A64834:584
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. › 2. Against sinful Words.
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.
for he begs water to cool his tongue, which gives some occasion to think that (even in relation to Lazarus) he had sinned much with his tongue, and used hard speeches against poor Lazarus; for 'twas by him he would have the water brought: In quo peccamus, in hoc plectimur, as and in what we sin, we smart and are pained and plagued, as Dives with and in his tongue. If the tongue be set on fire of Hell while on earth, Ah, how will it be set on fire when in Hell! The sins of the mouth cry for vengeance with an open mouth, and make others cry for it too, Psal. 59.11, 12, 13. the holy man (not yet King, but Prophet) prays, scatter them, bring them down, O Lord! why, David, why so severe, what have they done? Oh, 'tis for the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, for their cursing and lying; and then he is at it again, consume them, consume them in thy wrath. This is the dreadful imprecation that the sin of their mouth occasioned this merciful and good person to make against them, and to beg God to execute it upon them. Sad will the account be that men will have to make for speaking, as for working of iniquity.
On all these considerations, let me beseech you to take heed as to your words, and, 1. let your words be few; and that not only in your commerce and conversation with men, but in your addresses to God, Eccl. 5.2. God is in Heaven, and thou upon Earth, therefore let thy words be few; which is much of the meaning ⟨p. 299⟩of our Saviour in the Prayer which he taught his Disciples, as will appear by comparing the 6, 7, 8, 9. vers. of Mat. 6. 'Tis a vanity that attends men in Religion, that they think to be heard for their loud and much speaking; silence were better then ill-speaking, yea (and many times) then much-speaking. 'Tis true, there is a time to speak, as there is to be silent (and happy they that improve it well) but yet 'tis seldom that a multitude of words are without sin; and therefore he that refraineth his lips is wise,