women be never so merry;