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…

The first motive to move you to strengthen the inward man, is, because your comfort lies most in ¹the inward man: even all your comfort and therefore to strengthen that, is to add unto your comfort: as for example, the Sun brings comfort with it because it brings light, therefore the more light the more comfort, so the more of the inward man you have, the more light and joy. ⟨p. 97⟩Now the reason wherefore the inward man brings the most comfort is, because it is the greater faculty, and the greater the faculty is, the greater is either the joy or the sorrow, as for example, take a man that is troubled in mind. None so humble, so penitent, so sorrowful as he: and therefore it is said, that the Spirit of a man will bear his infirmities, but a wounded spirit who can bear? a man may be able to bear any outward trouble, but the grief of a troubled mind who can? on the contrary take a man, that is at peace with God, who so joyful and comfortable as he? now the outward man is the less faculty, and therefore it is capable of the less comfort: it doth not in any measure know what true comfort and joy there is in the inward man: Again, what joy the outward man hath in outward things, it is but in the opinion of the inward man, they comfort no more, but as they are esteemed of the inward man, if the inward do not esteem them as worthy the rejoicing in, they will not bring comfort; Again, all the pains and labour that you bestow on the outward man is but lost labour, that will bring you no great advantage: but the strength of the inward man will arm you against losses, and crosses, and reproach, that you shall meet withal in the world, whilst you are in the way to heaven: Again, consider that though you be strong in the outward man, yet you are moveable; subject to shaking and fleeting; but it is otherwayes with the inward man, it makes a Christian stead fast and unmoveable; ⟨p. 98⟩it will so establish the heart in grace, that he will stand firm unto Christ in all estates. It is with the outward man as it is with the Seas, though the strength of the stream run one way, yet if the wind blow contrary, it moves and stirs, and strives, and disquiets it: so when losses, and crosses come, they break the frame and strength of the outward man, but the inward man is like the dry ground, let the wind blow never so violent, yet it moves not, it stands firm.