N00129:36
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.
Reas. 1 Because such is the vile and loathsome nature of sin, that can't be indeed seen in its own colours, but it must needs be odious and abominable in our eyes: It hath so much of contrariety in it, to the holiness of God, and so much vileness, and filth, and abomination that none can see it but must needs hate it; when sin is truly seen, it then appears to be sinful, Rom: 7: 14: that is the very worst name that can be put upon it, viz: its own: men see sin many times in its effects, and that frights them, but it cannot make them hate their sin, but they think it good enough if it had not such consequences, but when the face of it is uncovered and the souls eyes opened, now he stands off, his affections are slain.
Reas. 2. From the Inconsistency of hating sin in the heart, and closing with it in the life and practice: will we always keep company, and hold intimate fellowship, and drive a constant trade and commerce with one, the sight of whom we loath, an unreformed life is a plain denial, and contradicting of all our verbal and professed repentance, Tit: 1: 16: If we live in sin it makes nothing to the credit of the world, much less to the all seeing eye of God to speak and profess against it.
Reas. 2. From the Inconsistency of hating sin in the heart, and closing with it in the life and practice: will we alwayes keep company, and hold intimate fellowship, and drive a constant trade and commerce with one, the sight of whom we loath, an unreformed life is a plain denial, and contradicting of all our verbal and professed repentance, Tit: 1: 16: If we live in sin it makes nothing to the credit of the world, much less to the all seeing eye of God to speak and profess against it.
Reas: 3 From the nature of true repentance, which is a change from what we were to some other thing; a change of affections, a change of profession, and not only so, but also a change of objects, a turning from the creature to God, Jer: 4: 1: now this implies a through reformation, when the creature casts off all other things which it hath pursued, and seek to God alone.