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The golden sceptre held forth to the humble With the Churches dignityThe golden scepter held forth to the humble VVith the Churches dignitie
The golden sceptre held forth to the humble With the Churches dignity by her marriage. And the Churches duty in her carriage. In three treatises. The former delivered in sundry sermons in Cambridge, for the weekly fasts, 1625. The two latter in Lincolns Inn. By the late learned and reverend divine, John Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to His Majesty, Mr. of Emanuel College in Cambridge, and sometime preacher at Lincolns Inn.The golden scepter held forth to the humble VVith the Churches dignitie by her marriage. And the Churches dutie in her carriage. In three treatises. The former delivered in sundry sermons in Cambridge, for the weekely fasts, 1625. The two latter in Lincolnes Inne. By the late learned and reverend divine, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to His Maiesty, Mr. of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and somtime preacher at Lincolnes Inne.
London: printed by R. Badger for N. Bourne, 1638
THE GOLDEN SCEPTRE. › Doctrine 3THE GOLDEN SCEPTER. › Doctrine 3
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.
But you will say, I have done this, and yet my 1heart is hard still.
- 1Object.
It may be so indeed, and your heart not softened, 1but yet this I say; First for thy comfort, that if thou continue doing this, the Lord accepteth it; but if thou dost it not, thy blood shall be upon thine own head: we require that thou shouldst only labour to do it, and the Lord will accept it, though thou art not able to soften thine heart: And secondly, know for thy comfort also, that God will join 2with thee, if thou labour thus with thy heart, and send the spirit of humiliation on thee; as the Disciples, ⟨p. 57⟩though they rowed all night, yet CHRIST came at the last, so though thou toilest many days, and makest no proficiency (as thou thinkest) yet know, that God at length will come and help thee, and that because he hath commanded thee to do this, he will not suffer you to be doing that always in vain, which he commandeth, and therefore he will come: but that you may have the more ground 3for this, remember that you have many promises made of Gods help; as in Luk 11. 13. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your chill dren, &c. You shall never alone, of your selves, be able to soften your hearts without the Holy Ghost, but continue knocking, and the Lord will give you the Holy Ghost, though you be but strangers. So that every man may come to God and say; Lord thou hast made such a promise, thou canst not go from thy word, and therefore deny me not; and be earnest with God, and he cannot deny thee. The woman of Canaan was not a Jew, yet she having this ground, that he was the Messiah, she would not be put off, therefore do thou so, and thou shalt in the end find that thy heart is softened: and the longer thou waitest, the greater measure thou shalt have of the spirit; and when thou hast him, he shall humble thy heart, as in