A64834:51
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.
SIN, THE PLAGUE of PLAGUES; OR Sinful Sin the worst of Evils. › Of sins contrariety to God.
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.
2. 2Sin is contrary to all the Names and Attributes of God; sets it self in opposition to them all. (1) It deposeth the Sovereignty of God, as much as in it lies; it will not that the King of Kings should be in the Throne, and govern this world which he hath made: 'twas by this instinct ⟨p. 12⟩that Pharaoh said, who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know no Lord above me, I will not let Israel go, Exod. 5.2. 'Tis the voice and language of sin, Psal. 12. our lips are our own, who is Lord over us? and 'twas from hence that the Jews of old said, we are Lords, we will come no more to thee, Jer. 2.31. Thus it attempts to dethrone God! (2) It denies Gods All-sufficiency, as if there were not content and satisfaction enough to be had in the enjoyment of God, but that vanity and wickedness had more of pleasure and profit then he, whose ways are all pleasantness, and whose service is the whole of man: Every Prodigal that leaves the Fathers house doth practically say, 'tis better to be elsewhere. (3) It dares the Justice of God, and challengeth God to do his worst, Mal. 3.17. It provokes the Lord to jealousy, and temp•s him to wrath. (4) It disowns his Omniscience; Tush, say they, God sees not, nor doth the most High regard, (5) It despiseth the riches of Gods goodness, Rom. 2.4. (6) It turns his Grace into wantonness, Jude 4. It will make bold with God, and sin because grace abounds! In short, 'tis the Dare of Gods Justice, the Rape of his Mercy, the Jeer of his Patience, the Slight of his Power, the Contempt of his Love, as one doth prettily express this ugly thing: and we may go on and say; 'tis the Upbraid of his Providence, Psa. 50