A09990:486
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 meaning of it is this, when a man hath once applied the blood of Christ for his justification, this effect will follow upon it, there will accompany it a certain vigour, a certain virtue, a certain power and strength, which will also purge his conscience from dead works; that is, there shall go a power of the Holy Ghost together with this blood, that shall not only forbid him, and show him that he ought not to do such and such evil things, but it shall cleanse his conscience from those roots of dead works, those corrupt lusts, and sinful affections, that are in him, that dispose him to that evil; he shall find this power growing upon him, if he do but apply the blood, that is, if he apply the promise of pardon and forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. The like you shall see, Gal. 3. 5.1 He that ministereth to you the Spirit, and works miracles amongst you, doth he do it through the works of the Law, or through the hearing of faith ⟨p. 101⟩preached? That is, saith the Apostle, if I should only deliver to you the Commandments, and the Precepts, and the Rules, by which you ought to walk, I might preach long enough to you, but you should never have ability to keep any of these; saith he, you may observe those that preach the Law to you, did you receive the Spirit then? no, but when I preached to you the promises of pardon and forgiveness, then you received the Spirit, it was conveyed into your hearts.
The meaning of it is this, when a man hath once applyed the blood of Christ for his iustification, this effect will follow vpon it, there will accompany it a certaine vigour, a certaine vertue, a certaine power and strength, which will also purge his conscience from dead workes; that is, there shall goe a power of the Holy Ghost together with this blood, that shall not onely forbid him, and shew him that hee ought not to doe such and such euill things, but it shall clense his conscience from those rootes of dead workes, those corrupt lusts, and sinfull affections, that are in him, that dispose him to that euill; he shall find this power growing vpon him, if hee doe but apply the blood, that is, if he apply the promise of pardon and forgiuenesse through the blood of Iesus Christ. The like you shall see,