Head, and see there a trinity of persons, and of primary attributes, and of relations; and to arise to the principal' attributes and works of God as in these relations, and to the relations of man to God, and to the great duties of these relations, to discern God's covenants and chiefest laws, and the duty of man in obedience thereto, and the judgment of God in the execution of his sanctions: though yet many particular truths be not understood. And he that beginneth and proceedeth as he ought, doth know methodically so much as he knoweth; and he is in the right way to the knowledge of more: and the great mercy of God hath laid so great a necessity on us to know these few points that are easily known, and so much less need of knowing the many small particulars, that a mean Christian may live uprightly, and holy, and comfortably, that well understandeth his catechism, or the creed, Lord's prayer, and ten commandments, and may find daily work and consolation in the use of these.

A sound and well-composed catechism, studied well and kept in memory, would be a good measure of knowledge to ordinary Christians, and make them solid and orderly in their understanding, and in their proceeding to the smaller points; and would prevent a great deal of error and miscarriage, that many by ill teaching are cast upon, to their own and the churches' grief! Yea, it were to be wished, that some teachers of late had learned so much and orderly themselves.

Direct. IV. Begin not too early with controversies in religion: and, when you come to them, let them have but their due proportion of your time and zeal: but live daily upon these certain, great substantials, which all Christians are agreed in.'

1. Plunge not yourselves too soon into controversies: for, (1.) It will be exceedingly to your loss, by diverting your souls from greater and more necessary things: you may get more increase of holiness, and spend your time more pleasingly to God, by drinking in deeper the substan-"' tials of religion, and improving them on your hearts and lives.

(2.) It will corrupt your minds, and instead of humility, charity, holiness, and heavenly-mindedness, it will feed

your pride, and kindle faction and a dividing zeal, and quench your charity, and possess you with a wrangling, contentious spirit, and you will make a religion of these sins and lamentable distempers.

(3.) And it is the way to deceive and corrupt your judgments, and make you erroneous or heretical, to your own perdition, and the disturbance of the church: for it is two to one but either you presently err, or else get such an itch after notions and opinions that will lead you to error at the last. Because you are not yet ripe and able to judge of those things, until your minds are prepared by those truths that are first in order to be received. When you undertake a work that you cannot do, no wonder if it be ill done, and must be all undone again, or worse.

must not take

your

reli

Perhaps you will you say, that gion upon trust, but must "prove all things, and hold fast that which is good."

Answer. Though your religion must not be taken upon trust, there are many controverted, smaller opinions that you must take upon trust, until you are capable of discerning them in their proper evidence. Till you can reach them yourselves, you must take them on trust, or not at all. Though you must believe all things of common necessity to salvation with a divine faith; yet many subservient truths must be received first by a human faith, or not received at all until you are more capable of them. Nay, there is a human faith necessarily subservient to the Divine faith, about the substance of religion; and the officers of Christ are to be trusted in their office, as helpers of your faith. Nay, let me tell you, that while you are young and ignorant, you are not fit for controversies about the fundamentals of religion themselves. You may believe that there is a God, long before you are fit to hear an atheist proving that there is no God: you may believe the Scripture to be the word of God, and Christ to be the Saviour, and the soul to be immortal, long before you will be fit to manage or study controversies hereupon. For nothing is so false or bad, which a wanton or wicked wit may not put a plausible gloss upon and your raw, unfurnished understandings will scarcely be able to see through the pretence, or escape the cheat. When you cannot answer the arguments of seducers, you will find them

leave a doubting in your minds; for you know not how plain the answer of them is to wiser men. And though you must prove all things, you must do it in due order, and as you are able: and stay till your furnished minds are capable of the trial. If you will needs read before you know your letters, or pretend to judge of Greek and Hebrew authors before you can read English, you will but become ridiculous in your undertaking.

2. When you do come to smaller controverted points, let them have but their due proportion of your time and zeal. And that will not be one hour in many days, with the generality of private Christians. By that time you have well learned the more necessary duties, you will find that there will be but little time to spare for lesser controversies. Opinionists that spend most of their time in studying and talking of such points do steal that time from greater matters, and therefore from God and from themselves: better work is undone the while. And they that here lay out their chiefest zeal divert their zeal from things more necessary, and turn their natural heat into a fever.

3. The essential, necessary truths of your religion, must imprint the image of God upon your hearts, and must dwell there continually, and you must live upon them as your bread, and drink, and daily necessary food: all other points must be studied in subserviency to those. All lesser duties must be used as the exercise of the love of God or man, and of a humble, heavenly mind. The articles of your creed, and points of catechism are fountains ever running, affording you matter for the continual exercise of grace: it is both plentiful and solid nourishment of the soul, which these great, substantial points afford. To know God the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, the laws and covenant of God, and his judgment, and rewards and punishments, with the parts and method of the Lord's prayer, which must be the daily exercise of our desires and love: this is the wisdom of a Christian, and in these must he be continually exercised.

You will say, perhaps, that the apostle saith," Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works," &c.

Answer. 1. By "leaving" he meaneth not passing over the

a Heb. vi. 1.

practice of them, as men that have done with them and are past; but his leaving at that time to discourse of them, or his supposing them taught already: though he lay not the foundation again, yet he doth not pluck it up. 2. By "principles" he meaneth the first points to be taught, and learned, and practised: and, indeed, regeneration and baptism is not to be done again: but the essentials of religion, which I am speaking of, contain much more; especially to live in the love of God, which Paul calls "the more excellent way." 3. "Going on to perfection," is not by ceasing to believe and love God, but by a more distinct knowledge of the mysteries of salvation, to perfect our faith, and love, and obedience.

The points that opinionists call higher, and think to be the principal matter of their growth, and advancement in understanding, are usually but some smaller, less necessary truths, if not some uncertain, doubtful questions".

Direct. v. Be very thankful for the great mercy of your conversion but yet overvalue not your first degrees of knowledge or holiness; but remember that you are yet but in your infancy, and must expect your growth and ripeness, as the consequent of time and diligence.'

You have great reason to be more glad and thankful, for the least measure of true grace, than if you had been made the rulers of the earth: it being of a far more excellent nature, and entitling you to more than all the kingdoms of the world. See my sermon called "Right Rejoicing," on those words of Christ, "Rejoice not that the spirits are subject to you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." Christ will warrant you to rejoice, though enemies envy you, and repine both at vour victory and triumph. If there be "joy in heaven in the presence of the angels" at your conversion, there is great reason you should be glad yourselves. If the prodigal's father will needs have the best robe and ring brought forth, and the fat calf killed, and the music to attend the feast, that they may eat and be merry", there is great reason that the prodigal son himself should not have the smallest share of joy: though his brother repine.

r1 Cor. xii. xiii, • Mark well 1 Tim. i. 4. and iv. 4. 2 Tim. ii. 23. Tit. ii. 9. compared with John xvii. 3. Rom. xiii. 8-10. 1 Cor. xiii. 1 John iii. 1 Cor i, 23. xv. 1—3. ii. 2. Gal, vi 14. James ii, iii. 1.

t Luke x. 20.

u Luke xv. 23.

your

But yet, take heed lest you think the measure of first endowments to be greater than it is *. Grace imitateth nature, in beginning, usually, with small degrees, and growing up to maturity by leisurely proceeding. We are not new born in a state of manhood, as Adam was created. Though those texts that liken the kingdom of God to a grain of mustard-seed, and to a little leaven, be principally meant of the small beginnings, and great increase of the church or kingdom of Christ in the world; yet it is true also of his grace, or kingdom in the soul. Our first stature is but to be "new-born babes desiring the sincere milk of the Word, that we may grow by it." Note here, that the new birth bringeth forth but babes, but growth is by degrees, by feeding on the Word. The Word is received by the heart, as seed into the ground. And seed useth not to bring forth the blade and fruit, to ripeness, in a day.

But yet in

Yet I deny not, but that some men (as Paul) may have more grace at their first conversion, than many others have at their full growth. For God is free in the giving of his own, and may give more or less as pleaseth himself. Paul himself, that greater measure is but his smallest measure, and he himself is capable of increase to the last. And so great a measure at first is as rare, as his greater measure, at last, in its full growth, is rare, and scarce to be expected now.

And if God should give a great measure of holiness at first, to any now, as possibly he may, yet their measure of gifts is never great at first, unless they had acquired or received them before conversion. If grace find a man of great parts and understanding, which by study and other helps, he had attained before, no wonder if that man, when his parts are sanctified, be able in knowledge the first day: for he had it before, though he had not a heart to use it. But if grace find a man ignorant, unlearned, and of mean abilities, he must not expect to be suddenly lifted up to great understanding, and high degrees of knowledge by grace. For this knowledge is not given, now, by sudden infusion, as gifts were, extraordinarily, in the primitive church. You need no other proof of this but experience, to stop the mouth of

* Laertius saith of Cleanthus, "Cum aliquando probro ille daretur, quod esset timidus, At idéo, inquit, parum pecco." Diog. Laert. lib. vii. Segm. 171. p. 473. z 1 Pet. ii. 2. a Matt. xiii.

y Matt. xiii. 31.33.