N02384:355
A complete body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the…A compleat body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the…
A complete body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the Assembly's Shorter catechism wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are unfolded, their truth confirmed, their excellence displayed, their usefulness improved; contrary errors & vices refuted & exposed, objections answered, controversies settled, cases of conscience resolved; and a great light thereby reflected on the present age. / By the Reverend & learned Samuel Willard, M.A. late Pastor of the South Church in Boston, and vice-president of Harvard College in Cambridge, in New-England. ; Prefaced by the pastors of the same church. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]A compleat body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the Assembly's Shorter catechism wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are unfolded, their truth confirm'd, their excellence display'd, their usefulness improv'd; contrary errors & vices refuted & expos'd, objections answer'd, controversies settled, cases of conscience resolv'd; and a great light thereby reflected on the present age. / By the Reverend & learned Samuel Willard, M.A. late Pastor of the South Church in Boston, and vice-president of Harvard College in Cambridge, in New-England. ; Prefac'd by the pastors of the same church. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]
printed by B. Green and S. Kneeland for B. Eliot and D. Henchman, 1726
AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY's SHORTER CATECHISM: IN Two Hundred a… › Sermon 10 (Question 2 cont.)
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.
[5.] HENCE as plain as Scriptures are, there is need of the illumination of the Spirit, to help us to understand them aright. And that both as to a Literal understanding, and Spiritual discerning. The Disciples had read the Word of God, and could discourse of it; but they knew not the mind of God clearly in it, till Christ opened their understandings; Luk. 24.45. But let us here take notice, that this is not to supply any defect in the Scripture, but to help our infirmity: It is to restore eyesight to us. The Sun shone before as brightly as afterwards; but the Blind man saw it not, till his eyes were opened.
[6.] HENCE the necessary truths to Salvation in the Book of God, are plain to those for •ose sakes it was written. The Scripture was chiefly given to make the Man of God perfect: 2 Tim. 3.17. These therefore have their Eyes opened, so as to discern hidden things in Gods Law. Hence that of Paul, 2 Cor. 4.3. But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. As for others they may be judicially left to believe lies: They may have a judicial Blindness added to their Natural. It is true, Godly men know but in part, sanctification in gradual, but yet they do know unto Salvation; nor do they impute their remaining ignorance to the Scriptures, but to themselves: They lay the blame there.
[7.] NOTWITHSTANDING the Scriptures plainness, it is required in the people of God, that they use diligence in searching out the mind of the Spirit in them. Wisdom must be dug for, as for hid treasures. See,