A09977:561
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.
If this be so, then this will also follow, that all the decrees, all the counsels, and all the acts of his will, that ever were in him, they were in him from all eternity: that is, there is not a vicissitude of counsels, thoughts and desires upon the passages of things in the world, as there is in men; for then he should be subject to change: For this is a sure rule, Whatsoever is under different terms, there is a change in it; he is now, that which he was not before: and if there were any instant, in which GOD should will one thing which he did not another time, he should be subject to change. Therefore look back to all eternity, in your imaginations & thoughts, as in the making of the world; all those acts, those counsels that he executed upon men, they were in him from everlasting.
If this be so, then this will also follow, that all the decrees, all the counsells, and all the acts of his will, that ever were in him, they were in him from all eternity: that is, there is not a vicissitude of counsells, thoughts and desires upon the passages of things in the world, as there is in men; for then he should be subject to change: For this is a sure rule, Whatsoever is under different termes, there is a change in it; he is now, that which he was not before: and if there were any instant, in which GOD should will one thing which he did not another time, hee should bee subject to change. Therefore looke backe to all eternity, in your imaginations & thoughts, as in the making of the world; all those acts, those counsels that he executed upon men, they were in him from everlasting.
Now I come to uses for practise: and we will make such uses as the Scripture doth make of this point. The first is this.
Use 1 In 1 Sam. 15.28, 29. And Samuel said unto Saul,