A09965:301
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.
Fifthly, ye may know whether ye have this life by the food it is fed with; several lives are fed with several food. Now the food of this new life of grace is double▪ first, the word; secondly, good works. First, the word, 1 Pet. 2.2.5. As new borne babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby, if so be that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious: that is, if ye are alive as you ⟨p. 117⟩profess your selves to be, you shall know it by your behaviour to that which doth nourish your life. First, ye will long after the word, as the Child doth after the Teate. If the Child be hungry, neither apples, nor rattles, nor any thing else can quiet him but the Teat: So nothing can quiet these but the Word. Others may have excuses; they will have none; Either they will live where the word is, or they will bring the word home to them; they will bring themselves to it, or it to them. §2Secondly, they desire the sincere milk of the word; many things may be mingled with the word, that do please the wit, yet those who live the life of grace, desire the sincere word, the pure word, without any mixture. §3Thirdly, they desire it, that they may grow thereby: many desire it to know it only: if ye desire it as new borne babes, it will make you better and better; you will grow by it: Many hear, but as men having an Atrophy in their bodies, they grow not, no fruit comes thereby. §4Fourthly, they taste a sweetness in the word above others:1 the second ground received the word with joy; and Herod heard John Baptist with gladness; but where there is true grace, they go farther; they delight in the word, it is sweeter to them than the honey: few can say so in good earnest,2 that the pure word is sweeter to them than Honey or the Honey Comb. Job he esteemed the word more than his appointed food,