N02384:603
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 22 (Question 4 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.
so curious a fabric, having so many admirable pieces of workmanship in it: and that all these were produced from no Pre-existing matter; that he hath nothing to lay the foundation of all this work upon. To make something to make all things, is a glorious demonstration of his Power. He that could give being to such, so great, and so many beings, that once were not at all, what is it that he is not able to do? God therefore useth this Argument to strengthen the faith of his People on him, in the times of forest distress, when they were ready to sink under discouragement; Isa. 40.27, 28. & 45.11, 12. Thus saith the Lord, the holy One of Israel, and his maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. 2. THE fulfilling of all his gracious Promise: to his People. He never spake the word to them but he did it; and that in every point, circumstance of time, persons, accidents; and all this notwithstanding all the blocks, seeming impossibilities, powerful contrivances & associations that have been made against them, they have been all dashed & broken, utterly defeated & come to nought: and all his Promises have come to pass in despite of all: instances for this we have in Pharaoh, Benhadad, Sennacherib, and many other upon Scripture record; yea, for this reason hath he been wont to suffer his People to be reduced ⟨p. 70⟩to the utmost extremity, till they had nothing left them but the Promise to rely upon; that so he might take the occasion to commend his Almighty Power to them. 3. THE execution of all his threatenings upon his proudest Enemies. That Observation, Whoever resisted God & prospered; is a witness to his Almightiness, that God can look upon the strongest Combinations of Men against him, and laugh at, and have them in derision; that he can dare them to do their worst, and warn them of the unfruitfulness of their Essays, and give being to those menaces, as Isa. 8.9, 10. Associate your selves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give car all ye of far countries: gird your selves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird your selves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: