into an hatred and dislike of sauing religion and sauing powerfull profession of it Into which who so falles how woefully falls he That scandals do bring this woe vpon the world and proue ruining stumbling blockes thus to make them fall is further cleere by that Mal. 2. 8. Yee are departed out of the way It is a charge vpon the Priests The u Misera eorum conuersatio plebis tuae miserabilis subuersio est Bernard in conuers Pauli ser 1. Priests that preached professed the law they departed out of the way they committed grosse and fowle scandals what was the issue of it A great deale of mischiefe followed vpon it namely a woe an heauie woe vnto the people from their scandals But what was that woe Yee haue caused many to stumble at the Law that is to stumble at true religion and the wayes of God When the people saw the Priests that professed and preacht the Law and who so great Zelots for the Law as they when they saw these Priests to liue so loosely and so scandalously they began to start at it and to question happily whether this Law this religion they preached and professed were of God or no. And if this were their law and their religion for their parts they were resolued neuer to haue to doe with such a Law with such a religion Thus their scandals did stumble thē And thus did their scandals bring an heauie woe vpon the people for what a woefull condition was this thus to stumble at the Law at the true religion of God what was this but to seale vp and make sure their owne damnation for if they would none of the Law they could none of Heauen if shut out of Heauen what remayned but Hell The Lord had it is likely a long while called vpon the people by his Prophets they would not hearken nor repent nor imbrace the truth of God The Lord therefore in his Iustice resolues to be reuenged vpon them by bringing a woe vpon them And what woe would God bring vpon them This woe of stumbling at religion that so hee might make sure worke with them that since they would not be saued when hee offred them saluation therfore now they should neuer be saued But now what course will God take to effect this and bring this woe vpon them He will in his wise prouidence lay the stumbling blocke of the Priests scandals in their way at which they shall so stumble as to dislike the Law and to fall into an vtter distaste of religion by which they should make sure worke against their owne saluation And so woe was vnto the people from the Priests scandals 2. Scandals make way for woe in that they make way to occasion men of the world to fall into the fowle and woefull sinne of blapheming Gods holy Name It is a woefull thing to fall into that sinne especially so to fall into it as to make that the ioy of our hearts which tends to the reproach and dishonour of his Name The Name of God is a glorious and a fearefull Name Deut. 28. 50. and therefore how woefull and fearfull a thing for a man to blaspheme that Name What doth he better then cut himselfe off from all communion with God that blasphemes his Name that flies in his face and triumphes in his reproach It is said of the malicious Iewes Act. 13. 45. that they spake against Pauls doctrine contradicting and blaspheming And marke what followes vers 64. Seeing yee put the word of God from you and iudge your selues vnworthy of euerlasting life loe we turne to the Gentiles See then when they blasphemed what they did They put away the word from them they iudged themselues vnworthy of life they caused God to turue away the meanes of saluation from them Such a case is a woefull case and to this case will contradicting blaspheming of God and his truth and Religion bring men And therefore in this regard are scandals wofull euents because they occasion men to blaspheme and speake euill of God and his truth When Dauid fell into that foule Scandal what followed vpon it See 2. Sam. 12. 14. By this deede thou hast giuen great occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme Those amongst the people that were haters of true godlinesse and enemies to the powerfull profession thereof and so enemies of God when Dauid fell into this sinne they fell into a woefull case they presently fall a blaspheming of Religion and speaking euill of godlinesse and he that blasphemes godlinesse blasphemes God and so by this meanes causes God in wrath peremptorily to turne from them So Rom. 2. 23. 24. thorough you the name of God is blasphemed amongst the Gentiles So that the scandalous sinnes of the Iewes were stumbling blockes to the Gentiles that made them fall into that fowle sin of blaspheming that must needes make them vnworthy of eternall life 3. Scandals make way for woe in that they make way for the hardning of the hearts and stiffening of the neckes of sinnefull men in their euill wayes It is a very dangerous thing for a man to bee in a sinnefull way but for a man to haue his hand strengthened in his Iniquity to bee hardened in any sinne this is a woefull condition It is the greatest woe and curse that can be to haue ones hart hardened Lam. 3. 64. 65. Render vnto them a recompence O Lord according to the worke of their hands Giue them obstinacie of heart thy curse vnto them Salomon speakes of the plagues in the heart 1. King 8. 38. The plague in the body is a woefull disease and what then is the plague in the heart God threatens Pharaoh with this plague Exod. 9. 14. I will at this time send all my plagues vpon thine heart and see how God did it Exod. 10. 2. Goe into Pharaoh for I haue hardened his heart Therefore the Hardnes or Hardening of the heart is the plague of the heart God sent ten plagues vpon Pharaoh but this plague of his heart in the hardening of it was ten times greater then all the plagues of Aegypt It is that which vsually God premises and fore-sendes when hee meanes to prepare men to temporall destruction When God meanes resolutely to speede a particular person or a whole nation and to bring ineuitable destruction vpon them God first makes way for it by the hardening of mens hearts Exo. 14. 17. When God would get himselfe honour in the destruction of Pharaoh and the Aegyptians I will saith hee harden their hearts and they shall follow them and I will get me honour vpon Pharaoh So Iosh 11. 19. 20. Not a City that made peace with the children of Israel saue the Hiuites the Inhabitants of Gibeon They tooke all in battell But why did not other Cities doe as the Gibeonites why did not they submit and seeke their peace Because God had a purpose they should bee destroyed and to make the surer way for it gaue
the people should goe Sacrifice but hee cannot abide that Moses should bee so peevishly precise that not an hoofe should be left behind Alas an hoofe is but a toy not worth the mentioning what need Moses bee so strict as to stand upon an hoofe Yet a good conscience will stand upon it having Gods Commandement and will make conscience as well of carrying away hoofes as of whole bodies of Cattell It is with a good conscience as it is with the apple of the eye of all the parts of the body it is the most tender not onely of some great shives or splints under the eye-lid but even the smallest haire and dust grieves and offends it It is so with a tender good conscience not onely beames but also moates disquiet the eye of a good conscience and not onely greater and fouler Sinnes but even such as the world counts veniall trifles doe offend it A good conscience straines not onely at a Camell but at a Gnat also Neither doth our Saviour blame the Pharisees simply for straining at a Gnat but for their hypocrisie who would pretend conscience in smaller things and meane while made none in the greater for otherwise a good conscience indeed hath a narrow passage for a Gnat as well as for a Camell The least corne of gravell galls his foot that hath a strait shooe but hee that hath a large wide shooe slopping about his foot it is no trouble to him It is just so with consciences good and evill A Gnat is but a small thing yet Pope Bol. pag. of Popes pag. 97. Hadrian the fourth was choakt with a Gnat and one Flye though but a small thing to a whole boxe of oyntment yet dead Flies as small things as they are cause the oyntment of the Apothecarie to send forth a stinking savour Ec. 10. 1. and so doth a little folly though but little doe a great deale of hurt And therefore a good conscience lives by Salomons rule Give not water passage no not a little And take not onely the Foxes but the little Foxes which spoyle not onely the Vines but the tender Grapes Cant. 2. 15. It knowes a little will make way for much Pharaoh is content that the people the men should go sacrifice Ex. 10. but their little ones should not goe he knew if hee had but their little ones with him he should be sure enough of their return therefore Moses will not onely have the men goe but their little ones also And therefore a good conscience deales with Satan as Marcus Arethusius dealt with Putantes pauperem vel medietatem petebant pecuniarum novissime vel paueum aliquid exigebant Quibus ait nec obolum unum pro omnibus dabo Hist Tripart lib. 6. cap. 12. his tormentours who having pulled downe an Idolatrous Temple and being urged by them to give so much as would build it up againe refused it They urged him to give but halfe hee still refused they urged him at last to give but a little towards it but he refused to give them so much as one halfe-penny No not an halfe-penny sayes he for it is as great wickednesse to conferre one Ad impietatem inquit obulum conferre unum perinde valet ac si quis cōferat omnia Theodor. lib. 3. cap. 7. halfe penny in case of Impiety as if a man should bestow the whole What was a poore halfe-penny it was a very small matter specially considering in what torture he was from which an half-penny gift would haue released him Indeed an half-penny is but a little but yet it is more then a good Conscience dares give to the maintenance of idolatrous worship A good conscience will not give so much as a farthing token to such an use as little a thing as it is For he that is faithfull in that which is least is faithfull also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much Luke 16. 10. Even the least things are as great trials of a good conscience as the greatest A good Conscience will not greatifie Satan nor neglect God no not in a little Put mens consciences now vpon this triall Who crakes not of his good conscience there be none if they may bee beleeved but they have good Consciences But why are they good They can swallow no Camells Well yeeld them that though if their entrals were well searcht a man might finde huge bunch backt camells that have gone downe their gullets They can swallow no camells but what say they to gnats can they swallow them Tush Gnats are nothing whole swarmes of them can goe downe their throats and they never once cough for the matter Foule and grosse scandalls such as are infamous amongst meere heathen such Camells they swallow not but what say they to unsavorie and naughtie thoughts which their hearts prosecute with delight what say they to them Gnats doe not swarme more abundantly in the fennes then such vile thoughts doe in their hearts The prodigious oaths of wounds blood the damned language of Ruffians and the Monsters of the earth Oh their hearts would tremble to have such words passe out of their mouths but yet what say they to the neater and civilified Complements of Faith and Troth Tush these are trifles meere Gnats alas that you shall stand upon such niceties To rob a man upon the high way or to breake up a mans house in the night this is a monstrous Camell but in buying and selling to over-reach a neighbour a shilling or two a penny or two what say they to that Oh God forbid they should be so strictly dealt withall that is a small thing their throats are not so narrow but these Gnats will goe downe easily enough To beare false witnesse in an open Court of Iustice or to be guilty of pillory-perjury these bee foule things but to lye a little for a mans advantage or to make another man merriment what thinke they of this This is a very Gnat they are ashamed to straine thereat Tell many a man of his sinne in which he lyes that his sinne and a good conscience cannot stand together what is his answer but as Lot of Zoar Is it not a little one Gen. 19. 20 But the truth is that these little ones are great evidences of evill conscience It is but a dreame to thinke our consciences good that make no conscience of small sinnes and duties The conscionable Nazarite now did not only make conscience of guzling and quaffing whole cups of wine but of eating but an huske and a kernell of a Grape What a trifle is the kernell of a Grape and yet a good conscience will care to please God as well in abstinence from the kernell as from the cup. Indeed when David had defiled and hardned his conscience with his adultery then hee could cut Vriahs throat and his heart smites him not for it but when under his affliction his conscience was tender and good his heart smites him
all is the scandalous sinnes and falles of such as professe religion certaine it is that these of all others are the most perillous stumbling blockes by which Satan causes multitudes of men to stumble at religion and workes them to the dislike of the wayes of saluation Afflictions and Persecutions for the Gospells sake are dangerous stumbling blockes and by reason of them many are so offended at religion as that they turne their backes vpon it Math. 13. 21. When tribulation or persecution arises because of the word by and by he is scandalized So that Persecutions cause Scandal But yet the Scandals that come by the euill lifes of professours are in some sense farre more dangerous and hurtfull then those scandals that come from Persecutions Though the scandal of persecution stumble beate off many yet haue very many beene gayned to a loue and liking of Religion by the Patience Courage Constancy of the Saints of God in Persecution But neuer were nor wil be any gayned thereunto by the scandalous falles of professours Persecutions keepe men off by feare but Scandalous sinnes by Hardening mens hearts There is far more hope and possibility of gayning a man that is kept off by feare then of such as are kept off by a setled resolued Hardnes of Heart In scandals of the Crosse men may haue some secret likings of the Truth may 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 mischieuous pernicious and yet withall so common so frequent why may it not bee 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 casts 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 bee 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 mouerit scandalum profecto compescere vos potestis Nolle compescere sine 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 vulgar 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 dixeritis 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 sonū 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 that which might bee to the discredit of Peter before them all Hierome giues a good answer * Dixi Cephaee Publicum scandalum non potuit priuate curari Hieron in Gal. 2. A publique scandal could not bee healed priuately It is very fit that publique euills should 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 to saue any from the danger of such as are already come or to bring any to 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
them vp to an hardened heart for it was of the Lord to harden their hearts that they should come out against Israel in battell that he might destroy them vtterly and that they might haue no fauour but that hee might destroy them So that when God meanes that a man shall haue no fauour but be vtterly destroyed then God first giues men vp to hardnesse of heart Nay it is that which is a woefull preparatiue to eternall wrath it is that which lockes men and shuts them fast vp and keepes them sure for eternal vengeance When God is so angrie as that hee is peremptorily resolued that a man shal not be saued but bee damned without all peraduenture then God giues him vp to the hardnesse of heart vnder which hee shall be surele reserued vnto the day of wrath When a Prince is resolued to put a man to death he commands him first to bee surely imprisoned to bee laid fast in fetters and irons When Herod meant to execute Peter see what sure worke is made He is deliuered to foure quaternions of Souldiers to bee kept hee lies betweene two Souldiers bound with two chaines and the keepers before the doores keeping the prison Act. 12. 4. 6. So that in reason there was an impossibilitie of his escape from death So when God will make sure worke with a man and is peremptorie for his execution the Lord deliuers him vp to hardnesse of heart and this hardnesse of heart will be as quarternions of Souldiers as Chaines and Keepers Lockes Barres Boults and Fetters to reserue a man sure for damnation A man hath had the meanes of grace offered him he hath slighted them and he will goe on and he will doe this and that say all the Preachers what they will and can to the contrarie When God sees this hee thus resolues Here is a man that I would haue saued I offered him the outward meanes of grace but he hath stubbornly and rebelliously stood out against the meanes I am resolued hee shall neuer be saued I but perhaps the man liues still vnder the meanes of grace and so long there is a possibilitie of his conuersion and if he be conuerted he must needs be saued Therefore God to keepe him from saluation will take a course sure enough to keepe him from conuersion Now what course is that God will haue such a mans heart hardened And if once the heart be hardened there is no possibilitie of Conuersion is no Conuersion no Saluation This processe of Diuine Iustice vengeane wee haue Is 6. 10. Make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heauie and shut their eies lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their heart and conuert and be healed We see in the end of the Verse that Gods full and finall resolution is that they shall not bee healed that is they shall not be saued as appeares Mark 4. 12. But how will God keepe them from being saued they hauing and hearing the Word They shall not bee conuerted But how will he keepe them from Conuersion They shall not vnderstand with their heart though they heare But how will hee keepe them from vnderstanding with their heart Goe make the heart of this people fat that is goe harden their hearts When the heart is hardened they cannot vnderstand with the heart when they cannot vnderstand with the heart they cannot bee conuerted when they cannot be conuerted whē they cannot be saued And so the hardening of the heart is nothing else but the locking and the shutting and sealing of a man vp to keepe him sure and fast for Hell So that for a man to bee giuen vp to hardnesse of hearr is a signe and a wofull signe that a man is such an one as on whose soule God is resolued to shew no mercie and that a man is in the wofull state of reprobation Therefore see how the Apostle speakes Rom. 9. 18. Therefore hee hath mercie on whom hee will haue mercie and whom he will he hardens See how hardenings and shewing mercie stand in opposition Whom he will he hardens that is he reprobates and shewes no mercie to But why sayes he not to whom hee will shew no mercie hee shewes none but it steed of that whom hee will hee hardens Because God makes way for the execution of his counsell of Reprobation by Hardening mens hearts By al this then it is cleere that it is a woefull thing to bee giuen vp to the hardnesse of heart woe to that man that hath his heart hardened Now then Scandals are wofull euents vnto men of the world because they be such snares and stumbling blocks as make and occasion them to fall into this wofull condition of hardening their hearts Therefore woe to the world because of scandals because by scandals their hearts shal be hardened they shall haue the wofull plague of the heart they shall come vnder a wofull curse be brought into a preparatiue condition for temporall and eternall ruine For when men see such as make profession of godlinesse to fall into scandals and hainous euils it occasions them exceedingly to harden their hearts and to blesse themselues in their euill vngodly wayes as if their wayes were better then the wayes of godlinesse and their persons in a better estate and condition then theirs that make such adoe with their profession Wee may conceiue the truth of this in the scandal of the Incestuous Corinthian 1. Cor. 5. There were multitudes of Heathen Corinthians that had not yet receiued Christ nor his Gospel The Christian Corinthians had questionlesse beene dealing with the Heathen Corinthians to bring them to repentance for the sins of their Gentilisme What those sinnes were wee may see 1. Cor. 6. 10. Neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor effeminate c. nor Thieues nor Couetous nor Drunkards c. And such were some of you Namely when they liued in their Heathen condition Now out of these sinnes would not the Heathen residue be brought Now when all meanes and endeauours for their reclaiming were in vaine God in his Iustice would euen giue them vp to that wofull condition of being hardened in those their sinnes To this end in his prouidence a scandalous euent is disposed to come to passe in the sinne of the incestuous Corinthian which could not but turne to the great hardening of the Heathens heart in their sinnes Then began they to say and thinke in their hearts They told vs our estates and our wayes were dangerous and damnable but to bee sure our wayes are as good as theirs Wee are better yet then these professours of Christ we are honester at the hardest then are they The fornication and filthinesse that is acted and committed amongst them is not once named amongst vs. Wee will therefore euen keepe vs in these wayes and goe on in these courses still For if such as these professe themselues to be if your holy and strict
Christians may doe such vile things as these then I trow it is not such an hainous thing for vs that make no such profession to bee Drunkards Adulterers Swearers c. And thus by occasion of this scandal did they confirme hearten and harden themselues in their iniquities Suppose any of the Christians had after the falling out of this scandal but offered to haue reproued an Heathen Corinthian for Fornication Drunkennesse c what answere was he like to haue had but such an one as this Oh Sir it is no maruell you should find fault with me though now and then I may bee drunke or commit fornication yet I am not such a beast as such an one your fellow Christian that made such adoe with his holinesse that hath now married his fathers Wife I would you should know it I am as honest as he and as good a liuer as hee for his heart And so shooke they off all admonition and reproofe hardened their hearts against all remedies by occasion of that scandal And so was there a woe to many an Heathen Corinthian from the scandal of that Incestuous Christian because they stumbled at it were ensnared by it so as to harden thēselues in their sinful courses so by that hardnes were sealed vp to assured wrath There is nothing hardens men in their Iniquitie more then to Iustifie them in their sinfull wayes There is a Instification of a sinner from his vngodlinesse and there is a Iustification of a sinner in his vngodlinesse The first is a blessed thing and makes a man happie Psal 32. 1. 2. The second is woful dismall and dangerous Iustification of a sinner frō his sins is called a Iustification of life Rom. 5. 18. But Iustification of a sinner in his sins is a Iustification of death that seales vp a man to damnation Iustification of a sinner from sin is an Act of Gods grace mercy and so hee iustifies the vngodly Rom. 4. 5. on him that iustifies the vngodly by acquitting discharging and absoluing him from the guilt of his vngodlinesse Iustification of a sinner in his sin is an act of Gods wofull vengeance punishing men for former vngodlinesse and making way for the infallible ascertaining of his damnation And for Iustification of a sinner in his sinnes is way made by scandalous euents And that scandalous euents doe iustifie vngodly men in their sins and so harden them therein may appeare by that Ezek. 16. 51. Neither hath Samaria committed halfe thy sinnes but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more then they and hast iustified thy sisters in all their abominations which thou hast done Samaria was one of Iudahs sisters The Samaritans were an idolatrous wicked people Iudah shee professed her selfe the people of God Now Iudah that professed her self Gods people fel into foule and scandalous abominations Samaria committed not halfe her sinnes Vpon this Samaria begins to Saint her selfe and to iustifie her selfe being iustified by Iudah Which may be vnderstood not only of the euent that Samaria was lesse vniust and vnrighteous in comparison of Iudah but also of the effect or consequent of that euent because Samaria in comparing her selfe with Iudah finding her felfe more iust that is lesse vniust did thereby positiuely iustifie her selfe as if shee were in a good case and a good way because Iudah's abominations were so many and so great and because Iudah is blacker then she therefore she beginnes to imagine her selfe Lilly white I sayes Samaria it is no maruell that Iudah is so godly so religious so holy a people and that I am so idolatrous and so sinfull I am sure I am not halfe so bad as she For all their godlinesse and Religion they talk of for any thing I see my life courses dealings are as good and honest nay more iustifiable then theirs And if Iudah that professes such singular holinesse doe thus and thus I hope my wayes being better then hers my condition is better I am therefore resolued to ride on in the old road still I will not change lifes and wayes with Iudah for all her godlinesse and Religion Thus questionlesse did Iudahs abominations occasion Samaria to iustifie her selfe and by such iustifying of her selfe she hardened and strengthened her selfe in her sinnes and so were Iudahs scandals and abominations woefull euents to Samaria because thereby her heart was hardened to her destruction It is with scandals as it was with those false Prophets Ezek. 13. 22. Yee strengthened the hands of the wicked that hee should not returne from his wicked way Men cannot bee saued if they bee not turned from their euill wayes men cannot be turned from their euill wayes if their hands bee strengthened in them and their hearts hardened Now here was the mischiefe and the woe that came by those false Prophets they strengthened mens hands and hardened their hearts in their euill wayes that they could not be saued Such is the mischiefe and the woe of scandals men cannot bee saued vnlesse they returne from their wicked way they cannot returne from their wicked way so long as their hands bee strengthened and woe to the world because of scandals for they strengthen the hands of the wicked and so make way for their fatall ruine Scandals are that to the World that those things were to the Iewes Rom. 11. 9. Let their table bee made a snare a trap and a stumbling blocke and a recompence vnto them When no meanes of grace wil soften hard hearts and bring them to Repentance God in his Iustice disposes of scandals and they are made snares traps and stumbling blockes and a recompence vnto them that God may recompence them for their vnprofitablenes and by those scandals occasion them to harden their hearts to their ruine that would not bee softened vnto life It is otherwise to the World from the scandals and fals of Professors then it was to the Gentiles from the fall of the Iewes from Christ The fall of the Iewes was for the happinesse of the Gentiles Rom. 11. 11. 12. Haue they stumbled that they should fall that is fall quite and cleane off God forbid But through their fall saluation is come vnto the Gentiles The fall of them is the riches of the world But now in scandalous fals of Professors into foule sinnes it is contrarie Thorough their fals damnation comes to many and they are the mischiefe miserie and vndoing of many And that on this manner God many times vouchsafes the meanes of grace and repentance to a people in those meanes striues a long time with them but striues in vaine Therefore he resolues thus My spirit shal striue no longer with them but since they will not they shall not be saued I will take a sure course for their damnation I am resolued they shall not be saued and because they shal bee sure neuer to bee saued I will make sure they shall neuer be conuerted And that they may bee made sure for euer being conuerted I
will take a course that they shall not vnderstand the word they heare with their hearts and that they may not vnderstand the word they heare I will take a course for the hardening of their hearts for the thorough hardening of their hearts some professour of religion shall fall into scandal and thereby shall their hearts bee hardened seuen fold more then euer they shall iustifie themselues in their sinnes and so by an hard heart shall put themselues out of all possibilitie of Conuersion and so out of all possibilitie of saluation How often would I haue had you risen and yee would not rise therefore now shall you fall into hell for hee that hardens his heart shall fall into mischiefe Prou. 28. 14. That therefore yee may fall into a mischiefe and with a mischiefe yee shal be hardened and that you may fall into greater hardnes of heart some man shall fall into scandal his fall into scandal shall make way for a woe to fall vpon your heads His scandal shall harden you that hardnes shall make you fall into mischiefe And thus woe to the world because of offences because they come to stiffen and harden their spirits and as messengers of wrath to bind them sure hand and foote that they may be prepared to bee throwne out into vtter darkenesse Thus woe to the 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 sinnefall 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 fals because it mischieues brushes and breakes them in pieces by its fall It is iust in this case at it was in the ouerthrow of that Army Ier. 46. 12. The mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty 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 falls 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 litle 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 therfore proiecting for their 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 that they may reproach them So true is that which y Papistae calumniandi studio totam nostrā conuersationem obseruant Si quid ergo humanipatimur 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 verè enim esuriunt sitiunt scandala nostra Luth. in Gen. 9. Luther speakes that they hunger and thirst after the 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 doloribus suauitatem suae malae linguae captantes facile est vt illis canibus cōparemus st forte in malo intelligendi sunt qui lingebant vulnera 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 droope 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 quö de Bonifacio presbytero non nulli perturbantur non vobis dico vt non dolcatis 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 Philistims the sonnes and daughters of vncircumcised Philistims And well becomes it such and none but such to reioyce
of Repentance after a scandalous fall And before such shall recouer their peace with God he will giue them many a woefull gripe of Conscience and many a bitter portion to drinke Wee haue an example of it in the Incestuous Corinthian He indeede recouered his peace and his pardon but yet how woefull was his case before it was done 2. Cor. 2. 7. Least such an one should bee swallowed vp of ouer much sorrow See then in what a woefull plight hee was euen in a sea and gulfe of sorrow ready to bee absorpt and swallowed vp therein The Lord therfore plūged him into the deeps of bitter sorrow of spirit and plunged him so deep as that he was ready to despaire and to bee wholly cast away Thus God would make his soule smart and his heart ake for this scandal of his would make him feele the truth of Christs saying woe vnto him by whom the offence comes It was Dauids case before him When hee had fallen into scandal in the matter of Bathsheba and Vriah before hee comes to a redintegration of his former condition God brings him vpon the racke Ps 51. 12. Restore vnto me the ioy of thy saluation therefore that was taken away gone that sweet sunshine was ouerclouded yea that sunne was dreadfully eclipsed and how fearefull such eclipses be they knowe that see them It is no lesse woe for the present to loose the Ioy of ones saluation then to loose saluation it selfe But that was not all See Verse 8. make mee to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce God therefore not onely tooke away his ioy but God brake the bones of him What an exquisite torture is the punishment of the wheele when a Malefactour hath his bones broken one to day another to morrow Such is the woe that God wil bring vpon scandalous ones specially if they belong to him He will bring them to the wheele he will cracke and breake their bones he will haue them to the racke fill their consciences with so much anguish that they shall vndergoe as much woe as if all the bones in their bodies were broken in pieces That the bones which thou hast broken Yea their bones shal be so broken that they will not quickly nor suddenly bee healed againe Nathan in the Name of God did that which one would haue thought might haue set Dauids bones and giuen them ease Thy sinne is forgiuen thee and yet wee see after this he cries out of his bones It lay in his bones still Whē men after Scādals are ouer-quickly whole againe cranke and iolly it is to bee feared their bones were neuer broken to the purpose Well thus we see what a wo there is for giuers of offēce wo be to the man whose bones God will breake and therfore woe to him by whom the offence commeth If he belong to God God will breake his bones if he belong not to God but were an hypocrite God wil thē happily hardē his heart that he may breake his necke 3. God will bring eternall woe vpon them That is if the person falling into scandal did before his scandal but act a part personate religion and were no better then an Hypocrite then though possibly he may escape some of the former woes yet God will pay him with aduantage and make vp all forbearance with doubling and trebling the principall The greater his fall was here the deeper shall his fall be into Hell o Vniuscuiusque casus tanto maioris est criminis quanto prius quam caderet maioris erat virtutis Bern. de interior Dom. cap. 50. The higher the place is from which a man fals the deeper a man plunges into the pit of myre into which hee fals A man that makes profession of Religion is set higher then another man is and if hee professe in hypocrisie and fall into scandal hee by reason of the height from whence hee fals fals deeper into wrath hel then another doth At this happily our Sauiour aymes Matth. 18. 6. It were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that hee were drowned in the depth of the sea A man so vsed were but in an ill case and yet it is a better case then the case of some scandalous person A man cast into the Sea in any place of it is but in an ill case for suppose he be not drowned yet will hee bee shrewdly doused cannot but be in danger But cast a man into the depth of the Sea into the huge Deepes which cannot be bottom'd and there is but little hope of such a mans life But yet such a man may scape Ionas was cast into the deepe in the middest of the seas the deptb closed him round about Ion. 2. 3. 5. and yet hee escaped A man by prouidence may meete with a planke or a piece of a mast in such vast depths and possibly may escape But take a man and cast him not only into the Sea but into the depth of the Sea and not onely into the depth but cast him in with an heauie stone specially a milstone specially with such an heauie milstone as cannot bee turned about with a mans hand but must bee turned about with the strength of a beast and such a milstone some thinke is here intended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mola asinaria such a milstone as is turned about by the helpe of an Asse and let him be cast into the depth of the Sea with it as Hierome sayes some Malefactors in those Countries vsed to be serued and what possibilitie is there to escape drowning Now this is the case of scandalous Hypocrites If scandalous persons bee Hypocrites then will their iudgement and woe be great and ineuitable Their scandal is a great heauie milstone about their necke with this milstone God casts them not into the shallow but into the depth the gulfe of Hell And this milstone sinkes them and this milstone holds them downe for euer rising againe Milstones do not make surer worke for the drowning then Scandals doe for the damning of personating grosse Hypocrites CHAP. VIII Why God is so smart and so seuere in his Iustice against those by whom Scandals come WE haue seene how sharpe and seuere the Iustice of God is in punishing such by whom offences come Consider we a little as wee haue seene the seueritie of his Iustice so the Iustice of his seueritie and why God doth deale thus roundly with offenders in that kind I conceiue there bee foure speciall reasons of Gods so dealing 1. Because by Scandals Gods holy and glorious Name is polluted and blasphemed and so God in a high measure wronged God is a iealous God and he will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his Name in vaine that is hee will surely meete with and bee reuenged vpon such as doe it It is a greater matter to pollute and profane Gods Name then it is to take his name
done to his soule but who is guilty of that mischiefe but hee that gaue that scandal and therefore the b Qui enim sine blasphemia aliorum grauiter errauerit sibi tantum adfert damnationem Qui autē alios blasphemare fecerit multos secum praecipitat in mortem necesse erit vt sit pro tantis reus quantos secum traxerit in reatum Salu. lib. 4 de Prouid blood of that blaspheming soule shal be required at thine hands that gaue the scandal which rusht him into that mischiefe It may bee many a man began to mislike his euill wayes many mens hearts began to misgiue them but now a scandal is fallen out their hands are strengthened their hearts are hardened and so they sealed vp to hell Here is soule bloud spilt againe Here be many stumbling fallen into the pit of hell I but who laid this stumbling stone that hath topled them ouer Here bee a companie of soules vndone and cast away I but who hath vndone and cast them away Here is mischiefe done but who hath done it Euen he that hath cōmitted such a scandal he it is that hath done this mischiefe hee hath as much as in him lies damned and destroyed these soules And is it nothing to damne soules Is it any wonder that God should bee so seuere when their sinne is so bloudy when they haue destroyed who knowes how many soules God will punish such as do not endeauour to c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys ad Rom. Hom. 15. saue other mens soules what in them lyes what then deserue they at his hands that cast away mens soules as scandalous sinners doe And what wonder that heauy Iustice followes heauy sinnes Thou shalt not put a stumbling blocke before the blind Leuit. 19. 14. But what if a man doe it Then shall a woe and a curse fall vpon him Deut. 27. 18. Cursed bee hee that makes the blind to wander out of his way Now when men doe giue scandal they doe lay stumbling blockes in the way of many blind ones they cause them to wander out of the way and to stumble so that they fall into eternall ruine And therefore is God so sharpe with them Wee shall see an heauy woe denounced against those false prophitesses Ezek. 13. 18. Thus saith the Lord God Woe to the woman that sow pillowes to al armeholes c. But why doth God threatuen a woe against them See the reason Verse 22. Because with lies yee haue made the hearts of the righteous sad and strengthened the hands of the wicked that hee should not returne from his wicked way Now such as giue scandal doe both these things they doe grieue sad the hearts of the righteous and strengthen the hands of the wicked that they returne not from their wicked wayes And therefore vpon the same ground that the woe was threatned against the false prophetisses is it due to the giuers of scandals They are guilty of the same euill and therefore vnder the same woe If the false prophetisses deserue a woe because by strengthening the hands and hardening the hearts of wicked men they were guilty of the bloud of their soules then because scandalous ones are guilty of the selfe same euill they righteosly come vnder the same woe It is a dangerous thing to haue an hand in other mans d I gitur tu quoque si reliquis perditionis causa fueris grauiora patieris quam qui per te subuer si sunt Neque enim peccare tantum in se perditionis habet quantum quod reliqui ad peccandum inducuntur Chrysost ad Rom. Hom. 25. sinnes and so in other mens damnations A mans owne personall guiit will be heauy enough he shal not neede to loade himselfe with other mens guilt Now this is the case of scandalous persons they stand answereable for others mens sinnes as the causers of them and many times the causers may smart as much if not more then the committers of them 3. God is so seuere in the punishment of scandals because by them is brought a blurre a disgrace and a Reproach vpon a whole Church As God is tender of his owne so is he also tender of the honour of his Church It is not safe to bring disgrace but vpon one good man nay we saw before that hee must smart for it that brought vp an euil report but vpon one virgin of Israel Deut. 22. Is God so tender of the honour and ctedit of one virgin of Israel what is hee then of the honor of al Israel If not safe to bring vp an euill report vp on one member of the Church then much lesse to bring vp an euill report vpon a whole Church Wee finde Numb 14. 37. some there that brought vp an euil report vpon the land what was the sequell They dyed of the plague before the Lord. If God were so seuere in his Iustice to smite them with present death that brought vp an euil report vpon the Land of Canaan what seuerity may they expect that bring vp an euill report vpon his Church What comparison betweene Canaan and Gods Church Now this al scandalours offenders doe If the reproach of their actions and the Infamy of their practises were but only personall the matter were not so great they haue but their iust deserts but the reproach of their scandals redoundes to the disgrace of the whole e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustin Apol. 2. a pro Chistianis Church of God and the excrementitious filth of their actions is throwne in the face of the whole Church Dauid hath a praier Ps 69. 5. 6. O God thou knowest my foolishnesse and my sinnes are not hid from thee let not them that waite on thee O Lord God of hostes be ashamed for my sake O God of Israel As if hee had said Thou knowest O Lord what heynous things mine enemies lay vnto my charge thou that knowest all my foolishnes and sins knowest that they lay them falsely vpon mee But what euer sinnes they charge vpon me yet Lord keepe me and preserue mee that I may not fall into any such scandalous sinne that may bring shame reproach vpon thy people Let me not so sin that for my sake thy people should haue any shame Marke then that when any that professe the Name of God fall into any grosse euill it turnes to the shame not onely of him that falls but it brings shame vpon all that waite vpon God and seeke him All Gods people suffer and share in the reproach of one miscarrying We haue an example of it 1. Cor. 1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication amongst you f Pungit ac ferit et quo ad eius fieri potest commune profert probrū criminis Non dixit enim cur ille aut iste est fornicatus sed auditur inter vos fornicatio nevt qui essent nulli reprehensioni affines pigri essēt ac socordes sed
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
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
their hearts so as they may fall into mischeife 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 semitas scandalum posuerunt mihi nō in semitis sed iuxta semitas Semitae tuae praecepta Dei sunt Illi scandala iuxta semitas posuerunt tu noli recedere à semitis non irrues in scandala permisit Deus ponere scandala 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 scandalis noli terreri dilige legem Dei non tibi erit scandalum teneamus indeclinabilem confessionem diligamus legem Dei vt euadamus quod dictum est vae mundo à scandalis Aug. yet I will by Gods grace take heede for all that of stumbling at Godlines or thinking ere the worse of the profession of Religion Nay I will be so farre from flying off that I will cleaue the closer and the faster to God and the wayes of Truth I will hold my profession so much the faster and loue that Word so much the more that so I may auoide this heauie woe Doe in this case when scandals fall out and so snares bee set as Dauid did when wicked men hid a Snare for him and laid Nets to catch him Psal 140. 5. The proud haue hid a snare for mee and cordes they haue spread a net by the way side they haue set grinnes for me And what doth Dauid now doe in this case See Verse 6. Isaid vnto the Lord Thou art my God So when scandals fall out Snares and Nets and Grinnes are laid What shall we doe then Shall we distate and dislike Godlinesse and Religion No by no meanes that is the way to bee ensnared and caught But then specially say vnto the Lord Thou art my God I will cleaue close to thee and to thy Truth these euents shall not cause mee to dislike of Godlinesse and Religion Say of wisdome notwithstanding such euents that she is shall be thy sister Though d Illa scilicet Iobi vxor scandalum erat sed illi non erat Aug. in Psal 141. these persons be scandals yet shall they be none to me e Non egrediar à Christo non incidam in muscipulam Ibid. I will not for all this goe from Christ Godlinesse and Religion for then am I caught in the trap I will take heed for all this of blaspheming God and his Truth I will for all this take heed of iustifying my selfe in any euil wayes and how I harden my selfe in my sinnes for if I doe thus then am I in the trap then I stumble at the stumbling blocke then hath the woe of the scandal light vpon and taken hold of me God giue mee grace and warinesse to looke to one Because scandalous euents are dangerous euents this should bee therefore our wisdome warinesse and caution when they happen Surely the more dangerous they are the more cautelous should we be and in their euents be so far from being staggered as to sticke closer to religion and to perseuere the more resolutely f Scandala non defutura praedixit quibus fidem nostram exerceri porbari oporteret Aitenim quoniam abundauit iniquitas refrigescit charitas multorum sed continuo subijcit Quiautem perseuerauit vsque in finem saluus erit August Epist 136. Because Iniquitie shall abound the loue of many shall waxe cold Math. 24. 12. It so commonly fals out that when iniquities scandalous iniquities of such as professe the truth fall out that many that it may be had some good affection to and liking of goodnes are started and stumbled at religion and their loue growes cold But how should it bee with vs in such cases But he that endures to the end shal be saued Verse 13. As much as to say that euen great and foule scandalous inquities abounding mens loue and liking to religion should not be abated but they should for all that cleaue close to it and hold out and endure to the end and not bee started and stumbled by scandals Are scandalous euents then wofull euents And when scandals come doth woe come Then bee so wise though thou couldest not preuent the scandal yet to preuent the woe that the woe it brings with it may none of it light vpon thine head In euery scandal there is a guilt and a woe a sinne and a curse The guilt and the sinne is the persons that offends but the woe and the curse fals vpon others Now when scandals doe come so looke to thy selfe that thou mayest haue as little share in the curse and the woe as thou hast in the guilt and the sinne Adders Snakes Serpents how shie are men in medling with them and all because they are venemous and haue a sting Euery scandal caries a sting with it a woe with it and when they come they come to sting some men mortally to the very death Scandals to many proue as those fierie Serpents to the Israelites Numb 21. 6. And the Lord sent fierie Serpents amongst the people and they bit the people and much people of Israel died Therefore concernes it men to carrie themselues as warily when they meet with scandals as if they met with Serpents and bee as much afraid of a Scandals wo as of a Serpents sting Amongst the extraordinarie signes the should follow them that belieue this is one that they shall take vp Serpents and they shall not hurt them Marke 16. 18. Now such should our wisdome and warines be that when these fierie Serpents come we might so take them vp as they might so not hurt vs that we might see the Serpent but not feele the sting Scandals are like Ezekiels roll Ezek. 2. 10. There was written therin lamentations and mourning and woe Ezekiel hee was commanded to eat the roule Had it beene a matter left to his owne choice like enough hee would scarce haue medled with it See how it fared with him when he had eaten it Ezek. 3. 14. I went in bitternesse in the heat of my spirit All Scandals when they come are roules of woe it is great wisedome for a man to