Moreover, I verily fear that many Professors of Religion are not so clear and well grounded in these great Principles of Christianity as ought to be. Some years ago•, there was a man who came to me expressing his desires of satisfaction about a momentous Truth of the Gospel. He told me, that he was not clear in his understanding concerning the Eternal Son-ship of Christ: he thought Christ was the Son of God only in respect of his humane Nature: and therefore ( […] said) when he learned his Children their Catechism, he taught them only to say, that Christ ⟨p. 3⟩is the Son of God, but not that he is the eternal Son of God, (as others were wont to instruct their Children) for he supposed that he was not God's Son before his Incarnation. I did from the Scriptures reason with him, and endeavoured to convince him how great an Error he was in: He seemed to receive some Satisfaction, and did with many tears declare unto me, that he had for some time been afraid lest his Error in Judgment should be fundamental and so his soul perish. I shall conceal the Persons Name; he was not only a Church-Member, and an aged Professor, but of special Note and Improvement in the Town where he lived. He is since dead, (and I hope at rest) for he was not obstinate in his Error but willing to receive Light. Now if such a man were in the dark concerning so great an Article of Faith, I doubt there are many among us who need Information and Confirmation in the Doctrine of Christ The way to be preserved from Apostasy in hours of Temptation, is to be well settled in Principles. Nor is any thing of greater concernment to the souls of men. Hence Par•us did exceedingly rejoice when he had completed his Explication of Urine's Catechism; saying; Now Lord, let thy servant depart in peace since I have lived to finish what I so much desired. And he professed that he look'• upon all his other books as unprofitable compared with that. A great ⟨p. 4⟩Divine said of Luther's Catechism, that One little Book is a Gem to be valued above six Thousand worlds. But especially to have the loins of •he mind girt about with those principles of Truth which concern the Person & Office of Christ, has a tendency to confirm Believers in Faith & Holiness, which is the thing that I have been willing to aim at.
Moreover, I verily fear that many Professors of Religion are not so clear and well grounded in these great Principles of Christianity as ought to be. Some years ago•, there was a man who came to me expressing his desires of satisfaction about a momentous Truth of the Gospel. He told me, that he was not clear in his understanding concerning the Eternal Son-ship of Christ: he thought Christ was the Son of God only in respect of his humane Nature: and therefore ( 〈…〉 said) when he learned his Children their Catechism, he taught them only to say, that Christ ⟨p. 3⟩is the Son of God, but not that he is the eternal Son of God, (as others were wont to instruct their Children) for he supposed that he was not God's Son before his In•arnation. I did from the Scriptures reason with him, and endeavour'd to convince him how great an Error he was in: He seem'd to receive some Satisfaction, and did with many tears declare unto me, that he had for some time been afraid lest his Error in Judgment should be fundamental and so his soul perish. I shall conceal the Persons Name; he was not only a Church-Member, and an aged Professor, but of special Note and Improvement in the Town where he lived. He is since dead, (and I hope at rest) for he was not obstinate in his Error but willing to receive Light. Now if such a man were in the dark concerning so great an Article of Faith, I doubt there are many among us who need Information and Confirmation in the Doctrine of Christ The way to be preserved from Apostasy in hours of Temptation, is to be well setled in Principles. Nor is any thing of greater concernment to the souls of men. Hence Par•us did exceedingly rejoice when he had compleated his Explication of Ur•in's Catechism; saying; Now Lord, let thy servant depart in peace since I have lived to finish what I so much desired. And he professed that he look'• upon all his other books as unprofitable compar'd with that. A great ⟨p. 4⟩Divine said of Luther's Catechism, that One litle Book is a Gemm to be valued above six Thousand worlds. But especially to have the loy•s of •he mind girt about with those principles of Truth which concern the Person & Office of Christ, has a tendency to confirm Believers in Faith & Holiness, which is the thing that I have been willing to aim at.
