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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. › DoctrineTHE GOLDEN SCEPTER. › Doctrine
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.
Whereas you object you fall into the same sins 1again and again; I answer, you may fall again and again, and into great sins, for which you have been soundly humbled: why should we speak that which the Scripture doth not? only take it with this caution, that you find a constant war against them, as Israel with the Amalekites, so as never to yield; to look upon their sins, as a mans greatest enemy, never to be reconciled though he be foiled again and again: for what is true humiliation, but 2to reckon sin the greatest misery? and indeed if a man reckon any greater, as loss of wealth, &c. then a man had rather fall into sin then lose his wealth; whence it is that falseness of heart doth a rise: but humiliation makes a man to reckon sin such an evil, as he had rather suffer any thing than make a truce with sin: and the general ordinary power of grace in a mans ordinary whole course is not seen in keeping men from relapses altogether, but in setting sin and the heart at odds, as health and sickness; whilst a man is a living man he cannot ⟨p. 122⟩be friends with any disease but nature will resist it, it sets them at variance, as the Wolfe and the Lamb, as the spring and mud, and living waters will cleanse themselves, though the mud arise a thousand times, if as the Wolfe which reckons the Lamb the greatest enemy it hath in the world by an instinct of nature, so if thou reckonest sin the most destroying thing in the world, whence is this but because humiliation hath made that impression and apprehension of it on thy heart; which God hath set on thy heart as a brand in the flesh that will never out, then thou wilt fight against every sin and never be reconciled to it, as a Lamb is not to a Wolfe, because nature hath implanted that enmity there; if thou find this to be the constant disposition of thy mind, keep thy assurance strong, though many weaknesses be discovered in thee; It is utterly a fault among you to weaken your assurance by your daily slippings and failings, 3and Satan labours that above all other, for then when your assurance and hope is gone you walk unevenly, and as a Ship that hath lost her Anchor, or is without a Rudder: thou mayst sometimes feel a hardness in thee, and yet if this aforesaid be the constant disposition of thy mind;