N01078:44
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.
3. Let us turn our Eyes from the Affliction, to contemplate the Glory which this Affliction shall work for ⟨p. 25⟩us. If we only pore upon the trouble, and fix there, we shall readily say as Jacob once did, All these things are against me. But, though we may and ought to look on the Affliction it self, thereby suitably to affect our selves, and without it we cannot do our Duty, and God doth not require us to be sottish & stupid: yet we are not to tarry here, lest our Spirits be leavened with it; but we are to look beyond this, and take a view of that which is to come. And the Apostle tells us how he was helped to keep from fainting under the present Affliction, 2 Cor. 4.18. Whiles we look not at the things that are seen, but the things that are not seen, &c. Let us look upon the Crown, Lift at it, and see how Weighty it is, and consider the Eternal duration of it; and then believe that this is it that we are conducted to, and fitting for by all that we meet, and then draw proper conclusions from it, and this will raise us above the Temptation.
4. Let us Enquire into the Mind of God concerning us in the Affliction. Whatsoever casualty there is in our trouble in regard of Second Causes, yet, as God is the Supreme author & orderer of all the things that come to pass in time; so it is our Duty humbly to enquire into his design, or what it comes for: thus did he, Job 10.2. Show me I Pray thee, wherefore thou contendest with me. So he, 2 Sam. 21. beg. And as God always doth it for the Spiritual profit of his own, so, that we may thus profit by it, we must endeavour to acquaint our ⟨p. 26⟩selves with the Meaning of it. Nor is a general persuasion that it is for our good, because we are his Called, sufficient for us; but we must by it be excited to our Duty, which that we may we must know it, and that whether for Correction, or for Trial, and though we may not expect immediate Revelation, yet there are the Rules given us by God in his Holy Word, by which we may be directed in this: Only we must Pray to God to help us in it by his Spirit, as he did,