A09965:317
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.
Lastly, till ye live this life, ye have no assurance that ye are in the number of the elect. Repentance puts a new life into men; till ye find this in you, ye know not whether God is yours, whether God will work this life in you; This should make us tremble and fear, and never to leave till we had got this life. This life is a fruit of election; we know not whether we are in Jacobs or Esau his case, till we know we have it: make haste therefore to get it. It lies not in your power;1 The Spirit breatheth when and where it listeth; ye may fear that God will not give it you, if you spend your life in vanity. Take one who neglects you all the time that he is able to do you service; if he seeks unto ⟨p. 131⟩you in his extremity for his own ends, what answer do you give him, but this? Seeing he hath neglected you when he was able to do you service, you may justly refuse him now, he is able to do you none. So if ye neglect God whilst ye are able for to serve him, and seek to him in your extremity, take heed that ye receive not that answer from him, as the Israelites did in their extremity,2 Go to your Idols, and let them help you: nay, he forbids Jeremiah to pray for them. Consider this, and make haste to live this life of grace; ye cannot get it of your selves, God must put it into you.
Lastly, till yee live this life, yee have no assurance that yee are in the number of the elect. Repentance puts a new life into men; till yee finde this in you, yee know not whether God is yours, whether God will worke this life in you; This should make us tremble and feare, and never to leave till wee had got this life. This life is a fruite of election; wee know not whether wee are in Iacobs or Esau his case, till we know we have it: make haste therefore to get it. It lies not in your power;1 The Spirit breatheth when and where it listeth; ye may feare that God will not give it you, if you spend your life in vanity. Take one who neglects you all the time that hee is able to doe you service; if hee seekes unto ⟨p. 131⟩