This advice genuinely follows upon the former; after we have tried all things, we must hold fast that which is good, and abstain from evil.

Where note, the gradation used by our apostle, we must abstain from evil, from all evil, from all appearance of evil.

Yet observe, it is not the apostle's meaning that we abstain from all that which appears evil to others; for that would be to destroy our Christian liberty in things indifferent, and create in our minds continual perplexities; there is nothing almost we can do, but may appear evil to some. But St. Paul here enjoins us to abstain from every thing which after trial seems evil to ourselves, and is judged by us so to be; yet it is our duty not to give any just occasion of scandal to any, but to live not only sine crimine, but sine labe, not only without fault, but, if possible, without flaw, that the world may have nothing to spot us withal.

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Old Testament