A26892:8489
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.
§. 6. 3. And it is also apparent, that it is no sinful scandalizing to do a duty or necessary action, which I have not power to forbear, though I know that another will be offended, or fall by it into sin. If God have made it my duty, even at this time, I must not disobey him, and omit my duty, because another will make it an occasion of his sin. It must be either a sinful or an indifferent action, that is, scandal, or something that is in my own power to do, or to forbear: Yet this must be added, that Affirmatives binding not ad semper, to all times, and no duty being a duty at every moment, it may oft fall out, that that which else would have been my duty at this time, may become at this time no duty but a sin, by the evil consequents which I may foresee; as if another man will make it an occasion of his fall. So that this may oblige me to defer a duty to a fitter time and place. For all such duties as have the nature of a means, are never duties when they cross the interest of their chief ends, and make against that which they are used to effect. And therefore here Christian prudence, foreseeing consequents, and weighing the Good and Evil together, is necessary to him that will know a duty from a sin, and a scandal from no scandal.
§. 7. III. The several ways of scandalizing are these following: 1. Scandal is either intended 1or not intended, either that which is done maliciously of set purpose, or that which is done through negligence, carelessness or contempt. Some men do purposely contrive the fall or ruin of another, and this is a Devilish aggravation of the sin: And some do hurt to others while they intend it not: yet this is far from excusing them from sin: For it is Voluntary as an Omission of the Will, though not as its positive choice: That is called Voluntary which the will is chargeable with, or culpable of: And it is chargeable with its Omissions, and sluggish neglects of the duty which it should do! Those that are careless of the consequent of their actions, and contemn the souls of other men, and will go their own way, come of it what will, and say, let other men look to themselves, are the commonest sort of scandalizers; and are as culpable, as a servant that would leave hot water or fire when the children are like to fall into it; or that would leave Straw or Gunpowder near the fire, or would leave open the doors, though not of purpose to let in the Thieves.