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…

But you will say that many holy men that have ¹the Spirit, yet are not so hot and zealous against evil but are marvellous mild and patient: therefore a man may have the Spirit, and yet not be zealous.

But you will say that many holy men that have ¹the Spirit, yet are not so hot and zealous against evill but are marvellous milde and patient: therefore a man may have the Spirit, and yet not bee zealous.

1. 1Object. 1.

First, to this I answer, that holy men may have pits, wherein they may be fallen. They may have ¹dross aswell as Gold, and hence they may be drawn by a strong passion and lust, not justly to weigh sins aright, whence ariseth remissness, and neglect, both in doing good, and resisting evil: but this in a regenerate man, I call but a passion because it continues not: for prayer, and the preaching of the pure Word, will recover this again, that is, will recover his strength and make him zealous against sins, but if you see a man (whatsoever profession he makes of Christ) that can wink at sin, and not be moved at it, and the Word nor prayer doth not kindle this holy Fire in him, then certainly that man is a dead man; there is no spark of holiness in him: therefore I may say unto every holy man, as they were used to say to Hannibal, that he had fire in him, but he wanted blowing: so I say unto you if you have the Spirit, you have heat in you, but if this ⟨p. 140⟩heat doth not appear at all times, or at sometimes, it is because it wants blowing; for when they have a just occasion to exercise the strength of the inward man for Gods glory, they will show that they have zeal in them, and be hot and lively to good, and not dead in sin: for this is the difference between a man that is dead, and a man that is in a swoon, take a man that is in a swoon, if Aqua-vitae and rubbing of his joints will not recover him it is a sign that he is dead, so if the Word will not work heat in you, it is a sign that you are more then in a swoon, you are already dead in the inward man: it is said of the Adamant it will not be heated with fire, so I may say if the Word will not heat you when you are rubbed with it, is a sign you are like the Adamant dead unto grace.