A09977:519
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
Sermon 12: THE TWELFTH SERMON.Sermon 12: THE TVVELFTH SERMON.
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.
Hence likewise it follows,1 that all the Attributes of GOD are equal among themselves,2 not one higher than another, or larger than another; for if he be simple, and there are not two things in him, then his Attributes, or his essence, and himself are the same; and if so, one cannot exceed another; his mercy is not beyond his justice, nor his justice beyond his wisdom. Therefore though he doth put forth one Attribute now, another then, yet we must not think that his mercy is greater than all his Attributes: therefore that place in the Psalmist, His mercy is above all his works, is commonly misunderstood. The meaning is not, that his mercy exceeds all his other Attributes, but ⟨p. 54⟩that his mercy is over, and upon all his works. As the warmth of the hen is over all the eggs, to warm, and cherish, and hatch them: so Gods mercy is over all his works, to cherish, and nourish, and perfect them; that is, it is showed forth upon them all. For it is not a comparative speech, as if his mercy did exceed all his other Attributes: for if all his Attributes are himself, they must be equal, there is no difference in regard of height or largeness between them. And thus the place is to be understood: for so the word signifies in the original, and not according to the common acception. So much for the Consectaries, now we will come to uses of practise.
Hence likewise it followes,1 that all the Attributes of GOD are equall among themselves,2 not one higher than another, or larger than another; for if he be simple, and there are not two things in him, then his Attributes, or his essence, and himselfe are the same; and if so, one cannot exceed another; his mercy is not beyond his justice, nor his justice beyond his wisedome. Therefore though he doth put forth one Attribute now, another then, yet wee must not thinke that his mercy is greater than all his Attributes: therefore that place in the Psalmist, His mercy is above all his workes, is commonly misunderstood. The meaning is not, that his mercy exceedes all his other Attributes, but