A09990:426
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.
A fourth effect is this;1 a heart that is entire, and upright, and perfect with GOD, you shall find thus disposed, he suffers every grace to have his perfect work: that is a sign the heart is sound, and entire, and perfect, when the graces of God are not restrained, when they are not dammed, and barred up, but are suffered to have their perfect work; as it is said of patience, you shall see that expression,2 Jam. 1. Let patience have her perfect work. Rejoice (saith the Apostle there) when you fall into troubles of diu•r• sorts, rejoice, knowing that the […] of your faith brings forth patience, and let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, ⟨p. 54⟩wanting nothing. Where you see, that this is put down, as an effect that ariseth from perfectness, and integrity of heart, when we suffer the graces of God, as patience in particular, to have their perfect work. Now, patience is said to have its perfect work, when it endures all kind of trials: for that is the scope of the Apostle. Rejoice (saith the Apostle) when you fall into trials of diners sorts: that is, trials that concern you in soul, in body, in name, and in state, trials of every sort, and every kind: if patience be perfect, (and it will be perfect, if it be in a heart that is perfect, and entire, it will have a perfect work) it will make us stay no where: So that, beloved, patience hath then its perfect work, when it will suffer any thing, be it death, be it disgrace, be it imprisonment, or poverty, be it loss of friends, be it what it will be, afflictions of any kind; name all sorts of trouble that you can devise, if patience have a perfect work, it will bear all of them. When the heart is sound, beloved, then this grace, or any other, hath a perfect work: therefore you see, men whose hearts are not sound, nature will stand some where; a man perhaps will bear many things for Religion, but if it come to death, there he shrinks; a man will endure much, but if it come to disgrace, to discredit, to loss of reputation, there his patience hath not a perfect work; and therefore he gives over. As patience must have a perfect work, which is seen in suffering, so likewise it is seen in