A93085:368
Subjection to Christ in all his ordinances, and appointments, the best means to preserve…
Subjection to Christ in all his ordinances, and appointments, the best means to preserve our liberty. Together with a treatise of ineffectual hearing the word; how we may know whether we have heard the same effectually: and by what means it may be come effectual unto us. With some remarkable passages of his life. By Tho. Shepherd, late pastor of the Church of Christ in Cambridge in New-England. Now published by Mr. Jonathan Michel pastor of the said church in New England.Subjection to Christ in all his ordinances, and appointments, the best means to preserve our liberty. Together with a treatise of ineffectual hearing the word; how we may know whether we have heard the same effectually: and by what means it may be come effectual unto us. With some remarkable passages of his life. By Tho. Shephard, late pastor of the Church of Christ in Cambridge in New-England. Now published by Mr. Jonathan Michell pastor of the said church in New England.
London: printed for John Rothwell, 1652
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.
4. A Christian may have the everlasting efficacy of the word and voice of God preserved in a spirit of thankfulness and love to the Lord, for those joys and good that it finds by the word sometimes. When it feels that the sweet and savour of the word is gone, a spirit of thankfulness and love to the word that doth remain; The Lord he preserves the efficacy of the word in this way. Psal. 119.7. I shall, saith David, then praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements. The Lord he may teach his people his righteous judgements; and the savour and feeling, and strength of them to their feeling may be gone, and yet it is preserved in a spirit of thankfulness and praise that ever the Lord should show it such mercy. ⟨p. 180⟩When the Spirit is gone, the spirit of love and thankfulness remains. As now a man hath heard the word, the Lord he hath effectually wrought on him, and changed his heart, and drawn him to himself; a Christian it may be he may lose those sorrows and humiliations, and the remembrance of those things; yet there remaineth to his dying day this Spirit, he blesseth God, and wondereth at God, that ever he should make the word effectual; that he should leave so many thousands in the world, and cast his skirt over him, and say to him, Live; this do's remain still.
4. A Christian may have the everlasting efficacy of the word and voice of God preserved in a spirit of thankfulnesse and love to the Lord, for those joyes and good that it findes by the word sometimes. When it feels that the sweet and savour of the word is gone, a spirit of thankfulnesse and love to the word that doth remaine; The Lord he preserves the efficacy of the word in this way. Psal. 119.7. I shall, saith David, then praise thee with uprightnesse of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements. The Lord he may teach his people his righteous judgements; and the savour and feeling, and strength of them to their feeling may be gone, and yet it is preserved in a spirit of thankfulnesse and praise that ever the Lord should shew it such mercy. ⟨p. 180⟩When the Spirit is gone, the spirit of love and thankfulnesse remaines. As now a man hath heard the word, the Lord he hath effectually wrought on him, and changed his heart, and drawn him to himself; a Christian it may be he may lose those sorrowes and humiliations, and the remembrance of those things; yet there remaineth to his dying day this Spirit, he blesseth God, and wondereth at God, that ever he should make the word effectual; that he should leave so many thousands in the world, and cast his skirt over him, and say to him, Live; this do's remain still.