A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

others at his Conversation, as being a Glutton, a Wine-bibber, and a Friend of Publicans and Sinners; but yet for all these Out-cries, he alters nothing either in his Teaching, or his Living; but whilst they are clamouring against him, and speaking evil of him, he still goes about doing good: And truly those that will be the Disciples and Followers of Christ, though the way in which they are to worship and serve God, be generally decried, and every where spoken against, and carped at, as needless Peevishness: yet if it be a known Duty, they must not, they ought not to put themselves out of the way of their obedience, to put others out of their groundless Offences. Only let me add a necessary Caution to this Particular also; for we cannot be too exact in stating this Case of giving offence to others, and that is this.

others at his Conversation, as being a Glutton, a Wine-bibber, and a Friend of Publicans and Sinners; but yet for all these Out-cries, he alters nothing either in his Teaching, or his Living; but whilst they are clamouring against him, and speaking evil of him, he still goes about doing good: And truly those that will be the Disciples and Followers of Christ, though the way in which they are to worship and serve God, be generally decried, and every where spoken against, and carp'd at, as needless Peevishness: yet if it be a known Duty, they must not, they ought not to put themselves out of the way of their obedience, to put others out of their groundless Offences. Only let me add a necessary Caution to this Particular also; for we cannot be too exact in stating this Case of giving offence to others, and that is this.

If that appear a Duty to us that hath an Appearance of Evil in it to the generality of the most sober and serious Christians ⟨p. 134⟩(let us suppose that) why now though this should not presently sway our Consciences, yet it should engage us to make a strict Search and Enquiry, whether it be our duty or not; if it is that which is contrary to the Opinion and Practice of holy and pious Christians, it ought to have this Authority with us, to put us to a stand, and to make us to examine whether that which we account a Duty, be indeed a Duty or not: As for instance, some among us at this day are persuaded that they ought to worship God one way, and some another; and what appears a Duty to one, hath the appearance of Evil in it to another? why now follow neither of these; because it is their Judgment and Practice; but yet if thy persuasion be contrary to the persuasion of the most pious and most sober Christians, this ought so far to prevail, as to make men suspect lest they are mistaken, and to put them upon a diligent Enquiry, and an impartial Search into their Grounds and Arguments; but after all, still follow that which you are convinced in your own Conscience is your Duty, how evil soever it may appear to others either one way