A09990:392
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 next property you shall find,1 1 Cor. 2. 6.2 Howbeit we speak wisdom to those that are perfect, not the wisdom of this world, or of the Princes of this world, but the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom that GOD hath ordained before the World to our glory: Here is another property the Holy Ghost sets down of a perfect-hearted man; the Apostle, when he had said, I come not among you with the excellency of wisdom, or the words of man, but my aim is, my desire is, as to know Christ crucified alone, so to teach nothing else to you, and to preach to you in the plain evidence of the Spirit, and of power; whereas it might be objected, I but Paul, every man thinks not so, many men think you would do better, if you would preach as other men ⟨p. 27⟩do, and be curious and quaint of Oratory: saith he, these things, as I deliver them, whatsoever they may seem to other men, yet to those that are perfect they seem wisdom; though others may despise it, and reckon it foolishness, yet to the perfect it is wisdom. So that, I gather hence, A perfect man in this is distinguished from another that is not sound-hearted, that he hath eyes to see the wisdom of the Holy Ghost, he knows wisdom. Now a perfect man is there so called, in opposition to him that is merely animalis, that hath only a reasonable soul, and no more; for that is the word, the same word that is used in another place of this Chapter, the natural man, it is translated, but the word in the Original signifies a man that hath only natural abilities and endowments, and natural perfections, such a man is reckoned an imperfect man, a man that is not sound: But, saith the Apostle, to a man that is perfect, that is, to a man that hath, besides the strength of natural gifts, the sanctifying Spirit that enlighteneth him, that the Spirit of God possesseth and informs his soul, it joins with his soul, it is dwelling in him; such a one is a perfect man, saith he, and you shall know him by this, he discerns the wisdom of GOD, he judgeth aright of it: so that, my beloved, the meaning of it is this, there is a certain wisdom of God, there are certain things, that no natural man in the world reaches or relishes: take the hypocrite, that goes the furthest ⟨p. 28⟩