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

§. 7. And it hath abundance of mischievous effects.

1. It keepeth out that Truth or Knowledge which should be received. It obstinately resisteth necessary teaching, whereas the willingest entertainment is little enough to get true knowledge, even by slow degrees. As God giveth birds an instinct to feed their young, so the young ones by instinct hunger, and open their mouths. But if they abhorred their meat and must be crammed, they would commonly perish, that knowledge, that such get, must be from themselves, in their own thinking and observation only: Where their minds are yet unfurnished with those Truths that must let in more, and daily objects will occasion ⟨p. 186⟩error or confusion in their minds that are unprepared to improve them, and their own lusts will pervert them, and one error draw in more, whereas the help of those that by long and successful Study, have rightly ordered and digested their conceptions, might be an exceeding help to willing Learners.

1. It keepeth out that Truth or Knowledge which should be received. It obstinately resisteth necessary teaching, whereas the willingest entertainment is little enough to get true knowledge, even by slow degrees. As God giveth birds an instinct to feed their young, so the young ones by instinct hunger, and open their mouths. But if they abhorr'd their meat and must be cram'd, they would commonly perish, that knowledge, that such get, must be from themselves, in their own thinking and observation only: Where their minds are yet unfurnished with those Truths that must let in more, and daily objects will occasion ⟨p. 186⟩errour or confusion in their minds that are unprepared to improve them, and their own lusts will pervert them, and one errour draw in more, whereas the help of those that by long and successful Study, have rightly ordered and digested their conceptions, might be an exceeding help to willing Learners.