fall Little cause haue I to reioyce at anothers stumbling and falling when God in wrath disposes of another mans stumbling to make mee stumble and of another mans fall to make me fall What cause haue I to reioyce at his stumbling and falling who therfore stumbles and fals that I may stumble and fall at him And this is the very case here Such as doe giue scandals doe stumble that others may stumble at them doe fall that others may fall at them Ierem. 46. 12. The mightie man hath stumbled against the mightie and they are both fallen together It is spoken of the Egyptians ruined in war It may bee that one Captaine that hated his fellow might see him fall by the sword of the enemie Now though he were his enemie that he see fal had he any cause to reioyce Not any at all Why so Because God prouidence disposed that the fall of the first should make way for the fall and ruine of the next He that fell first should lie in his fellowes way as a stumbling blocke at which hee should stumble and fall also Thus we saw before that the fals of such as professe Religion are but as stumbling blockes in other mens wayes to precipitate them into ruine And iudge then what cause they haue to reioyce thereat If a man should see a stumbling stone or a stumbling blocke laid on purpose at a pits brinke to topple him headlong ouer into the pit would that man reioyce that that blocke were laid there I think not This is the case here Scandals are stumbling blockes laide at hell pits mouth to precipitate and head-long worldly wicked men downe into hel So that to reioyce at scandals is to reioyce at the matter and instrument of their owne sorrow to reioyce at that which will surely send them to Hell Hee that reioyces in such a case Much good may his ioy doe him I enuie no man such ioy There fell out a scandal in the Church of Corinth 1. Corinth 5. Now whereas vpon the euent of it they should haue beene mourning and heauie they were in another veine Verse 2 6. They were glorying and reioycing They did not reioyce in or at the scandal that such a man that made such a profession was fallen but they reioyced in their owne gifts in the gifts of their Preachers What Church had such Preachers what people had such gifts And reioyce they might in these things but now it was vnseasonable they should now rather haue beene mourning because of this scandal Therefore the Apostle sharply takes them vp Verse 2 6. And ye are puffed vp and haue not rather mourned your glorying or reioycing is not good If then the Apostle reprooues them thus for reioycing when there was a scandal though they reioiced not at the scandal how much more vehemently and sharply would he haue reprooued them if they had reioyced at and for the scandal How much more in this case would he haue said your reioycing is not good Woe to the world because of scandals and yet many make these matters of woe laughing matters but woe vnto them that in such a case laugh for they shall weepe and after-time and after-wit will teach them that neuer had they greater cause of weeping then euen then when they were vpon their merry pinnes because that at which they made themselues so merrie came with a woe vnto them 2. Secondly this lets vs see what great cause of feare warines and caution there is in case of scandalous euents Since they be such dangerous euents let men haue a speciall care they be not ensnared and entrapped by them When scandals fall out wee see there is a trap and a snare set there is a stumbling block laid therefore it should bee a mans wisdome and watchfulnes that he be not caught in the trap that he be not ensnared in the gin that he stumble and fall not at the block We see that God hath put that wisdome warinesse and shinesse into some creatures that if a trap or a snare bee set for them they are very shie iealous of comming neere it or medling with the baite and out of a feare of being taken they will decline and shunne the snare though tempted and allured thereto by such baites as otherwise they haue a full good mind vnto Such much more should bee the shinesse and wary iealousie of men in the case of scandalous euents Doe wee see at any time such as professe religion to fall into any fowle euils then thinke thus with thy selfe I had thought that when such euents had come to passe the danger of them had beene onely a personall danger to the partie Delinquent that it had beene onely for the discouerie and for the disgrace of him I neuer dreamt of any further matter and therefore I thought I might haue made a may-game of them and haue reioyced and triumphed in their fals But now I see there is a further matter in them then I was aware of I see that they come to passe by Diuine Prouidence to bring a woe vpon other mens heads I see they come that some may bee occasioned to stumble at Religion at the Law at the Word and from the ancient pathes that hereupon they should resoluedly reiect renounce sauing Religion and the sauing powerful profession thereof to their owne assured ruine for euer I see now that they bee disposed by a Diuine Prouidence that some men being occasioned to blaspheme Gods Name Truth may feele the weight of Gods reuenging hand I now see there is a Diuine finger in them and that they come to occasion some men to harden their hearts so as they may fall into mischiefe and be put out of possibilitie and the reach of mercie These bee great dangers and heauie woes for I see now they be but stumbling blockes at which some men shall breake their neckes into Hell I confesse I did neuer conceiue them to bee halfe so dangerous euents I neuer apprehended them such dangerous traps and snares as now vpon the opening of this point I see they are Belieue it I see it is good wisdome in such euents to looke about mee and to take heed how I come within the reach of these snares Since Diuine Prouidence sets them to make way for Diuine vengeance though such a man professing Religion haue committed a foule scandal c Iuxta semitâ—â— scandalum posuerâ—nâ— mihi noÌ„ in semitis sed iuxta sâ—mitaâ— Semitae tuae praecepta Dei sâ—nt Illi scandala iuxta semitas posuerunt tu noli recedere à semitis non irrues inscandala permisit Deus ponere scandalâ— iuxta semitas vt tu non recedas à semitis Iuxta semitas scandala posuerunt mihi quid restat Quid remedium inter tanta mala in istis tentationibus in istis periculis Dixi Domino Deus meus es tu Aug. Psal 139. Ergo cum audis vae mundo à scandulis noli terreri
haue secret purposes in better times to owne it but in scandals of euill example men grow to an open and professed dislike thereof In scandals of the crosse there is not alwayes a dislike of Religion it selfe but onely of the hard termes with which it must bee receiued but from scandals of euill life growes a dislike of Religion it selfe Notwithstanding the scandal of the crosse men may haue an Honorable and a good conceit of Religion but scandals of euill life breede and nourish a base and a vile esteeme thereof in the hearts of men So that persecutions doe not doe that mischiefe that scandalous falles doe Malicious persecutours in some sense doe not that hurt that scandalous professours doe Now scandalous euents being so mischieous and pernitious and yet withall so common so frequent why may it not be a worke of charity to counterworke Satan and to remoue out of the way these dangerous stumbling blockes at which so many fall to their vtter ruine and destruction As Satan Balaam-like easts stumbling blocks in so should it be our care to take vp these stumbling blockes out of mens wayes It is not enough for vs that wee put not a stumbling blocke or an occasion to fall in another mans way as the Apostle aduises Rom. 14. 12. But when others haue done it our endeauour should be to take such a stumbling blocke out of the way It is Gods owne commandement we should so doe Isay 57. 14. Take vp the stumbling blocke out of the way of my people It were happy if wee could preuent scandals but since that cannot bee for it must needs be that offences come the next happinesse is to preuent their mischiefe that though they doe come yet they may come with as little hurt as may be * Esto quod alius moâ—erit scandalum profecto compescere vos potestis Nolle compescere siâ—e culpa erit Aut velle compescere sine gloria erit Si ergo vos scandalum cum possitis non tollitis plane non impletis ministerium vestrum Bernard Epist 200. ad vulger Episco Audegav The which thing who so will not nor cares not to doe shall not bee without blame and who so endeauours to doe shall not be without his reward The which worke who so doth not when occasion serues fulfils not his ministry and the which worke who so doth he doth an excellent and a worthy worke euen the worke of Angels * Annon denique ministerium est Angelorum tollere scandala de regno Dei. Si dixeritiâ— quid ad nos c. Bernard ibid. Is it not the worke of Angels sayes Bernard to take scandals out of the Kingdome of God Yea we find it to be so Mat. 13. 41. The sonne of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdome all scandals It is therefore not onely a Charitable but an Angelicall worke to gather out scandals and take vp the stumbling blockes that Satan casts in mens way to heauen The same spirit should be in all Gods ministers which was in Paul 2. Cor. 11. 29. Who is offended or Scandalized and I burne not In cases of scandal hee was all on fire not only in regard of his griefe for but in regard of his zeale against them Hee burned with an holy zeale to remoue the scandal and to preuent the mischiefe it might doe Hee burned with an holy fire of zeale to keepe others from burning in the fire of Hell wherewith scandals did endanger them Vpon these grounds haue I bin moued encouraged to the publishing of this following treatise to try if by any meanes either preaching or printing I might preuent the mischiefe of scandals Were it that the fame of them did spred no farther then the places where they happen this labour might haue beene spared but * Sicut quod de alto cadit grandem sâ—num facit vt ita audiant omnes sic qui de alto gradu cadit ruina illius vbicunque auditur Chrysost in Matth. as that which falles from an high place it is Chrysostomes comparison makes a great noise so that all heare it so men that fall from an high degree of profession their falles are not without such a noise as is heard farre and neere It was needefull therefore to proportion the remedy to the disease that the playster should be as broad as the sore and the medicine goe as far as the poyson When I saw saies Paul that they walked not vprightly according to the truth of the Gospell I said vnto Peter before them all Gal. 2. 14. But why before them all Why had hee no more regard to the Honour of Peter Why was it not spoken to Peter priuately and by himselfe alone Why speakes hee thaâ— which might bee to the discred it oâ— Peter before them all Hierome giueâ— a good answer * Dixi Cephae-Publicum scandalum non potuit priuate â—â—rari Hieron in Gal. 2. A publique scandaâ— could not bee healed priuately It iâ— very fit that publique euills shoulâ— haue publique remedies If these endeauours of mine such as they bee shall thorough Gods blessing haue such effect as to preuent any scandals for the time to come tâ— saue any from the danger of such a are already come or to bring any tâ— repentance by whom offences haue come I shall haue cause to thinke my time and paines happily bestowed The seuerall Chapters of this Treatise CHAP. I. THe Coherence and resolution of the Text. pag. 1. CHAP. II. The necessitie of Scandalous euents in Gods Church pag. 7. CHAP. III. An Apologie for Religion and the Professours thereof against the Scandal of Scandals pag. 26. CHAP. IIII. That Scandals are woful and fatall to the Scandalized World p. 60. CHAP. V. How Scandals come to be so mortally mischieuous pag. 77. CHAP. VI. What little reason men haue to triumphat and what great reason to be cautelous in the euent of Scandals pag. 109. CHAP. VII The sharpe and seuere Iustice of God vpon such as giue Scandal p. 136. CHAP. VIII Why God is so smart and so seuere in his Iustice against those by whom Scandals come pag. 170. CHAP. IX The great care we should haue of giuing scandal and sorrow for them giuen and the great cause of humiliation they haue by whom offences come pag. 206. The Mischiefe and Miserie of SCANDALS Both Taken and Giuen MATH 18. 7. Wo vnto the world because of offences for it must needs bee that offences come but woe to that man by whom the offence commeth CHAP. I. The Coherence and Resolution of the Text. THe drift of our Sauiour in his former Discourse was to exhort to the receiuing of little ones Verse 5. And who so shall receiue one such little childe in my name receiueth mee A strong motiue to receiue such The Apostles argument to hospitalitie Heb. 13. 2 is strong Be not forgetfull to entertaine strangers for thereby some haue entertained Angels vnawares But heere
world because of offences because the world is occasioned by them to reiect the sauing profession of Religion to fall fowle on Gods holy Name to iustifie themselues in their sinnefull wayes and so by these things to make hell sure their owne So that the fall of a professour of religion is as the fall of an oake vpon vnderwood and smaller trees that be neere it woe to them when the oake falls because it mischiefes brushes and breakes them in pieces by its fall It is iust in this case as it was in the ouerthrow of that Army Ier. 46. 12. The mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty and they are both fallen together first one fel he being fallen another stumbles at him and so they both lay on the ground together Thus falles it out in scandals First one falles into some great sinne others come and stumble at him being fallen and so both fall and the first mans fall is the last mans ruine And therefore woe to the world because of scandals CHAP. VI. What little reason men haue to triumph at and what great reason to bee cautelous in the euent of scandals ALl this well weighed and duely considered will giue vs to vnderstand two things the little reason of ioy and the great reason of feare and caution in case of such scandalous euents 1. It lets vs see what little reason men of the world haue to triumph insult and x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iust Mart. Epist ad Zen. Seren. reioyce as they vse to doe in the falles and scandals of such as professe religion When my foote slippeth they magnifie themselues against me Psal 38. 16. If such an one doe but tread awry or his foote but slip their enemies let not their slips slip but take occasion from small slips to make great tryumphs And if they be so ready to magnifie themselues against them when they but slip how much more when they fall and fall into the puddle into the mire How doe they magnifie themselues against them then The reproach and disgrace of their sinnefull falls yeeldes aduersaries such content that they proiect and lay on purpose for it Neh. 6. 13. Therefore was hee hired that I should be afraid and do so sin and that they might haue matter for an euill report that they might reproch me And therefore proiecting for theie falles and laying plots before hand for them if it may be no wonder that they so reioyce and triumph if at any time they fall into such sinnes whereby they may haue matter for an euil report thaâ— they may reproach them So true is that which y Papistae caelumniandi studio â—otam nostraÌ„ conuersationem abseruant Si quid ergo humani patimur sicut profecto infirmi sumus patimur nostra incommoda ibi demum tanquam famelici porci immergunt se in stercora nostra ex ijs delicias faciunt dum infirmitatem nostram exemplo maledicti Ham aperiunt traducunt vere enim esuriunt sitiunt scandala nostra Luth. in Gen 9. Luther speakes that they hunger and thirst after theâ— scandals of the Godly and if at any time through humane frailety they doe fall into an euill like hungry hogs they nuzzle in their excrements and feast vpon them as vpon dainties There being nothing that so glads their hearts that so opens their mouthes with so much insolency and triumph And as Luther compares them in this regard to hogs so z Hos ergo de nostris doâ—oribus suauitatem suae malae linguae captantes facile est vt illâ— canibus coÌ„paremus si forte â—n male intelligendi sunt qui lingebant vulnere pauperis illius qui ante ianuam diuitis iacebat c. Aug. Epist 137. Augustine to dogs namely to the rich gluttons dogs that lay licking and sucking Lazarus his sores and woundes It pleased not those dogs so much to be licking Lazarus sores as it pleases some men to haue their tongues in the scandalous wounds and sores of such as professe godlines As it is the sorrow and griefe of good hearts and that which makes them droop and mourne to see Christ his Gospell and truth reproached and disgraced by scandals so contrarily it is meate drinke to wicked ones and the very ioy of their hearts when such euents fall out a Proinde charissimi in isto scandalo quo de Bonifacio prâ—sbytero noâ— nulli perturbantur non vobis dico vt non doleatis Qui enim ista non dolent non est in eis charitas Christi qui autem de talibus gaudent abundat in eis malignitas diaboli Aug Epist 137. As such as are filled with the loue of Christ do grieue and mourne so they that are filled with the malignity of the Diuell doe reioyce in the euent of scandals Any thing that makes to the disgrace of Gods Church his cause and religion that sets and puts them into extasies of reioycing 2. Sam. 1. 20. Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon lest the daughters of the Philistims reioyce least the daughters of the vncircumcised triumph Why what was it that should make them triumph and reioyce That verse 19. How are thy mighty fallen Saul and Ionathan were fallen not by scandal but by the sword but that fall such as it was made to the disgrace of Israel to the reproach of the God of Israel and hence their Ioy and Triumph Marke by the way who they are that reioyce in such cases vncircumcised Philistines the sonnes and daughters of vncircumcised Philistims And well becomes it such and none but such to reioyce And such doe and will reioyce Now truely all before considered we see what little cause they haue to be so ouer-ioyed there is a great deale of Ioy and merriment more then there is cause All considered wee may truely say vnto them as Iam. 4. 9. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your ioy into heauinesse Woe vnto the world because of scandals When scandals come into the world a woe comes vnto the world messengers of vengeance to doe executions of Iustice are sent by God And will the world be so blind and witlesse to reioyce and triumph in that which comes to bee their bane and ruine their sorrow and their smart Hath the silly beast any cause to leape and friske when hee sees the trap set vp and bayted that will ensnare and murder him It is probably thought that when Noah fell so foule and shamefully in his drunkennes that Canaan Chams sonne first * Hebreus etiam id tradebat ratione confirmabat primum Chanaan verenda aui sui vidisse suoque solum patri narrasse tanquam desene ridentem Theodoret. Quaest in Gens 57. saw his grandfather in that case and so went and told his father Cham of it for else why should Noah curse Cham in his sonne Canaan rather then in any other of his sonnes Hee had other sonnes
blacke as to make our selfes shew the whiter this is very dangerous This sauours of much pride and in such cases it may be Å¿ Tamen si alicui tanta est fiducia de immobilitate propriae infirmitatis saltem sollicitus reformidet ne ipse sit scandalum visibus alienis sed terreatur voce Domini comminantis vae huic mundo à scandalis Cypr. de singul Cleric iust with God so to giue vs vp to the power of our owne corruptions that wee may fall into the selfe-same euill so condemned That Prouerbe of Salomons would be thought vpon in all such euents Prou. 27. 19. As in water face answers to face so the heart of man to man Let a man looke into the water hee sees in it a face in all points answering to his owne the same spots Warts Moulds and blemishes that hee sees in the face in the water they are all in his own there is face answering to face So doth the heart of a man answere to a man The same euils corruptions lusts and sins that thou seest in another mans heart breaking out in his life the very selfe-same are in thine owne heart his heart to thine is but a face answering thy face his heart is but as the face in the water to thy face therein mayest thou see what is in thine heart And therefore his heart being the very picture of thine owne looke not vpon his fals but with feare trembling considering least thou also thy selfe mayest bee tempted and fall as fowle as hee His heart naturally is as good as thine and thine naturally as bad as his and therefore no better course in the view of his fall then to feare and tremble least thine heart may serue thee as slipperie a tricke as his heart hath done Such humble feare and trembling wil awaken to an answerable caution and so may prooue a good preseruatiue against the danger of Scandals 2. A second thing this point of Gods seueritie may teach is to stir vs vp to mourne and grieue when Scandals fall out There be diuers grounds of mourning in such cases As first in regard of the woe that is to the world from offences and the great mischiefe that will bee done by them That so many will start at and flie from Religion that so many will blaspheme the Name of God that so many will bee hardened to their owne ruine here is cause enough of mourning to all good hearts There is a compassion and there be bowels to bee showne to mankinde euen to reprobate ones and a sorrow should there be for the losse of their bloud And secondly a sorrow should there be for Gods dishonour the Churches reproach But thirdly there is yet another ground of sorrow arising from this point a sorrow there should bee in such euents in regard of the woe that wil fall vpon such by whom the offence comes If their case bee such that so many woes will pursue them then how should mens bowels earne with compassion towards them and out of Christian pitie commiserate their condition The course of the World is to reioyce and insult ouer such That is not lawfull in sinlesse cases Prou. 24. 17. Reioyce not when thine enemy fals namely into some outward affliction neither let thine heart bee glad when hee stumbles Therefore much more vnlawfull in cases of sin and scandal This highly displeases God Others it may be reioyce not are not glad but in the meane time they mourne not neither are they in sorrow for Gods dishonour or the offenders danger Surely as there is ioy in Heauen when one sinner repents and rises so should there be sorrow on earth when one man professing Christ sinnes and fals fowle This was the Corinthians fault 1. Cor. 5. 2. And you are puffed vp and haue not rather mourned They should therefore in that case haue mourned and sorrowed as for Gods dishonour so for the danger into which that man by his scandal had brought himselfe And this being done might be a great helpe to stir vp a man falne into a scandalous sin to mourne for himselfe For when hee shall see others lay his case to heart and to be so sensible of his ill condition how may it stirre vp himselfe to take his condition to heart much more It is said that Samuel mourned for Saul now when Saul should heare that Samuel mourned for him if there had been any grace in his heart it could not but haue made him mourne for himselfe It must needs haue thus wrought vpon him Doth Samuel mourne for mee and lies my case heauie at his heart Alas then what cause haue I to mourne for my selfe It is I that haue sinned and it is I that must smart What is it to Samuel that I must vndergoe such woe if therefore hee how much more should I mourne Thus others sorow might prouoke such to mourne 3. Lastly this seueritie of Gods Iustice considered it serues for the terrour and the humbling of such by whom offences come Here is that which may breake the hearts of them and make them melt into godly sorrow Woe vnto him by whom an offence comes Is an offence come by thee and art thou falne into a scandal behold here a woe out of Christs mouth pursuing thee and readie to arrest thee Behold a woe posting after thee to blast thee in thy Name to brand thee with Infamie and Reproach A woe following thee to cast thee out of the hearts and societie of Gods people A woe following thee to smite thee with pouertie and sicknesse A woe to smite thy Family thy Children And shall not such a wo terrifie and mightily humble thine heart How should the dread of such a woe hanging ouer thine head lay thee in the dust If a man had no care of his owne soule or no care of his credit or no care of societie with the faithfull yet if a man had but any bowels of nature towards his poore children here is that which may make his bowels earne and roule within him Alas what haue I done I haue brought a woe vpon my selfe and children Ah sayes Dauid These sheepe what haue they done So mayest thou Alas these poore babes and innocent Lambes what haue they done An heauie woe may ouertake and smite them for my folly Woe is me the cause that my soule hath to bee humbled Oh the cause that I haue to put my mouth in the duft Here is that which should make a man hang downe his head 〈…〉 sorrow to thinke of that woe 〈◊〉 is pursuing him at the heeles If a man had a Bayliffe oâ— a Sergeant alwayes watching and dogging of him at the heeles that he could not stirre out of his doores but hee would be ready to haue him by the backe in what a deale of feare would a man bee in such a case What a deale of care would hee take to make his peace and compound with his Creditours Now when a man is fallen into a Scandal presently a woe is sent out to pursue and attach such a sinner oh then the feare the depth of humiliation and sorrow that the dread of this woe should worke in such a man It should make him doe as in that case Prou. 6. 3 4. Goe humble thy selfe Giue not sleepe to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids till thou hast made thy peace with God t Grandi plagae alta pâ—â—â—â—xa opus est medicina Grande scelus grandem habet necessariam satisfactionem Ambros ad Virg. laps Goe and doe as Lam. 3. 28 29 30. Hee sits alone and keepes silence hee puts his mouth in the dust if so bee there may bee hope He giues his cheek to him that smites him hee is filled full with reproach Sit alone and keepe silence and neuer wonder nor murmure that thou art left alone but Leuit. 26. 41. accept of thy punishment And certainly where a man is truely humbled he will doe so Sit alone I cannot find fault with it I deserue it accept it Oh put thy mouth in the dust thou that hast laid thine honor in the dust thou that hast laid the honour of religion in the dust Giue thy cheekes to him that smites Art thou reproached and filled therewith take it as the due desert of thy wayes and say with Ecebolius lying and howling at the Church doore u Calcate me salem insipidum Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 11. Trample vpon me that am vnsauourie salt If at any time thou beginne to haue but a chearefull thought in thine heart a chearefull looke in thy face a chearefull word in thy mouth dash all chearefull thoughts lookes wordes and behauiours dash them all with the thoughts of this woe Thinke still where euer thou art what euer thou art doing that thou hearest the sound of this text and the sound of this Woe ringing in thine eares Woe to him by whom the offence comes What I laugh I bee merrie and iocund I bee chearie and iolly that haue such a Woe hanging ouer mine head Oh my soule droope and hang downe thine head and be in bitternesse of spirit and y Inhaere poenitentiae vsque ad finem vitae Ambros ad virg laps neuer haue one lightsome looke till the light of Gods countenance shine vpon thee Who knowes if God should see a man thus droope vnder the Conscience of his sinne thus laid low vnder the feare of this Woe but God of his mercie might in some measure mitigate this Woe at least might shew mercie to the soule in its peace and pardon FINIS