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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.
Think therefore with your selves, that if you have taken none or small pains, the work is not yet done. If any man have thought it an easy work, let that be enough to convince him that the work is not yet wrought. The blunter the tool is, the more strength must be put to it: many stay yet in their sins, because they have undervalued the difficulty of this work, and have thought less pains would have served the turn. Is it easy to change and turn the course of nature? see it by experience; if a man have a natural inclination, though it may be less stirring sometimes then other, yet it will return again and again; and if thou usest not as much forces against it, as it brings with it, thou doest nothing to resist it. If one come against you with ten thousand, and you meet him but with two thousand, who is like to get the victory? Thou must not therefore spare any paines. Difficilia quae pulchra: this is the most excellent thing, and ⟨p. 230⟩therefore the most difficult. Is it easy to build a Temple to the Lord, and to keep it clean and in repair? see what pains Saint Paul took, 1 Cor. 9. the three last verses, Every man that striveth, is temperate in all things; therefore I keep under my body, and do bring it into subjection: he expressed it by what they did at the Olympian Games, who were at great pains and labours before to enable themselves unto those exercises.
Thinke therefore with your selves, that if you have taken none or small paines, the worke is not yet done. If any man have thought it an easie work, let that be enough to convince him that the worke is not yet wrought. The blunter the toole is, the more strength must be put to it: many stay yet in their sins, because they have undervalued the difficulty of this worke, and have thought lesse paines would have serv'd the turne. Is it easie to change and turne the course of nature? see it by experience; if a man have a naturall inclination, though it may be lesse stirring sometimes then other, yet it will returne againe and againe; and if thou usest not as much forces against it, as it brings with it, thou doest nothing to resist it. If one come against you with ten thousand, and you meete him but with two thousand, who is like to get the victory? Thou must not therefore spare any paines. Difficilia quae pulchra: this is the most excellent thing, and ⟨p. 230⟩