He forts of Scandali:<jllg. dalozu ailion], !hey mean? i! is an action which is reproachful or of tvil ·reparl as a ji1t : And there.– fore in our Eoghlh fpcech tt IS common to fay of one that flandercth ana(her, that he raiftd afc•nd,Jl nf him: But this is not the meaning of the word in Scripture: MattriaUy indeed fcandal mzy confift in any fu<h thing, which may be •tlumbling block to another : But form>Uy ic i• che Tempting of another, or occafioning his faU, or ruine, or hurt, which is the nature of{ctntdalizing. And this is done more fcldome by committing open difgraceful fins, and doing that which will make the doer evil fpokcn of: For by that means others are the more affiUc:d againfl the temptation of imitating him; But fcandal is moll: commonly found in thofe ad-ions, which are under leafi reproach among men, or which have the mofi plaufible appearance of good in them, when they arc evil ! For thcfe arc apter to deceive and overthrow another. 9· 6. 3· And it is alfo apparent, that it is no finful fcandalizing'to do adttty or neceff:Jry atl-ion,which I have not power to forbear, though I know that a!lother will be offended, or fall by it into fin. If Godhave made it myduty, even at this time, I mufi not di.fobey him, and omit my duty, ,beCaufe ano– ther will makeit an occation of his fin. lt mull be either a finful or an indifftrem action, that is, fcaHdt~l, or [omcthing that is in my own power to do, or to fOibear: Yet tbir muft be added, that Afli1ma.tives binding not ad femper,to all times, and no duty being a duty at every moment, it may oft fa\1 out, that that which clfe would have been my duty at this time, may become at this time no du– ty but a tin, by the evil confequents which I may forefee; as if another man will make it an occl– fjon of his fall. So that ehis may oblige me to dtftr a duty to a ficter rime and place. For all fuch duties as have the nature of a means, are never duties when they crofs the intereH of their (;hieft:nds, and make againfi chat which they are ufcd to effect. And therefore here Chrillian prudence, forcf<e· ing confcquenrs, and weighing the Good and Evil together, is necdTary to him that will know a duty from a fin, an~ afeandol from no fcandal, · · 81 9· 7· 11 I. The fevtra.l waye; of foand~Zli:ting are thcfe following : 1. S,andal is either intenduJ The forts of or not imcnded, ~ithet that \\ hich is done malirioufiy of {(t purpofe, or that which is done through fcand.dizing. negligence, Ciltelefnefs or contempt. Some men do purpofcly contrive the fall or ruine of another, and this is a Dcvilli!h aggravAtion ot the fin: And fome do hurt to others while they intend it not ; yet this is far from exculing them from lio: F'or it is Volunt.try as an Omiffionof the TViU, though not as its pofitive choice: That is called Voluntarywhich the W11l is chargeable with, m culp1ble of: And it is chargeable with its Omiffions, and fluggifh negletis of the duty which it fhould do! Thofe that ace carelcfs of the confequcnt of their a6tions, a.nd contemn the fouls of other men, and will go their own way, come of it what will, and fay, let other men look to themfelvcs, are the comrnonefi fort of fcandalizers; and are as culpable, as a fervant that would le~ve hot water or fire when the children are like to fall into it; or that would leave Stra~ or Gunpowder near the fire, or would leave open the doors, though not of purpofe to Jet in the: Thieves. 9· 8. 2. Sca~Jdal is that which tendcth to anothcrsfa11, ·either dirtl11y or indirealy, immediately or remotely! The former may eafily be forefeen; but the latter requireth a large forefeeing cornpuing underitanding: Yet this kind of Jcandal alfo mufi: be avoided; and wiG: men that would not un· do mens fouls while chey chink no harm, mull look far before chem, and forefce what is like to be the confequent of their aCtions at the greateft difiance an? at many removes. 3··Scandals alfo are Aptitudinal or Ad::ual: Many things are Apt to Tcmpr, and occafion the ruine of another; which yet never attain fo bad an end, becaufe God difa·ppointeth them : Hut that is no thanks to them that give the fcanda1. ~· 9• 4· Scandal aHO as to the Means of it. is of feveral forts. J . ByDoCtrine ; 2. By prrfwafion ; 3.By alluringPromifcs ; 4.By Threacs ; 5.By Violence; 6. By Gifts; 7· By Ex.,nple ; 8. By Omilfion of dudes, and by filence: By all thcfe Wil)'CS you may ftandalize. 9· 10. J, Palfe DoUrine is directly fcandalous: for itfcduccth the judgement,which then mif·guidetli the will, which chcn mifculeth the reil of the Faculties! Falfc Doctrine if it be in weighcy practical points , is the pcrnitious plague of fouls and Nations. ~· 1,, •· Alfo the foUicitotions offeducers and of tempting people, are fcandoious, and tend to the ruine of fouls: when people have no reo.fon to draw a man to fin, they weary him out by tedi~ ous importunity ! And many a one yields to the t•rneftnefs, or importunity, or wJioufnefs of a per.. fwafion, who could cafily rcfift it, if it came only with pretence at reafon. 9· 12· 3· AUuri•g promifis of fame gain or pleafure that fhall come by fin, is anocherfcandal which doch caufc the fall of many. The court< that Satan trycd wich Chrifi [ AU thi< wiU I give thee ], was but the fame which he found mofi: fuccefsful with finncrs in the world! This is a hair which (inners will themfelves hunt after, if it be not offered them. Jutlar will go to thePharifecs with a [What wi.U ye give me, i2nd I tf'lli deliver bim unto you.? J Peter faith of the fcandalous Hereticks of his time, Thty 4L'ure throztgb the luft of the flejh, through much Wlllltomu[s lbo(t that were clean t{caped f rom them J"f!ho live in error: 1Yhile they promifo them liberty, they thimfelves are tht {ervantJ of cor· rupti~n, 2 Pet. 2. I 8, 19· 9· I3· 4· '1hrtotnings alfo and [corns are fcandals, which frighten unbelieving fouls into fin: Thus Rabjl,elr,.ab chought 10 pcevail wich He~;ckioh. Thus Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3• thought 10 have drawn chafe three Worthies to Idolatry: Thus che Pharifm though< eo have frightned the Apol\les, from preaching any more in the name ofChrill ?-Ails 4• 17, 21. Thus Saul thought io have per· vmed the Difciples, by bi<athing out threatnings againll thorn, A(Is 9· , ,
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