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…

2 Use. Let us keep up the vigour of our zeal in times of degeneracy. We should by an holy Antiperistasis burn hotter in a frozen age. We live in the dregs of time; Sin is grown common and impudent: 'Tis excellent to walk Antipodes to the World. Rom. 12.2. Let us be as Lilies and Roses among the Briars. Sin is never the better because it is in fashion, nor will this plea hold at the last day, that we did as the most. God will say, Seeing ⟨p. 7⟩you sinned with the Multitude, you shall go to Hell with the Multitude. O let us keep pure among dregs; let us be like Fish that retain their freshness in salt waters; and as that Lamp which shined in the smoking Furnace, Gen. 15.17.

2 Vse. Let us keep up the vigour of our zeal in times of degeneracy. We should by an holy Antiperistasis burn hotter in a frozen age. We live in the dregs of time; Sin is grown common and impudent: 'Tis excellent to walk Antipodes to the World. Rom. 12.2. Let us be as Lillies and Roses among the Briars. Sin is never the better because it is in fashion, nor will this plea hold at the last day, that we did as the most. God will say, Seeing ⟨p. 7⟩you sinned with the Multitude, you shall go to Hell with the Multitude. O let us keep pure among dregs; let us be like Fish that retain their freshness in salt waters; and as that Lamp which shined in the smoaking Furnace, Gen. 15.17.

Consider, 1. To be holy in times of General defection is that which God is Greatly pleased with. The Lord was much taken with the holy conferences and dialogues of these Saints in the Text. When others were inveighing against the Deity, that there should be a parcel of holy Souls speaking of Glory and the Life to come, their words were Music in Gods ears.