N00802:978
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 3: God to be sought in a finding time. DOCTRINE. III.
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. That none hath Scripture warrant so to conclude. Gods purposes concerning individual persons on this account are reserved with himself; nor hath he given us any Rules in Scripture to determine it concerning our selves or others; there being but one Sin there branded for unpardonable, all others may be forgiven, Mat. 12.31. Now we are to fetch our hope, and regulate our selves in our duties by the revealed will of God.
2. The arguments that such are wont to use, will not infer this conclusion They may prove their present state bad and hazardous, but not evidence them past hope.
1. The greatness of their sins. If they have fallen into some heinous and aggravated transgression, and conscience smites them for it, Satan presently tells them, this is to big for a pardon; Cain saith, Gen. 4.13. My Sin is greater than I can bear, or than can be forgiven: how can the forgiveness of such sin be consistent with Gods Justice? But this is to reflect on the value of Christ's Sacrifice, as if the virtue of his blood had only an influence to do away the Guilt of smaller sins, whereas we are told otherwise, 1 Joh. 1.7. Heb. 7.25. How inargumentative then must Davids plea be? Psal. 25.11. Pardon my sin, for it is great. Yea, God himself resolves this doubt,