will serve to imprint what is said more strongly upon us; and in this I have followed the manner of the Sacred Writers. As to the sense and meaning of all the passages of Scripture here brought together; it will easily appear from the disposition which I have made of them, that I have constantly had a regard to that interpretation of the words which is most generally allowed, and which they seem most naturally to bear in the common translation now used in our Bibles; which I have all along preserved, excepting only two or three places in the Psalms, where I thought the old translation, still kept in the public service of the Church, more full and expressive. I have indeed taken the liberty of applying some texts, by way of illustration, in somewhat a different sense than what was originally intended by them; but then it. is always in such a sense as is agreeable to the doctrine of Scripture in other places; and the subjects they are applied to are such, as either admit of no dispute, or are sufficiently proved by plainer texts before. And even these texts, which do not by an easy inference prove that they are brought to explain, are for more exactness distinguished by this mark ¶. But whatever faults there may be, either in the choice of some texts, or the disposition of the whole performance, they will, I hope, be excused upon the account of the great difficulty of such a work as this is; in the composing of which I had no manner of help from any body that had gone before me. The only offer at such a design, that I have met with, is a book printed in quarto, 1676, styled, The Scripture Sufficiency, &c. which I hoped, would have superseded my labour, or at least made it much easier, by giving me a good foundation to build upon. which, upon some other accounts, may probably have its use, was of so little service to me, by reason of the great difference of the author's method, that I found it less trouble to take all my materials immediately out of the Bible itself, than out of that book; and thither I went directly for them. If it shall please GOD, that the collection I have made from thence should any way contribute to give persons a right understanding of the Christian Religion, I shall think the pains I have taken in it very well bestowed. And if the work be esteemed useful, I shall be very well content to have it pass under no other character. CONTENTS. Page a God is the Creator, Maker, and Former of all things .... b God is the Preserver of all things... Present every where a V. Ignorance of Man, p. 60, &c. 78, 2, 3, 5. 79. 1, 2, b V. Original formation of Man, p. 47, &c. 66, 1. 68, ±. 69. 1, 2. a V. God Disposer and Governor, p. 14, 5, &c. g f V. p. 64, 4. 76, 1, 2. 99, s. 100, o. The character of Christ, who is both God and Man.......... Which way the Holy Ghost contributes to our redemption 84 The extraordinary operations of the Holy Ghost The common operations of the Spirit in believers. a V. p. 72, 2. 73, 4. 74, 8. V. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are one b V. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, |