N00710:86
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.
I am, all the time that I am living in this world laying up treasures for eternity, and those either of happiness or of misery, which shall be righteously distributed to me, according as I have been laying in in this time. I have a righteous Judge unto whom I must give up my accounts, with whom there is no respect of persons, and a vain thing it is to hope to bribe him; but according as my true state, upon the most exact enquiry, shall be found, so will he take order about me, and pass the sentence either of absolution or condemnation upon me. Now, what a check would such reflections as these are, throughly believed, and fixedly entertained, give to the mad youngster, in the midst of all his frolics, and mar all the mirth of his greedy lusts, turning it into bitterness? God therefore offers such a memento as this is to these. Eccl. 11.9. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thine heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into Judgment. ⟨p. 42⟩Yea, how would it put every one of us upon greater wariness to our selves, and make a deep impression of that advice upon our hearts, Eph. 5.15. See that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time. How would it put us upon pondering our way, and living by rule, and make us afraid of rash & precipitant rushing into any action? I am sure that Job tells us that he was awed by such a thought as this, and upon it to look well to himself, lest at any time he should expose himself to the danger of not being able to hold up his head, when he should be called to a reckoning, Job 31.14. What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
I am, all the time that I am living in this world laying up treasures for eternity, and those either of happiness or of misery, which shall be righteously distributed to me, according as I have been laying in in this time. I have a righteous Judge unto whom I must give up my accounts, with whom there is no respect of persons, and a vain thing it is to hope to bribe him; but according as my true state, upon the most exact enquiry, shall be found, so will he take order about me, and pass the sentence either of absolution or condemnation upon me. Now, what a check would such reflections as these are, throughly believed, and fixedly entertained, give to the mad youngster, in the midst of all his frolicks, and mar all the mirth of his greedy lusts, turning it into bitterness? God therefore offers such a memento as this is to these.