A09990:28
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
Part › Sermon 1: OF GODS ALL-SUFFICIENCY.Part › Sermon 1: OF GODS ALL-SVFFICIENCY.
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.
Thirdly, this will appear likewise from the nature of sincerity, 1and perfect walking with God, for to walk perfectly with God, is nothing but this, ⟨p. 11⟩when a man chooseth God, so that he cleaves to him alone, whereas doubleness of mind stands in this, when a man is distracted between God and some other object; I say, between God and riches, between God and credit, between God and pleasure, and is sometime applying himself to one, and sometime to another, and so he goes a double way. So that when a man hath two principal objects, & two principal ends, upon which his eye is set, when he hath two inward principles within, that are the cause of his motion, this way and that way, such a man is a double minded man; he is a single hearted man that chooseth God alone, and though he walk imperfectly with him, yet he chooseth him. Now if a man apprehend Gods All-sufficiency, he will choose him alone, if he do not, it is impossible he should choose him alone, but he will join somewhat else with him; for if he think there is but a partial sufficiency in God, and that there is some sufficiency in any creature besides, it must needs be that he must have an eve upon both; and then his ways will be uneven, then his way is unstable; and, therefore, I say, the cause of that instability, to which men are subject, is, because they do not apprehend God to be All-sufficient, for you must know this by the way, that there is a double instability (that word is used in I am. 1. 8.2 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways) One is an instability between two objects, which makes up all the sufficiency that he desires, so that there is part of that sufficiency in one, and part of it in another. The second is an instability ⟨p. 12⟩in following one object that he hath chosen. Indeed, the second instability all the Saints are subject unto, all regenerate men are unstable thus in all their ways, they cannot stick fast to God, and walk perfectly with him. But herein is their sincerity, they choose him, they pitch upon him. Now the ground of it is, they apprehend him to be All-sufficient; though this apprehension be not always kept strong, it is not alway lively, and active in their minds, their persuasion is not alway full and present, and therefore they are ready to step out.