A55754:388
Sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from several texts of Scripture, opened and applied. 1.…Sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from severall texts of Scripture, opened and applyed. 1.…
Sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from several texts of Scripture, opened and applied. 1. A heavenly [sic] treatise of the divine love of Christ. 2. The Christians freedom. 3. The deformed form of a formal profession. 4. Christs fullness, and mans emptiness. By John Preston, doctor in divinity, chaplain in ordinary to King James, Mr. of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Lincolns Inn.Sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from severall texts of Scripture, opened and applyed. 1. A heavemly [sic] treatise of the devine love of Christ. 2. The Christians freedome. 3. The deformed forme of a formall profession. 4. Christs fulnesse, and mans emptinesse. By John Preston, doctor in divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to King James, Mr. of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Lincolnes Inne.
London: printed for John Stafford, 1644
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, because this power breeds hatred and opposition in the world, and the world will cross it again: now then, when a man may retain the form, and hold in with the world, a man may be of the world still, and the world will love his own: whereas the power makes men Antipodes to all the world; this makes many care for no more but the form. Fit for this purpose is that place, Wisd. 2. 12. where the ungodly say of the righteous on this wise. These mens lives are contrary to ours, and their doings reprove our thoughts, therefore let us oppress them: ⟨p. 8⟩and Christ tells us we must look for no other, saying, We shall be hated of all men for his names sake; and it is no easy matter to have all men in contention with us: this then is another reason hereof.
Secondly, because this power breeds hatred and opposition in the world, and the world will crosse it againe: now then, when a man may retaine the forme, and hold in with the world, a man may be of the world still, and the world will love his own: whereas the power makes men Antipodes to all the world; this makes many care for no more but the forme. Fit for this purpose is that place, Wisd. 2. 12. where the ungodly say of the righteous on this wise. These mens lives are contrary to ours, and their doings reprove our thoughts, therefore let us oppresse them: ⟨p. 8⟩and Christ tells us we must look for no other, saying, We shall be hated of all men for his names sake; and it is no easie matter to have all men in contention with us: this then is another reason hereof.
Thirdly, because it is enough to serve a mans turn for his unregenerate ends: for men having a natural conscience, whereof they must stop the mouth, and it being injudicious, and not able to judge of the power of godliness, they are satisfied with the form: as when Children are wayward and wrangling, because we know they are not judicious, we give them Nuts, not gold or silver to still them, and it serves their turns as well; so is it here in the natural conscience, it doth judge the form to be enough to carry a man to heaven; and who would do more than he needs must?