A09990:335
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.
First, you shall find it often expressed by purity, §1and soundness,1 blessed are the pure in heart; and, God is good to Israel, even to them that are of a pure heart. Now what is it to be pure? That is pure which is full of it self, and hath no other Heterogeneall thing mingled with it; So, that heart is pure, which hath no sin in it, which is holy, which hath a renewed quality of grace, which hath an inward regenerate man, that will mingle with no sin, that is full of it self, and admits not the mixture of any sin. My Beloved, I must be warily understood here, I say, it admits not the mixture of any sin. It is true, sin may cleave, and adhere to a man, as dross doth to the silver, but it mingles not with the regenerate part, that mingles not with it; that is, it enters not into the frame, and constitution of a mans heart, it is not weaved into the texture of his heart; it is no ingredient into the very frame, and fabric of it, but though sin be there, yet the heart still casts it out of it self, it resists it, and rejects it, and purifieth, and cleanseth it self from it, this properly is a pure heart: As in other things, you say, a thing is pure, when it is solid, and clear, and unmixed, though it may have some dross, and some mud ⟨p. 220⟩cleaving to it, you say, it is pure gold, when it is digged out of the mineral, though there be much dross in it, and we say, it is pure air, though, for a time, there be many fogs, and mists, and adventitious vapours within it; So, we say, it is pure water, though there be many inundations of mud cast into it, or that come from the spring, or Channel, from which it runs; So a man may be said to have a pure heart; that is, a perfect heart, though there be an adhesion of much dross, many evil thoughts, that cleave to him, yet, I say, they mingle not with him; that is, Beloved, it is certain, that the holiest men have a fountain of original corruption in them, and from this fountain sins arise continually, as the scum in the pot, but yet, if the liquor be pure, and good, if it be right wine, or right honey, whatsoever the liquor is, though the scum arise, still it purifies it self, and casts it out; this is the property of a pure heart:
First, you shall finde it often expressed by puritie, §1