A55754:44
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.
Humiliation opens their eyes, by the Law, and spirit of bondage, that they see themselves miserable men, men condemned to dye. Now when God hath discovered our misery unto us, and we rightly apprehend what our estates are, then we begin to look on Christ as a condemned malefactor on his pardon; as a Captain on him that comes to redeem him; as a Widow that thought she should live well enough alone, but now when all her goods as seized upon, and they are now to carry her to prison, would be content if any one would marry her. When a man shall see what he is without Christ, one that is condemned, that must perish if he have him not; then he looks on Christ, as upon one most desirable, to prize him, to thirst for him; and if he know that Christ will then receive him, oh then he cannot but love him; for Love (as hath been said) is to a good apprehended; fit for us. Now without this, we will think of Christ, as if we might be well enough without him: But ⟨p. 8⟩when the heart is thus prepared by Humiliation, oh that all the World would vanish for Christ! Then comes the Gospel, and tells us that Christ is willing to take us, to redeem us, to be ours. And then when we take him, the match is made up: and thence arises this conjugal Love. The Apostle prays for the Ephesians, that Christ may dwell in their hearts by Faith, Ephes. 3. to unite them to Christ, to marry him; then presently it follows, That ye may be rooted and grounded in Love: so that Love follows this, and not a flash, but it roots us in Love. The act of justifying Faith, is the taking of Christ for rest. Now when ye have taken him thus, then you will love him, and then all that follows will be effects of this love: so that this love of the Lord Jesus, is this; to wit,
Humiliation opens their eyes, by the Law, and spirit of bondage, that they see themselves miserable men, men condemned to dye. Now when God hath discovered our misery unto us, and wee rightly apprehend what our estates are, then we beginne to looke on Christ as a condemned malefactour on his pardon; as a Captaine on him that comes to redeeme him; as a Widdow that thought she should live well enough alone, but now when all her goods as seized upon, and they are now to carry her to prison, would bee content if any one would marry her. When a man shall see what hee is without Christ, one that is condemned, that must perish if hee have him not; then he lookes on Christ, as upon one most desirable, to prize him, to thirst for him; and if hee know that Christ will then receive him, oh then he cannot but love him; for Love (as hath beene said) is to a good apprehended; fit for us. Now without this, wee will thinke of Christ, as if wee might bee well enough without him: But