A10659:518
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.
Thirdly, Promises are the efficient causes of our purification, as they are the objects of our Faith: For we dare not believe without Promises. Therefore Abraham 1staggered not through unbelief, but gave glory to God, because he was fully persuaded, that what he had promised he was able to perform. It is not Gods power simply, but with relation to his Promise which secures our faith. So Sarah is said through faith to be delivered2 of a child being past age, because she judged him faithful that had promised. Now by being Objects of faith, the Promises must needs cleanse from filthiness; for faith 3also hath a cleansing property, It purifieth the heart, and worketh by love, and looketh upon the things promised as desirable things, rejoiceth in them, and worketh homogeneall and suitable affections unto them. Again, ⟨p. 343⟩we must note, That sin comes seldom without Promises to pollute us, begets vast expectations and hopes of Good from it. Balaam was whet and enlivened by promises to curse Gods people; The Strumpet in the Proverbs, that said to the young man, Come let us take our fill of loves, conceived most adequate satisfaction to4 her adulterous lusts by that way. This was the delusion of the rich fool in his Epicurism, Soul take thine •ase, 5eat, drink, and be merry, for thou hast much laid up for many years: Of the Jews in their Idolatries to the6 Queen of heaven, because that would afford them plenty of victuals, and make them see no evil: Of Gehazies foolish heart, who promised to himself Oliveyards7 and Vineyards, and sheep and Oxen, and menservants and maid servants by his officious lie. And this was one of the devils master pieces when he tempted Christ, All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Thus we see sin seldom comes without promises to seduce and pollute the soul. And yet the Truth is these promises cannot hold up the hope of any man. When a man hath wearied himself in the pursuit