A09977:473
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.
2. The disposing of other things is much in the power of men. A Prince, or a man hath power to kill, or to save, he can give riches, and honour, and take them away, at his pleasure: But to rule the spirits, to compose, and guide the apprehensions, and affections of the soul, that belongs to God alone; a man is no more able to do it, than to rule the raging sea. For ⟨p. 29⟩as it is proper to God alone, to compose the wind, and to rule the waves: so it is proper to him alone to rule the turbulent affections, to compose, and guide them. If there be any disordered affection in the heart, as an immoderate love of any thing, or an impatient desire to any thing, who, is able to remove it, but the Lord who is a Spirit? So, who can implant holy affections in thee, but he alone? as, for example, to think a good thought, a man cannot do it without him, who is the Father of spirits; so to persuade a man, no man can do it, it must be the Lord, as Noah saith; God shall persuade Laphet to dwell in the Tents of Shem. So to see the heinousness of sin, and the evil of it, no man can do it but by the spirit of God, as it is said. John 16.9.1 The Spirit convinceth men of Sin. So to will this, or that, which is good, it is he that works both the will and the deed. A man cannot choose but be swallowed up with worldly grief, except God keep him, he cannot chose but fear the face of man, except God assist him: for this is one of Gods prerogatives royal, to rule in the affections, and apprehension of men.
2. The disposing of other things is much in the power of men. A Prince, or a man hath power to kill, or to save, he can give riches, and honor, and take them away, at his pleasure: But to rule the spirits, to compose, and guide the apprehensions, and affections of the soule, that belongs to God alone; a man is no more able to doe it, than to rule the raging sea. For ⟨p. 29⟩as it is proper to God alone, to compose the winde, and to rule the waves: so it is proper to him alone to rule the turbulent affections, to compose, and guide them. If there be any disordered affection in the heart, as an immoderate love of any thing, or an impatient desire to any thing, who, is able to remove it, but the Lord who is a Spirit? So, who can implant holy affections in thee, but he alone? as, for example, to thinke a good thought, a man cannot do it without him, who is the Father of spirits; so to perswade a man, no man can doe it, it must be the Lord, as Noah saith; God shall perswade Laphet to dwell in the Tents of Sem. So to see the hainousnesse of sinne, and the evill of it, no man can doe it but by the spirit of God, as it is said.