A64834:10
Sin, the Plague of Plagues
Sin, the plague of plagues, or, Sinful sin the worst of evils a treatise of sins trial and arraignment, wherein sin is accused for being, proved to be, and condemned for being exceeding sinful : and that 1. as against God, his nature, attributes, works, will, law, image, people, glory and existence, 2. as against man, his good and welfare of body and soul, in this life, and that to come : with the use and improvement to be made of this doctrine, that men may not be damned, but saved, &c. : being the substance of many sermons preached many years ago in Southwark / by Ralph Venning ...Sin, the plague of plagues, or, Sinful sin the worst of evils a treatise of sins tryal and arraignment, wherein sin is accused for being, proved to be, and condemned for being exceeding sinful : and that 1. as against God, his nature, attributes, works, will, law, image, people, glory and existence, 2. as against man, his good and welfare of body and soul, in this life, and that to come : with the use and improvement to be made of this doctrine, that men may not be damned, but saved, &c. : being the substance of many sermons preached many years ago in Southwark / by Ralph Venning ...
London: printed for John Hancock, 1669
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.
To all that were Hearers, and to all that shall be Readers of what's contained in the following Treatise.
THE Christian Religion (as it exposeth to, so it) fits for, and is suited to Suffering as well as Glory: Yea, the All-wise God hath so ordered it, that while we are on this side the Grave, such Graces (as suppose Suffering, and are preparative to Glory) should be most exercised by us, which are to act their part, and to have their continuance only in this world; and which indeed had not had an actual being or existence, if Sin had not entered into the ⟨image 3⟩world; viz. such Graces as are Faith, Repentance, Hope and Patience: There had been no need of Faith for righteousness, if we had not lost our own; no need of, nor occasion for Repentance, if we had remained Innocent; no room for Hope, seeing we had been in a continual sight, enjoyment and possession of happiness, if we had not sinned; nor any use or exercise of Patience, when there had been no suffering, and none there had been, if there had been no Sin: The state of Innocency (before sin was) being in the next degree like to the state of Glory (when sin shall be no more) and that excludes these, and such like things; for then sorrow and sighing shall flee away, and all tears be wiped from their eyes; then Faith shall be turned into Vision, and Hope into Fruition, suffering (and consequently patience) shall be at an end, as to good and holy men.
THE Christian Religion (as it exposeth to, so it) fits for, and is suited to Suffering as well as Glory: Yea, the All-wise God hath so ordered it, that while we are on this side the Grave, such Graces (as suppose Suffering, and are preparative to Glory) should be most exercised by us, which are to act their part, and to have their continuance only in this world; and which indeed had not had an actual being or existence, if Sin had not entred into the ⟨image 3⟩world; viz. such Graces as are Faith, Repentance, Hope and Patience: There had been no need of Faith for righteousness, if we had not lost our own; no need of, nor occasion for Repentance, if we had remained Innocent; no room for Hope, seeing we had been in a continual sight, enjoyment and possession of happiness, if we had not sinned; nor any use or exercise of Patience, when there had been no suffering, and none there had been, if there had been no Sin: The state of Innocency (before sin was) being in the next degree like to the state of Glory (when sin shall be no more) and that excludes these, and such like things; for then sorrow and sighing shall flee away, and all tears be wiped from their eyes; then Faith shall be turned into Vision, and Hope into Fruition, suffering (and consequently patience) shall be at an end, as to good and holy men.