A64834:420
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.
I may here add, that in some sense sin in men (or in some respects the sin of men) is more horrible and heinous then that of Devils; I speak not of the first sins of either, but of their sins from the time that God discovered his pleasure concerning the disposal of Devils and Men. (1) The Devil hath some kind of gratification in tempting men ('tis a kind of victory being a revenge) but men do wrong and torment themselves. (2) The Devils are past hope, and grown desperate, being rejected of God, 2 Pet. 2.4. for Christ Jesus took not them on him, Heb. 2.16. they are hardened against God as punishing them; and are grown so envious, ⟨p. 194⟩that they will be revenged on man, seeing they cannot on God: if they had but a door of hope opened, 'tis probable they would not be so wicked as they are. When there is no hope, persons are more resolute, Jer. 2.25. But now for men to sin, whom God hath spared, for whom he spared not to give his own Son; men, whom God calls and woes, and even begs them to be reconciled, and be happy, for these men to sin, Oh what an horrible ingratitude is this! Oh what aggravating and inexcusable sin is this; 'tis worse then the devils sin! they sin not against second mercy and offers of grace as men do! But I hasten to sins second name, filthiness of flesh and spirit, 2 Cor. 7.1.
I may here add, that in some sense sin in men (or in some respects the sin of men) is more horrible and hainous then that of Devils; I speak not of the first sins of either, but of their sins from the time that God discover'd his pleasure concerning the disposal of Devils and Men. (1) The Devil hath some kind of gratification in tempting men ('tis a kind of victory being a revenge) but men do wrong and torment themselves. (2) The Devils are past hope, and grown desperate, being rejected of God, 2 Pet. 2.4. for Christ Jesus took not them on him, Heb. 2.16. they are hardned against God as punishing them; and are grown so envious,