A64834:518
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.
1. The God that searcheth their hearts, and knows what's there, tells us that there is no peace to the wicked, Isa. 57.21. the Septuagint read it [Greek or Hebrew], there is no joy, nor peace, nor pleasure, no serenity, nor one Halcyon-day, for they are like the raging Sea, casting up mire and dirt, by reason of its rolling and disquietment: Men (to our appearance) seem to laugh, and be merry, but God sees that they have no peace within; and I had rather believe the God of Truth then lying men, for lye they do when they say, they have peace or pleasure in sin; Solomon said of laughter, it was mad, and of mirth, what does it? yea more, in the midst (or heart of laughter) the heart is sad.
1. The God that searcheth their hearts, and knows what's there, tells us that there is no peace to the wicked, Isa. 57.21. the Septuagi•t read it 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, there is no joy, nor peace, nor pleasure, no serenity, nor one Halcyon-day, for they are like the raging Sea, casting up mire and dirt, by reason of its rowling and disquietment: Men (to our appearance) seem to laugh, and be merry, but God sees that they have no peace within; and I had rather believe the God of Truth then lying men, for lye they do when they say, they have peace or pleasure in sin; Solomon said of laughter, it was mad, and of mirth, what does it? yea more, in the midst (or heart of laughter) the heart is sad.
2. The nature of the thing, viz. sin cannot afford pleasure, it being contra-natural to man: and therefore the Heathen Philosophers could say, that punishment succeeds guilt at the heels; like that, Gen. 4.7. if thou do evil, sin lies (dogging) at the door. Another saith more expressly, that punishment doth not only succeed