A09997:288
Remains of that reverend and learned divine, John Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplain in…Remaines of that reverend and learned divine, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in…
Remains of that reverend and learned divine, John Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, master of Emanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns-Inn Containing three excellent treatises, namely, Judas's repentance. The saints spiritual strength. Pauls conversion.Remaines of that reverend and learned divine, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majesty, master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes-Inne Containing three excellent treatises, namely, Iudas's repentance. The saints spirituall strength. Pauls conversion.
London: printed by John Beale for Andrew Crooke, 1634
THE SAINTS SPIRITUAL STRENGTH.THE SAINTS SPIRITVALL STRENGTH.
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.
But the end of the natural strength, is his own ends, his own profit and pleasure, and his own good; for as the rise of any thing is higher, so the end is higher, as for example: water is lift upon the top of some Mountain, or high place because it may go further, then if it were not: so when a man is strong in the inward man, he is set up higher for another end, and that is to please God, and not himself, and thus much for the second difference.
But the end of the naturall strength, is his owne ends, his owne profit and pleasure, and his owne good; for as the rise of any thing is higher, so the end is higher, as for example: water is lift upon the top of some Mountaine, or high place because it may goe further, then if it were not: so when a man is strong in the inward man, he is set up higher for another end, and that is to please God, and not himselfe, and thus much for the second difference.
The third difference is this, he that is spiritually strong, is strong in faith. The strength of the inward 1man is faith: but the strength of the outward man is but moral strength, an habitual strength of nature: it is faith that gives strength: a man is not a strong man in Christ, or in the inward man that hath not a strong faith. Strong faith makes a man or woman strong: that is, it is that which makes a difference between a spiritual man, and a natural man: for as reason makes a difference between men and beasts, so faith makes a difference between a holy man, and a wicked man: as for example, take a Philosopher that doth excel in other things, as in humane ⟨p. 86⟩knowledge: such go beyond other men, yet in matters of faith and believing, they are as blind as beetles; and the reason is this, the one sees and doth all things by faith, but the other only by the light of nature and this is the same that the Apostle speaks of in Hebr. 11. of weak they became strong, that is, because they had faith, and