A77976:603
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 59
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.
Use VIII. IF there be so much Evil in sin as you have heard, Hence the Consideration of what hath been delivered, should cause all your hearts to be humbled for the sins your Consciences tells you, you be guilty of: not only those that are so full of sin, but every woman's Child hath cause to apply what hath been said, and to be humbled in their souls before the Lord for that woeful guilt they have brought upon themselves. And now I speak to every soul, for there is none here but have much sin, they be guilty of: Now Oh thou sinner whosoever thou art, charge ⟨p. 472⟩upon thy soul what thou rememberest concerning the evil of sin, charge it upon •hy own heart, labour to bring it with power upon thy own spirit; bring thy sin with all the aggravations of it that possible thou canst, and lay it upon thy heart, and labour to burden thy heart, to make thy spirit sensible of it: open thy conscience, and let in all these Truths thou hast heard, suffer the Law to come with power, and though it doth slay thee (as Paul saith, when the Law came, sin revived, and I died) though it slay thy soul, open thy bosom, and let it come: go to the very pits brink that sin endeavours to plunge soul and body in eternally; be willing to go to the pits brink, and see what there is in the very pits brink, and upbraid thine own heart for the hardness of it, and think with thy self thus, Lord, what a heart have I? I can be troubled for every little loss and affliction, but Oh the hardness of my heart, for sin I cannot be affected, it yields and stirs not; for any petty loss, or if any cross me, what a disturbance is there in my spirit then? but little or nothing for my sin; Oh what shall become of this heart of mine? what shall I do with this heart of mine, thus hardened from the fear of the Lord? what? will sin bring confusion upon the whole Creation? what shall then become of my soul, if ever I come to answer for my sin my self? Certainly my Brethren, God must have glory, and therefore we must be humbled for Sin, seeing there is so much evil in it: it cannot possibly be, but that God must expect to see all his poor Creatures that ⟨p. 473⟩have been so guilty, to lie down abased, and humbled, as poor, wretched, miserable, forlorn undone Creatures by reason of sin. It is a mighty dishonour to God that ever we have sinned thus against him, as we have done: but that we should not be sensible of it;