particular manner in view in these instructions, and have endeavoured to collect together the several testimonies of the Word of God where the point in question is explained, illustrated, or established; that, showing the constant uniform doctrine of the Holy Scripture, I might bring full and complete conviction to the mind. Some may perhaps think I have crowded too many texts together on some occasions; but I have had in view the benefit of those who are to instruct others, that they may have a proper variety out of which to choose what they may find, by experience, to be most adapted to the various capacities of their pupils.
After this brief explanation of the plan and design of the work, I have only two things to recommend to my readers. The first is, to make themselves masters of one chapter before they proceed to another — to consider it well, to comprehend it, to penetrate the force of the reasons used in it. This will render the understanding of what follows easier, and, at the same time, more satisfactory and convincing. The second thing is, when examining the proofs from Scripture brought for any controverted point, not to consider so much how far the ingenuity of man could wrest the meaning of any particular text to a sense different from what it is brought to prove; but to consider what is the plain, natural, obvious meaning of all the various texts brought together in proof of the point proposed; for this surely must be presumed to be the sense intended by the Holy Ghost.
