Compassionate counsel to all young men especially I. London apprentices, II. students of divinity,…

3. And such a one is not bound to think that he knoweth not what he knoweth; nor to believe that every old man is wiser than he; all this we grant.

§. 4. But though, Eccl. 4.13, Better is a poor and a wise Child, than an old and foolish King who will no more be admonished. Yet,

1. It is certain that knowledge cometh much by experience; and long experience and use, is far more powerful than the short: And Time and Converse is necessary to it; naturally or ordinarily long learning and use increaseth knowledge. Do not all take it for granted that usually the boys who have been many years at School are better who Scholars than beginners; and so in all other acquisitions. Therefore it was the Elders that were commonly the Rulers of the people in Church and Commonwealth, and the Pastors and Rulers are thence called Elders: And if they were not ordinarily the wisest, why did not God make the Children the ordinary Teachers and Rulers of their Parents, but the Parents of the Children? Old men may be Ignorant and Erroneous ⟨p. 183⟩as well as wicked: but young men cannot be ripe in wisdom without a miracle; we are not therefore now to suppose unusual things to be usual. Ordinarily youth is ignorant and raw; their conceptions undigested, not well fixed or improved: It is but few things that they know, and their ignorance of the rest, maketh them liable to many Errors, Heb. 5.11, 12. For the Time ye ought to have been Teachers, fitness to teach supposeth Time, the young cannot digest strong meats, A Novice must not be a Bishop, the reason may seem strange, Lest he be lift up with Pride, and fall into the condemnation of the Devil,