A66111:1252
The truly blessed man, or, The way to be happy here, and forever being…
The truly blessed man, or, The way to be happy here, and forever being the substance of divers sermons preached on Psalm XXXII / by Samuel Willard.
printed by B. Green and J. Allen for Michael Perry, 1650
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.
3. Hence faith concludes that if God will deliver us, we shall be laid under strong obligations to him by it. Certainly kindness done for us will bring us under bonds of gratitude, and so the more that is resented, the stronger hold it will have of us. This ⟨p. 408⟩sense therefore will dispose us to pay our Testimonies of gratitude to our benefactor: and all ingratitude proceeds either from insensibleness or forgetfulness of this.
7. This makes him to bring himself under obligations. A Child of God never puts up a petition to him, but either expresseth or supposeth a promise made to him, in case he answers him: for all transactions between God and his people, are in a Covenant way. Sometimes they bind themselves by a vow, as Jacob, Gen. 28. 20. or explicit promise, as Psal. 80. 18. And it is ever implied according to the method of the Covenant expressed, Psal. 50. 15.
8. His hope excites in him a premeditation what to do. Hope looks out for God to come in this way, and makes him to think, if or when God answers my requests, how shall I best show my self grateful to him in it? hence a promise given, made them turn a fast into a thanksgiving, 2 Chron. 20. 18, 19.