A10659:516
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.
That is, He that cannot endure nor look on that little glimpse and ray of Holiness which is in his brother, in one of the same passions, infirmities and corruptions with himself, will much less be able to abide the light of the Sun of righteousness, and that most orient, spotless, and vast Holiness which is in him. The same reason holds here, he that cannot endeavour to purify himself here, doth never truly hope to be like Christ hereafter. He that directs his course towards York can never be presumed to hope that he shall by that journey get to London, when he knows, or might easily be informed that it is quite the other way. And the truth is, no wicked man hath any true or a• saint1 Peter cal• it lively Hope to come to Heaven. Blind presumptions, ignorant wishings and wouldings he may have, but no true Hope at all. For that ever supposeth some knowledge and preapprehension of the Goodness of that which is Hoped for; and there is nothing in Heaven which wicked men do not hate as very evil to them; the Presence of the most Holy God, the purity and brightness of his Glory, the Company of Christ Jesus and his Saints, &c. If they might be suffered first to have a view of it, and see what is there doing, what Divine and Holy employments take up all the thoughts, desires, and powers of the blessed company there, they ⟨p. 342⟩would abhor no place more. Hope begets Love (whom 2having not seen, ye love, saith the Apostle) Hope to be like Christ hereafter will work a love and desire to express so much as we can of his Image here. He that longs for a thing will take any present occasion to get as much of it as he may together. Notably doth Saint Paul set forth this purifying property of hope in the promises. 3I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. I am already apprehended of Christ, he hath in his body carried me in hope unto Heaven with him, and made me sit together in Heavenly places, and this hope to come to him at last, to attain to that price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, makes me press, and pull, and strive by all means to attain to perfection, to express a Heavenly conversation in earth, because from thence I look for a Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ: