A10018:67
Sermons preached before his MajestySermons preached before his Maiestie
Sermons preached before his Majesty; and upon other special occasions viz. 1 The pillar and ground of truth. 2 The new life. 3 A sensible demonstration of the Deity. 4 Exact walking. 5 Samuel's support of sorrowful sinners. 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.Sermons preached before his Maiestie; and vpon other speciall occasions viz. 1 The pillar and ground of truth. 2 The new life. 3 A sensible demonstration of the Deity. 4 Exact walking. 5 Samuels support of sorrowfull sinners. By the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston Dr. in Diuinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiesty, master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.
London: printed by Eliot's Court Press and R. Young for Leonard Greene of Cambridge, 1630
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.
If you say, I but they are able to do something, they are able to pray, to hear the Word, to receive the Sacrament, they are able to do many excellent duties of justice and righteousness amongst men.
If you say, I but they are able to doe something, they are able to pray, to heare the Word, to receive the Sacrament, they are able to doe many excellent dueties of justice and righteousnesse amongst men.
I answer, it is very true; but yet the Scripture speaks of certain dead works, as Heb. 9. 14. The blood of Christ is said there to purge our consciences ⟨p. 33⟩from dead works, that is, all these may be done by natural men, and they are good works in themselves, having all the lineaments of works truly good (as you know a dead body hath of a living) but yet indeed they are but dead works, that is, they may have a golden out-side, and be very beautiful in the sight of the doer, and likewise in the sight of men, but yet as Christs speaks, be abominable in the sight of God. A natural man, you see therefore, may pay a certain debt of duty, and obedience to God, but he pays it in counterfeit coin that hath the stamp, and colour, and similitude of true coin, yet it consists, if you look to the inwards, but of base metal. I remember a story that Remigius tells, who was a Judge in Loraine, under whose judgement many hundreds of witches were condemned upon their own confession, saith he, the devil did bring them many boxes, that had currant coin in them, to the appearance of the witches, but when they came to use them, they proved nothing but withered leaves: I say after the same manner, Satan cozeneth natural men in things of greater moment, he suffers them to think well of the good works, and of the duties that they do to make them think they are currant coin; but when they come to make use of this treasure, at the day of death, in the time of extremity, at the day of judgement, they find them to be but withered leaves, such as God will not accept.