A09990:603
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 14: THE FOURTEENTH SERMON.Part › Sermon 14: THE FOVRTEENTH 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 meaning is this▪ as if he should have said, Oh Lord, I know, that the way to sanctify them, the way to increase grace and holiness in their hearts, is to reveal more truth to them; now, Lord, I beseech thee, reveal thy Word to them; for thy Word is that truth, teach them to know thy Word, acquaint them with it more and more; for by that means they shall get grace and sanctification. So then, if you would receive the strength of the Covenant, you must labour to grow in knowledge, labour to understand it more and ⟨p. 205⟩more: for, beloved, this is a very sure rule, there is not a new notion that a man gets, there is not a beam of truth, of new truth, there is not a further enlargement of knowledge, and illumination, but it brings some riches of grace with it, it comes not empty, but it comes loaded with something, it hath some power, and strength, and it gives a new vigour to the inward man; and therefore if thou wouldest abound in grace, study the Scriptures, much attend to them, much meditate in them day and night, labour still to get some new spark of knowledge, some new light out of them, and thou shalt find this, that grace will follow, as it is the Apostles exhortation to Timothy, saith he Give attendance to reading, and to learning, so thou shalt save thy self, and shalt be able also to save others. The meaning is, the way to get that grace that will save a man, is to give much attendance to reading and to learning: for, beloved, whatsoever it is that begets a man, the increase of that likewise edifies and builds him up further. First, we are begotten by the word of truth, it is the revelation of the truth of GOD to a man at the first, that renews him in the spirit of his mind, it changeth his judgement, it makes him think all things in a clean other fashion then he was wont to do: thus he is begotten to God, and he is made a new man, a new creature: now the increasing of the same truth, that is it that builds us up further: for whatsoever begets, the increase of that also edifies; and ⟨p. 206⟩hence it is that Solomon so exceedingly magnifies wisdom and knowledge: above all getting, saith he, get that. There are many things that are precious in the world, Pearl, Gold, and Silver, but this is beyond them all. Why do you think the Wise man would magnify wisdom so much? Because this wisdom brings grace with it;