Concerning a Christians Careful Abstinence from All Appearance of Evil, Postscript – Errata
THE POSTSCRIPT
to the Reader.
WHereas from page the 57. to page the 63. we delivered that according to the common opinion of the Schoolmen, things commanded might in caſe of ſcandall be for a while omitted or forborne, Vaſquez and Becanus diſſent from us and them in this particular, the explication and confirmation of their opinion I will briefly propound, and then leave to thy cenſure.
Becanus, to make way for his opinion premiſeth that there is a difference betweene naturall precepts, for ſome ſaith he bind ſimply and alwayes whatſoever circumſtances intervene, and their obligation never ceaſeth, ſuch like are thoſe that forbid lying, perjury, hatred of God, Idolatrie, &c: for theſe facts are ſo intrinſecally ſinfull, as that they cannot by any circumſtances bee made lawfull: others now bind not ſimply, and abſolutely, but with certaine circumſtances, and therefore they bind as long as thoſe circumſtances remaine, they ceaſe to binde when thoſe circumſtances are changed: Such is the precept forbidding to kill, for that bindes with theſe circumſtances, that we kill not by our private authoritie, except in caſe of neceſſary defence. Take away theſe circumſtances, and it binds not, for it is lawfull to kill upon the command of authority, or in our neceſſary defence: ſuch alſo is the precept of eſchewing ſcandall; for however it be dictated by the law of nature, yet it obligeth not abſolutely & quomodocunque: but with certaine circumſtances, and one circumſtance neceſſarily requiſite to make it binde us, is that there occurre not any other precept, either naturall or poſitive. The reaſon is, becauſe every one is bound to have a greater care of his own than others ſalvation; and conſequently, rather to avoid ſinne in himſelfe, than to prevent it in his brethren. And therefore that precept which is given us for the prevention of ſinne in others, is but of a ſecondary obligation. Now the precept of eſchewing ſcandall is impoſed, onelyonly for the hindring of ſinne in others, and therefore doth not tye us when there occurreth any other precept, which is given for the avoiding of ſinne in our ſelves. But it may be objected, that the precept of ſhunning ſcandall is of the law of nature, and therefore is more obligatory than thoſe precepts that are but poſitive. Unto this Becanus anſwereth, that a naturall precept is more obligatory than that which is poſitive, caeteris paribus, that is, if each precept both that which is naturall, and that which is poſitive, bee primarily referr'd unto the furthering of our owne ſalvation, unto the preventing of ſinne in our ſelves: but now if on the other ſide the primary ſcope of the naturall precept bee to hinder ſinne in others, as it is in the precept of ſcandall, and the principall end of the poſitive precept bee to ſhunne ſinne in our ſelves, than that precept which is poſitive doth more deeply binde us than that which is naturall.
Againe ſecondly, it may bee objected, that if the obligation of the naturall precept of eſchewing ſcandall, ceaſeth upon occurrence of but a poſitive precept; why then it ſeemes this poſitive precept detracts or derogates from the naturall precept of avoiding ſcandall, as being of greater force and validity.
In no wiſe, onelyonly it takes away a circumſtance requiſite to make the precept of avoiding ſcandall obligatory, quale cum dicimus (ſaith Vaſquez) non eſſe omittendum praceptum poſitivū propter vitandum ſcandalum proximi, non dicimus praeceptum naturale derogare praecepto poſitivo tanquam fortiori, ſed dicimus occurſu praecepti poſitivi ceſſare quan…am circumſtantiam neceſſariam, ut obliget praeceptum de vitando ſcandalo etiamſi naturale ſit.
FINIS.
Errata.
Pag. 7. l. 4. 5, for orthoxe read orthodoxe. l. 21. for is little r. is as little. p. 16. l. 14, for the r. unto the. p. 20. l. 25. for, diſſenting unto, r. diſsenting from, or aſſenting unto. p. 21. l. 16. for, an, r. and. p. 45. l. 5. for, peccata, r. peccato. p. 47. l. 4. for, with, r. without. p. 53. l. 16, 17. for, regall, r. regular. p. 54. l. 13. for, charity limits, how r. charity, limits how p. 63. l. 4. for really, ſo a ſin, r. … really ſo, a ſin. p. 70. l. ult. for, more r. nor. p. 72. l. 7. for, none, r. of none. p. 77. l. 12. for, hac, r. hoc. p. 86. l. 8, 9. for ſuperſtition, r. ſuſpicion. p. 87. l. 2. for, Analogically, r. Anagogically, pag. 105. i… m…r… l. 18. for vetere, r. vet…res. p. 106. dele and. p. 107. l. 13. for, his, r. this. pag. 114. l. 10. dele, then. p. 116. l. 25. for, Argument r. Arguments. p. 129. l. 13. for, plano, r. plana. p. 131. l. 2. dele prima. p. 143. l. 7. for, preached, r. practiſed. & l. 9. for, humor, r. honour. p. 148. l. 23. for, abſolutely, r. abſolute. p. 151. l. 2. for, quale, r. quare. & l. 7. for, der…gare, r. der… gar….
End of the text · Henry Jeanes, Concerning a Christians Careful Abstinence from All Appearance of Evil (1640)