N00710:84
Impenitent sinners warned of their misery and summoned to judgment. Delivered in two sermons:…
Impenitent sinners warned of their misery and summoned to judgment. Delivered in two sermons: the former on the Sabbath, Nov. 6. the other on the lecture following, Nov. 10. 1698. : Occasioned by the amazing instance of a miserable creature, who stood condemned for murdering her infant begotten in whoredom. : To which are subjoined the solemn words spoken to her, on those opportunities. : Published for the warning of others. / By Samuel Willard, Minister of the Gospel and teacher of a church in Boston, N.E. ; [Two lines from Deuteronomy]Impenitent sinners warned of their misery and summoned to judgment. Delivered in two sermons: the former on the Sabbath, Nov. 6. the other on the lecture following, Nov. 10. 1698. : Occasioned by the amazing instance of a miserable creature, who stood condemned for murdering her infant begotten in whoredom. : To which are subjoyned the solemn words spoken to her, on those opportunities. : Published for the warning of others. / By Samuel Willard, Minister of the Gospel and teacher of a church in Boston, N.E. ; [Two lines from Deuteronomy]
Boston: printed by B. Green & J. Allen. Sold by Michael Perry, 1698
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.
IV. That this is an awful consideration to men while they live, and peculiarly so to such as are just ready to die. I may not tarry at these things, to give a distinct and particular account of them, but must only give some brief glances at them: And there are two assertions in this Observation.
IV. That this is an awfull consideration to men while they live, and peculiarly so to such as are just ready to dy. I may not tarry at these things, to give a distinct and particular account of them, but must only give some brief glances at them: And there are two assertions in this Observation.
1. It carries awe in it to men while they live▪ to put them on the greatest Circumspection to themselves in their whole course. If there were no Judgment to come, what need would there be for men to take any care how or after what manner they lead their lives? The Epicurean Doctrine, let us drink and drab, let us revel and swagger, and give every sensual lust its freest scope to satisfy ⟨p. 40⟩it self, might plead, if not reason, yet immunity and security; for, if there be no after reckoning, there is then no danger at all. But this thought, if it be rightly entertained, will be a strong curb to sin, and a sharp spur to duty, inasmuch as it must needs lead mens thoughts forward to such meditations as these: There is certainly a future Judgment, in which I am personally concerned. I am Gods Creature, and am placed under the Rule of his special Government, and interested in the Sanctions of his Holy Law. I am now a probationer for that day, and all that I am doing in this world hath a reference unto that, and must come under the strict examen of it. Every thought of mine heart, every word of my mouth, and every deed that I do, will then be called over, and tried whether it be conformable to, or dissonant from the Rule, by the which I must be either acquitted or condemned; and so exact will that scrutiny be, that not so much as one idle word shall escape it, Math 12.36. Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment. I am under the watchful eye of an all-seeing God, who keeps an exact account of all my thoughts, words and deeds, and will certainly in that day, bring them into open light, and set them in order before me; For God will bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing,