A09965:101
Four godly and learned treatises Entitled, I. A remedy against covetousness. II. An elegant…Foure godly and learned treatises Intituled, I. A remedy against covetousnesse. II. An elegant…
Four godly and learned treatises Entitled, I. A remedy against covetousness. II. An elegant and lively description of spiritual death and life. III. The doctrine of self-denial. IV. Upon the sacrament of the Lords Supper. Delivered in sundry sermons, by that late famous preacher, and worthy instrument of Gods glory, John Preston, Doctor of Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty; master of Emanuel College, and sometime preacher of Lincolns Inn.Foure godly and learned treatises Intituled, I. A remedy against covetousnesse. II. An elegant and lively description of spirituall death and life. III. The doctrine of selfe-deniall. IV. Vpon the sacrament of the Lords Supper. Delivered in sundry sermons, by that late famous preacher, and worthy instrument of Gods glory, Iohn Preston, Doctor of Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinarie to his Majestie; master of Emanuel Colledge, and sometime preacher of Lincolnes Inne.
London: printed by Thomas for Michael Sparke, 1633
COLLOS. 3.5. And Covetousness which is Idolatry.COLLOS. 3.5. And Covetousnesse which is Idolatrie.
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 now you will object,1 that riches are blessings; and demand of me whether you may not desire riches as they are blessings?
- 1Quest.
1I answer, that it is true, that they are blessings, and the reward of the fear of GOD. Prov. 22.4. By humility and the fear of the Lord, are Riches and Honour. Therefore it is said of David, that He died full of Riches. 2Abraham's servant reckoned them as a blessing. Gen. 24.35. The Lord hath blessed my Master greatly and he is become great, and he hath given him Flocks, and Herds, and Silver, and Gold, and Men-servants, and Maid-servants, and Camels and Asses: Jacob counted them as ⟨p. 36⟩blessings, Gen. 32.10. And Christ himself saith,3 That it is more blessed to lend than to borrow, to give than to receive; may we not then desire them? To answer this, ye must know, that there is a twofold will and desire. First, a remiss will, which is rather an inclination than a will. Secondly, there is a peremptory will, which is mature ripe and peremptory: with this latter will we may not desire them, but with the former we may; for in the 1 Tim. 6.8. If we have food and raiment, let us therewith be content: If any man have a desire to be rich; yet having food and raiment let him not so desire more riches; but that he may be content with it; yea having, or having them not, ye must be content. Now there is a double content; the first is, as when a man is sick (to express it by a similitude) yet he may pray for health, and use means to get it with a full and perfect will, yet with a depending on Gods will: so we being in want may desire riches and wealth with a full will, sitting in the mean time under Gods hand, and referring and submitting our wills to his will. Secondly, there is a content, whereby having sufficient for food and raiment we suffer not our wills actually to desire more, nor to go beyond the limits which God hath set us. God hath promised outward blessings as a reward of his service, and propoundeth them to us, as so many arguments and motives to stir us