N01625:210
Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Showing the virtue of Christs blood to…Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Shewing the vertue of Christs blood to…
Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Showing the virtue of Christs blood to cleanse from sin. II. That natural men are under the government of self-love. III. That the Gospel is the means of conversion. : To which a fourth is added, to stir up young men and maidens to praise the name of the Lord. / By Solomon Stoddard A.M. Pastor of Northampton.Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Shewing the vertue of Christs blood to cleanse from sin. II. That natural men are under the government of self-love. III. That the Gospel is the means of conversion. : To which a fourth is added, to stir up young men and maidens to praise the name of the Lord. / By Solomon Stoddard A.M. Pastor of Northampton.
printed by B. Green for Daniel Henchman, 1717
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. If you don't praise the Lord, it will make your life uncomfortable. The ways of wisdom are ways ⟨p. 111⟩of pleasantness, & all her paths are peace, Prov. 3.17. David says, It is pleasant to sing praise to the Lord, Psal. 147.1. It is agreeable to the nature of Man to walk in the ways of uprightness. Men are then in their element, it is the perfection of nature: & it is agreeable to the Conscience of Man, that approves & applauds an holy life. But unholy living is uncomfortable living. If Men neglect to serve God, they put themselves upon the rack: if Men live a life of disobedience, they live a miserable life: they don't enjoy themselves; corruptions are hard masters. The wicked is like the troubled Sea that cannot rest, Isai. 57 20. Every corruption is a tyrant: Mens lusts are scourges to them. Wrath killeth the foolish man, & envy slayeth the silly one. So, Pride, Covetousness, Unbelief, are troublesome task-masters. And a sinful & unsanctified life is disquieting to the Conscience; such men have the reproaches of their own hearts: Conscience is chiding, shaming & upbraiding them. When they hear the rebukes of the word, their own hearts do echo thereunto; and their own Conscience is making apparitions of danger, & threatening of them with the vengeance of God Some are more stupid than others, but upon many occasions Conscience will be terrifying them, they have many frightful expectations. Job 15 21. A dreadful sound is in his ears. They have awful preoccupations of hell. They are scared with Death & of Judgment: Sometimes they think of the blackness of darkness for ever; ⟨p. 112⟩sometimes of being among Devils; sometimes of the everlasting flames; they carry their tormentor about with them: their hearts are many times meditating terror. They are all their life time subject to bondage, Heb. 2.15.