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The saints daily exercise A treatise concerning the whole duty of prayer. Delivered in…The saints daily exercise A treatise concerning the whole dutie of prayer. Delivered in…
The saints daily exercise A treatise concerning the whole duty of prayer. Delivered in five sermons upon I Thess. 5.17. By the late faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns Inn.The saints daily exercise A treatise concerning the whole dutie of prayer. Delivered in fiue sermons vpon I Thess. 5.17. By the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiesty, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.
London: printed by W. Jones, 1629London: printed by W. Iones, 1629
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.
And as we say for grace, so like wise for gifts, smaller gifts, meaner gifts may serve the turn, 1many times, as well as greater gifts: for, you know, a little finger, a small hand may serve to thread a needle, as well as a greater, and, it may 2be, will do it better; for, in the Church there are varieties of operations, and variety of functions, and meaner gifts may serve for the discharge of some operations, of some services for the Church, as well as greater. And therefore, as there are variety of functions, so there are variety of members, some stronger, some weaker, and the weaker may serve, in some cases, as well as the stronger; a little bark may do better in a small river, then a greater ship; so a man that ⟨p. 69⟩3hath but mean gifts may serve mean capacities, as well as greater, and better: and therefore think not that things are denied. when the thing is granted, not in such a measure. And lastly, to be faithful in a little gift will bring as great a reward, as to be faithful in greater: thou hast been faithful in little, may make a man ruler over much, and may bring a great increase of the talents after. Therefore let not a man be discouraged, if he have not so great a measure as others have: so likewise if a man desire patience, and strength to go through all variety of conditions, 4through all the troubles he meets with: sometimes the Lord lays a great burden. upon a mans shoulders, and gives him great strength to bear it; sometimes again he gives but a little 5strength, but then he proportions the burden to it; and is it not all one, whether the burden be great, and the strength answerable, or the burden be less, and the strength little? sometimes he takes away calamity, sometimes he lays it upon a man, and gives him as much strength as will bear it, and that is as good, as if it were removed; else, what is the meaning of that, you shall have an hundred fold with persecution, but that you shall have so much joy, and strength in persecution, that it shall be all one as if you wanted it? so we see