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, as you must know the word, so you must receive the word as the word of God; if you will have the word to humble you, you must receive ⟨p. 230⟩it as Gods Word and from God; for if it do come unto you, and be not received of you as the Word of God, but as the word of man, it will neither enlighten you nor humble you: this is the difference between the word that is received, as from God; and the Word, that is received as from men: if you receive it as from God, it will work effectually in you, it will make you to renounce the world, it will work fear and humiliation in you; but if it come as the word of man, it will be slighted by you, it will take no solid root in you, it will wither and bring forth no fruit in you: and therefore the Apostle rejoices in the Thessalonians 2. Thessalonians 2. vers. 18. that they received the Word of God from him, not as the word of ¹man, but as it was indeed the Word of God; and therefore it was, that it wrought those gracious effects in them as it did, so that no Church was so commended of Paul, no Church so eminent in grace, as this Church of the Thessalonians was. And so Adam in the garden when he heard the voice of God, then he feared; because when the Word comes as from God, then it comes with a force upon the conscience, then it humbles and casts down a sinner, in Micah 5. vers. 4. the Spirit saith, And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, ²and in the Majesty of the name of God, that is, he shall speak so as if God spake himself, and with such a Majesty, that he shall convince ⟨p. 231⟩the conscience, this was spoken of Christ, and Christ did fulfil the prophecy; and therefore the Jews confess, that no man spake as this man spake; and in another place, it is said that He spake as one having Authority, Matthew 7. vers. 28. 29. Now no man speaks with ³authority, whether he be an Ambassador or Constable or any other officer, but only when he speaks in the name of the King, and uses his name, then he comes with authority, his words take effect: so doth the Word, when it comes and is received by us as from God, then it works upon us. Let us now examine our selves how we have received the Word, whether it hath come unto us with authority or no; if it hath, then we shall be humbled by it, but if otherwayes, it will not humble us.