Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	death_n	sin_n	wage_n	4,853	5	11.4614	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62878	Væ scandalizantium, or, A treatise of scandalizing wherein the necessity, nature, sorts, and evills of scandalizing, are handled, with resolution of many questions thereto pertaining / preached at Lemster, in Herefordshire by Iohn Tombes ...	Tombes, John, 1603?-1676.	1641 (1641)	Wing T1827; ESTC R21407	96,654	466

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 scandalizng that this sort of scandalizing would bee sinfull in Gods fight 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 answere yes doubtlesse though they were dead many ages before Solomons sin in hearkning to his wives and furthering their Idolatry became a scandall to the succeeding Kings of Iudah and Ieroboams setting up the golden calves was the scandall of the Kings of Israel that followed him in many

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 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

our brother The Apostle 1. Cor. 8. 11. 12. saith that by such offences the scandalizers doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beate and wound the weak conscience of their brother as a man that doth kill another with a destructive weapon and that consequently the offended person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perisheth that is quantum per ipsum stat as much as pertaines to him And to the like purpose disswading from using our liberty in meates with offence hee forbids it in this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 14. 15. Destroy not him with thy meat and againe v. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For meat destroy not or dissolve not the work of God that is the soule of thy brother As if scandalizing were a destroying or murther such as a soule is capable of For what is the murther of the soule but grieving it perverting it causing it to sin to feele Gods anger This is that which the scripture calleth Death as being indeed the onely death of an immortall spirit so that to cause this by using of our liberty is against the mercy wee are to shew to our brothers soule which is also aggravated in that it is a destroying of Gods worke that is the soule which is divinae particula aurae that particle as it were of Gods breath Gen. 2. 7. That image of the invisible God farre surpassing in worth the whole masse of corporeall beings and therefore the destruction of it much exceeding the destruction of the body 6. Adde hereunto that this scandalizing must needes hinder the peace the sweet peace that should bee betweene Christians that are members of the same body For whereas they should follow after the things that make for peace Rom. 14. 19. This course is opposite thereto Peace is to be followed by yielding somewhat to other mens desires by being indulgent to their weakenesse by relaxation of that rigour we may stand upon But in this way of scandalizing another by the use of our liberty there 's no yielding to the desires of others no indulgence to their weaknesse no remission of rigour yea besides it causeth a jealousy in the offended person of his enmity towards him who would doe that which hee is so much offended with Which apprehension will assuredly cause him to look obliquo oculo awry on him that offends and instead of imbracing him flye off farther from him 7. And indeed whether there bee enmity or evill will or no in the scandalizer surely there is some pride and contempt of his brother in this sin For the Apostle when hee speakes of the fountaine of this evill derives it from the swelling of knowledge that his knowledge puffeth him up 1. Cor. 8. 1. And againe when he forbids the cause of scandalizing in the use of things indifferent hee chargeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him not despise or set at nought his brother Intimating that if he were not puffed up with his knowledge nor set at nought his brother but esteemed him as hee should hee would prize him above his owne conveniences and remit his use of them for his sake Now pride whereby a man despiseth another as it is a great evill in it selfe so is it the greater in that by it commeth contention Prov. 13. 10. 8. Furthermore the obligation of christians bindes them to the utmost of their power to further the kingdome of God in men his glory and their salvation The mercy we have our selves received should move us to endeavour to make others partakers of the same we being called should call others as Philip having found the Messiah invites Nathaniel to come to him Iohn 1. 45. Peter being converted was bound to strengthen his brethren Luke 22. 32. Wherefore for such a one not onely not to strengthen but even for unnecessary things in which the kingdome of God consists not to weaken them is very contrary to to the heavenly calling wherewith we are called to the unspeakable grace we have received doubtlesse the Apostles rule is most equall for such That whether they eat or drink or whatsoever they doe they doe all to the glory of God giving none offence neither to the Iewes nor the Gentiles nor to the Church of God But as he himselfe did who pleased all men in all things not seeking his owne profit but the profit of many that they may be saved 1. Cor. 10. 3. 32. 33. 9. Vnto which the example of our Lord Christ should yet more forcibly urge us as the same Apostle presseth it Rom. 15. 1. 2. 3. We that are strong ought to beare with the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification For even Christ pleased not himselfe but as it is written The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me How much doe they degenerate from Christs example whom they ought to follow who are unwilling to suspend the use of their liberty for their pleasure whereas the Lord Christ laid aside his glory emptied himselfe and became of no reputation for their sake 10. Finally what is scandalizing our brethren for our liberties sake but a forgetting what love Christ vouchsafed them and us in that hee dyed for them and us Christ dyed for them that hee might save them wee let them perish for our pleasure Such practise is doubtlesse not onely a sin against the brethren but against Christ much more 1. Cor. 8. 12. All these reasons put together declare how great a sin this kind of scandal is and therefore how justly a woe belongs to it And so much the greater a woe is awarded to such scandalizers as it is committed with and so much the greater pride wilfulnes or wantones when it is done data opera of set purpose or with evident foresight of the grievance harme ensuing thereby to their brother For these things make it the more voluntary and therefore the more sinfull But then it is a very hard and knotty point in many cases to know when a christian doeth thus abuse his liberty in things indifferent when not it being a hard thing to understand when men are weak when wilfull a hard thing to determin what to doe when the harme of another by our use of our liberty is only suspected or feared it may be but on the other side probably may not be what is to be done when it is likely that there may be scandall either way in using or not using our liberty what regard is to be had to our brethren in case the Magistrate interposeth his authority From these and sundry more such difficulties arise many doubts to the disquiet of tender consciences and sinfull presumptions in some superstitious feares in others which beget no small evill which points neverthelesse I finde handled ex professo by few onely incidentally to other arguments here and there writers cleare some of the doubts belonging to this argument wherefore I have conceived it