A55754:405
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, examine whether ye be godly in truth or no; for in Christ there are said to be dead branches as well as living, that is, those that have the form as well as those that have the power: but how are they distinguished? the dead bear no fruit; and therefore as John said, Every tree that bringeth 1not forth good fruit, God puts the axe to it: and so the three grounds did not bring forth fruit. Examine therefore your selves whether ye be full of fruit or no, whether ye abound in good duties or no, and do them with an honest heart, for thereby the fourth ground is distinguished from all the rest.
Secondly, examine whether ye be godly in truth or no; for in Christ there are said to be dead branches as well as living, that is, those that have the forme as well as those that have the power: but how are they distinguished? the dead beare no fruit; and therefore as Iohn said, Every tree that bringeth 1not forth good fruit, God puts the axe to it: and so the three grounds did not bring forthfruit. Examine therefore your selves whether ye be full of fruit or no, whether ye abound in good duties or no, and doe them with an honest heart, for thereby the fourth ground is distinguished from all the rest.
Thirdly, examine whether ye hold out in time of trial or not, whether you are able to approve your selves with joy, as the Apostle says of himself, that he did when he was in trouble on every side, on the right hand and on the left, in prosperity and in adversity. The third ground held not out in temptation; and the reason was, because they had not depth of earth, that is, they wanted power, and an inward stock of grace, for that is depth of earth: as a man that keeps a great house, if he have not a stock able to supply him, he will soon prove bankrupt, and for a trades-man (as ye say) if he be not diligent in his trade, and follow it well, and make his returns, he will soon