A09965:499
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.
Lastly, if the ways of God be so full of difficulty,1 then we had need to humble our selves: if the Law be so holy and so good, and we so averse from it, it must be rebellion, when as you see your selves so backward to do good, so contrary to it. Let this open a crevice of light, to see your corruption: this is very needful; men ⟨p. 241⟩complain of the Law, they say that it is hard and written in blood, as Draco his Laws were: they are but flesh and blood, and what can they do? Beloved, this we should not do, but let us reflect on our selves, as Paul did, and say with him, Rom. 7.14. The Law is spiritual, but we are carnal, sold under sin. Let us be humbled more for this badness of our nature, than for our actual sins: the worser your natures are, the greater and more sinful are your sins▪ for the more nature there is, the greater is the sin: the worser your natures are, the more hatred is there to the Law: therefore abhor your natures, reflect upon your selves, justify God, and give him glory, and his Law. Psal. 19.8. The Statutes of the Lord are right, and the commandments of the Lord are pure: quarrel not then with the Law, hate it not, as all unregenerate men do. And thus much for the second Doctrine. We come now to the last, which is this.
Lastly, if the wayes of God be so full of difficulty,1 then we had need to humble our selves: if the Law be so holy and so good, and we so averse from it, it must be rebellion, when as you see your selves so backward to do good, so contrary to it. Let this open a crevis of light, to see your corruption: this is very needful; men ⟨p. 241⟩complaine of the Law, they say that it is hard and written in blood, as Draco his Lawes were: they are but flesh and blood, and what can they do? Beloved, this we should not doe, but let us reflect on our selves, as Paul did, and say with him,