The truly blessed man, or, The way to be happy here, and forever being…

2. Hence Christians are no further profited by these Truths, than as they apply them to practice. That they may so do, they must know them: and its vain for men to pretend that though they know less than others, yet they live as well; for without knowledge the mind cannot be good; but on the other hand, if men only study to know that they may talk, and be admired by their neighbours for men of understanding, but lead a loose and ungirt life, they deceive themselves, and their knowledge will aggravate their Guilt, and procure them the more wrath, Luk. 12. 47. Hence that, Joh. 13. 17.

3. Hence it is certainly the duty of every one that bears the Gospel, to apply the truths of it to himself. It is not enough for us to receive them into our heads, but we must let them sink into our hearts; there are many sorts of hearers, but there is but one of them that get good by hearing, compared to good ground, and these bear fruit, Mat. 13. 23. And we have a profitable hearer described, Jam. 1. 25.

4. The end of teaching is to farther the end of the Gospel, and that is practice. God appoints some to teach others, because he would have them Serve to farther the Gospel design, if then that be appointed ⟨p. 426⟩to lead and bring men to practice, they are to design, and seek how they may promove it; hence they are said to Minister the Gospel,