Of A!J.ftaining from the Appearance of Evil. delivered in a Senfe and Expr~llion that may he wrefted afide to undue and erroneous Interpretations, abftain as far as is poffible from iUch Expreffions, I Jhall now confider the Words under amore general Latitude as they relate unto PraElice as well as to Doffrine; and fo here rheApoftle Jay's it down as an unerring Rule,That we muftnot embrace any thing that harh butanapptaranctand no more whether char appearance be of good or of tvil: Wemuft not hflldfaj! any thing rha~ bath bur the appearanCl ofgood only,and we muft abj!"i'J from every thing chat ha rh bur only the appearance of r:vil; and therefore when licemious Perfons are reproved for rhe Vanity, Loofnefs, Scrangenefs, and Irnmodefly of their Garbs and Attire (that poffibly more difguifeth than adorneth them)and other Sympcoms of a vai~ and frothyMind,they think prefemly to covertheirNakednefs wich fuch Fig~leaves as thefe; What Evil is there in thefe things? Can you prove them finful? If you can,we will forbear the ufeof them; ifyou cannot, forbear you tO reprove them. What if they could not be proved to be in thernfelves finful; yet have they not the :lhew, the face, and the appeara7Jce of Evil? So jud~e all ferious and fober Chrillians, and your (elves affo poffihly may fo judge rometimes : Therefore difpure not the Lawfulnefs or the Unlawfulnefs of thefe thing. in themfelves. if they have but the lhew and the likenefs of Evil in them, they are to be ab~ ftained ahfolutely from. And truly confidering that great Carelefi1efs and want of CircumfpetHon that is even among Profeffors thernfelves,. who if they can but keep thernfetves from that which is imrinfically in it {elf finful, make no fcruple of venturing upon the borders and edges of Sin. I thought it rherefore very neceffary to open this Phrafe and ExhortatiOn of the Apoftle unto you,. which I fhall endeavour to do in the profecution of this plain Propofition. Dofrrine. Thar a truly Con{cicntiom Chrijfian ought carefu!IJ to avoid t:ot Mt/y the Commij]ion, but p!fo the very Appearance of EvU. Abftain from all Appearance of Evil. This Point is indeed full of Nicenefs and Difficulty; and truly,when the mort is faid ofitthat can be,wernuftftand very much totheJudgmenrofChrifiian Prudence, and Chriftian Charity, for our chiefRefolution ~nit; of Chriftian Prudence, to know when an Action bath the Appearance of Evilinit,and when not; and of Chriftian Charity, to fhun whatever may fcandalize others, though we do not defile our felves. It is a Point hardly limited to fuch Bounds, but in fome places there will be a failing ; yet, that I may afford you fome Light irt the Knowledge of a Duty fo neceffary as this is, I lhall, Firfl, Lay down fomc Difiinctions concerning the Appearance of Evil; and from them, Secondly, Lay down fome Pofitions, whereby it may be cleared how far forth we ftand obliged to avoid even the very Appearance of Evil. Third'.J, Some Demonftrations, whereby it may appear how neceffary and requifire this Duty of avoiding of the Appearance of Evil is. I will begin with fome DiftinE!ions of the Appe:~rance of Evil: And, Firfl, An Appearance of Evil may be either altogether groundlefs, or elfe it may be built on good Grounds, and upon probable Prefumptions. Second/!, That which bath only a groundlefs Appenrance of Evil, it may fo aopear etcher to our felves, or to the Confciences of others. • Thir4ly, we muft alfo confider, whether this Action that appearr to be evil, be a neceffary A8:ion and Duty in it felf, or only free and indifferent, and left to our own free Choice. . Now from thefe Difiind:ions I lhalllay down feveral Pojitions concerning the Limitation of out Obligation to abftain from a!J Appearance of Evil. · Firff, We ought in no Cafe wharfoever to do chat which hach an appearance of Evil in it, if that appearance be grounded upon a probable Prefumption. Now to explain this; An Atl:ion then carries in it a probable Prefumption of believing evil either, Firft, When ordinarily it proves an occafion ofEvi~; fuch Adionsth~re be,that are in thl:mfelves poffibly lawful · but yet they prove occafi_ons gf Sm to moft that venture upon them, becaufe h.ereby many times they are brought within the Verge and Compafs of a Temptation; which Temptation overcomes them. It was not firnply unlawfuljn it felf for Achan to look upon the BabJlonijiJ qarment, and the Wedgeof Gold; but yet hereby the Devil got an Advantage upon hu'!, and made that an occafion to ftir up his Coveroufnefs; and therefore becaufe 1t was probably
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