à 3g Whofefcandalwe mutt avoidmoll. ommNnicatifg with others is not a perfectating yoa. And bare 11 difpleafing there ] it is certain that the xextdoth not mean at all. But if by [rffending them] be meant f andalizing them, that is, lay- ing fnares before them, whether by fraud or perm fecution, to turn them from Chri1 , and dra'v them to fins , then it cornfirmeth all that I fay And the term [little ones] conteineth the reafon of the words:Becaufe as'litile children are eafilyover- thrown & eafilier deceived,fo theyoung & yvea`&be- Iievers of little faith, are moil indanger of being turned away from Chrif},or enfnared in any fin or errour. And therefore ifyou think the Parith Churches toconffi of weaker perfons than your felves, the woe is to you or us if we fend, them. The truth is, (Fending and giving fcandal, is ,commonly taken in the Gofpel, for any a&ion which is not our neceffary duty) by which ei-ther Heathens and Infidels and enemies toChrifL, are like to be drawn to 'harder thouhts of the Chriflian faith ; or any wicked man is like to be kept from a godly life ; or elfe by which the youngungrounded andunfetled fort of Chrifliars, may be tempted to turn back and forfake the faith which they have profeffed , or fall into any dan- gerous fin. And therefore feeing the feparatifls profefs to be fetled in the faith already, and ma- try in the PariíhChurches are weak, and many averfe to force duties of Religion, and more in dmger ofbeing turned away, we are bound to be much more afraid of giving fcandal to the Pari- jhe., than to the feparat ills. 0hj. Bar Chrift cared at fsr offendingfach per verre
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