A09965:475
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.
If this be so,1 that the ways of God are full of crosses and difficulty, then learn from hence, to account of so much beforehand, and prepare for it, before the enter into those ways of God: take heed of Baruch's fault, Jerem. 45.5. Look not for great matters for your selves: in the world ye shall have affliction; John 16.33. but in Christ ye shall have peace ▪ look therefore for all in heaven. Remember ye must not take ⟨p. 224⟩Christ only as a Saviour, but you must take him as a Lord, as a husband; you must have a wedding garment, a conjugal affection, and be divorced from all other things, that so you may take him thus: ye must take him as your husband, for better, for worse, with losses, and crosses; your will must be subject to him in all things. If to be Christs Servant were only to give him a cap and a knee, he would have many that would serve him; but you must obey him▪ His servants you are to whom ye obey, Rom. 6.16. There are servants which you call Retainers; which do their own work on the week days, peradventure on the Sabbath they come to their Master and serve him; thus most are Christs Servants; they will serve him on the Sabbath perchance, but at no time else; but as on the Sabbath, so at all times else you must deny your selves. In other marriages error personae, doth nullify the marriage; so doth it when we take Christ: it is an error in our judgements, not to know what he is; and that is the reason why we so quickly fall away from him: wherefore every one that looks for any interest in Christ, must consider with himself before hand, and cast his eyes on all his comforts, on that which is pleasant to him, and resolve to part with it for him; yea, he must look on bitter things, on the sufferings of others, and make account of disgraces and persecutions if he will follow Christ: If ⟨p. 225⟩better come, do you reputare in •ucrum, count it over-plus. Caesar, when as he was going to fight, would usually tell his Soldiers, that the enemies were as many more as they were, that so he might make them more resolute and audacious; If you mean to follow Christ, look for a rainy day. It may be it is a fair morning, but yet we know not what the evening will be: Nescis quid serus vesper vehat. Shall a man go to sea, and not look for storms? Shall a Soldier go into the wars, and not look for enemies?