A77976:623
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 62
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.
CHAP. LXII.
Use 12. If there be so much evil in sin, then it is of great concernment to be Religious betimes, and there by prevent much sin.
Use XII. Again; One Use more. If there be such evil in Sin, Then it is of great use to begin to be Godly and Religious betimes, for young ones to come to be godly betimes: why? Because they may come to prevent so much evil and so much Sin. Oh happy those that begin to be godly when young; you prevent a thousand sins, that others commit by their not knowing sin betimes. True, if there were no other use of Godliness, than merely to bring you to Heaven, then you might stay till your sick and death beds, and then be Religious, it were enough: but besides bringing you to Heaven, there is use of Godliness to keep you away from Sin and Ungodliness; and there is enough in that to countervail any pleasure: suppose you young people abstain from some pleasure, or joy that others have; the truth is, you have greater and better pleasures; but suppose you had none but keeping of your souls from sin, this merely were enough to countervail whatsoever ⟨p. 489⟩you suffer in the ways of God. There are many converted when they were old, and what would these give for to be delivered from the guilt of some sins committed when they were young? When they look back to their lives, Oh this sin I committed in such a family, and when I was an Apprentice in such a place; Oh that I were delivered from them! Oh they lie upon my heart! Oh that vanity and wickedness! Oh those oaths I swore in such a company, among young men! Oh those Sabbaths I brake! Oh those lies I told, and the drunkenness I was drawn to! Oh I cannot look back to these, but my thinks I could even tear my heart from my belly, to think what a heart I had, to sin against God, and multiply Sin against Him. Thus at the best, when God awakens their hearts, they would give ten thousand worlds to be delivered from the Sins of their Youth: And therefore now, you young ones, seeing there is such evil in Sin, Oh prevent it: You know how the Sins of Youth lay upon David, Remember not against me the sins of my youth; therefore now prevent those Sins that otherwise will lie so heavily upon you, as that you will be forced to cry out, Oh remember not against me, the Sins of my Youth: Oh it is a happy thing to see young ones good;