A09965:372
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.
The sixth impediment is in consideration: men do not consider the things they might know: if men would deduce one thing from another, and do that they know, they might be brought to God. Deut. 29.2.3. Ye have seen, saith Moses, all that the Lord did before your eyes, in the Land of Egypt, upon Pharaoh and his servants: ye have seen those great signs and miracles which he did, yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear until this day: that is, ye have not profited because ye have not considered. We think if that we had lived then, we had believed, yet we see how few of them did believe: we believe the Scriptures, yet what inconsequence is there in mens lives, because we do not consider things. Consideration helps to perfect mens actions; it is as a circular line; one part helps the other. If we look back and examine our actions, it helps; want of it hinders. What is repentance, but consideration? Jer. 8.6. No man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? want of this keeps men from salvation. 2 Chron. 6.37. If they bethink themselves in the Land whither they are carried away, and turn ⟨p. 167⟩and pray unto me, in their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and dealt wickedly; then I will hear. So Jer. 8.6. God harkned whether any would say, What have I done? men go on and consider not. Hosea. 4.11. Whoredom, and new wine, steal away their hearts; that is, it makes them not to consider. Mark. 6.52. They considered not the loaves, therefore their hearts were hardened: they were fearful in the ship, because they considered not the miracle of the loaves.
The sixt impediment is in consideration: men doe not consider the things they might know: if men would deduce one thing from another, and doe that they know, they might be brought to God.