A09977:715
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.
After this manner we should walk with the Lord from day to day. And it is one thing required, whereof you are put in mind, when you here that he is every where present, you should ⟨p. 163⟩be present with him upon all occasions, and observe his dealing towards you, and your carriage to him. Every man walks with something continually: now look what a mans mind is busied about most, that he walks with. And indeed, to walk with any thing, is to give it the honour that is due only to GOD. When a man is busy about what men think of him; about his riches and estate, how they ebb and flow, about his credit with men; these are the things that a man walks with. Beloved, you are not to go a step with any thing, except he send you on such an errand, as a Master doth his servant; but you are to walk with him from day to day. It is possible that a man may be in company, and his mind be in another place, and busied about other things: and where his mind is, there he walks. A man may be in the world, and yet his mind and conversation in heaven; as Enoch did the things of this life, and yet he is said to walk with God: if thou doest so, this is a sign that thou lovest GOD; for to walk with a thing, it is the best argument that thou lovest it. Let a man profess never so much love to a friend, if he will not walk with him, it is but in show, and not in truth. If thou wouldest show thy love to God, why doest thou not walk with him? If there be a friend that thou lovest, doest thou not desire to be with him? And when thou art in company with him, is it not a sign also of respect. As when many are together, all go to ⟨p. 164⟩the chief man: so thou must walk with GOD. You know what GOD saith to Abraham, Gen. 17.1. I am God All-sufficient: walk with me, and he thou perfect. Mark here the connection: as if he should say, Abraham, when I desire this, thou shouldest withdraw thy self from all other creatures, and things, to walk with me: know that there is great reason for it, for I am All-sufficient, thou needest no other. If thou hast a friend all-sufficient, hast thou not need to walk with him? But as we showed you, God is in stead of ten thousand friends. A man needs many friends, a friend at Court, a friend at home, a friend abroad, to be there where he himself cannot be: but wheresoever thou goest, the Lord is with thee: