I have in these, as well as in other Sermons, endeavoured to make the truth plain and easy to be understood, hoping that both the learned & unlearned among you may reap some benefit thereby. I have bin with you now for the space of more than 25 years, during all which time, the Lord Jesus knows what my Difficulties have bin. But the mercy I have enjoyed in the advantage for service which God has graciously favoured me with, has more than compensated for all my outward afflictions and pressing oppressing Temptations; especially considering that I have had an opportunity of speaking to the world not only in the Pulpit, but by the Press, and by means thereof, to leave something behind me, (a thing which I have a 1000 times prayed for) which (I trust in Christ) will be of use to some of God's Elect, when I shall be seen no more: and in which thing I hope I may use the Apostle's expression, and say, I have not sought my own profit, but the profit of many that they might be saved: But in a more peculiar manner I have designed your Edification. And I will confess to you, that no Subjects ever insisted on by me, have had so much of my heart, as these which I now present unto you; the most of which were, as you may remember, preached some years ago; only the last discourse was more lately delivered. That concerning the D•ity of Christ was preached when I handled the Body of Theology: That concerning his Son-ship fell in my Course as I went over the 2d. Chapter of the ⟨p. 6⟩Revelations. All the other were Sacramental Meditations on Christ. There are sundry among you who have bin blessed with not only a religious, but a learned Education, being by your Relations designed for the special Service of God, in the Gospel of His Son: I can give you no better advice than this, Above all things, study Jesus Christ. You may know much in the Tongues & Arts (as the Devils do) yea, and have a doctrinal historical knowledge of Christ too, and yet not savingly know the truth as it is in Jesus. But then you'll be very unfit to teach others. I commend unto you the serious perusal of the Books written by those honourable men of God, Dr. Thomas Goodwin, and Dr. John Owen, in whose writings there is more of the spirit of the Gospel, & of the Mystery of Christ, than in the books of any Authors in the world that I know of:
I have in these, as well as in other Sermons, endeavoured to make the truth plain and easy to be understood, hoping that both the learn'd & unlearn'd among you may reap some benefit thereby. I have bin with you now for the space of more than 25 years, during all which time, the Lord Jesus knowes what my Difficulties have bin. But the mercy I have enjoyed in the advantage for service which God has graciously favoured me with, has more than compensated for all my outward afflictions and pressing oppressing Temptations; especially considering that I have had an opportunity of speaking to the world not only in the Pulpit, but by the Press, and by means thereof, to leave something behind me, (a thing which I have a 1000 times prayed for) which (I trust in Christ) will be of use to some of God's Elect, when I shall be seen no more: and in which thing I hope I may use the Apostle's expression, and say, I have not sought my own profit, but the profit of many that they might be saved: But in a more peculiar manner I have designed your Edification. And I will confess to you, that no Subjects ever insisted on by me, have had so much of my heart, as these which I now present unto you; the most of which were, as you may remember, preached some years agoe; only the last discourse was more lately delivered. That concerning the D•ity of Christ was preached when I handled the Body of Theology: That concerning his Son-ship fell in my Course as I went over the 2d. Chapter of the ⟨p. 6⟩Revelations. All the other were Sacramental Meditations on Christ. There are sundry among you who have bin blessed with not only a religious, but a learned Education, being by your Relations design'd for the special Service of God, in the Gospel of His Son: I can give you no better advice than this, Above all things, study Jesus Christ. You may know much in the Tongues & Arts (as the Devils do) yea, and have a doctrinal historical knowledge of Christ too, and yet not savingly know the truth as it is in Jesus. But then you'll be very unfit to teach others. I commend unto you the serious perusal of the Books written by those honourable men of God, Dr. Thomas Goodwin, and Dr. John Owen, in whose writings there is more of the spirit of the Gospel, & of the Mystery of Christ, than in the books of any Authors in the world that I know of:
