Direct. IV. When you see any man sin, be sure you do that duty which it calls you to. Every fall that you see of others doth call you to see the odiousness of sin (as you will do when you see a drunkard spewing, or a thief at the whipping-post). And it calleth you to search for and lament the root of such sin in yourselves, and to set your watch more strictly upon such a warning; and it calls you to compassionate the sinner, and if you have hope and opportunity to endeavour his recovery. If you will conscionably do this duty which is your own, you will be the less in danger of hurt by scandal. It is duty that must help to prevent infection.
Direct. V. Be watchful among all men, high and low, learned or unlearned, good and bad. Venture not blindly upon the singular opinion of any men whatsoever; nor into any new unproved way. Remember that all men are a temptation to others; and therefore be armed and watch against such temptation. Know well what it is, that is the peculiar temptation, which the quality of those that you have to do with, layeth before you. Spend no day or hour in any company, good or bad, without a wise and careful vigilancy.
Direct. VI. Be as little as you can in scandalous and tempting company. Presume not to touch pitch, and promise yourselves to escape defilement. Especially fly from two sorts of scandals. First, The discourses and societies of heretical or schismatical men, who speak perverse things to draw away disciples after them, Acts xx. 30. Those that presume to run into such snares, and think their own understanding and stability are sufficient to preserve them, do show by their pride that they are near a fall, 1 Cor. x. Secondly, The company of sensual persons, at stage-plays, gaming, inordinate plays, and wanton dalliance. For this is to bring your tinder and gunpowder to the fire; and the less you fear it, the greater is your danger.
Direct. VII. Look more at the good that is in others, than at their faults and falls. The fly that will fall on none but the galled, ulcerous place, doth feed accordingly. Is a professor of religion covetous, drunk, or other ways scandalous? Remember that it is his covetousness or drunkenness that is bad. Reprove that, and fly from it, and spare not; but religion is good; let that therefore be commended and imitated. Leave the carrion to dogs and crows to feast upon; but do you choose out the things that are commendable, and mind, and mention, and imitate those.
Direct. VIII. Lastly, Think and speak as much against the sin and danger of taking scandal, as against the sin and danger of giving it. When others cry out, These are your religious people, do you cry out as much against their malignity and madness, who will dislike or reproach religion for men's sins; which is to blame the law-makers or laws, because they are broken; or to fall out with health, because many that once were in health fall sick; or to find fault with eating, because some are lean; or with clothing, because some are cold. Open to yourselves and others, what a wicked and perilous thing this is, to fall out with godliness, because some are ungodly that seem godly. Many cry out against scandal, that never think what a heinous sin it is to be scandalized, or to suffer men's sins to be a scandal to you; and to be the worse, because that others are so bad. No one must differ from them in an opinion, or a fashion of apparel, or in a mode or form of worship, but some are presently scandalized; not knowing that it is a greater sin in them to be scandalized, than in the other by such means (supposing them to be faulty) to give them the occasion. Do you know what it is to be scandalized or offended in the Scripture sense? It is not merely to be displeased, or to dislike another's actions (as is before said); but it is to be drawn into some sin, or hindered from some duty, or stopped in the course of religion, or to think the worse of truth, or duty, or a godly life, because of other men's words or actions: and do you think him a good christian, and a faithful or constant friend to godliness, who is so easily brought to quarrel with it? or is so easily turned from it, or hindered in it? Some peevish, childish persons are like sick stomachs, that no meat can please; you cannot dress it so curiously, but they complain that it is naught, or this aileth it, or that aileth it, when the fault is in themselves; or like children, or sick persons, that can scarce be touched but they are hurt: do you think that this sickliness or curiosity in religion is a credit to you? This is not the tenderness of conscience which God requireth, to be easily hurt by other men's differences or faults. As it is the shame of many ladies and gentlewomen, to be so curious and troublesomely neat, that no servant knoweth how to please them; so is it in religion a sign of your childish folly, and worse, to be guilty of such proud curiosity, that none can please you who are not exactly of your mind and way. All men must follow your humours in gestures, fashions, opinions, formalities, and modes, or else you are troubled, and offended, and scandalized; as if all the world were made to please and humour you! or you were wise enough, and great and good enough, to be the rule of all about you! Desire and spare not, that yourselves and all men should please God as exactly as is possible. But if the want of that exactness in doubtful things, or a difference in things disputable and doubtful among true christians, do thereupon abate or hinder your love or estimation of your brethren, or communion with them, or any other christian duty, or tempt you into censoriousness or contempt of your brethren, or to schism, persecution, or any other sin; it is you that are the great offenders, and you that are like to be the sufferers; and have cause to lament that sinful aptness to be thus scandalized.
CHAPTER XIV.
DIRECTIONS AGAINST SOUL MURDER, AND PARTAKING OF OTHER MEN'S SINS.
The special directions given part iii. chap. xxii. to parents and masters, will in this case be of great use to all others; but because it is here seasonable to speak of it further, under the sixth commandment, and the matter is of the greatest consequence, I shall, 1. Tell you how men are guilty of soul murder. 2. And then give you some general directions for the furthering of men's salvation. 3. And next give you some special directions for christian exhortation and reproofs.
First, Men are guilty of soul murder by all these ways. 1. By preaching false soul-murdering doctrine. Such as denieth any necessary point of faith, or holy living; such as is opposite to a holy life, or to any particular necessary duty; such as maketh sin to be no sin; which calls good evil, and evil good; which putteth darkness for light, and light for darkness.
2. By false application of true doctrine, indirectly reflecting upon and disgracing that holiness of life, which in terms they preach for; by prevarication undermining that cause which their office is appointed to promote; as they do, who purposely so describe any vice, that the hearers may be drawn to think that strict and godly practices are either that sin itself, or but a cloak to hide it.