The Right Method for a Settled Peace of Conscience, Direction 31
DIRECTION XXXI.
If God do bleſs you with an able, faithful, prudent, judicious Paſtor, take him for your Guide under Chriſt in the way to Salvation; and open to him your Caſe and deſire his advice in all your extraordinary preſſing neceſſities, where you have found the advice of other godly friends to be inſufficient: And this not once or twice only, but as often as ſuch preſſing neceſſities ſhall return. Or if your own Paſtor be more defective for ſuch a work, make uſe of ſome other Miniſter of Chriſt, who is more meet.
HEre I have theſe ſeveral things to open to you. 1. That it is your Duty to ſeek this Direction from the Guides of the Church. 2. When and in what caſes you ſhould do this. 3. To what end, and how far. 4. What Miniſters they be that you ſhould chooſe thereto. 5. In what manner you muſt open your Caſe, that you may receive ſatisfaction.
1. The firſt hath two parts. 1. That you muſt open your Caſe. 2. And that to your Paſtor. 1. The Devil hath great advantage while you keep his Counſel: Two are better then one; for if one of them fall he hath another to help him. It is dangerous Reſiſting ſuch an enemy alone. An uniting of forces oft procureth victory. God giveth others knowledge, prudence, and other gifts for our good: that ſo every member of the body may have need of another, and each be uſeful to the other. An Independency of Chriſtian upon Chriſtian, is moſt unchriſtian: much more of people on their Guides. It ceaſeth to be a Member, which is ſeparated from the body: and to make no uſe of the body or fellow members, is next to ſeparation from them. Sometime baſhfulneſs is the cauſe, ſometimes ſelf-confidence (a far worſe cauſe;) but whatever is the cauſe of Chriſtians ſmothering their Doubts, the effects are oft ſad. The diſeaſe is oft gone ſo far, that the Cure is very difficult, before ſome baſhful or proud or tender Patients will open their diſeaſe. The very opening of a mans grief to a faithful friend, doth oft eaſe the heart of it ſelf. 2. And that this ſhould be done to your Paſtor, I will ſhew you further anon.
2. But you muſt underſtand well when this is your Duty. 1. Not in every ſmall infirmity, which accompanies Chriſtians in their daily moſt watchful Converſation: Nor yet in every leſſer Doubt, which may be otherways reſolved. It is a folly and a wrong to Phyſitians to run to them for every cut finger or prick with a pin. Every neighbour can help you in this. 2. Nor except it be a weighty caſe indeed, go not firſt to a Miniſter. But firſt ſtudy the caſe your ſelf, and ſeek Gods direction: If that will not ſerve, open your caſe to your neareſt boſom friend that is godly and judicious. And in theſe two caſes always go to your Paſtor: 1. In caſe privater means can do you no Good: then God calls you to ſeek further. If a cut finger ſo feſter that ordinary means will not cure it, you muſt go to the Phyſician. 2. If the caſe be weighty and dangerous: For then none but the more prudent advice is to be truſted. If you be ſtruck with a dangerous diſeaſe, I would not have you delay ſo long, nor wrong your ſelf ſo much as to ſtay while you tamper with every womans medicine, but go preſently to the Phyſician. So if you either fall into any grievous ſin, or any terrible pangs of Conſcience, or any great ſtreights and difficulties about matters of Doctrine or Practice, go preſently to your Paſtour for advice. The Devil, and Pride, and Baſhfulneſs will do their utmoſt to hinder you; but ſee that they prevail not.
3. Next conſider to what End you muſt do this. Not 1. either to expect that a Miniſter can of himſelf create Peace in you: or that all your Doubts ſhould vaniſh as ſoon as ever you have opened your mind. OnelyOnly the great Peacemaker, the Prince of Peace, can create Peace in you: Aſcribe not to any the office of the Holy Ghoſt, to be your effectual Comforter. To expect more from man then belongs to man, is the way to receive nothing from him, but to cauſe God to blaſt to you the beſt endeavours. 2. Nor muſt you reſolve to take all meerly from the word of your Paſtour, as if he were Infallible: Nor abſolutely to Judge of your ſelf as he Judgeth. For he may be too rigorous, or more commonly too charitable in his opinion of you: There may be much of your diſpoſition and converſation unknown to him, which may hinder his right Judging. But 1. You muſt uſe your Paſtour as the ordained Inſtrument & Meſſenger of the Lord Jeſus & his Spirit, appointed to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon to the weary, and to ſhew to man his Righteouſneſs, and to ſtrengthen the weak hands and feeble knees, yea and more, to bind and looſe on Earth, as Chriſt doth bind and looſe in Heaven. As Chriſt and his Spirit do onelyonly ſave in the principal place, and yet Miniſters ſave ſouls in ſubordination to them as his Inſtruments. Act. 26.17, 18. 1 Tim. 4.15, 16. Jam. 5.20. So Chriſt and the Spirit are as Principal Cauſes the onelyonly Comforters: but his Miniſters are Comforters under him. 2. And that which you muſt expect from them is theſe two things. 1. You muſt expect thoſe fuller diſcoveries of Gods Will, then you are able to make your ſelf, by which you may have aſſurance of your duty to God, and of the ſenſe of Scripture, which expreſſeth how God will deal with you: That ſo a clearer diſcovery of Gods mind may Reſolve your Doubts. 2. In the mean time till you can come to a full Reſolution, you may and muſt ſomewhat ſtay your ſelf on the very Judgement of your Paſtour: Not as Infallible; but as a diſcovery of the Probability of your Good or bad eſtate: and ſo of your duty alſo. Though you will not renounce your own underſtanding, and believe any man when you know he is deceived, or would deceive you, yet you will ſo far ſuſpect your own reaſon, and value anothers, as to have a ſpecial regard to every mans Judgement in his own Profeſſion. If the Phyſician tell you that your diſeaſe is not dangerous, or the Lawyer that your Cauſe is good, it will more Comfort you then if another man ſhould ſay as much. It may much ſtay your heart till you can reach to clear Evidences and Aſſurance, to have a Paſtor that is well acquainted with you, and is faithful and Judicious to tell you that he verily thinks that you are in a ſafe Condition. 3. But the chief uſe of his Advice is, not ſo much to tell you what he thinks of you, as to give you Directions how you may Judge of your ſelf, and come out of your trouble: Beſides the benefit of his Prayers to God for you.
4. Next let me tell you what men you muſt chooſe to open your mind to: And they muſt be, 1. Men of Judgement and Knowledge, and not the Ignorant, be they never ſo honeſt: Elſe they may deceive you, not knowing what they do: either for want of underſtanding the Scripture, and the nature of Grace and Sin; or for want of skill to deal with both weak Conſciences, and deep deceitful hearts. 2. They muſt be truly fearing God, and of experience in this great work. For a Troubled ſoul is ſeldom well reſolved and comforted meerly out of a Book; but from the Book and Experience both together. Carnal or formal men will but make a Jeſt at the Doubts of a Troubled Chriſtian; or at leaſt will give you ſuch formal Remedies as will prove no Cure: Either they will perſwade you, as the Antinomians do, that you ſhould truſt God with your ſoul, and never Queſtion your Faith: Or that you do ill to trouble your ſelf about ſuch things: Or they will direct you onelyonly to the Comforts of General Grace, and tell you onelyonly that God is Merciful, and Chriſt dyed for ſinners: which are the neceſſary Foundations of our Peace; but will not anſwer particular Doubts of our own ſincerity and of our Intereſt in Chriſt: Or elſe they will make you believe that Holineſs of heart and life (which is the thing you look after) is it that troubleth you and breeds all your ſcruples: Or elſe with the Papiſts, they will ſend you to your Merits for Comfort; or to ſome Vindictive Penance in Faſtings, Pilgrimages, or the like; or to ſome Saint departed, or Angel, or to the Pardons or Indulgencies of the Pope: or to a certain, formal, carnal Devotion, to make God amends. 3. They muſt be men of downright Faithfulneſs, that will deal plainly and freely, though not cruelly: and not like thoſe tender Surgeons that will leave the Cure undone for fear of hurting: Meddle not with men-pleaſers and daubers, that will preſently ſpeak Comfort to you as Confidently as if they had known you twenty years, when perhaps they know little of your heart or Caſe. Deal not with ſuch as reſolve to humour you. 4. They muſt be men of fidelity, and well tryed to be ſuch, that you may truſt them with thoſe ſecrets which you are called to Reveal. 5. They muſt be men of great ſtayedneſs and wiſdom, that they may neither raſhly paſs their Judgement, nor ſet you upon unſound, unwarrantable or dangerous Courſes. 6. It is ſuſpicious if they be men that are ſo Impudent as to draw out your ſecrets, and ſcrue themſelves deeper into your privateſt thoughts and ways then is meet: Yet a compaſſionate Miniſter, when he ſeeth that poor Chriſtians do endanger themſelves by keeping ſecret their Troubles, or elſe that they hazard themſelves by hiding the greateſt of their ſins, like Achan, Saul, or Ananias and Saphira, and ſo play the Hypocrites; in theſe Caſes he may and muſt urge them to deal openly. 7. Above all be ſure that thoſe that you ſeek advice of be ſound in the Faith, and free from the two deſperate plagues of notorious falſe doctrine, and ſeparating dividing inclinations, that do but hunt about to make Diſciples to themſelves. There are two of the former ſort, and three of the latter, that I would charge you to take heed of (and yet all is but four) 1. Among thoſe that erre from the Faith (next to Pagans, Jews and Infidels, whether Ranters, Seekers or Socinians, which I think few ſober godly men are ſo much in danger of, becauſe of their extreme vileneſs) I would eſpecially have you avoyd the Antinomians, being the greateſt pretenders to the right comforting afflicted Conſciences in the world: but upon my certain knowledge I dare ſay they are notorious ſubverters of the very nature of the Goſpel, and that free Grace which they ſo much talk of, and the great diſhonorers of the Lord Jeſus, whom they ſeem ſo highly to extoll. They are thoſe Mountebanks and Quackſalvers that delude the world by vain oſtentation, and kill more then they well Cure. 2. Next to them, take heed of the Papiſts, who will go to Rome, to Saints, to Angels, to Merits, to the moſt carnal deluſory means for Comfort, when they ſhould go to Scripture and to Heaven for it.
And then take heed that you fall not into the hands of ſeparating dividers of Chriſts Church. The moſt notorious and dangerous of them are of theſe three ſorts: 1. The laſt mentioned, the Papiſts: They are the moſt notorious Schiſmaticks and Separatiſts that ever Gods Church did know on Earth: For my part, I think their Schiſm is more dangerous and wicked then the reſt of their falſe Doctrine. The unmerciful, proud, ſelf-ſeeking wretches would like the Donatiſts, make us believe that God hath no true Church on Earth but they: and that all the Chriſtians in Ethiopia, Aſia, Germany, Hungary, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Belgia, and the reſt of the World that acknowledge not their Pope of Rome to be Head of all the Churches in the World, are none of Chriſts Churches, nor ever were. Thus do they ſeparate from all the Churches on Earth, and confine all Religion and Salvation to themſelves, who ſo notoriouſly depart from Chriſts way of ſalvation. Indeed the extreme diligence that they uſe in viſiting the ſick, and ſoliciting all men to their Church and way, is plainly to get themſelves followers; and they are everywhere more induſtrious to enlarge the Popes Kingdom, then Chriſts. So far are they from ſtudying the Unity of the Catholick Church which they ſo much talk of, that they will admit none to be of that Church, nor to be ſaved, but their own party, as if indeed the Pope had the Keys of Heaven. Indeed they are the moſt impudent Sectaries and Schiſmaticks on Earth. 2. The next to them are the Anabaptiſts, whoſe Doctrine is not in it ſelf ſo dangerous as their Schiſm and gathering Diſciples ſo zealouſly to themſelves: And ſo ſtrange a curſe of God hath followed them hitherto, as may deter any ſober Chriſtian from raſh adventuring on their way. Even now when they are higher in the world then ever they were on earth, yet do the judicious ſee Gods heavy judgement upon them, in their Congregations and Converſations. 3. Laſtly, meddle not with thoſe commonly called Separatiſts; for they will make a prey of you for the increaſe of their party. I do not mean that you ſhould ſeparate from theſe two laſt, as they do from us, and have nothing to 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 you go for your comfort 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 a Prey of you by drawing you to his party. Let him be Lutheran, Calviniſt, Arminian, Epiſcopal, Independant, or Preſbyterian, ſo he be ſound in the main, and free from Diviſion. Thus I have ſhewed you the Qualifications of theſe men that you muſt ſeek advice of.
2. Let me next adde this: Let them be rather Paſtors then private men, if it may be: And rather your own Paſtor then others, if they are fit. For the firſt conſider, 1. It is their office to be Guides of Chriſts Diſciples under him, and to be ſpiritual Phyſicians for the curing of ſouls. And experience telleth us (and ſadly of late) what a curſe followeth thoſe that ſtep beyond the bounds of their calling by invading this office; and that God bleſſeth means to them that keep within his order, 1 Theſſ. 5 12, 13. Heb. 13.7.17. Not but that private men may help you in this, as a private neighbour may give you a Medicine to cure your diſeaſe; but you will not ſo ſoon truſt them in any weighty caſe as you will the Phyſician. 2. Beſides Miniſters have made it the ſtudy of their lives, and therefore are liker to underſtand it then others. As for thoſe that think long ſtudy no more conducible to the knowledge of Scriptures, then if men ſtudied not at all, they may as well Renounce Reaſon, and diſpute for preheminency of beaſts above men, as renounce ſtudy which is but the uſe of 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 Pſal. 1.2, 3. Heb. 5.11, 12, 13, 14. 1 Tim. 4.13, 14, 15, 16. and 2 Tim. 2.15. and let them return to their wits. Paul commands Timothy, though he was from his youth acquainted with the Scriptures, Meditate upon theſe things: Give thy ſelf Wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all: How much need have we to do ſo now? 3. Alſo Miniſters are uſually moſt experienced in this work: And wiſdom requires you no more to truſt your ſoul then you would do your body with an unexperienced man.
2. And if it may be (he being fit) let it be rather your own Paſtor then another: 1 Becauſe it belongeth to his peculiar place and charge, to Direct the ſouls of his own Congregation. 2. Becauſe he is likelier to know you, and to fit his advice to your eſtate, as having better opportunity then others to be acquainted with your converſation.
5. Next conſider, in what manner you muſt open your Grief, if you would have Cure. 1. Do it as truly as you can. Make the matter neither better nor worſe then it is. Specially take heed of dealing like Ananias; pretending to open all (as he did to Give all) when you do but open ſome common infirmities, and hide all the moſt diſgraceful diſtempers of your heart and ſins of your life. The Vomit of Confeſſion muſt work to the bottom and fetch up that hidden ſin, which is it that continueth your Calamity. Read Mr. T. Hooker in his Souls Preparation, concerning this Confeſſion; who ſhews you the danger of not going to the bottom.
2. You muſt not go to a Miniſter to be cured meerly by Good words, as Wizards do by charms; and ſo think that all is well when he hath ſpoken comfortably to you: But you muſt go for Directions for your own Practice, that ſo the cure may be done by lieſure when you come home. Truly moſt even of the godly that I have known, do go to a Miniſter for comfort, as ſilly people go a Phyſ…cian for Phyſick. If the Phyſician could ſtroak them whole, or give them a penny worth of ſome pleaſant ſtuff, that would cure all in an hour, then they would praiſe him. But alas, the cure will not be done 1. Without coſt. 2. Nor without time and patience. 3. Nor without taking down unpleaſing medicines; and ſo they let all alone. So you come to a Miniſter for advice and comfort; and you look that his words ſhould comfort you before he leaves you, or at leaſt, ſome ſhort ſmall direction to take home with you: But he tells you, if you will be cured you muſt more Reſolve againſt that diſquieting Corruption and Paſſion; you muſt more meekly ſubmit to Reproof: you muſt walk more watchfully and conſcionably with God and men; and then you muſt not give ear to the Tempter, with many the like; he gives you, as I have done here, a bill of thirty ſeveral Directions, and tells you, you muſt practiſe all theſe. O this ſeems a tedious courſe; You are never the nearer comfort for Hearing theſe: it muſt be by long and diligent practiſing them. Is it not a fooliſh Patient that will come home from the Phyſitian, and ſay, I have heard all that he ſaid: but I am never the better? So you ſay, I have heard all that the Miniſter ſaid, and I have never the more comfort. But have you Done all that he bid you? and Taken all the Medicines that he gave you? Alas, the cure is moſt to be done by your ſelf (under Chriſt) when you come home: The Miniſter is but the Phyſician to direct you what courſe to take for the cure. And then, as ſilly People run from one Phyſician to another, hearing what all can ſay, and deſirous to know what every man thinks of them, but throughly follow the advice of none, but perhaps take one medicine from one man, and one from another, and let moſt even of thoſe lie by them in the box, and ſo periſh more certainly then if they never medled with any at all: ſo do moſt troubled ſouls, hear what one man ſaith, and what another ſaith, and ſeldom throughly follow the advice of any: but when one mans words do not cure them, they ſay, This is not the man that God hath appointed to cure me: And ſo another, and that is not the man: When they ſhould rather ſay, This is not the way, then This is not the man: This lazy complaining is not it that will do the work; but faithful practiſing the Directions given you.
But I know ſome will ſay, That it is near to Popiſh Auricular Confeſſion which I here perſwade Chriſtians to, and it is to bring Chriſtians under the Tyranny of the Prieſts again, and make Them acquainted with all mens ſecrets, and Maſters of their Conſciences.
Anſw. 1. To the laſt, I ſay, to the railing Devil of this age, no more but, The Lord Rebuke thee. If any Miniſter have wicked ends, let the God of heaven convert▪ him, or root him out of his Church, and caſt him among the weeds and bryers. But is it not the known voyce of Senſuality and Hell, to caſt reproaches upon the way and ordinances of God? who knoweth not that it is the very Office of the Miniſtery, to be Teachers and Guides to men in matters of ſalvation? and Overſeers of them? and that they watch for their ſouls, as thoſe that muſt give an account? and the people therefore bound to obey them? Heb. 13.7, 17. ſhould not the ſhepherd know his ſheep, and their ſtrayings and diſeaſes? How elſe ſhall he cure them? ſhould not the Phyſician hear the Patient open all his diſeaſe, yea ſtudy to diſcover to the utmoſt every thing he knows; and all little enough to the cure? A diſeaſe unknown is unlike to be cured: and a diſeaſe well known is half cured. Mr. Tho. Hooker ſaith truly, It is with many people as with ſome overmodeſt Patients, who having a diſeaſe in ſome ſecret place, they will not for ſhame reveal it to the Phyſician, till it be paſt cure, and then they muſt loſe their lives by their modeſty: So do many by their ſecret and more diſgraceful ſins. Not that every man is bound to open all his ſins to his Paſtor: but thoſe that cannot well be otherwiſe cured, he muſt: either if the ſenſe of the guilt cannot be removed, and true Aſſurance of pardon obtained: or elſe, if power againſt the ſin be not otherwiſe obtained, but that it ſtill prevaileth: In both theſe caſes we muſt go to thoſe that God hath made our Directors and Guids: I am confident many a thouſand ſouls do long ſtrive againſt Anger, Luſt, Fleſh-pleaſing. Worldlineſs▪ and Trouble of Conſcience to little purpoſe, who if they would but have taken Gods way, and ſought out for help, and opened all their caſe to their Miniſter, they might have been delivered in a good meaſure long ago. 2. And for Popiſh confeſſion, I deteſt it: We would not perſwade men that there is a neceſſity of confeſſing every ſin to a Miniſter before it can be pardoned. Nor do we do it in a perplexed formality only at one time of the year: nor in order to Popiſh pardons, or Satisfactions: But we would have men go for Phyſick to their ſouls, as they do for their bodies; when they feel they have need; And let me adviſe all Chriſtian Congregations to practiſe this excellent duty more. See that you knock oftner at your Paſtors door, and ask his advice in all your preſſing neceſſities: Do not let him ſit quiet in his ſtudy for you: Make him know by experience that the tenth part of a Miniſters labor is not in the Pulpit. If your ſins are ſtrong, and you have wounded Conſcience deep, go for his advice for a ſafe cure: Many a mans ſore feſters to damnation for want of this: And poor ignorant and ſcandalous ſinners have far more need to do this then troubled Conſciences. I am confident, if the people of my Congregation did but do their duty for the good of their own ſouls in private ſeeking advice of their Miniſters and opening their caſes to them, they would finde work for ten Miniſters at leaſt: And yet thoſe two that they have, have more work then they are able to do already. Eſpecially Miniſters in ſmall Countrey Congregations, might do abundance of Good this way: And their people are much too blame that they come not oftner to them for advice: This were the way to make Chriſtians indeed. The Devil knows this, and therefore ſo envies it, that he never did more againſt a deſign in the world: he hath got the Maintenance alienated that ſhould have maintained them, that ſo they may have but one Miniſter in a Congregation, and then among the greater Congregations this work is impoſſible for want of Inſtruments: yea he is about getting down the very Churches and ſettled Miniſtery, if God will ſuffer him. He ſetteth his Inſtruments to rail at Prieſts and Diſcipline, and to call Chriſts yoke Tyranny; becauſe while the Garden is hedged in, he is fain with envy to look over the hedge. What if a man (like thoſe of our times) ſhould come to a Town that have an Epidemical Pleurifie or Feaver, and ſay, Do not run l…ke fools to theſe Phyſicians; they do but cheat you, and rob your purſes, and ſeek themſelves, and ſeek to be Lords of your lives. Its poſſible ſome do ſo: But if by theſe perſwaſions the ſilly people ſhould loſe their lives, how well had their new preacher befriended them? ſuch friends will thoſe prove at laſt to your ſouls, that diſſwade you from obeying the Guidance and Diſcipline of your Overſeers, and dare call the Ordinances of the Lord of Glory Tyrannical, and reproach thoſe that Chriſt hath ſet over them. England will not have Chriſt by his officers Rule over them; nor the ſeveral Congregations will not obey him. But he will make them know before many years are paſt, that they refuſed their own mercy; and knew not the things that belong to their Peace; and that he will be maſter at laſt in ſpight of Malice, and the proudeſt of his foes. If they get by this bargain of Refuſing Chriſts Government, and Deſpiſing his Miniſters, and making the Peace, Unity and Proſperity of his Church, and the ſouls of men, a Prey to their Proud miſguided Phanſies and Paſſions, then let them boaſt of the bargain, when they have tryed it. Only I would intreat one thing of them: Not to judge too confidently till they have ſeen the end.
And for all you tender Conſcienc'd Chriſtians, whom by the Miniſtry the Lord hath begotten or confirmed to himſelf, as ever you will ſhew your ſelves thankful, for ſo great a mercy, as ever you will hold that you have got, or grow to more perfection, and attain that bleſſed Life to which Chriſt hath given you his Miniſters to conduct you, ſee that you ſtick cloſe to a judicious, godly, faithful Miniſtry; And make uſe of them while you have them. Have you ſtrong luſts? or deep wounds in conſcience, or a heavy burthen of doubtings or diſtreſs? ſeek their advice. God will have his own ordinance and officers have the chief inſtrumental hand in your cure. The ſame means oft times in another hand ſhall not do it. Yet I would have you make uſe of all able private Chriſtians help alſo.
I will tell you the reaſon why our Miniſters have not urged this ſo much upon you, nor ſo plainly acquainted their Congregations with the neceſſity of opening your caſe to your Miniſter, and ſeeking his advice.
1. Some in oppoſition to Popery have gone too far on the other extream; perhaps ſinning as deeply in neglect, as the Papiſts do in formal exceſs. It is a good ſign that an opinion is true, when it is near to errour. For truth is the very next ſtep to error. The ſmall thred of Truth, runs between the cloſe adjoyning extreams of errour.
2. Some Miniſters knowing the exceeding greatnes of the burthen, are loth to put themſelves upon it. This one Work of giving advice to all that ought to come and open their caſe to us, if our people did but what they ought do for their own ſafety, would it ſelf in great Congregations, be more then preaching every day in the week. What then is all the reſt of the work? And how can one man, yea or five, do this to five thouſand ſouls? And then when it lieth undone, the malicious Reproachers rail at the Miniſters, and accuſe the people of unfitneſs to be Church-members; which howſoever there may be ſome cauſe of, yet not ſo much as they ſuggeſt; and that unfitneſs would beſt be cured by the diligence of more Labourers, which they think to cure by removing the few that do remain.
3. Alſo ſome Miniſters ſeeing that they have more work then they can do already, think themſelves uncapable of more, and therefore that its vain to put their people on it, to ſeek more.
4. Some Miniſters are over-modeſt, and and think it to be unfit to deſire people to open their ſecrets to them; in confeſſing their ſins and corrupt inclinations, and opening their wants: And indeed any ingenuous man will be backward to pry into the ſecrets of others. But when God hath made it our office under Chriſt to be Phyſicians to the ſouls of our People, it is but bloody cruelty to connive at their Pride and Carnal Baſhfulneſs, or Hypocritical Covering of their ſins, and to let them dye of their diſeaſe rather then we will urge them to diſcloſe it.
5. Some Miniſters are loth to tell People of their duty in this, leſt it ſhould confirm the world in their malicious conceit, that we would be Maſters of Mens Conſciences, and would lord it over them. This is as much folly and cruelty, as if the Maſter and Pilot of the Ship ſhould let the Mariners govern the Ship by the Major Vote, and run all on ſhelves, and drown themſelves and him, and all for fear of being thought Lordly and Tyrannical in taking the Government of the Ship upon himſelf, and telling the Mariners that it is their duty to obey him.
6. Moſt godly Miniſters do tell People in General of the Neceſſity of ſuch a Dependance on their Teachers, as Learners in the School of Chriſt ſhould have on them that are Uſhers under him the chief Maſter; and they do gladly give advice to thoſe that do ſeek to them: But they do not ſo particularly and plainly acquaint People with their duty in opening to them the particular ſores of their ſouls.
It is alſo the Policy of the Devil to make People Believe that their Miniſters are too ſtout, and will not ſtoop to a compaſſionate hearing of their caſe: eſpecially if Miniſters carry themſelves ſtrangely at too great a diſtance from their People. I would earneſtly intreat all Miniſters therefore to be as familiar and as much with their People as they can. Papiſts and other Seducers will inſinuate themſelves into their familiarity, if we be ſtrange: If you teach them not in their Houſes, theſe will Creep into their Houſes, and lead them Captive. I perſwade others of my Brethren to that which my ſelf am diſabled from performing; being by conſtant weakneſs (beſides unavoydable buſineſs) confined to my Chamber. But thoſe that can perform it, will find this a moſt neceſſary and profitable work. And let not poor People believe the Devil, who tels them that Miniſters are ſo proud, onelyonly to diſcourage them from ſeeking their advice. Go try them once before you believe it.
Laſtly, Remember this, that it is not enough that you once opened your caſe to your Paſtour; but do it as often as Neceſſity urgeth you to call for his advice: though not on every light occaſion. Live in ſuch a Dependance on the advice and guidance of your Paſtour (under Chriſt) for your ſoul, as you do on the advice of the Phyſician for your body. Read Mal. 2.7. and let Miniſters read 6, 8, 9.