A64834:15
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.
As to the sinfulness of sin (the Subject of the Treatise) I have indeed handled it most largely, as 'tis against Mans good and happiness, it being most properly the intent and scope of the Text; and God is so condescending, that he is pleased to treat man as a self-lover, and so to gain him, and win him by his own advantages; yea, he seems by his patience to have a concern for mans Salvation, beyond his own vindication in this world, as the Apostle gives us to believe, ⟨image 6⟩2 Pet. 3.9. And truly, this vouchsafement, self-denial, and humbling of himself, is so great and rich a goodness, that it most forcibly leads and draws us to repentance, Rom. 2.4.
As to the sinfulness of sin (the Subject of the Treatise) I have indeed handled it most largely, as 'tis against Mans good and happiness, it being most properly the intent and scope of the Text; and God is so condescending, that he is pleased to treat man as a self-lover, and so to gain him, and win him by his own advantages; yea, he seems by his patience to have a concern for mans Salvation, beyond his own vindication in this world, as the Apostle gives us to believe, ⟨image 6⟩2 Pet. 3.9. And truly, this vouchsafement, self-denial, and humbling of himself, is so great and rich a goodness, that it most forceably leads and draws us to repentance, Rom. 2.4.
As to the stile, I have not minded any curiosity, for I am still of my former opinion, that that eloquence doth injury to things, which draws us to observe it, seeing words are only for the matters sake, and should not hinder but help its promotion; fine expressions (according to what's said by a Learned and Eloquent person) fine expressions are but like the gaudy and gilded frame of a Looking-glass, which acquaints us not with our faces and features, The genuine use of a Looking-glass: yea many times the richness of the frame, doth so much amuse and dazzle the eyes of some childish persons, that they are regardless of any thing else: The Rhetoric diverts men from attending the more concerning, the instructive part of a discourse; yea, many that pretend to be Critics, make little other use of Sermons and good Books, then to censure or to applaud