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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.
5. Beware of sinful Reserves. Nothing more frequent, nor more dangerous than Equivocation: We make fair Covenants and plausible, but we have our mental reservations, which spoil all. If your Covenant be not full, and free, and plain, it is of no Worth. Saul is sent to destroy Amalek, and saith, I have done it, Only I reserved the best for a Sacrifice: He had that reserve in his mind before. Naaman hath his reserves: In this thing pardon thy Servant. It may be you think with your selves I can do all, and I will do all, but this or that one particular thing: One hath his sinful and unlawful Calling by which he gets a Living, another his oppression & deceit, another his excess in this or that lawful liberty, &c. And this he intends to keep, and thinks to say, I never intended this: Know it, this is a dreadful heart-deceit, and God will find it out, and it will render your whole Covenant a vain oblation.
5. Beware of sinful Reserves. Nothing more frequent, nor more dangerous than Equivocation: We make fair Covenants and plausible, but we have our mental reservations, which spoil all. If your Covenant be not full, and free, and plain, it is of no Worth. Saul is sent to destroy Amalek, and saith, I have done it, Only I reserved the best for a Sacrifice: He had that reserve in his mind before. Naaman hath his reserves: In this thing pardon thy Servant. It may be you think with your selves I can do all, and I will do all, but this or that one particular thing: One hath his sinful and unlawful Calling by which he gets a Living, another his oppression & deceit, another his excess in this or that lawfull liberty, &c. And this he intends to keep, and thinks to say, I never intended this: Know it, this is a dreadful heart-deceit, and God will find it out, and it will render your whole Covenant a vain oblation.
6. Trust not in your selves, or your own strength. In the first Covenant Man was to look upon and exercise his created Grace, though not without imploring Divine assistance and concurse: In the New-Covenant Man is utterly to disclaim himself, and deny all his own strength. The consideration of our own frailty and plain impotency to spiritual things were discouragement enough to our renewal of Covenant, If God expected, or we promised performance in our own strength. Though every Believer must acknowledge (with Paul) that of himself he can do nothing, yet is he neither to sit still and do nothing, or yet to renounce the Covenant of God, and engaging of himself to his service: Only he must carefully beware that he do not turn it into a Covenant of Works by being his own undertaker; lest whiles he pretends to renew, he