A09977:323
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.
Though they have perfection, yet they have always need of something; now God hath need of nothing. The creatures, though full of perfection in their kind, yet still they have exceeding great need of something. As you say of a river, you will say it hath need, though it be full, it hath need of the fountain to maintain it; so may I say of the creatures, though they be full of perfection in their kind, yet they have need of that fountain, from whence their perfection ⟨p. 123⟩cometh, which if it be stopped, they will come to nothing.
Though they have perfection, yet they have alwayes need of something; now God hath need of nothing. The creatures, though full of perfection in their kinde, yet still they have exceeding great need of something. As you say of a river, you will say it hath need, though it be full, it hath need of the fountaine to maintaine it; so may I say of the creatures, though they be full of perfection in their kinde, yet they have need of that fountaine, from whence their perfection ⟨p. 123⟩commeth, which if it be stopt, they will come to nothing.
Thus God is infinitely perfect and immense, having no limits:1 For all limits are either from the matter or from the form; the form is limited, because it wants matter to carry it to a further extent; and the matter is limited, because it is bounded with such a form; but in God there is neither matter nor form; as there is nothing without him, so there is nothing within him to bound that largeness of being which he hath.
Thus God is infinitely perfect and immense, having no limits:1