N00802:189
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. Hence flows great Peace of Conscience. It is the foundation on which our deliverance from the terrors of an accusing Conscience is built: when that tells us we have thus and so Sinned, & thereby provoked God, it is hereby pacified, when it can look on all this Sin as covered. Now the Spirit of Bondage, which is rooted in every unpardoned Sinner, is remedied, Rom. 8.15. The Soul hath the ground of inward Tranquillity notwithstanding all; and hereupon he can, with the more humbling sense, mourn for his Sin, whiles he can mourn as one that hath a good hope, and is not sunk in despondency.
3. Hence flows great Peace of Conscience. It is the foundation on which our deliverance from the terrours of an accusing Conscience is built: when that tells us we have thus and so Sinned, & thereby provoked God, it is hereby pacified, when it can look on all this Sin as covered. Now the Spirit of Bondage, which is rooted in every unpardoned Sinner, is remedied, Rom. 8.15. The Soul hath the ground of inward Tranquillity notwithstanding all; and hereupon he can, with the more humbling sense, mourn for his Sin, whiles he can mourn as one that hath a good hope, and is not sunk in despondency.
4. He hath great liberty of access with boldness to the Throne of Grace; there is such a liberty which Gods Children enjoy, Heb. 4.16. and this is that which principally contributes to it. It is sin that makes us afraid. When our first Parents were naked, they hid themselves, Gen. 3 8. but now being thus clothed, their shame and fear is taken away. When we know that our sin is covered, we need not be terrified with the thoughts of the Holiness and Righteousness of God.