I shall give you a few rules from hence, and so conclude: —
Rule 1. The giving offence being a great aggravation of sin, let this rule lie continually in your hearts, — that the more public persons are, the more careful they ought to be that they " give no offence either to Jew or Gentile, or to the church of God." Why doth the apostle put Jew and Gentile before "the church of God?" Because more evil will ensue upon it, and more disadvantage, unto the souls of men. Let this be our rule in walking, especially those of us whose occasions do call us unto more converse in the world, — let us always endeavour to give no offence to Jew or Gentile, or to the church of God.
2. If what I have laid down be your first and your main rule (I doubt, where this is neglected, there is want of sincerity ; but where it is your principal rule), there is nothing but hypocrisy. Men may walk by this rule, and have corrupt minds, and cherish wickedness in their hearts. If this be the principal rule that guides you, — that you will carry it so complyingly, that you will give no offence, — this is worse than neglecting the rule in the first case : that argues want of sincerity ; this is a certain predominancy of hypocrisy. The principal rule commands conscience to God in all sincerity; and the second, to give no offence ; — and if we make this our first rule, we are not ujDright with God. And therefore let none please themselves that they walk according to rule, if the internal power of God be not found in their souls.
THE EVIL AND DANGER OF OFFENCES. 357
3. Be not afraid of the great multiplication of offences at this day in the world. The truths of the gospel and holiness have broke through a thousand times more offences. They have broke through heresies and blasphemies, and poverty and persecution. God hath still preserved his people, who have broke through and got the con- quest over the greatest offences ; — over offences taken, in the cross of Christ, in the poverty of Christ, in persons that have preached the gospel, and in those who have professed it; — over offences given, in innumerable swarms of blasphemous heretics who have professed the name of Christ from the beginning; in false reports that have been cast upon Christians, — being reported generally throughout the world to be a vile generation of wicked persons. The truth and grace of God have conquered all these offences, and prevailed over them all, and will do so again, if we keep close unto truth and the power of religion.
4. Beg of God wisdom to manage yourselves under offences: and of all things take heed of that great evil which professors have been very apt to run into, — I mean, to receive and promote reports of offence among themselves, taking hold of the least colour or pretence to report such things as are matter of offence, and give advantage to the world. Take heed of this; it is the design of the devil to load professors with false reports. And if so, he is not a wise man, nor she a wise woman, that stand not upon their guard, when they see an engine the devil often makes use of ;— who, wdien he hath raised false reports and wounded divers, is. greatly pleased, and careth not if afterward they be discovered to be false, as knowing that he hath done his work ; for hereby he hath drawn out and imbittered the spirits of men one against another. And therefore stand upon your guard, and know it is the devil's engine, though you see not his hand in the managing of it.
SEVEEAL PKACTICAL
OASES OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED,
DELIVERED IN SOME SHORT DISCOURSES AT CHURCH MEETINGS.
PREFATORY NOTE.
These brief Discourses are included in the folio edition of Owen's Sermons, pub- lished in 1721, and are there, for obvious reasons, made to occupy a place by themselves. They were delivered at church meetings for the purposes of devotion and conference among Christian brethren (see p. 403); and they relate to a parti- cular department of Christian ethics. Casuistry — the science and doctrine of conscience — is designed, as the name denotes, to resolve cases of doubt and un- certainty in regard to points of subjective morality. As a branch of theological inquiry and discussion, it has in a great measure fallen into disrepute. It came to be regarded with suspicion and odium from the use made of it by the Jesuits in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, who converted it into an engine of success- ful villany. It was denounced as " the art of quibbling with God ;" and it was partly the casuistical system of the Jesuits against which Pascal, in his " Provin- cial Letters," launched with scathing effect the bolts of his brilliant sarcasm.
But this science was for a time in great farour with the divines of the Refor- mation also; though studied and taught by them on different principles, and assuredly for very different ends. Mayer, a German theologian of the Lutheran Church (1G50-1712), in his " Bibliotheca Biblica," has a list of the authors on Casuistry under three divisions, comprehending the Calvinistic, Lutheran, and Romish Churches. The science was at one time extensively cultivated in Eng- land, and by divines of eminent reputation. Sanderson, bishop of Lincoln after the Restoration, has two works on it, — " Casus Conscientia?," and " De Obliga- tionc Conscientiaj Prselectiones." The " Ductor Dubitantium " of Jeremy Taylor is widely known as one of the most learned and important works on this subject. Baxter's " Christian Directory" deserves also to be mentioned. Pike and Hay- ward's " Cases of Conscience" is a work that has been extensively circulated. There is a quarto volume in Latin entitled " Therapeutica Sacra," in which cases of conscience are discussed, by David Dickson, a Scotch divine, who, about 1G50, was translated from the professorship of divinity in the University of Glasgow to the same chair in the University of Edinburgh. Four volumes of " The Morn- ing Exercises" are occupied with the discussion and resolution of cases of con- science.