A64834:622
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.
2. Grind them not by detaining the wages of the poor work-men; Oh, do not think of growing rich by the poor mans money; do not put him off till to morrow, when thou hast it by thee; if thou shouldst not doit in point of charity, much less in a case of justice. This is a crying sin, as you may read, James 5.4. Poor souls, they have wrought hard, and when they have done, they go home and cry for want of money to buy bread, and truly this cry of theirs enters into the ears of the Lord of Hosts, for so Sabaoth signifies; and though thou be too mighty for the poor, yet thou art no match for the Lord of Hosts, who takes their part, and will not always bear with thy covetousness and oppression. Oh, pay off the poor, as soon as they have done their work.
3. Grind them not by forcing upon them braided and trashy ware, because they are in your debt: You complain many times that your Chapmen break, and 'tis to be feared they may complain that you break them; either by forcing too much, or very bad commodities into their hand, which they cannot vend or put off but to their great loss. They are in your books, and for fear of your displeasure, lest you should arrest them, they are willing to take it of you: ⟨p. 327⟩but, Oh, for the poor's-sake, for Gods-sake, and for your own, and your families-sake, do not grow rich by the poor mans poverty. If you know any more beside these (for I have but little knowledge of your Mysteries) I entreat you to take heed of them. If you shall say in your heart, that he is a silly fellow that cannot distinguish away the danger and dread of all this, I list not to answer your objections: But this I say,
3. Grind them not by forcing upon them braided and trashy ware, because they are in your debt: You complain many times that your Chapmen break, and 'tis to be feared they may complain that you break them; either by forcing too much, or very bad commodities into their hand, which they cannot vend or put off but to their great loss. They are in your books, and for fear of your displeasure, lest you should arrest them, they are willing to take it of you: