A09965:631
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, saith he, the Lord had not much love to you, if he had not such an affection, if you did not come to him in the name of Christ whom he loves, in whom he is ready to grant whatsoever you ask, if he were not a friend to you; yet for your very importunity, he is ready to do it. As the unjust Judge (for that is the scope of the parable) he had no mind to grant the widows request, he had no Justice in him to move him, he had no mercy nor compassion, yet for very importunity he granted it. ⟨p. 338⟩Remember and observe the condition, for this is commonly a fault among us; when we go to prayer, we think that the very putting up of the prayer will do it. No, there is more required than so. As it is the error of the Country people, when they hear say, that such an herb is good for such a disease, they are ready to think, that (howsoever it be took or applied) it will heal the disease; No, it must be applied in such a manner, it must be used in such a fashion. So it is with prayer, you must not only do the duty (and therefore when we exhort you to it, not only to call upon God, for men are ready enough to do that, especially in the time of distress,) but with these conditions I have named.1 You know Gehazi when he had got the staff of Elisha, he went to the Child, but it was not the staff that could raise the child from death to life, there was something more required. So in prayer, it is not mere prayer that will do it, there is something else, there must be other conditions that must be observed. For we are wont to do with it, as those Conjurers were wont to do with the name of Jesus; they thought if they used the name of Jesus, it was enough: but ye know what answer the Spirit gives them, Jesus we know, and Paul we know, 2but who are ye? So I say, we are wont to do in this case, we think it is enough to make our request, and that is all. No, there is somewhat more required, you must make your request ⟨p. 339⟩in such a manner as ye ought. Then I add this further, that when thou makest them in such a manner, yet thou must not think to be heard for thy prayers sake: that is another thing we are apt to fail in. When we have made fervent prayers, and have been importunate with the Lord, we think now surely we shall not fail. No, you must know this, the promise is not made to the prayer, but to the person praying.