A64834:551
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.
The fourth and last thing I have to say is, §41by way of Caution, Take heed of living in any one (especially any known) sin. Let us lay aside all the remains of naughtiness, and the sin that doth most easily beset us, let's not have any favourite-sin, but out with right eyes, and off with right hands, rather then offend; yea, let's cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit (without and within) that we may perfect Holiness, and grow up to a perfect man, the measure of the stature of Christ Jesus. Shall we continue in sin? Oh no, not in one, God forbid; he speaks as if it were not only inconsistent, but impossible for them so to do, that have seen and tasted that the Lord is gracious: for now they see the sinfulness of sin more then they did before, as that which went about to murder God, and did indeed put the Son of God to death, and shall (say they) shall we crucify him again? King David would not drink the water that hazarded mans blood; how then, how can we do any wickedness, and sin against the blood of God, which was shed to cleanse us from our sin? Shall we take pleasure in that which put Christ to pain, and live in that which put Christ to death? Oh no, by no means: shall his love and power have no better influences and effects then? have we put off the old man, and shall we put it on again? are we dead, and shall we not cease from sin? can we say we believe in him, and not obey him? no, no, get ye hence, all ye Idols. Thus will gracious persons and new creatures both reason and resolve the case. I caution and beseech you then to take heed of ⟨p. 274⟩living in any sin, whether in Thought, Word, or Deed.
The fourth and last thing I have to say is, §41by way of Caution, Take heed of living in any one (especially any known) sin. Let us lay aside all the remains of naughtiness, and the sin that doth most easily beset us, let's not have any favorite-sin, but out with right eyes, and off with right hands, rather then offend; yea, let's cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit (without and within) that we may perfect Holiness, and grow up to a perfect man, the measure of the stature of Christ Jesus. Shall we continue in sin? Oh no, not in one, God forbid; he speaks as if it were not only inconsistent, but impossible for them so to do, that have seen and tasted that the Lord is gracious: for now they see the sinfulness of sin more then they did before, as that which went about to murder God, and did indeed put the Son of God to death, and shall (say they) shall we crucifie him again? King David would not drink the water that hazarded mans blood; how then, how can we do any wickedness, and sin against the blood of God, which was shed to cleanse us from our sin? Shall we take pleasure in that which put Christ to pain, and live in that which put Christ to death? Oh no, by no means: shall his love and power have no better influences and effects then? have we put off the old man, and shall we put it on again? are we dead, and shall we not cease from sin? can we say we believe in him, and not obey him? no, no, get ye hence, all ye Idols. Thus will gracious persons and new creatures both reason and resolve the case. I caution and beseech you then to take heed of