Preaching of Christ opened in a sermon preached at St. Peters Church in the…

2 Preach not your selves, your own imaginations, the devices of your own hearts, set not up your reason against Gods Word, nor your will against his grace, nor your interest against his glory, nor your fleshly wisdom against the simplicity of his holy Gospel. Preach not out of ostentation merely to the fancies and wits of men to please or to tickle them, but out of manifestation of truth to the conscience to please God. Preach not your own passions and animosities, things tending to widen breaches, to foment jealousies and discontents, to kindle sedition, to cherish faction, to beget turbulency & disquiet, to shake the piety which the people owe to God, or the loyalty ⟨p. 46⟩they owe to their Prince, or the tranquility which they ought to promote in Church and State; but as servants of a Prince of Peace, preach those things which make for peace, and which may heal the divisions & compose the distempers which yet remain in the midst of us.

2 Preach not your selves, your own imaginations, the devices of your own hearts, set not up your reason against Gods Word, nor your will against his grace, nor your interest against his glory, nor your fleshly wisdom against the simplicity of his holy Gospel. Preach not out of ostentation meerly to the fancies and wits of men to please or to tickle them, but out of manifestation of truth to the conscience to please God. Preach not your own passions and animosities, things tending to widen breaches, to foment jealousies and discontents, to kindle fedition, to cherish faction, to beget turbulency & disquiet, to shake the piety which the people owe to God, or the loyalty ⟨p. 46⟩they owe to their Prince, or the tranquility which they ought to promote in Church and State; but as servants of a Prince of Peace, preach those things which make for peace, and which may heal the divisions & compose the distempers which yet remain in the midst of us.

3. Preach Christ Jesus the Lord, determine to know nothing among your people but Christ crucified, let his name and grace, his spirit and love triumph in the midst of all your Sermons. Let your great end be to glorify him in the hearts, to render him amiable and precious in the eyes of his people; to lead them to him as a Sanctuary to protect them, a propitiation to reconcile them, a treasure to enrich them, a Physician to heal them, an Advocate to present them and their services unto God: as wisdom to counsel, as righteousness to justify, as sanctification to renew, as redemption to save, as an inexhausted fountain of pardon, grace, comfort, victory, glory. Let Christ be the Diamond to shine in the bosom of all your Sermons.