A09990:543
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
Part › Sermon 12: THE TWELFTH SERMON.Part › Sermon 12: THE TVVELFTH SERMON.
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 Antecedent is the Spirit of bondage; beloved, that of necessity must go before, so that if thou never hadst the spirit of bondage, certainly thou hast not yet received the spirit of the Son: for the Apostle speaks of it here, as the common condition to all Christians, they do not receive the spirit of bondage again; you had it once, but now you have the spirit of Adoption: I say, every man must have this spirit of bondage, and the ground of it is this, because no man can come to Christ, except the Law be a Schoolmaster to bring him to Christ; now the Law is not a Schoolmaster, it teacheth no man, except the spirit of bondage work fear, except the spirit of bondage put an edge upon the Law, put a Sword into the hand of the Law, to prick the heart, to wound the heart,1 as it is said, Acts 2. this is the spirit of bondage, Beloved, you may hear the Law, and the threatenings and curses, applied to you 10000. times over, and yet no fear be bred in you, except the spirit of bondage join with it, that makes it effectual. Now in the Law are included judgements and afflictions, which are but the execution of the Law, sometimes it goes with the Law it self, sometimes with the judgement and afflictions, it is the spirits of bondage that must go with both; as for example, when it thundered & rained in Wheat-harvest, 1 Sam. 12, 2the people feared exceedingly; and Ezra 10.3 ⟨p. 149⟩when there was an exceeding great rain, the people did exceedingly tremble, and, you know, in that Earthquake, though all were safe, Act. 16.4 and there was no cause why he should be so unquiet, yet we see how the Goaler was amazed, his heart was wounded, this was not for these particular Judgements, there might be a great rain, there might be a great Earthquake, and thunder in Wheat-harvest, and yet mens hearts little moved, but there went a spirit of bondage, that bred a fear in them, this is that, I say, no man can come to Christ without the Law, either in it self, or in afflictions, which are but the executioners of it, and these are not effectual without the spirit of bondage: and there is a very great reason for it;