A88578:222
A Christians duty and safety in evil times Delivered in several sermons, upon four…A Christians duty and safety in evill times Delivered in severall sermons, upon four…
A Christians duty and safety in evil times Delivered in several sermons, upon four texts of scripture, viz. Christ's prayer the saints support, on John 17 15[.] A divine balance to weigh all doctrines by, on 1 Thes.5. 21[.] A Christians great enquiry, on Acts 16.30, 31[.] A description of true blessedness, on Luke 11. 28[.] By that faithful messenger of Jesus Christ, Mr Christopher Love, late minister of Laurence-jury, London. Whereunto is annexed The saints rest, or Their happy sleep in death. As it was delivered in a sermon at Aldermanbury, London. Aug. 24. 1651. By Edmund Calalmy. B. D.A Christians duty and safety in evill times Delivered in severall sermons, upon four texts of scripture, viz. Christ's prayer the saints support, on Iohn 17 15[.] A divine ballance to weigh all doctrines by, on 1 Thes.5. 21[.] A Christians great enquiry, on Acts 16.30, 31[.] A description of true blessedness, on Luke 11. 28[.] By that faithfull messenger of Jesus Christ, Mr Christopher Love, late minister of Laurence-jury, London. Whereunto is annexed The saints rest, or Their happy sleep in death. As it was delivered in a sermon at Aldermanbury, London. Aug. 24. 1651. By Edmund Calalmy. B. D.
London: printed for E. Brewster and George Sawbridge, 1653
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A DESCRIPTION OF True Blessedness.A DESCRIPTION OF True Blessednesse.
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.
Observation, 7 It is not said, Rather Blessed are they that hear my words, and my sayings; it is so said in some other places: but here it is said, they that hear Gods Word. For had Christ said, rather blessed are they that hear my word, then people might have thought that Christ did impute blessedness only to his own preaching, and to those that heard him personally preach. Therefore Christ faith, rather blessed are they that hear Gods Word, be it preached by Peter, ⟨p. 148⟩Paul, or Apollo; by any Disciples, now living, or by any Minister of the Gospel that shall live afterwards to the Worlds end. Whosoever shall hear the Word of God contained in the Scriptures of the old and new Testament, and keep it, they are rather blessed then my mother was, if she be considered only, as instrumental to the bringing of me into the World. And in this expression there is a secret Glory or Honour put upon the Ministers of the Gospel, by Jesus Christ, who would not limit the blessing to his own preaching, but extends it to the Word of God in any Ministers mouth. And that is the reason (as many think) of that saying in Scripture, viz. He that believeth shall do greater works then Christ did. It is not meant of the works of Redemption, but of the ministerial works; that a faithful Minister shall convert more souls then Christ by his Ministry did convert. Christ indeed could have converted all that heard ⟨p. 149⟩him, but he did it not, lest men should have thought that they must have heard none but Christ. We do not read of many that were converted by Christs preaching, there were more converted by Peter, and other Apostles, then by Christ himself; this Christ did that people might not despise any of his ordinary Ministers. If Christ had converted more then all the Disciples, people then would have slighted the Disciples, and followed only Christ. This distemper began to grow in the Apostles days. 1 Cor. 11.12. Now this I say, That every one of you saith; I am of paul, I am of Apollo, I am of Cephas, and I am of Christ. The Apostle blames them that they should say, I am of Christ. The meaning is not, as though men were blame-worthy, for following, and loving of Christ, God forbid; it is our highest duty so to do: But there were some in the Church of Corinth who were ready to say, I care not for hearing of Paul, or Apollo, but I am