A64834:244
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.
5 God witnesseth against sin by this, that it, 5and it only put him upon repenting, that he had made man, Gen. 6.5, 6. God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart ⟨p. 104⟩was only evil continually, and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart; and v. 7. God saith, It repenteth me that I have made them: The repentance of God argues a very great dislike of, and displeasure against the wickedness of man. Time was, (though 'twere but for a little while) that there was no sin, and then when God looked on what he had made, he was so far from repenting, that 'twas wholly hid from his eyes, and he was infinitely pleased; but when sin had spoiled the fashion and beauty of his work, then indeed he (speaking after the manner of men) grieves and repents: So that 'tis not the work of his hand, but the work of mans heart, that put God on repenting: Is God man that he should repent? oh what an horrible thing is that which puts the unchangeable God on changing! for such a thing repentance is, viz. a change: It repented the Lord that he had set up Saul to be King, 1 Sam. 15. and when men do wickedly, God repents that he hath done them good, Jer. 18.7.-10. If men do evil against God, God repents of the good he hath done men, but (such is his goodness) if men repent of their evil, God will repent of the evil he thought to do unto them: Now as that must be very good that puts God on repenting of the evil, so undoubtedly that must be very evil, that puts God on repenting of the good he hath done to man.
5 God witnesseth against sin by this, that it, 5and it only put him upon repenting, that he had made man, Gen. 6.5, 6. God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart