Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	death_n	life_n	wage_n	10,497	5	10.9120	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62865	Christs commination against scandalizers, or, A treatise wherein the necessitie, nature, sorts, and evils of scandalizing are clearly and fully handled with resolution of many questions, especially touching the abuse of Christian liberty, shewing that vengeance is awarded against such as use it to the grievance of their weake brethren / by Iohn Tombes ...	Tombes, John, 1603?-1676.	1641 (1641)	Wing T1802; ESTC R1928	96,775	467

divine justice fall into the pit themselves who have digged it for others Wherefore that we may not scandalize others let us learne 1. To feare God as we are commanded Levit. 19. 14. Thou shalt not put a stumbling block before the blind but shalt feare thy God I am the Lord. For he that feares God will not put a stumbling block before his brother sith he is sure thereby to incurre woe and displeasure of God Scandalizing consists not with Gods feare 2. To love our brethren with which Scandalizing consists not For how can he be said to love his brother who spreads a net for his feet especially when he insnares his soule And this is sure that he which loves not his brother loves not God but walkes in darknesse 1. Iohn 2. 10. 11. 3. To get uprightnesse of heart that thou maist walk uprightly and this will prevent both stumbling in thy selfe and scandalizing of others For he that is not right-hearted though he may in some things for a time doe well as Iehu did yet sooner or later he will stumble or fall Even as a lame horse while he is heated will goe well enough but when he cooles will halt downe-right Even so an hypocrite though for a time he may goe on fairely in his way yet in the Conclusion likely when he hath attained his ends he falls foulely As Iehu that seemed to be zealous for the Lord untill he had gotten the kingdome of Israel but in the end shewed his hypocrisy by serving Ieroboams golden Calves Now such a one will surely become a stumbling block and that a permanent one Wherefore as it is necessary for our appearing before God with boldnesse that we get upright hearts so likewise for our living unblameably and inoffensively to our neighbours 4 Lastly to get wisdome and prudence to consider the dispositions of men who are apt to be scandalized and the due circumstances and consequences of our actions that they may be none occasion offence In all our dealings that are obvious to men we must shew our selves innocent as Doves wise as Serpents in malice children in understanding men CAP. 3. Of Scandalizing in speciall by sinfull Example HOW grievous an evill active scandalizing is in the generall hath bin declared But because things that are more confuse in the Genus appeare more distinct in the species my purpose is to consider the severall brāches of active scandalizing that we may the better discerne the sinne and danger of scandalizing Active scandalizing is two waies one when a man in his actions intending only to have his own will or lust regards not the ruine of another by his action this may be called Exemplary scandalizing or Scandall by example and of this kind of Scandall there are two sorts The first is when the example is in a thing in its nature evill and this may not unfitly be called scandall by sinfull example The second is when the Scandall is in a thing lawfull otherwise as being in its nature indifferent but by want of Charity abused so as that harme comes to another and this may be called scandalizing in the abuse of things indifferent The other way of scandalizing is when an action is done for this particular intent that other mens soules may be harmed chiefly in drawing them to sinne And this may be called Scandalizing by devised practise which likewise is of two sorts one when by inticeing means as by coūsells perswasions placing objects before men and the like men are overthrowne and this may be called scandall by enticing practises The other when by terrifying wayes men are scandalized and this may be called scandall by persecution According to this distribution in this method I shall speake 1. Of scandalizing by evill example 2. Of scandalizing by abuse of our liberty in things indifferēt 3. Of scandalizing by enticing practises 4. of scandalizing by persecution That sinfull example begets scandall needs not proofe Experience of all times proves it too abundantly And that position of Solomon is plaine Prov. 29. 6. In the transgression of an evill man there is a snare or scandall For these two words are equivalent as was declared before A snare whereby to insnare himselfe and to harme others Whereupon it is that Solomon adviseth Prov. 22. 25. that we should make no friendship with an angry man nor goe with a furious man lest we learne his wayes and get a snare to our soule So that the evill example of angry and furious men becomes a snare or scandall to mens soules who goe with them Wherefore we may safely apply the woe of my text to this scandalizing and conclude That misery belongs to those that scandalize others by sinfull example The wages of sinne indefinitely is death Rom. 6. 23. even that death which is opposite to eternall life to wit eternall death of body soule in hell fire Which is much more due when it is not onely a sin but also a sinfull example a scandal by sinfull example But besides this eternall woe that temporal woe belongs to it also the story of the misery of Hophni and Phinehas of David others for their scandalls by sinfull example doth plentifully shew To explaine this point more fully we are to consider 1. what actions of sinful exāple doe scandalize 2. How they doe scandalize 3. why a woe belongs to such To give answer to the first quaere I say That in this sort of scandalizing the action scandalizing is that which is of it selfe sinfull that is such as is prohibited by God to be done For this is the difference betweene this and the next sort of scandalizing that this sort of scandalizing would bee sinfull in Gods sight though no man were offended by it and therefore when it becomes a scandall it is a double sin 1. As it is such a kind of act as is forbidden by God 2. As it occasions the ruine of another as Davids murther had been a sin if never knowne but scandalizng others it became a double iniquity The next sort of scādalizing is in an action not evill of it selfe but by reason of scandall so that were it no scandall it would bee no sin as the sin of the strong in faith mentioned Rom. 14. in eating indifferently any sort of meat had beene no sin the thing being in it selfe indifferent had not the weake in faith been thereby offended 2. It is requisite that the action scandalizing bee knowne For privy actions doe not scandalize Actions doe scandalize tanquam objectum à quo as an outward motive that provokes the mind now such provocation cannot be but by the knowledge of it I meane knowledge of the act though perhaps the person scandalized know not the sinfulnesse of it but rather the ignorance of the sinfulnesse of it may be the cause that it doth insnare him Perhaps it may be asked whether the living may be scandalized by the actions of them that are dead I

that besides the principall and immediate effect of scandals many other evills by breach of charity contentions schismes c. follow upon them which as they bring woe to the world so doth the woe brought on others justly rebound on the head of him that casts it For application of this truth 1. That which hath been said manifests unto us both the sinfulnesse and the danger of those that heed not their wayes to avoyde scandalizing of others that watch not over their words or actions least they cause others to stumble It is not to bee denied but that there are some who through overfearfullnesse of giving scandall doe omit things fit for them to doe which ariseth through want of knowing in what cases scandall is to bee feared in what not out of imprudence in not discernning the difference of persons This errour is the more pardonable in that it likely comes not out of an evil disposition but out of a tender conscience joyned with a weak understanding Nor likely doth it procure other hurt than the lessening of the esteem of the person scrupulous the exposing him to contempt and derision in some to pitty in others excepting when such scrupulosity causeth disobedience to the necessary commands of governours or breeds superstition or the like evils Yet this is an evill in that it is an errror and somewhat intrencheth on Gods prerogative in making that to bee sin which he hath not made sin and therefore is to bee shunned not to be cherished But such likely are but few The most of people mind and prosecute their pleasure profit credit preferment content c. but litle or nothing regard what scandall followes thereon many are of that impetuous resolutiō that they will have their sports not unlawfull in themselves though they will certainly occasion drunkennesse quarrelling blood-shed idlenes undoing of families and such like evils So that in a sort they resolve like unto that Pope who said that hee would have his dish of meat in spight of God so these are bent to have their sports in spight of their brethren yea and of God too that commands them not to offend their brethren And as men are affected to their pleasure so they are to their profits preferments credit ends yea their vaine customes So violent is the streame of their wills that they will have their course although they not only overthrow many lives and states but also drowne many soules in perdition Too too many are of Cains mind who when he was demanded of God where his brother was answered angerly Gen. 4. 9. Am I my brothers keeper They care not whether they sinke or swimme their consciences be whole or wounded they stumble or goe upright they perish or be saved would it could be truely said that there were no ministers of the Gospell no Magistrates no Parents no masters that by their courses shew that they make light account of the stumbling of mens soules so they may have their will surely there should bee if there were any sparke of true charity in men a zeale to the good of their brethrens soules and accordingly of some to have compassion putting a difference and others to save with feare pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the slesh that it may not infect others Iude 22. 23. Knowing that hee which converts a sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes Iames 5. 20. But alas so great is the vitious selfe-love of men that for their owne pleasures profit preferment vaine glory and such like ends they draw innumerable soules into hell with them sometimes by perverting their faith sometimes by corrupting their devotions sometimes by vitiating their manners and yet as if they were all Popes no man must say unto them what doest thou To omit other instances of lesse account To maintaine the great Idoll of latter ages the Papall Monarchy What grosse superstitions have been maintained what practises have been devised and used to the seducing of whole nations of people holding them in blindnesse and superstition to their perdition yea to the reproach of the religion of Christ even by Iewes Turks and Infidels it were infinite to relate How carelesse many others are to scandalize milions of soules that they may attaine to or maintain secular greatnesse I forbeare to speak it being too manifest to the world All which dispositions and practises how damnable they be oh that men would consider that they may prevent the woe here denounced by our Saviour and take heed how they slight their brothers spirit lest they draw downe eternall vengeance on themselves from the Father of spirits and by valuing at so low a rate their brothers soule make the market cheap for their owne Wherefore in the second place we are to be admonished that as we are to look to our feet that we stumble not our selves so to take heed to our actions that they overthrow not others The Almighty hath forbidden in his law to curse the deafe and to put a stumbling block before the blind Levit. 19. 14. it being an unworthy and injurious thing to take advantage from weaknesse to hurt those whom humanity reason should cause us to helpe But it is a thousand times more injurious and cruell to lay a stumbling block before mens soules in as much as the danger of a soules falling is incomparably greater then the ruine of the body Surely he that hath any estimation of the preciousnes of a soule any love to it any compassion any sense of the evill of a soules perdition ought to be most tender of doing it any hurt ready to doe it any good Wherefore it concernes us to be watchfull over our words and actions appearing to men that they become not Scandalls We are to look heedily to our thoughts that we be not found hypocrites before God and to every action we doe that we may keep our peace with God But for a farther reason we are to look to those that are in the view of the world as it were on the stage We are to be carefull of our privy thoughts as knowing that God sees us and hates all uncleannesse in the inward parts But of our open actions we are to be carefull for a double reason because God sees them and men too so that we may not only grieve Gods spirit but also hurt mens soules if they be not right For as there be likely some who as Ieremiah speaks of himselfe Ierem. 20. 20. will waite for our halting if in any thing we stumble that they may reproach us so there are others whom we shall probably make to halt to their ruine if we cast any stumbling block before them Besides we may safely conceive that they are carelesse of their own soules that are not carefull to prevent the scandall of other mens soules and that in foveam incident quam foderint they shall by

shall have their due vengeance Vnto them that are contentious that obey unrighteousnesse shall bee indignation and wrath tribulation anguish upon the soule of every man that doth evill Ro. 2. 8. 9. But yet in a higher degree the woe belongs to them that offend beleivers in Christ who are the chiefe object of persecution which are chiefly meant in this place Of whom the Apostle saies 2. Thess. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble such To cleare this truth I shall distinctly answer these 3 questions 1. wherein persecution is exercised and how believers are persecuted 2. how scandalized by persecution 3. What woe belongs to such as thus scandalize them For an answer to the first of these questions persecution in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth most properly signify an eager swist motion as in running a race or in the chasing of an enemy flying with an hostile mind by translation it signifies any eager pursuit or seeking after a thing which wee would obtaine as when we are commanded Heb. 12. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 follow after peace the Apostle Phil. 3. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I pursue if I may comprehend or attaine to hee meanes the knowlgdge and grace of Christ. But in the Ecclesiasticall use of this word it is appropriated to those afflictions which unbeleiving and ungodly men doe set themselves to inflict on the godly and believers In this sense it is used Mark 10. 30. where our Saviour sayes that the losse of things left for him shall bee recompenced with an hundred fold in this time yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not without persecutions that is afflictions and hard usages from evill men And S. Paul 2. Tim. 3. 12. They that live godly in Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be persecuted that is be ill handled by the ungodly which thing they doe many wayes Sometimes by seeking after their lives so that nothing will satisfy them but the shedding of their blood as if nothing else could quench their thirst but a draught of a godly Christians blood Yet not all in the like cruell manner To some it 's enough that they can destroy them to others it 's not sufficient unlesse they can cause them sensim mori to dye a lingring death by torture so as to be long a dying or that if it be shorter for the time it may be with the extreamest paine or with the extreamest ignominy Nor are the impulsive causes the same in all it 's in all hatred of the godly but not for the same reason and therefore the bitternesse of this hatred is in some greater and more lasting in others lesse and sooner removed S. Paul persecuted the Church of God but he did it out of ignorance and unbeliefe and therefore was the more capeable of repentance and mercy 1. Tim. 1. 13. Iezabel persecuted the Prophet Elijah out of zeale for her Idolatry 1. Kings 19. 2. Herodias because Iohn Baptist had preached against her companying with Herod Mark 6. Herod persecuted Iames and Peter that hee might please the people Acts 12. In all there 's malice but upon different reasons And for the kind of death which they inflict on them it is different according to the divers degrees of their malice wit and power some they stone others they saw in two others they slay with the sword Heb. 11. 37. some they hang on a crosse some they cast to wild beasts some they drowne in the sea some they boyle in oyle to death some they broyle on a greediron some they burne at a stake some they make away in secret as the Histories of the Church doe abundantly testify Sometimes persecution reacheth not to the taking away the life but to bonds and imprisonment as it befell Paul and Silas Acts 16. to banishment losse of goods as it befell the Saints Heb. 11. 37. to excommunications and casting out of the Synagogue as our Saviour foretold Ioh. 16. 2. to threatnings and hard speeches Iude 15. to slanders and false accusations Mat. 5. 11. to scoffes insulting Sarcasmes which are called cruell mockings Heb. 11. 36. and with which it is said Ismael persecuted Isaak Gal. 4. 29. In a word all those wayes of inflicting evill whereby the malignant spirits of wicked men doe harme the godly in their bodies outward estates name are acts of persecution Such kind of evills sometimes happen to the godly by voluntary vndertakings as death and danger and wants by reason of travaile to promote the Gospell or the like cause but then they are acts of persecution when they are by others inflicted on them to doe them mischiefe It falls out sometimes that believers and godly persons doe molest and practise one against another by reason of private discord and grudges from corruption prevayling although they agree in the worship of the same Lord. Sometimes such kinde of practises are betweene unbeleivers themselves who seekes one anothers lives vexe spoyle expell one another by reason of private enmities sometimes they doe the like to beleevers upon private quarrells arising from ambition covetousnesse or the like cause By all which there may harming and scandalizing come But it is then in the usuall Ecclesiasticall acception of the word persecution when ungodly men inflict those evills on godly and beleiving persons quâ tales as they are such for their piety or faiths sake for righteousnesse sake Mat. 6. 10. 1. Pet. 3. 14. For Christs sake and the Gospells Mark 10. 29. More distinctly when men inflict evill on others for their profession of Christ and his Gospell for not serving Idols as when the Emperour did put to death Christians for refusing to offer incense to their heathen Gods And Nebuchadnezzar cast into a fiery fornace three Iewes for not bowing downe to his golden Image or when they bring evill on them for doing their duty the reproving of sin delivering Gods message as when Ahab and Iesabel made Elijah to fly Micajah to lye in prison Herod cast Iohn Baptist in prison for declaring their sins to them and foretelling ther judgment when the Princes of Darius procured Daniel to bee cast into a den of Lions for praying to God three times aday when the Iewes drave the Apostles from one citty to another for preaching the Gospell then it is persecution And thus even at this day those that have power doe persecute christians in some places by cruell torments in some by expulsion from their dwellings spoyling their goods in some by tauntes mockes threates disgracings slanders c. For their embracing the word of life rejection of Idolatry publishing of the truth non-conformity to the vices of the world For it is the lot of Gods people which our Saviour requires us to remember Iohn 16. 20. The servant is no greater then the Lord if they have persecuted me they will also persecute you Now these persecutions doe scandalize as our Saviour tells