N00802:1976
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.
1. All men have it not. There is an affection of Joy planted in the Humane nature, and every one seeks an object for it but the joy under consideration is not in common to all men, but they are the least number of men who can make a true challenge of i• Christ's Flock, who are the only sons […] daughters of Consolation, is a little flock; and i• it belongs n•t to all, it concerns every one to s•ek and use the means by which he may obtain it: especially if we consider,
1. All men have it not. There is an affection of Joy planted in the Humane nature, and every one seeks an object for it but the joy under consideration is not in common to all men, but they are the least number of men who can make a true challenge of i• Christ's Flock, who are the only sons 〈…〉 daughters of Consolation, is a little flock; and i• it bel•ngs n•t to all, it concerns every one to s•ek and use the means by which he may obtain it: especially if we consider,
2. The cravings of your nature cannot be satisfied without rejoicing. We observed, that Joy is an affection, which hath a proper respect to the end we aim at; now all mens aim or end is to be happy, Psal. 4.6. Which happiness is Objectively, ⟨p. 639⟩that which may give complete satisfaction; and the act of it is the acquiescence of the soul in the enjoyment; and this is nothing else but joy. Now experience tells us that no man is at rest, till he hath reached to this, at least in his opinion. The reason why any rejoice, is because either they think they have what they crave,