OF ABSTAINING FROM THE 1.\ppearance of EviL S E R M 0 N VIII· i THES. v. 22. l1.bjlai11 from all Appearance of hit. M , Y !aft Subjeff, as you may remember, was to lhew you the gre;t . Evil and Danger that there is in Little Sins: Now becaufe the Words at prefent read umo you, feem to h<ive a near cognation to the Truch then delivered; it being a moft certain gradation, that he that would avoid great Sins, muft avoid little Sins; and he that would avoid both great and little, muft confequemly fhun .alfo the very Appenrancu of Sin. I have therefore pitched upon this brief Exhortanon of the Apojlh, that thereby we might, as far as is poffible, be led up unto that exact Purity and Holinels, the endeavour after which is abfolutely neceifary by all thofe whofe Defire and Care it is to obtain eternal Salvation. Now in fundry Verfis before the Text, the 4pojlle laid down feveral fedatious Commands: Let none render evil for t'Vil; rejoyce evamore; fray 'virhout ct~1jing ; iPJ every thing give than!u; quench not tbe Spirit; prove all thing$ ; abjlain from 11/l appearance of roil; being now towards the end and clofe of his Epijllt, and not willing to omit the mentioning of Duties fo neceffary for their Practice, he doth, as it were, Pour them out in weighty, though Ihon, Exhortations. The connexion betwixt moft of them is very dark, or elfe none :u all; only betwixt the Text and the two immediately forgoing Verju, it may feem more plain and natura}. In v. zo. he exhorrs ther;n not to defpife Prophe1}'ing; Dcjpi{e not Prophejie; that is, the Preaching even of the common and ordinary Preachers and Teachers, whofe Office ic was to expound che Sc.riprum ~o them, and to declare the Mind and Will of God out of the Scriprm·es. Did · the AptJjJle mean only that extraordinary and miraculous Prophejjing that he fpoke of, 1 Cor. 14. when by an immediate impulfe and influence of the Holy Ghojl, either they foretold things future, or elfe fpake in divers Languages ; he needed nor then to have fo follicitoufly forewarned them not to dt:fpife him ; fince fo great a Miracle as this of ProphefJing, would fufficiemly have vindica.. ted it felf from atl contempt: The Meaning therefore is this; Whatever Gifts or Graces you may have anained unto, though you may know your duties as wcl.l, and though you may pracl:ife your duties bener than they; yet d<'[pi[e not rheu· Te11ching; but what rhex propound to you as the Will of God, that accend umo with all reverence and fubmiffion: But yet, fttys the Apoftle, I would not have: you therefore pull out your own eyes becaufe of the gifcs of your Teachers and Leaders; no, donotmancipa.ceandcapti\·are your felvcs to whatever they fhall did:ate umo you; but prcve ull rhings; as it is in vtr. 21, Search the Scripturo; eXamine whether the thiog,s delivered to you be true or not ; if upon crial you find
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