A09990:567
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.
One end is to bring us home to Christ; if thou find thou hast took Jesus Christ, it is certain, there hath been a work of the spirit of bondage upon thy heart, if thou find thou art willing to take him upon any conditions, thou art willing to deny thy self, thou art willing to serve him, to love him, and to obey him.
One end is to bring vs home to Christ; if thou finde thou hast tooke Iesus Christ, it is certaine, there hath beene a worke of the spirit of bondage vpon thy heart, if thou finde thou art willing to take him vpon any conditions, thou art willing to deny thy selfe, thou art willing to serue him, to loue him, and to obey him.
And a second end is, GOD sends this Spirit of bondage, that thou mightest know the bitterness of sin, and learn to abstain from it▪ that thou mayest learn to tremble at his Word, for the time to come, I look to him that is of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my Word: that even so ⟨p. 166⟩as parents do with their children, they would never afflict and correct their children for that which is past, but their end is for the time to come, that they may not commit the same fault again; otherwise the parent would not lay any affliction upon the child; and, beloved, know that the Lord hath this very end in sending the spirit of bondage, thou must not think it is for thy sins past, that there may be a kind of satisfaction made for them, that is not the end, but the end is, that thou mightst know the bitterness of sin for the time to come, that thou being scorched once with it, thou mightst not easily meddle with it again; and therefore if thou findest this to be thy case, thou hast so far tasted of the terrors of the Almighty, that thou darest not adventure upon sin, thou standest in awe of the LORD, that thou darest not be so bold with sin as thou hast been, that thou darest not meddle with the occasions of it, that thou darest not come near it; I say, if thou find such a tenderness of conscience in thy self, if thou find that that sin is made terrible to thee, that thou diddest despise before, (for it is the property of a carnal man to despise his ways) I say, if this be wrought in thee, defer not, make not dainty of applying the promises, because thou hast not received the spirit of bondage: for thou hast, thou hast the effect, therefore thou needest not doubt, but that thou hast the thing. This is it that goes before: that which goes together