N00802:1371
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: Divine Teachings are to guide us in our way. 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.
5 That all the faculties and powers in fallen man […] opposite to this way. They are combinedly set against it, it might be instanced in all severally; but we may here more particularly take notice of it in the Understanding. As for the Will, that is full of Enmity, Rom. 8.7. The Affections are set on things below, Phil 3.19. All the powers of the body are servants of unrighteousness, Rom. 6.19. Now all these are confirmed by the understanding, which is not only ignorant of the right way, and so cannot know the excellency of it, how then should it commend it to them? but is erroneous, Calls good evil, &c. Isa 5.20. It is preoccupied with a false way, which it approves of, commends, and cannot part withal, Jer 8.5 Hence, it entertains Gospel truths with a forestalled and prejudiced mind, which confirms the enmity of the will, and perverseness of the affections; it shuts out the light, and will give no credit to the reports of the Gospel: and this must needs render him very unteachable, because he mu•• first be untaught these things. Were he only out of the way, he were easier reduced, but because he thinks his the only way, much is to be done, to fit him for right instruction.
5 That all the faculties and powers in fallen man 〈…〉 opposite to this way. They are combinedly set against it, it might be instanced in all severally; but we may here more particularly take notice of it in the Understanding. As for the Will, that is full of Enmity, Rom. 8.7. The Affections are set on things below, Phil 3.19. All the powers of the body are servants of unrighteousness, Rom. 6.19. Now all these are confirmed by the understanding, which is not only ignorant of the right way, and so cannot know the excellency of it, how then should it commend it to them? but is erroneous, Calls good evil, &c. Isa 5.20. It is preoccupied with a false way, which it approves of, commends, and cannot part withal, Jer 8.5 Hence, it entertains Gospel truths with a forestalled and prejudiced mind, which confirms the enmity of the will, and perversness of the affections; it shuts out the light, and will give no credit to the reports of the Gospel: and this must needs render him very unteachable, because he mu first be untaught these things. Were he only out of the way, he were easier reduced, but because he thinks his the only way, much is to be done, to fit him for right instruction.