A66111:920
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.
4. That unless God giveth them his Spirit & Grace, they will never seek him so as to find him. There is a so seeking him, as is ever crowned with success, and brings us into his presence, such as that, Jer. 29. 13. All other is either hypocritical or legal, which is not acceptable to God. Now if any of the Children of men so seek him, they must have the grace from him so to do; it is a work of his Spirit, and till he give them a new heart, they cannot so do: there must be his drawing, if ever there be their following. Now the drawing of ⟨p. 313⟩the Spirit is at his pleasure: if he see meet to withhold this grace from men, they will never so seek him, notwithstanding all the calls and counsels, and warnings that can be given them; and he hath no necessary lying upon him to bestow this on them.
4. That unless God giveth them his Spirit & Grace, they will never seek him so as to find him. There is a so seeking him, as is ever crowned with success, and brings us into his presence, such as that, Jer. 29. 13. All other is either hypocritical or legal, which is not acceptable to God. Now if any of the Children of men so seek him, they must have the grace from him so to do; it is a work of his Spirit, and till he give them a new heart, they cannot so do: there must be his drawing, if ever there be their following. Now the drawing of ⟨p. 313⟩the Spirit is at his pleasure: if he see meet to withold this grace from men, they will never so seek him, notwithstanding all the calls and counsels, and warnings that can be given them; and he hath no necessary lying upon him to bestow this on them.
5. There are certain means in and with which God reveals himself to men, so as they may find him. As God is to be found, so there is a way for it. Natural men that live without the Gospel, can never find him in that condition; the mere light of nature will never lead any of mankind to God, or bring them to communion with him again: had not this been manifested in the Gospel, it had never been known, and man must have wandered in an endless maze of error,