A66111:1583
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. We may hence learn a reason why God sometimes deals with his Children in this life, as if they were strangers and enemies. We have them ever and anon complaining of it, Job, David, the Church in the Lamentations. God brings sore outward troubles, and spiritual Desertions upon them, & when they seek him, they cannot find him, they call upon him, but he gives them no answers, but seems as if he had lest & forsaken them. God may do• this sometimes to try their faith and love, but most commonly it is to chastise their folly. This ⟨p. 505⟩•hen may be one reason why all things fall out a••ke to good and bad, because the good too often •et among the bad, I do not mean in Civil Commerce, but in Conversation. It is a fearful threatening, Ezek. 21. 3. I will out off the righteous and the ••ncked; and sure the reason was, because, though they were good men, yet they too awfully complied with the sins of the times, did as others did, not endeavouring to keep their garments unspotted and it is Gods rich mercy that he only puts them together in this life.
3. We may hence learn a reason why God sometimes deals with his Children in this life, as if they were strangers and enemies. We have them ever and anon complaining of it, Job, David, the Church in the Lamentations. God brings sore outward troubles, and spiritual Desertions upon them, & when they seek him, they cannot find him, they call upon him, but he gives them no answers, but seems as if he had lest & forsaken them. God may do• this sometimes to try their faith and love, but most commonly it is to chastize their folly. This ⟨p. 505⟩•hen may be one reason why all things fall out a••ke to good and bad, because the good too often •et among the bad, I do not mean in Civil Commerce, but in Conversation. It is a fearful threat•ing, Ezek. 21. 3. I will out off the righteous and the ••ncked; and sure the reason was, because, though they were good men, yet they too awfully complied with the sins of the times, did as others did, not endeavouring to keep their garments unspotted and it is Gods rich mercy that he only puts them together in this life.
• We have a Rule here by which we may make a showed judgment of men. We ought indeed to beware of being too rash in it, especially when it comes to judging of their state, since such as are in a state of Grace, may when left by God, do a•• like the deeds of the wicked: though of the actions themselves we may more safely judge unless they be such about which the liberty of Christians is concerned. However, if we see it to be constant course of men to drive a trade of any sin, that hath the spot of unrighteousness on it and to live in it obstinately, notwithstanding public reproofs and private endeavours, it is no breach of Charity to say, these are yet in their natural state; and it would be a wrong to the Souls of others, as well as theirs, and an encouragement of Sin, to pass a more charitable verdict.
• We have a Rule here by which we may make a shewd judgment of men. We ought indeed to beware of being too rash in it, especially when it comes to judging of their state, since such as are in a state of Grace, may when left by God, do a•• like the deeds of the wicked: though of the actions themselves we may more safely judge unless they be such about which the liberty of Christians is concerned. However, if we see it to be constant course of men to drive a trade of any sin, that hath the spot of unrighteousness on it and to live in it obstinately, notwithstanding publick reproofs and private endeavours, it is no breach of Charity to say, these are yet in their natural state; and it would be a wrong to the Souls of others, as well as theirs, and an encouragement of Sin, to pass a more charitable verdict.
USE II. Let us try our state by this Rule. It is doubtless a matter of infinite concernment for eve•• one to know what state he is in, and the Rule before us will give us light: observe then,
1. A Godly man may be too often drawn aside t• that which is evil. As long as there is flesh in us and a subtle and potent adversary without us, an• so many snares in the world to allure us, we ar• not out of this danger; we should not therefore too rashly judge of our selves; though this should humble us, and put us upon self examination.
1. A Godly man may be too often drawn aside t• that which is evil. As long as there is flesh in us and a subtile and potent adversary without us, an• so many snares in the world to allure us, we ar• not out of this danger; we should not therefore too rashly judge of our selves; though this should humble us, and put us upon self examination.
2. And we may be won suddenly to show our prevailing corruption, in slighting of counsels and reproofs. So long as we are under the captivity of the law in […] members, it will draw out our lusts to act themselves, sometimes in stupidity, as it was with […] sometimes, by breaking forth into unruly passions at them that rebuke us, as it was with Asa; which is a sad sign of an ill frame that we are in, which may well stumble us, and if we now question ou• sincerity, it is no wonder; yet we may not hence positively conclude.
2. And we may be won suddenly to shew our prevailing corruption, in slighting of counsels and reproofs. So long as we are under the captivity of the law in 〈…〉 members, it will draw out our lusts to act themselves, sometimes in stupidity, as it was with 〈…〉 sometimes, by breaking forth into unruly passions at them that rebuke us, as it was with Asa; which is a sad sign of an ill frame that we are in, which may well stumble us, and if we now question ou• sincerity, it is no wonder; yet we may not henc• positively conclude.
3. But if this be our constant guise, it speaks sadly against us. This is a bad symptom that we are •• down in the seat of the scornful; it looks like a […] that is not of Gods Children. Where there is Grace, there will be a warfare maintained between tha• and corruption in us; and though corruption would of it self, be always too strong for us, yet God wil• not desert his own work in his Children, so as to suffer it always to be worsted; but for the most part to resist and conquer; for he hath planted his Grace in us for this end.
3. But if this be our constant guize, it speaks sadly against us. This is a bad symptom that we are •• down in the seat of the scornful; it looks like a 〈…〉 that is not of Gods Children. Where there is Grace, there will be a warfare maintained between tha• and corruption in us; and though corruption would of it self, be alwayes too strong for us, yet God wil• not desert his own work in his Children, so as to suffer it always to be worsted; but for the most part to resist and conquer; for he hath planted his Grace in us for this end.
4 And if we are left in this frame without Repentance, it is yet more signal: for, as God deserts •• people to try them, and to let them know them ⟨p. 507⟩selves, so he fails not to give them Repentance in the time: he will bring them back again, and recover them to their Duty; so he did by David, and Peter: and though the Repentance of some •ood men, be not recorded in the Scriptures, whose •alls are there mentioned, yet doubtless God gave it them, because it belongs to his Covenant.
4 And if we are left in this frame without Repen•ance, it is yet more signal: for, as God deserts •• people to try them, and to let them know them ⟨p. 507⟩selves, so he fails not to give them Repentance in the time: he will bring them back again, and recover them to their Duty; so he did by David, and Peter: and though the Repentance of some •ood men, be not recorded in the Scriptures, whose •alls are there mentioned, yet doubtless God gave it them, because it belongs to his Covenant.
USE III. Let it Exhort us, as we would approve our selves not to be wicked, to have a care how we carry our selves in this respect; for this end consider.
1. You will else darken your evidence, and this will ••ery uncomfortable. All our consolation ariseth […] our apprehension of Gods love, and of our […] Godly: there is then nothing more necessary •• them that would live a comfortable life, than •• take heed of doing any thing that may obscure […] which such a neglect of our selves will certain••, both because it will grieve, the Spirit, and •••oke him to withdraw, and will put a black […] upon us.
1. You will else darken your evidence, and this will ••ery uncomfortable. All our consolation ariseth 〈…〉 our apprehension of Gods love, and of our 〈…〉 Godly: there is then nothing more necessary •• them that would live a comfortable life, than •• take heed of doing any thing that may obscure 〈…〉 which such a neglect of our selves will certain••, both because it will grieve, the Spirit, and •••oke him to withdraw, and will put a black 〈…〉 upon us.
2. You are taken out of the world, and therefore […] be as unlike them as may be. Rom. 12. 2. It […] ill becomes you to have the guise of the ••icked upon you, as you always have, when you ••ow your selves to sin as they do, and justify your •elves in it, as they do.
2. You are taken out of the world, and therefore 〈…〉 be as unlike them as may be. Rom. 12. 2. It 〈…〉 ill becomes you to have the guize of the ••icked upon you, as you always have, when you ••ow your selves to sin as they do, and justify your •elves in it, as they do.
3. If you thus allow your selves, you must not think it ••h, if here you suffer with the wicked. If when ••d brings his Judgments on the land, and there •• any signal monuments of his displeasure, you be ⟨p. 508⟩hung up in chains with the worst of men. Remember Moses and Aaron dyed in the wilderness, because they dishonoured God at Merihah. For help;
3. If you thus allow your selves, you must not think it ••h, if here you suffer with the wicked. If when ••d brings his Judgments on the land, and there •• any signal monuments of his displeasure, you be ⟨p. 508⟩hung up in chains with the worst of men. Remember Moses and Aaron dyed in the wilderness, becaus• they dishonoured God at Merihah. For help;
1. Be sure to maintain a spiritual Watch. Loo• carefully to your selves; you have the same lusts i• you that wicked men have, and if not watched against, they will be too hard for you, and draw you into presumptuous sins, David was aware of this, when he said, I will look to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue, Psal. 39. 1. And if he had done so always, it had been better for him.
1. Be sure to maintain a spiritual Watch. Loo• carefully to your selves; you have the same lusts i• you that wicked men have, and if not watched against, they will be too hard for you, and draw you into presumptuous sins, David was aware of this, when he said, I will look to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue, Psal. 39. 1. And if he had done so alwayes, it had been better for him.
2. Maintain a tender heart. Have a care o• growing secure and senseless: such an heart was in Josiah, which was affected with but reading of the law: this will readily receive impressions, and afford you great safety.
2. Maintain a tender heart. Have a care o• growing secure and senceless: such an heart was in Josiah, which was affected with but reading of the law: this will readily receive impressions, and afford you great safety.
3. Be always strengthening your love of Holiness and hatred of Sin. These are the spring of obed• ence in us, and the more active they are, the les• danger we shall be in. This guarded Joseph whe• tempted, and it will guard us; and if we improve the means to this end, it will both prevent our falling into sin, and our being senseless of it, when overtaken with it.
3. Be always strengthening your love of Holines• and hatred of Sin. These are the spring of obed• ence in us, and the more active they are, the les• danger we shall be in. This guarded Joseph whe• tempted, and it will guard us; and if we improve the means to this end, it will both prevent our falling into sin, and our being senceless of it, when overtaken with it.
