N04105:537
The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit,…
The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit, in reconciling of a sinner to God. / By Thomas Shepard, sometime of Emanuel-College in Cambridge, since preacher of God's word in New-England. ; [One line from Matthew]
Boston: printed by Green for D. Henchman, 1742
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.
the very Scope of which Words, is to persuade to a reverend receiving and keeping that good Law: This Law all Nations are bound to observe, because he is Jehovah the Lord; but to be thy God in special Covenant, and that redeemed thee from Egypt, and from that which was typified by it, this belongs to none but unto them especially, that are already the People of God; and therefore of all other People in the World, they are bound to receive it as their Rule: for Obedience doth not make us God's People, or God our God; But he is first our God, (which is only by the Covenant of Grace) & thence it is, that being ours, and we his, we of all others, are most bound to obey.
the very Scope of which Words, is to perswade to a reverend receiving and keeping that good Law: This Law all Nations are bound to observe, because he is Jehovah the Lord; but to be thy God in special Covenant, and that redeemed thee from Egypt, and from that which was tipified by it, this belongs to none but unto them especially, that are already the People of God; and therefore of all other People in the World, they are bound to receive it as their Rule: for Obedience doth not make us God's People, or God our God; But he is first our God, (which is only by the Covenant of Grace) & thence it is, that being ours, and we his, we of all others, are most bound to obey.
To conclude, they that stick in these Briars, therefore cry down the Law as a Christian's Rule, because by this Means a Christian shall find no Peace; because he is continually sinning against this Law; the Law therefore, say they, will be always troubling of him.
I answer, 1. A corrupt Heart & putrid Conscience can have no Peace by the Law, Isai. 57.21. There is no Peace to the Wicked, and it is good it should be so.