A64834:620
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. Take heed of sins of Commission.
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.
6. Take heed of carnal and sinful compliance with your Customers and Chapmen in their swearing, drinking to excess, &c. have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, though you profit by them that work them, but reprove them rather, Eph. 5.11. and so you shall not suffer sin upon your brother (nor upon your selves) Levit. 19.17. otherwise 'tis to hate him in your heart, which is a great sin; for he that hates his brother is a murderer, 1 Joh. 3.15. Perhaps you will say, this is the ready way to lose our Customers, and then we may shut up shop, and run away; if that fall out, 'tis better to part with any then God, and to lose any thing rather then his favour and loving-kindness, which is better then life, and therefore much better then livelihood […] but it may not so fall out, 'tis better to tru•• God then to be beholding to the Devil, and sin; d• as you ought to do, and if bad men do not, good men may become your Customers; and when ⟨p. 325⟩your ways please the Lord, he can and will make your enemies to be (friends) at peace with you, Prov. 16.7. Whatever you do, keep a good conscience towards God and men, and though the children of this world should call you fools, yet they will call themselves fools another day, for calling you so now: 'tis undoubtedly better and more profitable to please God then men; and what will it profit thee to gain the world, and lose thy soul? we are too prone to comply with, and to be drawn away by them we get by, and have therefore a kindness for them; but consider what God saith, Exod. 34.12-15. Take heed lest thou make a Covenant with the Inhabitants of the Land, lest it prove a snare to thee, that when they do sacrifice to their Gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of their Sacrifice; intimacy, and familiarity, and trading together, may be a snare,