Covenant Keeping the Way to Blessedness, Title page 1 – To the reader
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 DƲTY, on Our Part, in the Covenant of Grace: As it was Delivered in ſeveral Sermons, Preached in Order to Solemn Renewing of Covenant.
By SAMƲEL WILLARD Teacher of a Church in Boſton in New-England.
Deut. 7. 9. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that Love him, and keep his Commandments, to a thouſand Generations:
10. And repayeth them that Hate him, to their face, to deſtroy them: He will not be ſlack to him that hateth Him, He will repay him to his face.
BOSTON IN NEW-ENGLAND, Printed by James Glen, for Samuel Sewall. 1682.
To the READER.
THE Doctrine of the Covenant, however full of grace, and light, and glory, hath occaſioned, as deep Enquiryes, ſo Diſputes, and variety of Apprehenſions, and that too among men both godly and learned, yea, that have been eminently ſo. True it is, that in Principles which do more nearly concern the foundation, or that relate to the ſubſtantials of the Covenant, Orthodox Writers are of the ſame Judgment; and their Circumſtantial differences have cauſed the light of Truth to break forth with a greater brightneſs and glory, Ex colliſione Ingeniorum fit ſcintilla Veritatis. There are very judicious bDr. Jacob, Mr. Blake.Divines, who in their Diſcourſes of the Covenant of Grace, take it in a more ſtrict ſence, for the ſame with that Covenant of Mercy, which the Electbeleeving World is the proper ſubject of. Others (and thoſe who have been great cDr. Preſton, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Gelaſpy, Mr. Ball.Lights in the Church of God) under the Covenant of Grace, comprehend the Covenant of Redemption. Thoſe glorious & bleſſed Tranſactions, which have from the dayes of Eternity, paſſed between the Father and the Son, concerning the Redemption of loſt Sinners, are, (though Decrees & purpoſes) by the Scriptures held forth, and expreſſed unto us, in a Covenant-way. The Lord Chriſt, is the Prince Head, and Mediator of the everlaſting Covenant; He is the great Patentee, with whom that heavenly Charter is confirmed, and eſtabliſhed for ever. Indeed, the Covenant of Redemption in reſpect of Chriſt is rather of Works, than of Grace, his obedience being every way perfect & meritorious; but as it relates to us, it is a Covenant of Grace, ſince it was from Infinite grace in the bleſſed God, that He hath given his Son to be a Surety for Sinners, and that as to thoſe whom Chriſt hath Undertaken for, Hee accepts of the obedience of another, without requiring Perſonal ſatisfaction according to the Rigor and Holy Severity of the Law.
Various alſo, have the Conceptions, and Expreſſions, of very worthy Men, been, concerning abſolute, and conditional Promiſes. Some who affirm the Covenant to be dMr. Cotton Mr. Bridge, Mr. Petto. &c.abſolute, yet acknowledge that Faith is neceſſary in order to Juſtification, and that ſincere Obedience, and perſeverance therein is neceſſary, neceſsitate Praecepti, et Medij, in order to the enjoyment of Salvation; onelyonly, they are not free to uſe the word Conditions, leſt they ſhould make thoſe things to be Cauſae regnandi, which are but Via ad Regnum. On the other hand, they that aſſert Conditions to be in the Covenant of Grace, do nevertheleſs, own, that there are ſome Promiſes therein mSee Mr. Bulkley of the Covenant.which as to the ſubjects of them, are free and Abſolute; viz. The Promiſes which reſpect first grace, the powring down of the Spirit, the giving a new Heart, &c. And that the Conditions or Qualifications required of men under the Goſpel in order unto Life and Salvation, viz. Faith, Repentance, Holineſs, Perſeverance, ſhall moſt infallibly be performed as to the Elect of God, by reaſon of the Covenant of Redemption, which is the foundation of that Covenant, which ſome Judicious and Learned, call the Covenant of Reconciliation: So that they are far from aſſerting an Uncertainty in the efficacy of the death of Chriſt, or a Conditional Will in God, depending upon, and determined by the Wills of Men; which Arminian Heterodoxy hath been elaborately confuted, by ſundry great oTwiſs de ſcientia media. Voetius diſp. de conditionata, ſeu media in Deo ſcientia.Authors. Thus far then, the Controverſy about abſolute & conditional Promiſes, is not of ſuch moment, but that wee may, ſalvâ Fide & Charitate, allow men to expreſs their Notions, and peculiar ſentiments therein: OnelyOnly there are, who under pretence of Abſolute Promiſes deſtroy both ſaving Faith, & Obedience. Antinomians do no better; and ſome there are, that under that pretence would eſtabliſh an Aſſurance of Salvation, before and without thoſe gracious Qualifications which the Scripture declares all men that are deſtitute thereof, to be Chriſtleſs, under the wrath of God, and the Heirs of eternal Death. It will be found that ſuch Doctrine is not the way to comfort true Believers, but to harden preſuming Hypocrites, who are willing to be ſure of Heaven, and yet to retain ſome ſecret ſin; but what good will ſuch a man's aſſurance do him, in the day, when God ſhall take away his ſoul?
It is of vaſt Importance and Concernment, for men to be duely inſtructed and eſtabliſhed in the Doctrine of the Covenant: ſince moſt of the Errours of the Times are thereby confuted. Blind Popiſh Errors, concerning Merits, Satisfaction, many Mediators, &c. Arminian Tenents about Univerſal Redemption, Free Will, Apoſtacy from Grace, &c. Socinian Haereſyes, denying the Deity and Satiſfaction of Chriſt. All theſe Errors are inconſiſtent with the Covenant of Redemption, according as the Doctrine thereof hath (in theſe later Times of Light eſpecially) been held forth from the Scriptures by *See Dr. Jacob, and Mr. Flavel's Sermons concerning the Covenant of Redemption.ſeveral whom the Lord hath raiſed up, and enabled unto that Service for his Name. Antinomian Errors oppoſe the Truth of the Covenant, both as eſtabliſhed with Chriſt (the Second Adam) and with Believers who are his Seed, that by the Goſpel are required to live according to the Holy Rules of the Word of God, and concerning whom the Lord hath promiſed that they ſhall do ſo. Iſa. 60. 21. with 53. 10, 11. Anabaptiſtical Errors have been very fatal to the Churches of Chriſt ſince the Reformation; in which reſpect a gAmiraldus de Pace inter Evangel. procurand. P. 246.Learned Man giveth wiſe Counſil, when he adviſeth the Miniſters of the Goſpel to be (in a more eſpecial man-ner) Induſtrious to eſtabliſh their People in Truths that are contrary to ſuch Errors. It is from Miſtakes about the Covenant, that Men are carried away with deluding Opinions, to the unſpeakable Prejudice of their Children as well as of themſelves. For my own part, I do ſolemnly profeſs it, I value that Covenant-Intereſt, which God of his Grace in Chriſt (through the bleſſing of Abraham come upon the Gentiles) hath vouchſafed not only to mee, but to my Children, to be ten thouſand Times better, than any earthly Inheritance which this World can affoord: And truly, they have little reaſon to expect that God will bleſs them in their Poſterity, who ſet at nought ſo bleſſed a Priviledge.
Theſe things being ſo, the enſuing Diſcourſe concerning the Covenant of Grace, will (I truſt) be of good Uſe among the Lord's People: Therein the Reverend and worthy Author, hath with Candor delivered his own Judgment in Points that are of a more Controverſial, and Circumſtantial Nature; not being willing to contend about Words, where there is an Agreement in the main Principles, on which the Truth ſtands immovable. I know, there are many excellent Treatiſes on this Argument, already extant. Nevertheleſs, what is here preſented is not to be thought ſupervacaneous, ſince the Reader will find that theſe Sermons, as to the Doctrinal part of them, are Succinct, Solid, and Judicious; and that the Applicatory part, is both Powerful, and Seaſonable, being wiſely accomodated unto the preſent State of theſe Churches: more eſpecially unto ſuch as have lately and Explicitly renewed their Covenant with God, and one another. Bleſſed be the Lord, in that He hath ſtirred up the Heart of this His Servant, to give ſuch faithful Exhortations, and Cautions as are here to be ſeen. In ſpecial, I rejoice to ſee what is Expreſſed, Pag. 107, 110. Where Profeſſours are called upon to deny themſelves in ſome Lawful Libertyes, rather than to occaſion others to ſin againſt the bleſſed God; And the Neglect of Church-watch and Diſcipline, is bewayled, as that which doth make Religion to languiſh among us. And it is a delight to ſee that ſerious and ſolemn Caution, Pag. 124, 125. to the Children riſing up, that they ſhould beware of overthrowing the Foundations which our Fathers have laid.
Now the Lord own, and go along with his Truth, that thereby many may be awakened, quickened, encouraged in faithful Deſires, and Endeavours to keep Covenant with God. So may they hope that the Lord's Faithfulneſs in keeping Covenant with them, will extend it ſelf to them that fear Him; yea, unto them, and to their Children, and unto their Childrens Children, from generation to generation.
Boston. N. England; Novemb. 15. 1682. INCREASE MATHER.