A66111:648
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.
USE I. We may hence learn one principal reason why many lie so long under the burden of a distressed Conscience. It is a thing observable, that there are many who, though they have made a good profession, are much exercised in their minds, and greatly perplexed in spirit, by reason of their sins, and find no relief against it: they can get no satisfactory evidence that they are forgiven, but are apt to think that all their sins lie out against them to their Condemnation; and there must be some ⟨p. 233⟩reason why it is so with them, which it concerns them carefully to enquire after. Here observe;
USE I. We may hence learn one principal reason why many ly so long under the burden of a distressed Conscience. It is a thing observable, that there are many who, though they have made a good profession, are much exercised in their minds, and greatly perplexed in spirit, by reason of their sins, and find no relief against it: they can get no satisfactory evidence that they are forgiven, but are apt to think that all their sins ly out against them to their Condemnation; and there must be some ⟨p. 233⟩reason why it is so with them, which it concerns them carefully to enquire after. Here observe;
1. That God may have forgiven their sin, and not •r the present witness it in their Consciences. As a •an may be in a pardoned state and yet question whether he be so or no, by reason of darkness in his mind, and the Spirits withholding his testimony; so it may be in respect of the actual forgiveness of this or that sin that he hath fallen into: •e may have repented, confessed, sought forgiveness, and God hath pardoned him, and yet doth not instantly proclaim it in his Conscience; and •e acteth much of his Holy Sovereignty herein, or reasons known to himself, so that we have a reat deal of reason charitably to think this of ome that are under the hurries of such perplexies: And let not such be overborne with the misgivings of their hearts, but say to themselves as he,