The truly blessed man

2 Hence their faithful Obedience is the way to receive the reward. God hath not only told his people what he will do for them, but how they are to expect to come by it: for the Gospel promises are Covenant promises; nay we shall find the connection so strong that there are awful threatenings against such as neglect to seek to enjoy these benefits in the way prescribed; we read, Rom. 8.13. If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. This is not to be understood as •f the Children of God should be left to fall from ⟨p. 560⟩the promise, but to let them know that God ha•• appointed the means in order to the end, and thereby to nourish in them awful fear, and quicken them to duty.

2 Hence their faithful Obedience is the way to receive the reward. God hath not only told his people what he will do for them, but how they are to expect to come by it: for the Gospel promises are Covenant promises; nay we shall find the connexion so strong that there are awful threa•nings against such as neglect to seek to enjoy these benefits in the way prescribed; we read, Rom. 8.13. If ye live after the flesh, ye shall dy. This is not to be understood as •f the Children of God should be left to fall from ⟨p. 560⟩the promise, but to let them know that God ha•• appointed the means in order to the end, and thereby to nourish in them awful fear, and quicken them to duty.

3. This notwithstanding, the reward is every way of mercy. It is a great error, from the notion of a reward to iner a merit in the person that receives it. There is a reward of Grace, as well as of Debt, and […] daily exemplified among men. A father bestows a favour on his Child, in testimony of his accepting his fidelity, in cheerfully doing that which was hi duty: now that all the rewards which God bestow on his faithful people are fruits of mere mercy, i evident: for,