A09965:24
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.
For the first; That to seek help and comfort from any creature and not from God alone, is vain and sinful: It must needs be so, because it is Idolatry. Now in Idolatry there are two things. First, Vanity and emptiness, 1. Corinth. 8.4. An Idol is nothing in the world; here it is Vanity. Secondly, Sinfulness, there is no greater sin than it. It is extremely vain, because we attribute that to it that doth only belong to God; To think, that if I am well, if I am strong in friends, have a well bottomed estate, that then my mountain is strong on every side, I shall not be removed, this is sinful and vain; ye shall not live a jot the better or happier for it; A strange Paradox, contrary to the opinion and practice of most men. If we consult with our treasures, do not we think that if we have such wealth and such friends, that we should live more comfortably and happily? There is no man but will answer that he thinketh so: But yet my brethren ye are deceived, it is not so: It belongs to God only to dispense of his Prerogatives, good or evil.1 A Horse is but a vain thing, saith the Psalmist, to get a victory: ⟨p. 4⟩That is, though it be as fit a thing as can be in it self, yet if it be left to its self without God, it is but vain and can do nothing. So I may say of Riches and other outward things; riches are vain, and honours and friends are vain to procure happiness of themselves. So Physic of its self is vain to procure health; without God they are nothing worth: he that thinks otherwise erreth.