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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 2: Guilt apprehended, Distressing to Gods Children. DOCTRINE II.
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. Satan will do all he can to bring you into it. ⟨p. 157⟩If he cannot destroy you he will do you all the damage he can, and his great business is to make breaches between you and your God; and that by driving you into something that is provoking, and when he hath so done, and God is angry, to accuse you to your own Consciences, and lay on load till he breaks your backs if possible; first to make you bold to sin, and then make you to despair by reason of it, and this calls you to be Watchful, 1 Pet. 5.8.
3. If you do fall into such a Condition, it will be terrible. No man knows the dismalness of it, but he that hath felt it: It will Soak out your moisture, and Dry up your marrow, and terribly scorch you. Read those sorrowful ditties, Psal. 38. & 88. And ask your own hearts, whether it be not a matter of greatest concern to avoid the precipitating your selves into it. And for advice here,
1. See to a particular forgiveness for old sins. Sins committed a great while ago, it may be before you were Converted, you may think it is enough that you had a general pardon: but if there have been any more particular sins; and you have not made a particular business of them, they may thus trouble you afterwards. David puts up such a petition, Psal. 25.7. Remember not the Sins of my youth. And Job makes such a complaint, Chap. 13.26. Thou makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. Lay in then some particular evidence of such a pardon given you.