A09990:343
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.
the fourth ground is said to have an honest heart, (I put them together, a single heart, that I would explain to you, they come much to one,) an honest heart stands in this, that a man resolves to serve the Lord with patience, and with abstinence, that is the definition, that I will give of it, he that hath an honest heart, he resolves to serve God in all things with patience, and abstinence, one of them is expressed in the text, he brings forth fruit with patience, the other I add, for a more full explication of it. The meaning is this, he hath an upright, and honest heart, that so pitcheth upon God, that he will not be drawn aside for any thing: Now there are but two things that draw us aside; that is, either persecution affliction, and trouble. And for this the honest heart ⟨p. 228⟩hath patience, he resolves to suffer them, whatsoever they be, and therefore he is able to go on; or, on the other side, pleasures, and divers lusts, that drew away the third ground, as persecution did the second; here he hath a resolved abstinence, he is content to part with them, and to be without them: therefore he brings forth fruit when another doth not; that is, another may have a fair blade, but either persecution, or else pleasures, and divers lusts come between, and intercept his maturity, that he never comes to any bearing of fruit, to any purpose; This expression I put together with singleness of heart, a heart without guile, and without mixture, because there is a similitude between them. So much for that expression likewise.
the fourth ground is said to haue an honest heart, (I put them together, a single heart, that I would explaine to you, they come much to one,) an honest heart stands in this, that a man resolues to serue the Lord with patience, and with abstinence, that is the definition, that I will giue of it, he that hath an honest heart, he resolues to serue God in all things with patience, and abstinence, one of them is exprest in the text, he brings forth fruit with patience, the other I adde, for a more full explication of it. The meaning is this, he hath an vpright, and honest heart, that so pitcheth vpon God, that he will not be drawne aside for any thing: Now there are but two things that draw vs aside; that is, eyther persecution affliction, and trouble. And for this the honest heart ⟨p. 228⟩hath patience, he resolues to suffer them, whatsoever they be, and therefore he is able to goe on; or, on the other side, pleasures, and divers lusts, that drew away the third ground, as persecution did the second; here he hath a resolved abstinence, he is content to part with them, and to be without them: therefore he brings forth fruit when another doth not; that is, another may haue a faire blade, but either persecution, or else pleasures, and divers lusts come betweene, and intercept his maturitie, that he never comes to any bearing of fruit, to any purpose; This expression I put together with singlenes of heart, a heart without guile, and without mixture, because there is a similitude betweene them. So much fo that expression likewise.