A09965:449
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, the last means to help us to deny our selves, is the manner how we should deny our selves: Be peremptory in denying the requests of the Flesh, bar up the doors, give the flesh no audience; nothing is better than a peremptory will, if it be well set; nothing worse, if it be ill. When Joab would have persuaded David to slay Abner, David gives him a peremptory denial; saying, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Servia? So Christ gave Peter a peremptory denial, when he would dissuade him from his Passion; he saith to him, Get thee behind me Satan. 1The flesh is of your old acquaintance, that hath bin borne and bred with you, and therefore is ready to deceive you; wherefore look to it. Act. 21. Paul saith to them that would dissuade him from going up to Jerusalem. What do ye weeping and breaking my heart? ⟨p. 213⟩their expostulation with him weakened the sinews of his intention, and softened his purpose. Bring these means to particulars, having occasion, let them not remain in general: You that hear me now, examine your selves; none that hear me this day but had need particularly to deny himself: some humours he hath that he must deny; give not over till thou hast done it. This will scour out the stains out of your Souls, labour therefore for to do it: Put case, that satisfying such a desire is pleasant, yet denying of it will bring you more pleasure and profit; there are none that gain by sinning, and none lose by serving God: You are gainers while you lose your credit for God, or your riches; he will either give you more, or else he will give you more comfort in the little which you have. Are you restrained? God will give you longer and larger liberty from the yoke of Sin: lose you a momentany delight? God will give you a stronger delight. A lust being removed, there is a blemish wiped away, every lust is a spot on the soul; If ye suffer a lust to continue, that ye are indulgent to, it defiles you, it makes you indigent: Lusts cause want. Being brought under the power of a lust, ye are under a Tyrant. Again, what ever your hearts are set on, and you will not deny your selves in it; if ye belong to God ye shall be crossed in it: your strong affections will be your ⟨p. 214⟩strong afflictions. David was crossed in his Absalom; Absalom, in his Kingdom; Amnon in his Tamar.