The saints dignity and duty· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardness. /…The saints dignitie and dutie· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardnesse. /…

This is the first rule, so to repair to Christ, as wholly to depend upon him for direction. But mark this; we must repair to him in the first place, and not suffer our judgement to be forestalled with former counsels; but first, while the mind lieth equally and indifferently disposed, then set the word step in, then let us repair to Christ for guidance in the cause. The contrary is a great hinderance to the effectual passage of the Word of God into the hearts and souls of ⟨p. 130⟩men, and the world may easily observe it. For look what points men have drunk in, or what customs they have entertained, they keep and retain them, and there is no speaking against them; their hearts are forestalled against the truth, and possest with other principles or carnal customs, and therefore the word of God takes no place in them.

This is the first rule, so to repair to Christ, as wholly to depend upon him for direction. But marke this; we must repaire to him in the first place, and not suffer our judgement to be forestalled with former counsels; but first, while the minde lyeth equally and indifferently disposed, then set the word step in, then let us repaire to Christ for guidance in the cause. The contrary is a great hinderance to the effectuall passage of the Word of God into the hearts and soules of ⟨p. 130⟩men, and the world may easily observe it. For look what points men have drunk in, or what customes they have entertained, they keep and retain them, and there is no speaking against them; their hearts are forestalled against the truth, and possest with other principles or carnall customes, and therefore the word of God takes no place in them.

The second thing, we are to take notice of, concerning the manner of our hearkening to the voice of Christ, is this; As the soul must first seek unto Christ, and depend upon him for direction, so in the next place, the heart must settle it self upon the truth revealed, and quiet it self in the manifestation of that direction, that God hath been pleased to make known unto it. We must not listen and hearken to any of those delusions and silly devises, wherewith Satan, by the ministry of his instruments, laboureth to draw us from the truth; but our minds being enlightened, the counsel of God being made known unto us, we ought to take up our rest and standing there, settle there; let heaven and earth move, but stir not a foot from that truth God hath made known to us. It was great folly in that good Prophet,