--> Required reading
Twenty-One Sermons on Hebrews 10:20-24 in Volume III of the Works of Robert Traill (Available from Reformation Heritage Books or free here) - Read Sermon IV.
Today Traill carries on from last week, still preaching on 'Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that hath promised' Hebrews 10:23.
Firstly he teaches what is a promising God: 'It is the true God manifesting his grace and mercy to us, and securing that by his faithful word, that is a promising God ; he is the true God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.'
Secondly Traill explains what need we have of a promising God: 'Since sin hath come into the world, there is an absolute necessity of our having to do with a promising God, and of God's dealing with us as a promising God, otherwise there can be nothing but ruin on our part. '
Then Traill applies the text by telling you:
(i) to enquire and determine, before God and your consciences, whether you do know God under this name;
(ii) to make use of this name of God as a promising God, carefully and wisely.
What grabbed me
I liked Traill's clarity that we need a promising God to be saved: 'The promise of God is both a veil, and a glass that we perceive God in. It is a veil upon his inconceivable, unapproachable glory : it is a glass wherein we may perceive, and may get near to him. We cannot possibly take up any comfortable, saving, right, apprehensions of God, but as he is clothed and veiled to us in a promise. His own glory is unapproachable ; his justice, his majesty, these great attributes of his, are all aamazing and confounding to poor creatures. But when God comes near to us, and promises great and good things to us, then we come to know him.'
Without God making promises, we would be completely lost.
Next week's reading
Read Sermon V.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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