This first of three projected volumes comprises a third of the lectures and fully half of the theological essays. The text covers chapter one in nine lectures (the most on any chapter) and the letters to the seven churches in Asia. The theological lectures contained cover such subjects as the doctrine of the Trinity, a call to the ministry and qualifications for the ministry, church government and church discipline, repentance, the difference in common and saving grace, and preaching and application in preaching. The text has been collated with a 1653 manuscript and an appendix contains texts and full lectures that are significantly different than the published edition of 1658.