very difficult 1 Tim. 3.16 the whole knowledge of the Gospel is a mystery a great mystery yea beyond all controversie it is a great mystery 2 Pet. 3.16 There be many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things hard to be understood And alas our apprehensions are but dull at spiritual heavenly things You are like vessels that have but little mouthes which receive whatsoever is put into them dropmeal Such vessels will be long in filling there must be the greater diligence and continuance at the work Sect. 5. You ought not to be admitted to the Lords Supper until you have attained a competent measure of knowledge when you are grown up you will take it ill to be kept back from that spiritual banquet but to admit you without knowledge is but to admit you to your own destruction to invite you to poison instead of meat to admit you to eat and drink your own damnation 1 Cor. 11.29 But of this again hereafter Nemo ex juvenibus ad Coenae communionem admittitur nisi prius examinetur an Mysterium hoc sacrum probè intelligat Judic Theol. Helvet Syn. Dodr. S. 15. Sect. 6. You are free from some of those unjust prejudices which keep others from this necessary work It 's usual with some of riper years when they are called upon to be instructed to break out What do you make us children still we are too old to be catechised What an irrational retortion and answer this is we shall consider in its proper place but you with whom we have now to do have no pretence to this plea. You are young and none of us brought knowledge into the world with him but we must get it It is not so much a shame to be ignorant as to continue so when we have means and opportunities to learn It cannot be expected that any should know the things of God till they be taught and youth is the fittest time to learn You take it no disparagement to learn a Trade or Mystery when you are young why should you think it any to learn the great Mystery of Godliness Sect. 7. You are subject to stronger affections passions lusts in your youth and therefore should more carefully lay in provisions against them It 's a great matter to abstain from the sin of youth Magnum est à vitiis juventutis abstinere Amb. in obitu Valentin to 5. p. 107. Grave est juveni cujus aetas est florulentior Id. and to renounce the vanity and folly of it in our very entrance into the world There is a great emphasis in the word Wherewithal shall a Young man cleanse his way Psal 119.9 A Young-man who is in the heat of blood fulness of strength height of affections and many times under the greatest lusts It 's a hard taske for such a one to submit his ear to discipline and to conquer these corruptions he had need to be more careful to fetch in strength Fretum adolescentiae Florus l. 1. c. 26. and to arm himself against it The Historian calls Youth fretum a troubled and tempestuous Sea when as a riper age is but Otium maris a quiet and calm Bay a safer Harbor in a quiet Sea it is no such hard matter to steer and govern the ship aright Cum sit aetas lubrica fraenari ac regi debet Lact. but in a tempestuous and working Sea it requires more care and diligence Youth is a slippery and unsteady age and had need of much caution and circumspection to restrain and guide and fix it Upon this consideration St. Ambrose thus read that place Lubricae ac perplexae sunt viae juventutis non solum fragilitate lubricae aetatis prolabitur sedet ignorantiâ mandatorum Amb. ibid. Prov. 30.18 There be three things which be too wonderfull yea four which I know not the way of an Eagle in the air of a Serpent upon a rock the way of a Ship in the midst of the sea and the ways of a Man in his Youth Therefore David was fervent in this prayer Remember not the sins of my Youth Ps 25.7 What through the giddiness and headiness of that age and what through that ignorance which most commonly attends it it is exceedingly apt to run into error What is the best means for a young man to cleanse and direct his ways why by taking heed unto thy word In the strength of this it was that Joseph repulsed the down-right temptations of his lewd Mistris How shall I do this wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39.9 It is this that gives the young man knowledge and discretion Prov. 1.4 Sect. 8. Knowledge when you have attained to it puts an extraordinary lustre and honor upon you and of all knowledge this divine and saving knowledge most All other knowledge is but blindness and ignorance in comparison of knowing Jesus Christ and him crucified Other knowledge puffs up but the knowledge of the things of God edifieth In those places before mentioned where God commanded them to teach their children his statutes and his ways he tells them that this shall be as front lets and bracelets it shall be their greatest ornament This made David wiser then his Teachers Psal 119.98 99 100. then his Enemies then his Antients because Gods Testimonies were his continual study and meditation What a sweet savor did Josiah leave behind him who at eight years old knew the Lord and walked in the ways of David his Father 2 Kings 22 23 chap. entred into covenant with God reformed Religion destroyed Idolatry and turned not aside either to the right hand or to the left 2 Tim. 3.14 What an honor it was to Timothy that he was instructed in the Scriptures from a very child 1 Kin. 18.12 Am 1. ubi supra To Obadiah That he seared the Lord from his youth to Valentinian the Emperor that he was so good at such an age How precious are the memories of Edward the Sixt Vid. their lives and the young Lord Harrington upon this account as wickedness in grey hairs is double iniquity so piety in young men is double gilt its like apples of gold in pictures of silver Sect. 9. Lastly You are growing up toward the having of children and families your selves how will you be able to teach them their duties then if you be ignorant of your own now And here let me add to all that hath been said before that it is a sad thing to see young people thrusting themselves into the world and taking upon them the government of Children and Families who never yet had any acquaintance with God nor know any thing of the Principles of Religion who are usually very sollicitous what Portion they shall have what Joynture they shall have but never enquire what abilities they have to discharge the Duties of those Family-relations which they are engaging to these things never come into their thoughts It was said of Herod that it was better being his
To what end and purpose they are serviceable and much more Of what many who profess Christianity can give but a slender account Philip of Macedon Quintus Curtius Supplem 1. cap. having found the benefit of good education himself was careful to provide the best tutors for Alexander his son especially Aristotle by whose care and industry he was so well improved that it grew into question whether Alexander owed more to Philip who begat him or to Aristotle who taught him The Persians were exceeding exact in teaching their children betimes Xenoph. de inst Cyr. in princip they labored to prepossess their minds with good things before they were poisoned with evil as being rather desirous to see them do what was good then to punish them for doing amiss Nay the very Turks themselves are exceeding careful of training up their youth Grand Signor Seraglio pub by Mr. J. Greaves p. 70 71. those especially that are to be for the more immediate service of the grand Seigneur The course that is taken with them so soon as they come into the Seraglio is admirable and nothing resembling the barbarism of Turks but beseeming men of singular vertue and discipline for they are exceeding well tutored and daily taught as well good fashion and comely behavior as they are instructed in the rites and ceremonies of the Mahometan Law and whatsoever else may tend to the enriching of their minds What will such Christians be able to answer for themselves at the day of Judgement for their neglect of this duty wherein they see themselves out-done by the purblind Heathen I come now to the second Branch of the Exhortation which is to children and servants to submit themselves to discipline and to be willing to learn that which conduceth to their souls health And that they may more cheerfully yeeld up themselves to publick and private instruction I beseech them by the mercies of God to consider Sect. 1. Your eternal salvation depends upon your knowledge of and faith in Christ what ways God hath for those who dye in their infancy we shall not be curious to inquire much less confident to determine But for such as are come to the use of reason and to years of discretion he saves none but such as can and do act faith in Christ Hos 4.6 How can you believe on him whom you do not know Want of knowledge is destructive to yong as well as to old If you reject knowledge he will also reject you Either you have Parents that put you forward or they do not if they do you are bound to obey your Parents in the Lord for this is good and right Eph. 6.1 Disobedience to Parents in things which they command agreeable to the mind of God is direct disobedience to God himself If they be backward in their duty be not you backward in yours Your souls are your own and you must give an account to God for them God will require your bloud if you dye for want of instruction at your Parents hands but you shall perish in your sins Hell torments will not be a jot the easier to you because you come into them through your Parents fault If they be careless of your eternal welfare you had need to double your diligence to make your calling and election sure You are put to your shifts to provide for your selves in your greatest concernment you must take the more pains Are you so inconsiderable that your souls are not worth the saving why of such is the kingdome of God Sect 2. You were engaged hereunto by Baptisme your Baptismal Covenant engages you to learn all things belonging to your souls health You were baptized into the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost and will you always be ignorant who and what that Father Son and holy Ghost are And what each of them doth toward the promoting of your eternal welfare Will you grow old in the ignorance of that ordinance which you received so yong and render it fruitless You then renounced the world the flesh and the devil Repete quid interrogatus sis recognosce quid responderis tenetur vox tua in libro viventium presentibus Angelis locutus es Amb. de initiand c. 2. and were dedicated unto Christ What will you live and dye in the ignorance of him into whose warfare you have engaged your selves Remember what was askt you remember what you promised what stipulation and covenant was made that day between God and your souls Your words were spoken in the presence of Angels and they are recorded in Heaven If the children of Israel would be asking their Parents what was the meaning of Circumcision and the Paschal Lamb those Sacraments under the Law is it commendable for you to spend all your days and never inquire what is the end use nature of Baptisme and the Lords Supper the Sacraments under the Gospel I beseech you consider the vows of God are upon you Sect. 3. You have no assurance of your lives but may be quickly taken away and have no long time to learn What will become of you if you are called to an account before you have learned what to plead for your Justification I have heard of a young man who being desirous to be instructed in Moral Philosophy which is the Doctrine of living well was disswaded from it he was told he was too young in the flower and prime of his youth to which such harsh rules were no way suitable he might apply himself to that hereafter O! but saith he what if I dye before I be elder what will become of me then Think seriously on this the Charnel house hath as many little Skuls as great ones in it there are as many young as old carried out to burying We often see as the Proverb is the old Camel carry the young Camels skin to market Parents doing that office for their Children which in the course of Nature might be expected from the Children to their Parents If you were sure of long life yet it were no wisdom to put off this work to old age you will be then harder to learn your avocations more your hindrances greater Besides you must not put off sowing your seed until it be time to reap Since your time is uncertain work while it is to day neglect not your season Sect. 4. You have much to do in a little time Ars longa vita brevis our life is but short but our lesson is long and difficult A Christians task is never at an end so long as he lives he will have something to learn or to learn better There be many things necessary to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished unto every good work The sum of Christian Religion though it may be drawn into a short Catechism yet 't is of large extent Every Article requires an age to know it throughly As there are many things to be known so many of them are
Professors whilst accurate Catechising of all sorts of people which did so much good in the * Cognitio scientia Christi Evangelii olim Christiano populo multo perspectior fuit quà m hodie Id. ut supra Primitive times is so generally neglected Sect. 8. You cannot with any colour of reason expect to be made partakers of the sealing Ordinances without knowledge this is one main thing wherein the trial of your fitness is to be made whether or no you discern the Lords body If you eat and drink without knowledge you eat it undiscerningly 〈◊〉 if you eat undiscerningly you eat unworthily and if you eat unworthily 1 Cor. 11. you eat and drink your own damnation In the Synod of Dort it was thought fit that all that brought their children to baptism Non admittitur testis Baptismi c. should give an account of their faith and knowledg before their children were baptized and that none should be a witness at the baptizing of an Infant who were not first examined concerning the nature of that Sacrament and the Office and Duty of a Witness And for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper they judge that none should be admitted to it but those who first make a publique profession of their Faith before the whole Congregation Ad coenae Dominicae usum nemo admittetur nisi qui Doctrinam Chatecheticam probe teneat fidei suae rationem coram totâ Ecclâ—siâ publice reddat Judic Hassio Theol Our Liturgy enjoyned not onely Parents and Masters to cause their Children Servants and Apprentices to attend dâ—ligently and obediently upon publique Catechizing until they had learned the Catechism appointed Rubrick for Confirm but also strictly forbids to admit any to the Commuâ—ion until such time as they could say the Catechism and were confirmed Ignorance as well as scandal was ever reckoned a bar sufficient to keep from the Sacrament Sect. 9. Ministers are to take care of all the flock Act. 20.28 over which God hath made them overseers Elder people are either members of the several flocks or no if not then these are as sheep without a shepheard if so then they are not to exempt themselves from that care which we are obliged to take of the whole flock The sheep which withdraw themselves from their shepheards care are manifestly exposed to the worrying of the ravening Wolf Sect. 10 Ministers are to give an account to God for their people Heb. 13.27 which when I seriously consider I profess my sinews are loosened and my joynts tremble to think what an account we have to make to God I have sometimes wondered at the self-denying modesty of those times when Gregoryâ— Nazieneâ— Ambrose In their Lives printed before their Works and others being called to be Bishops hid themselves and fled away from such high imployment But when I sadly consider the weight of the Ministerial imployment and the account that must be given to God for the flock I wonder that more do not flie from it And if they must give an account to God for you it is but reasonable that they take an account of you God hath made us Stewards in his house it is a great honor but withal a great trust If a Noble man will exact an account of all the business of his family at his Stewards hands it must be necessarily implied that others shall give up their account to him else how shall he be accountable to his Lord If we must be called to an account for your proficiency we may justly call you to an account about it O that you would help us to give up our account that we may do it with joy and not with grief for that will be unprofitable for you 1 Thess 2.19 A thriving people are here a Ministers crown and joy and will be much more so when he is to give up his account in the day of Jesus Christ What a comfort will it be when God calls a Minister to reckoning for his imployment if he can bring with him many precious souls which he hath by his Ministery converted strengthened confirmed and can say in the language of the great Shepheard of our fouls Behold here am I Isa 8.18 and the children which the Lord hath given me When God shall ask him as Esau did Jacob Gen. 33.5 Who are these with thee he can chearfully answer as Jacob did These are the children that God hath graciously given to thy servant in the exercise of his Ministery On the other hand what a grief will it be to a Minister when God shall call him to an account of his employment that in the bitterness of his spirit he must return such an answer as this Lord I have preached in vain I have labored in vain I have stretched out my hands all my life long to a rebellious people I have spoken to them the great things of thy Law but they have accounted them a vain thing I would have healed them and they would not be healed I would have gathered them and they would not be gathered I have piped to them and they have not danced I have mourned for them but they have not wept I have laid thy Law before them but they have not trembled I have preached the Gospel to them but they have not beleived Lord thou knowest how I have daily bended my knees to thee in prayer for them I have spent my strength and time in preaching to them I have watched for them when they slept and labored night and day to bring them to the knowledge of Jesus Christ I would have instructed them but they would not learn but they have continued proud and peevish and stubborn and ignorant and refuse instruction Good friends take heed and be well advised such an account would neither be to a Ministers comfort nor to a peoples profit Sect. 11. The concurrent consent of all Protestant Divines Synod of Dort ses 15. not onely singly considered and dispersed which would be too tedious to recite but as united into one body in the most considerable Assembly that hath been of the Protestants since the Reformation Where though some thought it would be a difficult work to bring antient people to be publickly catechized especially in the first setting this unusual work on foot unless they would voluntarily submit themselves thereunto yet they all agree in this that Parents and Masters ought to be constantly present at the publique Catechizing their Children and Families that so they may the better take notice of their proficiency and know how either to encourage or reprehend them accordingly and be hereby the better inabled to teach them themselves in private And further that they ought to submit themselves to trial if not publique as some noble persons had done to the great advantage of the Church of God yet that they would be content to learn in private which is all that we now press and which they all
consent we may exact when they come to have their children baptized or to be made partakers of the Lords Supper Sect. 12. It was the practice of the Minister of the Church of Empden Ibid. once a year to visit every house to exhort Parents Children and all the Houshold to their Duties and chiefly that they continued in the duty of catechising St. In Vit. Aug. c. 7. Austin was wont to teach publickly in the Church and privately in particular private houses as he could meet with occasion to instruct his people Docebat ac praedicabat publice privatim in domo in ecclesia verbum Dei Act. 2.46 5.42 20.20 It 's a frequent expression of the Apostles that he taught them in the mysteries of the Gospel not onely publickly but from house to house he taught them not onely in the Temple at their general meetings but from house to house in private too as opportunity was offered him Private domestical personal instruction is necessary and exceeding useful whilst it is done in subordination and subserviency not in opposition to the work of publick teaching But by the way those words from house to house may bear another sense The Church of God at Jerusalem was now so great and the members of it so many Beza in Act. 2.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they could not meet in one place for the service of God and the participation of Ordinances That Mother Church sent out as it were Colonies they divided themselves into more Congregations which met at several places houses and so the Apostles preaching from house to house might be but his taking care of and instructing these several new planted Churches in the doctrine of the Gospel But I pass that Sect. 13. How many have made sad complaints against their former Ministers that they were ignorant and unable or lazy careless and negligent in instructing them in the ways that tend to life If now they may have help and means that way by such as beseech them to accept of their help if now I say they refuse neglect and contemn that motion it will be more then suspitious that it was not out of conscience and desire to be better instructed that they sought their removal but for the revenging of some old grudge or for the obtaining of some base carnal sordid temporal advantage of their own Where such rotten principles set men on work it is no wonder that they remain as bad as ever It is just with God to render that Ministery unsuccesful to them who never sought it for the subduing but for the gratifying of their lusts Sect. 14. The saving knowledge of Jesus Christ will enable you to undervalue all these sublunary things and makes abundant recompence for the want of them The former of these is clear from the Apostles judgement and practice 1 Cor. 2.2 who contented himself with the knowledge of Jesus Christ as with the richest treasure yea he counted all things but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. Phil. 3.8 The latter is as manifest as the former in this that when others comfort themselves in their corn and wine and oyl when they glory in their Houses Lands Friends Revenews Rents he whose soul is enlightned from above can glory in the Lord and in the knowledge of his Name which overweighs them all When the King of Spains Herald its a known story had proclaimed all his Masters swelling titles King of Spain and Arragon King of Naples and Jerusalem c. The King of France his Herald answers him by proclaiming his Master as often King of France King of France intimating that that one Kingdom of France was worth all the Dominions of the proud Spaniard When carnal men have crackt of all their earthly Priviledges prerogatives and enjoyments they all fall short of this inestimable treasure of knowing God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian Epict. l. 4. c. 9. and him whom he hath sent his Son Jesus Christ The Philosopher could encourage his Schollar against the vaunts of wicked men in their worldly enjoyments by bidding him put his Philosophy in the scales against them all if thou hadst nothing saith he to lay against their enjoyments thou art miserable indeed but if thou hast the knowledge of Philosophy thou hast that which is more worth then all their enjoyments How much rather may we say so of the saving knowledge of God in Christ if thou hast that thou hast that to which all earthly things bear no proportion Sect. 15. It will be a leading example and a great encouragement to those under your charge to submit themselves to learn when they see their Parents and Masters not disdain to be instructed Inferiors live more by the Eye then by the Ear they rather observe what you do your selves then what you command them to do If the examples which you set before them be speckled and ring streaked their practises will be such too it will little avail any of you to command your families to be sober when they see you frequently reeling and drunken to command them not to swear while they hear you daily swearing and blaspheming to command them to observe the Sabbath whilst you prophane it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenep de inst Cyr. in princ to be catechised whilst you your selves hate instruction Lynus yet a child when he compared the strictness or the education of the Persian youth with the drunkenness of the old Courtiers could tell his Grandfather Astiages That they commanded the Youth one thing but did the quite contrary themselves We have severe Lectures of Sobriety read us when as saith he your stammering tongues and stumbling feet proclaim your Drunkenness Judg 12.5 The best way to make them good who are under your charge is to give them good example If there be any thing worse then other in your behavior they are aptest to pick out that for their imitation Gen. 12. Gen. 20. Abraham was an eminent servant of God both for his faith and obedience the greatest failure we finde in him was in his dissembling to say no worse when he denied Sarah to be his Wife And yet we finde Isaak who was a good man Gen. 26. culling out this sin for his imitation and sinning after the similitude of Abrahams transgression so apt are we to follow the evil that is set before us It concerns you much to take heâ—d what examples you give seeing your children are so apt to write after the copies which you set them when you your selves ingage in that which is good and then say to your families as Gideon did to his Souldiers as you see me do so do yee then there 's some hope of an effectual reformation Inferiors suffer themselves easily to be bound by those laws which they see observed by those that made them thou shalt have them readily obedient to thy
the multitude of years should teach wisdom and it is a reproach when the aged do not understand Deut. 32.7 1 Cor. 14.20 At your mouths the younger sort should enquire for instruction and if you be ignorant what do they but enquire of an Idol that hath a mouth and speaks not St. 1 Epist 2.13 John presumes that those who are of riper years understand the mysteries of Religion I have written to you Fathers because ye have knewn him that was from the beginning You look for reverence because of your age Prov. 16.31 but gray hairs are an honor only in the way of righteousness otherwise they are a reproach to you Eccles 4.13 for a poor and wise child is better then an old and foolish King that will not be admonished The Son of Syrach hath an excellent saying to this purpose though the Book be Apocriphal Eccles 25.4 5 6. the words are Canonical If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth how canst thou find any thing in thine age Oh! how comely a thing is judgement for gray hairs and for antient men to know counsel Oh! how comely is the wisdom of old men and understanding and counsel to men of honor Much experience is the crown of old men and the fear of God is their glory What a shame is it for men to have spent the greatest part of their time and not know the end for which they were made nor but by roat who made them What an incongruous thing it is to profess an expectation of salvation by Christ at your approaching death when you can give no account who that Christ is or what he hath done for you more then any other hath done To profess your selves Christians and resolved to die in the Christian Faith and yet to live and die in an utter ignorance of him and of the saving benefits of his death What a shame would it be to see your selves out-done by your children who in a little time will be able through Gods blessing to give a better account of their Faith and Hope then you can unless you who are yet ignorant will be willing to be taught Wisdom crieth after you and upbraids you with your aged ignorance Prov. 1.21 How long yee simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge Sect. 2. You have reason to expect but little time more before you are called to your great account you have but a little time more to learn in Young men may die old men must You have one foot in the grave already much of your sand is run your day is far spent your sun draws low and is near to setting You must not expect your shadow to go back 2 Kings 20.11 as once it did on the Dial of Ahaz nor your sun to stand still as that in the firmament did in the days of Joshua Josh 10.12 13. He who hath trifled out the morning had need to mend his pace in the afternoon if he would compass his journey with security and comfort Walk apace while your light lasteth work hard while you have day Joh. 19.4 Eccles 9.10 for the night comes when no man can work Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no work nor knowledge nor aevice in the grave whether thou art going Now is the season of getting the oyl of saving knowledge into thy vessel if thou wouldst have thy lamp shine when the Bridegroom cometh Mat. 25. Job 36.12 v. Merc. in loc He that openeth his ears to discipline shall spend his years in prosperity but he that will not hear and obey shall fall by the sword i.e. miserably and shall dye without knowledge Those who affect ignorance ignorance shall be their ruine It 's a heavy curse when God gives up them who refuse instruction to dye without knowledge Above all take heed of putting off this business to a further time Parce tempori Stoicorum praecept Gods time is the present time To day if you will hear my voyce It s good doing Gods work in Gods time Procrastination and putting off our duties to another day Procrastinatio semper luctatur cum damnis is the great bane of souls Many resolve to learn what 's needful for salvation and to do what 's needful to be done but hereafter at present they have some other smal occasions to morrow is a new day Cras hoc fiet Idem cras fiet jam cras hesternum heu confumpsimus ecce aliud cras egerit hos annos Persius they have time enough before them O but deceive not thy soul with a false account to day is thine to morrow is not Wilt thou mispend that time which thou hast and dispose of that which thou mayst never live to see Thou mayst be dead before to morrow or if thou live yet thou wilt be putting off the work till to morrow still to morrow hath no end every day hath a morrow behinde it whither when we have caught the trick on 't we shall cast all our business He that puts off his business till to morrow will ever come a day behinde his work Frustra sectabere canthum Cum rota superior curras inane secundo id at 5. as the hinder wheel of the Coach though it moves as fast as the former yet it never catches him it is behinde still There is no greater impediment to a good life then neglecting the present seasons to resolve what we will do to morrow Delays do not onely lose time but render us more unfit every day then other for our work If to morrow be a convenient time how much more to day that thou mayst go on to morrow and not while it off to the third day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Arrian Epict. l. 4 c. 1.2 in fine Sect. 3. The best Christians are capable of improvement I am well assured that there are divers amongst you who are in your proportions well instructed to the Kingdom of heaven who are grown men in Christ and able to render a good account of the hope that is in you yet such ought not to withdraw themselves from this necessary work 1. Because your withdrawing would be a pretence for those to refuse who have most need of instruction Others will pretend to that knowledge which they have not when they see that your knowledge is an excuse for not submitting your selves to Gods ways 2. Of all men you have least reason to refuse it of all Schollars they should be ready to stand forth to trial who are best able to give an account of the spending of their time It is the Banckrupt onely who is afraid of having his estate looked into 3. He that hath most knowledge hath yet many things to learn There is a growth 2 Pet. 3.18 as in Grace so in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ 2 Tim. 3.15 1 Tim. 4.15 Though Timothy was instructed in the Scriptures from his very youth yet he was to give attendance to reading and meditation and to continue in so doing that his profiting might appear to all In the Scriptures a Lamb may wade and an Elephant may swim Heb. 5.12 There is meat for strong men as well as milk for Babes There be some easier truths for the less learned and some harder to exercise the understanding of more knowing men Eph. 2.22 Heb. 6.1 Our Christian Faith is a spiritual building where it is not enough to lay a good foundation 1 Thess 3.10 but to go on to perfection The saith of the Thessalonians was such that it was a great support to Paul in his afflictions but yet there was something lacking in their faith which he desired to supply by personal instruction But suppose your knowledg to be more then it is yet you may want quickening and liveliness to the exercise of your knowledge Iron sharpens iron Prov. 27.17 and the countenance of a man his friend as by whetting one iron against another that which was dull gets a better edge So by familiar and friendly conference especially with those whose knowledge is greater your parts grow more vigorous and active The learnedest men may gain much by discourse and imparting themselves one to another if they could not add to one anothers knowledge yet they may warm one anothers hearts Holy conference is a great improvement both of parts and piety Every Christians experience may I presume seal this truth we often meet with good old Christians whom though we be able to teach yet we have from them some such savory ex ressions as much affect our hearts and quicken us to our Duties There be many advantages which an humble Christian may gain by his frequent and familiar discourses with his faithful Pastor besides the encrease of his knowledge which yet is no small nor contemptible benefit Act. 18.24 26. Apollos himself though mighty in the Scriptures learnt much by conference with Aquila and Priscida Sect. 4. There be very many duties which God require of you in your particular standings and relations which you are altogether unable to discharge till you be throughly instructed in the business of Religion Your several Relations into which God hath cast you have their several Duties to which you are obliged In your Families you are Husbands Wives Parents Masters and to the discharge of every one of these Relations aright there is need of much holy skill Prophane persons never heed it ignorant persons cannot perform it they can neither pray with them nor for them nor instruct nor correct them according to the mind of God which they are ignorant of As you are members of civill Societies you have Duties to perform which you can never do aright till you do them upon Scripture grounds Ro. 13 5. and have learned to obey for conscience sake As you are members of a Church and are in Brotherly communion with others Mat. 18.15 there be duties too of admonition instruction exhortation c. which will seem uncouth and be unfeasable till your mind be enlightned and your hearts warmed with this heavenly knowledge Men may make a great noise and flourish in the world who have really little or no worth in them But the true trial of a Christians excellency consists much in the faithful discharge of the duties of his particular Calling and Relations Sect. 5. Christians are bound to this mutual and reciprocal act of teaching and exhorting one another 1 Thess 5.11 Heb. 3.13 Heb. 10.25 of building up one another in the faith of the Gospel as you are bound to instruct and exhort others so to submit to the instruction and admonition of others though private Christians how much more should you be ready to learn of those who are set over you in things appertaining to your souls and admonish you whom you ought highly to prize for their works sake The Apostle urges this argument in that 1 Thess 5 12 13. Sect. 6. You are bound to render a reason of the hope that is in you 1 Pet. 3.15 to every one that asks it Not that it is expected that every Christian be able to give an exact account of every article of Faith and of all the subtilties that are about it or that he is bound at all times in all places in all companies upon all occasions to give an account of his faith and hope to every captious Questionist But when he is fairly called thereunto and the glory of God and the good and confirmation of his Brethren requires it In such cases Luk. 12.8 9. he ought boldly to make profession of his Faith and to defend it by all the arguments he can though it should bring him into trouble How much more ready should you be to do it Act. 19.8 to those who enquire into your faith not to betray nor persecute you but to instruct establish confirme you and to supply what is lacking in your Faith Sect. 7. The want of this is the reason why we have so many titular Christians who enjoy the name of Christians but are utterly ignorant of the mystery of godliness it is an unseemly and unworthy thing Indignissimum est si ejus nesciamus leges placita cujus tamen nomine professione censemur Bulling in 1 Pet. 3.5 that we should be ignorant of his Laws and Ordinances whose Disciples we would be reckoned I shall give you my meaning in the words of a late learned Minister of our own now with God who having admired Gods goodness in giving 〈◊〉 the glorious Gospel 〈…〉 48. to 55. which hath now so long shone so clearly amongst us goes on to bewail that after such rich injoyments of the means of knowledge there should be so many thousands amongst us who being askt a reason of the hope that is in them cannot speak tollerable sense why they are Christians rather then professed Infidels That there should be whole Parishes who cannot afford one wise word toward the defence of our most holy Profession that many who will take it very ill if they be not accounted as good Christians as the best should think no otherways of Christ then some do of St. Patrick and S. David and other of the Saints of their own Countries He goes on to bemoan that dismal fog of Popery which doth yet darken this Island Popery which few men think of viz. that blind absurd implicite Faith of believing as the Church believes There is not saith he a pin to chuse between him that believes in gross what the Church of England beleives and him that beleives as the Synagogue of Satan the Church of Rome believes if neither know any thing explicitly what either Church believes And concludes to our present purpose I see no hope but the Colliers Faith will have the greatest number of