Sermons on Psalm 18:23, Title page – To the reader
THAT Great Duty, AND Comfortable Evidence [Keeping our ſelves from our iniquity.]
Opened and applied in ſome SERMONS upon Pſal. 18.23.
By John Whitlock Miniſter of the Goſpel in Nottingham.
LONDON, Printed for Thomas Parkhurſt, and are to be ſold by John Richards Bookſeller at Nottingham. 1698.
The Epiſtle to the Reader.
Chriſtian Reader,
IT is not any deſire of appearing in Print, but meer importunity that hath prevailed with me to publiſh the few following Sheets: For tho' I would not decline any thing that might tend to the honour of God, and the ſpiritual good of any; and tho' the Subject treated of, [viz. Mens finding out and keeping themſelves from their iniquity] be a matter of great and conſtant importance, and that wherein much of the life of Religion, and the power of Godlineſs doth lye: yet this hath been ſo excellently and practically handled by the Reverend Dr. Bates, that I could hardly prevail with my ſelf to give my conſent to the publiſhing of theſe Notes; but have been at length overcome by the ſollicitations of ſome, whom, I muſt confeſs, I was leath to deny, as being bound to honour them for their cloſe walk with God, and Zeal to propagate the Kingdom of Chriſt, and the practice of real Holineſs.
Theſe Sermons as now printed, with very little variation as to heads or expreſſions, were preached forty years ſince in publick, Anno 1657. and having occaſion this year in a Lord's day courſe of Sermons upon Iſa. 53. to preach ſomewhat to the ſame effect upon thoſe words, in the 6th verſe of that Chapter [We have turned every one to his own way] I was deſired to print, and have printed according to the Notes preached ſo long ſince, when I ſpoke more largely to the Subject than I did when I returned upon it this year. This is a true account of the occaſion of theſe Sheets appearing thus in publick, which it was convenient thou ſhouldſt be acquainted with. I ſhall add no more but my earneſt prayers that God would make this Word profitable to my ſelf, and all that ſhall read it; and to requeſt thy prayers for me (whom God hath graciouſly brought almoſt to the cloſe of my ſeventy third year) that God would be pleaſed more and more to fulfil to me that good Word of his Grace, that they that are planted in the Houſe of the Lord, ſhall ſtill bring forth fruit in Old Age, they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing, to the praiſe of the faithfulneſs and skill of God the bleſſed Husbandman, and of the fatneſs and virtue of Chriſt the true Vine. By ſuch Chriſtian remembrances of me at the Throne of Grace, thou wilt exceedingly oblige him who earneſtly deſires more Grace to approve himſelf while in this Tabernacle,
The faithful Servant of Chriſt and Souls, JOHN WHITLOCK. Nottingham Jan. 1. 1657/8.