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 rule, that I would have you observe, if you would have the means effectual is this, ¹you must use all the means: for if you use but a part of the means you will not grow strong: at ⟨p. 112⟩it is with the body, so it is with the inward man: a man for the health, and growth of the body, will use all means, labour in health, Physic in sickness, recreation for the whetting of the faculty: in a word, he will use every thing that he may strengthen the body, thus you must do for the strengthening of the inward man, you must use all means as hearing the Word, receiving the Sacrament, Prayer, Meditation, Conference, the Communion of Saints, particular resolutions to good, or else the inward man will not grow strong: these are the food that the inward man feeds upon, it is with the inward man, as it is with a plant, if you would have a plant to grow, then you must set it in a good soil, you must dig about it, and dung it; but if you be careless where you set it, It will not prosper and thrive: even so if you do not add fatness of soil unto the beginnings of grace; if you do not use all the means, as the Communion of Saints, and Prayer, the inward man will not grow strong, but wither and dye; you will be dwarfs in grace, and holiness.

The first rule, that I would have you observe, if you would have the meanes effectuall is this, ¹you must use all the meanes: for if you use but a part of the meanes you will not grow strong: at ⟨p. 112⟩it is with the body, so it is with the inward man: a man for the health, and growth of the body, will use all meanes, labour in health, Physicke in sicknesse, recreation for the whetting of the faculty: in a word, he will vse every thing that hee may strengthen the body, thus you must doe for the strengthning of the inward man, you must use all meanes as hearing the Word, receiving the Sacrament, Prayer, Meditation, Conference, the Communion of Saints, particular resolutions to good, or else the inward man will not grow strong: these are the food that the inward man feeds upon, it is with the inward man, as it is with a plant, if you would have a plant to grow, then you must set it in a good soyle, you must digge about it, and dung it; but if you bee carelesse where you set it, It will not prosper and thrive: even so if you doe not adde fatnesse of soyle unto the beginnings of grace; if you doe not use all the meanes, as the Communion of Saints, and Prayer, the inward man will not grow strong, but wither and dye; you will bee dwarfes in grace, and holinesse.