A09977:532
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.
For the first, I pray you mark that in Jam: 1.8.1 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways: [Greek or Hebrew], By a double minded man there is meant, one whose mind hangs between a double object, so that he knows not which of the two is more eligible; his mind is in an even balance, where neither scale doth praeponderate: On the contrary, he is a simple or a single hearted man, who is not thus divided between two objects, but he so resolveth and pitcheth upon one, that he subordinates all the other to it. As for example, a double minded man, hath an eye to GOD and his credit, to GOD and his pleasure, to GOD and his friends, he would fain grasp both, and is willing to part with neither: such a man goes not straight on, but he walks unevenly ⟨p. 61⟩in his courses; [Greek or Hebrew] that is, while he is quiet and no temptation doth assail him, then he walks with GOD in a strait rule, but let a temptation come, and put him to it, then he steps out of the way, he will not let his credit or his profit go. As a weather-cock, let there be no wind at all, and it stands still like a sixth thing: but as soon as the wind comes it turns about. So is it with such a man, while he is quiet, while religion costs him nothing, he walks on in an even way, but let a temptation come and assault him, and because he hath not a single object, upon which he is resolved, therefore he goes out, and walks unevenly. Contrary to this is he that hath pitched upon one object, upon GOD alone; he saith, let me have the Lord alone, and and heaven alone, though I have no more, thus I have pitched, thus I have resolved, that let what will come, I will part with all, when it comes into composition with this. Beloved, you never have a single heart till now. This singleness of heart David expresseth in himself, Psa. 27.4. One thing have I desired, that I will require, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all my days and behold thy beauty: that is, this one thing have I chosen, I have pitched upon it, I care for nothing besides; if other things come, so it is, but this I require, that I may walk with the Lord, that I may be in his house all my days, that is, that I may enjoy the use of GODS ordinances, and walk with him; and behold ⟨p. 62⟩