But thou hast in this Book, not only an excellent Subject in the general, but great variety of Matter, for the employment of thy Understanding, as well as enlivening thy Affections, and that too such as thou wilt not readily find elsewhere; many excellent things which are out of the rode of ordinary Preachers and Writers, and which may be grateful to the Curious, no less than satisfactory to the Wise and Judicious. It is not therefore a Book to be played with, or slept over, but read with the most intent and serious Mind; for though it afford much pleasure for the Fancy, yet much more work for the heart, and hath indeed enough in it to busy all the Faculties. The Dress is compt and decent, yet not garish nor Theatrical; the ⟨image 3⟩Rhetoric masculine and vigorous, such as became a Pulpit, and was never borrowed from the Stage; the Expressions full, clear, apt, and such as are best suited to the weightiness and spirituality of the Truths here delivered. 'Tis plain, he was no empty Preacher, but was more for sense than sound, filled up his words with matter, and chose rather to inform his Hearers Minds, than to claw any itching Ears. Yet we will not say but some little things, a Word, or a Phrase now and then he may have, which no doubt, had he lived to Transcribe his own Sermons, he would have altered. If in some lesser matters he differ from thee, it is but in such as Godly and Learned Men do frequently, and may without breach of Charity differ in among themselves; in some things he may differ from us too, and it may be we from each other; and where are there any two Persons, who have in all, especially the more disputable Points of Religion, exactly the same Sentiments, at least express themselves altogether in the same terms? But this we must say, that though he treat of many of the most abstruse and mysterious Doctrines of Christianity, which are the Subjects of great Debates and Controversies in the World, yet we find no one material thing in which he may justly be called Heterodox (unless old Heresies be of late grown Orthodox, and his differing from them must make him faulty) but generally delivers (as in his* former Pieces) what is most consonant to the Faith of This, and other the best Reformed Churches. He was not indeed for that Modern Divinity which is so much in vogue with some, who would be counted the only sound Divines;
But thou hast in this Book, not only an excellent Subject in the general, but great variety of Matter, for the employment of thy Understanding, as well as enlivening thy Affections, and that too such as thou wilt not readily find elsewhere; many excellent things which are out of the rode of ordinary Preachers and Writers, and which may be grateful to the Curious, no less than satisfactory to the Wise and Judicious. It is not therefore a Book to be play'd with, or slept over, but read with the most intent and serious Mind; for though it afford much pleasure for the Phancy, yet much more work for the heart, and hath indeed enough in it to busie all the Faculties. The Dress is compt and decent, yet not garish nor Theatrical; the ⟨image 3⟩Rhetorick masculine and vigorous, such as became a Pulpit, and was never borrowed from the Stage; the Expressions full, clear, apt, and such as are best suted to the weightiness and spirituality of the Truths here delivered. 'Tis plain, he was no empty Preacher, but was more for sense than sound, filled up his words with matter, and chose rather to inform his Hearers Minds, than to claw any itching Ears. Yet we will not say but some little things, a Word, or a Phrase now and then he may have, which no doubt, had he lived to Transcribe his own Sermons, he would have altered. If in some lesser matters he differ from thee, it is but in such as Godly and Learned Men do frequently, and may without breach of Charity differ in among themselves; in some things he may differ from us too, and it may be we from each other; and where are there any two Persons, who have in all, especially the more disputable Points of Religion, exactly the same Sentiments, at least express themselves altogether in the same terms? But this we must say, that though he treat of many of the most abstruse and mysterious Doctrines of Christianity, which are the Subjects of great Debates and Controversies in the World, yet we find no one material thing in which he may justly be called Heterodox (unless old Heresies be of late grown Orthodox, and his differing from them must make him faulty) but generally delivers (as in his* former Pieces) what is most consonant to the Faith of This, and other the best Reformed Churches. He was not indeed for that Modern Divinity which is so much in vogue with some, who would be counted the only sound Divines;
- *Treatise of Providence and of Thoughts.
