N00802:1009
The truly blessed man
The truly blessed man: or, The way to be happy here, and for ever: being the substance of divers sermons preached on, Psalm XXXII. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston. N.E. ; [Five lines from Isaiah]
printed by B. Green for Michael Perry, 1700
Sermon › Doctrine 3: God to be sought in a finding time. DOCTRINE. III.
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.
4 Nay, do not his strivings begin to be more languid? Do you not begin to grow Sermon proof, warning proof, and threatening proof? Time was when the word affected you, you trembled at the awful truths of it, you were afraid of Gods Judgments, and could not soon get off the impression of an awakening Sermon: but now you find very faint and easy motions on your Spirits; though not altogether stupid & senseless. Be afraid; the happy season begins to decline, and if you trifle a little longer, it may be gone.
4 Nay, do not his strivings begin to be more languid? Do you not begin to grow Sermon proof, warning proof, and threatning proof? Time was when the word affected you, you trembled at the awful truths of it, you were afraid of Gods Judgments, and could not soon get off the impression of an awakning Sermon: but now you find very faint and easy motions on your Spirits; though not altogether stupid & senseless. Be afraid; the happy season begins to decline, and if you trifle a little longer, it may be gone.
5. If he hath sometimes ceased, and now comes again, take heed to your selves. You had resisted him, till you were grown remorseless, but he hath sent his Spirit again, and put you into fear about your everlasting state; tremble to think of the issue of this: you have a new price in your hands, use it right, and all shall be well: but if you treat him as you did formerly, it may be one of the last offers that he will make to you; if you quench him now, it is ⟨p. 353⟩likely that he will come no more, see, Gen. 6 2. Psal. 81.11, 12. Dread then the terrible Oath, Psal. 95.10, 11. Though God proceeds slowly to this, yet he may be provoked to come to it at last, Ezek▪ 24.13. And what a fearful condition will that be? God is not a man that he should lie. If Christ say, never more let fruit be found in this Fig tree, it withers up presently. No rains or dews of Ordinances will ever fetch you to life, but dry you up, and fit you for everlasting burnings. Oh then improve this finding time with fear and trembling.