A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

3. They who live under better means of Instruction now, should ordinarily be more knowing than such as have not the like means. They that have the word preached to them more plainly, powerfully, frequently, should know more, than they who sit under an idle ignorant Ministry. They that may hear a Sermon every day, if they will, than they that can scarce hear one Sermon in many months. And so should they likewise, who live in Religious Families, where God is daily worshipped, Children and Servants daily instructed, know more than they who live under profane, or ignorant Masters or Parents.

¹2: They that have more time for the gaining of knowledge, are concerned to know more than they that have less time. Not only by how much the longer men enjoy such means, the more they should know, (and more than such as have lived a less season under them: Upon which account the Apostle blames the Hebrews, Ch. 5.12. because, when for the time they ought to be Teachers, they had need that one should again teach them, which were the first Principles of the Oracles of God; And 2 Tim. 3.7. He speaks of some that were ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.) But likewise, by how much more leisure men have for studying the Scriptures, and attending on the means of Grace, while they do enjoy them, so much the more proportionably they should know. They that have plentiful Estates, easy employments, few avocations, may, and therefore ought to seek after a greater measure of knowledge, than they, who by reason of more burdensome callings, a lower condition in the World, and the necessity of providing for themselves and their Families, are not in a capacity of spending so much time in attending on those means, whereby a greater proportion of knowledge might be gained. They that have their time lying on their hands, and know not how to fill it up, but with enquiring after News and Fashions, studying Pleasures and diversions, how much knowledge might they arrive unto, if they spent but half that time in studying the truth, and enquiring after the things of God?