The saints qualification: or A treatise I. Of humiliation, in tenne sermons. II. Of sanctification, in nine sermons whereunto is added a treatise of communion with Christ in the sacrament, in three sermons. Preached, by the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Doctor in Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometime preacher of Lincolnes Inne.

CERTAINE SERMONS VPON HVMILIATION. The Eighth SERMON. (Book 8)

ROMANS 1.19, 20.

Forasmuch as that which may be knowne of God, is manifest in them, for God hath shewed it unto them.

For the invisible things of him, that is, his eternall power and God-head are clearly seene by the creation of the world, being considered in his workes, to the intent that they should be without excuse.

THe fourth Case wherein we with∣hold this truth in unrighteous∣nesse,* 1.1 * 1.2 and imprison it, is, when we directly suppresse it, when we doe indeed suffocate it, when we doe this of purpose, this is an evident Case, when a

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man not only withdrawes fewell, when he doth not only not act it, neglecting the meanes, but [ 1] doth purposely suppresse it:* 1.3 As for example, when God shall kindle a good sparke in any mans heart, and put in a good motion, not only reveales, but stirres up some Truths which con∣cerne his salvation, and hee doth endeavour to put it out, to quench it, and labours to lay that truth asleepe, and is glad when by any meanes he can forget it, lest it should trouble him, this is a great suppessing of the Truth, and by this we not only suppresse this Truth, but we doe har∣den our owne hearts exceedingly; as in iron, when we quench it, we doe not only put out the fire, but harden the Iron: so when God stirs up many Truths (as it is in hearing the Word, in apprehension of death, in suffering some cala∣mity in a good mood) the putting out of these doth harden the heart. Therefore, when a man shall have good purposes, and thinke with him∣selfe, I will now begin to be another man, and to change my courses, and yet shall goe into ill company, such as it may be he hath kept be∣fore; this is an evident suffocating of the Truth, a thing often spoken of, and blame me not that I speake of it againe; for it is the great quench-coale of Religion, a man cannot prosper there∣in, if he looke not to his company, because it is as a continuall dropping on a fire-brand, which will be sure to put out the light, and life and grace which one hath. Chrysostome compares ill company to putting in of swine, when a man

hath planted an Orchard with tender Plants, when he hath sowed it, and the corne, or what∣soever it is, appeares, leave the hedge open, and let the swine come in, and they will overturne all by the roots: So when we Ministers have sowed the Seed, and it begins to grow, a little to put forth, when ill company come in they spoile all, they marre all, they pull up all by the roots, so that we have lost our labour, it is in∣deed so effectuall to keepe downe the Seed, and to make us imprison the Truth.

Againe, custome in sin, giving your selves li∣berty [ 2] in any sin, that keepes downe the Truth, and nothing more. Therefore, of all other things, you must know, nothing suppresses that Truth, that knowledge, those beginnings of Grace, those good motions in us so much as actuall sin, because it is quite contrary to it: Fire is not quenched so much with any thing as with water, being quite contrary thereto; and light is not hid so much in any thing as in darknesse. Take heed then that you be not led away with the deceitfulnesse of sin; you may thinke you shall be able to leave this sin afterwards, but it is not in your power to do so, for sin takes away the sense, and a great sinne weakens the faculty that should resist, it puts out the Truth, because it is so directly contrary unto it.

And herein you must observe a notable dif∣ference betweene men that live godly, and o∣thers; the godly when they fall into sin, it is so farre from putting out this Truth, that it helps

it forward, for their fals doe but discover such sins, and so it causes them to search themselves, by which meanes they finde out that to be in them, which they never knew of before, it may be it is Covetousnesse, or it may be Envy, one thing or other is discovered, and when it is dis∣covered, there is a winnowing of themselves, they see there is drosse, and when they see it, they labour to purge it by repentance: It is quite contrary with the other the more they fall into sin, the more they suffocate the Truth, their fal∣ling into sin, gives sin more ground, it makes them more in love with sin, it is the more pre∣valent against them, the more they delight in it; so that every sin is like the Sea, getting ground of the Land, which they know not how to reco∣ver: So this is the fourth way by frequent quen∣ching of good motions, by ill company, and falling into sin, they doe harden their hearts, and so suffocate and quench this Truth.

* 1.4The fifth way is, when we doe not remove the impediments,* 1.5 which if they were taken away, the Truth would rise and shew it selfe, for that is it, that keepes downe the Truth; God hath written it plaine enough on mens hearts, but when we let dust and soile lye on it, we can∣not reade it: This Idlenesse and Lazinesse suffe∣ring these impediments to lye on you, to cover the Truth in you, is to with-hold the Truth. Therefore, Seneca hath a notion in this Case, though he was an Heathen; the soule of man, were it free from passions and distractions, and

were quiet, Truth should be seene clearely, as you see a penny, or a stone in a cleare river, so Truth would appeare: Doe but remove the im∣pediments that commonly rise from us, and which Satan injects, and this Truth will shew it selfe: for these words (they with-hold the Truth) shew that the Truth is ready enough of it selfe to come forth.

Now there be certaine impediments which we remove not, and they are these two; either businesse, and from thence proceeds feare, and care, and griefe, or else recreations, and the pleasures and joyes that come from them, one of these two are alway the impediments.

First, for businesse, when a man takes too much on him, even more than hee is able to weald, or doth give himselfe to too much feare, and care, and griefe, which are contrary to this Truth, as Luke 1. it is the promise that wee should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all our dayes without feare: But let a man be filled with carnall feare, it suppresseth the Truth, and keepes it downe. So for Care, Philip. 4. Cast your care on God, for he careth for you; and the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keepe your hearts and mindes in Christ Iesus: The mea∣ning is, if you will care for your owne matters, pester your selves with Cares and perplexities, it will interrupt your Communion with Christ Iesus, it will interrupt your peace, and if your peace, then your Communion with Christ; therefore he exhorts them to cast their care on

Christ. So for Griefe, it is a great hinderance, the Israelites could not hearken to Moses for the anguish of their hearts, and he that minds things too much, pierceth himselfe thorow with sor∣rowes, this was the thing that suffocated the third ground, they were kept downe, partly with care, and partly with divers lusts: Martha was troubled with many things: Therefore take heed of too much businesse, or intending it too much, or inordinately.

Secondly, Sports, Pleasures, and Recreati∣ons, things wherein men delight too much, these are impediments to the Truth, if any of these get predominancie in your mindes, they hinder this Truth, if you will set it at liberty, remove this impediment; divers lusts keepe it downe, as cares, as we may see in the third ground: And Esay 1. Woe be to you that laugh; If there were not something in this inordinate mirth and jol∣lity that keepes downe the Truth, why should that be added? and the removall of these Im∣pediments is of great consequence. For there may be many hundreds of men which, perhaps, have not so ill meanings with them, yet are car∣ried away with the tract of vanity, that are not so opposite to the Truth, as forgetfull of it, that doe not so much resist it, as neglect it, that yet keepe downe the truth. These men partly bu∣sied with cares, partly intent on pleasures, death shall come upon them as a theefe in the night, and shall lead them captive to hell, because they held this Truth captive, which had they set at

liberty, it would have set them at liberty, free from death and condemnation: That is the fifth Case.

The sixth Case wherein they with-hold this Truth in unrighteousnesse,* 1.6 is, when they have it, and doe not use it, and communicate it to the good of others, and herein many faile: As first, Ministers that have their charge, yet doe either Non residere, or segniter residere; but that con∣cernes not this Auditory: Therefore I will not meddle with it; but it concernes not only them, but common Christians likewise: When men are converted, a charge lyes on them to ende∣vour to convert their brethren, they should la∣bour to use this Truth, to kindle it in others, the neglect thereof is a suppressing of it; for there is a charge laid upon them, that according to their measure, in their sphere, according to their callings, they should endevour as much as they can to enlarge this Truth: So likewise masters of families are bound to doe it, shall hee bee worse than an Infidell, that provides not food for his family, and shall it not be a greater sin in him that provides not spirituall food? doth it not concerne him in private, as well as the Mi∣nister in publike? Was it not that which God tooke speciall notice of in Abraham, I will not hide it from Abraham, for hee will instruct his family, and his sonnes, and they shall know the wayes of the LORD: Therefore, when they neglect this Charge, they with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse: So Patrons of livings, if they

doe not their part to bring faithfull labourers into the Vineyard, and uphold them when they are there, they with-hold the Truth in unrighte∣ousnesse; for they hinder it, though it bee not their calling properly to bring forth fruit (for that is the Ministers) yet it is their part to up∣hold them: It is the Vine that brings forth the Grapes, but the Proppe is to hold it up: So it is the office of Patrons to sustaine Ministers in the Lords Vineyard: Likewise Lawyers and Ad∣vocates have a charge to minister the Truth, not to cloake it: It is the office of Iustice, to rectifie the Truth, and not to adulterate it, but to informe rightly, and properly, when they doe not discover the Truth, they doe with-hold the Truth, if they should not labour to doe that, it were a hurtfull calling; but there is no calling that is not for the benefit of men, but if it be thus used to conceale the Truth, it were hurtfull, and not usefull: so likewise they that be Governours, Iustices of Peace in the Coun∣trey, they with-hold this Truth, if they per∣forme not their duties diligently for this Truth: As it is committed to us Ministers to preach it, so it is committed to you, that are Governours, to bring men into the obedience of it, you are to goe your way by the Sword, and by your Authority, for it is committed to your kee∣ping, as it is said of the great Magistrate, he is Custos utriusque tabulae; you must looke that Truth have his progresse, as well as that the Common-wealth suffers no detriment: There∣fore

let not your Authority lye as a Sword in a scabbard, but let it be kept sharpe, to cut downe Popery, and whatsoever is an Impedi∣ment to this Truth, and thinke it no small thing to neglect it; for whatsoever sinnes are com∣mitted, which you have Authority to restraine, these sinnes are put on your reckoning: Looke on the first Epistle of Timothy, the fifth Chap∣ter, and the two and twentieth verse, Lay hands on no man suddenly (saith the Apostle) and be not partakers of another mans sinnes: If any be un∣der thee whom thou hast to doe with, if thou doest not bring him in, and restraine him, thou art partaker of his sinnes; you know what was said to Ahab, Thy life shall goe for his life; and you know that not to strike the Nocent, is as abominable in Gods sight, as to strike the In∣nocent: Therefore take heed of neglecting it, whether it be out of feare, (as that is one Im∣pediment) or out of negligence, Rom. 12.8. Let them that rule doe it diligently; let them that give Almes doe it cheerefully: As if that were a thing wherein givers are too blame, that they doe it not cheerefully and diligently: Therefore be you diligent in your places, to set the Truth at liberty, to bring men into subjection to it, so farre as may be: And so much shall serve for this, being the sixth Case.

Now the seventh and last case,* 1.7 is, when we know these Truths of God, and doe not pro∣fesse them, when God kindled a light, and you put it under a bushell: When God worketh

Grace in any mans heart, his Intent is, it should shine forth to the eyes of others, you must not shut up the windowes, that no body may see; if you doe, whatsoever your respects be; you with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse: He that shall know the Truth, and out of feare shall not professe it openly, this feare is a sinne, and hee that with-holds it out of that respect, with-holds it in unrighteousnesse; It is that which GOD requires of necessity, With the heart wee beleeve, and with the mouth we confesse to Salvation, GOD requires the one as well as the other; this is that, that shut out the Pharisees, the chiefe men among the Rulers that beleeved, they durst not confesse him for feare of the Pharisees, you shall see a brand set on them, they lost their soules for it. There∣fore doe not say a man may keepe Religion to himselfe, may have a good minde, and bee devout in secret, and that to bring it to view is hypocrisie, it is not so, it is a false opinion; In doing so, you robbe GOD of his glory, and your selves of salvation: It it the bearing wit∣nesse to the Truth, which you are bound unto, and you cannot have this Truth in you, but it will appeare, Grace cannot bee concealed, it cannot be hidde; and if it could, yet you must know that the very concealing of this Truth, puts an imputation on it; for wee conceale no∣thing but what wee are ashamed of, and shame implyes (you know) that there is something amisse; so that though you little thinke of it,

this concealing of the Truth, this hiding of it, is a degree to blasphemie, it layes an imputa∣tion on the HOLY GHOST, for it doth on the Light and Truth which is an effect of the HOLY GHOST: Therefore know GOD desires both, hee will have the inside cleane, and the outside too; Indeed, if the inside be cleane, the outside will bee so also, but it is not true on the contrary; A man may have a cleane outside, as in Matthew the three and twentieth Chapter, Make the inside cleane, that the outside may bee cleane also: The meaning is, If a man have a cleane inside, it is not possible but a cleane outside will fol∣low: It is true, there may bee leaves, and no fruit, but there can bee no fruit, but there will beleaves; many counterfeit peeces may looke yellow, but there is no Gold but it lookes yellow: Doe not say then it is hypocrisie, in them that professe Religion, for they would not take the profession of these things to them∣selves, but that they see a beauty, and excel∣lencie in them.

Therefore consider it, and know there lyes a necessity on you; do you think it unequall that God should be ashamed of you, and will you be ashamed of him? Is he such a Father that his children should bee ashamed of him? or such a Master as we should be ashamed to weare his Livery? Doe this to earthly Masters, and see how they will take it: Indeed if there were not some losse to men in undertaking this pro∣fession,

wee need not spend so much time to presse men to it, but there is a losse in professing the Truth; you may lose many friends, and procure many enemies, undergoe many cros∣ses, lose many benefits and preferments, which you might have had, this CHRIST tells you before-hand, but if you love him, you must deny your selves in these. They breed an em∣nity in men, instance that place of Ahab, Hast thou found mee, Oh mine enemie? And am I your enemie, because I tell you the Truth? All men shall hate you for my Names sake: And the more the Truth appeares, the greater is the hatred, because the object of hatred is greater.

* 1.8But, if you object what is the reason Peter saith, 1 Pet. 3.13. Will any man deny to follow that which is good?

* 1.9I answer, There is a double good, and that is profitable to man, as to be Iust, Meeke, Gen∣tle, Patient, ready to doe good; in a word, all goodnesse of this kinde men will love you for; but there is another thing in Religion, and that is practice of true Righteousnesse, and Holi∣nesse, and that crosses men: Therefore Saint Peter addes, Blessed are yee, if yee suffer for righ∣teousnesse sake: As if he had said, though for your goodnesse men love you, yet for your righte∣ousnesse you must suffer persecution; therefore that must be made account of before-hand and you must be ready to beare it: So much shall serve to set downe the Cases, Wherewith men with-hold this Truth in unrighteousnesse.

Fourthly, if there bee such a Truth made knowne to us by God himselfe, then in the observing of this Truth,* 1.10 looke for happinesse, in the transgressing of it expect misery, ruine and destruction: If God that is the Governour, the Summum bonum, shall appoint the Truth, and set man a Law, whatsoever that Law is, in observing of that Law, there is happinesse: It is so with every creature, he hath given every creature a Law, and so long as he keeps to that, he is in a good condition and state: Now the Law given to us is this Truth, in observing it thou shalt keepe thy life, thy happinesse; take heed, therefore, of departing from it, whenso∣ever a man departs from it he is deceived, and no man will willingly be deceived.

But,* 1.11 you will say, a man is not deceived in sin, for I know it is a sin.

Yes,* 1.12 in this thou art deceived, no man com∣mits a sinne, but at that time he thinkes it better that he commit it, and worse that he abstaine from it, and in this thou art deceived: Goe thorow all the Scripture, and finde any one sinne there recorded, and see if the party bee not a loser: Goe to Ieroboam, did hee not lose his Kingdome by that, by which he thought to save it: Goe to Iudas, to Gehezi, was it not his ruine▪ I say, every man is deceived; as it was said of Eve, Eve was deceived; so it may b•• said of all the sons of Adam, when they commi•• a sin they are deceived.

But if you object,* 1.13 Adam was not deceived▪

1 Tim. 2. The woman was deceived, but the man was not.

* 1.14I answer, the meaning is, there is an imme∣diate deceiving, when a man is meerely cooze∣ned, because there is a fault in his reason, and for that mistakes a thing, and so was Eve onely de∣ceived, shee being the weaker: But there is a se∣cond kinde, when a man is not immediately de∣ceived, but transported by a lust, and that was Adams Case; and that lust arises from deceit: Suppose it be a lust of envie that transports a man to a sinne, although that doth not imme∣diately deceive, yet this (as all sinnes) arises from Errour. Therefore when any tempta∣tion comes, see if it be a sinne, if it be a sinne, be sure thou art deceived, and though thou canst not find out the deceit, yet remember it is there, Ephes. 4. you shall finde these put together, The old man is corrupt through lusts proceeding from deceit, and be renewed in the spirit of your mindes after the Image of God in holinesse and righteous∣nesse, which comes from the Spirit of Truth, you shall finde there is not a lust but it comes from deceit, and not any holinesse, but it comes from a rectifying of the Apprehension and from Truth; for in these two things (marke it) the Image of God and Satan consist: The Image of God consists not onely in holinesse, but in truth; therefore the Image of God is re∣newed in holinesse proceeding from Truth: As on the contrary side the old man doth not only stand in lusts, but in deceit, from whence the lust

comes. Therefore take heed of that deceit, and know this, when any sinne is committed, it is contrary to Truth, to the Law, to this know∣ledge, and let that be an Argument against it. I cannot stand to presse it more: So much shall serve for this point.

The end of the Eighth Sermon.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Case 4.
• * 1.2

  In suffocating, and suppressing it.
• * 1.3

  Two wayes.
• * 1.4

  Case 5.
• * 1.5

  In removing impediments.
• * 1.6

  Case 6.
• * 1.7

  Case 7.
• * 1.8

  Object.
• * 1.9

  Answ.
• * 1.10

  Vse 4.
• * 1.11

  Object.
• * 1.12

  Answ.
• * 1.13

  Object.
• * 1.14

  Answ.