A09990:358
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.
You will say to me, this is very hard,1 who is able to be perfect, as his heavenly Father is perfect?
- 1Ob.
Beloved; 1the meaning of this, is not that you should reach his perfection; for, who can ever do it? but the meaning of it is this, there must be as great a length, as great a breadth, and latitude in your perfection as in his, your perfection must answer his. How shall we know that? Gods perfection is known by his Commandments▪ Look how largely the perfection of God is set forth in the Scriptures, so large your obedience must be. If it come short in any thing, if it be not as long, and as broad, as it were, it is unsound, and […], and imperfect obedience, that shall be cast away as evil, and counterfeit: for you must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, saith Christ, he gives this as a reason of all that he had delivered before, (you shall see in a word in particular) saith he, you have thought it enough to love your friends, but, saith he, it is not enough, ⟨p. 240⟩you must love your enemies, you must bless those that curse you, and speak well of those that speak evil of you. And when a man shall object▪ but this is a hard thing? that is the Conclusion, saith he, you must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect; he doth thus, he causeth his Sun to shine upon the good, and the bad, he causeth his rain to fall upon them, and your perfection must be as large as his: And so again, perhaps thou art one that wilt abstain from swearing greater oaths, but that is not enough, thou must not swear by thy hairs, thou art not able to make one white, or black, much less, my Brethren, must we swear by our truth, and by our faith, which is more worth then hairs. So again, perhaps thou art one that wilt not commit Adultery, but if thou cherish sinful lusts, contemplative fornication, and uncleanness in thy heart, thou fallest short, in that thy perfection is not so broad, as the Lords; that is, that his law requires, that saith, thou shalt not lust: And so again; perhaps thou sayest, he hath done me wrong, and I will do him no injustice, but an eye for an eye, thou requirest justice according to retaliation, and proportion: But that is not enough, but thou must forgive perfectly: if he have done thee two or three or four wrongs, thou must bear them, and leave revenge perfectly to God: if you object, this is hard, who can do it? He saith, be perfect, &c. so you see the meaning of it.