N00802:731
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 › Gods readiness to forgive on Penitent Confession. DOCTRINE.
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. God is holy and just, as well as merciful. The Divine Perfections, as they are in God, are not separate one from another, though to us they are distinctly discovered, because we cannot otherwise entertain the notion of them: there can therefore be no clashing among them. Now there are other Attributes besides Mercy and Grace, which God hath declared in his Word, and will display in his Works; there is his Justice as well as his Mercy; and he will have Monuments of them both, Rom. 9 22, 23. And when he doth display his mercy, it shall be agreeable with his Justice, Psal. 85.10. And there is Holiness, which is celebrated in the display of every other Attribute, Psal. 99. ult. How vain is it then for any to lean the whole weight of their confidence for eternity, upon so weak a foundation as this? What though God is wonderfully rich in mercy? May he not appear so for ever in others, though you be never made sharers of it? shall he not be admired in them that believe, though Unbelievers perish for ever? may not you for all this be Vessels of Wrath, and so be made foils of his mercy in others? Or do you think that God will stain his Holiness, that he may magnify his Grace? Be not deceived.
1. God is holy and just, as well as merciful. The Divine Perfections, as they are in God, are not separate one from another, though to us they are distinctly discovered, because we cannot otherwise entertain the notion of them: there can therefore be no clashing among them. Now there are other Attributes besides Mercy and Grace, which God hath declared in his Word, and will display in his Works; there is his Justice as well as his Mercy; and he will have Monuments of them both, Rom. 9 22, 23. And when he doth display his mercy, it shall be agreeable with his Justice, Psal. 85.10. And there is Holiness, which is celebrated in the display of every other Attribute, Psal. 99. ult. How vain is it then for any to lean the whole weight of their confidence for eternity, upon so weak a foundation as this? What though God is wonderfully rich in mercy? May he not appear so for ever in others, though you be never made sharers of it? shall he not be admired in them that believe, though Unbelievers perish for ever? may not you for all this be Vessels of Wrath, and so be made foils of his mercy in others? Or do you think that God will stain his Holiness, that he may magnifie his Grace? Be not deceived.