A66111:662
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.
2. God is faithful to his promises. He is frequently better, but never worse than his word. The ⟨p. 238⟩Scripture is abundant in asserting Gods faithfulness, for our encouragement to trust in him: and there are many attestations given to it, by such as have made the trial. Now there are gracious Promises made to such as ingeniously confess their Sins to God; as he requireth it in the New-Covenant, so he encourageth it; and it is certain that he cannot deny himself.
3. Hence there is certainly some blame in you that must be removed, in order to your receiving the promised benefit. There is such a defect in your Confession, as rendereth it another thing from that which the Gospel requires of you: and if you would have him to come to you, and witness his pardoning mercy in you, that must be rectified. It is then necessary that you make a through trial on this account, how else shall you know what is your present duty? If you sit down discouraged, you thereby charge God; but if you make a through search, you may so be set in the right way.
3. Hence there is certainly some blame in you that must be removed, in order to your receiving the promised benefit. There is such a defect in your Confession, as rendereth it another thing from that which the Gospel requires of you: and if you would have him to come to you, and witness his pardoning mercy in you, that must be rectified. It is then necessary that you make a through tryal on this account, how else shall you know what is your present duty? If you sit down discouraged, you thereby charge God; but if you make a through search, you may so be set in the right way.
USE. II. For Exhortation to all to the practice of this Duty. And there is argument enough in the Doctrine to move us hereto. If this be the proper & necessary course to relieve us in distress, let us then, whensoever we find any such trouble coming upon us, apply our selves unto this way, as we hope to find any relief against it. And there is none whose condition this may not be, and it is good to be laying in for it. Let this be particularly applied,