A09965:358
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.
Fourthly, effectual knowledge that is bred by the voice of the Son of God, makes men approve and justify the ways of God, makes them to relish them: this follows the other; when men have tried them they approve them, Joh. 6.63. The Spirit quickens, the flesh profiteth nothing; the words then that I speak, they are Spirit and life. Christ having spoken, that his body was meat indeed; many were offended at it: then he said, The Spirit doth quicken, that is, ye accept not my words, because ye have not the Spirit, ye have but flesh▪ that is, a common knowledge; my words are spiritual, and you are carnal, therefore they do not relish you. These words are otherwise interpreted by some: that is, these materials profit nothing without the Spirit; but the other is undoubtedly the meaning, for so it is through the Scripture: the Spirit profits, that is, saving knowledge wrought by the Spirit: men not having it, do not approve it. It cannot be otherwise; where the voice of Christ doth sound effectually, there they justify this: Wisdom is justified of her children, Luk. 7.35. Rom. 10.15. How beautiful are the feet of them tha• preach the Gospel of peace? that is, they see much beauty in the ⟨p. 156⟩ways of God, that they are beautiful to them, they are vile to others. The Scripture often toucheth this, that when as there is but a common knowledge, men relish not the word, Rom. 8. they taste not the word: the spiritual part of the word crossing them, is bitter to them. 2 Cor. 2.15. The word is compared to a sweet savour; to many it is not so, to some it is the savour of death to death: it is a savour diffused through the house, many there are who abhor it, and being guilty of death it leads them to death: In others it is the savour of life; that is, they smell a sweetness in it, it brings them to life, to heaven; the word being powerfully taught, there comes a savour: some smell sweetness in it, others do not so.