N00802:1493
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.
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, b•cause when God enlarged them, they returned to thei• vomit and mire, and then God provi•ed 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.
1. It saith at least that there is a great power of indwelling sin in them. This is the best interpretation that can be put on it. Gods own Children, are Children here, and very foolish, and too ready to be drawn into sin, and neglect, and for that reason do often stand in need of b•ing treated as Childish, and want a rod to awe them. We are therefore told that there is need of it, 1 Pet 1.6. But it giveth them this conviction to humble them, viz. that their worser part greatly prevails in them; and whenever we are afflicted by God, it should put us in mind of this