A09977:114
Life eternalLife eternall
Life eternal or, A treatise of the knowledge of the divine essence and attributes Delivered in XVIII. sermons. By the late faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston, D. in Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns Inn.Life eternall or, A treatise of the knowledge of the divine essence and attributes Delivered in XVIII. sermons. By the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, D. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns Inne.
London: printed by Richard, 1631
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ. But, saith the LORD, A thousand years are to me but as one day, and one day as a thousand years. As if he should say, it may seem long to you, who measure time by motion and revolution, to your narrow understanding it may seem long; but to God it doth not: A thousand years with him, is but as one day. Where, by the way, we shall answer that fond objection:
Answ. But, saith the LORD, A thousand yeares are to me but as one day, and one day as a thousand yeares. As if he should say, it may seeme long to you, who measure time by motion and revolution, to your narrow understanding it may seeme long; but to God it doth not: A thousand yeares with him, is but as one day. Where, by the way, we shall answer that fond objection:
Object. How the Lord employed himself before the creation of the World?
Object. How the Lord imployed himselfe before the creation of the World?
Answ. A thousand years to him is but as one day; and again, one day is as the longest time, that is, there is no difference of time with him. To which I may add this; that, who knoweth what the Lord hath done? Indeed he made but one world to our knowledge, but who knoweth what he did before, and what he will do after? who knows his counsels? and who is able to judge of him or of his actions? we can know no more, nor judge no otherwise than he hath revealed, we have no other book to look into, but the book of his Word, and the book of this World; and therefore to seek any further, is to be wise above sobriety, and above that which is written.
Answ. A thousand yeares to him is but as one day; and againe, one day is as the longest time, that is, there is no difference of time with him. To which I may adde this; that, who knoweth what the Lord hath done? Indeed he made but one world to our knowledge, but who knoweth what he did before, and what he will doe after? who knowes his counsels? and who is able to judge of him or of his actions? we can know no more, nor judge no otherwise than he hath revealed, we have no other booke to looke into, but the booke of his Word, and the booke of this World; and therefore to seeke any further, is to be wise above sobrietie, and above that which is written.