A66098:47
Covenant-keeping the way to blessedness, or, A brief discourse wherein is shown the connection…Covenant-keeping the way to blessedness, or, A brief discourse wherein is shewn the connexion…
Covenant-keeping the way to blessedness, or, A brief discourse wherein is shown the connection which there is between the promise, on God's part; and duty, on our part, in the covenant of grace as it was delivered in several sermons, preached in order to solemn renewing of covenant. By Samuel Willard teacher of a church in Boston in New-England.Covenant-keeping the way to blessedness, or, A brief discourse wherein is shewn the connexion which there is between the promise, on God's part; and duty, on our part, in the covenant of grace as it was delivered in several sermons, preached in order to solemn renewing of covenant. By Samuel Willard teacher of a church in Boston in New-England.
printed by James Glen for Samuel Sewall, 1682
Discourse › Pages 1-60: Covenant-Keeping the way to Blessedness.
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.
1. Conditions, wherein there is something required of, and engaged in to be performed by the one Party, this is so essential, that there can be no Covenant without a Condition. They are grossly mistaken who would propound that, as one difference between the Covenant of Works, and that of Grace.
1. Conditions, wherein there is something required of, and engaged in to be performed by the one Party, this is so essential, that there can be no Covenant without a Condition. They are grosly mistaken who would propound that, as one difference between the Covenant of Works, and that of Grace.
That that had Conditions in it, but this hath none, but is absolute, or a free and full Promise without any Condition. To deny it to have Conditions, is to deny it to be a Covenant. In the Covenant of Grace Believers not only have a hope, but it is a grounded hope, and it is grounded in the Covenant. Now that ground of hope which flows from the Covenant to the Party standing engaged to service, is properly from the condition of it; why else might not every one to whom the Gospel is propounded enjoy this hope? contrary to, 1 Joh. 3. 4. He that hath this hope purifieth himself as He is pure. i. e. He Fortifieth his Hope by his Obedience: and thus every Gospel-command becomes a Covenant-command. There may be an absolute command of mere Lordship, or Sovereignty, but it cannot bear a relation to a Covenant, as a part of it, but it must, besides the nature of a Command, bear also the notion of a Condition: for, where there is a Command without a Promise, that is an act of mere Lordship, such an one proceeds according to Power, but where there is a Command with a Promise, or threatening adjoined unto it, this is now clothed with ⟨p. 11⟩the respect of a Covenant-command, & so carries the nature of a Condition in it with respect unto the Promise: as when God commands us to believe, & promiseth that if we so do we shall be saved, or threatens, that upon failure of believing, we shall be damned,