A41649:621
A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the…
A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the awakening the consciences of secure sinners, unto a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadful condition they are in, so long as they live in their natural and unregenerate estate. The latter tending to the directing and persuading of the godly and regenerate unto several singular duties. As also a word to householders stirring them up to the good old way of serving God in and with their families, from Joshua's resolution, Josh. 24. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Set forth especially for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish, London by Tho. Gouge, late pastor thereof.A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the awakening the consciences of secure sinners, unto a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadfull condition they are in, so long as they live in their natural and unregenerate estate. The latter tending to the directing and perswading of the godly and regenerate unto several singular duties. As also a word to housholders stirring them up to the good old way of serving God in and with their families, from Joshuah's resolution, Josh. 24. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Set forth especially for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish, London by Tho. Gouge, late pastor thereof.
London: printed for George Sawbridge, 1668
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.
4. Our exact walking consisteth in abstaining from appearances of evil, 1as well as from apparent and direct evils. As there are some things apparently ⟨p. 176⟩evil, so there are other things in show and appearance only evil. He who walks circumspectly and exactly will as carefully shun the one as the other. He will not adventure upon any thing that looks like sin, or that hath the least affinity with it. If the thing be doubtful whether it may, or may not be done, he will do that which is most safe, and leave the other undone. Yea though he know a thing to be lawful in it self, yet if it may prove a stumbling block in the way of another, and so be an occasion of sin unto him, he will carefully avoid the same.
4. Our exact walking consisteth in abstaining from appearances of evil, 1as well as from apparent and direct evills. As there are some things apparently ⟨p. 176⟩evil, so there are other things in shew and appearance only evil. He who walks circumspectly and exactly will as carefully shun the one as the other. He will not adventure upon any thing that looks like sin, or that hath the least affinity with it. If the thing be doubtfull whether it may, or may not be done, he will do that which is most safe, and leave the other undone. Yea though he know a thing to be lawfull in it self, yet if it may prove a stumbling block in the way of another, and so be an occasion of sin unto him, he will carefully avoid the same.
- 11 Th•s. 5.22.
Upon this account St. Paul resolved to avoid the eating of flesh, though he might lawfully do it: yet when it was like to be a stumbling-block to his weak Brother, in regard it had an appearance of evil in it,