N00802:1470
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.
4. This tells us what a great change is wrought in Conversion. Among other comparisons used in the word of God to set this forth, one is, the recovering of men to their understanding again. The mad Prodigal, when God was about to Convert him, comes to himself, Luk. 15.17. He had been distracted before, but now he returns to his right mind: In Conversion a new Creature is produced▪ all new, 2 Cor. 5.17. And what a Metamorphosis i• this to see a brute turned into a rational being […] ⟨p. 477⟩And it is not less to see an obstinate sinner made a gracious Saint.
4. This tells us what a great change is wrought in Conversion. Among other comparisons used in the word of God to set this forth, one is, the recovering of men to their understanding again. The mad Prodigal, when God was about to Convert him, comes to himself, Luk. 15.17. He had been distracted before, but now he returns to his right mind: In Conversion a new Creature is produced▪ all new, 2 Cor. 5.17. And what a Metamorphosis i• this to see a bruit turned into a rational being 〈…〉 ⟨p. 477⟩And it is not less to see an obstinate sinner made a gracious Saint.
5. We have here a reason why instruments can of themselves do nothing. It is Gods pleasure to send men to treat with men, as to such who have an Humane understanding in them; but to convince and persuade sinners is a work too big for them: their encouragement to use the means, and sinners encouragement to attend them, is because it is Gods way, but we must subordinate the whole success to him; so that if we persuade not obstinate sinners, wonder not, for who are we? and if we do persuade them, arrogate not; it was not we, but his Grace working with us.