A77360:489
Christ and the covenant the work and way of meditation
Christ and the covenant the work and way of meditation. : Gods return to the soul, or nation; together with his preventing mercy. : Delivered in ten sermons, (viz.) 1. Christs personal excellencies, the object of our love. 2. Christ crucified, the object of our faith. 3. The new covenant of grace opened. 4. Christ the mediator of the new covenant. 5. The way and spirit of the new covenant, or New Testament. 6. The blood of sprinkling. 7. The sweetness and profitableness of divine meditation. 8. The work and way of this meditation. 9. Gods return to the soul and nation. 10. Preventing mercy. / By W.B.
London: printed for N. Ranew, 1667
Sermons › Sermon 5: The Way and Spirit of the New Covenant, or New Testament. SERM. V.
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. But you will say, May not a man that is of a Gospel spirit, and that is come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, be full of fears? May not a good and gracious soul be full of fears about his condition?
Quest. But you will say, May not a man that is of a Gospel spirit, and that is come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, be full of fears? May not a good and gratious soul be full of fears about his condition?
Answ. I answer, He may; but his fears do arise from the weakness of his Adherence and Faith. The other's fears do rather arise from the weakness of the ground he stands upon. As for example: Two men are afraid of drowning; one stands upon a Rock, and he is afraid of being drowned; the other stands ⟨p. 365⟩upon a Quick-sand, and he's afraid of being drowned; both are afraid: He that stands upon a Rock, is afraid of drowning, why, because he is afraid he shall be washed off: His fear arises from the weakness of his Adherence: But the other's fear arises from the unsoundness of the ground he stands upon, for it is upon a Quick-sand. So here, are two fears: a gracious Gospel-heart fears, and a Legalist fears. One fears from the weakness of his Adherence; I am upon the Rock, but I am afraid I shall be washed off: But the other's fears arise from the weakness of the ground he stands upon; he stands upon the Quick-sand, upon his own duties, and his own works; so that a legal Spirit is a fearing Spirit: He is put on rather by the Threatenings, than the Promise: The other by the Promise, rather than the Threatening. The one is kept from evil by his delight in good, and the other is put on to good by his fear of evil: That's the second.
Answ. I answer, He may; but his fears do arise from the weakness of his Adherence and Faith. The other's fears do rather arise from the weakness of the ground he stands upon. As for example: Two men are affraid of drowning; one stands upon a Rock, and he is affraid of being drown'd; the other stands ⟨p. 365⟩