A09990:340
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.
as Amaziah was, he held out long, and so was Joash, and divers others; It is a rule, I think, that seldom fails: because God hath said, I will curse the name of the wicked, and it shall rot. Now except their hypocrisy should be discovered in time, and that their outside were removed, and made as rotten as the inside, how should his name rot? So much shall serve for this first expression, that it is expressed by pureness and soundness.
as Amaziah was, he held out long, and so was Ioash, and divers others; It is a rule, I thinke, that seldome fayles: because God hath said, I will curse the name of the wicked, and it shall rot. Now except their hypocrisie should be discovered in time, and that their outside were removed, and made as rotten as the inside, how should his name rot? So much shall serue for this first expression, that it is expressed by purenesse and soundnesse.
Secondly; you shall have it expressed by simplicity, and singleness of heart;1 he, whose heart is perfect before God, he is said Mat. 6. to have a single ⟨p. 225⟩eye; and Jam. 1. he, that is imperfect is said to be a double minded man, contrary to which is [Greek or Hebrew], a man that hath a simple heart, a heart without guile, a single heart. Now, if we can find out what this singleness of heart is, this singleness of eye, and of heart, you will find out this perfection, that is here spoken of; Walk before me, and be thou perfect. Now a single heart is called so from the singleness of the object, that is a single eye, that looks but upon one object, and that is a single heart, that looks but upon one thing: likewise that is a double eye, and a double heart, that looks upon two objects, and is divided between two, and knows not which to choose; like a man that is in bivio, in a double way, he stands, and looks on both, and knows not which to take; so an imperfect hearted man, an unsound hearted man, he stands, and looks upon God, and upon the world, and he knows not well which to choose, sometimes he is following the one, sometimes the other, this is his condition, he is distracted between both; such a man hath a double eye, and therefore, saith the text, a wicked eye: for so it is called, if the eye be single, all the body is light, but if the eye be wicked: (for so it must be interpreted) if the eye be double, which is a wicked eye; So, my Beloved, an unsound hearted man is not described to you by any thing so plainly, and perspicuously, as by this, that his heart is not pitched upon God alone; but he hath an eye upon God, and an eye upon credit, he hath an eye upon God, and an eye upon his wealth, upon his pleasures, or