Of Knowledge. 129 be regretted that chriftians who have long pro- SER the chriftian faith, and one would think V. made a confiderable proficiency in religion, when, as the apoftle fays to the Hebrews, for the time and the advantages they enjoy'd, they might have been teachers of others, yet fhould be fhaken with every wind and eafily diverted from their duty ; or unftable as water, and unrefolv'd in it. And one great reafon is, that they have not taken due care to improve their underftandings ; Bill like children, un- fkilful in theword of righteoufnefs, not grown men, who by reafon of ufe, have their fenfes exercifed to difcern both good and evil. Thirdly, this unfteadinefs, together with weaknefs of underftanding, which is one caufe of it renders men in a great meafure unprofitable to the world and to the church. There is not any thing a chriftian fhould have more at heart, that is more worthy of his charafter and the temper which his profefíion requires, than to promote the common edifi- cation of the body of Chrift, of which he is a member, and to the interefts whereof he is indifpenfably bound to have always a fa- cred regard. And that this may be effefted, adding knowledge to our faith and virtue is the heft expedient, as is plain from the VOL. IL K texts
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