N01064:83
A discourse concerning earthquakes. Occasioned by the earthquakes which were in New-England, in the…
A discourse concerning earthquakes. Occasioned by the earthquakes which were in New-England, in the province of Massachusetts-Bay, June 16. and in Connecticut-Colony [sic], June 22. 1705. : Also, two sermons, showing, that sin is the greatest evil; and, that to redeem time is the greatest wisdom. / By Increase Mather.A discourse concerning earthquakes. Occasioned by the earthquakes which were in New-England, in the province of Massachusetts-Bay, June 16. and in Conecticot-Colony [sic], June 22. 1705. : Also, two sermons, shewing, that sin is the greatest evil; and, that to redeem time is the greatest wisdom. / By Increase Mather.
Boston: printed by Timothy Green for Benjamin Eliot, 1706
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
3. Sin is a greater Evil than Hell. For Hell is only against the benefit & happiness of the Creature, but Sin is (as has been showed) contrary to the honour of the Creator. For Him to be dishonoured is incomparably a gr••ter evil, than for all the Repr• bate ⟨p. 62⟩Creatures in the World to be destroyed. Hell has something that is good in it, namely, considered as that which is the punishment due fo• Sin. The punishment of Sin is good, but Sin is in no respect good. It is only Evil, and has no good in it. Hence God neither is nor can be the Author of Sin. He cannot be tempted with Evil, neither tempteth he any man. But He has • made Hell to be a place of torment for Sinners, that so the glory of his Justice and Holiness may be manifested to men and Angels for ever. Isai. 30. 33. Tophet is ordained of •ld, He has made it deep and large, the pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone does kindle it. Nor would there have been such • place as Tophet, that is Hell, if it had not been for Sin. It […] Sin that has kindled the fire that is unquenchable. Sin has filled the Bot••mle•s Pit with all the fire and brimstone which is there. It is Sin that has filled it with those Treasures of wrath which can never be consumed. And therefore sin is to be more drea••d than Hell it self. It was a great ⟨p. 63⟩Expression of a Great man, who said, He had rather be thrown alive into the Flames of Hell, than to do a thing which be knew was a Sin against God.
3. Sin is a greater Evil than Hell. For Hell is only against the benefit & happiness of the Creature, but Sin is (as has been shewed) contrary to the honour of the Creator. For Him to be dishonourd is incomparably a grter evil, than for all the Repr bate