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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. ; [Seven lines from Deuteronomy]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. ; [Seven lines from Deuteronomy]
printed by James Glen, 1682
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.
3. That it come to God through His hands. Now to each of these Faith thus embracing of Christ is requisite: Hence, without it no pleasing God, Heb. 11.6.
III. Though we cannot go savingly to Christ before ⟨p. 89⟩Faith be wrought in us, because Faith is the first saving Grace; yet it is our duty to be diligently using all those means which are appointed to this End, and therein to be waiting upon Him for it. Sense therefore of our own inability, and utter insufficiency to do this Work, in and of our selves, is not a just ground of discouragement, but may be improved to excite and direct us to go there where sufficiency is to be had; Christ therefore sends His gracious invitations to such as these, Isa. 55.1. Mat. 11.28.
4. Those that have believed are to exercise Faith daily, going to Christ for renewed Grace and strength, Faith is the great help, and the only help we have in us, to fetch in that strength, by which alone we can do that which is well-pleasing unto God. It is not for a Believer to say, I am weak, and dare not stir; lest I fall: No, but he is to say, Christ is strong, and He hath bid me to wait on Him, and believe in Him. This I may assure you of; That when a Child of God, in tender sense of his •wn inability to do his duty as he should, hath believingly cast it upon and committed it to Christ, the bigger & better part of his duty is done, and he may cheerfully and steadfastly go through the rest. Let none hope or think to keep Covenant in his own strength; nor let any despair of it, as long as there is strength in Christ; especially considering, that, if we believe in Him, He stands Surety for us, and is in the Covenant; not only our High-Priest to make satisfaction for us to his Father, but our King too, to Rule in us, and lead us in His fear, and not to suffer us to depart from Him all the days of our Lives. When we (finding our selves to be of no Strength) go to, and Lean upon Jesus Christ, we are carried forth happily; and shall serve God acceptably: It is then alone when we are too presumptuous of our own strength, and rely on that,