1Jire8io11s fo; young (iJrijlim;;: Too like him, Prov. 14. 16. 'the fool rageth and il confident. How many and many a time have I heard a lJian that undedlood not what he talkt off, and could fcarce fpeak fenfe, to plead for his opinion fo ·contidemly, as w [cor~ or pitty th~ wifeft c_onrradiCtor> when .his ignorance an~ phrenetick co_nfide~ce and rage> did make ~nn a real ob!ect of puty, to mefl: of ordmary undcrfiandmg;. There ts a kmd of madnefs in this d1feafe, that will not leave you w1t enough to know that you are mad. 43 6. It will make you alfo very cenforious of others : This ig,orant Pride will make you think other mens knowledge to be ignorance, if thou be not jufi of your fond opinions; and other mens graces to be none, if they be not of your mind and way. None are fo ready ·as fuch to cenfure thofc that are better than themfeJves, or that they have no aCquaintance wirh, as being but Civil mor:Jl men, or being erroneoUI or deluded: It's a very loatb{ome thing to hear, an ignorant fclf– conccitcd fellow to talk of ..thofe that are an hundred times wifer and much better than himfelf, as Ma– gifierially with a proud cornpaffion or contempr, as if he were indeed the wife man> that knoweth not w!Jat he faith. 7 . And it will make you reb~Uious, againfi your Governours .and ~eachers, and utter!v urtteachable Even when 1 asdefpi(ing thofe that thoul~ mflrufr and rule you•. You will thmk your felves WJfer than your :reac~er is_ Teachers while you are but m the loweft form. lt IS fuch that James fpeaks to, Jamcs ;. I• My u~p:mcnc wub bretlJren, 'be not many !vlafters (or Teach~rs ? k.,11~wing tb:Zty"c jhaU receive tbe greater condemntztion: And ~~PYofi~;~i!that whole Chapter well worth your fiudymg, IS fpokc to tl.J.t:h. nefs, they o(t think hig?~iell: of their knowledge; ~nd rh:_y :J.~e proud "'h_ile .their dul~efs tir~th .out. their Guides: For Q.;!o. quifq; ell foJ~rtior &: ingeniofior, hoc do: ccc ir.tcundius & Jaboriohus. Quod cmm 1pfe cclenter ampUJr, 1d quum tarde peropl Vtdet , dlfctuci~Wr· Clmo pro Ro[. 8. And thus it will entangle you in Heretic,Jt Opiniont, to which there is no greater preparatory, than pride poffelling half.witted young beginners in Religion. 9 . And fo it will make you troublcrs of the Church, contending unpeaceably for that which you pnderfiand not.. 10· And it tendeth to bypocrijie, making you give thanks for that which you never had, as puffed ttp with ak_nowledge that is not enough to keep you humble, and wanting the Charity. which would edifie your fdves and others, 1 Cor. 8. 1 ~ . J t. AQd it tendeth to delude you in point of airurance of falvation, taking your owrt over-va– luing felf-eficemfor true affuranee; which is not ordinarily w be expeCl:ed, till grace be come to • greater 1\rength. · 12. Lafily, 1t tendeth to corru11t your apprehenfions of the nature ofChrifiianity it felf; while you will judge of it in others according to your ~wn over-valued ~eafure: When if you knew it as it is jn..the Heart and PraCtice-, of the fober, w1fe, humble, chan ble, peaceable, mortified, heavenly believer, you would fee that it hath a higher glory, than any thu' anifefied by you. 9•J• 1have named to you all thefe fad effects of overvaluing your beginnings in Religion, that as you love your fouls, you may avOid them. I take tt to be a matter ofexceeding great moment for your fafety and perfeverance, .that wl~ile you are Infaml in Grace, you Jtnow your felf to be fuch; 'that you may keep your form, ann learn hrfi th~ leffons that mull firll be learnt, and walk humbly with your God, and obey thofe that are ovtr you m the Lord, Heb. 13. 7· 17• I Theff. r. 5, 12. ·and may wait on the Spirit in the ufeof means, and may not Ie)oyce the Tempter by corruptingall that you have rew <eivcd, and imitating him in falling fro!Il your llatc of hope. Direct. 6. BE not difcout·aged. at the difficultiu and oppofitionr which wiU rifc ttp before you, when !)IOU begin re{olvedly to walk. with God. §. I· A~ difcouragemcnts keep offmultitudes. fro~ Rcligi~n, fa they arc great t~mptations to many Ag:ainfi dif.. young begmners to turn back, and as the Jfraelttes m the Wtlderncfs, ready to wtfh themfelvcs again cuuragements· in .iEgjrpt. Three forts of difcouragements arife before them. I· Some from the nature of the work: in cr}all$. 2. Some from Gods tryals. 3• And fame from the malice of the Devil and his ·inllruments : or all thefe. 9· 2· r. It cannot be expected but that Infantr and weal{!ingr lliould think a little burden heavy, and an eafie work or journey to be weariforne : young beginners are ordinarily puzzle,d and at a lotS, in every Trade, or Art, or Science. Young Scholars have a far harder task, than when they arc once well entered : Learning is wondrous hard and unpleafant to them at the tirfi : But when they are once well entered, the knowledge of one thing helps another, and they go on with eafe. So a young Convert that hath been bred up in ignorance, and never ufed to Prayer , or to Heavenly difcoutfe, nor to hear or joyn with any that did, will think it firallge and hard at lirll. And thofe that were ufed to take their pleafure, and fulfil! the defires of the flefi1, and perhaps to [wear and talk filthily, or idly, or to lie, will tind at firfl fame difficulty to overcome their cufioms, and live a mortified holy life (yet grace will ao it and prevail). Efpecially in puint of knowledge and abi- ·. lity of expreffion, be not too hafiy in your expectation, but waic with patience in a faithful dili– . gent u("e of means, and that will be ealie and delightful to you afterwards, which before difcouraged you with its ~ifficulties.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=