A10659:249
Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life…Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life…
Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life of Christ. Being the substance of several sermons preached at Lincolns Inn: by Edward Reynolds, preacher to that honourable society, and late fellow of Merton College in Oxford.Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life of Christ. Being the substance of severall sermons preached at Lincolns Inne: by Edward Reynoldes, preacher to that honourable society, and late fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for Robert Bostocke, 1631
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.
When men have their own evil ways revealed unto them (which is ever done1 by Gods spirit when he will please to be pacified with them) then must they needs be confounded, and be loathsome in their own sight, and never open their mouths any more, nor hold up their faces, or stand before God with2 their wonted confidences and presumptions. This was the bottom of Davids repentance, That he was conceived 3in sin, that was not the first time that he was an adulterer, he had it in his nature from the very womb. Men testify their pride in their looks and fashions, in their eyes and tongues, 'tis the deepest, the closest, and yet one of the openest sins, as a great Oak that spreadeth much in sight, and yet is very deep under ground too; But now if men did truly consider what black feet they are which do hold up these proud plumes, what a stinking root it is which bears these gaudy flowers, what a sulphury and poisonous soil it is that nourisheth these painted apples, they would begin a little to new rate themselves. It is nothing but ignorance that keeps men in pride. If to be wise to do evil, and foolish to do good, if to take endowments from the hand of God, and to fight against him with them, if to pervert the light of reason and Scripture to plead for sin, and the purposes of Satan, as lascivious poets use the chaste expressions of Virgil, ⟨p. 164⟩to notify their sordid and obscene conceits; If to be4 so wise as to make evil good, and good, evil, light darkness, and darkness light; to distinguish idolatry into religion, superstition into worship, Belial into Christ, be matters to be proud of, then there is in every mans nature a crop and harvest of just pride. Else we must all conclude, that he which glorieth in any thing which is merely from himself, hath chosen nothing to glory in but his own shame.
When men have their owne evil waies revealed unto them (which is ever done1