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

And thus I have showed you what confirmation & growth is needful for your understandings, even about the very same truths, which at first you knew. And now I shall add; 8. You must also labour to understand more truths for number than at the first you understood, and to reach to as much of the revealed will of God as you can, and not to stop in the mere essentials. For all divine revelations are precious, and of great use; and none must be neglected. And the knowledge of many other truths, is of some necessity to our clear understanding of the essentials; and also to our holding them fast and practising them. Secret things belong to God, but things revealed, to us, and to our children, Deut. 29.29.

And thus I have shewed you what confirmation & growth is needful for your understandings, even about the very same truths, which at first you knew. And now I shall add; 8. You must also labour to understand more truths for number than at the first you understood, and to reach to as much of the revealed will of God as you can, and not to stop in the meer essentials. For all divine revelations are precious, and of great use; and none must be neglected. And the knowledge of many other truths, is of some necessity to our clear understanding of the essentials; and also to our holding them fast and practising them. Secret things belong to God, but things revealed, to us, and to our children, Deut. 29.29.

But here I must give you this further advice. 1. That you proceed in due order, from the fundamental points to those that lye next them; & do not overpass the points of next necessity and weight, and go to higher and less needful matters, before you are ready for them. 2. And also see that you receive all following truths that are taught you, as flowing from the foundation, and conjoined with it. Disorderly proceedings have unspeakably wronged the souls of many thousands, when they are presently upon controversies and smaller matters, before they understand abundance of more necessary things that must be first understood. This course doth make them lose their labour, and worse; it deceiveth the understanding instead of informing it: and thereupon it perverts the will it self, and turns men to an heretical, proud, or perverse frame of spirit; and then it must needs mislead their practises, and cause them like deluded men to be zealous in doing mischief, while they think they are doing good. In common matters you can see, that you must learn and do things in their due order, or else you will but make fools of your selves. Will you go to the top of the stairs or ladder, without beginning at the lower steps? Will you sow your ground before you manure or plough it? or can you reap before you sow it? Will you ride your colt before you break him? Will your rear an house before you frame it? Or will you teach your children Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin, before they learn English? or to read the hardest books before they learn the easiest? or can they read before they learn to spell, or know their letters? No more can you learn