Puritan Wisdom

On I Peter 1:13 --

"Knowledge without Zeal is blockishnesss, as Zeal without knowledge rashness; but better less Knowledge and more Zeal, then more Knowledge and less Zeal or care or obedience. Doctrine without Exhortation, is to set a dull Horse in the way, and not spur him on: Exhortation without Doctrine, is to spur the Horse forwards, before he be put in the way; the one is Foundation, the other the Building, both which must go together.

"Ministers that would go to work indeed, must go with their tools, use both Doctrine and Exhortation; as he that would cleave a knotty Log, must use both Beetle and Wedges, the one without the other would be to no purpose: We must not beat the ayr as it were, multiplying words, yea good words, without a ground: Neither must we deliver sound Doctrine strongly proved, so leaving it, but urge and apply it. Practice being the life of all, and people being unapt to make particular Application; yea, it is the principle part of our Ministery, to draw on the will, and to perswade and work upon the affections, for want of which many finde but small fruit in their Ministery; for people are grown to that pass, that is not the excellency and weight of the matter that will move (which for the most part proves but a sound with the most) if it be not whetted by some enforcements of Exhortation."

-- John Rogers, 72.