How men contract the guilt of sin, what sense they have, and ought to have thereof, what danger they are liable unto thereon, what perplexities and distresses their souls and consciences are reduced to ⟨image 3⟩thereby, what courses they fix upon for their relief, as also what is that Grace of God whereby alone they may be delivered, wherein it consists, how it was prepared, how purchased, how it is proposed, and how it may be attained; what effects and consequents a participation of it doth produce, how in these things Faith and obedience unto God, dependence on him, submission to him, waiting for him, are to be exercised, is the principal work that those who are called unto the dispensation of the Gospel ought to enquire into themselves, and to acquaint others withal. In the right and due management of these things, whether by writing, or oral-instruction, with prudence, diligence, and zeal, doth consist their principal usefulness in reference unto the Glory of God, and the everlasting welfare of the Souls of men: And they are under a great mistake, who suppose it an easy and a common matter to treat of these practical things usefully, to the edification of them that do believe. Because both the nature of the things themselves, with the concerns of the souls and consciences of all sorts of Persons in them, require that they be handled plainly, and without those intermixtures of secular Learning, and additions of ornaments of speech, which discourses of other natures may, on ought to be composed and set off withal; some judging by mere outward appearances, especially if they be of them from whom the true nature of the things themselves treated of are hid, are ready to despise and scorn the plain management of them, as that which hath nothing of wisdom or learning accompanying of it, no effects of any commendable ⟨image 4⟩ability of mind for which it should be esteemed. But it is not expressible how great a mistake such persons through their own darkness and ignorance do labour under. In a right spiritual understanding, in a due perception and comprehension of these things, the things of the sins of Men and Grace of God, consists the greatest part of that wisdom, of that soundness of mind, of that knowledge rightly so called, which the Gospel commands, exhibits and puts a valuation upon.
How men contract the guilt of sin, what sense they have, and ought to have thereof, what danger they are liable unto thereon, what perplexities and distresses their souls and consciences are reduced to ⟨image 3⟩thereby, what courses they fix upon for their relief, as also what is that Grace of God whereby alone they may be delivered, wherein it consists, how it was prepared, how purchased, how it is proposed, and how it may be attained; what effects and consequents a participation of it doth produce, how in these things Faith and obedience unto God, dependance on him, submission to him, waiting for him, are to be exercised, is the principal work that those who are called unto the dispensation of the Gospel ought to enquire into themselves, and to acquaint others withall. In the right and due management of these things, whether by writing, or oral-instruction, with prudence, diligence, and zeal, doth consist their principal usefulness in reference unto the Glory of God, and the everlasting welfare of the Souls of men: And they are under a great mistake, who suppose it an easie and a common matter to treat of these practical things usefully, to the edification of them that do believe. Because both the nature of the things themselves, with the concerns of the souls and consciences of all sorts of Persons in them, require that they be handled plainly, and without those intermixtures of secular Learning, and additions of ornaments of speech, which discourses of other natures may, on ought to be composed and set off withall; some judging by meer outward appearances, especially if they be of them from whom the true nature of the things themselves treated of are hid, are ready to despise and scorn the plain management of them, as that which hath nothing of wisdom or learning accompanying of it, no effects of any commendable ⟨image 4⟩ability of mind for which it should be esteemed. But it is not expressible how great a mistake such persons through their own darkness and ignorance do labour under. In a right spiritual understanding, in a due perception and comprehension of these things, the things of the sins of Men and Grace of God, consists the greatest part of that wisdom, of that soundness of mind, of that knowledge rightly so called, which the Gospel commands, exhibits and puts a valuation upon.
