A10659:542
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.
But the faithful have earthly ⟨p. 363⟩things as rewards of their righteousness, as an accession, advantage, and overplus unto the Kingdom of God; as testimonies of Gods Love, and care of them; as exercises of their thankfulness, charity, mercy, &c.
But the faithfull have earthly ⟨p. 363⟩things as rewards of their righteousnesse, as an accession, advantage, and overplus unto the Kingdome of God; as testimonies of Gods Love, and care of them; as exercises of their thankefulnesse, charitie, mercie, &c.
But it may be objected, why then have not the faithful more abundance of these things then worldly men? I answer, first, A little that the righteous hath is better then great possessions of the ungodly. For first they have the main substance of these things as well as the other, they live, and eat, and are clothed as well as they; and secondly they have the comforts more, less anguish of heart, vexation and contention of mind then the others have. And to them it is all one whether they go into heaven through the gate or through the wicket. As a Bird with a little eye and the advantage of a wing to soar up withal may see far wider then an Ox with a greater: so the righteous with a little estate, joined with faith, tranquillity and devotion, may have more pleasure, feel more comfort, see more of Gods bounty and mercy, then a man of vast possessions, whose heart cannot lift it self above the earth. Secondly, As nature when she intendeth a farther and more noble perfection, is less curious and elaborate in inferior faculties: (As man is exceeded by the Eagle for sight, and the Hound for sent, and the hare for swiftness, because nature intending in him a more spiritual and divine Soul, chose to be less delicate and exact in the senses) so God intending to bestow upon the faithful a far more exceeding and abundant weight of heavenly glory, doth not alway so fully enlarge his hand towards them in these earthly things, as to those who have no other portion but in this life. We see then how much it concerns us to look unto the ground of our Tenure, to observe in what service we hold our estate, whether as appurtenances to Gods kingdom; or as merely the pastures of a beast, which do only fatten against the day of slaughter.