A09977:545
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.
That which follows next in order is his Immutability or Unchangeableness. 1Now that he takes this proper to himself, you shall see in Numb. 23.19. GOD is not as man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. Repenting, you know, is a sign of change; he will not repent, that is, he will not be subject to any change: whatsoever purpose or decree, or counsel he takes to him, he is immutable in it. Shall he say, and not do it? shall he speak, and not make it good? So James 1.17. Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. When the question was, whence temptations should arise; saith the Apostle, GOD tempts no man, for he is in himself just, good, and full of goodness, and he can never be otherwise, and therefore no temptation to evil can arise from him: and seeing he is so, he must always be so, for he is not changed, nay there is no shadow of change in him. So Mal. 3.6. I am the Lord, I change not. So that in this body of Divinity we do but sum up divers heads, and so open them to you. This is an Attribute that he takes to himself, and therefore we will explain it to you. First, I will show you the reasons why; secondly, an objection or two against it; and ⟨p. 73⟩thirdly, I will show you the consequences or uses that arise from it.
That which followes next in order is his Immutability or Vnchangeablenesse. 1Now that hee takes this proper to himselfe, you shall see in Numb. 23.19. GOD is not as man that he should lie, neither the sonne of man that hee should repent. Repenting, you know, is a signe of change; he will not repent, that is, he will not be subject to any change: whatsoever purpose or decree, or counsell he takes to him, hee is immutable in it. Shall he say, and not doe it? shall he speake, and not make it good? So