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…

Secondly, to receive the Gospel is to entertain Christ into the soul; he that entertains ¹Christ so, must retain him, and continue with him; he must not take Christ for a day, or a year, but he must take Christ, as a woman doth her husband, for term of life: nay, after life, and that in such a manner with such a holy demeanour of himself, that he may not give the least occasion of evil that may be to Christ. You must take heed of grieving the spirit, and you must resist the works of the devil; if you contract with Christ, you must take heed of despising him, take heed of giving the Spirit a non-plus. And you must continue in all estates, and keep as the Apostle saith, your profession without wavering? I say, howsoever a man may practise, and promise, and do much for Christ, yet except he be humbled, he will not ⟨p. 204⟩hold out: and therefore we see in many, that there are bubbles of grace; as if they would retain Christ, and continue with him, they do something, but they do not persevere to the end, like those in Hebr. 6. 5. that have tasted, that is, professed, but fall away: and this was the fault of the three grounds, they received the Gospel, but they continued not; Christ entered not into them deep enough. Now the difference of the four grounds, was humiliation; every ground was ploughed, but none ploughed to purpose, but the fourth ground: when there is but an outward show of holiness in a man, it will not keep his colour always, it may glister and carry a show of the right stamp, but when it comes to trial it is but counterfeit, but when the sanctifying Spirit comes, and toucheth the heart of a Christian, and he is thoroughly humbled, he will never loose his beauty; he is Gold, try him how you will.

Secondly, to receive the Gospell is to entertaine Christ into the soule; hee that entertaines ¹Christ so, must retaine him, and continue with him; he must not take Christ for a day, or a yeere, but he must take Christ, as a woman doth her husband, for terme of life: nay, after life, and that in such a manner with such a holy demeanor of himselfe, that he may not give the least occasion of evill that may be to Christ. You must take heed of grieving the spirit, and you must resist the workes of the devill; if you contract with Christ, you must takeheed of despising him, take heed of giving the Spirit a non-plus. And you must continue in all estates, and keepe as the Apostle saith, your profession without wavering? I say, howsoever a man may practise, and promise, and doe much for Christ, yet except hee bee humbled, hee will not