* The Saijit's Daily Exercise ; a Treatise Tinfolding the whole Duty of Prayer. Delivered in five sermons upon 1 Thes. v. 17. By the late faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston, Dr in Divinity, Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometime Preacher of Lincoln's Inn. The fourtii edition, corrected. ' The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much,' James v. 16. 'If I regard iniquity in my lieart, the Lord will not hear my prayer,' Ps. Ixvi. 18. London : Printed by W. I. for Nicholas Bourne, and are to bo sold at the south entrance of the Koyal Exchange. 1630. 4to.
MEMOIR OF RICHAED SIBBES, D.D. XCIX
some life to those things, which otherwise would have died of themselves. The blessing of these labours of his we commend unto God, and the benefit of them unto thee, resting thine in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Richard Sibs.
John Davenport.
rV". The Saints' Qualification. *
Dedication.
Illustrissimo, Nobilissimo Viro, PhiHppo, Pembrochiae, et Montis Gomerici Comiti, Baroni Herbert* de CardilTs et Sherland, Ordinis Gar- terii Equiti, Regiae Domus Camerario, Eegite Majestati a Secretioribus Consiliis, &c., triplicem hunc Johannis Prestoni, S.S., Theologise Doct. CoUeg. Immanuelis Nuper Magist. et Regiae Majest. a Sacris, Tractatum, de Humiliatione, Nova Creatura, Pr^paratione ad Sacram Sjnaxin, in Devotissimae, Tarn authoris, quam Ipsorum, Observantiae Testimonium, L.M.D.D.D.
RiCHARDUS SiBS.
Joannes Davenport. To the Christian Header.
The good acceptance the sermons of this worthy man have found amongst well-disposed Christians, hath made us the willinger to give way to the publishing of these, as coming fi-om the same author. The good they may thus do prevails more for the sending of them forth than some imperfec- tions (that usually accompany the taking of other men's speeches) may do to suppress them. Something may well be yielded to public good in things not altogether so as we wish. They are enforced upon none that shall except against them, they may either read or refuse them at theii" pleasure. The argument of them is such as may di'aw the more regard, being of matters of necessary and pei-petual use.
For ' Humiliation ' we never so deeply see into the grounds of it (sinful- ness of natm'e and life) ; or, so far as we see, look upon it with that e3-e of detestation we should ; and therefore a holy heart desireth still farther light to be brought in, to discover whatsoever may hinder communion with God, and is glad when sin is made loathsome unto it, as being its greatest enemy, that doth more hurt than all the world besides, and the only thing that divides between our chief good and us. As this humilia- tion increaseth, so in the like proportion all other gi'aces increase ; for the more we are emptied of ourselves, the more we are filled with the fulness of God. The defects of this appear in the whole frame of a Christian Ufe,
* The Saints' Qualification : or, a treatise — 1, of humiliation, in ten sermons ; 2, of sanctification, in nine sermons ; -whereunto is added a treatise of communion with Christ in the sacrament, in three sermons. Preached by the late faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston, Doctor in Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his majesty, master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometime preacher of Lincoln's Inn. The third edition, corrected. ' When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up : and he shall save the humble person,' Job xxii. 29. ' Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit,' &c., Ezek. xviii. 31. ' He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him,' John vi. 56. Loudon ; Printed by R. B. for N. Bourne, and are to be sold by T. Nicholea at the Bible in Pope's -head Alley. 1637. 4to.
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C MEMOIR OP RICHAKD SIBBES, D.D.
whicli is so far unsound as we retain anything of corrupted self, unhumbled for.
The foundation of Christianity is laid very low ; and therefore the trea- tise of ' Humiliation ' is well premised before that of the * New Creature.' God will build upon nothing in us. We must be nothing in ourselves before we be raised up for a fit temple for God to dwell in, whose course is to pull down before he build. Old things must be out of request before all become new ; and without this newness of the whole man from union with Christ, no interest in the new heavens can be hoped for, whereinto no defiled thing shall enter, as altogether unsuitable to that condition and place. Nothing is in request with God but this new creature, all things else are adjudged to the fire ; and without this it had been better be no creature at all. By this we may judge of the usefulness of discourses tending this way. One thing more thou art to be advertised of (courteous reader), and that is, of the injurious dealing of such as for private gain have published what they can get, howsoever taken, without any acquaint- ing either of those friends of the author's that resided in Cambridge (to whose care he left the publishing of those things that were delivered there) or of us, to whom he committed the publishing of what should be thought fit for public view of that which was preached in London. Hereby not only wrong is done to others, but to the deceased likewise, by mangUng and misshaping the birth of his brain ; and therefore once again we desire men to forbear publishing of anything until those that were entrusted have the review. And so we commit the treatise and thee to God's blessing.