N00802:1266
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 1: Experienced Christians fittest to teach others. DOCTRINE I.
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.
2. It kindleth a longing desire after the Salvation of Souls. By this men come to know the great worth of Souls, and their woeful danger, and accordingly to have travailing pains for them, till Christ be formed in them, Gal. 4 19. He that hath felt in himself what an evil and bitter thing sin is, and hath known the riches of grace in pardoning, and healing him, cannot but compassionate such as live in sin, and lie under the curse; and this will put them upon all endeavours, and make them to give warning and counsel on all occasions, knowing the worth and hazard of a Soul, if it be possible to save it.
2. It kindleth a longing desire after the Salvation of Souls. By this men come to know the great worth of Souls, and their woful danger, and accordingly to have travailing pains for them, till Christ be formed in them, Gal. 4 19. He that hath felt in himself what an evil and bitter thing sin is, and hath known the riches of grace in pardoning, and healing him, cannot but compassionate such as live in sin, and ly under the curse; and this will put them upon all endeavours, and make them to give warning and counsel on all occasions, knowing the worth and hazard of a Soul, if it be possible to save it.
2. Experience is a mighty help to men in teaching of others. Luther was wont to say, Prayer and Temptation make a Minister fit for his work. And why temptation? but because it helps to this experience; the Apostle applies this to Christ himself, Heb. 2.18. And this will be evident in divers respects.