A64834:309
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 evidence their hatred of sin as sin, and not for by-respects, thus, that they abhor all their secret sins, which none knows but themselves, yea such as they know not by themselves, but only God knows them: they hate that which none can accuse them for, or lay to their charge as guilty of, Psa. 19.12. Lord, who knows the error of his way? and as S. Paul, though I know nothing by my self, yet, &c. 1 Cor. 4.4. the heart of man is such a maze, as man himself cannot find out all the windings of it; such a deep, as man himself cannot fathom it; so deceitful, that man himself doth not know it, only God searcheth it: Well, this being so, Lord cleanse me from my secret errors, undiscerned and unknown, yea, by me unknowable errors and extravagances: 'tis meet to be said to God, as Job 34.32. that which I know not (viz. wherein I have done amiss) that show thou me: A man doth many things amiss, which scape his own observation, as much as that of others, and of these would a good man be cleansed: these create no trouble to his conscience, but only they are against God, though unknown to him, and therefore would be rid of them, that they might not lodge in his heart, though as strangers and unknown. Yea
3 They evidence their hatred of sin as sin, and not for by-respects, thus, that they abhor all their secret sins, which none knows but themselves, yea such as they know not by themselves, but only God knows them: they hate that which none can accuse them for, or lay to their charge as guilty of, Psa. 19.12. Lord, who knows the error of his way? and as S. Paul, though I know nothing by my self, yet, &c. 1 Cor. 4.4. the heart of man is such a maze, as man himself cannot find out all the windings of it; such a deep, as man himself cannot fathom it; so deceitful, that man himself doth not know it, only God searcheth it: Well, this being so, Lord cleanse me from my secret errors, undiscern'd and unknown, yea, by me unknowable errors and extravagancies: 'tis meet to be said to God, as