A64834:492
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.
Would man complain of the Devil? (as Eve did) 'tis true, he is to blame, but is not so much the cause of mans sin, as man himself is; the Devil might tempt indeed, but could not compel; so that 'tis man that sins, though tempted to sin, and though man could not prevent being tempted, yet he might have forborne to have sinned. Would man complain of God? what Action would he enter, what would he lay to his ⟨p. 235⟩charge? did not God make him in the best of Creature-state? did not God tell him what was evil, and the danger of sinning? what (may God say as of Israel) what could I have done more that I have not done? so that man must say, that he hath rewarded evil to himself by doing evil, and that his perdition is of himself, Hos. 13.9. Sinners have their option and choice, why then do they complain?
Would man complain of the Devil? (as Eve did) 'tis true, he is to blame, but is not so much the cause of mans sin, as man himself is; the Devil might tempt indeed, but could not compel; so that 'tis man that sins, though tempted to sin, and though man could not prevent being tempted, yet he might have forborn to have sinned. Would man complain of God? what Action would he enter, what would he lay to his ⟨p. 235⟩charge? did not God make him in the best of Creature-state? did not God tell him what was evil, and the danger of sinning? what (may God say as of Israel) what could I have done more that I have not done? so that man must say, that he hath rewarded evil to himself by doing evil, and that his perdition is of himself, Hos. 13.9. Sinners have their option and choise, why then do they complain?
2. The severest Judgment of God on sinners is just, if we consider the nature of sin; 'tis Deicidium God-murder, and 'tis just with God to do by sinners what they would have unjustly done by him, viz. take away from them all good and glory, displease and destroy them, because they would him: if we consider the person sinned against, and the aim of sin to ungod God, what punishment can be thought bad enough? The Schools tell us, and truly that objectively sin is infinite; Oh what punishment can be too great for so great an evil! if its deed could have answered its intention and will, God had been no more, Oh what an horrid thing is this! As none but infinite power can pardon it, so none but infinite power can punish it sufficiently: As its aim is infinite, so is its desert, and therefore though its punishment be so, 'tis but just. Seeing sin contains all evil, 'tis not strange that its punishment should be answerable and proportionate: That all sin should undergo all misery, is not unjust; God renders sufferings to man but according to his doings,