A37042:82
The dying man's testament to the Church of Scotland, or, A treatise concerning scandal…
The dying man's testament to the Church of Scotland, or, A treatise concerning scandal divided into four parts ... : in each of which there are not a few choice and useful questions, very shortly and satisfyingly discussed and cleared / by ... Mr. James Durham ... who being dead (by this) yet speaketh ; and published by John Carstares ... ; to which is prefixed an excellent preface of famous Mr. Blair ... ; together with a table of the contents of the several chapters of each part.
Edinburgh: printed by Christopher Higgins, 1659
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.
11. We may consider offences with respect to the1 party offended; and so, first, we offend friends in many respects, whom, it may be, we would not desire to grieve, yet unadvertingly we stumble them, and hurt their spiritual condition by unfaithfulness to them, carnalnesse in conversing with them, siding with their infirmities, and many such like ways. Or, secondly, they are enemies, or such to whom we bear no such respect, these also are scandalized when they are provoked through the carnalness of our way to judge hardly of us, or of Religion for our sake, or to follow some carnal course to oppose what we carnally do, when we irritate them and provoke their passion, &c. and thus men in all debates are often guilty, whether ⟨p. 10⟩their contest be in things Civil, Ecclesiastic or Scholastic, when, beside what may further their cause (suppose it to be just) they do not carry respectively to the adversary, and tenderly and convincingly, so as it may appear they seek the good of their soul, and their edification, even when they differ from them. Thirdly, we may look on offence as it offendeth wicked or profane men, possibly Heathens, Jews, or Gentiles; they are offended when hardened in their impiety by the grossness and uncharitableness of those who are professedly tender: thus it is a fault, 1 Cor. 10. 32. to give offence either to Jews or Gentiles, as to the Church of God. Fourthly, Amongst those that are tender, some are more weak, some are more strong: the first are often offended where there is no ground in the matter, as Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8. &c. and it venteth readily by rash judging and censuring of others that are stronger than themselves, for going beyond their light, or because of their seeming to be despised by them, &c. which showeth wherein the offence of the strong also lieth; therefore these two are put together, Rom. 14. 3. Let not him that eateth, (that is, him that is strong) despise him that eateth not: And let not him that eateth not (that is, the weak) judge him that eateth.