A64834:501
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.
4. I infer from hence, §41that no sin is to be committed on any terms, or on any account or reason whatsoever, because 'tis contrary to God, against his will and glory; this reason over-balanceth and out-weighs any reason that can be given for sinning; let sin and sinners plead never so plausibly, how gainful or pleasureful sin is, yet (as 'twas said of a Roman Embassador, Romanus tamen) 'tis a sin, i. e. 'tis against God, which is a greater reason why it should not, then any can be alleged, why it should be committed, or so much as debated, whether it should or not: for no reason can equal this, that 'tis against God. 'Tis a common saying by which persons excuse their own and other mens sins, that they are no mans foes but their own, they wrong none but themselves; if that were as true as 'tis false, yet therefore sin should not be committed; but sinners are Gods foes, they are injurious to God, which is more then being so to any other or themselves: as we should do good, not only because 'tis good for us, but because 'twill glorify God, which is an higher end (and so much higher as God is above us) so we should forbear ⟨p. 240⟩to do evil, not only because 'tis against us, but because 'tis against God, who is more to be beloved by us then our selves. To sin against God admits of many aggravations, for 'tis against God that made us, yea, fighting against God that made us; we are all the off-spring of God, the children of God by the first nature, though children of wrath by corrupt nature: 'tis observable how the Genealogy runs, Luke 3.39. which was the son of Adam, which was the Son of God. Adam was, and so were we the children of God by creation, God was our Father, who made us, and woe to him that striveth with (and fights against) his Maker, Isa. 43.9. 'tis woeful sinning against God as a Maker; Oh how unnatural is it to sin against our Parents! so heinous was it, that Exod. 21.15. he that smiteth father or mother shall dye. Oh what is it then to smite the Father of our Spirits, the Father of our father and mother! if the Ravens of the Valley shall pick out the eyes of them that curse father and mother,