N00802:1456
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
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.
1. The design of the means is to reclaim men from sin. The Gospel is a Gospel of Salvation, and it is an essential part of this Salvation, to save men from their sins, Joh. 1.29. And this is done, not only by ⟨p. 473⟩pardoning them, but also by turning them from their iniquities; hence put together, Act. 5.31. And to this the means are accommodated, Act. 26.18.
2. Mens untractableness wholly frustrates this design: it is the very nature of it to do so, Jer. 8.5. God faith to Sinners, turn, why will you die? but they say, there is no hope, for we have loved strangers, and after them we will go: this is that stiff neck, that iron s•ew that will not bow, this is the reason why sinners are not gathered to Christ, Matth. 23.37.
2. Mens untractableness wholly frustrates this design: it is the very nature of it to do so, Jer. 8.5. God faith to Sinners, turn, why will you dy? but they say, there is no hope, for we have loved strangers, and after them we will go: this is that stiff neck, that iron s•ew that will not bow, this is the reason why sinners are not gathered to Christ, Matth. 23.37.