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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
fire_n	work_n	work_v	yield_v	15	3	6.4546	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09965	Foure godly and learned treatises Intituled, I. A remedy against covetousnesse. II. An elegant and lively description of spirituall death and life. III. The doctrine of selfe-deniall. IV. Vpon the sacrament of the Lords Supper. Delivered in sundry sermons, by that late famous preacher, and worthy instrument of Gods glory, Iohn Preston, Doctor of Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinarie to his Majestie; master of Emanuel Colledge, and sometime preacher of Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Three sermons upon the sacrament of the Lords Supper. aut	1633 (1633)	STC 20222; ESTC S115040	185,075	475

dependent felicity and it is so much the worse because it depends on the creature which is mutable and uncertaine how much better is it to depend on God in whom is no shadow of variety or change Every creature is weaker by how much it hath more dependency on another creature and so are yee weaker by how much more yee depend on outward things If yee depend on friends they may change their affections and become your enemies or death may take them away and then your happinesse is gone If yee depend on riches Prov. 23.5 Wilt thou set thine eye on that which is not For riches certainely make themselves wings and flie away like an Eagle towards heaven and then your happinesse is gone But if yee seeke and place your happinesse in God in whom is no change nor alteration then it is perpetuall A dependancy on things that are mutable will yeeld no comfort because God will have all to depend on himselfe therefore 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ of God is made unto us Wisedome and Righteousnesse and Sanctification and Redemption That no flesh might reioyce in its selfe but that he that glorieth might glory in the Lord. For this end God conveied Christ unto us that hee might make us beleeve that we fare not the better for any creature that so wee might rejoyce onely in the Lord therefore hee hath made Christ redemption from all evill that hee might furnish us with all good Christ hath redeemed us from hell and misery from want of good things seeke not then a dependancy on the creature thinke not that it will better you and this will make you to depend on Christ. Therefore for these regards correct your opinion of worldly and outward things and judge of them with righteous Iudgement depend onely on God if you will have him to be your portion as hee was the Levites Refuse him not as the Israelites did depend on him in good earnest A little you say with Gods blessing will doe much Labour not therefore neither toile yee to leave great portions to your children the common pretence that men have for their covetousnesse though you leave them never so much if Gods blessing bee not on it it is nothing it can yeeld them no comfort yea many times it is an occasion of their hurt If then Gods blessing be all in all if that onely can administer comfort and make us happy I would aske you this question What if ye did leave your children onely Gods blessing would it not be sufficient though you leave them little or nothing else Yee thinke not so and yet whatsoever ye can leave them without Gods blessing is nothing worth Preachers labour much in this to draw you from worldly things and all to little purpose It must be Gods teaching that perswades within that must effect it yee must therefore take paines with your hearts the generality of the disease shewes that it is hard to be cured Labour therefore to finde out the deceipts which do hinder your practise of these things which are these One Deceipt that deceives men is that they are ready to say that these things are the blessings of God Why then should not wee rejoyce in them As for afflictions they are crosses and therefore wee grieve for them if these then did not adde to our blessednesse why count wee them blessings and account Povertie as a crosse To this I answer that if yee take them as blessings yee may rejoyce in them as the instruments by which God doth you good Blessings are relative wordes they have reference unto God if yee consider them without reference unto him they cease to be blessings therefore if yee consider them meerely as blessings yee may rejoyce in them Now yee receive them as blessings First if yee depend on God for the disposing continuing and want of them if yee thinke yee shall enjoy them no longer than God will If yee thinke this with your selves wee have Wives Children Friends and Riches 't is true we have them but yet they shall not continue with us an houre or minute longer than God will If ye thinke so in good earnest then yee rejoyce in them as blessings A man that is relieved when he is in danger lookes more to the will than to the hand of him that helpes him wee looke more to the good will of our friends than to their gifts so we should looke more to Gods Will and pleasure than to the benefits which he bestowes on us The consideration of these things as blessings must raise up your thoughts to heavenly thinge to consider that whatsoever is done in earth is first acted in heaven the Sunne is first eclipsed there and then here so your estates are first eclipsed there before that they are here Looke therefore on GOD and on these as meerely depending on Gods will and then you enjoy them meerely as blessings Secondly yee looke on them as blessings if yee looke on them so as to know that yee may have them in aboundance without any comfort Instruments have nothing of themselves whatsoever they have is put into them A man may have wealth friends and all other outward things his mountaine may seeme to be strong yet without Gods blessing on them he may want comfort in them When as yee thinke thus that yee may have these things without comfort it is a signe that your eye is on God that yee looke on them onely as the Vehiculaes or Conduit pipes to convay comfort The aire yeelds light as an Instrument though it hath no light of its owne the water may heat but not of its selfe but by that heate which is infused into it by the fire So if a man drinke a Potion in beere the beere of its selfe doth not worke but the Potion worketh by the beere So it is with all outward blessings they of themselves can yeeld you no comfort at all but if they yeeld you any it is by reason of that comfort which God puts into them Thirdly yee doe then enjoy them as blessings if you thinke that you may have comfort without them the ebbing and flowing of outward things doth not augment your comfort or diminish it Those that have not any outward blessings may have more gladnesse and comfort in their hearts than those whose corne and wine are increased Psalm 4.7 Those who have but a small Cottage and a bed in it are many times more happie more healthy and sleepe more quietly than those rich men whose wealth will not suffer them to sleepe Eccles 5.12 Many there are that seeme to want outward things and comforts yet are full of inward comforts and delights Many there are who like Paul and the Apostles Seeme to have nothing and ye● possesse all things As it is all one with God to helpe with few as with many So he can comfort with few friends and externall blessings as well as with many Yea hee can make a little

eares heavy and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their hearts and convert and bee healed that is Let them have such a common knowledge as civill men and hypocrites have and no more least seeing aright they understand with their hearts and be converted and they bee healed Seeing with their eyes is meant seeing with this knowledge which if they see with their hearts will be wrought on their hearts being wrought on they are converted and then they are healed This followes on the other Let the affections be stirred and actions will forthwith follow because they are the immediate principles of action what one affects hee doth these are tyed all on one string flashy affections flashy actions Ioh. 6.45 Christ speakes thus of this knowledge They shall all hee taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth to mee that is every one that heareth this true voyce of the Sonne of God comes to me that is they breede actions whereby they come to me See if your knowledge bee operative Iam. 1.22 the Apostle distinguishing of hearers saith thus Bee not hearers onely but doers too if yee finde not this operative working change Christ hath not spoken to you But even the Saints have many defects in their actions therfore actions follow not hearing and knowledge To this I answer that as their actions are weake and faint so their knowledge is weake Heb. 12.5 They often forget and must be put in mind 2 Pet. 1.13 They must be stirred up by putting them in remembrance of those things which they have forgotten Secondly this faile is from some doubt from some shaking within when as you see a defect in actions or affections it is because you want this convincing knowledge The way to stirre up affection and action is the Word which increaseth this operative knowledge If then it be so that the voyce of the Sonne of God is the onely meanes to translate men from death to life let us examine our selves whether we have heard the voyce of the Sonne of God or no If we have not then let us know our cases and be humbled they that have not heard it are dead Consider it is your distinct knowledge not a knowledge in grosse or generall that inlivens you Know yee the passages and working of regeneration and repentance finde yee the Word as fire and as a hammer the Word is such in its owne nature and will be found so of them that receive it aright Have ye an experimentall knowledge approve yee Gods Image his wayes in the Word or in the lives of the Saints doe yee justifie wisedome are your hearts opened at the hearing of the Word doe ye like it At Christs comming many hearts were opened because then his Word came and it opened many mens hearts shewed them what they were How doe yee affect the Word and Image of God in the lives of the Saints how do yee realish holy affections in them blessednesse goeth alwayes with them Affections are alwayes a signe of this life have yee received the Word with them have yee sorrowed for your sinnes doe you delight in God This wil beget holy affections which wil last afflictions will not put them out holy joy is not damped with afflictions carnall joy is What are your lives and actions If yee seeing others holy cannot doe as they doe this voyce hath not spoken to you All who heare Christs voyce will come and be doing Iam. 1.22 If doing be joyned with hearing if yee are doers as well as hearers this voyce hath spoken to you if your practise be not joyned yee are deceived If yee finde upon examination that yee have not heard this voyce of the Sonne of God remember that Christs sheepe heare his voyce yee may therefore feare yee bee lost sheepe if ye heare it not He that hath an eare heares the Gospel If it be hidden it is hidden to those that perish where men live in ignorance and heare not God regards not it so much that 's not the time of tryall So where they have the Word as wheate covered with chaffe it tryeth not but when the Word commeth with authority and not as the Scribes when Christs voyce sounds in the Word see how yee are affected if then yee heare not yee are dead Cant. 2. Christs comming is compared to a Spring time wherein the flowers appeare on the earth and the birds begin to sing and the trees put out their greene fruite that is when Christ makes himselfe knowne it is Spring time doe you spring when the Word comes when the messages of salvation are made knowne unto you If not yee are dead Our end in speaking this is not to trouble you but to bring you to salvation I will therefore shew you what keeps men off from hearing Christs voyce that knowing the impediments yee may remove them Now the impediments are seven The first is selfe-wisedome this is a great impediment from hearing the voyce of the Sonne of God selfe conceitednesse hinders men much because it breeds a despising of the wayes of God 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse with him therefore 1 Cor. 3.18 If any man seeme to be wise in the world let him become a foole that he may be wise that is let him lay aside that wisedome which begetteth pride in his heart Michals disposition is in every one of us more or lesse shee despised David so men chalke out a way to themselves in which they will goe they will seeke their owne wayes and will not be subiect to the Law of God Rom. 8.7 The carnall mind is enmity with God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neyther indeed can it be 2 Cor. 10.5 the Apostle speaking of imaginations saith that men with them build up themselves against God and will not alter their courses The greatest opposition is in mens minds take a man that hath a true opinion it is easy to remove his lusts but false iudgements are as bulwarkes against Gods wisedome Men will doe thus and thus because they thinke their state is good The Scribes and Pharisees come not to Christ Luk. 15.1 but Publicans and sinners came so it is with men now doe we lay open their sinnes unto them yet they will not bee perswaded men will bee righteous of themselves and will not bee perswaded that Christ must bee made unto them righteousnesse and redemption and wisedome This opinion of our selves is a great impediment this contemnes the Way of God and fashions out our owne wayes this contenting of our selves with our present estate makes us to erre therefore Psal. 119.21 Cursed are the proud that are alwayes erring from thy Law Selfe conceit makes men erre The second impediment is custome men have beene used to such wayes and will

wiped away every lust is a spot on the soule If yee suffer a lust to continue that yee are indulgent to it defiles you it makes you indigent Lusts cause want Beeing brought under the power of a lust yee are under a Tyrant Againe what ever your hearts are set on and you will not deny your selves in it if yee belong to God yee shall bee crossed in it your strong affections will bee your strong afflictions David was crossed in his Absolon Absolon in his Kingdome Amnon in his Tamar Againe if you will satisfie your lusts there is no end of it yee must be alwaies adding fuell to them which increaseth the fire Consider that in this our heart is deceitfull wee being minded to continue in things though it bee but for a time wee will not easily be brought to judge aright of them afterwards wee judge not then without a bribe and our judgements being bribed they are then easily corrupted Take heed therefore of Custome this is hard to be resisted the flesh will expect the same entertainment from us at the last as it had the second or third time Custome doth prejudice us much it intends the originall Corruption it leads us captive with violence being accustomed to any lust know that it is hard to renounce it because custome addes unto its strength When we have judged already of a thing we are loath to iudge againe But now my Brethren consider if yee erred once that will not excuse the second errour Custome is but Vetustas erroris the antiquity of errour Gods Spirit must bee the rule of our lives Custome is an ingagement to us to continue in those things wherein wee should deny our selves So the opinion of men is a hinderance to Selfe-deniall having used such a course we will not alter it if we doe men wonder at it this keepes men off from selfe-deniall Wherefore that your hearts deceive you not remember this caution Take heed of Custome La●●ly if no man hath any interest in Christ unlesse hee deny himselfe then see the way of drawing neare to CHRIST The more wee deny our selves the lesse distance is betwixt him and us the nearer our wills are brought together the nearer we come to him the more fully we empty us of our selves the more perfectly wee deny our selves and the nearer wee come to him And thus much for the first Point that who ever lookes for any interest in Christ must deny himselfe The second followes which is this That the wayes of God are full of Crosses they have much difficulty in them Christ tels men They must deny themselves take up their daily Crosse they must goe through crosses and looke for them the wayes therefore of God are full of crosses And this must needs be so for three reasons First God will have it so that wee may beare witnesse of the truth Words are ●ut a slender testimony therefore God will have men suffer and be imprisoned too for the truth This is that good confession of Christ when as we confesse him not in word but in deed God therefore will have us beare Crosses for this end Secondly God will have men tried and that they cannot bee without Crosses Therefore 1 Corinth 11.19 Heresies must needs come that those who are faithfull may be tryed that the good may be distinguished from the counterf●●● Afflictions and crosses are the best touchstones therefore they are called tryals because they try and prove men Thirdly this must needs be so from the nature of thinges themselves Men cannot run on in obedience to Christ without opposition A faithfull Christian man must reprove others as Iohn Baptist did and then it may cost him his life It may cost us our lives and losse of favour as it did Moses Hebr. 11. Who endured Pharaohs wrath for standing out in good causes In many actions wee may and shall be censured for wee must be just to men and upright to GOD and not be byassed a wrong way and for this we may bee opposed The Sabboths must bee kept though some losses may come by it many other actions must be done wee must speake for Christ as Paul and Daniel did which cost them Imprisonment and so it may doe us Fourthly looke on the world and there is a necessity that wee should have crosses if wee will follow Christ. For Iohn 15.19 The world loves her owne and hates them who are Christs they are resisted and cannot resist againe The world puts crosses upon the Saints and as if they were not forward inough of themselves the Divell helpes them forwards Hee sets their tongues on worke Iames 3.6 Their tongues are set on fire of Hell hee sets their hands on worke Revel 2.10 The Divell shall cast some of you into Prison that is men by the Divels instigation shall doe it Fiftly it must needs be so in regard of mens conditions and themselves they must have crosses to prevent sinne Christ the good Shepheard sets Dogs on his sheepe sometimes to barke at them and if that will not serve the turne to bite them too Partly for sinnes present which they contract And partly to prevent future sinnes Prosperity makes them rust sometimes therefore God sets scullio●s to rub them over and makes them bright though they make themselves blacke God sends afflictions on the good to make them better Threshing makes the corne though it were good before to be much better the fire though the gold be good before yet it makes it much purer health though it be good yet exercise makes it better Now as the wayes of God are full of crosses so they have much difficulty in them and that for these reasons First because of Selfe-denyall This selfe-deniall must needs bee and it is hard and difficult for a man to deny himselfe it is a hard thing to deny a stranger being importunate it is harder to deny a friend a wife or a sonne but it is hardest to deny a mans selfe to deny a strong lust a naturall inclination which is ever begging and asking that is like a continuall dropping this is difficult Secondly looke on the Law and it is difficult the Law is spirituall wee are carnall sold under sinne and yet must bee squared by it Thirdly it is difficult in regard of our affections these make the wayes of God difficult wee are to goe on in the middle way but our affections bias us another way wee no sooner love things but wee over-love them so we are ready to over-joy and grieve for things these affections distemper the minde and the minde being distempered we are like a barrell stirred and turned up-side downe nothing but mud comes from it Fourthly looke on our natures and it is difficult What is in man in common or corrupt nature The wayes of God are above common nature above our reach and up the hill they are more difficult to corrupt natures all Gods wayes are contrary to it and it to them there