N00129:199
Useful instructions for a professing people in times of great security and degeneracy
Useful instructions for a professing people in times of great security and degeneracy: delivered in several sermons on solemn occasions: / by Mr. Samuel Willard Pastor of the Church of Christ at Groton. ; [Eight lines of Scripture texts]
printed by Samuel Green, 1673
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. That discontent lays us exceeding open to the assaults of Satan, and gives him more then ordinary advantage to make discoveries of himself to us: little do we know how we do as it were invite the Devil by it. In any Government, discontented persons are fittest for Traitors to work upon: by discontent we discover a weariness of Gods Government, and therefore Satan is emboldened by it to come, yea to make his Apparitions, and strike in to the drawing over of poor creatures to enter a Covenant of Rebellion with him, and a wonder it is if any at such a time escape. Learn we therefore to be more watchful over our own hearts, beware how we give any way to secret uprisings against the Providence of God.
3. That discontent layes us exceeding open to the assaults of Satan, and gives him more then ordinary advantage to make discoveries of himself to us: little do we know how we do as it were invite the Devil by it. In any Government, discontented persons are fittest for Traytors to work upon: by discontent we discover a weariness of Gods Government, and therefore Satan is emboldened by it to come, yea to make his Apparitions, and strike in to the drawing over of poor creatures to enter a Covenant of Rebellion with him, and a wonder it is if any at such a time escape. Learn we therefore to be more watchfull over our own hearts, beware how we give any way to secret uprisings against the Providence of God.
4. That this world would be a sad place to live in, if it were not for Gods over-ruling Providence. Oh how busy is the Devil, that great Adversary of Souls! and •ow full is he of Cruelty! did not God restrain his rage, he would soon make poor Mortals incapable of living here below: By the Claw you may judge of the Lion. We find in Jobs case, he goes to the outside of his Commission: and here you have a lively spectacle of his venom and spite; Oh then let it awaken us to see by whom we are every day preserved and protected from the rage of Devils, God only: Alas! what were we in the hands of these infernal Powers, if Gods Omnipotency did not restrain them. Let this make God more glorious in our eyes.