AND SMOKING l ' LAX. 37 -times and places wherein doubts are raised about main points, people ought to labour to be established. God often suffers questions to arise for trial of 'our love and exercise of our parts. Nothing is so certain as that which is certain after doubts. , Shaking settles and roots. In a contentious age, it is a wise thing to be a Christian, and to know what to fix our souls upon: it is an office of love here to take away the stones and to smooth the way to heaven. Therefore we must take heed that, under pretence of avoiding , disputes, we do not suffer an adverse party to get ground upon the truth : for thus may we easily betray both the truth of God and souls of men. And likewise those who fail by much austerity, drive back troubled souls from having comfort by them. For by this carriage, many smother their temp~ations and burn inwardly, because they have none into whose bosom they may vent their grief 'and ease their souls. We must neither bind where God looseth, nor loose where Go4 bindeth; nor open where God shutteth, nor shut \vhere God openeth. The right use of
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