A09977:790
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.
Answ. You must learn to do in this case, as Christ ⟨p. 203⟩did: Lord if thou wilt, let this cup pass from me; yet not my will but thine be done. Just after this manner you ought to do in every one of these cases, where there is no hope: you must say thus, Lord, it is possible to thee to do it, be the case as desperate as it will be. As suppose a man hath a stone in the bladder, which we think an incurable disease, because the stone is so hard, and cannot be softened, yet it is possible to him; he can so lodge it, and bed it, that it shall do you no hurt; and if he do take away this life, yet he gives you a better; if it do pain you here, yet he will give you joy and peace, which is far better than to endure a little pain in the flesh. I say, you ought to do as Christ did in this case; and remember this, that in such a case, your business is not with the power, but with the will of GOD: that is, you must say, Lord I know it is possible that this cup may pass, but Lord, here is all the matter; it is my desire that it should pass, and it may be it is thy will that it shall not, Lord, if this be the case, it is meet my will should yield, and that thy will should be done: As if Christ should have said, Lord, I will give thee this honour, that thou canst remove this cup from me, but if thou doest not, it is not thy will to do so; and I am content. So do thou give the Lord this glory of his power in every case, that he can do it, if it be his will.
Answ. You must learne to doe in this case, as Christ ⟨p. 203⟩did: Lord if thou wilt, let this cuppe passe from me; yet not my will but thine be done. Iust after this manner you ought to doe in every one of these cases, where there is no hope: you must say thus, Lord, it is possible to thee to doe it, be the case as desperate as it will be. As suppose a man hath a stone in the bladder, which we thinke an incurable disease, because the stone is so hard, and cannot be softened, yet it is possible to him; he can so lodge it, and bed it, that it shall doe you no hurt; and if he doe take away this life, yet he gives you a better; if it doe paine you here, yet he will give you joy and peace, which is farre better than to indure a little paine in the flesh. I say, you ought to doe as Christ did in this case; and remember this, that in such a case, your businesse is not with the power, but with the will of GOD: that is, you must say, Lord I know it is possible that this cup may passe, but Lord, here is all the matter; it is my desire that it should passe, and it may be it is thy will that it shall not, Lord, if this be the case, it is meet my will should yeeld, and that thy will should be done: As if Christ should have said, Lord, I will give thee this honour, that thou canst remove this cup from mee, but if thou doest not, it is not thy will to doe so; and I am content. So doe thou give the Lord this glory of his power in every case, that hee can doe it, if it be his will.