A09977:128
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.
Object. 3 If there be such a God that made the Heaven and the Earth; what is the reason then, that we see things are brought to pass by natural causes? If there be a cause for such a thing, the effect doth follow; when there is no cause, then the effect doth not, as a wise man doth bring a thing to pass, but the foolish miscarry in them, we see the diligent hand maketh rich, and he that labours ⟨p. 39⟩not, hath nothing; and things that are strong prevail against those that are weak; and so God is forgotten in the world, and his wisdom and power is not seen?
Object. 3 If there be such a God that made the Heaven and the Earth; what is the reason then, that wee see things are brought to passe by naturall causes? If there be a cause for such a thing, the effect doth follow; when there is no cause, then the effect doth not, as a wise man doth bring a thing to passe, but the foolish miscarry in them, we see the diligent hand maketh rich, and hee that labours ⟨p. 39⟩not, hath nothing; and things that are strong prevaile against those that are weake; and so God is forgotten in the world, and his wisdome and power is not seene?
Answ. 1 It is not so: God doth carry it often another way, as it is, Eccles. 9.11.1 Alway the battle is not to the strong, but chance and accident befall them all; that is, the LORD of purpose doth often change them, that his power and might may be seen. We see often, that Princes walk on foot, 2like servants, and servants ride like Princes, as in Chap. 10. that is, things do not always come to pass according to their causes; for, when the cause is exceeding fair to bring forth such an effect, yet we see it is an abortive birth, and such things come to pass that we looked not for; as he that was diligent, many times comes to poverty; the wise do often miscarry in bringing their enterprises to pass.