N00263:355
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 Consider how hard a thing it is for you to get your hearts right in so solemn a Service. I can assure you that except God afford his special help and Grace, all the power of Man cannot effect it. It is a hard thing ⟨p. 144⟩Man to know when his heart is right: It will solemnly protest that it is so, when it is indeed most false, & if he be so foolish as to believe it at its word, he shall be easily cheated. Did not Israel, when they were at mount Sinai, under the amazing terrors of God's dreadful presence, think their hearts right, when they made that profession to Moses? Deut. 5.27. Speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee, and we will hear it and do it. But let us see what God saith: vers. 28, 29. They have well said all that they have spoken. Oh! that there were such an Heart in them, &c. Did not Jehu think his heart was right, when he invites Jonadab as a Spectator, Come and see my zeal for the Lord? The understanding may be convinced, and the affections may be raised, and the Man may be forward, and yet a false heart in all this. And if it be thus hard to know the hearts falseness, much more hard and difficult is it, when it is discovered to be wrong, to get it right. Before the heart can be right in the Covenant, it must part from that enmity which it bears against God; it must lose its self-sovereignty, and be brought into true subjection unto His Holy Will; it must renounce it self, its own guidance, its carnal delights, and be truly and willingly devoted or consecrato God and His Service: It must make a free, full, and everlasting choice of God and His Ways, it must take delight to be bound and engaged to him, and account that its Covenant-engagement unto God is its greatest liberty: It must take up strong purposes and inviolable resolutions to do whatsoever God commands. To avoid what He prohibits, with greatest care and vigilancy, to be for Him and no other. How contrary and unpleasing these things are to flesh and blood, […] but in some measure understand, who was ever […] acquainted with His own heart.
3 Consider how hard a thing it is for you to get your hearts right in so solemn a Service. I can assure you that except God afford his special help and Grace, all the power of Man cannot effect it. It is a hard thing ⟨p. 144⟩