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…

I gather it thus, Paul was here strucken down with an apprehension of sin, and being thus exceedingly humbled in the sight of his sins, Christ meets him upon the pliableness of his will, with a word of comfort, (Arise): this word is full of comfort, for it is as if he should have said, Paul be not too much dejected and cast down at the apprehension of thy sins, as if there were not abundant mercy in me to pardon it, but arise, that is, go, and I will show thee what thou shalt do, to save thine own soul; and it shall be told thee, what thou shalt do for me, but fear not, be of good comfort: now that Christ is full of mercy, we will prove it by Scripture, Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you: in these words, there are three things. First, the conditions of the persons that must come, and those are such as are weary and heavy laden. The second thing is the qualification of the persons that are truly weary, and heavy laden: first, they must be meek: secondly, they must be lowly: the third thing is, the pattern or teacher of them, and that ⟨p. 292⟩is Christ; the best, the holiest, and wisest Teacher in the world: learn of Me, I am ready to teach all, and to upbraid no man: and then in the last place, the thing that they must do; they must take Christs yoke, and so they shall be rid of their burden; the sum of it is this, if you be weary and heavy laden with your sins, and have a desire to be eased, it is no more, but come unto Christ, and he will ease you: that is, if you be heavy laden with sin, Christ is ready to take off your burden, and to put upon them the easy yoke of obedience and holiness. Again, in Esa. 57. I dwell in the high and mighty place, with him also, that is of a contrite and broken spirit, that is, there is but two places that God delights to dwell in, the one is in heaven, and the other place is, in a humbled heart: now surely, he will not dwell there where he loves not; for to dwell notes a special presence with them, that is, he will not only dwell in the heart, but he will make his presence to comfort the heart; and again, in Esa. 66. I will be near unto them that are humble, and that tremble at my words; that is, I will take a special care of them that are humble: