A65285:1436
A Body of Practical Divinity
A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692
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.
Quest. 1. By what means do Christians come to persevere?
Resp. 1. By the Manuduction and help of Ordinances, Prayer, Word, Sacraments. Christians do not arrive at Perseverance, when they sit still and do nothing. It is not with us as with Passengers in a Ship, who are carried to the end of their Voyage, and they sit still in the Ship; or as it is with Noble-men, who have their Rents brought in without their Toil or Labour; but we arrive at Salvation in the use of Means; as a Man comes to the end of a Race by running, to a Victory by fighting, Matt. 26.41. Watch and Pray. As Paul said, Acts 27.31. Except ye abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved. Believers shall come to shore at last, arrive at Heaven, but Except they abide in the Ship, viz. in the use of the Ordinances, they cannot be saved. The Ordinances cherish Grace; as they beget Grace, so they are the Breast-Milk by which it is nourished and preserved to Eternity.
Resp. 1. By the Manuduction and help of Ordinances, Prayer, Word, Sacraments. Christians do not arrive at Perseverance, when they sit still and do nothing. It is not with us as with Passengers in a Ship, who are carried to the end of their Voyage, and they sit still in the Ship; or as it is with Noble-men, who have their Rents brought in without their Toyl or Labour; but we arrive at Salvation in the use of Means; as a Man comes to the end of a Race by running, to a Victory by fighting, Matt. 26.41. Watch and Pray. As Paul said, Acts 27.31. Except ye abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved. Believers shall come to shore at last, arrive at Heaven, but Except they abide in the Ship, viz. in the use of the Ordinances, they cannot be saved. The Ordinances cherish Grace; as they beget Grace, so they are the Breast-Milk by which it is nourished and preserved to Eternity.