A09977:786
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 to draw this use to a conclusion. Learn to bring your hearts to this, whatsoever your case is, still to believe his power, and to be able to say still, the Lord can do it; and it is not a small matter to be able to say so. When the Churches are very low, and there is no hope, and you see little help, a man should go and pray with such cheerfulness and such hope, and confidence, as if it was the easiest thing in the world to help them; which you would do, if you did believe that GOD is Almighty. You know what the case of the Church was in Ahasuerus time, yet fasting and praying made a great change in the sudden. Nay when the Church is down, yet pray with as great hope, as if it had the best props to hold it up, for the Lord is able to raise it up again.
But to draw this use to a conclusion. Learne to bring your hearts to this, whatsoever your case is, still to beleeve his power, and to be able to say still, the Lord can doe it; and it is not a small matter to be able to say so. When the Churches are very low, and there is no hope, and you see little helpe, a man should goe and pray with such chearfulnesse and such hope, and confidence, as if it was the easiest thing in the world to helpe them; which you would doe, if you did beleeve that GOD is Allmighty. You know what the case of the Church was in Ahasuerus time, yet fasting and praying made a great change in the suddaine. Nay when the Church is downe, yet pray with as great hope, as if it had the best props to holde it up, for the Lord is able to raise it up againe.
I will give you two instances, that you may consider the Lords power on both sides; his power to raise it up from a low condition; (as now, if you consider the miserable estate of the Church in Christendom at this time:) as it appears by the vision of the dry bones in Ezekiel: the meaning whereof is, that when the people are as low as low may be, like dead men, buried men, men scattered to the four winds, yet saith the Lord, I will put life into them; I will raise them and make them a great army, and I will put grace into them, and make them living men; that is, though the Church ⟨p. 202⟩