A09965:197
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
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.
1I answer, that we cannot have these spiritual gifts if we are not borne of the Spirit; that which is borne of the flesh is flesh. Not Bellarmine himself, nor any man else will say that all are borne of the Spirit. It is our Saviours own speech. John 15.2. Every branch in me not bearing fruit, he taketh away, and it is cast out, and withered; that is, as the branch not being in the root, bringeth forth no fruit, so men as long as they are not ingrafted into Christ, bring forth no buds, no fruit at all; they may hear the word, but they cannot make use of it, they cannot do it without the Spirit, and ⟨p. 66⟩that is free: it breatheth where it listeth: compare John 3.8. the Spirit breatheth where it listeth, with John 6.44. No man can come unto me unless the Father draw him, that is, not as a sheep is lead with a bough; for Christ doth not say, no man will come, but, no man can come except the Father draw him; compel him as it were by force, not persuade him by entreaty: that is, unless he changeth, and taketh away his wolvish will.