A09990:734
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 next point, that we have to observe out of these words, is this;1 For the time of this life, there are the like events to good men, as to the wicked: 2That is, though God be All-sufficient, though he make good his All-sufficiency to the Saints, so that he is a Sun and a Shield unto them, and no good thing is wanting to them, nor any evil thing can come near them, yet for all this, for the time ⟨p. 46⟩of this life, in this world, there are the like events to both, he deals with the one, as with the other. This is his common course, as the Wise man expresseth it both here, and in other places. In the 11. verse of this Chapter, I observe, saith he, and I see, that the Race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor Riches to a man of understanding, nor favour to men of knowledge, &c. but he that is weak gets the battle, & he that is more unwise gets favour, &c. So, he that deserves the best, misseth it, and he that deserves the worst, obtains it. So, likewise in the 8. Chapter, you shall see this fully, if you compare that and the latter end of this ninth Chapter together;3 There is, saith he, a man that rules to his own hurt, and to the hurt of others; yet, saith he, this man continues in it, yea, he continues in it in peace, even to his grave, and not so only, but when he is gone, and is come from the holy place, that is, the place of Magistracy, (that is there called the holy place,) it is all forgotten; though he had done evil, yet he continued in peace, and died in peace, and after also there was no blemish cast upon him, but it is forgotten; this I have seen, saith Solomon.
The next poynt, that we haue to obserue out of these words, is this;1 For the time of this life, there are the like events to good men, as to the wicked: 2That is, though God be All-sufficient, though he make good his All-sufficiencie to the Saints, so that he is a Sunne and a Shield vnto them, and no good thing is wanting to them, nor any evill thing can come neere them, yet for all this, for the time