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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 26 (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.
6. WHEN he begins to execute, he doth it gradually, and not all at once; but by steps, first by lighter plagues, and after that by heavier: tries first what rods will do, to see if they will prevent scorpions, Psal. 78.38. And ⟨p. 84⟩he hath many steps in the way, before he comes to the top, Lev. 26.27, 28. And if ye t••ll not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me: Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.
7. HE makes a pause between one Judgment, and another. He doth not bring them in an heap; but stops between, to give them opportunity, and that to see if there be no fruit of the caster, which may obviate the heavier, and therefore they are said to come, if so be the former will not check them; Lev. 26. Sinners have many respites.
8. IN the midst of his Judgments, he looks carefully to see if there be none to stand in the gap, and make up the hedge. Would fain have somebody to hold his hands, and prevent further and sorer Judgments; see Ezek. 22.30, 31. And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I sound none—. Or whether they themselves will return: hence that complaint,