Prester, John. See Jonx, Prester.
Preston, John, D.D., a noted English Puritan divine, was born at Heyford, Northamptonshire, in 1587, and educated at King's College and Queen's Col- lege, University of Cambridge, was made fellow and tutor of Queen's College, and finally became chaplain to Prince Charles. In 1G22 he was appointed preacher of Lin- coln's Inn, and subsequently lecturer in Trinity Church, Cambridge. He became so celebrated as a speaker that the towns-people went to his lectures on week-days as they would to his sermons on Sunday, and he was com- plained of by those who looked with envy upon his fast- growing reputation. He also became noted as an able advocate of Calvinism, and in a controversy with the famous Arminian, Dr. Montague, sustained the elective theory with much adroitness and boldness. He was cer- tainly a man of great learning, a popular preacher, and a powerful writer. He died in 1G28, greatly lamented not only by Calvinists, but by all lovers of the good cause. He wore himself out with work ; and when his friends would remonstrate, his answer was always, " Our life, like iron, consumes with rust, as much without as by employment ; that every one cannot be said to have lived long that is old, as seven years in the life of some men are as much as seventy in others; and therefore the question is not so much How long I have lived as How I have lived." He was naturally reserved, and only figured in public because his zeal for the doctrines of Calvin would not suffer him to let go unanswered those who maintained the opposite theories. Of his works (published 1015-58) which have never been collected, an abridgment by William Tennent was published in 1658 i L648 also ['?]), 12mo. The best-known of his pub- lications are, The N.ew Covenant, fourteen sermons (Loud. 1629, 4to; ninth ed. 1(339, 4to; again in 1655, 4to) : — The Breastplate of Faith and Love, eighteen ser- mons (IG30, 4to; 5th ed. 1G34, 4to) :— Life Eternal, eighteen sermons (1631, 4to; 4th ed. 1G34. 4to) -.— The Saint's Daily Exercise, five sermons on Prayer (1G33, 4to; 9th ed. 1635, 4to):— The Saint's Qualifications, ten sermons on Humiliation, nine on Sanctification, and three on the Sacrament (1634, 4to; 3d ed. 1637, 4to) .: ^Four Treatises (sermons): 1, Covetousness ; 2, Spir- VIII.— N N
itual Death and Life (separate in 1G33, 4to); 3, Selfe Deniall (separate in 1632, 4to) ; 4, Lord's Supper (to- gether in 1635, 4to; 4th ed. 1G3G, 4to) :— Sermons before his Maiestie, etc. (5th ed. 1G37, 4to) : — Sinner's Over- throw, or Mortification (1635, 4to; 4th ed. 1641, 4to): - Remains (three treatises): 1, Judas his Repentance; 2, Saint's Spiritual Strength ; 3, raid's Conversion and s, rmons, etc. (2d ed. 1637,4to) -.—The Golden Sce]jtre,etc. (1638, 4to) :— Doctrines of the Saints' Infirmities, a ser- mon (1638, 4to) :— .4 Lifeless Life, a sermon (4th ed. 1641, 4to) : — Fulnesse of Christ for Us, a sermon (1G40, 4to) : — Divine Lore of Christ, five sermons (1640, 4to): — Two Treatises (1641, 4to): — Thesis de Gratia Convertendis I r resist ibilitate (1652, 8 vo; in English, 1654): — Riches of Mercy to Men in Misery (1658, 4to). See Dr. R. Sibbs's preface; Middleton, Evangel. Biog. ii, 460 sq. ; Perry, Hist. Ch. of England (see Index) ; Clark, Lives ; Neal, Hist, of the Puritans ; Burnet, Own Times ; Fuller, Worthies ; Darling, Cyclop. Bibl. ; Jonathan Edwards, Works ; Allibone, Diet, of Brit, and A rner. A uthors, s. v. (J. H. W.)
Preston, Willard, D.D., an eloquent American divine and noted educator, was born at Uxbridge, Mass., May 29, 1785, and was educated at Brown University, where he graduated in 1806. After having studied law and practiced in that profession for a few years, he stud- ied for the ministry, and was in 1811 ordained and be- came pastor of a church at Providence, E. I., where he preached until 1825, when he was chosen president of the University of Vermont. In 1829 he removed South for the benefit of his health, and in 1831 accepted the pastorate of the Presbyterian Church in Savannah. Ga., and there remained until his death in 1856. He pub- lished, Farewell Sermon at St. A Iban's (1815): — Ser- mons (1817). — Allibone, Diet, of Brit, and Amer. Au- thors, s. v. : Drake, Diet, of A mer. Biog. s. v.
Presumption, as it relates to the mind, is a sup- position formed before examination. As it relates to the conduct or moral action, it implies arrogance or ir- reverence. As it relates to religion in general, it is a bold and daring confidence in the goodness of God, with- out obedience to his will.
Presumptuous sins must be distinguished from sins of infirmity, or those failings peculiar to human nature (Eccles. vii, 20 ; 1 John i, 8, "9) ; from sins done through ignorance (Luke xii, 48) ; and from sins into which men are hurried by sudden and violent temptation (Gal. vi, 1). The ingredients which render sin presumptuous are knowledge (John xv, 22), deliberation and contriv- ance (Prov. vi, 14 ; Psa. xxxvi, 4), obstinacy ( Jer. xliv, 16; Deut. i, 13), inattention to the remonstrances of conscience (Acts vii, 51), opposition to the dispensations of Providence (2 Chron. xxviii, 22), and repeated com- mission of the same sin (Psa. lxxviii. 17). Presump- tuous sins are numerous, such as profane swearing, per- jury, theft, adultery, drunkenness, Sabbath -breaking, etc. These may be more particularly considered as pre- sumptuous sins, because they are generally committed against a known law, and are so often repeated. Such sins are most heinous in their nature and most pernicious in their effects. They are said to be a reproach to the Lord (Numb, xv, 3) ; they harden the heart (1 Tim. iv, 2) ; draw down judgments from heaven (Numb, xv, 31) ; and even when repented of, they are seldom pardoned without some visible testimony of God's displeasure (2 Sam. xii. 10). As respects professors of religion, one observes, they sin presumptuously (1) when they take up a profession of religion without principle; (2) when they profess to ask the blessing of God and yet go on in forbidden courses ; (3) when they do not take religion as they find it in the Scriptures; (4) when they make their feelings the test of their religion, without consid- ering the difference between animal passion and the operations of the Spirit of God ; (5) when they run into temptation; (6) when they indulge in self-confidence and self-complacency ; (7) when they bring the spirit