Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

And 1. That it may be surely laid in the Head, you must labour, 1. To understand these Articles. And 2. to see the Evidence of their verity, that you may firmly believe them. And 3. To Consider of the worth and necessity of the matter revealed in them, that your Judgments may most highly esteem it. This is the sure laying the Foundation in the Head.

To these ends you should first learn some Catechism, and be well acquainted with the Principles of Religion: and also be much in reading or hearing the holy Scripture, and enquiring of your Teachers, and others that can help you; and see that you take your work before you, and step not higher till this be done. And then all other following truths and Duties and promised benefits must all be so learnt as to be built upon this ⟨p. 88⟩foundation, and joined to it, as receiving their life and strength from hence; and never looked upon as separated from this; nor as more excellent and necessary.

To these ends you should first learn some Catechism, and be well acquainted with the Principles of Religion: and also be much in reading or hearing the holy Scripture, and enquiring of your Teachers, and others that can help you; and see that you take your work before you, and step not higher till this be done. And then all other following truths and Duties and promised benefits must all be so learnt as to be built upon this ⟨p. 88⟩foundation, and joyned to it, as receiving their life and strength from hence; and never lookt upon as separated from this; nor as more excellent and necessary.

For want of learning well, and believing soundly, these Principles, Essentials, or Fundamentals of Christianity, some of our people can go no further, but stand all their days in their ignorance, at a non-plus: Some of them go on in a blind Profession, deceiving themselves by building upon the Sand, and hold true Doctrine by a false unsound belief of it: And when the Floods and storms do beat upon their building, it falls, and great is the fall thereof. With some of them it falls upon the first assault of any Seducer, that hath interest in them, or advantage on them: and abundance swallow up Errors, because they never well understood, or Firmly believed Fundamental Truths. With others of them, the building falls not until death, because they lived not under any shaking temptations. But it being but a perseverance in an unsound Profession, will nevertheless be ineffectual to their Salvation.