As I never can endure that mischievous Impertinency, of making the first or chief Exercise after our Hearing, to be upon that Question, How did you like the Sermon to day? So I am not much concerned about the Reception and Entertainment which may be given to this poor Sermon by the Readers of it. My not having more than half a day to prepare it in, made it incapable of being thus written, till since the Delivery of it; and it is now written, as near as well could be to what it was when Spoken: without many more Additions, I suppose, than may somewhat Balance the Omissions made in the Transcription. The Substaneous and so much Extemporaneous uttering of a Sermon, indeed I am so far from accounting a matter of Applause, that I do esteem it Evil and Sinful, and never free from Blame, unless Gods Providence, and not our Election have made it Unavoidable ▪ nor is any thing in the world ⟨image 3⟩more fulsome and nauseous, than for a Preacher to value himself upon such a Crime, as his not spending much time in Study. I do therefore beg pardon, that I offer you what is no better Studied; not without expectations, that whether you pardon me, or no, there are those that will make me run the Gantlets of their Censures for it; and yet had I never so much leisure for study, I would not, I could not offer you a more Needful Thing than the Matter, however I might offer you a more Curious thing than the Method of this Discourse. Accept the Sermon as a Little Messenger now sent into the Camp, after my Brethren, with a little parched Corn, to refresh them, against their Facing of the Philistines; and I beseech you, let none of them have their Anger so kindled, as to tell me, Why camest thou down hither? I know thy Pride; for give me leave to say it, What have I now done? is there not a Cause?
As I never can endure that mischievous Impertinency, of making the first or chief Exercise after our Hearing, to be upon that Question, How did you like the Sermon to day? So I am not much concerned about the Reception and Entertainment which may be given to this poor Sermon by the Readers of it. My not having more than half a day to prepare it in, made it incapable of being thus written, till since the Delivery of it; and it is now written, as near as well could be to what it was when Spoken: without many more Additions, I suppose, than may somewhat Ballance the Omissions made in the Transcription. The Substaneous and so much Extemporaneous uttering of a Sermon, indeed I am so far from accounting a matter of Applause, that I do esteem it Evil and Sinful, and never free from Blame, unless Gods Providence, and not our Election have made it Unavoidable ▪ nor is any thing in the world ⟨image 3⟩more fulsome and nauseous, than for a Preacher to value himself upon such a Crime, as his not spending much time in Study. I do therefore beg pardon, that I offer you what is no better Studied; not without expectations, that whether you pardon me, or no, there are those that will make me run the Gantlets of their Censures for it; and yet had I never so much leisure for study, I would not, I could not offer you a more Needful Thing than the Matter, however I might offer you a more Curious thing than the Method of this Discourse. Accept the Sermon as a Little Messenger now sent into the Camp, after my Brethren, with a little parched Corn, to refresh them, against their Facing of the Philistines; and I beseech you, let none of them have their Anger so kindled, as to tell me, Why camest thou down hither? I know thy Pride; for give me leave to say it, What have I now done? is there not a Cause?
