SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 397 set the right foot before? Or whether he should go in the foot- path or in the road ? Or, him that would cheerfully go on, not thinking which foot goeth forward ; and rather step a little beside the path, and in again, than to stand scrupling when he should be going? If you send reapers into your harvest, which would you like better, him that would stand scrupling howmany straws he should cut down at once, and at what height ; and with fears of cutting them too high or too low, too many at once, or too few, should do you but little work? Or him that should do his work cheerfully, as well'as he can Would you not be angry at such childish, unprofitable diligence or curiosity, as is a hindrance to your work? And is it not so with our Master? There was but one of those parties in the right that Paul spoke to; Rom. xiv. xv. And yet he not only persuades them to bear with one an- other, and not to judgeone another, but to receive theweak in faith, and not to doubtful disputations ; but he bids them, " Let every manbe fully persuaded in his own mind." How? Can he that erreth be fully persuaded in his error? Yes, he may goon boldly and confidently, not troubling himself_ with demurs in his duty, as long as he took the safer side in his doubt. Not that he 'should encourage any to venture on sin, or to neglect a due inquiry after God's mind. But I speak against tormenting scruples, which do no work, but hinder from it, and stay us from our duty. The same I say against scruples about your sins ; Satan will make you believe that every thing is a sin, that he may disquiet you, if he cannot get you to believe that nothing almost is sin, that he may destroy you. You shall not put a bit in your mouth, but he will move a scruple, whether it were not too good, or too much. You shall not clothe yourself, but he will move you to scruple the lawfulness of it. You shall not come into any company, but he will afterwards vex you about every word you spoke, lest you sinned. The like I may say also about your condition; but more of that anon. Direct. XXVII. ' When God had once showed you a certain- ty, or but a strong probability of your sincerity and his especial love, labor to fix this so deep in your apprehension and memory, that it may serve for the time to come, and not only for the pres- ent. And leave not your soul too open to changes, upon every new apprehension, nor to question all that is past upon every jeal- ousy, except when some notable declining to the world, and the flesh, or a committing of gross'sins, or a willfulness or carelessness in other sins that you may avoid, do give you just 'cause of ques- tioning your.since'rity, and bringing your soul again to the bar, and your estate to a more exact review.'
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