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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09977	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.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Ball, Thomas, 1589 or 90-1659.; Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.	1631 (1631)	STC 20231; ESTC S115069	220,964	434

torches appeare to be nothing when wee looke upon the Sunne so if we could consider aright of the greatnesse of God all the faire speeches of men would be as nothing Now the way to get this magnanimity is to beleeve this greatnesse of God and to consider that wee are the sonnes of God and heires of heaven the cause of this pusillanimity is the want of faith If wee did beleeve that we were the sonnes of God and did beleeve that GOD would be with us that he was so great a GOD and that hee did stand by and second us we should not be so fearefull as we are Therefore strengthen your faith that you may have your mindes inlarged that so you may walke without impediments and be perfect with him as it is said of Abraham that hee was perfect with God in all his wayes FINIS THE SIXTEENTH SERMON EXOD. 3.13 14. And Moses said unto God Behold when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them the God of your fathers hath sent mee unto you and they shall say unto me what is his name what shall I say unto them And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM c. Answ. IF you aske the question Quest. How a man shall come to this greatnesse of mind what rise it hath from the greatnesse of God I answer First it ariseth thus from it When a man considers that GOD is so exceeding great and that hee hath interest in him that will make him to despise all other things as small things in comparison of him Indeed if GOD was great and we had no interest in him then there was no cause why wee should take to our selves this magnanimity upon any such ground but seeing that he is so great and that his greatnes shall be improved to our advantage what addition can any thing else make unto us You shall see that Paul raised his heart upon this ground Phil. 3.8 considering the priviledges that hee had in Christ this makes him to account other things as nothing Hence in Iames 1.10 Let him that is of a high degree rejoyce in that hee is made low that is let him rejoyce that hee is inabled to looke upon his riches which he did so highly magnifie before to thinke them as nothing but as fading flowers let him rejoyce in it because now he is made a greater man because he seemes too bigge for them they are no such things as before he thought them to be not that they are made lesse but because he is exalted and lifted above them Secondly so likewise there is a rise for it in this regard because he is able to defend us and protect us and beare us out against all opposition You see that men looke great because they have got great men or Princes to beare themselves upon But when men consider that they have the great God on their side to beare themselves upon why should not they have great mindes Thus Moses Hebr. 11. regarded not the wrath of the King because hee did see that GOD that was invisible that is when he considered GOD in his greatnesse the King and his wrath were nothing to him So that the way to get this magnanimity is to beleeve that GOD is our GOD and according to the greatnesse of a mans faith such will be this greatnes and magnanimity of minde that we commend to you Saul when he was a King had a new heart and a new spirit because when he beleeved in earnest that he was a King he looked upon things after another manner he had other thoughts and other affections than he had before and so would any man else if he were advanced from a meane estate to a kingdome And if we did beleeve that wee were the sonnes of the great God of heaven and earth wee would have great mindes therefore the stronger our faith is the greater our minde is Onely this is to be added that this faith must not be in the habit onely in thee but it must bee exercised and renewed continually there must not be onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the actuall use of it And were that which GOD said to Abraham I am thy exceeding great reward were this beheld of any of us that GOD is so great and that this greatnesse is our exceeding great reward then all other rewards would seeme but small things You shall see what David did upon this ground in Psal. 27.1 The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid See here are two things First he considers that GOD is his He is my salvation Secondly he considers the greatnesse and strength and power of God and from thence he drawes this conclusion whom shall I feare For in thee doe I trust that is in this power and greatnesse of GOD and the interest that I have in him Psal. 46.1.2.3 GOD is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Therefore will we not feare though the earth be removed and though the mountaines be carried into the midst of the Sea though the waters thereof roare and bee troubled and though the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof that is when GOD is seene in his greatnesse when we looke vpon him and beleeve him to be such a God and that we have interest in him in the greatest trouble and confusion that can befall vs though the earth be shaken and the mountaines cast into the midst of the Sea yet the minde will not be shaken but still remaines the same They beare out all because they have a great God to beare themselves vpon who will protect and defend them vpon all occasions Vse 2 If GOD be so great and infinite as he is hence we should learne to feare him and to tremble at his word A great and potent enemy men will feare therefore this is one use that we are to make of the greatnesse of GOD that his wrath is exceeding great and so is his goodnesse and both are to be feared Wee ought to feare his wrath lest it come upon us and his goodnesse least we loose it for he is a great God and his wrath is able to crush in peices and to consume us as he expressed it when hee put forth but some part of his strength as when he consumed them with their Censers even the company of Corah Dathan and Abiram Who can dwell with everlasting burnings as if he should say he is a great God who can come neere him who can converse with him how shall men deale with him Some of them there made an evill use of it but we must learne to make use of it for our owne advantage to take heed how we provoke him for is it a small thing to have the great God of heaven and earth our enemy Let them consider this that live without GOD in the world

who is it that hath drawn these waters out of the earth and caused it to stand out of the waters and made it habitable for men and beasts saith he was it not the LORD 2 And was not this proved by the Floud vers 6. whereby the world that then was being overflowed with waters perished that is the waters when God tooke away his hand returned to their place and covered the face of the earth Now who was it that did drie the earth againe and now reserveth it to the day of Iudgement to be destroyed by fire And this hee proveth by the famous story of the Floud You have heard of it saith he but of this they are willingly ignorant that is they are such things as may bee knowne but by reason of your lusts which obscure your knowledge and hide those parts of nature and reason which God hath planted in your hearts therefore of these things you are willingly ignorant Answ. 2 And therefore besides wee will give this second answer to those that make this objection That things are not alike since the creation For 1 The course of Nature hath beene turned many times as those miracles that the LORD wrought in stopping the course of the Sunne and making of it go backward he made the waters to runne a contrary course and stopped the heat of the fire and the efficacie of it so that it could doe the three Children no harme 2 Besides those miracles look upon the things done amongst us and you shall see though they are not contrary to Nature yet Nature is turned of its course as in our bodies there be sicknesses and distempers so there are in the great bodie of the World strange inundations stirres and alterations now if there were not a free Agent that governes these why are these things so and why no more why doe these things goe so far and no further why are there any alterations at all and when any alterations come to passe who is he that stoppeth them why doth the sea over-flow some places and goe no further who is he that sets bounds to them but only the Lord Therfore this we may learne from it the constancie of these things shewes the wisdome of God as it is wisdome in us to doe things constantly and againe the variety of things shewes the liberty of the Agent for the actions of Nature are determined to one but God shewes his liberty in this that he can change and alter them at his pleasure Besides the things that are ordinary amongst us wherein there is no such swarving but they are constant in their course doth not God guide them and dispose of them as he pleaseth as the former and latter raine doth not God give more or lesse according to his good pleasure which shewes that all things have not continued alike but that there is a God that governes the world And as it is thus with naturall things so in other things also you shall see some judgements and rewards upon some and not upon others Object Oh but you say the world hath continued very long and there is a promise of his comming but we see no such thing Answ. But saith the LORD A thousand yeares are to me but as one day and one day as a thousand yeares As if he should say it may seeme long to you who measure time by motion and revolution to your narrow understanding it may seeme long but to God it doth not A thousand yeares with him is but as one day Where by the way we shall answer that fond objection Object How the Lord imployed himselfe before the creation of the World Answ. A thousand yeares to him is but as one day and againe one day is as the longest time that is there is no difference of time with him To which I may adde this that who knoweth what the Lord hath done Indeed he made but one world to our knowledge but who knoweth what he did before and what he will doe after who knowes his counsels and who is able to judge of him or of his actions we can know no more nor judge no otherwise than he hath revealed we have no other booke to looke into but the booke of his Word and the booke of this World and therefore to seeke any further is to be wise above sobrietie and above that which is written Object 2 But whence then comes this promiscuous administration of things which seemes to make things runne upon wheeles they have no certaine course but are turned upside downe whence comes this to passe if there be a God that rules heaven and earth Answ. For answer of this looke in Ezek. 1. where you have an expression of this of things running upon wheeles wherein you may observe these things 1 That all things here below are exceeding mutable and therefore compared to Wheeles and they are turned about as easie as a wheele so that a man may wonder at their variety and turning 2 But yet these wheeles have eyes in them that is though we see not the reason of things in them yet they have eyes in them they have something to be discerned the speech is a metaphor and a metonymie too shewing that there is something in their events that may shew the reason of their Turning if we could discerne it but it is oft hidden from us 3 And these Wheeles are stirred but as the beasts stirre them that is there is nothing done here below but they are done by the instruments of God namely the Angels 4 And these Angels first have faces like men that is the wisdome of men and on the other side secondly a face like a Lion for their strength thirdly there is service and laboriousnesse in them as in Oxen fourthly there is swiftnesse in them as in Eagles and this is meant of the Angels that order and guide the course of things and change them as we see continually 5 Againe as these Wheeles move not but as they are guided by them and both move by the Spirit that is what God commands them they execute they goe when he would have them go and stand still when he would have them 6 Againe for the manner of their motion every one of them had foure faces that is they could looke every way from East to West and from North to South when as man can see but one way before him he cannot looke on the right side or the left or behinde him and therefore he may be deceived but these looke every way So also the feet on which they goe are not like mens feet to goe forward only but like calves feet that is they were round feet which goe either forward or backward so as they are easily turned and as they see every way so they are apt to goe every way and this with the greatest facilitie that can be Let a man set any thing on worke and it must needs runne in such a chanell in such a way

desire Answ. There is no way in the world but this Labour to be humbled for thy sinnes to get a broken heart for them for then a man comes to prize grace exceeding much and worldly things as nothing For this is a sure rule When thou feelest thy sinnes to lie heavie upon thee then all the things in the world will appeare light therefore labour to know the bitternesse of sinne it is that which sets an edge upon all our spirituall desires without this a man doth but cheapen the kingdome of heaven he doth as the people did with Rehoboam they expostulated with him about their serving him so wee doe capitulate with the Lord as it were and stand upon termes with him untill we are humbled and then we are ready to take heaven upon any condition Till a man be thus humbled his desires are remisse and weake and flaggy desires they raise up great buildings upon no foundation the foundation is weake and crazie and so the building comes downe And hence is it that men put their hand to the plough and looke backe againe A scholler will serve the Lord if hee may have eminency in gifts and outward excellency or some honour in the flesh but all this while his desires are remisse but when he is once humbled then he will say with Saint Paul Lord what wilt thou have me to doe and I will doe it whatsoever it is and whatsoever thou wouldest have me to suffer I will suffer it He will take the kingdome of heaven by violence and then his resolutions continue constant that way For what can Satan do to him wil he take away his pleasure from him his wealth or his credit they are things that hee hath despised before he can take nothing from him but what he cares not for It is the bitternesse of sinne that makes him now to prize Gods love and favour above all thing Thirdly thou must renew thy resolution oft it is not enough to set the heart in a good frame of grace for a day or two or for a moneth but thou must have a constant course in doing of it ever and anon as the Dutch men use to doe with their bankes that keepe them with little cost because they looke narrowly to them if there be but the least breach they make it up presently otherwise the water makes a breach upon them So thou shouldest doe with thy heart observe it from day to day marke what objections come that thou canst not answer what lusts and desires doe overballance thee and learne still to renew thy reasons and resolutions against them and this will make thee constant and firme and peremptory in well-doing NOw I come to the next Attribute and that is The Greatnesse of God or his Infinitenesse We follow in this rather the rule of the Scripture than the tract of the Schoolemen and wee insist upon those that God doth especially take to him in Scripture Now that God takes this Attribute to himselfe you shall see in 2 Chron. 2.5 For great is our God above all Gods Psal. 135.5 For I know that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all Gods But the place that I would chiefly commend to you is this Psal. 145.3 Great is the Lord and most worthy to be praised and his greatnesse is unsearchable Where you see that it is an infinite and incomprehensible greatnesse that the Lord takes to himselfe So Psal. 147.5 Great is our God and of great power and his understanding is infinite In handling of this I will shew you these two things First I will shew you how this greatnesse of God is gathered from the Scriptures Secondly I will shew you the reason of it as I have done in the rest The greatnesse of God is declared to us in the Scripture by these sixe things First By the workes of his creation The greatnesse of the workes doe shew the greatnesse the maker Isay 40.12 Who hath measured the heavens in the hollow of his hand and meted out the heavens with a spanne and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountaines in scales and the hills in a ballance that is If you would looke upon any worke you may judge of the workeman by it if you see a great building you conceive it to be made by a man of some power now when you looke upon the great building of heaven and earth you may thinke that he that handles the materialls as an Architect doth handle the stones and lay them in their place is great now the Lord doth put the waters together as if he held them in his hand and hee measures out the heavens as a workeman measures out the roofe Againe every workeman must worke by plummet and by weight now consider the great mountaines saith he he weighes them in scales and the hills in a ballance as this building doth goe beyond mans so doth the greatnesse of God exceed the greatnesse of man and by this you may take a glimpse of the greatnesse of the Lord. Secondly by the ensignes of his greatnesse The greatnesse of Princes is set out by those outward signes which are the declaration of it Now when the Lord would shew his greatnesse you shall see how he expresseth it Deut. 4.36 When he came out of the Mount they heard a great voice and on the earth there was a great fire by that you may know the greatnesse of God For why doth hee come out with those ensignes clothed with them as it were but that by this you might have a crevice opened to shew you the greatnesse of God So when he appeared to Elias and in his apparitions to Moses to the Prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel It is said also that his voice was as the sound of many waters and he was so terrible that is was a vsuall saying among the Iewes Who can see God and live why so Because when he appeared when he shewed any shadow of his greatnesse weake flesh could not behold him but was swallowed up as it were with the greatnesse of his Majesty Thirdly By the workes of his providence Ezek. 36.23 And I will sanctifie my great Name which was prophaned among the heathen which yee have prophaned in the middest of them and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD saith the Lord GOD when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes As if hee should say They make no account of me now but when they shall see me to bring downe great Babel then they shall know and beleeve that I am a great GOD. So else where in Ezechiel hee compareth Ashur and Tire to a Lyon and Eagle and a Cedar and hee saith that hee will put a hooke into the Lyon and deplume the Eagle and overtop the Cedar that is hee will shew forth his greatnesse at that time when he shall bring downe those great nations So the greatnesse of GOD is seene

looke how men doe this in a greater measure so much greater Atheisme they have Againe if you doe beleeve that there is such a God what is the reason when you have any thing to doe that you runne to creatures and seek help from them and busie your selves wholly about outward meanes and seeke not to God by prayer and renewing of your repentance if you did fully beleeve that there is a God you would rather doe this Againe What is the reason that men are carried away with the present as Aristotle cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this same very nunc doth transport a man from the wayes of vertue to vice that they are too busie about the body and are carelesse of the immortall soule that they suffer that to lye like a forlorne prisoner and to sterve within them Would you doe so if you did beleeve that there is such a God that made the soule to whom it must returne and give an account and live with him for ever Againe what is the reason that men doe seeke so for the things of this life are so carefull in building houses gathering estates and preparing for themselves here such goodly mansions for their bodies and spend no time to adorne the soule when yet these doe but grace us amongst men and are only for present use and looke not for those things which commend the soule to God and regard not eternity in which the soule must live I say what is the reason of this if there be not some grounds of secret Atheisme in men What is the reason that there is such stupidity in men that the threatnings will not move them they will be moved with nothing like beasts but present strokes that they doe not fore-see the plague to prevent it but go on and are punished And so for Gods promises and rewards Why will you not forbeare sinne that you may receive the promises and the rewards Whence is this stupiditie both wayes Why are we as beasts led with sensuality that we will not be drawne to that which belongs to God and his Kingdome Is not this an argument of secret Atheisme and impiety in the heart of every man more or lesse Againe what is the reason that when men come into the presence of God they carry themselves so negligently not caring how their soules are clad and what the behaviour of their spirits is before him If you should come before men you would looke that your cloaths be neat and decent and you will carry your selves with such reverence as becomes him in whose presence you stand this proceeds from Atheisme in the hearts of men not beleeving the Lord to be hee that fills the Heaven and the Earth Therefore as you finde these things in you more or lesse so labour to confirme this principle more and more to your selves and you should say when you heare these arguments certainly I will beleeve it more firmely surely I will hover no more about it To what end are more lights brought but that you should see things more clearely which you did not before So that this double use you shall make of it One is to fix this conclusion in you hearts and to fasten it daily upon your soules Vse 2 The second is if there be such a mightie God then labour to draw such consequences as may arise from such a conclusion As if there be such a one that fils Heaven and Earth then looke upon him as one that sees all you doe and heares whatsoever you speake As when you see a ship passe thorow the sea and see the sailes applied to the wind and taken downe and hoysed up againe as the wind requires and shall see it keepe such a constant course to such a haven avoiding the rockes and sands you will say surely there is one within that guides it for it could not doe this of it selfe or as when you look upon the body of man and see it live and move and doe the actions of a living man you must needs say the bodie could not doe this of it selfe but there must be something within that quickens it and causeth all the actions even so when you looke upon the creatures and see them to doe such things which of themselves they are no more able to doe than the body can doe the actions that it doth without the soule therefore hence you may gather that there is a God that fils Heaven and Earth and doth whatsoever hee pleaseth and if this be so then draw nigh to him converse with him and walke with him from day to day observe him in all his dealings with us and our dealings with him and one with another be thankfull to him for all the blessings wee enjoy and flye to him for succour in all dangers and upon all occasions THE SECOND SERMON HEBREWES 11.6 He that commeth to God must beleeve that GOd is c. BEfore we come to the second sort of arguments to prove this principle that GOD is by faith we thinke it necessarie to answer some objections of Atheisme which may arise and trouble the hearts of men Object 1 Men are ready to say that which you shall finde in 2 Pet. 3.4 All things have continued alike since the creation That is when men looke upon the condition of things they see the Sunne rise and set againe and see the rivers runne in a circle into the sea the day followes the night c. the winds returne in their compasses and they have done so continually and there is no alteration therefore they doubt whether there be such a God that hath given a beginning to these things and shall give an end Answ. 1 For answer to this consider that these bodies of ours which we carry about with us which we know had a beginning and shall have an end that there is something in them that is as constant as any of the former as the beating of the pulse the breathing of the lungs and the motion of the heart and yet the body had a beginning and shall have an end Now what is the difference betweene these two It is but small this continueth only for some tithes of yeares but the world for thousands the difference is not great and therefore why should you not thinke it had a beginning as well as your body and likewise shall have an ending See what the Apostle saith in this place though all things continue alike yet there are two reasons whereby hee proves that God made the world and that the world shall have an end 1 The first is laid downe in verse 5. For this they are willingly ignorant of that by the Word of GOD the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the waters and in the waters That is naturally the waters would cover the earth as it did at the beginning for the naturall place of the waters is above the earth even as of the aire above the waters Now

bring it to passe be it poverty in your estates or debts which a man is not able to overwrastle if there be a blemish in your names and you cannot tell how to have it healed or any weaknesse in your body and which is more than all this if there be a lust that ye cannot overcome a temptation which ye cannot be rid of if there be a deadnesse of spirit in you and indisposednesse to holy duties and yee cannot tell how to get life and quickening remember that there is an Allmighty power revealed for that end and it is our parts to make use of it though it be an hereditary disease in thee now you know an hereditary disease is that which we have from our parents though thou hast such a disease such a strong lust yet thinke with thy selfe the Lord is able to heale this Iam. 4.6 A place named before But he giveth more grace c. As if he should say when hee had tolde them of the lusts that fight in their members this objection comes in Alas wee are not able to master these lusts It is true saith the Apostle the lusts that are in us doe lust against the spirit as naturally as the stone descends downeward but how should wee heale them say you How The Scripture giveth more grace that is there is an omnipotent power which can heale all this So Matth. 19.26 With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible It is a place worthy consideration Saith our Saviour It is impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heaven why say the Disciples Who then can be saved Indeed saith Christ it is impossible with men but with God all things are possible The meaning is this when a man hath riches that is when the object is present and before him a man cannot of himselfe but set his heart upon them and when a mans heart is set upon them no man in the world can weane his heart from those riches what shall we doe then Why saith hee the LORD hath an Allmighty power he is able to mortifie these lusts We can no more doe it than a cable rope can goe through the eye of a needle Now that which is said of riches may be said of any lust Let an ambitious man have honour or such an object sutable to a carnall minde hee cannot choose but set his heart upon it now when that lust is set upon an object a Camell may as well goe through a needle as hee can loose his heart from these lusts but yet the Lord can doe it With him all things are possible And what the Apostle saith of the Iewes Rom. 11.23 The Lord can ingraft them in againe as bad as they be though the wrath of GOD be gone over them to the utmost yet GOD can doe it so is it true of thy selfe and any one else the Lord can if hee will to him nothing is impossible Thinke with your selves that he that can draw such beautifull flowers out of so dry an earth as you looke upon in winter though thou hast an heart as farre from grace as the flowers seeme to be from comming forth in the midst of winter yet he that can do so in nature is able to doe the like in grace also as he did to Paul and Mary Magdalen Now consider what they would have beene without his power and by his power we may be as excellent as they To confirme this consider what a change grace hath wrought even among us how many amongst us that of proud have become humble of fierce and cruell have become gentle of loose sober of weake strong c. Goe therefore to him beleeve this and apply it and it is sure it shall be according to thy faith If a man would goe to the Lord and say to him Lord I have such a lust and cannot overcome it and I want griefe and sorrow for sinne thou that hast an allmighty power thou that didst draw light out of darknesse thou art able to make such a change in my heart thou hast an allmighty power and to thee nothing is impossible I say let a man doe so and the Lord will put forth his power to effect the thing that thou desirest Surely hee which establisheth the earth upon nothing and keepes the winde in his fists and bounds the water as in a garment can fixe the most unsetled minde and the wildest disposition and set bounds to the most loose and intemperate Vse 3 If God be allmighty you must beleeve this allmightinesse of his and whereas you say wee doubt not of his power but of his will I will shew to you that all our doubts and discouragements and dejections doe arise from hence not because you thinke the LORD will not but because you thinke he cannot Therefore you know not your owne hearts in this in saying that you doubt not of the power of GOD. I will make this good to you by these arguments If we did not doubt of the power of GOD what is the reason that when you see a great probability of a thing you can goe and pray for it with great chearfulnesse but if there be no hope how doe your hands grow faint and your knees feeble in the duty You pray because the duty must not bee omitted but you doe not pray with a heart And so for endeavours are not your minds dejected doe you not sit still as men discouraged with your armes folded up if you see every doore shut up and there bee no probability of helpe from the creature And all this is for want of this faith would this bee if you did beleive this Allmighty power of GOD For cannot GOD doe it when things are not probable as well as when there are the fairest blossomes of hope Besides doe wee not heare this speech of man when the times are bad doe not men say oh wee shall never see better dayes And when a man is in affliction oh he thinkes this will never bee altered ' so if he be in prosperity they thinke there will bee no change Whence comes this but because we forget the Allmighty power of GOD If wee thought that hee could make such a change in a night as he doth in the weather as he did with Iob wee should not bee so dejected in case of adversity and so lift up in case of prosperity Besides men have not ordinarily more ability to believe then the Israelites had which were GODS owne people yet consider that these very men that had seen all those great plagues that the Lord brought upon the Egyptians I therein meane all his Allmighty power that saw his power in bringing them through the red sea and giving them bread and water in the wildernesse yet called his power into question and said that GOD could not bring them into the land of Canaan Yee will finde they did so Psa 78.41 They turned backe and limited the holy one