N00583:85
Reformation the great duty of an afflicted people. Setting forth the sin and danger…
Reformation the great duty of an afflicted people. Setting forth the sin and danger there is in neglecting of it, under the continued and repeated judgments of God. : Being the substance of what was preached on a solemn day of humiliation kept by the Third Gathered Church in Boston, on August. 23d. 1694. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of the said church. ; [Four lines from Zechariah]
printed by Bartholomew Green, 1694
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. II. Let it put us upon the trial in this regard. Hath not our God dealt thus by us more than once or twice? Have there not been very notable respites which he hath afforded unto us in the midst of our troubles? Hath he not mercifully given us several breathing times, and these considerable, between one Calamity and another? And what improvement is it that we have made of them? Did we not begin to hope that he was in the way of returning again to us? But have there not new clouds risen again afterwards, and showered down a fresh tempest upon us? May we ⟨p. 65⟩not use the moan which the Prophet doth in the name of his people? Jer. 8.15. We looked for peace, but behold no good; and for a time of health, and behold trouble. And it is good for us to enquire whence this is: surely if we had rightly understood the things of our peace, and accordingly improved such an opportunity wisely, it would not have been thus. If, when God looked as if he were coming towards us in away of mercy; we had cordially returned to him in away of Repentance and Reformation; those Dawnings of deliverance, would have been the day break of our Salvations, and God would have established us in his favour. Let the thought then of this, convince us of our grievous folly, and lay us low before God. Alas! did we not begin arrogantly to say, the bitterness of death is over? to think that now the Judgments of God were at an end, and we should see no more of them? and thereupon to grow the more confident, and secure, and remorseless, and so to forget the obligations lying upon us, and thereupon to promise our selves to enjoy peace, though we continued in our old way and course? yea and hereupon have thrown by our thoughts of Reformation, supposing that all matters stood right and well between God and us? Is it not so? and if thus it be, how righteously hath God dealt with us, in raising up of new troubles, ⟨p. 66⟩and bringing us into more perplexing Calamities than before? How must our mouths be stopped, and the holiness of God be adored by us in this respect? Certainly the face of providence calls aloud, for our putting of our selves upon such a trial; and let us account it our interest to comply with it solemnly.
USE. II. Let it put us upon the tryal in this regard. Hath not our God dealt thus by us more than once or twise? Have there not been very notable respites which he hath afforded unto us in the midst of our troubles? Hath he not mercifully given us several breathing times, and these considerable, between one Calamity and another? And what improvement is it that we have made of them? Did we not begin to hope that he was in the way of returning again to us? But have there not new clouds risen again afterwards, and showred down a fresh tempest upon us? May we