A09965:421
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, let the emptiness in your selves, move you to deny your selves. Why will you defend your selves? Out of GOD there is no fullness: If you would be happy, I woul• ask you where you would find your happiness out of GOD? Either it must be in your selves, or in the Creature. In your selves it cannot be; for how many things do ye want? We are so indigent in our selves, that we are fain to step out to other Creatures. In the Creatures it cannot be; because they are inferior to us, and worse than our selves: They were not made for that end, for to make us happy, but to help us. Again, the mutability of the Creature, shows that we have no happiness in it: it is like brittle Glasses that are soon broken. Again, if they did continue, there could be no happiness in them; for they are but Vanity. 1 Sam. 12.21. Turn not away from following the LORD, for then should you seek after vain things, which will not profit; for they are vain. Go through all things: Men, women, riches, ⟨p. 199⟩honours, any delights pleasing the fancy, there is nothing but vanity in them: that is, there is an inability in them, to give that satisfaction that is expected. From this we say, a Well is empty, because we look for waters in it, and find none. What needs there a change and vicissitude of things, if there were not an emptiness in the Creature? What needed there such a multitude of them if they were not empty? Besides, consider that GOD can make you happy without them. If ye have the Sun, no matter for the Stars: though ye have them without the Sun, yet it is night. It were an easy thing to deny our selves, if we were persuaded of this. Were we in SOLOMONS case (who saw all that is under the Sun, and had abundance of outward things himself, yet in Eccles. 1.2.3. he saith, They are all but vanity:) it were an easy matter to persuade us to deny our selves. If a chaste wife were persuaded, that there is no worth in him that solicits her to uncleanness, it were easy for her to deny him. Now add this to the rest, that all we have said persuades not, but when God sendeth a light into the heart; and that is the reason that many speak of this, but few practise it.
Secondly, let the emptinesse in your selves, moove you to deny your selves. Why will you defend your selves? Out of GOD there is no fullnesse: If you would bee happy, I woul aske you where you would finde your happinesse out of GOD? Either it must bee in your selves, or in the Creature. In your selves it cannot bee; for how many things doe yee want? Wee are so indigent in our selves, that wee are faine to step out to other Creatures. In the Creatures it cannot bee; because they are inferiour to us, and worse than our selves: They were not made for that end, for to make us happy, but to helpe us. Againe, the mutability of the Creature, shewes that wee have no happinesse in it: it is like brittle Glasses that are soone broken. Againe, if they did continue, there could bee no happinesse in them; for they are but Vanity.