J)ireEliom for a Jvell grounded Faitf,. 20 , The furious rowt of the enraged p~ople, deride him by their words and deeds, with a Purple ~obc) a Sccpter of Reed, a 'Cro~n of Thorns, a~d the fcor~ful name.of King. of t~e Jen:'; The}' fpit in his face, and buffet him, aild ~hen br~ak JCalls_upon hun: And m all th1s, bezng~revJ.~ed be re~ ~Ucd not again, but committed aY to hzm that ;udgeth rtghteoufly, 1 Pet. 2· 21, 22, 23· 1 cachmg us to c::xped the rage of the ignorant Rabble, as well as of deluded Governotui ; and eo he made the ti:orn of the wmft of men ; and all this without impatience, reviling or threaming words; but quietcing our felves in the furc expectation of the righteous judgement, which we and they mu!t thordy find. . . . . 21 • when Chrifi is urged at PilawBan to fpeak for h1mfelf, he holds hiS peace : Tcachmg us to txpt:d to he queltioned at th~ Judgeme~t Sear of ~an; and not .to be over.cueful. tOr the .vin~j.:. eating of our Names, from the1r moll odtous calummcs, becaufe the Judgement that wlll fuiJy Jnfidic llS, is fme and near. . 93 22· When Chrifi is in his Agony, his Dif'iplu fail him : when he is judged and crucified, they forfook.. him a11d J!.cd: To teach us ,not to be too confident. in the bell of men, nor to expect ~uch M.mh. :.6. f6. from them in a tnneoftryal, but to take up our comfort m God alone, when ttll oar n.:areJI: frzendr {hall fail us. 23. Upon the Crofs he fulfmth the torments and ignominy of death for us, praying for his Mur– derers : Leaving u1 art example tl)at we jhould follow his fttpJ l 1 Pet. 2· 2 I •• and that we think not life it folf too dear, w part with, in obedie~ce to God, and for the love ofChr1fi and cneanother, and 1 John J· tS. that we forgive and pray for them that perlecute llS• .' 24 • In all rhis fulfering from men, he feels alfo fo much of the fruit of our fin upon hu foul, that he crycth our, My God, my God, wh-1 haft thou forfak._en me? To rea:_h us, if we fall int~ fuch ca.lami– ty of foul, as to think that God h1mfe!f f,..fokpb rM, to remember tor our fupport, that the Son of God himfelf before us, cryed out, My G,d, why hajl thou forfok!n me l And that in this alfo we may cxped: a tryal, to feem to our tdves, Furfa~en ofGod, when our Saviour underwent the like before us. ; I will infiance in no_more of his example, btcaufe I would llJ)t_bc tedious. Hither now let be– lievers cart: their eyes; If you love your bord, you fhould love ro imitate him, and be glad to find your [elves it the.way that he hath gone before you. IfHe lived a worldly_or a fenfu•llife, do you d.o fo: lfHt was an enemy to preaching, and praying, and holy liv.ing, be you fo: But if ],e lived in the greatdl: contempt of all the wealtb, and honour I, and pltafureJ of the world, in a life of holy obedi· ei1Ce to his Father, wholly preferring the Kingdomof Heaven, and feeking the falvation of the fouls of others, and patiently bearing pcrfe<:u[ion, dcrifion, calumnies and death, then take up your Crofs, and follow him in joyfully to the expc&ed Crown. . §. 7· DireCt. 6. If J'U will Learn of Cl>riff, ynu muft Learn of his Mini]!ers, wbom !Jt bath app,int- Dirdl. 6; td rmder him to be the Teachers ofhis Church. He purpofcly mabletb them, tnclineth them, and felidttb them to injlru{J you: Not tobavt dominion over your failh, but to be yaur [piritual Father!, and tbe Minijierr ~y whom you be#eve, as GodffiaU iive (ability and fuccefs ) to every one as he pleafes, to plant and water, while God givet/9 the encreafo, to open mrns e;•es, and turn them from darl{ne[s tolight, and to belabourers together with God, whofe lnub,mdry and building you a.re~ ~nd to be helper.s of"your ' jo)'· See ~Cor. 24· A&s 26. '7> z8. I Cor. 3· ;, 6, 7, 8, 9· &4• I)· Seemg therefore Chrifi hath appointed them under him, tO be the ordinary Teachers of his Church, he that btareth them ( fpcak~ ing his mdfage) heareth him, andhethatdefpi[etb them, defpi{eth him, Luke to. z6. And he that faith, I tvill hear Chritl, but not you, doth fay in c:ffed: to Cluift him[elf, I wiUnot hear thee, nor learn ofthee, unltji thoK wilt difo•ifi thy Vjhers, and teach me imm.diattly tby felf. _ §. 8. DireCt. 7·' Heark_tn alfo to t~e fecret Tc?chi1zgs of !Ji~ Spirit, and .J!O!tr confcitnces; not ar maJte- Direfr. ·• tng you any new Law or Duty, or bemg to you Jnftead of Scnptures or Mmijlers; pm aJ bringin1, that ? truth imo your Hearts and pratlices re.hicb Scriptures and Mlnijters have firjt braught ta )!our eyes and e.zr.s. If you underftand not this, how the: o"ffice ofScripture and Minifters differ from the office of the SpiYit ·~t)d your ConfcienceJ,you will be confounded as the Stdaries ofthe[e times have been, that flpuate wh:tt God hath joyned together, and plead againO: Scripture or Minifters under pretence of extolling the Spirit, or the Light within Jhem. As your meat mull be taken into tht ftomach, and pafi the firjl concollian, .before the [eco11dcan be performed, and chilificationmufi be before[angttification; fo the ScriptUre and Minifiers mufi bring truth to your eyes and ears, before the Spirit or Confcienct bring them td ybi.u Heart! and Pr11Uice. But they lye dead and umffet1ual in your brai1z or imagination , if you licarkch not to the [tcret teacbingsof the Spirit and Con[cience, which would bring them further. As Cbrijl is the principal 'leachtr wi1hout, and MinijferJ arc b~t under IJim ; fo the Spirit is the principal Teacher within su, and Con[cicnce i' but UJtder the Spirit, being excited and informed by it. T·hofe that learn only ofScriptures and Minifters, ( by hearing or reading) may become men ofLe.trnin~ artd ireat abilit)!, though th~ hearken not to"theJanllifyi11g teachings of the Spidt) or to their COJljcicnces: But it is only thofe that hearken firfi to the Scriptures and Minil\:ers, and next to the Spirit of God, and to thdr Con.fciences, that have an inward, {anmfying, [avi.1:g k_nowlcdge, and arc they that are faid tO .be 'tJztght of ~od. Therefore hearken firll: with your ears, what Chrifl hath to fay to you from with- , nY_t, .and ~hc:n.h.e.arken_ daily and diligently ".'ith your hta.rts, what .the Spirit and Confci.ence [ay -wttl:zn. ~or 1t lS thetr office to pteach ove.r all that again to your HcartJ, which you have re.; cdvt:d. ~-9."Dird.t . Clrine •fCbr(i S. It bci~g tbe .office of the prrfoni ordinary Minij!ry, onij11o ixpo;tnd and apply tht do·· Dir<Cl. 8. ·eady recorded m the Scnptures, belzeve not any man, that contradWetb thir recordtd · d:~arine,
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