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

9. Be sure to practice what you know, and live up to what you have learned. Doing duty is the way to gain knowledge. Ordinarily the more holy you are, the more really wise you are, or are like to be. The better your hearts are, the clearer your heads will be, as to the knowledge of those Spiritual things you are most concerned to know. You will most easily learn to know, what you love most to do. Though the receiving the truths of God be the immediate office of the understanding, yet the affections, where they are right,¹ will help the understanding in its work. The purifying of the heart will rid it of those lusts, which are wont to steam and vapour up into the head, and darken the eyes o• the mind, and hinder it from a right receiving of Spiritual truths. Where sanctification is promoted in heart and life, knowledge will certainly be increased too. They that exercise themselves unto Godliness, and thereby show their love to God's Law, shall not want for the knowledge of it. They that love his ways shall not want for a guide. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will teach them his covenant, Psal. 25.9. If any Man do his will he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, &c. John 1.17.

9. Be sure to practice what you know, and live up to what you have learned. Doing duty is the way to gain knowledg. Ordinarily the more holy you are, the more really wise you are, or are like to be. The better your hearts are, the clearer your heads will be, as to the knowledg of those Spiritual things you are most concerned to know. You will most easily learn to know, what you love most to do. Though the receiving the truths of God be the immediate office of the understanding, yet the affections, where they are right,¹ will help the understanding in its work. The purifying of the heart will rid it of those lusts, which are wont to steam and vapour up into the head, and darken the eyes o• the mind, and hinder it from a right receiving of Spiritual truths. Where sanctification is promoted in heart and life, knowledg will certainly be increased too. They that exercise themselves unto Godlyness, and thereby shew their love to God's Law, shall not want for the knowledg of it. They that love his wayes shall not want for a guide. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will teach them his covenant,