A64834:450
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.
More particularly. 1. Suffering may be the object of our choice, which sin cannot be; for that which is evil, and can be no other (and so is sin) cannot be the object of our volition and choice, 'tis contra-natural. If men did not call evil good, and good evil, they could never love the evil, nor hate the good: nor can fin be chosen as a means to a good; for as 'tis evil and nothing else, so it doth evil and nothing else. But now affliction, though not chosen for it self, yet for an end (a good end and effect of it) may be chosen, yea, and rather then sin; it may be chosen, though no other good thing should follow then this, that one did no evil. Instances we have of this, as the three young Worthies, Dan. 3.17. whose gallantry of spirit was such, that though they should not be delivered by their God, yet they would not (they were holily wilful) they would not sin against their God, nor so much as demur, deliberate, or take time to consider, whether they should suffer or sin, twas past dispute with them, brave and noble Souls that they were. The like we have of Daniel himself, Chap. 6. and of St. Paul in Chap. 20, 21. of the Acts, of which I spake before; I shall therefore only add this to it, which is observable, ⟨p. 215⟩That when he speaks of his afflictions, he calls them light, 2 Cor. 4.17. but when of sin, he speaks of it as a burden that pressed him down, and made him cry out, Wretch that I am! and again, we groan being burdened, 2 Cor. 5. Moses his choice is famous and celebrated all the world over; for 'twas not made when he was a Child, but when he came to (forty) years of age: and he preferred suffering, not only before sinning, but before honours, riches, and pleasures, accounting the worst of Christ (Reproaches) better then the best of the world. There is one Instance more which is more then all the rest, and that is of our blessed Saviour, who had the greatest offer made him that ever was made, and though tempted, and suffered by being tempted; yet he scorned and abhorred to sin, Math 4. yea, he endured the Cross, and despised the shame, Heb. 12.1.—4. he met the Cross, shame, and pain, and as an addition, the contradiction of sinners; yet all this he endured, rather then he would sin, for vers. 4. 'twas striving against sin: And when St. Peter would have him decline suffering, he calls him Satan, and said as to him, Get behind me, Satan: