N00802:1756
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 5: Every true believer is compassed with mercy. DOCTRINE V.
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.
2. Hence it is a woeful cheat put upon you, when you are persuaded that you shall change for the worse. It is hells policy, and the cry of corrupt nature to prejudice men against the fair offers of the Gospel. They would fain insinuate, that you must lose all pleasure and delight, and expose your selves to all troubles and sorrows, if you desert Satan's Camp, and come over to Christ; but see how unreasonable this is. Shall God or the Devil be believed in this case? Will you be put off with appearances, and put away realities? They are none but Enemies to the Salvation of your Souls who thus impose upon you.
2. Hence it is a woful cheat put upon you, when you are perswaded that you shall change for the worse. It is hells policy, and the cry of corrupt nature to prejudice men against the fair offers of the Gospel. They would fain insinuate, that you must lose all pleasure and delight, and expose your selves to all troubles and sorrows, if you desert Satans Camp, and come over to Christ; but see how unreasonable this is. Shall God or the Devil be believed in this case? Will you be put off with appearances, and put away realities? They are none but Enemies to the Salvation of your Souls who thus impose upon you.
3. If you will have these mercies, you must forsake your wickedness, and take up under the wings of Christ. God will not compound with wickedness, nor can there be any peace to the wicked, Isa 57. ult. These mercies are the peculiar privilege of Believers; they may be yours, though you have been wicked, but you must then renounce it, Isa. 55.7. Let ⟨p. 579⟩the wicked forsake his way, &c. Nor is it consistent with Gods Holiness that you should have it on any other terms; if you cannot comply with this, you renounce Gods mercies, and do what in you lies to cut off their hope of over enjoying them.
3. If you will have these mercies, you must forsake your wickedness, and take up under the wings of Christ. God will not compound with wickedness, nor can there be any peace to the wicked, Isa 57. ult. These mercies are the peculiar priviledge of Believers; they may be yours, though you have been wicked, but you must then renounce it,