A10659:438
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
THE SINFULNESS OF SIN. › THE REIGN OF SIN.THE SINFVLNESSE OF SINNE. › THE RAIGNE OF SINNE.
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.
Fourthly, it is full of flattery to entice and woe a man, cunning to observe all the best seasons to surprise the soul. And though enticements be base, yet they are very strong, like a gentle shower or a soft fire they sink, and get in closer then if they should be more violent. That which is as soft as oil in the touch, may be as sharp as swords in the operation. And therefore as a man is said in one place to be enticed by lust, so elsewhere he is said1 to be driven and thrust on by lust. Take heed to your 2selves lest you corrupt your selves, lest thou lift up thine eyes to heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, shouldst be driven to worship them and serve them. The Objects themselves have no coactive or compulsory power in them (for they work but as Objects, which is the weakest way of working that is, for Objects▪ a•e never total Agents, but only partial, they do never any more then cooperate with some faculty and power unto which they are suitable) yet such is the strength of those lusts which are apt to kindle by those Objects, that a man is said to be driven to idolatry by them. All which false prophets can do is but moral and by way of cunning and seducement, yet such is the strength of those lusts which they flatter and work upon by their impostures, that they are said to Thrust a 3man out of the way which the Lord commanded him to walk in. For as we use to say of the requests of a King, so we may of the flatteries and allurements of sin, That they do amount unto commands.
Fourthly, it is full of flattery to entice and woe a man, cunning to observe all the best seasons to surprize the soule. And though enticements be base, yet they are very strong, like a gentle showre or a soft fire they sinke, and get in closer then if they should be more violent. That which is as soft as oyle in the touch, may be as sharpe as swords in the operation. And therefore as a man is said in one place to be enticed by lust, so elsewhere he is said1 to be driven and thrust on by lust. Take heede to your