The New Covenant, Title page – To the reader
THE NEVV COVENANT, OR THE SAINTS PORTION.
A Treatise Vnfolding the All-sufficiencie of GOD, and Mans vprightnes, and the Covenant of grace. delivered In fourteene Sermons vponupon Gen. 17. 1. 2. Wherevnto are adioyned Foure Sermons vponupon Eccles. 9. 1. 2. 11. 12.
By the late faithfull and worthie Minister of Iesus Christ, IOHN PRESTON. Dr. in Divinitie, Chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiestie, Maister of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes Inne.
PSAL. 111. 5. He hath given a portion to them that feare him: he will ever be mindfull of his Covenant.
LONDON Printed by I. D. for Nicolas Bourne, and are to be sold at the South entrance of the Royall Exchange. 1629.
ILLVSTRISSIMIS, ET HONORATISSIMIS VIRIS, THEOPHILO COMITI LINCOLNIENSI, ET GVLIELMO VICE-COMITI SAY, ET SELE, DOMINISSVIS SVBMISISSIMÈ COLENDIS, HAS IOHANNIS PRESTONI SS. THEOL. DOCT. ET COLLEGII IMMANVELIS MAGISTRI PRIMITIAS DEVOTISSIMI, TAM AVTHORIS, DVM VIVERET, QVAM IPSORVM, QVI SVPERSVNT, OBSEQVII TESTIMONIVM L.M.D.D.D.
RICHARDVS SIBS. IOHANNES DAVENPORT.
¶To the Reader.
IT had beene much to hauehave beene desired (if it had so pleased the Father of Spirits) that this worthy man had survived the publishing of these, and other his Lectures: for then, no doubt, they would hauehave come forth more refined, and digested; For, though there was very little or no mistake in taking them from his mouth, yet preaching, and writing hauehave their severall graces. Things liuened by the expression of the speaker, sometimes take well, which after, vponupon a mature review, seeme eyther superfluous, or flat. And we oft see men, very able to render their conceipts in writing, yet not the happiest speakers.
Yet we, considering not so much what might hauehave beene, as what now may be for the service of the Church, thought good rather to communicate them thus, then that they should die with the Author. He was a man of an exact judgement, and quicke apprehension, an acute Reasoner, actiue in good, choyse in his notions, one who made it his chiefe ayme to promote the cause of Christ, and the good of the Church, which moved him to single out arguments answerable, on which he spent his best thoughts. He was honoured of God to be an instrument of much good, wherevnto he had advantage by those eminent places he was called vntounto. As he had a short race to run, so he made speed, and did much in a little time. Though he was of an higher elevation, and straine of spirit then ordinarie, yet out of louelove to doe good, he could frame his conceits so, as might sute with ordinary vnderstandings. A little before his death (as we were informed by the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Say, and Seale, in whose pietie, wisedome, and fidelittie, he put great repose) he was desirous that we should pervse what of his was fit for publique vsus….
We are not Ignorant, that it is a thing subject to censure, to seeme bold, and wittie in another mans worke, and therefore as little is altered, as may be. And we desire the Reader, rather to take in good part, that which is intended for publique good, than to catch at imperfections, considering they were but taken, as they fell from him speaking. And we intreate those, that hauehave any thing of his in their hands, that they would not be hastie, for private respects, to publish them, till we, whom the Author put in trust, hauehave pervsed them. We purpose (by Gods helpe) that what shall be judged fit, shall come forth. We send forth these Sermons of Gods All-Sufficiencie, and Mans Vprightnes, and the Covenant of Grace first, as being first prepared by him that had the Coppies, and because, the right vnderstanding of these points hath a chiefe influence into a Christian life. The LORD giuegive a blessing answerable, and continue still to send forth such faithfull Labourers into his Harvest.
RICHARD SIRS.
IOHN DAVENPORT.