The Plague of Plagues

Book excerpt: "The Plague of Plagues!" was first published in 1669, four years after the Great Plague of London, and the author, Puritan Ralph Venning, was very much impressed by the events that took place, that he decided to wrote a book with the aim of defining sin and describing it. Venning went on identifying the causes and effects of man's sinfulness. The details provided by the author are astonishingly clear and biblical, especially for the modern mind. When arriving to the application, Venning wrote: "As to the sinfulness of sin, I have indeed handled it most fully, as it is against man's good and happiness." About the author: Ralph Venning (1622-1674) was an English nonconformist preacher. He was born in Devon, England, served as a preacher for about 25 years, being educated Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Venning died March 10, 1674, in his fifty-third year. This book has been edited, proofread, and re-typeset for modern readers.