Sermons of Christ, Letter – Errata
TO His dearly beloved Brethren, and Fellow Members of that Body (the Church at Stepney) of which Chriſt is the Head,
Grace, Mercy, and Peace from God our Father, and Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, be multiplied unto you.
Brethren:
YOu are here preſented with that in Print which before you have heard Preached unto you, but I hope the impreſſion of it is not only in theſe Papers, but that it is already in your hearts; It was a glorious commendation that Paul gave of his Corinthians, 2 Epiſt. 3.2. Yee are our Epiſtle written in our hearts, known and read of all men, for as much as yee are manifeſtly declared to be the Epiſtle of Chriſt miniſtred by us, written not with Inke, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in Tables of Stone, but in fleſhy tables of the heart.
What is the end of our faithful Paſtors Preaching, and of our Hearing, but that we may be the Epiſtles of Chriſt?
You have here preſented to your view ſome of the laſt words of Chriſt, wherein you have a Declaration of what he is, the Root, and the Off-ſpring of David, Davids root in regard of his Diety, and his Off-ſpring in regard of his Humanity; we have need to hear of theſe Truths again and again, eſpecially in ſuch days of Apoſtacy, and falling away from the Faith as we live in, many denying the Lord that bought them, by which wee may ſee the Scripture fulfilled, that ſaith, In the latter days many ſhall depart from the Faith; and in 2 Pet. 2.1, 2. the Apoſtle plainly ſpeaks, that as there were falſe Prophets of old, ſo there ſhould be falſe Teachers that ſhould creep in, who privily ſhould bring in damnable Hereſies, even denying the Lord that bought them; and many ſhould follow their pernicious ways, by reaſon of whom the way of truth ſhould be evil ſpoken of.
You have here likewiſe a ſweet and bleſſed in vitation of the Lord Jeſus to poor thirsty Sinners, that they would come and take of the Water of Life freely; O therefore let us not ſtand off, but come, although we have no mony, for little do we think what prejudice our So…uls do receive, becauſe we go no freelier to Jeſus Chriſt, to receive of the things that hee hath purchaſed, and is ready to give out unto us; you are called out of the World, even to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
You are the Members of Chriſt, 1 Corinth. 6.15. yee are the Temples of the holy Spirit, 2 Cor. 6.16. you ſtand in near relation to God and Chriſt, as being his Friends, his Brethren, his Children, his Spouſe; — Yee are his Portion, his Jewels, his peculiar Treaſure, his Vine-yard, his pleaſant Plant, his Glory, Iſa. 4.5. 1 Pet. 2.9. Yee are a choſen Generation, a Roval Prieſthood, a holy Nation, a peculiar People.
It being thus, what flows from hence, or what doth this call for at our hands? but that we labour to ſhew forth the Praiſes of him who hath called us out of darkneſs into his marvellous light. Therefore let us not walk after our own luſts, but walk in the fear of God, as the Churches did, Acts 9.31. Yee are the children of the light, 1 Theſſ. 5.5. therefore let us walk in the light; yee have a Spiritual life begotten in you, who once were dead, therefore let us walk in newneſs of life, Rom. 6.4. let us walk in, and after the Spirit, Gal. 5.16. in good works. Epheſ. 2.10. in love, chap. 5.2. Circumſpectly, verſ. 15. yea let us walk honeſtly towards them that are without, 1 Theſ. 4.12. Let us walk in the truth, 3 Ep. Joh. 4. let us walk in the ſteps of good men, Prov. 2.20. yea let us walk even as Chriſt himſelf walked, 1 Joh. 2.6. And that me may do ſo let us mind our rule, Gal. 6.16. and then we ſhall walk in ſome meaſure worthy of our Vocation, Eph. 4.1. This will make much for the glory of God and Chriſt here in the World; by it we ſhall adorn the Doctrin of God our Saviour, Tit. 2.10. It will make much for the comfort and joy of him whom God hath ſet over us, that watches for our ſouls, Joh. 3.4. yea, your holy walking, and godly converſation may be a means for the converſion of others, and bringing them in to Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 2.12. & 3.1, 2. And by doing thus, we ſhall not only maintain our Fellowſhip one with another, but with the Father, and the Son, 1 Ep. Joh. chap. 1.
Beloved Brethren, I ſhall not need to put you on to the ready entertaining of theſe choice Truths that are here delivered, they being already written in your hearts, you cannot but receive them with joy; and in ſo doing you anſwer the end and labours of him who is dear unto you, that preacht them, and likewiſe the end of him who did tranſcribe them.
Brethren farewell, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, 2 Cor. 1.12.and the God of love and peace ſhall be with you.
So prays your dear Brother who affectionately loveth you, and is deſirous to ſerve you in the Lord. R. VV.
Errata.
PAg. 8. l. laſt, r. back, p. 19. l. 6. r. foreign p. 23. l. laſt but one, r. behold, p. 62. l. 7. r. 14. p. 66. l. 6. r. the father, l. 12. r. in Zech. l. 20. r. is, p. 80. l. 13. after heads r. ſaying we ſhal befree, l, 20 dele have, p 106. in marg. r. proprieties, l. laſt but one, r. velleitie. p. 107. l. 10. r. complaintive p. 110: l. 2. r: no, l: 22: r: power, p. 1 11. l, 2: r. of that is unknown, p: 112: l: 26, 27: r: and is not like the Publican, p. 115. l: 4, & 5: r. all ſalvation is in him. p. 122. l. 25. r: lentile, p: 123. l: laſt, r: bitter, p. 125: l: 25, make the Comma after the firſt it, p. 328: l. 28, r: break, l: 31: r: required, p: 132, l: 8. r: are you hungry, p: 138: l: 25: r: haſt forward, p. 140. l: 23. r: come, p: 144: l: 1: r: hints of joy, p: 157. l. 26: r: angry, p: 170: l: 2: …: room, l: 28: r: will, p: 181: r: Ahaſhueroſh, p: 186. in marg: r. foreign p: 194: l: 22: r: here, p: 207. l. 4. r. you that are barren, p: 211: l: 9: r: have, p: 220: l: 26: r: club, p. 323: l: 26 r. acceptance, p. 239: l: 23. r: let's.