A10015:67
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 first, We must have our hearts filled with grace, which is an especial means, the reason may be gathered out of the Parable, Luk. 11. 24, 25. When he cometh he findeth it swept, and garnished; that is, void of goodness, empty of grace: were it not for this he could not have entered, our hearts therefore must be filled with grace. ⟨p. 169⟩The Conscience of man is like a strong fortress, out of which he casteth this his enemy who had possession of it, or like an house wherein the devil dwelt and took delight, which when he is cast out of, he goeth up and down through dry places, that is seeking to get in, and enter into some others; seeking ⟨p. 170⟩rest and finding none, that is not able to enter into any others, he returns again, and as an enemy cast out of a strong hold, if he be not withstood by a garrison, gets possession again; So if Satan returning finds not a garrison of graces and virtues fortifying the man, if there be but the least room void enters again into ⟨p. 171⟩him, which if the conscience had been full of grace he could not have done. As in nature, non datur vacuum, there is no place empty; So in the heart of man there will be something or other, if it be not filled with good thoughts, it will be filled with bad: if it be not filled with the graces of Gods Spirit, it will be filled with Satan's temptations. ⟨p. 172⟩This may rather be called emptiness then fullness; a thing is said to be empty, when it is void of that it should be filled withal. A Well when there is no water in it, is said to be empty, though it be full of air. So long as the true fullness of Gods grace tastes in our hearts, so long the devil cannot enter, but when there is not ⟨p. 173⟩this fullness, then according to the measure of vacuity more or less, Satan entering into a man doth possess him. Moreover, as there is a double emptiness, so there is a double fullness. First, there is an emptiness of knowledge, such was in those Gentiles of whom the Apostle speaks,