<strong>The</strong> <strong><strong>Sin</strong>fulness</strong> <strong>Of</strong> <strong>Sin</strong>Ralph VenningI might add many more things, but I will forbear, because I have been somewhatlengthy on this subject. But I was more willing to do this, because it is a thing tooseldom treated and too little taken notice of and laid to heart, that is, the sharethat we too often have in the sins of other men.158
<strong>The</strong> <strong><strong>Sin</strong>fulness</strong> <strong>Of</strong> <strong>Sin</strong>Ralph VenningCONCLUSIONAs I come to the close of the whole matter I would wish with my soul that theremight never be an occasion for me or any other to preach on this subject again.Shall I now entreat you to consider what has been said, and to think what anabominable and ugly thing sin is? It is the worst of evils, worse than the worst ofwords can express. I have shown you how it is contrary to God and man. For proofof this I have brought witness from Heaven, Earth and Hell. I have shown you howdearly it cost Christ Jesus who died for it, and how dearly it will cost you, if you liveand die in it. <strong>The</strong>refore stand in awe and sin not. Lay up the word of God'scommand, promise and threatening, that you may not sin against him. Take heedof sinning, for at once you sin against God and your own selves.I have entered into your closets and your hearts, to tell you of your secret sins. Ihave told you of, and warned you against, the sins of your lips and of your life. Ihave told you of your shop--and calling--sins, that you might beware. And whatshall I say or do more for you? I have preached to you, prayed and wept for you. Ihave shown you the way of repentance, faith and holiness. And were I to die foryou, I hope I should not account my life dear to me, that I might save your soulsby losing it. Let me again, then, entreat, beseech and beg you for God's sake andfor your souls' sake not to sin. <strong>The</strong>se things are written, that ye sin not. But 'hearye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken. Give glory to the Lordyour God . . . but if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for yourpride; and mine eyes shall weep sore, and run down with tears' (Jeremiah 13.15-17). If you do not hear, you make this to be sad work for me and others who teachyou, but, alas, much sadder for yourselves! You make us weep on earth, but you, ifyou do not repent, will weep in Hell. I beseech you therefore, learn what the graceof God teaches you, to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live soberly,righteously and godly in this present world (Titus 2.11,12), or as it is in Luke 1.75,'Serve the Lord in righteousness and holiness all the days of your life.' Havingtherefore these promises (which according to Peter are the greatest and mostprecious) let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,perfecting holiness in the fear of God' (2 Corinthians 7.1).Shall we commend holiness in those who are dead, and yet not like holiness inourselves while we are alive? Holiness is the beauty of earth and Heaven, withoutwhich we cannot live well on earth, nor shall ever live in Heaven. Certainly theywho jeer and scoff at holiness and rejoice that they are none of the holy ones,might as well make bonfires, ring the bells and give thanks that they shall never besaved. For if they are not holy, saved they cannot be. As one puts it, they who shallbe in Heaven will be in no danger of being derided for the sake of piety, for thosewho deride will not be admitted there. As for the wicked, God will turn them intoHell, and all the nations (all them of any nation) that forget God (Psalm 9.17).Poor soul, think a little, indeed, think much of the great day of your account andGod's iudgment. Though you put it far from you, yet it will surely come, and woeunto you, if it ever takes you unawares and as a thief in the night (1 <strong>The</strong>ssalonians5.3,4). Seeing this may be, and that will be, what manner of persons ought we tobe in all holy conversations and godlinesses! For it is plural in the Greek (2 Peter159
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