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…

But for the answer of this; know, it is a mere ¹delusion; for can a black-Moor change his skin, Jer. 13. 23. Suppose a black-Moor should be warned to come before a Prince with a fair skin, and have a weeks space to prepare himself, and defer it until the last day, thinking he could do it soon enough; would he not be accounted a fool? yet a black-Moor shall sooner change his skin, then a wicked man depart from his evil way. Sin is like to sickness, it weakens the strength of the mind, of the judgment, and affections, and takes away all our purposes which we had at the first.

But for the answer of this; know, it is a meere ¹delusion; for can a black-moore change his skinne, Ier. 13. 23. Suppose a black-moore should be warned to come before a Prince with a faire skinne, and have a weekes space to prepare himselfe, and deferre it untill the last day, thinking he could doe it soone enough; would he not be accounted a foole? yet a black-moore shall sooner change his skin, then a wicked man depart from his evill way. Sinne is like to sicknesse, it weakens the strength of the mind, of the judgment, and affections, and takes away all our purposes which we had at the first.

1. 1Answ.

If a man that is sick can keep his strength, then may a man that lives in sin keep his, and rouse himself up by repentance at his pleasure; but it is not so, its God only that giveth repentance, now the spirit bloweth were it lusteth. If you say, I will be sorrowful, forsake my sins, and repent when sickness comes, this will hardly prove true repentance, ⟨p. 16⟩