First, observe this General direction; see that you forget not the great difference between Novices and experienced Christians; between the babes and those at full age; between the weak and the strong in grace: Level them not in your estimation. It is not for nothing that the Spirit of God in Scripture maketh so great a difference between them, as you may read in Heb. 5. 11, 12, 13, 14, & 6. 1, 2. 1 Tim. 3. 6. 1 John 2. 12, 13, 14. There are babes, strong men, and fathers among Christians. There are some that are dull of hearing, and have need of milk, and are unskilful in the word of righteousness, and must be taught the principles; and there are others who can digest strong meat, who by ⟨p. 3⟩reason of Use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Novices must not be made Pastors of the Church. It is not for nothing that the Younger are so often commanded reverence and submission to the Elder; and that the Pastors and Governors of the Church, are usually called by the name of Elders; because it was supposed that the elder sort were the most experienced and wise, and therefore Pastors and Rulers were to be chosen out of them. And why is it that children must so much honour their fathers and mothers, and must be governed by them? It is not merely because generation giveth the Parents a propriety in their children: For God would not have folly to be the governor of wisdom, upon pretence of such propriety: But it is also because that it must ordinarily be supposed that Infants are ignorant, and Parents have understanding, and are fit to be their Teachers, as having had longer time and helps to learn, and more experience to make their knowledge clear and firm. If the young and unexperienced were ordinarily as wise as the aged or mature, why are not children made governors of their Parents, or at least commanded to instruct and teach them, as ordinarily as Parents must do their children? The Lord Jesus himself would be subject to his mother and reputed father in his Child-hood. Luke 2. 51. Can there be a livelier conviction of the arrogancy of those novices, who proudly sleight the judgments of their elders, as presuming groundlessly that they are wiser than they? Yea Christ would not enter upon his public Ministry or Office, till he was about thirty years of age. Luke 3. 23.
FIrst, observe this General direction; see that you forget not the great difference between Novices and experienced Christians; between the babes and those at full age; between the weak and the strong in grace: Level them not in your estimation. It is not for nothing that the Spirit of God in Scripture maketh so great a difference between them, as you may read in Heb. 5. 11, 12, 13, 14, & 6. 1, 2. 1 Tim. 3. 6. 1 Iohn 2. 12, 13, 14. There are babes, strong men, and fathers among Christians. There are some that are dull of hearing, and have need of milk, and are unskilful in the word of righteousness, and must be taught the principles; and there are others who can digest strong meat, who by ⟨p. 3⟩reason of Use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Novices must not be made Pastors of the Church. It is not for nothing that the Younger are so often commanded reverence and submission to the Elder; and that the Pastors and Governors of the Church, are usually called by the name of Elders; because it was supposed that the elder sort were the most experienced and wise, and therefore Pastors and Rulers were to be chosen out of them. And why is it that children must so much honour their fathers and mothers, and must be governed by them? It is not meerly because generation giveth the Parents a propriety in their children: For God would not have folly to be the governour of wisdom, upon pretense of such propriety: But it is also because that it must ordinarily be supposed that Infants are ignorant, and Parents have understanding, and are fit to be their Teachers, as having had longer time and helps to learn, and more experience to make their knowledge clear and firm. If the young and unexperienced were ordinarily as wise as the aged or mature, why are not children made governors of their Parents, or at least commanded to instruct and teach them, as ordinarily as Parents must do their children? The Lord Jesus himself would be subject to his mother and reputed father in his Child-hood. Luke 2. 51. Can there be a livelier conviction of the arrogancy of those novices, who proudly sleight the judgments of their elders, as presuming groundlesly that they are wiser than they? Yea Christ would not enter upon his publick Ministry or Office, till he was about thirty years of age. Luke 3. 23
