A66111:1473
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. It is against God, Psal. 51. 4. It opposeth it self against all his revealed perfections: more particularly;
1. It is against his Sovereignty. God, must needs be the Creatures Sovereign, for it is entirely his; he is whole owner of it; and then he may command it; he thinks it reason enough to ratify any of his precepts by saying, I am the Lord. Now the sinner, by every sin, practically rejecteth this Sovereignty: hence sin is called Rebellion, Isa. 1. 2. and 63. 10.
2. It is against his Holiness. All Gods commands are the results of his Holiness, the Command i• ⟨p. 471⟩•oly, and just, and good, Rom. 7. 12. He shows himself an holy God, in that he hath established his Government on such Laws, Sin therefore is a setting one self against his holiness.
2. It is against his Holiness. All Gods commands are the results of his Holiness, the Command i• ⟨p. 471⟩•oly, and just, and good, Rom. 7. 12. He shews himself an holy God, in that he hath established his Government on such Laws, Sin therefore is a setting one self against his holiness.
3. It is against his Righteousness. The command was the Rule of Righteousness which God gave man, and on which he grounded his Relative Justice, in that special Government which he exerciseth over man, called therefore his righteous judgements, Psal. 119. 7. 62. 76. Sin therefore, in violating them, withstands his Justice.
4. It is against his Goodness. All that the man hath, flows to him from this fountain; his being, his preservation, all the comforts of this life, all the protections and deliverances he hath, all the means of Salvation, and hopes of eternal life, are the fruits of Gods free benignity to him: & his service is but the acknowledgement which he requires of him, in respect of all this, which the Sinner denieth him, and so is a despiser of his goodness, Rom. 2. 4. Deut. 32 5.
2. It is against himself: hence said to wrong his own soul, Prov. 8. 36. And how unreasonable is that?
1. It defiles the man: it poisons him, it leaves him under that filthiness which is indeed his bane: it leaves a blot upon him, which exposeth him to reproach: Sin is therefore in Scripture compared to all those filthy things that can be thought of, and all too little to set forth its odiousness.
1. It defiles the man: it poysons him, it leaves him under that filthiness which is indeed his bane: it leaves a blot upon him, which exposeth him to reproach: Sin is therefore in Scripture compared to all those filthy things that can be thought of, and all too little to set forth its odiousness.
2. It robs the man of his peace. There is great peace in Obedience, Psal. 119. 165. But sin lays a foundation for all disturbance, Isa. 57. 20, 21. It makes deep wounds in the Conscience, which will ⟨p. 472⟩put him to horrible pain, and if he doth not feel it, yet it is his portion, and to be looked for every moment, Job 15. 20. &c.
3. It deprives him of his happiness: and that both naturally, and upon the Covenant terms. Sin, if it gets into a man, is it self a misery, and lays him open to the wrath of God, Rom. 6. 2•.
4. Hence it subjects him to all misery. It brings all the curses written, on his head. The threatening runs in these terms, Ezek. 18. 4. And all that is unhappy is contained in that word. It separates from God, Isa. 57. 2. And what but misery awaits that's separation?
4. Hence it subjects him to all misery. It brings all the curses written, on his head. The threatning runs in these terms, Ezek. 18. 4. And all that is unhappy is contained in that word. It separates from God, Isa. 57. 2. And what but misery awaits thats separation?
3. It is against Mankind. He hurts not himself only, but his neighbour too, and that unreasonably.
For,
1. It Scandalizeth men: it often becomes a temptation to others to sin, and this is the greatest mischief that we can do to another, to draw him into Sin: it is to give him a stab at the heart; to destroy him, Rom. 14. 15.
1. It Scandalizeth men: it often becomes a tempta•ion to others to sin, and this is the greatest mischief that we can do to another, to draw him into Sin: it is to give him a stab at the heart; to destroy him, Rom. 14. 15.
2. It occasions others trouble and affliction. One sinner sometimes, and that by one sin, may trouble a whole nation, Josh. 7. A Parent may by his sin bring mischief on his family, and procure judgments to his dearest relations. 2 Sam. 12 10.
3. Hence untractableness under the means must needs be unreasonable: this follows from the former; for▪
1. The design of the means is to reclaim men from sin. The Gospel is a Gospel of Salvation, and it is an essential part of this Salvation, to save men from their sins, Joh. 1. 29. And this is done, not only by ⟨p. 473⟩••doning them, but also by turning them from their ••quities; hence put together, Act. 5. 31. And to this the means are accommodated, Act. 26. 18.
