N01435:32
A sermon concerning obedience & resignation to the will of God in every thing.…
A sermon concerning obedience & resignation to the will of God in every thing. Occasioned by the death of that pious gentlewoman, Mrs. Mariah Mather, late consort of Increase Mather, D.D. Who entered into her everlasting rest, on the Lords Day, April.4. 1714. : [Seven lines of Scripture texts]A sermon concerning obedience & resignation to the will of God in every thing. Occasion'd by the death of that pious gentlewoman, Mrs. Mariah Mather, late consort of Increase Mather, D.D. Who entered into her everlasting rest, on the Lords Day, April.4. 1714. : [Seven lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by T. Green, 1714
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.
2. It is the Commanding Will of God Revealed in the Gospel, that men should Believe on Jesus Christ: 1. Joh. 3.23. This is his Commandment, that we should Believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ. This is an Evangelical Commandment. Only the Gospel Commands us to Believe on Christ. The Law requires that we should Believe on God, depending on his Power and Goodness; but it is the Gospel, and not the Law that Commands us to Believe on Jesus Christ the Son of God. And indeed this is the great Commandment of the Gospel, Obedience whereunto is most pleasing to him. The Jews would fain have been Saved by the Works of the Law: They said to Christ, What shall we do that we might work the Works of God? Joh. 6.27. They meant a work for which God would accept of them and give Eternal Life to them: They would have it by Doing and Working. The Lord said to them, This is the Work of God, that ye Believe on him whom he has sent. No Work will please God like Believing on ⟨p. 10⟩Jesus Christ: No Obedience so acceptable to him as the Obedience of Faith. As no Sin is so displeasing to him as the Sin of Unbelief. He Sware in his Wrath against the Unbelieving Children of Israel, that they should not enter into this Rest▪ Heb. 3.18. To whom Sware he that they should not enter into his Rest, but to them that Believed not? So nothing pleaseth him like Believing. Let a man do what he will, he cannot possibly do the Will of God so as to find acceptance with him without Faith in Jesus Christ. Heb. 11.6. Without Faith it is impossible to please him.
2. It is the Commanding Will of God Revealed in the Gospel, that men should Believe on Jesus Christ: 1. Joh. 3.23. This is his Commandment, that we should Believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ. This is an Evangelical Commandment. Only the Gospel Commands us to Believe on Christ. The Law requires that we should Believe on God, depending on his Power and Goodness; but it is the Gospel, and not the Law that Commands us to Believe on Jesus Christ the Son of God. And indeed this is the great Commandment of the Gospel, Obedience whereunto is most pleasing to him. The Iews would fain have been Saved by the Works of the Law: They said to Christ, What shall we do that we might work the Works of God?