A09977:787
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.
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⟩be never so low, yet the Lord can put life into it, and make a wonderful change.
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 Christendome at this time:) as it appeares 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 foure windes, 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⟩be never so low, yet the Lord can put life into it, and make a wonderfull change.
Again, there is no Church so safe, (as we do think our selves now, and as the Palatinate did think themselves) but that yet the Lord can make a sudden change, and bring them down, as well as he could raise these dry bones; and as he hath done to others already. This you shall see. Lam. 4.12. The Kings and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed, that the adversary and the enemy could have entered into the gates of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was so strong, there was such probability of safety, that no man would ever have believed that the enemy and the adversary should ever have entered into the gates thereof. Yet the Almighty power of GOD brought them down on a sudden, and laid them flat to the ground. Therefore let the case be what it will be, suppose a nation be never so strong, yet GOD can bring them down; and let it be never so weak and low, yet the Lord is able to raise them up. And it is true of every particular thing also; then believe this Almighty power of GOD, and apply it, whatsoever thy case be; consider that thou hast to do with an Almighty God.