A64834:569
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. If this do not do, but they haunt thee still (and like flies that are beaten off, yet they return again) then chide and check them, use severity and sharpness: we are (alas, that we are!) but too indulgent, courteous, and gentle to these bold intruding Travellers, for so they are called, 2 Sam. 12.4. There came a Traveller to the rich man (a lust to David in the case of Bathsheba, for to that it refers) and he killed another's Lamb for this Traveller, this lust; if he had but examined it, he would have found it a Spy or a Vagabond, which should not have been feasted, but sent to the Whipping-post. The reason we have so many Pedlars come to our doors, is because we use to buy and take their trifles, and the reason so many of these wandering Beggars and Gipsies knock at our door, is because we give them alms and lodging: if we did but frown on them, and execute the Law upon them, we should probably have none, or less of their company.
4. If this do not do, but they haunt thee still (and like flies that are beaten off, yet they return again) then chide and check them, use severity and sharpness: we are (alas, that we are!) but too indulgent, courteous, and gentle to these bold intruding Travellers, for so they are called, 2 Sam. 12.4. There came a Traveller to the rich man (a lust to David in the case of Bathsheba, for to that it refers) and he killed anothers Lamb for this Traveller, this lust; if he had but examined it, he would have found it a Spye or a Vagabond, which should not have been feasted, but sent to the Whipping-post. The reason we have so many Pedlars come to our doors, is because we use to buy and take their trifles, and the reason so many of these wandring Beggars and Gipsies knock at our door, is because we give them alms and lodging: if we did but frown on them, and execute the Law upon them, we should probably have none, or less of their company.
5. Turn away thine eyes from beholding vanity, avoid occasions and appearances of evil; for the world is cheated by appearances and shows, and men become thieves (occasio facit furem) when occasion is offered them, who without it, would not perhaps have thought of being so: As the heart inflames the eye, so the eye affects and inflames the heart. Curiosity to see and hear lascivious pictures and wanton songs hath often induced persons to think such thoughts, and to do such things, as else they would scarce have dreamt of; vain objects and vain discourses engender vain fancies and imaginations, and so proceed and increase to more ungodliness,