A10659:531
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.
Secondly, 'Promises in themselves are certain, but the ways of performance are often undiscernible and hidden; therefore we must live by Faith, and not by reason, and measure the Truth of Gods Words by the strength of ⟨p. 353⟩his Power, and not by our own conceits or apprehensions. When we look upon God in his Promises, we must conceive of him as a God infinite in wisdom to contrive, and in Power to bring about the execution of his own will. There is a Promise made of calling the Jews unto Christ, and causing them to turn from their transgressions. The Redeemer shall come unto Zion, and unto them that return from transgression in Jacob, Isaiah. 59▪ 20. But he who should consider the extreme obstinacy and stubbornness of that people against the Gospel, would think it impossible, that they should ever be pulled out of the s•are of the Devil; therefore the Apostle makes Gods Power the ground of certainty in this promise, They also shall be grafted in again, for God is able to graft them in—As it is written, There shall come out of Zion the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob, Rom. 11. 23. 26. The Sadducees and Gentiles derided the Doctrine and Promise of the Resurrection from the dead; and our Saviour carrieth the one from their own prejudice unto Gods Power; ye err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the Power of God, Math. 22. 29. And Saint Paul the other, from their reason unto Faith in God, Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the Dead? Act. 26. 8. Therefore we shall find mens unbelief in Scripture hath risen partly from apprehension of power in those whom they fear, and partly from apprehension of impotency in those whom they should trust. When the Israelites heard of Giants and sons of An•k in the promised la•d, presently they murm•ed against the Lord and his Servants, and provoked him by their unbelief of his mighty power which they had had so frequent experience of How long will this people provoke me? How long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have showed amongst them?