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 Mr. Rowe, Master Manton, and Master Griffith.

To the Reader.

Good Reader,

THere are two things always in com∣petition for the throne God and Self: lay aside God, and Self steppeth in as the next Heir: there are four un∣doubted priviledges and prero∣gatives 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, in∣terests, and concernments in the world: the highest Lord, to sway all things by his Laws and Pro∣vidence: & the last end, in which all things do at length termi∣nate and centre. Now the great Idol of the world Self (as Reuben went into his Fathers bed) seek∣eth to usurp this peculiar honour, which is only due unto God; we seek to justle him out from being the first Cause by self-de∣pendance, the chiefest good by self∣love, the highest Lord by self-will, and the last end by self-seeking: in other Treatises already pub∣lished, 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 wil∣ling 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 set∣ting 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 su∣pream reason of all things: usu∣ally the great contest between us and God, is, whose 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, Fa∣ther, not my will, but thine be done.

This Treatise, as it deserveth respect from the nobleness of the subject of it, so for the advan∣tage 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, actu∣ally Printed during the Authors life; and the reason of its not being finished then, was be cause some things in it, especial∣ly

that which concerned the permissive will of God and our duty under it, requiring deep consi∣deration and great exactness, made the Author delay the publicati∣on of it.

Now this is intimated not only to commend the Work to thy acceptance, but to give thee some account of that dis∣proportion which possibly may be discerned between the for∣mer and latter part of the Book; for though the materials be equally weighty throughout, yet the former part being print∣ed whilest Master Strong li∣ved, 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 accom∣plish the whole good pleasure of his will in our souls.

We are thine in the Lord Jesus,

• ...John Rowe.
• ...Tho. Manton.
• ...George Griffith.

Notes

• Ierem. 44.28, 29.