A09990:95
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.
So that, take any estate or condition that a man is in (as you know there is a great variety of conditions, to be rich, and to be poor, to be in prison, and to be at liberty, to be in health, and to be sick, to be in honour, and to be in disgrace) these are, as it were, the several moulds, into which the Lord casts men. Now, if he will frame the spirit to that mould, like soft clay to the seal (for that is an expression in Job) I say, if he fashion the spirit to it, & make it pliable to the condition, to that mould, a man will bear and endure it well enough, he shall find comfort in it, it is nothing to him. And therefore, the Saints, the Apostles, and Prophets, when God was with them to fashion their hearts to pass through the variety of troubles, might say of themselues, Non patimur &c. They seemed to suffer, but in truth did not suffer. What was it to Paul, when he endured that state and condition that he did, when his heart was so fashioned to it as it was? Now, I say, in that the Lord hath this dominion over the spirits of men, hence it is that he makes a mans life comfortable. Put the case, thy hand hath gotten much, that thou hast gathered much wealth together, yet, you know, Eccles. 2. 24.1 There is no profit to a man, but that he eat and drink, and delight his soul with profit after his labour, I say this also, that it was of the hand of God. ⟨p. 60⟩That is. All this is nothing, except a man delight in it,2 except a man enjoy the comfort of it. Well, but is not that an easy thing, when the mind and the state are put together? No;3 (saith the Wise man) this is of the hand of the Lord. That is. Except the Lord do it by a special hand upon the creature, it is not able to do it, except he fit the mind to the state, except he suit them together, it cannot do it: so I may say of all things else. A honey-Comb may be very bitter to a man, his stomach may be so disposed, as in a Fever, you know, that which is sweet is bitter; again, that which is bitter may be sweet to a man; so those that are the greatest comforts may be bitter, and those things that may be bitter to other men, may be sweet to him. It is said of evil men, they fear where no fear is. That is. When there is no cause of fear, yet the Lord can so fashion their hearts;