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…

Then they that feared the Lord, &c. Then, that is, after Israels return from the Babylonish Captivity; then, when the major part of the people grew corrupt, and came worse out of the Furnace than they went in, vers. 13, 14 ^*in this bad juncture of time, then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another. Hence observe,

1. *Nihil erat integrum neque in sacerdotibus, neque in vulgo, laxis quasi habenis in omni genere scelerum grassati fuerunt. Calvin.

That the Profaneness of the times should not slacken but heighten our zeal.¹ The looser others are, the stricter we should be. In those degenerate times when men were arrived at the [Greek or Hebrew] and height of Impudence, and durst speak Treason against Heaven; then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another. When others were Plaintiffs these were Defendants; when ⟨p. 4⟩others spake against God, these spake for God.

That the Profaneness of the times should not slacken but highthen our zeal.¹ The looser others are, the stricter we should be. In those degenerate times when men were arrived at the 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 and highth of Impudence, and durst speak Treason against Heaven; then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another. When others were Plaintiffs these were Defendants; when ⟨p. 4⟩others spake against God, these spake for God.