4. It will make you neglect the due labour and patience in the use of means, for further knowledge and increase of grace, while you think you are so well already.[54] And so you will be worse than those that are ever learning, and never come to any ripe knowledge; for you will think that you are fit to be teachers, when you have need to be taught that which you will not submit to learn. And then, "when for the time ye ought to have been teachers, you will have need to be catechised, or taught again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, as having need of milk, and not of strong meat." Mark here, how the Holy Ghost maketh time and exercise necessary to such growth as must enable you to be teachers, Heb. v. 12-14. Therefore he addeth, "but strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age; those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Mark here, how wisdom and strength is to be expected. 5. This over-hasty conceit of your own ability, will tempt you to run into controversies, and matters that you are not fit for; and so divert you from necessary and seasonable studies. 6. It will make you over-confident of all your own opinions, and stiff in all your own conceits; too like him, Prov. xiv. 16, "The fool rageth and is confident." How many and many a time have I heard a man that understood not what he talked of, and could scarce speak sense, to plead for his opinion so confidently, as to scorn or pity the wisest contradicter, when his ignorance, and phrenetic confidence and rage, did make him a real object of pity, to men of ordinary understandings. There is a kind of madness in this disease, that will not leave you wit enough to know that you are mad. 7. It will make you also very censorious of others: this ignorant pride will make you think other men's knowledge to be ignorance, if they be not just of your fond opinions; and other men's graces to be none, if they be not of your mind and way. None are so ready as such to censure those that are better than themselves, or that they have no acquaintance with, as being but civil, moral men, or being erroneous or deluded. It is a very loathsome thing, to hear an ignorant, self-conceited fellow to talk of those that are a hundred times wiser and much better than himself, as magisterially, with a proud compassion or contempt, as if he were indeed the wise man, that knoweth not what he saith. 8. And it will make you rebellious against your governors and teachers, and utterly unteachable, as despising those that should instruct and rule you.[55] You will think yourselves wiser than your teachers, while you are but in the lowest form. It is such that James speaks to, Jam. iii. 1, "My brethren, be not many masters, (or teachers,) knowing that ye shall receive the greater condemnation." And that whole chapter, well worth your studying, is spoke to such.