A negligent Christian, no true Christian. [ 271]
IF a man should binde his son Apprentice to some Science or occupation,* 1.1 and when he had served his time should be to seek of his Trade, and be never a whit the more his Crafts-master in the ending of his years then he was at the beginning, he would think he had lost his time, and complain of the injury of the Master, or the carelessness of the servant; Or, if a Father should put his Son to school, and he al∣waies should continue in the lowest Form, and never get higher, we should judge either great negligence in the Master, or in the Scholar. Behold such Apprentices or such Scholars are most of us! The Church of God is the School of Christ, and the best place to learn the Science of all Sciences; Now if we have many of us lived long therein, some of us twenty, some thirty, some fourty, some fifty years, &c. and some longer,* 1.2 and we no wiser then a child of seven, Were it not a great shame for us? What, no forwarder in Religion then so? O disgrace! And may we not be con∣demned of great negligence in the matters of our salvation?