A64834:295
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.
1 By this, that they will not, dare not sin, though they have opportunity, and may do it with pleasure, honour and profit, as the world rates these things: Some men that do not sin for want of opportunity, would sin if they had it, they want not heart, but occasion, not inclination, but opportunity, they would sin, if tempted to sin: Others avoid sins that would bring disgrace, &c. but for pleasant, fashionable, ⟨p. 133⟩and profitable sins, they can easily embrace such; but godly men dare not sin, though all these concur; take an instance in Joseph, who when he was courted into pleasure, &c. yet even then, saith he, how, oh how, (can I find it in my heart?) can I do? how shall I do this wickedness, and sin against God! Gen. 39.7.-9. 'tis, saith he, sin against my Master, sin against thee, sin against mine own soul, but the worst is, 'tis against God; how shall I do this wickedness, and sin against God! Another instance of him there is in relation to his brethren; how ill they had deserved at his hands, what opportunity he had to be revenged, is well known yet he generously forgave them, and provided for them; and this was the reason, I, saith he, fear God, Gen. 42.18. Job also in his Apology, Ch. 31. &c. gives a full account, how odious a thing sin of all sorts was unto him, even in his prosperity, when he might (according to the course of this world) have done whatever seemed good in his own eyes, and none have said to him, what dost thou? or why dost thou thus? You shall find Balaam (after the guise and mode of hypocrites) talking and pretending like an Angel, but acting and intending like a devil; 'twas a kind of trouble to him, that he could not sin, Numb. 22.18. I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord, but it seems he would if he could; whereas a Saint would say, I neither can nor will go against, or beyond or short of the word of the Lord, if I can help it.
1 By this, that they will not, dare not sin, though they have opportunity, and may do it with pleasure, honor and profit, as the world rates these things: Some men that do not sin for want of opportunity, would sin if they had it, they want not heart, but occasion, not inclination, but opportunity, they would sin, if tempted to sin: Others avoid sins that would bring disgrace, &c. but for pleasant, fashionable,