N00802:1507
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.
1. The best of Gods Children may be under affliction, when they walk most in their integrity. What an account doth that Holy man Heman give of himself? Psal. 88. It is not a certain argument of a mans being apostatized, merely because he is afflicted: God is Sovereign, and they must confess him to be so, Job 42▪2. He hath many ways wherein he will be glorified in his people, in the trial of their graces; and if when they walk in their integrity, they are brought into many sorrows, for the exercise of their faith, patience, &c. and he affords them his Spirit to help them in it, he thereby honours them, and they have cause to rejoice in tribulation.
1. The best of Gods Children may be under affliction, when they walk most in their integrity. What an account doth that Holy man Heman give of himself? Psal. 88. It is not a certain argument of a mans being apostatized, meerly because he is afflicted: God is Soveraign, and they must confess him to be so, Job 42▪2. He hath many ways wherein he will be glorified in his people, in the tryal of their graces; and if when they walk in their integrity, they are brought into many sorrows, for the exercise of their faith, patience, &c. and he affords them his Spirit to help them in it, he thereby honours them, and they have cause to rejoyce in tribulation.
2. But such times do call Gods people to search and by themselves. We should acquaint our selves with the reason why God afflicts us, how else shall we obtain the end and benefit of it? Now usually this is the occasion, viz. We grow remiss, and wanton, and negligent of our selves, and God in displeasure brings us into trouble: and if it be this, it calls us to Repentance; and if we would be able rightly to judge of this, we must observe our frame and carriage; and that;