N00802:1492
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: To go no further in Gods Service than forced is an ill sign. 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.
9 That when God recalls such providences, and giveth them prosperity again, they soon fall from their Obedience. Prosperity hath ever been dangerous to un•ound professors, See Deut. 32.15. Hence their Apostasy under Gods favours, hath procured them their trouble, and now in their distress they bethink themselves of a reformation, Judg. 10.16. Now God pi•ies them, and sends them deliverance. But here is their unhappiness, it was only fear that drave them to reform, and now this fear wears away, and they forget their promises, and turn again ⟨p. 487⟩to their former vain courses, in which they delighted and their fear did not break them •ff cordially from: hence that remark, Judg. 2.18, 19.
10 And by this God is put upon it to afflict them afresh and lay a yoke of trouble upon them ▪ How often did such changes in providence befall the Children of Israel, because when God enlarged them, they returned to thei• vomit and mire, and then God provided new troubles to exercise them withal, Psal 78 40 &c▪ 106 43 Now when it is thus with a professing people, we may gather two inferences from it.
10 And by this God is put upon it to afflict them afresh and lay a yoke of trouble upon them ▪ How often did such changes in providence befall the Children of Israel, bcause when God enlarged them, they returned to thei vomit and mire, and then God provied new troubles to exercise them withal, Psal 78 40 &c 106 43 Now when it is thus with a professing people, we may gather two inferences from it.