A09965:306
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, this life of grace hath that which every man seeks, it hath much pleasure. Prov. 3.17. All her ways are ways of pleasure. Those who walk in the ways of God are full of pleasure; this life brings a double pleasure; first, the reward of it, secondly, the comfort in performing the actions of it. Every good work as the Hebrew proverb is, hath meat in its mouth; the living of this life, hath a reward sufficient in its self, as appears by this. All pleasures follow some actions, and therefore men desire life, because it is a continuance of action: so men delight in new things ⟨p. 122⟩because as long as they are new, the intention remains: The actions of this present life are full of change; and therefore of discomfort: but the actions of this spiritual life are constant and perfect; and those actions that are perfect, there is pleasure following them, as beauty follows a good constitution, or as flame the fire. The actions of this life are perfect actions, & the perfectest actions have the most perfect delight; the actions of this life are most perfect actions, therefore they have most perfect delight, because they are the actions of the best faculty, about the best object. All actions have the denomination of their perfection from their objects: these are actions of the soul, they are occupied about God, therefore they are the best and highest actions. He that lives about the best object, greatest content doth follow: he that lives this life, lives about the best object; therefore he hath greatest content, all the ways of it, are ways of pleasure. There is more comfort and Assiduity of consolation in this life, than in any other. In other lives, every one according to his humour hath his delights, but yet they are not permanent, because he delighteth in transitory things; but he that lives the life of grace, delights in things that are truly delightful at all times: other delights are but delights at some times, in some places, they are not always so: but he that lives the life of grace, pitcheth on those that are always ⟨p. 123⟩so. Prov. 14.15. A good conscience is a continual feast. Other comforts may fail; a man may fall into affliction; riches and pleasures may be taken away, then the days are evil; but a good conscience is a continual feast, that is, be a mans case what it will, his comfort is never interrupted.