N00802:1703
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.
3. This notwithstanding, the reward is every way of mercy. It is a great error, from the notion of a reward to in•er a merit in the person that receives it. There is a reward of Grace, as well as of Debt, and […] daily exemplified among men. A father bestows a favour on his Child, in testimony of his accepting his fidelity, in cheerfully doing that which was hi• duty: now that all the rewards which God bestow• on his faithful people are fruits of mere mercy, i• evident: for,
3. This notwithstanding, the reward is every way of mercy. It is a great error, from the notion of a reward to in•er a merit in the person that receives it. There is a reward of Grace, as well as of Debt, and 〈…〉 dayly exemplified am•ng men. A fa•her bestows a favour on his Child, in testimony of his accepting his fidelity, in chear•ully doing that which was hi• duty: now that all the rewards which God bestow• on his faithful people are fruits of meer mercy, i• evident: for,
1. The subjects of them are such as were miserable in their natural state, and so stood in need of mercy to relieve them. They were every whit as miserable in themselves as those that go without them: and this God would have his people to bear in mind, and often reflect on, to put the greater value upon his kindness Paul would have them to reflect hither, Eph. 2.2 3. ver. 12