A09990:212
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.
Secondly;1 Saith he, there is no new thing under the Sun: (Mark it) for, saith he, if you go through the whole course of things, you shall find nothing new, one generation comes, and another generation succeeds like it. And so forward, that as in the waves of the Sea, one follows another, till they be all broken upon the shore; so it is in the succession of generations, and there is nothing in one generation but what was in another, because, saith he, the Sun riseth and sets, the winds go to and fro, they go about by their Circuits. And so the waters in the springs, and in the Rivers, they go and come, and there is no new thing under the Sun. What shall we gather from that? Why this, that there is no satisfaction to the soul of a man. And therefore, saith he, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing. Those are the only disciplinal senses we have; you know, all the knowledge you have, is gathered by the eye and the ear. Now if there be no new thing under the Sun, but all things are the same; hence it is that the mind of man when it looks about it, can find nothing to give it satisfaction, for there must be some newness, some variety, something, that we have not here, that the soul seeks after. But, saith he, you shall find nothing but the same, nothing but Identity.
Secondly;1 Sayth he, there is no new thing under the Sunne: (Marke it) for, sayth he, if you goe through the whole course of things, you shall finde nothing new, one generation comes, and another generation succeeds like it. And so forward, that as in the waues of the Sea, one followes another, till they be all broken vpon the shore; so it is in the succession of generations, and there is nothing in one generation but what was in another, because, sayth he, the Sunne riseth and sets, the winds goe to and fro, they goe about by their Circuits. And so the waters in the springs, and in the Rivers, they goe and come, and there is no new thing vnder the Sunne. What shall wee gather from that? Why this, that there is no satisfaction to the soule of a man. And therefore, sayth he, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare with hearing. Those are the onely disciplinall senses we haue; you know, all the knowledge you haue, is gathered by the eye and the eare. Now if there be no new thing vnder the Sunne, but all things are the same; hence it is that the minde of man when it looks about it, can finde nothing to giue it satisfaction, for there must be some newnesse, some varietie, something, that we haue not here, that the soule seekes after. But, sayth he, you shall find nothing but the same, nothing but Identitie.