A64834:290
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.
2 If they find that their counsel hath not taken place, but men have sinned, then they bear witness against sin, by reproving it: Reproofs are arguments of sinfulness, for men do not reprove any for what's good; reproof argues preceding guilt: were it not that sin is odious to them, good men would not be at the cost and charges, nor run the hazard of reproving others for it; reproving others is a thankless office, and ⟨p. 130⟩unacceptable employment, for the most part: men take reproofs for reproach•• yet God having laid it on good men as their they to rebuke, and not suffer sin to lye upon their Brother, they dare not omit it, Levis. 19.17. Though Eli reproved his sons for their sins, yet he is sharply reproved for not reproving them more sharply, 1 Sam. 2. We find Samuel reproving King Saul; Is it meet to be said to a King, thou art wicked? Yet 1 Sam. 13.13. saith the Prophet to the King, thou hast done foolishly, thou hast done wickedly: and Ch. 15.22, 23. he calls his sin rebellion and stubbornness; thus cuttingly did he reprove King Saul. S. John was not afraid to tell Herod of his wickedness, and to his face too, Luke 3.19. S. Paul would not s•are S. Peter, when he sound him tripping and dissembling, Gal. 2.11. but withstood him to the face: what doth this speak, but that sin is an odious thing to good men, and they judge it extremely sinful against God and man. Further.
2 If they find that their counsel hath not taken place, but men have sinned, then they bear witness against sin, by reproving it: Reproofs are arguments of sinfulness, for men do not reprove any for what's good; reproof argues preceding guilt: were it not that sin is odious to them, good men would not be at the cost and charges, nor run the hazard of reproving others for it; reproving others is a thankless office, and ⟨p. 130⟩