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A complete body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the…A compleat body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the…
A complete body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the Assembly's Shorter catechism wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are unfolded, their truth confirmed, their excellence displayed, their usefulness improved; contrary errors & vices refuted & exposed, objections answered, controversies settled, cases of conscience resolved; and a great light thereby reflected on the present age. / By the Reverend & learned Samuel Willard, M.A. late Pastor of the South Church in Boston, and vice-president of Harvard College in Cambridge, in New-England. ; Prefaced by the pastors of the same church. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]A compleat body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the Assembly's Shorter catechism wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are unfolded, their truth confirm'd, their excellence display'd, their usefulness improv'd; contrary errors & vices refuted & expos'd, objections answer'd, controversies settled, cases of conscience resolv'd; and a great light thereby reflected on the present age. / By the Reverend & learned Samuel Willard, M.A. late Pastor of the South Church in Boston, and vice-president of Harvard College in Cambridge, in New-England. ; Prefac'd by the pastors of the same church. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]
printed by B. Green and S. Kneeland for B. Eliot and D. Henchman, 1726
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
FROM such noble Principles it comes to pass that the Revd. Author ever maintains the same most agreeable mixture of Life and Gravity in all his Writings, as used to appear in his Looks and Conversation among us: with a Mind continually exalted above earthly and trivial things, the pompous shows of Religion which many grovelling minds are filled up with, and even above the sudden and unsteady Flights thereof which many others are glad to rise up into. The Holy Temper of his Mind appears to be steady and even: and tho' his Imagination was always full of Spirit and Vigour; yet it continually wrought with an unaffected and due Decorum, and he for ever restrained and ruled it with a correcter and superior Judgment.
FROM such noble Principles it comes to pass that the Revd. Author ever maintains the same most agreable mixture of Life and Gravity in all his Writings, as us'd to appear in his Looks and Conversation among us: with a Mind continually exalted above earthly and trivial things, the pompous shows of Religion which many groveling minds are filled up with, and even above the sudden and unsteady Flights thereof which many others are glad to rise up into. The Holy Temper of his Mind appears to be steady and even: and tho' his Imagination was always full of Spirit and Vigour; yet it continually wrought with an unaffected and due Decorum, and he for ever restrain'd and rul'd it with a correcter and superiour Judgment.
IN his Style it is true, he sometimes takes a freedom in the use of several Terms & Phrases which are not common among us: But the Language appears to be manly clear & natural, agreeable to his manner of Reasoning, which is regular easy & nervous; and his Words & Phrases exceedingly suited to express his Ideas, the great Design of Language. And tho' this Work may seem to be too Voluminous by those who view it with a superficial eye; yet a little Perusal will convince the Reader, that tho' the Author has a rich and plentiful Fund of Words at hand; yet he is very pithy and close and sparing of them, using no more than he has real need to express his Mind and clear the Subject; and that the Largeness of the Volume rises from the great variety of matter comprised therein, and the Author's searching to the low Foundations of religious Truth, and tracing every Subject to the original Fountain from whence it flows, or to the elementary Principles of which it is formed. The Reader need not therefore fear being tired in passing through' so copious a Work; Provided always he brings thereto or finds therein a Desire to improve in Knowledge & Goodness, is capable of taking a pleasure in seeing the admirable Chain and Harmony of Evangelical Truths, and pursues his Journey with convenient Stages through' the various Fields before him: And then we do not doubt but he'll meet with a very grateful Entertainment all along, and at the same time continually and happily grow both in divine Light and Piety.