The Puritan Jeremiah Burroughs is the author of
The Evil of evils on this subject. Here is a summary of Part 1
Chap. 1 That it is a very Evil Choice, To Choose Sin, rather than Affliction.
Chap. 2 The Servants of God, have Chose the most dreadful Afflictions, rather than the least Sin.
Chap. 3 There is some good in affliction, but none in sin: (1) No good of Entity (2) No good of Causality (3) No good Principle from whence sin can come (4) No good annexed as is to afflictions, viz. 1 Of Promise. 2 Of Evidence. 3 Of Blessing. Also Five different workings of the hearts of the Saints under sin, and under affliction. (5) It is not capable of any Good, 1 Add all the good to sin that all the Creatures in heaven and earth have, yet it cannot make sin good 2 Good ends, though - To help against temptation, To do good to others, To glorify God, cannot make sin good 3 God cannot make sin good. (6) It is not comparatively good
Chap. 4 Ʋses: And Nine Consectories of excellent use, viz. 1 Sin is not the work of God. 2 Sin's promises are all Delusions 3 Sin cannot be the Object of a rational Creature 4 Nothing that’s good should be ventured for sin 5 Nothing that’s good to be made serviceable to sin 6 The mistake of making sin the chiefest good 7 Time spent in sin, lost 8 The wicked, useless members 9 Sin needeth no debate whether to be done, or not.
Chap. 5 There is more Evil in the least sin, than in the greatest affliction; Opened in six Particulars, being the General Scope of the whole Treatise
Chap. 6 Sin most opposite to God the chiefest Good, Opened in 4 Heads: 1 Sin most opposite to God's Nature 2 Sin opposite in its working against God 3 Sin wrongs God more than any thing else 4 Sin strikes at God's Being
Chap. 7 Sin in itself opposite to God, showed in 5 things: 1 Nothing directly contrary to God but sin 2 God would cease to be God, if but one drop of sin in him 3 Sin so opposite to God, that he ceases to be God, if He did but cause sin to be in another 4 He should cease to be God, if he did but approve it in others 5 Sin would cause God to cease to be, if he did not hate sin as much as he doth
Chap. 8 The workings of sin is always against God. The Scripture calls it, 1 Enmity 2 Walking contrary 3 Fighting 4 Resisting 5 Striving 6 Rising against God
Chap. 9 How sin resists God: 1 It’s a hating of God 2 It’s rebellion against God 3 It’s a despising of God
Chap. 10 Sin is a striking against God. 1 The sinner wisheth God were not so Holy, &c. 2 It seeks the destruction of God. Also sin is a wronging of God
Chap. 11 How sin wrongs God: 1 In his Attributes 2 Relation of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost 3 His Counsels 4 In the End for which God hath done all he hath done. And 1. Sin wrongs Gods Attributes: 1 His All-sufficiency, showed in 2 Particulars 2 It wrongs his Omnipresence and Omnisciency 3 his Wisdom 4 his Holiness 5 in setting man's Will above God's wrongs God's Dominion 7 his Justice 8 God in his Truth
Chap. 12. How sin wrongs God in his personal Relations 1 The Father 2 The Son 3 The Spirit
Chap. 13 Sin wrongs the Counsels of God in setting that Order in the world that he hath set
Chap. 14. Sin wrongs God in the End for which he hath made all things
Chap. 15 The First Corollary It appears by this, That but few men know what they do, when they sin against God.
Chap. 16 The Second Corollary The necessity of our Mediator being God and Man
Chap. 17 The Third Corollary That but few are humbled as they should be for sin. 1 It will not be deep enough, except it be for sin as it’s against God 2 It will not Sanctify the Name of God 3 It will not be lasting 4 Else it will never make a divorce between sin and the soul
Chap. 18 The Fourth Corollary Admire the Patience of God, in seeing so much sin in the world, and yet bearing it
Chap. 19 The Fifth Corollary Hence see a way to break your hearts for sin: And also to keep you from Temptation
Chap. 20 A Sixth Corollary If sin be thus sinful, it should teach us not only to be troubled for our own sins, but for the sins of others
Chap. 21 A Seventh Corollary If sin hath done thus much against God, then all that are now converted had need do much for God
Chap. 22 The Eight Corollary. If sin doth so much against God, hence see why God manifest such sore displeasure against sin as he doth: 1 Against the Angels that sinned 2 Against all Adam's Posterity3 See it in God's giving the Law against sin 4 See it in God's punishing sins that are accounted small 5 See it in God's destroying all the world for sin 6 See his displeasure in punishing sin eternally
Chap. 23 A Seventh Discovery of God's displeasure against sin, opened from the sufferings of Christ.
1. See the several expressions of Scripture: 1 He was sorrowful to death 2 began to be amazed 3 began to be in an Agony. 2. See the effects of Christ's being in an Agony: 1 He fell grovelling on the ground 2 He sweat drops of Blood 3 He cries to God, if it be possible to let this cup pass from me 3. There are eight Considerations of Christ's sufferings