A64834:387
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.
The sum of Gospel Doctrine (preached by Christ himself, and confirmed to us by them that heard him) was and is, repentance and faith, Mark 1.15. and under these the Apostle compriseth the whole counsel of God, Acts 20.21. with 27. both these doctrines speak aloud against sin, as exceeding sinful: Repent, saith the Apostle, for the remission of sins; what an evil is that which man must repent of! and none but the God of all grace, rich in mercy, can remit and forgive? And which forgiveness argues him to be a God of great love, rich in mercy, &c. or else sin could not be forgiven, it being easier to heal diseases, &c. then to forgive sins, as our Saviour tells us, Mat, 9.5, 6. 'Tis the manifestation of his power; according to what Moses said in prayer, let the power of my Lord be great to pardon, &c. Numb. 14.17.-20. Repentance takes in many things, its made up of sorrow and shame, confession and reformation, all and every of which speak sins sinfulness: Repent, that your sins may be blotted out, Acts 3.19. If sin be not blotted out, man is undone, his name will be blotted out of the Book of Life: as Repentance, so Faith speaks against sin: Faith speaks men to be void of righteousness and life, for they both are by faith; and, as if men repent not, they will not be forgiven, so, if they believe ⟨p. 179⟩not, they will be damned; for not only they that know not God, but they that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, will have vengeance taken on them, and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, 2 Thes. 1.8, 9. And how can they escape (i. e. there's no possibility of escaping) this great damnation, that neglect the great salvation, Hebr. 2.3.
The sum of Gospel Doctrine (preacht by Christ himself, and confirmed to us by them that heard him) was and is, repentance and faith,