A09965:384
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 fourth means to hear the Word, and the voice of Christ profitably, is to lay up what you hear: let it abide and continue with you. This rule is prescribed by Christ himself. Joh. 15.7. If ye abide in me, and my words ⟨p. 177⟩abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you: When ye attend to the Word, if ye are affected with it but for the time, it is nothing; except it continue with you it will not profit you; you must do as Mary did; she laid up all the sayings that she heard of Christ, and pondered them in her heart, Luke 2.51. The Disciples often questioned of Christ: which proves, that they pondered his Words in their hearts: So the Nobles of Berea, they searched the Scripture:1 so Jacob he noted the saying of Joseph and laid it up. Ye do not hear thus if you do but lend your ears for the time, if ye work it not upon your affections, ye profit not. The reason why there is so much preaching, and so little profit, is for want of this. There are two kinds of ill hearers: the first are such as hear as Swine, and trample all they hear under feet; the second, such as hear as Dogs, snarling at the doctrine▪ if ye offend in either of these, ye hear amiss. Of all the four grounds that was worst which received not the Word. When men hear the Word there is more than a natural forgetfulness in them, the Devil helps it. Jam. 1.23.24. He that hears the Word, and recalls it not, or practiseth it not; is like one that beholdeth his face in a glass, for he beholdeth himself and goeth away, and straight way forgetteth what manner of man he was: ye must recall it before ye can practise it, else ye will be like ⟨p. 178⟩to those that behold their face in a glass, and wipe not away their spots.
The fourth meanes to heare the Word, and the voyce of Christ profitably, is to lay up what you heare: let it abide and continew with you. This rule is prescribed by Christ himselfe.