Four useful discourses viz. ... /Four usefull discourses viz. ... /

But, Lastly, If this be so, That the Errand is to bring Peace to your Souls: Then hence you Learn what you are to come for, when you come to hear Sermons; you hear that at such a time there is such a Sermon, or a new Man there is come among you, and you come to hear what he can say; or you hear that in such or such a place, there is a very witty Man, and of Excellent parts; and you come to hear what he can say: But alas, you deceive your own Souls all this while: You should come with a Disposition of Spirit, I am now going to hear the Doctrine of Peace between God and my Soul, to attend upon the Ministry of Reconciliation this day. And though the very word be not spoken of Peace, yet the Word, that doth tend to the making peace between God and my Soul. And indeed, when you feel the Ministry of the Gospel working of your Hearts into peace with God, then hath it had the true genuine proper Effect upon your Hearts, that God hath appointed it for. But if you only shall sit under the Ministry of the Word, and it may be only Gain some further knowledge in ⟨p. 147⟩the things of Religion, that you never knew before, or be enabled to Discourse of something in Divinity, more than you could before: What's this to the Fruit of the Ministry of the Gospel? No: But can you say, Blessed be God, the Lord hath made known to my Soul, what my Estate was by Nature: The Lord hath opened to me, the Doctrine of Reconciliation: The Lord hath shown to my Soul, how I am to make peace with God, and that in another manner of way than ever I thought of: I come now to see it to be another manner of Mystery of Godliness, than ever I imagined before. Can you say so now? Hath the Gospel had this end of it upon your Hearts? O then, it hath had the Effect that the Lord doth send it for. And thus much for the Third Note of Observation, That the Work of Ministers is to bring Peace, the Message of Peace to People.

But, Lastly, If this be so, That the Errand is to bring Peace to your Souls: Then hence you Learn what you are to come for, when you come to hear Sermons; you hear that at such a time there is such a Sermon, or a new Man there is come among you, and you come to hear what he can say; or you hear that in such or such a place, there is a very witty Man, and of Excellent parts; and you come to hear what he can say: But alass, you deceive your own Souls all this while: You should come with a Disposition of Spirit, I am now going to hear the Doctrine of Peace between God and my Soul, to attend upon the Ministry of Reconciliation this day. And though the very word be not spoken of Peace, yet the Word, that doth tend to the making peace between God and my Soul. And indeed, when you feel the Ministry of the Gospel working of your Hearts into peace with God, then hath it had the true genuine proper Effect upon your Hearts, that God hath appointed it for. But if you only shall sit under the Ministry of the Word, and it may be only Gain some further knowledge in