The Saints Qualification, Illustration – To the reader
EFFIGIES IOHANNIS PRESTONI VIRI CLARISSIMI SS THEOLOGIAE DOCTORIS.
How can this shaddow please thee: when thou know'st
The substance was but Dust at best, at most.
Goe rather view his Volume, and there finde
A picture farre more curious more refinde:
Pervse thou This, and yet neglect not That:
That tells thee, Who he was; the to ther, What.
What here thou see'st, salute, and passe it o're;
…
THE SAINTS QVALIFICATION: Or A TREATISE
I. Of HUMILIATION, in Tenne Sermons.
II. Of SANCTIFICATION, in nine Sermons:
WHEREVNTO IS ADDED A Treatise of Communion with Christ in the Sacrament, in three Sermons.
PREACHED, By the late faithfull and worthy Minister of IESVS CHRIST, IOHN PRESTON, Doctor in Divinitie, Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometime Preacher of Lincolns INNE.
When men are cast downe, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up: and be shall save the humble person, Iob. 22.29.
Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby yee have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit: &c. Ezek. 18.13.
He that eats my flesh and drinkes my bloud, dwelleth in me and I in him, Ioh. 6.56.
LONDON, Printed by R. B. for NICOLAS BOURNE, and are to be sold at his shop at the Royall Exchange. 1633.
ILLVSTRISSIMO, NOBILISSIMO VIRO, PHILIPPO, PEMBROCHIAE ET MONTIS GOMERICI COMITI, BARONI HERBERT DE CARDIFFE ET SHERLAND, ORDINIS GARTERII EQVITI, REGIAE DOMVS CAMERARIO, REGIAE MAIESTATI A SECRETIORIBVS CONSILIIS, &c.
TRIPLICEM HVNC IOHANNES PRAESTONI, S.S. THEOLOGIAE Dri. COLLEGII IMMANNUELIS NVPER MAGIST. ET REGIAE MAIEST. A SACRIS, TRACTATVM,
DE HUMILIATIONE,
DE NOVA CREATURA,
DE PRAEPARATIONE AD SACRAM
DE SYNAXIN.
INDEVOTISSIMAE, TAM AVTHORIS, QVAM IPSORVM OBSERVANTIAE TESTIMONIVM, L.M.D.D.D. RICHARDUS SIBS. IOHANNES DAVENPORT.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
THE good acceptance, the Sermons of this worthy man have found amongst well disposed Christians, hath made us the willinger to give way to the publishing of these, as comming from the same Author. The good they may thus doe, prevailes more for the sending of them forth, than some imperfections (that usually accompany the taking of other mens speeches) may doe to suppresse them. Something may well be yeelded to publike good in things not altogether so as we wish. They are inforced upon none that shall except against them, they may either reade or refuse them at their pleasure. The argument of them is such as may draw the more regard, being of matters of necesarie and perpetuall use.
For Humiliation aTreatise.wee never so deeply see into the grounds of it, (sinfulnesse of nature, and life) or so farre as we see, looke upon it with that eye of detestation we should, and therefore a holy heart desireth still further light to be brought in, to discover whatsoever may hinder communion with God, and is glad when sin is made loathsome unto it, as being its greatest enemy that doth more hurt than all the world besides, and the only thing that divides betweene our chiefest good, and us. As this humiliation increaseth, so in the like proportion all other graces increase: for the more we are emptied of our selves, the more wee are filled with the fulnesse of God. The defects of this appeare, in the whole frame of a Christian life, which is so far unsound as wee retaine any thing of corrupted selfe, unhumbled for.
The foundation of Christianitie is layd verie low; and therefore the treatise of Humiliation is well premised before that of the b2 Treatise.New Creature. God will build upon nothing in us. We must be nothing in our selves before we be raised up for a fit Temple for God to dwell in, whose course is to pull downe before hee build. Old things must be out of request, before all become new, and without this newnesse of the whole man from Vnion with Christ, no interest in the new heavens can be hoped for, whereinto no defiled thing shall enter as altogether unsutable to that condition and place. Nothing is in request with God but this New Creature, all things else are adjudged to the fire, and without this it had beene better be no Creature at all. By this we may judge of the usefulnesse of discourses tending this way. One thing more thou art to be advertised of (Courteous Reader) and that is, of the injurious dealing of such as for private gaine have published what they can get, howsoever taken, without any acquainting either of those friends of the Authors that resided in Cambridge (to whose care hee left the publishing of those things that were delivered there) or of us, to whom he committed the publishing of what should be thought fit for publike view, of that which was preached in London. Hereby not onelyonly wrong is done to others but to the deceased likewise, by mangling and misshaping the birth of his braine, and therefore once againe we desire men to forbeare publishing of any thing, untill those that were intrusted have the review. And so we commit the treatise, and thee to Gods blessing.
RICHARD SIBS.
IOHN DAVEN-PORT.