A09990:85
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.
for, there is none in the world that is able to do you good, or hurt, but my self. Now, to make this good to you, I will propound but these two things. First. That all the creatures are absolutely at his disposing. Secondly. That when he hath disposed of them, when he hath distributed them to us to afford us comfort, yet they cannot actually comfort us, without a special hand of his. Those two, being fully opened, will make this point good to you, that the creature thus is able to do you neither good nor hurt.
for, there is none in the world that is able to doe you good, or hurt, but my selfe. Now, to make this good to you, I will propound but these two things. First. That all the creatures are absolutely at his disposing. Secondly. That when he hath disposed of them, when he hath distributed them to vs to afford vs comfort, yet they cannot actually comfort vs, without a speciall hand of his. Those two, being fully opened, will make this poynt good to you, that the creature thus is able to doe you neither good nor hurt.
First, I say, the creature is fully at his disposing, that is,1 all the creatures in this world (let a man cast his eye upon the whole universe) they are all but as so many servants, which are in the Lords house, prepared to wait upon his children, to convey such comforts to them, as he hath appointed them, so that there is not one creature in heaven or earth, stirs it self to do you the least good, but when the Lord commands it, and saith, Go, comfort such a man, go, refresh him, do him good; it stirs not without a warrant, and without a special command from him. The bread and meat, which you eat, nourish you not, except he say, go, and nourish such a man; the fire warms you not; and so of all the creatures else. Again,2 when he doth command them, they do §1it, and they do it fully.