6. If any lived long in the Church under the means of knowledge, and yet be ignorant of these Principles, he hath need to be taught them yet, (how old soever he be). All this is plain from the Text: Whence we have fair opportunity by twenty clear convincing Reasons to show them; 1. The Necessity of knowing Gods Oracles. 2. And more especially of the Principles. And 3. especially for the aged, that have sinfully lost so much time already; that have so long promised to repent when they were old; that should be teachers to the younger, whose ignorance is a double sin and shame; who have so little time to learn in, and are so near their Judgement; and who have souls to save or lose as well as others, &c. Convince them how impossible it is to go the way to heaven without knowing it, when there are so many difficulties and enemies in our way? and when men cannot do their worldly business without knowledge, nor learn a trade without an apprenticeship? Who can love, or seek, or desire that which he knoweth not? ⟨p. 419⟩Convince them what a contradiction it is to be a Christian, and yet to refuse to learn; For what is a Christian but a Disciple of Christ? and how can he be his Disciple, that refuseth to be taught by him? and he that refuseth to be taught by his Ministers, refuseth to be taught by him: for Christ will not come down from heaven again to teach them by his own mouth, but hath appointed his Ministers to keep School and teach them under him: To say therefore that they will not be taught by his Ministers, is to say, they will not be taught by Christ, and that is to say, they will be none of his Disciples, or no Christians. Abundance of such undeniable Evidences, we have at hand to convince them of their duty. Make them understand that it is not an arbitrary business of our own devising and imposing, but Necessity is laid upon us, and if we look not to every member of the flock according to our power, they may perish in their own iniquities, but their blood will be required at our hands: It is God and not we, that is the contriver and imposer of the work: therefore they blame God, more then us in accusing it: Would they be so cruel as to wish a Minister to cast away his own soul knowingly and wilfully, for fear of troubling them in hindering their damnation?
6. If any lived long in the Church under the means of knowledge, and yet be ignorant of these Principles, he hath need to be taught them yet, (how old soever he be). All this is plain from the Text: Whence we have fair opportunity by twenty clear convincing Reasons to shew them; 1. The Necessity of knowing Gods Oracles. 2. And more especially of the Principles. And 3. especially for the aged, that have sinfully lost so much time already; that have so long promised to repent when they were old; that should be teachers to the younger, whose ignorance is a double sin and shame; who have so little time to learn in, and are so near their Judgement; and who have souls to save or lose as well as others, &c. Convince them how impossible it is to go the way to heaven without knowing it, when there are so many difficulties and enemies in our way? and when men cannot do their worldly business without knowledge, nor learn a trade without an apprentiship? Who can love, or seek, or desire that which he knoweth not? ⟨p. 419⟩Convince them what a contradiction it is to be a Christian, and yet to refuse to learn; For what is a Christian but a Disciple of Christ? and how can he be his Disciple, that refuseth to be taught by him? and he that refuseth to be taught by his Ministers, refuseth to be taught by him: for Christ will not come down from heaven again to teach them by his own mouth, but hath appointed his Ministers to keep School and teach them under him: To say therefore that they will not be taught by his Ministers, is to say, they will not be taught by Christ, and that is to say, they will be none of his Disciples, or no Christians. Abundance of such undenyable Evidences, we have at hand to convince them of their duty. Make them understand that it is not an arbitrary business of our own devising and imposing, but Necessity is laid upon us, and if we look not to every member of the flock according to our power, they may perish in their own iniquities, but their blood will be required at our hands: It is God and not we, that is the contriver and imposer of the work: therefore they blame God, more then us in accusing it: Would they be so cruel as to wish a Minister to cast away his own soul knowingly and wilfully, for fear of troubling them in hindering their damnation?
