Fire and Ice: Puritan and Reformed Writings [Table of Contents]  [Fast Index]  [Site Map]

Samuel Willard (1640-1707) was pastor of Old South Church in Boston, President of Harvard College, and in some ways might be considered the Last of the Puritans. His magnum opus, A Compleat Body of Divinity, was the largest book ever printed in New England at the time, and it's my all-time favourite uninspired book. It gives me great pleasure to share some of Willard's wonderful sermons with you, and I hope you benefit from them as I have.

Most of the sermons are in PDF Image format. They are viewed the same as other PDF files with the Adobe Acrobat viewer, but they are larger and therefore take longer to download. You might wish to read the notes below and look at a sample before downloading sermons.

These sermons are not suitable for viewing online unless you have a very fast connection. You should download them first and read them offline.

     Why I love this book so much
     About the Book
     Willard's Style
     My Experience in Reading Willard
     About PDF Image files
     A sample to look at before downloading
     About PDF files in general

Sermons from his "Compleat Body of Divinity"

The book is organized according to the Westminster Shorter Catechism:

Question 1. What is the Chief End of Man?

Sermon 1 Man's Chief End is to Glorify God (PDF) 237K

Sermon 2 Man is to Glorify God (PDF) 248K

Sermon 3 Man is to Enjoy God Forever (PDF) 238K

Question 2. What rule hath God given us, how we may glorify and enjoy Him?

Sermon 4 There is a Rule to Direct Us (PDF) 316K

Sermon 5 Scripture is Our Only Rule (PDF) 212K

Question 7. What are the Decrees of God?

Sermon 32 The Decrees of God (HTML) The very best short treatment of this subject anywhere.

Sermon 33 How God Executes His Decrees (PDF) 212K

Question 21. Who is the Redeemer of God's Elect?

Sermon 80 Christ Our Redeemer (PDF) 268K

Sermon 81 Christ's Two Natures (PDF) 293K

Question 27. Wherein did Christ's Humiliation consist?

Sermon 96 Christ Humbled Himself (HTML) A sermon on Christ's birth. Practical, helpful. Also available in Word format.  PDF

Question 28. Wherein consists Christ's Exaltation?

Sermon 109 The Nature of Christ's Resurrection (HTML) "Let the consideration of our interest in his resurrection help us to triumph over death and the grave." Also available in Word format.  PDF

Sermon 110 Is Christ Ascended? (HTML) "That man is out of reach of harm in this life, who is sure of possessing heaven in the next." A short extract.

Question 30. How does the Holy Spirit apply to us the Redemption purchased by Christ?

Sermon 114 How the Spirit Applies Redemption (PDF) 493K

Question 31. What is Effectual Calling?

Sermon 115 What is Effectual Calling? (PDF) 529K

Sermon 116 External Calling (PDF) 558K

Sermon 117 Conviction of Sin (PDF) 520K

Sermon 118 Conviction of Misery (PDF) 553K

Sermon 119 Illumination; the Assent of Faith (PDF) 520K

Sermon 120 Renewing of Our Wills (PDF) 474K

Sermon 121 Conversion (PDF) 513K

Question 34. What is Adoption?

Sermon 128 What is Adoption? (PDF) 250K

Sermon 129 The Glorious Privledge of Adoption (PDF) 298K This is a great sermon.

Question 37. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at Death?

Sermon 138 Why Christians Must Pass Through Death (PDF) 266K

Sermon 139 The Happiness of Believers at Their Death (PDF) 242K This is an extraordinary sermon. "Use. How happy then must the Soul needs be, in the possession of this benefit? When it is thus prepared to be filled with all the glories of heaven, all of which are full of holiness, and can make us happy no farther than we are holy? Then also shall we be enabled to glorify God forever, to the utmost capacity of our nature, most extensively and unweariedly. Where the loud sound of hallelujahs, eternally, shall not tire our spirits, or make us weary. Let this then sweeten the thoughts of death to believers. If a little holiness in exercise be now so sweet to you, how precious will the completeness of it be? Let then, the assured expectation of this, make you reckon the day of your death, far better than that when you were born. And let such thoughts as these, I am hasting to the time and state wherein I shall sin no more, never be troubled with one temptation more, when I shall be complete in Christ, and filled with His fullness, and enabled to love, admire, praise and delight in Him forever, without interruption or weariness, make you cheerfully look out for the approach of that change which will introduce you into this so longed for felicity."

Sermon 140 The Souls of Believers Will Be in Glory (PDF) 263K

Sermon 141 The Bodies of Believers After Their Death (PDF) 263K

Question 38. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the Resurrection?

Sermon 142 There Will Be a Resurrection (PDF) 266K

Sermon 143 Believers Will Be Resurrected to Glory (PDF) 260K

Sermon 144 There Will Be a Judgement (PDF) 306K

Sermon 145 Christ Will Be the Judge of His Redeemed (PDF) 272K

Sermon 146 The Blessedness of Believers in Heaven (PDF) 250K

Question 39. What is the Duty that God requires of Man?

Sermon 147 God Requires Obedience as Man's Duty (PDF) 279K

Question 40. What did God at first reveal to Man as the Rule of his obedience?

Sermon 148 All Men are to Obey the Moral Law (PDF) 324K

Sermon 149 The Purpose of the Law (PDF) 307K

Sermon 150 Man's Duty Before God (PDF) 246K

Question 41. Where is the Moral Law summarily comprehended?

Sermon 151 The Ten Commandments (PDF) 300K

Question 42. What is the Sum of the Ten Commandments?

Sermon 152 Loving God, Our Neighbours, and Ourselves (PDF) 279K

Question 43. What is the Preface of the Ten Commandments?

Sermon 153 The Preface to the Ten Commandments (PDF) 314K

Question 46. What is required by the First Commandment?

Sermon 154 What is Required by the First Commandment (PDF) 279K

Sermon 155 Acknowledging God as Our God (PDF) 297K

Sermon 156 Faith and Worship (PDF) 304K (Very Good)

Question 47. What is forbidden by the First Commandment?

Sermon 157 What is Forbidden by the First Commandment (PDF) 298K

Question 48. What are we especially taught by these words (before Me) in the First Commandment?

Question 50. What is required by the Second Commandment?

Sermon 158 "Before Me;" The Second Commandment (PDF) 287K

Sermon 159 The Divine Authority to Institute Worship (PDF) 253K

Sermon 160 The Ordinances (PDF) 319K

Question 51. What is forbidden in the Second Commandment?

Sermon 161 What is Forbidden in 2nd Commandment? (PDF) 541K

Question 52. What are the reasons annexed to the Second Commandment?

Sermon 162 Reasons Annexed to Second Commandment (PDF) 626K

Question 54. What is required in the Third Commandment?

Sermon 163 Third Commandment; Taking God's Name (PDF) 620K

Sermon 164 Oaths; Reverence to God (PDF) 594K

Question 55. What is forbidden in the Third Commandment?

Sermon 165 What is Forbidden in Third Commandment (PDF) 568K

Sermon 166 Dishonoring God; Murmuring (PDF) 627K

Question 64. What is required in the Fifth Commandment?

Sermon 175 The Second Table; Orders of Mankind (PDF) 368K

Sermon 176 Duties of Parents (PDF) 324K

Sermon 177 Duties of Children (PDF) 273K

Sermon 178 Duties of Husbands and Wives (PDF) 304K

Sermon 179 Duties of Masters and Servants (PDF) 306K

Sermon 180 Old & Young; Civil Government (PDF) 264K

Sermon 181 Magistrates and the Law (PDF) 236K

Sermon 182 Duties of Judges (PDF) 270K

Sermon 183 Duties of Rulers; War (PDF) 250K

Sermon 184 Duties of Subjects (PDF) 303K

Sermon 185 The Church; Duties of Ministers (PDF) 253K

Sermon 186 Duties of Church Members (PDF) 256K

Sermon 187 Duties of Rich and Poor; Friendship (PDF) 286K

Question 65. What is forbidden in the Fifth Commandment?

Sermon 188 Sins Forbidden by the Fifth Commandment (PDF) 265K

Question 74. What is required in the Eighth Commandment?

Sermon 197 Requirements of the 8th Commandment (PDF) 330K

Sermon 198 Property; Must All Have Callings? (PDF) 306K

Sermon 199 What is Required for a Lawful Calling? (PDF) 344K

Sermon 200 Is the Charging of Interest Lawful? (PDF) 345K

Sermon 201 Having a Good Conscience in Commerce (PDF) 328K

Sermon 202 Prices; The Improvement of Estates (PDF) 366K

Question 75. What is forbidden in the Eighth Commandment?

Sermon 203 What is Forbidden by the 8th Commandment? (PDF) 329K

Sermon 204 Unrighteousness in Gaining Things (PDF) 384K

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