A09977:727
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.
But it may be objected, though a man be above, yet there may be some corners, some rocks and dens, so that he may hide himself from the eyes of him that is above him: therefore it is added, who is in you all; that is, he beholds every thought, every secret place, every ⟨p. 111⟩corner of our hearts: he is in you all, and through all. This you shall find more at large in Psa. 139.1. O Lord thou hast searched me and known me, thou knowest my down sitting and mine up rising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off &c. The meaning of it is this. David labours to persuade his own heart, that God is present with him; and he doth it by the argument: If I go forward the Lord is there; if on this side or that side, yet still he is present, he compasseth me round about, he is behind and before: therefore it must needs be, that there is not a word that I speak or a thought that I think, but he sees and hears all. Yea, he knows my thoughts afar off, that is, as a man that knows what roots he hath in his garden, though there be not a flower appears, yet he can say, when the spring comes, this and this will come up, because he knows the garden, and knows what roots are there: So the Lord knows a mans thoughts afar off, because he knows the principles that are within, and he knows what they would do, when occasion is offered; and therefore saith David, I have cause to fear exceedingly before him. Nay, he doth not only see mens thoughts afar off, but he will judge you afar off for them. We use to destroy hemlock even in the middest of winter, because we know what it will do, if it be suffered to grow: so the Lord doth cut off men long before, because, he knows that they will do this and this. Such passages of his providence there ⟨p. 172⟩may be, as to cut off children and young men out of the foresight of the evil, that they would do to his Church, because he knows their thoughts afar off.
But it may bee objected, though a man be aboue, yet there may be some corners, some rockes and dens, so that he may hide himselfe from the eyes of him that is aboue him: therefore it is added, who is in you all; that is, he beholds every thought, every secret place, every ⟨p. 111⟩