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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.
3. Beware of allowing your selves in any sin. Think not of any that it is a Little One; count it not enough to stand off from gross scandalous Sins; nor make a little matter of sins of Omission, the neglect of this or the duty of worship to God, or of your relations: this heedlessness hath a double danger, it will hazard Gods with-drawing from you, and expose you to grow bold with such as are greater. And truly the more scandalous sins of Gods Children usually begin with such. David gave way to a wandering heart and eye on the house top, and that laid the Scene for all the Tragedy that followed.
3. Beware of allowing your selves in any sin. Think not of any that it is a Little One; count it not enough to stand off from gross scandalous Sins; nor make a little matter of sins of Omission, the neglect of this or the duty of worship to God, or of your relations: this heedlessness hath a double danger, it will hazard Gods with-drawing from you, and expose you to grow bold with such as are greater. And truly the more scandalous sins of Gods Children usually begin with such. David gave way to a wandring heart and eye on the house top, and that laid the Scene for all the Tragedy that followed.
4. Take beed of lying in a sin, when overtaken. There are none of Gods Children but do too frequently fall into Sin for their humbling, but a just man should rise presently; it is only for the Worlds Swine to wallow in the mire. David doubtless added to the bitterness of his trouble, in that he lay secure so long, as one asleep. Be every day making search for sin in your selves, and be very inquisitive, and as fast as you find any, drag it to the Cross of Christ, drive one more nail into it to fasten it there: is there a breach made by it between God and you, make it up presently; and this is the way to prevent ⟨p. 159⟩these bitter things, which else are to be expected afterwards.