SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 453 do with them, nor acknowledge them Christians ; but seek not their advice, and make them not of your counsel. You will do as one that goes to a physician that hath the plague, to be cured of a cut finger, if yougo for your isomfort to any of these seducers. But if you have a pastor that is sound in the main doctrines of religion, and is studious of-the unity and peace of the church, such. a man you may use, though in many things mistaken ; for he will not seek to make á preyof you by drawing you to his, party ; let him be Lutheran, Calvinist, Arminian, Episcopal, Independent, or Pres- byterian, so he be sound in the main, and free from division. Thus I' have shown you the qualifications of these men, that you must seek advice of. (8.) Let me next add-this ; Let them be rather pastors than pri- vate men, if it may be ; and rather your dwn- pastors than others, if they are fit. For the first consider, 1. It is their office to be guidés of Christ's disciples under him, and to 'be spiritual physi- cians for . the curing of souls. And experience telleth us (and sadly of late) what. a ourse followeth those that step beyond the bounds of their callingby invading this office, and that God bless= eth means to them that keep within his order; 1 'Oes. v. 12, 13. Heb. xiii. 7. 17. Not but that private men may help you in this, as a private neighbor may give you a medicine to cure your dis- ease ; but you will not so- soon trust them in any weighty case as you will the physician. 2. Besides, ministers have made it the strtdy of their lives,- and therefore are liker to understand it than others. As for those that think long study no more conducible to the knowledge of the Scriptures, than if men studied not at all, they may as.well renounce reason, and dispute for preéminencyof beasts above men, as renounce study, which is but the useof reason. But it appears how considerately these men speak themselves, and whence it comes, and how much credit a sober Christian should give them! Let them read Psalm i. 2, 3. Heb. v. 11 -14. 1 Tim. iv. 13-16, and 2 Tim; ii. 15, and then let them return to their wits. PauI commands 'Timothy, though he was from his youth acquainted with the Scriptures, "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them, that thy profitingmay appear to all." Howmuch need have we to do so now ! 3. Also min- isters are usually most experienced in this work ; and wisdom re- quires you no more to trust your soul, than you would your body, with an unexperienced man. And if it may be, (he being fit,) let it be rather your own Pas- tor than another; 1. Because it- belongeth to his peculiar place and charge to directthe souls of his own congregation. 2. Be- cause he is likelier to 'know you, and to fit his advice to your es-
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