Religion our true interest, or, Practical notes upon the third chapter of Malachi the…Religion our true interest, or, Practical notes upon the third chapter of Malachy the…

1. He who Fears God, is afraid to do any thing that he doubts may be sinful, Rom. 14.23. He will not swallow Oaths like Pills, lest they should afterwards work in his Conscience: he dares not mix any thing in Gods Worship which he hath not appointed, he doubts it is like Offering strange fire. Where Conscience is Scrupulous, it is safer to forbear; for, what is not of Faith is Sin.

2. He who Fears God, fears the appearance of Sin, 1 Thes. 5.22. Abstain, [Greek or Hebrew], from all appearance of Evil. Some things are Male colorata (as Bernard speaks) they have a bad look, and carry a show of evil in them: To go to the Idol Temple, though one doth not join with them in Worship, is an appearance of ⟨p. 48⟩evil. He whose Heart is ballasted with Gods Fear, flies from that which looks like sin. It was a good speech of Bernard to Eugenius, By avoiding the Act of sin we preserve our Peace, by avoiding the appearance of it we preserve our Fame. The Fear of God makes us shun the Occasion of sin: the Nazarite under the Law was not only to forbear Wine, but he must not eat Grapes, which might occasion intemperancy. Joseph fled from his Mistresses temptation, he would not be seen in her company.

2. He who Fears God, fears the appearance of Sin, 1 Thes. 5.22. Abstain, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, from all appearance of Evil. Some things are Male colorata (as Bernard speaks) they have a bad look, and carry a show of evil in them: To go to the Idol Temple, though one doth not joyn with them in Worship, is an appearance of ⟨p. 48⟩