A09977:415
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.
Consider the errand, upon which you are sent into this world, and be not put aside from it, by any needless occasions (as they are all when they come into competition with this) which hinder our thoughts, and our actions, as far as they belong to eternity: and indeed all the world spend too much of their time upon by-businesses, and they are hampered with them before they are aware, still making our selves new work; so that we make this life, which is short enough of it self, shorter than it is, wearying our selves with anxious griefs, labour and care: thus men did before us, and thus we are ready to do, therefore we had the more need to take heed unto it.
Consider the errand, upon which you are sent into this world, and be not put aside from it, by any needlesse occasions (as they are all when they come into competition with this) which hinder our thoughts, and our actions, as farre as they belong to eternity: and indeed all the world spend too much of their time upon by-businesses, and they are hampered with them before they are aware, still making our selves new worke; so that we make this life, which is short enough of it selfe, shorter than it is, wearying our selves with anxious griefes, labour and care: thus men did before us, and thus we are ready to doe, therefore we had the more need to take heed unto it.
Use 2 If God be eternal, then be not you offended, because you see that he stays long,1 either in giving reward, or in executing judgement on men for their sins; for with him no time is long, there is no succession with him; therefore say not, because you feel nothing for the present, there are great promises made, but you find no performance; and there be many judgements threatened, but none executed; do not you therefore ⟨p. 169⟩say, that your rewards are neglected, or judgement passed over, and that God hath forgotten. For here you see, that with God no time is long or short, there is no succession with him: you have the same use made of it,