N00799:32
Morality not to be relied on for life. Or, A brief discourse, discovering the…
Morality not to be relied on for life. Or, A brief discourse, discovering the one thing wanting, which leaves the legalist short of life eternal. Delivered in a sermon on the lecture in Boston, May, 23d. 1700. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston. ; [Four lines from Titus]
printed by B. Green for Benjamin Eliot, 1700
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
6. The influence of this faith into our moral Obedience, to render it acceptable unto God, and serviceable to our salvation: is mainly in these three respects.
1. It makes us sensible of our own self-insufficiency, & drives us to Christ alone, for his strength to enable us. The Moralist doth all his duties in his own strength, nor is he concerned to seek any out of himself: but the true believer doth his in the strength of Christ, he saith as Paul, Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me. By the eye of faith he sees that as he hath no sufficiency of his own for any thing, so that he must have it all from him, 2 Cor. 3.5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves, to think any thing as of our selves, but our sufficiency is of God. He therefore dares not to set about any thing, without looking up to him for his aid: all his undertakings are with such a reference, Psal. 119.32. I will run the way of thy Commandments, when thou shalt have enlarged my heart, Cant. 1.4 Draw me, we will run after thee. If he resolves upon any thing, it is with a reliance here, Psal· 71.16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God. And if he doth any thing well, he pays the acknowledgement of it hither, 1 Cor. 15.10. Not I, but the Grace of God which was with me.
1. It makes us sensible of our own self-insufficiency, & drives us to Christ alone, for his strength to enable us. The Moralist doth all his duties in his own strength, nor is he concerned to seek any out of himself: but the true believer doth his in the strength of Christ, he saith as Paul,