A09990:423
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.
it is so in all things; when you do any thing for it self, you will do it with all your might.
it is so in all things; when you doe any thing for it selfe, you will doe it with all your might.
Besides,1 there is this further ground of it; you shall find this, that all remissness, when a man doth a thing remissly, and overly, and perfunctorily, it argues alway a divided intention, it is an argument that the whole mind is not set on it, but that the intention is distracted, and bestowed on other things: whence that common saying is, He that will be excellent in every thing, is so in nothing: because his intentions are divided. So, beloved, you know, this is the property of sincerity, to have a single eye, to have the heart set upon one object, to look to GOD alone; If a man do so, the heart is sincere, and he that looks upon GOD alone, he must needs do it with all diligence: whensoever a man minds one thing, he will do it with all his might, because all the faculties, the intention, the thoughts, and affections of the soul, they are then concenterate, and united, and drawn together into one point, they are still running in one channel: and therefore a man that hath a sincere heart, that chooseth GOD alone, that saith thus with himself, I have but one Master to serve, I have but one to fear, I have GOD alone to look to, my business is with him in heaven, I think him to be all-sufficient, and an exceeding great reward: I say, this will alway accompany such a heart, such a resolution, that he serves him with all diligence; if ⟨p. 52⟩there be any work of his to be done, he will do it with all his might: for that is the disposition of a mans mind, when once he is able to say as David saith,2 Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek, to see the beauty of the Lord, to live in his Temple, &c. Why one thing I have desired, and that will I seek with all diligence? when a man desires but one thing, his mind will be exceeding intent upon it; and therefore if you would find out now what is a proper effect of sincerity, you shall find this alway to be in those, whose hearts are upright with God, that they give themselves up to his service; I say, they give themselves up to do it with all diligence: therefore for a man that saith this, I hope my heart is upright with God, and yet you see him exceeding busy with other things, the work of God he doth overly, he slubbers it over, he, doth it negligently, as a servant that doth eye-service;