A66111:1371
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.
1. The old way of the Covenant of works was laid out to man in his primitive state: He then stood entirely in Gods favour; he had no Guilt upon him that needed a pardon; had the glorious Image of God imprinted upon him, which fitted him for Communion with his Maker. God then gave him a Law suited to his nature, and not exceeding his created abilities, in conformity to which he was to be happy for ever; had he not declined from this, there had needed no other; but he turned out of it by Apostasy, and so fell under Guilt and a Curse, and now the Law could no longer give him life, Gal. 3. 21. That way is for ever shut up, the Tree of Life is guarded against him with Cherubim and a Flaming Sword: he is a man of death, and unless that Curse be taken off, he can never be happy, for which there was no provision in that way: though the Law could afford man happiness, it could not give him salvation.
1. The old way of the Covenant of works was laid out to man in his primitive state: He then stood entirely in Gods favour; he had no Guilt upon him that needed a pardon; had the glorious Image of God imprinted upon him, which sitted him for Communion with his Maker. God then gave him a Law suited to his nature, and not exceeding his created abilities, in conformity to which he was to be happy for ever; had he not declined from this, there had needed no other; but he turned out of it by Apostasy, and so fell under Guilt and a Curse, and now the Law could no longer give him life, Gal. 3. 21. That way is for ever shut up, the Tree of Life is guarded against him with Cherubim and a Flaming Sword: he is a man of death, and unless that Curse be taken off, he can never be happy, for which there was no provision in that way: though the Law could afford man happiness, it could not give him salvation.
2. There is the new way of the Covenant of Grace, which God hath opened to fallen man; and therein revived his hope, which was lost by the fall. Called a new and living way,