4 The Life of Faith. dividing of every part into particles : and mull take the food o f their fouls as Phyfick, even like Pills which they cannot get down, unlcfs they are exceeding (mall. III. The Caufes of this Calamity I mull for brevity but name. r. The natural week,oefs of mans mind, doth make him like a narrow-mouthed bottle that can take in but a little at once, and to milt} be long in learning and receiving. 2. The natural lazinefs and impatience of men, will not . give them leave tob: at fuch long and painful ftudics, as corn- pleatnefsofknowledge doth require. 3. The natural pride of mens hearts will not give them leave to continue fo long in ahumble fence of their emptinefs and ignorance, nor to fpcnd fo many years in learning as Difciplcs : but it prefently perfwadeth them that their fun apprchenfions are clear and right, and their knowledge very confiderable already ; and they arc as ready to difpute and senfure the ignorance of their Teachers, if not to teach others themfclves, as to learn. 4. The poverty and labours of many , allow them not lcifure to fearch and fludy fo long and ferioufly, as may bring them to any comprehenfivc knowledge. 5. The moll are not fo happy as to have judicious,neethodical and laborisus leachers, who may potfefs them with right principles and methods, but deliver them Tome truths, with great defcdivenefsand diforder themfclves , and perhaps by their weaknc(s tempt the people into pride, when they fee that they arc almoll as wife as they. 6. Moll men are corrupted by company and converfe with ignorant,c;roneous,and felt conceited men ;and hearing others (perhaps that are very zealous) make fomething of nothing, and make a great matter of a little one, and extolling their own poor and lame conceits, they learn alfotoebinktbat they are fomething when they are nothing, deceiving tbernfelver, Gal.60 3,4. 7. Moll Chriflians have loft the fenfe of the need and ufe t:£ the trueMinijferialO ce, as it contitleth . in per¡onel counfel and
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