The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…

Make therefore no more of these vain defences of your Pride: Let no man think of himself and his own understanding above what is meet. I persuade you not to deny any truth which indeed you know, nor to doubt of any thing which is made truly certain to you. But value not your understandings above their worth, and fix not ⟨p. 19⟩too rashly upon your first apprehensions; and go not away with a passionate confidence, in your poor, raw, untried and defective conceptions. But remember that you know but little, and must have time and labour to grow up to the rest. Be not wise in your own conceits. Rom. 12. 16. & 11. 25. Prov. 26. 5. & 28. 11. And this is commonly the sin of the slothful, that never were at that pains for knowledge, by which it must be attained. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that can render a reason, Prov. 26. 16. You little think when you are conceited of your knowledge, that you are further from wisdom than a fool. Prov. 26. 12. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool, than of him. Be not wise in thy own eyes, Prov. 3. 3. Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight. Isa. 5. 21. Be not righteous overmuch, neither make thy self over-wise: why shouldst thou destroy thy self? The self-conceited must become fools in their own esteem, if ever they will be wise, as the worldly wise must own that which is folly in the judgment of the world, if ever they will be wise: 1 Cor. 3. 18.

Make therefore no more of these vain defences of your Pride: Let no man think of himself and his own understanding above what is meet. I perswade you not to deny any truth which indeed you know, nor to doubt of any thing which is made truly certain to you. But value not your understandings above their worth, and fix not