The Subordination of the Will of Man Unto the Will of God, Title page – Table

The Subordination of the Will of Man Unto the Will of God · Title page – Table

A TREATISE Shewing the Subordination of the WILL of MAN Unto the WILL of GOD.

By that eminently godly, able, and faithfull Miniſter of Chriſt, WILLIAM STRONG, lately of the Abbey at Weſtminſter.

The greateſt part Printed with his own Marginal Quotations in his Life Time, and now publiſhed by M^r. Rowe, Maſter Manton, and Maſter Griffith.

LONDON, Printed by R.W. for Francis Tyton at the three Daggers in Fleetſtreet, near the Inner Temple-Gate, 1657.

To the Reader.

Good Reader,

THere are two things always in competition for the throne God and Self: lay aſide God, and Self ſteppeth in as the next Heir: there are four undoubted priviledges and prerogatives which belong to God, and are as it were the flowers of the Crown of Heaven, not to be alienated or communicated to any creature; theſe are to be the firſt cauſe upon whom all things depend in their being and operation; the chiefeſt good, and ſo to be valued above all beings, intereſts, and concernments in the world: the higheſt Lord, to ſway all things by his Laws and Providence: & the laſt end, in which all things do at length terminate and centre. Now the great Idol of the world Self (as Reuben went into his Fathers bed) ſeeketh to uſurp this peculiar honour, which is only due unto God; we ſeek to juſtle him out from being the firſt Cauſe by ſelf-dependance, the chiefeſt good by ſelflove, the higheſt Lord by ſelf-will, and the laſt end by ſelf-ſeeking: in other Treatiſes already publiſhed, the Author hath pleaded Gods Right againſt Self, as he is chiefeſt Good; he now pleadeth his ſoveraignty againſt ſelf-will, as he is the higheſt Lord: we own God as the higheſt Lord by a willing and full obedience to his Laws, and an abſolute ſubjection to the dominion of his providence; the one is holyneſs, and the other is patience; that which we call Religion, is nothing elſe but the right poyſe of the will, or the ſetting of it in its due and proper place, to have our Created wills ſteered and guided by the rule and meaſure of the divine and uncreated will, which is the ſupream reaſon of all things: uſually the great conteſt between us and God, is, Ierem. 44.28, 29.Jer 44:28Jer 44:29whoſe will ſhall ſtand, or be ſupream, his or ours; and hence come rebellious murmurings and diſcontents, and all the confuſions that are in the world, and it will never be otherwiſe till the creature learn to keep its rank and place, and we ſay with our Lord Jeſus, Father, not my will, but thine be done.

This Treatiſe, as it deſerveth reſpect from the nobleneſs of the ſubject of it, ſo for the advantage it hath of other pieces of the Authors already Printed; for whereas they were made up from his own private Notes, not intended for publike uſes, and ſome few ſupplies from them who could beſt take after him in preaching, this was fitted and prepared for the preſs; yea and as to the greater part of it, actually Printed during the Authors life; and the reaſon of its not being finiſhed then, was be cauſe ſome things in it, eſpecially that which concerned the permiſsive will of God and our duty under it, requiring deep conſideration and great exactneſs, made the Author delay the publication of it.

Now this is intimated not only to commend the Work to thy acceptance, but to give thee ſome account of that diſproportion which poſsibly may be diſcerned between the former and latter part of the Book; for though the materials be equally weighty throughout, yet the former part being printed whileſt Maſter Strong lived, ſeemeth to have more of luſtre and ornament in it.

Now the good Lord work us to a more ſubmiſsive frame of ſpirit every day, and accompliſh the whole good pleaſure of his will in our ſouls.

We are thine in the Lord Jeſus,

John Rowe.

Tho. Manton.

George Griffith.

The Table of the Scriptures.