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
be ready to slip how fowle shall wee fall and into what scandals shall not we runne And then how farre would wicked ones bee from being silent in darknesse Indeed when God keepes his Saints feete he silences stops wicked mens mouthes because then they haue nothing to say against Godlinesse But if God keepe not the Saints feete how soone and how wide are wicked mouths opened to clamour and blaspheme Therefore out of an holy feare and iealousie of our owne weakenesse let vs dayly petition God by prayer that he would keepe vs that our feete may not stumble that hee himselfe would take the charge of vs that wee dash not our foote against a stone There is a promise Ier. 31. 9. I will leade them I will cause them to walke in a streight way wherein they shall not stumble Now when men out of a feare and iealousie of their owne infirmity and frailty doe dayly looke vp to God and beg guidance and safe cōduct from him he wil leade them and make them walke in a streight way wherein they shall not stumble This was Dauids practise Psal 5. 8. Leade mee O Lord in thy righteousnesse because of mine enemies or mine obseruers as Iunius renders it make thy way streight before my face He saw that he had many eyes vpon him that obserued and watcht him narrowly he knowes his owne readines to turne aside into by and crooked wayes his suite therefore to God is that he would leade him Whilest God hath a man by the hand how safe is a man from falling And God that keepes the feete of his Saints 1. Sam. 2. 9. hath his Saints in his hand Deut. 33. 3. All his Saints are in thine hand It is good daylie by prayer to put our selues into Gods hand It is iust with God to checke selfe-confidence to let such men slip fall too that by their falles they may know their frailty p Laudo Petrum sed prius erubesco pro Petro. Quam prompta anima sed nesciens se metiri Aug de diuers ser 39. Peters case is well knowne Though all yet not I he was of a forward spirit but knew not how to measure himselfe if he had had more feare iealousie hee would haue beene more watchfull and haue sought more to God and would haue said rather If all men should yet Lord by thy grace keepe me that I may not deny thee Hee had beene more secure if hee had beene lesse secure But now that he stands wholly vpon his owne legs how soone how miserably falles he The child that cares not to be led but will goe of himselfe gets many a knocke and many a shrewde fall but the child that is fearefull and out of his feare will be in the mothers or nurses hand and will cry to be led that childe scapes many a broken face 2. Mortifie your deerest lusts A fostered and a cherisht lust doth exceedingly endaunger a man puts him into great danger of falling into scandal Let a lust be loued and cherished and it wil so befoole and bewitch a man that hee will maintayne and sockle it though it be with the hazard of the credit of Religion and the Gospell it will grow so strong at the last that it will headlong him into some scandal or other Therefore deale seuerely with these lusts that will bring thee happily to doe that which will cause God to deale seuerely with thee be sure to make sure worke with them by mortification that is a good way to preserue thee from scandal This is the very course our Sauiour here prescribes Hauing in this seuenth verse shewed the woe that falles vpon the giuers of scandals see what he inferres Verse 8. 9. Wherefore if thine hand or thy foote offend thee cut them off and cast them from thee c. And if thine eye offend thee plucke it out and cast it from thee c. Marke then what it is that makes men offend Namely mens lusts their right hands eyes feete These bee the scandal-breeders If a man would bee free from giuing of offence he must out off with that which causes him to offende Now lusts when they are made much of when they be made deere hands and eyes and right eyes assuredly they will cause men to offend Therefore the way to saue our selues that they cause not vs to offend is to offend them the way is by mortification to cut off and cast away such hands feete and eyes as will cause vs to offend Were but this done how happily might many fowle scandals be preuented If Dauid had presently plucke out his wanton eye and cast it away how easily had hee beene secured from that great offence he gaue It may be many a man out of the great pride of his heart and his abundant selfe-loue makes his credit and esteeme amongst men to be his right hand his right eye his very Idoll Now this is a lust that will cause a man to offend A man in this pride and selfe-loue to maintaine and vphold his good opinion and esteeme runnes into this and that secret euill practise and rather then his esteeme and credit should sinke in the world vses a number of shifts and dishonest courses and a companie of deceitful guiles to vphould his esteeme and runnes so far in at last that he comes not off with fowle scandal Now mortification and selfe denial had preuented it If such a man had pluckt out this eie cut off this hand and foote hee had not halted nor stumbled nor fallen into scandal The not cutting of this foote caused the stumble the fall One chop had saued and preuented all for if he had but denied himselfe and thus thought with himselfe If it bee Gods will that I shall bee low and meane in the world if hee will haue mee come downe and be in an inferiour estate his will bee done I will humbly submit to his pleasure and I will not to vphold my credit in the world for a time hazard and wound the credit of the Gospell and religion I will tread my credit vnder foote rather then bring any discredit vpon the Gospell If thus by selfe-deniall a man could haue submitted to Gods wisedome and administration could haue mortified his selfe-loue so as to haue laid his credit and respect in the world at Gods foote how happily might a fowle scandal haue beene preuented Euery vnmortified lust is a scandal that will cause a man to offend so many lusts so many tares Therefore burne and fire those tares gather out and cast out those scandals that will breed scandals and cause offences Math. 13. 40. 41. 3. Labour for sincerity and fruitfulnes in the wayes of God I dare not say that all that fall into scandal are Hypocrites barren But yet sure it is that God many times punishes these two things with scandalous fals When men are not so sincere and so fruitfull as they should bee God leaues