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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	word_n	work_v	year_n	191	3	4.8674	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64834	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 ...	Venning, Ralph, 1621?-1674.	1669 (1669)	Wing V226; ESTC R38391	212,020	400

with works he hath made his Will and concluded all without him and his speech it may be fails him and then his main work and the conclusion the shutting up of the whole matter is in his thoughts so that when he comes into the new world and continues here and when he is going into the world to come his main employment is about and in his thoughts there he began and here he ends 7. God keeps an account of and will call us to account for thoughts as well as for words and actions he hath a book of remembrance written for them that think on his Name I and for them that think on their sins too with sinful thoughts There is no thought hid from him all things are naked and open before him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 or as the words may be read before him to whom we are to give an account God knows our thoughts afar off Psal 139.2 long before they came out into words or actions Deut. 31.21 So the father saw the Prodigal while yet afar off while but thinking to return yea he doth search and try the heart to this very end that he may give to every man according to his way Jer. 17.9 10. God will judge righteous judgment not according to appearance as men do as the man thinketh so is he and so shall he be judged man judgeth our inside by our outside our heart by our works but God judgeth our outside by our inside our works by our hearts and 't is therefore we should fear God and keep his Commandments because God will bring as every work so every secret thing to judgment whether good or evil Eccl. 12.13 14. When the Lord comes he will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the heart all the secret designs and projects of it 1 Cor. 4.5 and will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ as our Gospel teacheth Rom. 2.16 Oh think then that for thoughts thou must be judged and therefore make conscience of them for not only scientia divina Gods science or knowledge but conscientia humana mans conscience will be one of the books opened and a witness in that day according to which men shall be judged Well then what sayest thou or what shall I say to thee hast thou thought evil lay thine hand upon thy mouth Prov. 30.32 not only if thou have done foolishly but if thou have but thought evil lay thine hand on thy mouth i. e. be humbled and abased The vanity and vileness the folly and the filthiness of our thoughts should make us ashamed And lay thy hand on thy mouth for prevention also as persons when they cough lay their hand on their mouth lest any unsavory or unseemly thing should come from them so do thou for that which we say in our hearts we shall soon say with our lips if we lay not our hands on our mouth to stop the issue of vain thoughts from flowing out into and infecting our lips and lives our words and actions This Hive of Drones will swarm if thou lay not thy hand on the mouth This Cage of unclean birds will be open and they will take their flight thy thoughts will run wast at least like water beside the Mill if thou keep not a strong hand over them Oh keep thine heart with thine hand with mighty power and suppress sinful thoughts as well as keep them from expressing themselves In relation hereunto take these directions for thine help and assistance for know this that of thy self thou art not sufficient to think one good thought nor to subdue one evil thought 1. Humbly make thine address and supplication to God in whose hand thy heart is and to whom alone heart-work doth belong he only can search it cleanse it new-make and keep it Pray to God not only that past ones may be forgiven but that thy future ones may not need forgiveness beg him to new-make thine heart and to create a clean one in thee Wouldst thou be rid of sinful thoughts pray against them lift up a prayer and cry out as St. Paul did against the Messenger of Satan and pray without fainting that if they be not removed yet his grace may be sufficient for thee Cry out as a Virgin would do in case of a Rape and God will hear the cry of the oppressed and them that groan Be often in spiritual ejaculations which will be as so many deadly darts to wound and kill sinful thoughts call in God to thy relief tell him thou canst not stand before these Troops and Armies that defie Israel and Israels God and beg him to vindicate his own Name by his own Power as he can easily do for not only the heart of Kings is in his hand but he is the King and Ruler of all hearts and can by his Word command them into and keep them in order and obedience Then 2. Do as holy David did that he might be more holy hide the Word of God in thine heart that thou mayst not sin against him Psal 119.11 apply the plaister to the sore place the heart is the seat and center of sin apply the Word there lay it up and 't will rout and root out these Canaanites and Daughters of the Land that are a grief of heart unto thee Sin is in the heart hide the Word there as in ambush to cut it off upon the first appearance of it The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit and there 's none like it to wound and kill sin withal 't is one of the weapons of our warfare which is mighty through God to cast down and cast out wicked imaginations 2 Cor. 10.4 5. put on therefore this and the whole armour of God that thou mayst be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6. He is a God that works wonders even in this matter and of this kind by his Word and Spirit hide this Word then which is the sword of the Spirit and by which he atchieves such glorious conquests over hearts and thoughts 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

see what a deadly destructive and killing thing thy sin is Bvery mouth must be stopped there 's no room for complaint against God or his Law for thou art as all others are by becoming guilty sallen short of the glory and subject to the judgment of God Rom. 3 -19.-23 So that by the Commandment sin appears to be a desperate malignant thing the proper true and only cause of mans condemnation and death From this brief yet clear account of the Text and Context these following truths are deducible 1. Observations from the Text. That the Law of God in whole and every part is good not only not sin i. e. culpable or criminal as v. 7. or only holy and just v. 12. or spiritual v. 14. but good v. 12 13. good not only in it self but relatively in its institution with respect to man for 't was ordain'd to life v. 10. Yet 2. This good Law transgressed makes man over to death Patience that temperate and harmless thing if abused turns to rage and fury so the Law good though it be yet abused it condemns and kills But 3. Though the Law condemn mans fault and man for his fault yet still the Law is good and is not to blame nor to be blam'd The Law is as good as ever 't was 't is to be justified by man even then when it condemns man As man had no reason to break the Law so none to sind fault with the Law though it bind men over to death for breaking of it For 4. 'T is not the Law but sin that works mans death and ruine sin aims at no less and if grace prevent not it will end in no less for the end and wages of sin is death Rom. 6.21 22. Yet 5. Sin 't is true worketh mans death and destruction by that which is good scil the Law when sin hath used man to break the Law it useth the Law to break man to undo him by condemnation and death And 6. Sin is therefore exceeding sinful and wicked most unmeasurably spiteful poysonous and pernicious because it kills men and not only so but kills them by that which is good and was appointed to man for life it turns food into poyson ut agnoscatur quam sceleratus peccator sit hoc peccatum quam pestisera res dum per mandatum rem salutiferam exserit virus suum Clarius Like the horrid and cursed wickedness our stories tell us of so wickedly committed in poysoning a man yea a King by the Cup of Blessing So that 7. And lastly Sin by the Commandment appears to be excessively sinful Vt evidens sit quam perniciosum quam grave quam scelestum sit ipsum peccatum Zegerus If we look on this through the Microscope-glass of the Law it will appear a most hideous devillish and hellish thing the most wicked villanous mischievous virulent and deadly thing that ever was Sinful sin worse then the Devil c. of which anone I may not prosecute any of these particulars apart for I shall have occasion enough to speak to every and each of them in handling the sinfulness of sin in relation whereunto I intend to observe this method and to manifest thereby 1. What sin is The subject and method of handling it the thing so much and so deservedly evil spoken of whereof none can speak well but they that speak ill of it for they speak best who speak the worst of sin 2. Wherein the sinfulness of sin doth especially consist and so to lay open not only its effects but its nature also 3. What witness and evidence there is to make good this Indictment and Charge against Sin that it is so vile and abominable so sinful as the Apostle calls it And 4. What use and improvement is to be made of the Doctrine of Sins excessive sinfulness 1. To begin with the subject 1 Wh●● 〈◊〉 is and to shew what sin is Sin is the transgression of a Law yea of a good Law yea of a Gods Law Sin supposeth a Law in being for where there is no Law there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 but where there is sin there is a Law and a transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law for sin is a transgression of the Law and this is the sin intended here in the Text as appears by v. 7. Now the Law not only forbids the doing of evil whether by thought word or deed but also commands the doing of good so that to omit the good commanded is sin as well or ill as is the doing of the evil that is forbidden against the fruits of the spirit there is no Law but against the works of the flesh as the opposition holds there is Law for they are all against the Law as the Apostle tells us Galat. 5 19.-24 what ever then doth transgress the Law of God in whole or in part James 2.10 is therefore and is therein a sin whither it break an affirmative or a negative precept i. e. whither it be the omission of good or commission of evil 2. 2 Wherein the sinfulness of sin To proceed and lay open wherein especially the sinfulness of sin doth consist which is easily and readily known from its definition or description just now set before us Sin being a transgression of Gods Law which is not only holy and just as made and given by an holy and just God but good also as it respects man for whom God made it according to the Text and Context and as 't is in Deuter. 5.29 and 6.24 with many other places I say sin being a transgression of Gods Law which was made for mans good the sinfulness of sin must needs lie in this that it is contrary 1. To God 2. To Man These then are the two Heads I shall insist upon to declare the malignity and wicked nature of sinful sin and both these are evident from the Law for by it as our Text speaks sin appears sin and by the Commandment sin clearly and undeniably becomes most exceeding hyperbolically or above measure sinful i. e. extremely guilty of displeafing and dishonoring God of debasing and destroying man and on both accounts justly obnoxious to and deservingly worthy of the hatred of God and man as to which I do heartily wish the issue to be that man may hate it as God doth who hates it and nothing else but it or to be sure he hates none but for it Of sins contrariety to God 1. 1 Sin is contrary to God Then the sinfulness of sin not only appears by but consists in this that 't is contrary to God yea contrariety and enemity it self in the very abstract Carnal men or sinners are called by the name of enemies to God Rom 5.8 with 10. Col. 1.21 but the carnal mind or sin is called enmity it self Rom. 8.7 and accordingly it and its acts are exprest by names of enmity and acts of hostility as walking contrary to

the Revelations of God a Treasure is put into their hand but they such fools as know not how to use it Prov. 17.16 God hath been pleased in and by Christ Jesus to declare his mind to us 1 Cor. 2.16 His Gospel and grace hath appeared teaching us Tit. 2.11 12. But alas how do men pervert the Gospel turn grace into wantonness Jude 4. and sin abundantly because grace abounds What strivings and struglings reluctances and oppositions against the Gospel How do men stumble and kick at and against Christ Jesus instead of building on him as the Corner-stone as a Rock and sure Foundation How angry are they when Jesus Christ comes by his Word and Spirit to bless them in turning them away from their iniquity When God comes in Christ Jesus and the Ministry of his Gospel to reconcile them and make them happy they take up arms and make war against him When the Gospel comes with the weapons of its warfare to pull down the strong holds and to reduce men to obedience how do they fortifie themselves When God stands at the door and knocks and woes men for entertainment how do they lock themselves up bar and bolt up their hearts against him that the King of Grace and Glory may not enter in 'T is no less a power then that which raised Christ from the dead that makes men willing to believe and obey the Gospel Psal 110.3 Eph. 1.19 Christs Messengers make glorious reports but who believes it Rom. 10.16 they stretch out their hands but to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed they beseech and entreat but men harden their hearts And among the many that seem to profess the Gospel how few practise it in words they confesse God but in works deny him they are lovers of pleasures and themselves more then of God and though they have a form of godlinesse deny the power thereof All these their wayes of not or of mis-improving the means of Gods vouchsafement I say all these their wayes are their folly It were next to endlesse if 't were possible to enumerate the follies of man He thinks More of mans folly like a fool unsteadily and rowling independently and broken inconsistently and to no purpose at randome and rovers many run wast like water beside the Mill He builds Castles in the air his imaginations are like Vagabonds See Herberts Poem of giddiness his contrivances Romantick not to mention the more wicked and sinful thoughts which if they were but known would make one man asham'd and afraid to converse with another for not only vain but vile injurious adulterous and murtherous thoughts lodge in the hearts of men that when any comes to be awakened and to be made sensible of the sinfulnesse of his heart it makes him say as S. Paul of himself I am the chief of sinners Never was any heart such a Shop of vanity such a Den of thieves such a Cage of unclean birds such a Newgate of Murtherers such an Inn and thorow fare of travelling lusts such a Court of flattery ambition pride and envy c. such a Sink and common draught of filthiness such an Hell of blasphemy as mine is As man thinks he often speaks quicquid in buccam foolishly idly proudly c. and as he speaks he acts out of the abundance or fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh and out of the heart are all the issues of life All the follies of his life are but the untying and letting loose of that folly which is bound and bundled up in his heart they are there in gross and are retail'd out as he meets with customers occasions and opportunities in the course of his life and conversation Let us view some instances and but some of mans folly which appears 1 In mans being so heady 1 His rashness hasty and rash in his undertakings There is nothing more becoming a man then deliberation and consideration it being his preheminence above the beasts beasts do act but consider not And herein is a great part of mans foolishnesse that he considers not the end of his actions Oh that they were wise and would consider their end Deut. 32.28 29. People often say I never thought of this and insipientis est dicere non putarem 't is the property of a fool to say I had not thought of this which it may be most concern'd him to think upon The simple believeth every word which he would not do but that he is simple a very fool but the prudent man looks well to his goings The wise man feareth and departeth from evil but the fool rageth and is confident Prov. 14 15 16. Did men consider what 't is they do when they sin they would abhor it who would run on his ruine who would drink his bane none but fools or mad-men did men consider that the wages of sin is death that wrath and hell attended sin surely they would be more wary Men go on and on and never think what will the end of these things be will it not be bitternesse in the latter end non-consideration is an argument as great as 't is clear that man is foolish 2 Mans folly appears in this 2 Laughing at h●s sin and misery that he laughs at and sports himself in his sin and misery It is a sport to a fool to do evil Prov. 10.23 and this sporting and jesting at sin shews him to be a fool in earnest Fools use to laugh at the shrewd turns and mischiefs which they do Sinners are such fools that they make sin their trade they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are sin-makers and make it their recreation too 't is their pastime fools that they are to passe away to spend and lose their time and fouls in sinning Fools make a mock at sin Prov. 14.9 when they have cheated others they laugh at them for fools though themselves are the verier fools for cheating others They sport themselves in their own deceivings 2 Pet. 2.13 yea though they know that they who do such things are liable to the judgment of God yet not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them Rom. 1.32 But they are fools for so doing for v. 22. professing themselves to be wise they became fools and v. 31. they were without understanding But oh when God shall laugh and mock at these mockers the●● 't will appear what fools they were who sporter at that which should have been their greates● sorrow and grief 3 Sinful mans folly appears in this 3 Saith its in vain to serve God that 〈◊〉 saith 't is in vain to serve God What greater fol●ly then to call Religion and the Wisdome of Go● foolishnesse vanity and unprofitablenesse be side which there 's no profit under the Sun This is the whole of man all the rest is vanit and vexation of spirit The Author of th● 73. Psal for having but almost said this conclude himself a fool yea so

been said and to bethink you what an ugly and abominable thing sin is The worst of Evils worse then the worst of words can express it to be I have shewn you how contrary 't is to God and man for proof whereof I have brought witness from Heaven Earth and Hell I have shewn you how dear it cost Christ Jesus who dyed for it and how dear it will cost you if you live and dye in it Stand in awe and sin not lay up the Word of Gods Command Promise and Threatning that you may not sin against him take heed of sinning for at once you sin against God and your own souls I have entred your closets and your hearts to tell you of your secret sins I have told you of and warned you against the sins of your lips and of your life I have told you of your Shop and Calling-sins that you might beware and what shall I say or do more for you I have preacht to you pray'd and wept for you I have shewn you the way of repentance faith and holiness and were it to dye for you I hope I should not account my life dear to me that I might save your souls by losing it Oh let me again intreat beseech and beg you for Gods sake and your souls sake not to sin these things are written that ye sin not but as 't is Jer. 13.15 16 17. Hear ye and give ear be not proud for the Lord hath spoken give glory to the Lord God c. But if ye will not hear my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride and mine eyes shall weep sore and run down with tears If you hear not you make this sad work for me and others that teach you but alas much sadder for your selves you make us weep on earth but you if you repent not will weep in Hell I beseech you therefore learn what the grace the saving grace of God teacheth you to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts to live soberly righteously and godlily in this present world Titus 2.11 12. or as 't is in Luke 1.75 to serve the Lord in righteousness and true holiness all the days of your life and as 't is 2 Cor. 7.1 Having these promises which according to 2 Pet 1.4 are the greatest and precious let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Shall we commend holiness in them that are dead and not like holiness in our selves while we are alive Holiness is the beauty of Earth and Heaven without which we cannot live well on Earth nor shall ever live in Heaven certainly they that jeer and scoff at holiness and rejoyce that they are none of the holy ones they do as if they should make Bon-fires ring the Bells and give thanks that they shall never be saved for if they be not holy saved they cannot be or as one words it they that shall be in Heaven will be in no danger to be derided for the sake of piety for those that deride it will not be admitted there And as for the wicked God will turn them into Hell and all the Nations all them of any Nation that forget God Psal 9.17 Poor Soul think a little yea think much of the great day of thine accounts Gods judgment which though thou put far from thee yet it will surely come and wo unto thee if it overtake thee unawares and as a thief in the night 1 Thes 5.3 4. Seeing this may be and that will be Oh what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversations and godlinesses as 't is in the Greek 2 Pet. 3.10 11. What shall I say more I will shut up all with what was long since excellently spoken by a great Doctor in our Israel and which is worthy to be written in the hearts of all men and to be often before their eyes and in their thoughts 't is this At the last saith he there will come a day when all mankind shall be summon'd naked without difference or degrees before the same Tribunal when the Crowns of Kings and shackles of Prisoners when the Robes of Princes and the rags of Beggars when the Gallants Bravery the Peasants Russet the Statists Policy the Courtiers Luxury and the Scholars Curiosity shall be all laid aside when all men shall be reduced to an equal Plea and without respect of persons shall be doomed according to their works Then those Punctoes and Formalities Cuts and Fashions Distances and Complements which are now the darling-sins of the upper end of the world shall be proved to have been nothing else but well-acted vanities Then the Pride Luxury Riot Swaggerings interlarded and complemental Oaths nice and quaint Lasciviousness new-invented Courtings and Adorations of Beauty the so much studied and admired sins of the Gallantry of the world shall be pronounced out of the mouth of God himself to have been nothing else but glittering abominations Then the adulterating of Wares the counterfeiting of Lights the double Weight and false Measures the courteous Equivocations of men greedy of gain which are now almost woven into the very Art of Trading shall be pronounced nothing else but Mysteries of iniquity and self-deceivings Then the curious subtleties of more choice Wits the knotty Questions and vain strife of words the disputes of Reason the variety of Reading the very Circle of general and Secular Learning pursued with so much eagerness by the more ingenious Spirits of the world shall be all pronounced but the thin Cob-webs and vanishing Delicacies of a better temper'd Prophaneness And lastly Then the poor despised Profession of the power of Godliness a trembling at the Word of God a scrupulous and conscientious forbearance not only of oaths but of idle words a tenderness and aptness to bleed at the touch of any sin a boldness to withstand the corruptions of the times a conscience of but the appearances of evil a walking bumbly and mournfully before God an Heroical resolution to be strict and circumspect to walk in an exact and Geometrical Holiness in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation which the world esteems and scorns as the peevishness of a few silly unpolitick men shall in good earnest from the mouth of God himself be declared to have been the true narrow way which leadeth to Salvation and the enemies thereof shall then when it is too late be driven to that desperate and shameful confession We fools counted their life madness and their end to have been without honour how are they now reckoned among the Saints and have their portion with the Almighty Consider what hath been said and the Lord give thee understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2.7 FINIS