A09965:219
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.
Secondly, the motion of the Spirits that take assumed bodies, is not from any inward principal, nor from the motion of life within: so the actions of men that are not alive, are not from the principles of life, they are not vital motions; but as in other actions, the Wheels go as long as the spring is up that moves them: so the actions of men that are dead, as long as the springs are up and the influence continues, they move. When they are sick and apprehend death, then they will do many things; but these being gone their goodness is ended: whilst they deeply apprehend some accident, they will be good, that being gone and forgotten, their goodness ends· Many whiles they have good acquaintance, and are in good company, will be good, but when they are gone, their goodness ceaseth. ⟨p. 75⟩These men have golden outsides, they seem to have the Kings stamp upon their actions, yet they are but counterfeit; they pay God in counterfeit coin, not in currant money; their actions have a form of religion, 1but yet the power is wanting; all they do is but a mere formality; their Prayers, their Sabbath keeping are but in show; those actions and duties that have most power and life in them, they do least of all relish, they taste them not, because they have no life in them. In general, all the actions that men wanting life do, they are but dead works, they may be deceived with them for a time, but when death comes, they shall find them to be but dead. Remigius a Judge of Lorraine tells this story, that the devil in those parts did use to give money to Witches, which did appear to be good coin, seemed to be currant money at first; but being laid up a while, it then appeared to be nothing but dried leaves: so the devil deceives men now, he makes them to do outward actions, which have a fair show, but when they need them, they then appear as they are, to be nothing but dead leaves, because the principle of life is wanting.
Secondly, the motion of the Spirits that take assumed bodies, is not from any inward principall, nor from the motion of life within: so the actions of men that are not alive, are not from the principles of life, they are not vitall motions; but as in other actions, the Wheeles goe as long as the spring is up that moves them: so the actions of men that are dead, as long as the springs are up and the influence continues, they move. When they are sicke and apprehend death, then they will doe many things; but these being gone their goodnesse is ended: whilst they deepely apprehend some accident, they will be good, that being gone and forgotten, their goodnesse ends· Many whiles they have good acquaintance, and are in good company, will be good, but when they are gone, their goodnesse ceaseth.