N00263:47
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.
That that had Conditions in it, but this hath none, but is absolute, or a free and full Promise without any Condition. To deny it to have Conditions, is to deny it to be a Covenant. In the Covenant of Grace Believers not only have a hope, but it is a grounded hope, and it is grounded in th• Covenant. Now that ground of hope which flows from the Covenant to the Pa••v standing engaged to service, is properly from the condition of it; why else might not every one to whom the Gospel is propounded enjoy this hope? contrary to, 1 Job. 3.4. He that hath this hope purifieth himself as He is pure. i. e. He Fortifieth his Hope by his Obedience: and thus every Gospel-command becomes a Covenant-command. There may be an absolute command of mere Lordship, or Sovereignty, but it cannot bear a relation to a Covenant, as a part of it, but it must, besides the nature of a Command, bear also the notion of a Condition: for, where there is a Command without a Promise, that is an act of mere Lordship, such an one proceeds according to Power, but where there is a Command with a Promise, or threatening adjoined unto it, this is now clothed with ⟨p. 11⟩the respect of a Covenant-command, & so carries the nature of a Condition in it with respect unto the Promise: as when God commands us to believe, & promiseth that if we so do we shall be saved, or threatens, that upon failure of believing, we shall be damned, Mark. 16.1•.
That that had Conditions in it, but this hath none, but is absolute, or a free and full Promise without any Condition. To deny it to have Conditions, is to deny it to be a Covenant. In the Covenant of Grace Beleevers not only have a hope, but it is a grounded hope, and it is grounded in th• Covenant. Now that ground of hope which flowes from the Covenant to the Pa••v standing engaged to service, is properly from the condition of it; why else might not every one to whom the Gospel is propounded enjoy this hope? contrary to,