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

¹But young converts must abstain from all appearance of evil, and labour to come to the knowledge of Christs will in every point.

¹But young converts must abstain from all appearance of evil, and labour to come to the knowledge of Christs will in everie point.

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Answ. It is true, they must, but this must be orderly, they must first be established and grounded in fundamentals, and then they have liberty in this; that rule is perpetual and holds in this case,¹ Rom. 14.1. Him that is weak in the faith, receive you, but not to doubtful disputations: Now let no man say, the point was a case of indifferency, some would eat herbs out of conscience, others would forbear; now certainly it is a sin to do that out of conscience which God doth not regard, nor command; the thing it self here was indifferent, yet in this case they must not receive them to doubtful disputations: now, if not to doubtful disputations, then surely not to disputation ⟨p. 617⟩to hold up error, and to ensnare and betray young beginners in godliness, Acts, 15.24. There were troublers crept in among them, who were formerly of them, and they laboured to subvert their souls: The word in the Original signifies,² as if a man should have been packing up wares in a fat to send beyond the Seas, and there should come another and scatter and undo all again which was packed up; or as Soldiers who have packed up their artillery, their bag and baggage, and all forced to be undone of a sudden again; so did these false teachers, that did unvessel them, scatter, and bring them all into a confusion, so they laboured to subvert them from the faith.