A64834:281
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.
3 They witness sin to be sinful, in tempting men to sin: They used to say, that surely they must be good men whom Nero hated and persecuted; so may we say, that must needs be evil, which the evil one tempts men to, as that is good which he hates and persecutes; he is the evil one, and the Tempter, Can that be good that the evil one tempts us to? Can any good come out of this Nazareth? Can any good come from hell? 'Tis enough to evince sin to be sinful, that 'tis of the devil, 'tis a clear proof of the evil of sin, that the devil tempts to it.
4 The devil tells us that sin is an ugly thing by this, that he turns himself into an Angel of Light, that he the more effectually lead us into darkness. If he should come like a devil, like an enemy, all would be shy of him; but he comes disguised, and puts on the face of a friend, and so puts tricks on us, and cheats us; and indeed doth prevail more by his wily subtleties, then by his power: If the devil had come to Eve and bespake her thus, I was once a glorious Angel, and lived above in the Court of Heaven, but I have sinned, and am cast down to hell, do thou ⟨p. 126⟩also eat the forbidden fruit, and thou shalt be like me; would this have taken? Surely no: So if he did come and tempt men to sin, and tell them 'tis the ready way to hell, would this prevail with them, to swear and whore, &c. No, no, the devil is subtle (an old Serpent) he colours and paints sin, covers his hook with a bait, &c. and draws men in ere they are aware: He is a deceiver, but least he should be known, he puts on a good garb, and clothes himself with false light, 2 Cor. 11.13, 14. And indeed as this is the danger, (least as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so our minds should be corrupted the same way, 2 Cor. 11.3.) so this disguise and subtle transformation, proves sin to be a monstrous ugly thing; why else doth the devil paint it? why doth he pretend good, when he intends evil? this proves the sinfulness of sin, that the devil tempts not in his own name or shape, he dares not say, I am the devil, I am a deceiver, I will lead thee to hell, for that would spoil his project.