A37045:46
Heaven upon earth in the serene tranquillity and calm composure, in the sweet peace…
Heaven upon earth in the serene tranquillity and calm composure, in the sweet peace and solid joy of a good conscience sprinkled with the blood of Jesus and exercised always to be void of offence toward God and toward men : brought down and holden forth in XXII very searching sermons on several texts of Scripture ... / by James Durham.
Edinburgh: printed by the heir of Andrew Anderson, 1685
Title page typeset from the transcription.
To the reader: TO THE READERS, And more particularly to the Inhabitants of the City of GLASGOW.
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.
Eighthly. We would in the case of indifferent things, wherein we are clear our selves, and fully persuaded of our own Christian liberty, be very tender of the Consciences of others, who may in that respect he more weak, and not so fully clear and persuaded▪ about them; least we offend and wound their Conscience; and so indirectly consequently and by the rebound, offend & wound ou• own. ⟨image 17⟩Conscience▪ here the Apostles directions, assertions, precepts and practice, Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8. 9 and 10. Chapters are singularly useful, admirably apposite and excellent; O! that the Apostolic primitive Christian amiable tenderness in the matter of offence, in the use of things indifferent, were brought back to and revived in this much declined and degenerated generation, wherein offences abound, and the love of many waxeth cold; and wherein there is a great propension and readiness, untenderly and uncharitably to give and to take offence. I do not by this in the least insinuate, that for preventing the offence (or rather displeasure) of any, we may warrantably do or forbear any thing that God hath commanded or prohibited the doing of; or that we should or may run cross to the dictates of our own Consciences, or do any thing with an unclear and doubting Conscience; which is always sin, and therefore never •o be adventured on, offend and be displeased who will; though even in that case, their offence should be a grief to us, as it was to the Apostle (whose exercise it was to have always a Conscience void of offence towards God and toward men) who said, Who is offended and I burn not?
Eightly. We would in the case of indifferent things, wherein we are clear our selves, and fully perswaded of our own Christian liberty, be very tender of the Consciences of others, who may in that respect he more weak, and not so fully clear and perswaded▪ about them; least we offend and wound their Conscience; and so indirectly consequently and by the rebound, offend & wound ou• ow.