An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

Which the Apostle Peter (1 Pet. 2. 21.) gives us in plain terms, For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving an example that we should follow his steps: ⟨p. 176⟩We must follow his steps both in the matter and in the manner of our sufferings; therefore Christ saith; Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, Mat. 11. 29. Christ calls it his yoke (it is a yoke of affliction as well as a yoke of instruction) And he calls it his yoke, not only because, he, as a Lord lays it upon the necks of others, but because, he, as a servant bore that yoke himself; therefore he saith, Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, that is, not only take my yoke upon you for the matter, but learn of me for the manner, how to bear that yoke. Besides these grand leading, unerring examples of God and Christ, the examples of the Saints are also commended to our imitation, both in doing and in suffering. Whatsoever things were written (and examples were written) aforetime, were written for our instruction. Why hath the Holy Ghost set so many pens a work, to write the lives of the Saints? why hath he kept a record of them in his own book, but for direction to his people in after-times. The Lord hath not registered any one act of the Saints, but is useful for us. The acts of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Samuel, David, are full of practical Divinity. The sufferings and troubles of these and many others, are full (if I may so speak) of pathical Divinity: As the Apostle James his counsel doth more then intimate (James 5. 10.) Take my brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the Name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction and of patience; Hence those ancient Saints and believers (Heb. 12. 1.) are called a cloud of witnesses; A cloud, because there is a directive or a leading virtue in them; As there was a cloud that went before the children of Israel in the day to lead them, so this cloud of witnesses, leads us up and down the wilderness of our sorrows, and in the dark night of our sufferings. Turn you to the Saints, to that cloud of witnesses, eye them, and see what becomes you in sad times; They have suffered joyfully the spoiling of their goods, suffer you likewise, if you come into the hands of spoilers.