A26892:8488
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 5. 2. And it is as apparent that to scandalize another, is not (as is vulgarly imagined by the ignorant), to do that which is commonly reputed sinful, or which hath the appearance of a sin, or which will make a man evil thought of, or spoken of by others: Yet commonly when men say, [This is a scandalous ⟨p. 81⟩action], they mean; it is an action which is reproachful or of evil report as a sin: And therefore in our English speech it is common to say of one that slandereth another, that he raised a scandal of him: But this is not the meaning of the word in Scripture: Materially indeed scandal may consist in any such thing, which may be a stumbling block to another: But formally it is the Tempting of another, or occasioning his fall, or ruin, or hurt, which is the nature of scandalizing. And this is done more seldom by committing open disgraceful sins, and doing that which will make the doer evil spoken of: For by that means others are the more assisted against the temptation of imitating him: But scandal is most commonly found in those actions, which are under least reproach among men, or which have the most plausible appearance of good in them, when they are evil! For these are apter to deceive and overthrow another.
§. 5. 2. And it is as apparent that to scandalize another, is not (as is vulgarly imagined by the ignorant), to do that which is commonly reputed sinful, or which hath the appearance of a sin, or which will make a man evil thought of, or spoken of by others: Yet commonly when men say, [This is a scandalous ⟨p. 81⟩action], they mean; it is an action which is reproachful or of evil report as a sin: And therefore in our English speech it is common to say of one that slandereth another, that he raised a scandal of him: But this is not the meaning of the word in Scripture: Materially indeed scandal may consist in any such thing, which may be a stumbling block to another: But formally it is the Tempting of another, or occasioning his fall, or ruine, or hurt, which is the nature of scandalizing. And this is done more seldome by committing open disgraceful sins, and doing that which will make the doer evil spoken of: For by that means others are the more assisted against the temptation of imitating him: But scandal is most commonly found in those actions, which are under least reproach among men, or which have the most plausible appearance of good in them, when they are evil! For these are apter to deceive and overthrow another.