A09977:76
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.
First, God is said to have made man after his own Image; he doth not mean his body, for that is not made after the Image of God; neither is it only that holiness which was created in us, and now lost: for then he would not have said, Gen. 9.6.1 He that sheds mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the Image of GOD made he man. The principal intent of that place, is (for ought I can see or judge) of that Scripture (speaking of the natural fashion of things, and not of the supernatural graces) it is, to express that God hath given a soul to man, that carries the ⟨p. 16⟩Image of God, a likeness to the Essence of God, immaterial, immortal, invisible; for there is a double Image of God in the soul, one in the substance of it, which is never lost; another is the supernatural grace, which is an Image of the knowledge, holiness, and righteousness of God, and this is utterly lost. But the soul is the Image of the Essence of God, (as I may so speak) that is, it is a spirit immaterial, immortal, invisible, as he is; hath understanding and will, as he hath; he understands all things, and wills whatsoever he pleaseth. And you see an expression of him in your own soul, which is an argument of the Deity.
First, God is said to have made man after his owne Image; hee doth not meane his bodie, for that is not made after the Image of God; neither is it only that holinesse which was created in us, and now lost: for then he would not have said, Gen. 9.6.1 He that sheds mans bloud, by man shall his bloud be shed, for in the Image of GOD made hee man. The principall intent of that place, is (for ought I can see or judge) of that Scripture (speaking of the naturall fashion of things, and not of the supernaturall graces) it is, to expresse that God hath given a soule to man, that carries the ⟨p. 16⟩Image of God, a likenesse to the Essence of God, immateriall, immortall, invisible; for there is a double Image of God in the soule, one in the substance of it, which is never lost; another is the supernaturall grace, which is an Image of the knowledge, holinesse, and righteousnesse of God, and this is utterly lost. But the soule is the Image of the Essence of God, (as I may so speake) that is, it is a spirit immateriall, immortall, invisible, as he is; hath understanding and will, as he hath; he understands all things, and wils whatsoever he pleaseth. And you see an expression of him in your owne soule, which is an argument of the Deitie.