To show you what is indeed Christ's doctrine and what is not. More especially in such times of temptation and trial as these are, wherein several points of doctrine come to be controverted and called {into} question, you would try [discern] if it aims at this as its great scope: to draw you from making yourself your end, and from trusting and delighting in yourself, to the exalting of Him [and] to trusting and delighting in Him. Whatever doctrine is not consonant with, or is contrary to this is certainly not from Christ; with whatever specious and plausible pretenses it may be palliated and varnished over, whatsoever it be, if it draw you not from, but to yourself, to idolize yourself, or anything in yourself, it is not (I say) from Christ. But as it draws you from yourself and drives you to debase yourself and to exalt Him, and to give Him His own room and place, it is of God; it is of Christ. James Durham Sermon one, The Great Corruption of Subtle Self (1686). Now in print in the Collected Sermons of James Durham (2017), https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/collected-sermons-of-james-durham-2-volume-set.html
