Durham - BV4615 D87 1732

on As 24..26. 97 them, äs to the main, they are then in hazard to corn_ dude that he is approving them in Ionic particilar thing that was never in his mind. As we mayfee in Peter, who, Alatth. 17. at the transfguration,being tryffed with a glo- rious manifeftation, draweth this conclufion, It is good to be here, let us build three tabernacles : It might have been thought that he would not have miffaken and gone wrong then by any time, and yet even then he doth fo. There is a very common ground of miftake amongft believers, who, if they win ar liberty in prayer about filch or finch a thing; and ger, as they think, God's countenance in the duty, they are then very ready to conclude, that God certainly approveth of the thing, when yet it may be therwife : But, fuppofe it be fo that thou art indeed Countenanced in thy duty, yea, tho' thou wert upon the mount with Chrift, it will not prove that God alloweth the thing, tho' he thus manifeff his refpe& to thyfelf The reafon is, that which is faid of Peter, This he fpoke, riot knowing what he Paid. A 6th cafe is; When believers impulfe of Confcience proceedeth from zeal without light, or when their light is not proportional to their zeal' For, as there may be in hypocrites light without zeal (which light doth not readily keep them from tnifcarrying) fo when the judgment of a believer is mifinformed, and zeal driveth him without light, he then very readily mif carries; as we may fee, Ails 21. and 20. fames faith to. Paul, Thou feefl, brother, how many thoufands of Jews there are that believe, and they are al! zealous of the law, &c. Their zeal was Each for the Ceremonial lavi of Mofes,that neither Paul nor any of the other apoftles could get them taken off; and Paul was forced to íioop to them in many things, when it might iii reafon have been thought that they lhould rather have ceded to the a.pof}le : Thus be -.. lievers,when not well informed, but having an hand' zeal for God, are like a fhip that bath more fail than ballaft, and fo cannot well bear up into the wind, nor fteer a ftraight and tieddy courfe ; and from this honefl ,zeal of theirs they may err and go wrong, yea even be difpleated with others, that will not go along with them in, their error. As all thefe are incident to believers, fo. would watchfully take heed that in thefe and' other Oct? afcs

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