a sore spirituall slaughter should wee then make mirth and reioyce at it God forbid Woe vnto the world because of scandals and shall we laugh and sport with Gods woes This makes scandals doubly woefull That same is good counsel which Salomon giues Prou. 24. 17 18. Reioyce not when thine enemy falles and let not thine heart bee glad when he stumbles If a man haue an enemie that hates him if any crosse or calamity befalls him a man may not reioyce at it nor bee glad of it not onely when he falles and God vtterly ruines him but if he doe but stumble and God lay but some smaller crosse vpon him Now marke the reason least the Lord see it and it displease him and he turne away his wrath from him and so turne it vpon thee So that the summe of the reason is least God should bee angry and his wrath should be against thee Marke then If I may not reioyce at a mans outward stumbling and fall then how much lesse may I reioyce in a mans spirituall stumbling and falling how much more will that displease and anger God If I may not reioyce at his outward fall least God should be angrie then much lesse when in another mans spirituall stumbling and fall God is angrie with mee and out of his anger against mee disposes his 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 falling who therefore stumbles and fals that I may stumble and fall at him And thus 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. 64. 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 fall had he any cause to reioyce Not any at all Why so Because Gods prouidence disposed that the fall of the first should make way for the fall and ruine of the next Hee that fell first shoud 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 thinke 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 hell 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 cause 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 merry 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 bee 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 minde 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 enils 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 discouerse 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
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 ofscandals 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 tanquaÌ„ de sene 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 besides Gene. 10. 6. And the sonnes of Cham Cush and Mizraim and Phut and Canaan Why therefore cursed bee Canaan rather then Cush Mizraim or Phut Like enough that Canaan as the Iewes probably coniecture first espied Noah in that case and he being an vngracious youngster one without all Religion and possibly an hater of all goodnesse one that had like enough beene often sagely admonished and sharply reprooued by Noah And little content did the holynesse austeritie and religious carriage of Noah giue either to Canaan or to Cham. Now therefore Canaan when hee sees him in his drunkennes and in that shamefull pickle in his nakednesse he tels it to his father and his father after to Shem and Iaphet and that with Ioy and gladnesse with mocking and derision for otherwise for Canaan to haue seene it occasionally and to haue told it his father or for his father to haue seene it occasionally and haue told it his brethren had beene no matter of offence but quest onlesse they both told it with much ioy and reioycing Like enough Canaan when he first espied it came running to his father with much ioy in his face Oh father I can tell you excellent Newes the brauest Newes that can be Newes that will doe you good at the very heart doe but goe along with me and I will shew you such a sight as you neuer saw Look where that old Dotard lies drunke and in what a base and shamefull fashion This is he that alwayes telling me of my swearing censuring mee for my want of religion this is hee that was so holy so full of his religion and godlines see there how like a beast he lies And surely if Canaan did tell Cham of it Chams fact was exceeding vnnaturally villanous the text sayes Gen. 9. 22. And C ham the father of Canaan saw the nakednes of his father not occasionally and at vnawares so might Shem or Iaphet haue done But if Canaan did first tell Cham of it as very probably hee did then C ham like an vngratious varlet as he was could not be content to heare of it but to reioyce and glad his heart the more he must goe see the sight hee must goe feed his eyes with it and that he might be sure of it and obseruing all the seuerall circumstances hee might haue the more to make vp his mouth And then after this in scorne and derision and with insulting insolency goes reports it to Shem and Iaphet So that what betweene an vngracious sonne and a gracelesse grand-childe there was sure no small Iubilation and exultation in Noahs scandal and drunkennes But now as merry and iocund as Cham and Canaan were let vs see a little what cause they had for it and consider if their were not that in it that was enough to marre their merriment and to haue turned their mirth into mourning Alas all considered full little cause had they to be thus vpon their merrie pinnes It could not be but the scandal of Noahs drunkennes must come but woe to Cham and Canaan because of that scandal God had a purpose to bring a woe and a curse vpon Cham and Canaan and vpon the Canaanites his posterity that they should be rooted out and cut off by the sword of Israel But how now should way bee made to bring this curse vpon the heads of them Noah shal fall into a scandal thereby shall they be occasioned by reason of their naughty spirits to doe as they did and then no sooner shal Noah awake from his wine but hee shall awake with a solemne curse in his mouth which should be as the oracle of God Cursed bee Canaan a seruant of seruants shall hee bee vnto his brethren And now I pray what cause haue b Sed O miser Ham quam beatâ—s eâ— qui nunc dâ—miâ— inuenisti quod quaerebas venenum scilicet insaluberrima rosa Luther in Gen. 9. Cham and Canaan so to reioyce at their fathers fall Woe be to them because of this offence because in this offence of his there is a trap and a snare set to catch them and a way preparing to bring a sorrowfull curse vpon theÌ„ both And haue they then thinke wee any great cause of merrimeÌ„t wil any man that is in his wits reioyce at that euent whose errand purposely is to bring Gods curse vpon him So little cause had Cham and Canaan to reioyce at Noahs fall And euery whit as little cause hath the world to reioyce when scandals come for then woe comes God is setting his ginnes and snares traps to catch some hee sends forth his messengers of wrath to doe seuere Iustice vpon persons that haue beene vnprofitable vnder the Gospell Suppose God should send the sword amongst men would men reioyce and bee glad at it See Ezec. 21. 9. 10. A sword A sword is sharpened and also fourbished It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter it is fourbisht that it may glitter should we then make mirth I trow not And why not make mirth in such a case Because the sword brought woe and mischiefe with it because it came to be dismall and fatal because it was a messenger of wrath and vengeance And why then make men mirth at scandals when they come May we not truely say of this laughter Thou art mad and of this mirth what doth it Eccl. 2. 2. Come not scandals with a woe as well as the sword And it hee not as mad that reioyceth at the comming of scandals as hee is that reioyces at the comming of a sword Say a scandal a scandal it is fowle and heynous it is come with woe to make
Conscientia Bona vis habere bonus non vis esse tum quid est quod vis habere malū Nihil omnino non uxorem nō filium non ancillā villam tunicā postremo nō caligam tamē vis habere malam vitam Rogo te praepone vitam tuam calige tuae sic Conscientiam Aug. Ibid. good Conscience What is that men would have but they desire to have it Good And yet amongst all other things they desire to have Good what little care to have the Conscience such Wife children servants houses lands ayre food raiment who would not have these good And yet that without which none of all these are good nor will yield us any true good that alone is neglected and whilst men would have all other things good yet their cōsciences themselves are naught Now alas what good wil all other goods do us whilst this one and this maine Good thing is wanting How excellent is this Good above all other good things A good wife good children good land c. these Vbi supra Ipsae ergo divitiae bonae sunt sed ista omnia bona a bonis malis haberi possunt Et cum bona sint bonos tamen facere non possuut Aug. de verb. Do. Serm. 5. may a man have and yet he himselfe not Good these find men sometimes Good but make none so these goods may a man have and yet himselfe be naught Not so with good Conscience which no evill man can have which whosoever hath it makes him and all he hath Good So great and so good a Good why is it so much neglected Try we therefore and let us assay if by any meanes Gods good blessing giving assistance we may be able to stir up men and to worke them to regard so great and excellent a good It may be at least some few may be perswaded and may set upon this work of getting a good Conscience If but some few if but one be wrought upon the labour is not in vaine If none yet our worke is with our God to whom we are a sweet sauor in Christ in them that are saved in them that perish 2 Cor. 2. 15 This portion of Scripture then which I have chosen for the ground of the following Discourse consists of three parts 1. Pauls sober and ingenious Profession and Protestation ver 1. 2. Ananias his insolent and impetuous Injunction ver 2. 3. Pauls zealous Answer and Contestation ver 3. 1. The first is Pauls Protestation in these words Men and brethren I have lived in all good Conscience untill this day With this Protestation of a good Conscience Paul begins his Plea And however to distinguish our selves frō Papists we beare the name of Protestants yet we shal never be sound and good Protestants indeed till we can take up Pauls Protestation that our care indeavor and course is to live in All good Conscience A Protestant with a loose and a naughty Conscience hath no great cause to glory in his desertion of the Romish Religion As good a blind Papist as a halting Protestant The blind and the halt were equally abominable unto the Lord. Paul was here brought forth to answer for himselfe before the chiefe Priests and the Councell And his Preface as I said to his intended Apology if hee had not been injuriously interrupted is a Protestation of the goodnes of his conscience and this his good Conscience or the goodnes of his Conscience he sets forth 1. From his Conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have lived or conversed A good conversation is a good evidence of a good Conscience indeed there can be no good conscience where there is not a Conversing in good It is not some moods and fits in some good actions duties from whence conscience gaines the reputation of goodnesse but a good conversation godly and religious in the generall tenour thereof proves the cōscience worthy such an honor as to be holden good He may be said to have a good cōscience that can be said to live in a good conscience Many a man is frequent in the City yet cānot be said to live there There a man lives where he hath his Converse Residence A mans life is not to be measured by some few actions in which at sometime he may be found but by his general course and conversation God will judge every man not according to his steps but according to his wayes It were over-rigid censoriousnesse to condemn a righteous man and to question whether his Conscience were good because some steps of his have bin beside the way We know for the generall his way is good wherein he walkes and therefore according to his good way we judge his Conscience good Contrarily when we see a mans way for the generall to be evill though sometime hee may tread a right step or two and chance to chop into the faire road for a rod or two for this to judge a mans Conscience good were a bottomlesse and a boundlesse Charitie Every mans Conscience is as his life is 2. From the Generalitie of his care and obedience In all good Conscience It must be All good or it is no good Conscience at all There be that live in some good Conscience yea Herod seemes to have much good Conscience hee did many things gladly but yet Paul goes further and lives not in some not in much but in All good Conscience 3. From the Sincerity and Integrity of it before God Before men how many have their consciences exceeding good yet their consciences are farre short of goodnes because they are not good before God the judge of Conscience Whilst Conscience is made onely of the Capitals of the second Table or of the externals and ceremonials of the first which duty is not done out of obedience to God and his Commandements but a mans self either in his gaine or in his praise is sought and base ends are the first movers to good duties here the Conscience what ever applause it hath from or before men for it goodnesse yet of God shall not be so esteemed For that is not a good cōscience which is one outwardly but which is one inwardly whose praise is not of men but of God And that hath its praise of God which is before God 4. From his continuance and constancie untill this day To begin a good life and course and to live in all good conscience that before God are excellent things but yet one thing is wanting to make up this goodnesse compleat To be so for a day or some dayes will not serve but when a man can say at his last day I have lived in all good Conscience untill this day that man may be safely judged to have a good Conscience indeed Thus in these foure particulars doth the goodnes of Pauls Conscience appeare It is not my purpose to confine my selfe and to keep mee within those bounds alone but to take a larger
shall not be able to draw thee from the faith of the Lord Iesus Prov. 6 20 22 24. My Son keep thy Fathers commandement c. And it will keep thee So I may say here keep a good conscience and it will keepe thee it will keepe thee sound in the faith it will keepe thee from being drawne away by the error of the wicked and it will keepe thee from the Wine of the fornications of the Whore of Babylon CHAP. XV. The last Motive to a good conscience The misery of an evill one THe last Motive remaines and that is The fift motive to a good conscience The horrour and misery of an evill Conscience If men did but truly know what the evill of an evill conscience were and how evill a thing and bitter it will be when conscience awakens here or shall bee awakened in hell a little perswasion should serve to move men to live in a good conscience We may say of the evill conscience as Solomon speakes of the drunkard Pro. 23. 29. Who hath woe who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath wounds but not without a cause Even the man whose conscience is not good even he that liues in an evill conscience An evill conscience how miserable it is we may see by considering the miserie thereof either in this world or the world to come 1. In this life When an evill conscience is awakened in this life the sorrow and smart the horror and terror is as the joy of a good conscience unspeakable An evil conscience in this life is miserable in regard of feare perplexity and torment To live in a continuall feare and to have a mans heart alwaies in shaking fits of feare is misery of miseries And such is the misery of an evill conscience Prov. 28. 1. The wicked flees when none pursues Onely his owne guilt pursues him and makes him flee His owne guilt causes a sound of feare in his eares Iob 15. 21. Which makes Proprium autem est nocentium trepidare Male de nobis actum erat quod multa seelera legem judicem effugiunt scripta supplicia nisi illa naturalia gravia de presentibus solverent in locum patientiae timor cederet Sonec ep 91. him shake at the noise of a shaken leafe Levit. 26. 36. yea that so scares him that terrours make him afraid on every side and drive him to his feet Iob 18. 11. Yea there are they in great feare where no feare is Ps 53. 3. So that a man with an evill conscience awakened may be named as Pashur is Ier. 20. 3. Magor-Missabib feare round about as being a terror to himselfe and to all his friends ver 4. An evill conscience even makes those feare fearefull feares of whom all other stand in feare How potent a Monarch and how dreadfull a Prince was Belshazzar who was able to put him into any feare whom all the earth feared And yet when his guilty conscience lookes him in the face awakened by the palme writing on the wall see where his courage is then Dan. 5. 6. Then the Kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against another Who would have had his feare to have had his kingdome Let him now cloath himselfe with all his Majestie let him looke and speak as terribly as he can let him threaten the vilest vassall in his Court with all the tortures that tyranny can inflict and let him try if he can for his heart put his poorest subject into that fright and feare that now his conscience puts him into in the ruffe and middst of his jollity But I pray what ayles he to be in this feare in this so extraordinary a feare Hee can neither reade nor understand the writing upon the wall Indeed it threatned him the losse of his kingdome but hee cannot reade his threatning hee knowes not whether they be bitter things that God writes against him why may he not hope that it may bee good which is written and why may not this hope ease and abate his feare No no. Though he cannot reade nor understand the writing yet his guilty conscience can comment shrewdly upon it and can tell him it portends no good towards him His conscience now tells him of his godlesse impieties in profaning the vessels of the Temple of the true God and that for this his sacrilegious impropriation and abuse of holy things God is now come to reckon with him Thus can his conscience doe more than all his wise men All the wise men came in but they could not reade the writing nor make knowne to the King the interpretation thereof Dan. 5. 8. But his conscience is wiser than all his wise men and when they are as puzzeld that interprets to him that this writing meanes him no good and though he cannot reade the syllables yet his conscience gives a shrewd neere guesse at the substance of the writing and therefore hence comes that extasie of feare and those paroxysmes of horror It was better with Adam after his fall After his Sin committed we find him in a great feare Gen. 3. 8 10. and hee hides himselfe for feare Now observe how his feare is described from the circumstance of the time They heard the voyce of the Lord God walking in the garden in the coole of the day Luther layes the Emphasis of the aggravation of his feare upon this word the wind or coole of the day The night indeeed is naturally terrible and darknesse is fearfull whence that phrase Ps 91. The terrors of the night But the day and the light is a cheerfull and a comfortable creature Ec. 11. 7. Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun How is it then that in the faire day light which gives courage and comfort that Adam feares and runs into the thickets Oh his conscience was become Gravis malae conscientiae luxest Senec. ep 123. come evill and full of darknesse and the darknesse of his conscience turned the very light into darknesse and so turned the comforts of the day into the terrours of the night So that in this sense it may be said of an evill conscience which of the Lord is said in another Ps 139. 12. Vnto it the darknesse and the light are both alike As full of feare in the light as in the dark And besides the Lord came but in a gentle wind the coole breath of the day now what a small matter is a coole wind and that in the day time to to put a man in a feare Such small things breed great feares in evill consciences In what a wofull plight would Adam thinke we have beene if the Lord had come to him at the dead and darke midde-night with earth-quakes thunder and blustring tempest We may see the like in Cain After he had defiled his conscience with his brothers
mortale hoc vulnus accepe c. Morn Myst Iniq. p 259. my right hand wounded with this right hand I sware to my Lord Henry the Emperor But the cōmand of the Pope hath brought me to this that laying aside the respect of mine Oath I should usurpe an honour not due to me But what is now come of it In that hand which hath violated mine Oath I am wounded to death And so with anguish of heart he ended his dayes An example so much the rather to bee marked that men may see how God blesses the Popes blessings his dispensation with Oaths specially whē they are given to arm men to rebellion against their lawfull Soveraignes 4. The equity of Gods justice appeares in that Pro. 26. 27. Who so diggeth a pit shall fall therein and he that rolls a stone it will returne upon him Such was Gods justice upon Haman he makes a gallowes for his owne necke Hitherto wee may referre the justice of God when God turnes mens beloved Sins into their punishments Whoredome was the Levites Concubines Sin Iudges 19. 2. and Whoredome was her death ver 26. The Lord Deut. 28. 27. threatens the botch of Aegypt and how frequently is the Sin of uncleannes smitten with the French botch the fruit of the Sin How frequent are the examples of Gods Iustice upō drunkards drunkennesse their Sin and drunkennesse their death And so that Proverbe is often verified Prov. 5. 22. His owne iniquity shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall be holden with the cords of his Sins 5. The equity of Gods Iustice appeares in this when he makes the place of sin the place of punishment Wee have frequent examples of this in Scripture This was threatned Ahab 1 Kin. 21. 19. In the place where dogs licked the bloud of Naboth shall dogs licke thy bloud And this was made good 2 Kin. 9. 26. In Tophet the place where they had slain their Sons Daughters would God slay the Iews Ier. 7. 31 32. And as their houses were the places of their sins so should their houses be the places of their punishment Ier. 19. 13. And because the Sabbath was prophaned in the gates of Ierusalem therefore in the gates thereof would God kindle a fire Ierem. 17. 27. And remarkable is that Ezek. 6. 13. Their slaine men shall be amongst their Idols round about their Altars and under every thicke Oak the place where they did offer sweet savor to all their Idols Such was the Iustice of God in that late blow upon the Popish company In the very place where they used to dishonour God the hand of God was upon them they were slaine and their carcasses crushed in the place of their Mass-worship the first floore falling into their Massing place so they their Crucifixes Images all dashed together God doing with them as with the Egyptians Num. 33. 4. not only smiting them but also executing judgment upō their gods yea not onely so but executed them and their gods in the self-same place where God had been by them so much dishonoured 6. The equity of Gods justice is to be seen in the time of his punishments God oft makes that time wherin men have sinned the time of his judgemēts At the time of the Passover did the Iews crucifie Christ and at the time of the Passeover was Ierusalem taken Heavie is the calamity that is befaln the Churches beyond the seas the time wherein the first blow was given is not to be forgottē The first blow was upon the Sabbath upon that day was Prague lost What one thing have all those Churches fayled in more than in that point of the religious observation of that day that day they neglected to sanctifie by obedience upon that day God would be sanctified in his justice upon them in the time would have them reade one cause of their punishment Neither is the time wherein God did that late justjce upō those popish persons to be forgottē It is somwhat that after their Roman accoūt it was upō their fift of Novemb. God would let those of that Iesuited brood see how good it was to blow up Parliament houses and happily would have them learne more loyalty and religiō than to scoffe at our new holyday Of this kind was Gods justice upon one Leaver who rayling on the worthy Martyr servant of Christ Mr. Latimer saying that he saw that evill favoured knave Latimer when hee was burned and that hee had teeth like an Horse his Son the same houre at the same time as neer as could be gathered wickedly hanged himselfe And the same was Gods justice seazing upon Stephen Gardiner the same day that Ridley and Latimer were burned Since then there is such an equity in Gods administratiō of justice let it be our care and wisedome to observe the same Learne to comment upon Gods works of Iustice and to compare mens wayes and Gods works together God is to have the praise and glory of his justice upon others as well as of his mercie to ourselves now we shal then be best able to give God this glory when we so observe his administration that we may be able not only to say The Lord is just but the Lord is just in this and that particular when we can say as Revel 16. 5. not only Righteous art thou O Lord that judgest but righteous art thou O Lord that judgest thus Thus they sinned and thus are they punished It is good to observe all the circumstances of Gods justice that so not onely the justice but the wisedome and equity of Gods justice may be seen and this is to trace the Lord by the foot Psal 68. 24. Especially wee should be thus wise in personall evils that befall our selves that by our punishment and the circumstances thereof we might be led to the consideration of our sins and so might say as Adonibesek As I have don so hath God rewarded me Learne to give God the praise of his equity as of his justice So doth David Ps 7. 15 16 17. I will praise the Lord according to his righteousnesse Tremble and Sin not Take heed how and wherein we Sin lest by our Sins wee teach God how to punish us Take heed of abusing thy tōgue in swearing rayling scoffing lest God lay some terrible judgment upon thy tongue here or some peculiar tormēt upon thy tongue in hel hereafter Take heed what measure thou measurest to others lest thou teach God to measure the same to thy selfe Take heed that thou make not thine house a den of spuing drunkards lest God make thine house to spue thee forth Take heed how thou use thy wits thy strength take heed of sinning in thy Children or any thing else thou hast lest God make the matter of thy Sin the matter of thy punishment FINIS A Table of the severall Chapters of this Treatise CHAP. I. THe Introduction of the discourse following Fol. 1 CHAP. II. Conscience described 9 CHAP.
Apologie for Religion and the Professours thereof against the Scandal of Scandals pag. 26. CHAP. IIII. That Scandals are wofull 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 triumph at 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. Woe 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 Heh 13. 2 is strong Bee not forgetfull to entertaine strangers for thereby some haue entertained Angels vnawares But heere the argument carries more strength Be willing and readie to doe all Christian Offices of loue and shew tender respect to little ones and so receiue them and you shall receiue not Angels but Christ himselfe How willingly would men receiue Christ Receiue these and you receiue him And if little ones must be thus tenderly receiued and regarded how warie should men bee of doing any thing that may offend them Therfore our Sauiour doth not onely aduise to receiue such but also to take heed of doing any thing that may proue vnto young belieuers matter of offence scandal And so he takes occasion to enter vpon a large discourse concerning scandal This Verse is part of that discourse and in it there be two principall points 1. The necessitie of scandals 2. The mischiefe of scandals 1. The necessitie of scandals for it must needs be that offences come 2. The Mischiefe and the miserie that comes by them And that is a twofold woe 1. A woe to such as are scandalized that doe stumble and are offended Woe to the world because of offences Offences shall come and must come but to the sorrow and smart of some men shal they come They shall come to make way for the greater woe to some persons Such euents shall be but yet they will proue euents of woe to men of the world 2. A woe to such as do cause and giue the offence But woe to the man by whom the offence commeth As if hee had said It is necessarie that offences come and infallibly they will fall out but yet this necessitie of the euent shall no whit at all excuse or protect the offender but as a woe to them that take the offence so a woe to them that giue the offence Woe to him by whom the offence commeth To make way for what followes it is fit to consider what is heere meant by Scandal or Offence That we call a scandal which is or may be in it selfe an occasion of falling vnto another Any thing whereby wee so offend another as that hee is hindred from Good drawne into or confirmed in euill is a scandal Now a scandal may be 1. First in doctrine and this is scandal giuen in heresies false doctrines Secondly by the abuse or the vnseasonable vse of Christian libertie of which kinde of scandals the Apostle speakes Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 8. 10. Thirdly Scandal may be giuen by mens lifes when their lifes and actions are such as crosse and thwart the Religion professed by vs and dishonours the Name of God which we haue taken vp As when a man professes the Name Faith of Christ and professes it zealously and yet fals into vncleannesse drunkennesse into grosse and notorious acts of fraude and coozenage these bee scandals and offences because they be occasions to make others fall they hinder some from comming towards goodnesse and Religion and they harden and confirme some in their sinfull and euill courses Thus Dauids murther and adultery Noahs drunkennesse the incestuous Corinthians marriage were scandalous actions Now though this text reach to offences of all kinds yet I will onely meddle with offences of this last kinde such as bee the grosse and foule courses and practices of any such as haue taken vpon them the profession of the Gospell and the Name of Christ To come then to the first point The Necessitie of scandals It must needs bee that offences come There must and there shall assuredly fall out scandalous and offensiue actions in the Church of God euen amongst those that professe Religion and godlinesse For that our Sauiour speakes of the sinnes of those that are in the Church it is plaine by that Verse 15. 16. 17. If thy brother shall trespasse c. therefore he speakes of the offences of brethren If hee shall neglect to heare them tell it to the Church Now if not of the Church why should he be complained of to the Church What hath the Church to do to iudge those and exercise discipline vpon those that are without And againe scandals properly so called can be no where but in the Church and amongst such as professe the Truth of God CHAP. II. The Necessitie of scandalous euents in Gods Church THe point we haue then first to handle is this That there is a necessitie of scandalous euents in the Church of God That scandalous euents and offences shall assuredly and infallibly fall out amongst those that professe the Name of Christ It must bee and it must needs bee that offences come So Luke 17. 1. It is impossible but that offences should come And as the Apostle speakes of heresies and of offences giuen in that kinde 1. Cor. 11. 19. There must be heresies so is it true of these kinds of offences which are giuen by sinfull and foule actions that there must bee scandals This Necessitie arises from a threefold ground 1. From the decree and councell of God and his secret but most Iust Iudgement for God that brought light out of darknesse can bring good out of euill and can worke out his glory euen from those things which in their euents seeme to make exceedingly to the impeaching and obscuring thereof God can gather grapes of these thistles and figs of these thornes and therefore his pleasure it is and so will he haue it that such thornes and thistles should grow and come vp in his garden His wayes are not as our wayes nor his thoughts as our thoughts Hee can make that which for the present and in our eye and apprehension is for the great dishonour and disgrace of his Name
I beseech you brethren marke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that cause or commit scandals or offences And to what purpose should they marke them That they might decline and shunne their company Marke them and Auoid them And therefore wee see the Apostles seuerity in the exercise of discipline in the case of the Incestuous Corinthian In the name of God he doth excoÌ„municate cast him out not onely from societie in holy things but makes a rule vpon it that if any that professe religion liue in any scandalous course that they should not afford him ciuill familiar conuerse 1. Cor. 5. 11. If any man that is called a brother be a fornicatour or couetous or an Idolater or arayler or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one no not to eate It is not to be denyed but vpon good sound euidences of true repentance a broken vessell may be mended vnsauoury salt may regaine his sauour and so there may be an healing of their errour and a receiuing of such into publique and priuate communion againe for I presse not g Marcianus se Nouatiano coÌ„iunxit tenens haereticae praesumptionis durissimam prauitatem vt seruis Dei poenitentibus dolentibus ecclesiam lachrymis gemitu dolore pulsantibus diuinae pietatis paternae solatia subsidia claudantur nec ad fouenda vulnera admittantur vulnerati sed sine spe pacis coÌ„municationis relicti ad luporum rapinam praedam diaboli proijciantur Cyp. Epist 67. Nouitian rigidity but yet till such repentance doe appeare all scandalous persons though not touched with Church censures are to stand excommunicate out of the hearts and familiar fellowship of al Gods people What difference betweene a leprous and a scandalous person and the leper during his leprosie till hee were clensed was to be shut vp and kept apart If thy right hand scandalize thee cut it off and cast it from thee Math. 18. 8. This hath a truth in this case If a man that hath bin deere pretious fall into scandal yet spare him not but let him bee cut off and cast out of society til he be brought to such truth of repeÌ„taÌ„ce as becomes h Adeo non pudet aut piget admissorum tamen audent venire in ecclesiam sanctorum audent missceri gregi Dominico Tales interdum tolerat ecclesia ne prouocati magis etiam perturbent populum Dei. Sed quid prodest non eijci caetu piorum si merueris eijci Nam eijci remedium est gradus ad recuperandum sanitatem eiectionem meruisse summa malorum est Ac frustra miscetur caetui sanctorum c. Cypr. de dupl Martyr And how-euer men fallen into some fowle scandal may escape the publique censure of eiection and excommunication and by intrusion haue fellowship in holy duties of worship yet litle comfort shall such mens consciences haue so long as publique satisfaction is not giuen to the Church of God for what shall it profit a man not to be cast out of the congregation of the faithfull so long as he deserues to bee cast out for for a man to bee cast out is a remedy and a degree towards the recouery of spirituall health But to deserue casting out as all scandalous persons doe that will not and doe not subiect to Gods ordinance of publique satisfaction and confession is the height of all euill Such was the ancient i Nam cùm in minoribus delictis poenitentia agatur iusto tempore exomologesis fiat inspect â vita eius qui poenitentiam agit nec ad communicationem quis venire possit nisi prius illi ab episcopo clero manus fuerit imposita quanto magis in his grauissimis extremis delictis ante omnia moderatè secun dum disciplinaÌ„ Domini obseruari oportet Nemo abhinc importuno teÌ„pore acerba poma dâ—cerpat nemo naueÌ„ suaÌ„ quassataÌ„ perforataÌ„ fluctibus priusquaÌ„ diligenter refecerit in altuÌ„ denuo committat Nemo tunicam scissam accipere induere properet nisi eam abartifice perito sartam viderit à fullone curataÌ„ receperit Cypr. Epist 12. Legimus literas quod Victori Presbytere antiquaÌ„ poenitentiam plenam egisset temerè Therapius collega noster immaturo tempore praepropera festinatione pacem dederit Quae res nos satis mouit recessum esse à decreti nostri auctoritate vt ante legitimum plenum tempus satisfactionis sine petitu conscientia plebis pax ei concederetur Cypr. Epist 59. seuerity of discipline that such as had giueÌ„ scaÌ„dal were neither suddenly nor easily readmitted into Communion but there was first publike confession a time it seemes of the tryall of their repentance before they had a fresh admittaÌ„ce into Church-fellowship Greene apples too soone gathered they thought might set ones teeth on edge and it was dangerous to set a ship to sea that had bin crackt flawed before it were thoroughly repayred againe Yea and it was strange to see the k O si posses frater charissime istic interesse â—ùm praui isti peruer si de schismate reuertantur videres quis mihi labor sit persuadere patientiam fratribus nostris vt animi dolore sâ—pito recipiendis malis curandisque consentiâ—nt vix plebi persuadeo imò extorqueo vt tales patiantur admitti Cypr. Epist 55. ancient zeale of the people against such with how much adoe they suffred such as had giuen scandal and had not yet giuen sufficient euidence of their repentance to bee readmitted and receiued into the Church againe Nay further wee shall finde that in i Inter Christianae religionis professores ordinati sunt aliquot qui inquirunt in vias mores accedentium vt non concessa facientes candidatos religionis arceant à suis conuentibus c peccantes praecipuè libidine contaminatos è suâ republic â reijciunt nostri rursum vero resipiscentes haud secus quaÌ„ rediuiuos recipiunt tandem ea tamen conditione vt quoniaÌ„ lap si suÌ„t excludantur in posteruÌ„ ab omnibus dignitatibus magistratibus ecclesiasticis Origen cont Cels lib. 3. Origens time there were some appointed to looke into the wayes and manners of the people professing christian religion that if they carried themselues offensiuely they might be kept out from the publique meetings And further if any were found sinning scandalously especially if defiled with lust and vncleannes they cast them out of the Church And when vpon their repentance they were receiued againe yet was it with this condition that because they had fallen into scandal they should be excluded for euer after from all ecclesiasticall dignity and gouernement And we soe that in m See Cyprian Epist 64. 68. Cyprians time also it went for good discipline that a Bishop that had falleÌ„ into Idolatry and defiled himselfe with that scandalous sinne though he might communicate as Lay persons yet might
is vncleane Leu. 15. 2. 4. But why speake vnto the children of Israel Because they only were vncleane and made others vncleane by running issues Heathens as some obserue out of the Iewish Rabbins did not make vncleane by an issue or childbirth c but Israelites did An issue was an issue in an heathen as well as in an Israelite but in an Israelite onely an vncleane and a desiling issue Sinnes are sinnes in other men as well as in professours of Religion but in professours they bee horirible sinnes Ier. 18. 13. Aske now among the Heathen who hath heard such things The Virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing The sinnes of Gods people are horrible sinnes because k Quanto enim honoribus alios antecellunt tanto quoque ipsorum peccatum etiam si alioqui idem sit grauius efficitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid pelus lib. 4. Epist 15. Quo grandius nomen eo grandius scandalum Ber. Epist 200. their persons are honourable persons Isai 43. 4. As God speakes of the Prophets of Samaria and Ierusalem Ier. 23. 13. 14. So it may be said of the people of both I haue seene folly in the Prophets of Samaria I haue seene also in the Prophets of Ierusalem an horrible thing and yet in effect the sinnes of both were the same but the same sinnes diuersly circumstanced may differ much and so by reason of the persons one being Prophets of Baal the other professing themselues the Prophets of the true God that which was but folly in the Prophets of Samaria was an horrible thing in the Prophets of Ierusalem So is the case amongst the people that which is but folly in such as are ignorant irreligious and liue without God in the World is an horrible thing in a man that makes profession of Religion And therefore hence it is iust with God to bee so seuere in the punishment of such and God will bee sanctified in them that come nigh vnto him and before all the people will hee bee glorified Leuit. 10. 3. If he be not sanctified by their singular and speciall obedience towards him he will bee sanctified by his iustice vpon them and will be glorified before all the people that is publiquely and openly he will do such seuere exemplary iustice vpō them that all shall take notice of it It suits with that Amos 3. 2. You onely haue I knowne of all the Families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities How smart was Gods iustice vpon Ierusalem Dan. 9. 12. For vnder the whole Heauen hath not beene done as hath beene done vpon Ierusalem Why so for vnder the whole Heauen had not beene done as had been done in by Ierusalem Ierusalem was the holy Citie Math. 4. 5. The Citie of the great King Math. 5. 35. The Citie of God Psal 87. 3. Such she professed herselfe so that she sinning her sinnes were out of measure sinfull and therefore God most righteous though most seuere against her It is in this case of the peoples sufferings as it was in the Priests Offerings Wee shall see that in some cases the people sinning they might bring for their Offering a Kid of the Goates Leuit. 4. 23. 28. But still for the sinnes of the Priests there must bee offered a Bullocke Leuit. 4. 3. Leuit. 16. 6. Exod. 29. 10. What might the reason of this be The Priests person being more excellent and nigh vnto God their sins were greater then other mens so much greater as a Bullocke is greater then a Kid and therefore wheras a Kid would serue another man the Priest must bring a Bullocke So here in case of suffering iustice All that professe themselues Gods people doe professe themselues Priests vnto God and therefore their sinnes are as much aboue other mens as is a Bullocke aboue a Kid and therefore when other mens punishment which they suffer shall be but the weight of a Kid that punishment which they suffer shall bee the weight of a Bullocke Woe euen a weightie and an heauie Woe to him by whom the offence commeth Profession of Religion giues no man a licence or dispensation as if because men will owne and countenance Religion God were beholding to them and they may take libertie to doe what they please but profession of Religion is the strongest l Religio autem est scientia Dei ac per hoc omnis religiosus hoc ipso quod religionem sequitur Dei se voluntatem nosse testatur Professio itaque religionis non aufert debitum sed auget quia assumptio religiosinominis sponsio est deuotionis per hoc plus quispiam debet opere quanto plus promiserit professione Saluian contra Auarit lib. 2. obligation the deepest ingagement vnto godlines holinesse that can be That bond and obligation being broken God will assuredly both sue the bond and take the forfeiture to the vtmost And thus wee see the reasons of Gods so sharpe seueritie in punishing Scandals and scandalous offendours CHAP. IX The great care we should haue of giuing scandal and sorrow for them giuen and the cause of humiliation they haue by whom offences come THe iustice of God being thus smart and seuere vpon such as giue offence consider wee for the close of all what vse may bee made of it It serues therefore to teach three things 1. Gods iustice being so seuere against the giuers of scandal how warie and how carefull should it make vs and with what feare and trembling should we walke least at any time an offence should come by vs. Let this Wo pronounced against all scandal-giuers be as the flaming Sword of the Cherubims to scare vs and make vs afraid how euer we do any thing or come neere the doing of any thing that may proue offensiue and scandalous Since the Woe is so heauie and so smart let it make vs listen to that counsell Rom. 14. 13. That no man put a stumbling blocke or an occasion to fall in his brothers way If Christ haue denounced a Woe and a Curse to him that layes a stumbling blocke in anothers way then as wee feare that Woe and that Curse to light on our heads so take heed of laying a stumbling blocke for another mans feet Let vs learne to liue by that rule 1. Cor. 10. 32. Giue none offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God Haue a care so to carrie our selues that neither the Church of God may be grieued nor the enemies of the Church bee either hindred from good or hardened in euill to their ruine and destruction Wee see Reuel 2. 14. That Balaam taught Balak to cast a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel Hee did not himselfe cast the stumbling blocke but hee taught Balak to doe it And yet God met with Balaam and taught him by his iustice vpon him what it was to teach others to cast stumbling blockes in his peoples wayes
should not haue any thing to say that might disgrace his profession Thus if a man would consider the highnesse of his calling the honour of his profession and would in all tentations vnto fowle and shamfull actions but thinke should such a man as I doe this or who being as I am would doe this how might hee bee preserned from many a foule scandal Mordecay told them he was a Iew doe thou in all tentations to foule actions tell Sathan thou art a Christian and should such a man as thou doe so 5. Looke vpon other mens r Propone nihil esse quod tibi accidere non possit Vita foueam in quam vides alium coram te incidisse Aliorum perditio tua sit cautio Bern de Inter. Dom. cap. 45. fals and tremble and take warning by them Say not in the pride and carnall boasting of thy spirit rather then I would haue done as he hath done I would haue died a thousand deaths To condemne such as fall scandalously is not a thing to be condemned who shall dare to iustifie such But a comparatiue condemning of other mens euils so to condemne them as to commend and bragge of our selues what in such cases we would haue done and haue beene so to condemne others as thereby to raise our owne prayses what good ones wee are and would haue beene to them so to make others blacke as to make our selfes shew the whiter this is very dangerous This sauours of much Pride and in such causes it may be ſ Tamen si alieui tanta est siducia de immobilitate propriae infirmitatis saltem follicitis 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 Pro. 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 he 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 persue 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 bin 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 sorrow 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