A09990:432
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.
If you object,1 But faith many times hath not a perfect work in the Saints, as Moses, at the waters of strife, saith the Text, he failed through unbelief: and again, David, when he fled from Saul, to Achis, we see his faith there had not its perfect work: so likewise, Peter, when ⟨p. 60⟩the waves began to arise, to swell, and he began to sink, his faith had not a perfect work.
If you obiect,1 But faith many times hath not a perfect worke in the Saints, as Moses, at the waters of strife, saith the Text, hee fayled through vnbeli•fe: and againe, Dauid, when hee fled from Saul, to Achis, we see his faith there had not its perfect worke: so likewise, Peter, when ⟨p. 60⟩the waues beganne to arise, to swell, and hee beganne to sinke, his faith had not a perfect worke.
- 1Object.Obiect.
To this I answer,1 that faith may have a perfect work, that is, there may be an aptness in it, that ordinarily it goes through the work, though, by some accident, it may be hindered: for (mark the faith of those) we see David, though he failed at this time, yet at other times he did not; no more did Moses, nor Peter, which is an argument that it rose not from unsoundness, from hollowness of the grace, or of their hearts:2 but from some interueniall impediment, some passion; as it was a passion in Moses, he was distempered; and so it was a fear, a mist that was cast before the eyes of Peter at that time. Now you know a man may be said to have a perfect eye, and yet, for all that, in a mist he may not be able to see as at other times; and a man may be said to have a perfect hand, and yet a fit of a Palsy may make it shake, and make it unfit for any thing: so a man may have a perfect taste, able to distinguish one thing from another, yet when he is in an Ague, in such a fit he takes things amiss; things that are wholesome, seem bitter to him: so in the graces of the Spirit, there may be sometimes much imperfection admitted, when a man is in the mist, when he is in the fit, when some distemper, some passion or affection, hath overcast and overclouded the soul, as it were, and possessed he palate; these may be defects, and yet the