A09977:570
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.
and so be changeable, if he should not give thee a new heart, and keep thee from the first day of thy regeneration till death. Therefore it is an everlasting covenant, and the fruits of it are sure mercies; it is a double covenant, and therefore cannot be changed. And it is called, Compassions that fail not: why are they called so? to show the unchangeableness of this covenant.
and so be changeable, if hee should not give thee a new heart, and keepe thee from the first day of thy regeneration till death. Therefore it is an everlasting covenant, and the fruites of it are sure mercies; it is a double covenant, and therefore cannot be changed. And it is called, Compassions that faile not: why are they called so? to shew the unchangeablenesse of this covenant.
But you will say, what if I fall into sin? I will forgive them, saith the Lord. Oh, but lusts do rebel, old lusts, and new: but, saith the Lord, I will mortify them, and give you grace to overcome them. Oh, but grace is subject to decay: but I will renew it, saith GOD. If thy sins and lusts should exceed his mercies, then they should fail; but they cannot: and therefore they are called compassions that fail not.
But you will say, what if I fall into sin? I will forgive them, saith the Lord. Oh, but lusts doe rebell, old lusts, and new: but, saith the Lord, I will mortifie them, and give you grace to overcome them. Oh, but grace is subject to decay: but I will renew it, saith GOD. If thy sinnes and lusts should exceede his mercies, then they should faile; but they cannot: and therefore they are called compassions that faile not.
Besides, consider this, that the covenant is made in Jesus Christ. There are two Adams, he made a covenant with both: with the first Adam, he made a covenant, as with the common root of all mankind; but Adam brake the covenant, and so did all his members. But there is a second Adam, and all that are saved, are members of him as truly as we are of the first Adam: and he kept the covenant, and therefore if he stand, they shall stand also.