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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.
The second question I would ask is this: are 1you ashamed of God, or any task or duty, or his people among those where the shame will do you some hurt? consider whether you are not ashamed of Religion among sinners; it is an expression put in for some cause, in Mark. 8. 38. Whosoever shall be 2ashamed of me: and my words in this adulterous generation, &c. As if he should have said, it may be you would not be ashamed of me among Saints; but he that is ashamed of me among the worst of men, and in a dangerous time, in such a time as when it is ignominious to be a Christian (as it was then) of that man will I be ashamed in the day of the Resurrection. You must therefore try your selves, what you do before wicked men, and what you do before great men, when it is some loss to you to profess CHRIST, or any truth of H•s; and know that this is not a small matter: We must profess CHRIST in our times, we must make the word of God the rule of our lives. Perhaps we think that so long as our hearts are right, and so, that we run not out into evil ways with others, the matter of profession is but a small change, that is but as the leaves of godliness; if GOD have the fruit, what need we care for the leaves? But remember that in Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man believeth 3unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation: This will damn many of us, the want of profession, as well as the greatest ⟨p. 62⟩sins. The Scripture is peremptory; we must 4profess Gods Name at all times, even then when we shall do it with the danger of our lives. You know that Daniel did so, in danger of his life, and it was not a needless matter, but it was in a matter that concerned his life. But that you may do this the more willingly, consider why men are ashamed of this profession, why? because men do speak evil of you, but is this a good reason? No, for they