A09977:520
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.
Use 1 1. If simplicity be one of GODS excellencies; then let us labour to come as near to it as we can, by bringing our hearts to be content with a simplicity of condition:1 for this is a sure rule, The more composition, the more weakness, the more impediment, and withal the more exposedness to dissolution and decay. Therefore GOD is not subject to weakness and impediment in working, because he is most simple, not having essence, and faculty, so that any thing should come between and hinder him; and therefore also is he not capable of dissolution: & therefore the nearer any come to this simplicity, they are (as I say) less weak, less subject to impediment and destruction; and the safer, and stronger, and happier they be. As for example, the Angels, so far as they fall short of the simplicity of the eternal GOD, who is blessed for ⟨p. 55⟩ever, so far they are subject to all this: they have faculties different from their essences, and one from another, as understanding, will, and their executive power; hence they are subject to weakness. For they may fall into sin, as you know the first Angels did, and their faculties jarred one with another, and fell out of tune: and having an executive power, they are also subject to impediment; whence neither the good Angels, nor the bad, can do what they would, but they are and may be hindered.
Vse 1 1. If simplicity be one of GODS excellencies; then let us labour to come as neere to it as we can, by bringing our hearts to be content with a simplicity of condition:1 for this is a sure rule, The more composition, the more weaknesse, the more impediment, and withall the more exposednesse to dissolution and decay. Therefore GOD is not subject to weaknesse and impediment in working, because he is most simple, not having essence, and faculty, so that any thing should come betweene and hinder him; and therefore also is he not capable of dissolution: & therfore the nearer any come to this simplicity, they are (as I say) lesse weake, lesse subject to impediment and destruction; and the safer, and stronger, and happier they be. As for example, the Angells, so farre as they fall short of the simplicity of the eternall GOD, who is blessed for ⟨p. 55⟩