A09965:616
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 third Sermon.
WE have already made some entrance upon the words: I told you what the Apostles scope is in them, which is, to make known to all Christians to whom he wrote, another great privilege, besides that which he named before: that is, That he that hath the Son, hath life; this (saith he) is another privilege, that whatsoever you ask, you shall have; only remember that you have this assurance in him, that is, in Christ Jesus; That point (what it is to be in him, that it may be the ground of all the benefits and privileges we enjoy) we handled the last day. Now we come to the privilege it self, If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. The words are so plain, I shall not need to spend any time in opening of them, but deliver you the point that lies so evidently before us:1 which is this, [That all the prayers of the Saints made upon earth, are assuredly heard in heaven] whatsoever ⟨p. 324⟩we ask, (saith he) according to his will he heareth us, only the conditions must be observed. When you hear such a general as this, it must be limited, there are certain bounds set to it, which we will name unto you: which are these four conditions. First, all the prayers that are made upon earth shall be heard in heaven;2 if they be the prayers of a righteous man, and are faithful and fervent. The person must be righteous, that must first be remembered: because, although the prayer be never so good, yet except the person be accepted from whom it comes, the Lord regards it not: you know in the old Law, the blood of Swine was reckoned an abominable Sacrifice, 3yet if you take the blood of sheep, and compare them together, you shall find no difference; It may be the Swines blood is the better: then whats the reason the Swines blood is not accepted? even because of the subject of it, it was the blood of Swine, and therefore you see it was put down, that it was an abominable Sacrifice. So it is with prayer; Take the prayer of a Saint, and the prayer of a wicked man; it may be, if you look upon the petition, or whatsoever is in the prayer it self, you shall find some time the prayers of a godly man more cold, and less fervent: the petitions are not so well framed as the wicked mans: yet because this comes from such a person, the Lord regards it not; you know the condition is mentioned James fifth: