A09977:749
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.
1Fourthly, consider that the Attributes of God are equal, and needs must be so, because every Attribute is his essence, and we do but distinguish then in our understanding: his omnipotency is but the active power, his will, the commanding; and his understanding, the directing: we distinguish them thus. But in him they are all one. Hence I reason thus: the wisdom of GOD, the largeness and infiniteness of his understanding and knowledge, what is it not able to conceive? You know men are able to think much, and Angels more than men, but GOD is able to conceive infinitely beyond them: For his thoughts are above ours, as the heavens ⟨p. 181⟩are above the earth. Now whatsoever he can conceive, his power is able to act it. In man it is not so; he imagines and wills many things, but his power falls short, because his faculties are not as large as the object: but God can imagine infinitely, and his power is as large and infinite as his wisdom: therefore he must be able to do things that are infinite. So Psa: 135. He doth whatsoever he will, to show that his power is as large as his will: which cannot be said of any creature. Consider these things; for when you are in distress, and put to it, you shall find need of them to persuade you that God is Almighty.
1Fourthly, consider that the Attributes of God are equall, and needes must be so, because every Attribute is his essence, and wee doe but distinguish then in our understanding: his omnipotencie is but the active power, his wll, the commanding; and his understanding, the directing: we distinguish them thus. But in him they are all one. Hence I reason thus: the wisedome of GOD, the largenesse and infinitenesse of his understanding and knowledge, what is it not able to conceive? You know men are able to thinke much, and Angells more than men, but GOD is able to conceive infinitely beyond them: For his thoughts are above ours, as the heavens ⟨p. 181⟩are above the earth. Now whatsoever hee can conceive, his power is able to act it. In man it is not so; he imagines and wills many things, but his power falls short, because his faculties are not as large as the object: but God can imagine infinitely, and his power is as large and infinite as his wisedome: therefore he must be able to doe things that are infinite. So Psa: 135. He doth whatsoever he will, to shew that his power is as large as his will: which cannot bee said of any creature. Consider these things; for when you are in distresse, and put to it, you shall find need of them to perswade you that God is Allmighty.