A09990:207
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.
or else they are artificial riches, things that consist in exchange, that are invented by art, to be the measure of them for commutation; it cannot consist in the natural; for what serve they to but to maintain the body? and what doth the body serve for but for the soul? and if this were all, what should become of the principal part of man, that which is indeed the man himself? Besides, it cannot consist in credit, in estimation, in honour, surely, it cannot consist in that: for that is in the power of another, and is not in a mans own power, and the happiness and blessedness of any thing, the contentment which consists in the power of another, and that in the power of the Creature, it cannot make a man happy, it can give little contentment to him.
or else they are artificiall riches, things that consist in exchange, that are invented by art, to be the measure of them for commutation; it cannot consist in the naturall; for what serue they to but to maintain the body? and what doth the body serue for but for the soule? and if this were all, what should become of the principall part of man, that which is indeede the man himselfe? Besides, it cannot consist in credit, in estimation, in honour, surely, it cannot consist in that: for that is in the power of another, and is not in a mans owne power, and the happinesse and blessednesse of any thing, the contentment which consists in the power of another, and that in the power of the Creature, it cannot make a man happie, it can giue little contentment to him.
Besides;1 As we said of riches, so we may say of honour, and glory, it is either empty glory, as the Scripture often calls it; That is; glory that is gathered from vain things, as apparel, or ⟨p. 141⟩houses, or learning, or knowledge: for there is nothing that brings true praise, but grace only, as nothing draws shame after it properly but sin, it is not in this, for this is a deceivable thing, it is a shadow that hath no substance to answer it, or else, it is true honour and credit, and if it be that, that is but the shadow that follows the substance. And therefore our blessedness, our contentedness, and satisfaction, rests rather in the thing from whence this credit is gathered, then in the credit it self: for that is but a shadow that sometimes follows it, and sometimes it doth not, sometimes it is a larger shadow, and sometimes a shorter, though the body be the same.