A10015:14
The saints submission and Satan's overthrowThe saints submission and Sathans overthrow
The saints submission and Satan's overthrow. Or, Sermons on James 4.7. By that faithful and reverend divine, John Preston, Doctor in divinity, Chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emmanuel College, sometime preacher of Lincolns-InnThe saints submission and Sathans overthrow. Or, Sermons on James 4.7. By that faithfull and reverend divine, Iohn Preston, Doctor in divinitie, Chaplaine in ordinarie to his Majestie, Master of Emmanuel Colledge, sometime preacher of Lincolnes-Inne
London: printed by J. Dawson, 1638
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
For the better understanding of the first exhortation, we may consider these particulars. First, what the submission here required is. Secondly, what are the reasons to enforce it. Thirdly, the uses of the point. For the first, this submission may be thus described, it is a gracious ⟨p. 10⟩frame of the heart whereby the whole man doth submit it self unto the Law of God, in all things & in all estates. For the particulars in this description, they may thus be explained, first the heart must be brought into a right frame and order, concerning this frame & order of the heart see, 1 Chron. 29. 18. and Isa. 43. 21. This frame ⟨p. 11⟩must be of the whole heart, it's called a gracious frame to distinguish it from that evil frame of heart which is in wicked men mentioned, Gen. 6. 5. the reason why this gracious disposition of the heart is required, is, because God at the first did plant his Image in man, whereby he was set in an excellent frame, and this image God requires ⟨p. 12⟩to be repaired again in man, even the same image for substance though not for degree: the same for all the parts, though not for the perfections of the parts, and therefore we find that the regenerating of a man to be the renewing of Gods image in him. This gracious frame of heart God hath promised to his people, ⟨p. 13⟩as we may see, Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you an hart of flesh: the fulfilling of this promise we may see, Rom. 8. 29. This image of God therefore must be restored in the soul as appears,