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…

The third means to get humiliation is application, you must apply both what you have received, ¹and what you have paid together, and then cast up the account: first consider what you have received from God, and what you do presently enjoy; and then consider what have I paid, what have I done, how have I demeaned my self, what obedience have I yielded, what thanks have I returned? Again consider the excellency that is in grace, and then consider sin, that it is evil by nature, that it is evil to me, that it brings forth evil effects, except you thus wisely apply it, it will not humble you, you will not feel sin, or esteem it as a burden, because you will not see it out of its place. It will be as a heavy burden at the foot, which though never so heavy, yet it is not felt, it will not hurt a man so long, as it lieth there; even so sin will not be a burden unto the soul, till it be applied unto the soul by the spirit, but when it is applied, then it will be like a burden upon the back, which a man will quickly be weary of, sin will then clog a regenerate ⟨p. 214⟩soul, and humble him, and this wisdom we may learn of the devil himself, when he will bring a man unto despair, he will still hold out before a man his sins, and that with aggravation of them, that so he may come unto the sight of them: and then he will hold out the Justice, and purity of God, that he will not let sin go unpunished, that he shall not be saved, that so a Christian may be out of measure dejected: and thus a Christian should do if he will be humbled, let him still set sin before him, and that not only in the general, but also to apply it in particular unto the conscience; and especially, in cases of relapse, for as figures added to Ciphers do make the total the more, so relapse in sin is a great sin, and a particular notice of them, will cause great humiliation.

The third meanes to get humiliation is application, you must apply both what you have received, ¹and what you have paid together, and then cast up the account: first consider what you have received from God, and what you doe presently enioy; and then consider what have I paid, what have I done, how have I demeaned my selfe, what obedience have I yeilded, what thankes have I returned? Againe consider the excellency that is in grace, and then consider sinne, that it is evill by nature, that it is evill to me, that it brings forth evill effects, except you thus wisely apply it, it will not humble you, you will not feele sinne, or esteeme it as a burthen, because you will not see it out of its place. It will be as a heavy burthen at the foote, which though never so heavy, yet it is not felt, it will not hurt a man so long, as it lyeth there; even so sinne will not be a burthen unto the soule, till it be applyed unto the soule by the spirit, but when it is applyed, then it will bee like a burthen upon the backe, which a man will quickely be weary of, sinne will then clogge a regenerate