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, consider that repentance is not in ¹thine own power, that is, it is a turning of the heart and casting of a man into a new mould, the setting of the heart the right way, and withal know, that there is a false repentance: Cain and Esau, and Judas repented, as well as Paul and Peter ⟨p. 296⟩and David, but the one proceeded from the Spirit, and the other from the flesh: it must be sound repentance, if it be acceptable: now this no man can do of his own power and strength, except there be a supernatural work of grace in the soul. There are two causes why God doth afflict his children; First, God afflicts his children, because of some scandal, I speak now of Gods children, and thus David was afflicted, because he gave a just occasion of scandal in the matter of Uriah; therefore God afflicts him: Secondly, to wean them from the world, because God knows till they be humble, and basely esteem of themselves, and the world, they will not prize Christ, or grace; but when they are throughly humbled then they will come in and take Christ; and therefore it is, that we preach Christ generally unto all, that whosoever will come and take him, may have him: and therefore this is the question that we move and propound unto all men, whether they will receive Christ, that is, whether they will take him above all things for better or worse, to be their Lord, Master, and King; if they will thus receive him, they shall have him: it is no matter, as I said, what a man is, or what a man was, only if he will be another man for the time to come; and therefore it is false preaching, to say, they must come thus, and thus, as if Christ were purchased with our own gift; but we preach Christ freely, without any condition, without any exceptions of persons, Whosoever will let ⟨p. 297⟩him come and take of the Water of life freely, as in Revel. 21. And that Christ is thus ready to receive humbled sinners, you may see in his readiness to receive all manner of people, whilst he was on the earth, with several diseases: he put none away that came unto him. Again, consider that if Christ should not be merciful, then the end of his Redemption should be lost: for wherefore came he but to show mercy unto sinners? Again, consider how ready he is to receive sinners, from the mouth of his Ministers.