A64834:568
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.
3. Begin the day with thoughts of God and good things; let not fancies and vain imaginations get the start of thee in the morning: fancy and we were Play-fellows many a year, before we knew what reason and understanding was, our child-hood and youth was vanity; and you know that many times there's such an intimate acquaintance and familiarity gotten by School and Play-fellows, that its hard to break it off; but fancy and imagination (these childish things which yet have strong bold of, and strong holds in us) must be cast off, before our thoughts will become obedient to Christ, as the Apostle tells us, 2 Cor. 10.5. and therefore (mount up with the Lark) begin with God, think much and often that he sees and observes thee (Cave tibi, spectat Cato) this will awe thee, as it did them, Psal. 44.20, 21. and so it did David, Psal. 139.17, 18. If vanity get possession in the morning, 'twill strive to keep it all the day (Quo semel est imbuta recent servabit odorem testa diu) what the vessel is first seasoned with, it reserves a tang of it long after. Take a good mornings-draught to prevent the windy vapours of vain thoughts; ⟨p. 286⟩as soon as thou wakest, there are many Fiddlers at thy Chamber door to sing thee wanton Songs, but listen not to them, tell them, and all the Suitors and Clients that solicit thee, that thou art otherwise engaged, and hast business of consequence to mind; listen not to any Sirens, stop thine ear against all such Charmers, though they chant and charm never so pleasingly, for it can never be wisely nor to advantage. Thus, if when thou awakest, thou art with God in meditation, thou art like (when thou risest) to walk with God in thy whole conversation, and to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long.
3. Begin the day with thoughts of God and good things; let not fancies and vain imaginations get the start of thee in the morning: fancy and we were Play-fellows many a year, before we knew what reason and understanding was, our child-hood and youth was vanity; and you know that many times there's such an intimate acquaintance and familiarity gotten by School and Play-fellows, that its hard to break it off; but fancy and imagination (these childish things which yet have strong bold of, and strong holds in us) must be cast off, before our thoughts will become obedient to Christ, as the Apostle tells us,