N01078:41
The just man's prerogative. A sermon preached privately, Sept. 27. 1706. on a solemn…
The just man's prerogative. A sermon preached privately, Sept. 27. 1706. on a solemn occasion; for the consolation of a sorrowful family, mourning over the immature death, of a pious son, viz Mr. Simeon Stoddard, who was found barbarously murdered, in Chelsea-Fields near London, May 14. 1706. / By S. Willard. ; [Two lines from II Samuel]
printed by B. Green. Sold by Nicholas Boone, 1706
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
II. Let us rightly Improve this Truth to help us to a suitable demeanour of our Selves; when we are under the Exercise of Grievous Afflictions. And there are such Lessons as these we should Learn from it.
II. Let us rightly Improve this Truth to help us to a suitable demeanure of our Selves; when we are under the Exercise of Grievous Afflictions. And there are such Lessons as these we should Learn from it.
1. Let it put us anew upon the Confirming of our Assurance, that we are such Just Persons. Our clearness in this is apt to be obscured; & the darkness of Providence too frequently raiseth Clouds on our Mind about it: and this is very often the perplexity of a Christian, & he thinks that he could be quiet under the Affliction, were he but sure of this. Now the best way so to be is to be often proving of our selves, according to the advice given, 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine your selves, whether you are in the faith: prove your own selves. This also will be a good way to keep us from doing any thing that will interpose to hide this light from us, or will provoke the Holy Spirit to withdraw the affording us his confirming Testimony. The Promise on which our hope is built, is not to be doubted of, so that there needs nothing to yield us satisfaction, & afford us a triumph, but to know that we are the Heirs of this Promise. There are the things which accompany Salvation, and if we can find them in us we have now nothing to do, but to Suck out the sweetness therein.
2. Let us Corroborate our Faith on the Promise and humbly Claim it of God. We are here to Live by Faith, and the whole dependence of our Faith is on the Promise, if that could fail, we might be miserable; but if that will hold, we are safe.