N00263:264
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.
2. A spirit of giddiness and Error. Great is the unsettledness of many mens principles, and wavering of their profession: Unsteady minds Men have, which are ever learning, and ••er attaining to the knowledge of the truth. […] have gotten itching ears, ever hearkening after some new Doctrines, and new Teachers: The good old ways of Truth, which are the only ways leading Men to Salvation, are too much trodden for them; they are too common for such singular spirits, whereas God hath bid us to seek for the old ways; and it will be found only safe for a People to hold fast their profession which they have received down from Jesus Christ, and certainly when Men go from this they go from the Covenant.
2. A spirit of giddiness and Errour. Great is the unsetledness of many mens principles, and wavering of their profession: Vnsteady minds Men have, which are ever learning, and ••er attaining to the knowledge of the truth. 〈…〉 have gotten itching ears, ever hearkening after some new Doctrines, and new Teachers: The good old wayes of Truth, which are the only wayes leading Men to Salvation, are too much trodden for them; they are too common for such singular spirits, whereas God hath bid us to seek for the old wayes; and it will be found only safe for a People to hold fast their profession which they have received down from Jesus Christ, and certainly when Men go from this they go from the Covenant.
3. A spirit of boundless Toleration. I am not now speaking of the Magistrates power and duty, but of ⟨p. 102⟩that which concerns the Churches of Christ. Who can but acknowledge that times are then bad and sad, when a due and sober witness-bearing against the prevailing evils of the times and places, is stigmatized for Persecution; when men that pretend themselves to be for the Truth, yet cannot patiently bear a plain and honest discovery of errors, is not this indeed to persecute the faithful Servants of Jesus Christ? Though many disputes have been in the Christian World about that question, viz. How far the Civil Sword ought to be drawn against those who are the Publishers and Maintainers of Erroneous and Heretical Doctrines and Practices: Yet the Church of Christ ever accounted Her self engaged to condemn and suppress them, both by Preaching and Writing against the Doctrines, and sharpening the Church censures against the Persons of such as vented, & pertinaciously persisted in them; purging out such Leaven from the lump: Nor did the Professors of the Truth ever call this Persecution, till now of late. It was the commendation of the Church of Ephesus, that they could not bear with such as those who said they were Apostles, and were not,