A09990:143
The new covenantThe nevv covenant
The new covenant, or the saints portion A treatise unfolding the all-sufficiency of God, and mans uprightness, and the covenant of grace. delivered in fourteen sermons upon Gen. 17. 1. 2. Whereunto are adjoined four sermons upon Eccles. 9.1. 2. 11. 12. By the late faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ John Preston. Dr. in Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns Inn.The nevv covenant, or the saints portion A treatise vnfolding the all-sufficiencie of God, and mans uprightnes, and the covenant of grace. delivered in fourteene sermons vpon Gen. 17. 1. 2. Wherevnto are adioyned foure sermons vpon Eccles. 9.1. 2. 11. 12. By the late faithfull and worthie minister of Iesus Christ Iohn Preston. Dr. in Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiestie, maister of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.
London: printed by I. Dawson for Nicolas Bourne, 1629
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.
for by these works of nature, we may learn to know the greatness of God, and to reflect upon our selves, and see how far we are short of him.
for by these workes of nature, we may learne to know the greatnesse of God, and to reflect vpon our selues, and see how farre we are short of him.
And so again, who looks upon him as lapping up the waters as in a garment? That is; When the Sea is outrageous, yet he takes it as you would take a little water in your lap sometimes, and he contains it, and gathers it up, and sometimes he lets it loose again. And so likewise, he is able, when the people are unruly, even great Nations that sometimes are ready to over-spread his Church, and to run over it with ⟨p. 97⟩proud waters, yet he is able to keep them back, he is able to restrain them, and to shut them up with bars and doors, as he doth the waters. He that laps the waters in a garment, is he not able to restrain men that are violent against us in wrath? Who can stand before wrath, and envy, that is like a violent water, that overflows all, and that carries all before it? Yet he that laps the waters as a garment, he is able to restrain them wheresoever he finds them. And so again, who walks with him, as knowing him that establisheth the ends of the earth. That is; (as the original shows more clearly) as one that hath founded the great and weighty earth upon nothing? Saith he, that God (when a mans spirit hath instability, and inconstancy in it naturally,) he that establisheth the earth upon nothing, making a mighty building where there was no foundation, he can establish thy spirit too. Suppose there be nothing to support the Church, to suppo•• a man when he is falling, or, that he hath no friend to prop him, nothing to underlay him, yet he (that hath set the earth upon nothing, but upon the thin air, that, you know, is not able to support it, but he only saith to the earth stand there) is he not able to support a man in any case? See now the Lord in this greatness of his. But who walks as seeing him thus in his greatness, and in his All-sufficiency? For all these do but express the All-sufficiency of God. Beloved, if we did it, why are our hearts discouraged? Why do we hang down our heads upon every occasion,