A09999:72
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.
Besides, consider what loss you suffer in the inward man, when you neglect this duty at any 1time: for that is ready to be distempered; and to go out of order, it is ready to contract hardness, to contract soil, spiritual grace is ready to decay. It falls out with mans heart, as it doth with a garden that is neglected; it will quickly be overcome with weeds, if you look not diligently 2to it, and the way to look to it is constancy in this duty. That is a notable place: Job 154. when Eliphaz observed some distemper in Jobs affections (as he apprehended it) he tells him that 3the speech he used was not comely, but vain and sinful, and what then? surely Job (saith he) thou restrainest prayer from the Lord, as if he should say, it is impossible, Job that thou shouldest fall into these distempers, if thou did de• keep thy course constantly in this duty, therefore ⟨p. 29⟩surely, saith he, thou restrainest prayer from the Lord; So it is with us, let us restrain prayer from God, and distempers will arise quickly in our spirits, worldly mindedness will be ready to grow upon us, we shall be apt to be carnal, we shall forget God, and forget our selves, and forget the good purposes, and desires we had; and therefore, that you may keep your hearts in order, you must keep a constant course in this duty: for if you do (though your peace be interrupted) this will repair it again, it will make up the breaches again; though there be some distempered affections, that grow upon us, yet prayer will compose all. As sleep composeth 4drunkenness: so prayer will compose the affections, a man may pray himself sober again, nothing doth it sooner, nothing doth it more effectually; and this you shall find, that as you, either omit it, or slight it over; so you shall find a proportionable weakness growing upon the inward man, as the body feels, when it neglecteth either sleep, or diet, or exercise: therefore, to end this exhortation, let us be constant in it.
Besides, consider what losse you suffer in the inward man, when you neglect this duty at any