The right method for a settled peace of conscience, and spiritual comfort in 32…

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. Only 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 merely from the word of your Pastor, 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 Pastor as the ordained Instrument & Messenger of the Lord Jesus & his Spirit, appointed to speak a word in season ⟨p. 503⟩to the weary, and to show 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 only 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 only 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 Pastor: 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 another's,