fratres impudenâ—ia vos quorundam premi verecundiam vestram vim pati oro vos quibus possum precibus vt euaÌ„gelij memores vos quoque sollicite cautè petentiuÌ„ desideria ponderetis vtpote amici domini cum illo post modum iudicaturi inspiciatis actum opera merita singulerum ipsorum quoque delictorum genera qualitates cogitetis ne si quid abrupte indignè vel a vobis promissum vel a nobis factum fuerit apud Gentiles quoque ipsos eclcesia nostra crubescere incipiat Cypr. Epist 11 reproach the Church and opens the mouth of iniquitie to say you bee all such Whereas discommoning and discarding such from our familiar and priuate societie and when neede and power is from communion in holy things gaines the Church a great deale of honour and stops the mouth of iniquitie from calumniating Gods people to bee fauourers and countenancers of such persons Such will bee pressing in to gaine their credit and to recouer their respect but when such suddenly and easily get into credit it is no whit for the honour and credit of the Church God will bring woes vpon them in their outward state their peace their posteritie Elies sonnes runne into foule Scandals 1. Sam. 2. 22. It was scandalous for priuate persons much more for Priests to bee vncleane and adulterous It was scandalous to haue done so vnclean an act in any place but to doe it in a sacred place with women comming thither vpon deuotion this was egregiously scandalous God therefore takes them to doe and does execution vpon them and cuts them both off in one day by the Sword of the Philistims God brought the wo of the Sword vpon them Nay when they ranne into Scandal because Eli did not restraine them see what God threatens vpon his Posteritie 1. Sam. 2. 36. that hee would plague them with such base beggerie and miserie that they should beg their bread If God thus punish him for not restraining how much more would he haue punished him for the committing of a Scandal If it goe thus hard with Eli that restraines not how hard will it goe with Hophni and Phinehas that commit the scandal Wee cannot haue a more pregnant and full example in this kinde then Dauid himselfe Hee after his scandal committed was truly penitent the guilt of his sinne pardoned a solemne absolution and discharge giuen him by the Prophet And yet for all this wee shall see how terribly this woe pursued him in temporall crosses in this kinde First God smites his childe with death then followes his daughter Thamars defilement by her brother Amnon then Amnons murder then the treason of Absalom in which the hand of God was exceeding smart God turnes him out of house and home Whose heart would not earne and bleede to see his dolefull departure from Ierusalem 2. Sam. 15. 30. And Dauid went vp by the ascent of mount Oliuet and wept as he went vp and had his head couered and hee went barefoote and al the people that was with him couered euery man his head and they went vp weeping as they went vp Who could haue beheld so sad and so woefull a spectacle with drie eyes But this was not all his life is endangered his Concubines defiled in open viewe on the house top And what thinke wee was the ground of all this For the childs death we see 2. Sam. 12. 13 14. The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die howbeit because by this thy deede thou hast giuen great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the child also that is borne vnto thee shall surely die It is verie much that fasting and praying can doe it can cast out deuils This kind goes not out but by fasting and praying Mark 9. 29. And yet fasting and praying could not keepe off this woe that Dauids scandal brings vpon him in the childes death woe vnto Dauid by whom that offence came therefore shall his childe die And for all the rest of al those woeful sorrowes 2. Sam. 12. 9. 10. 11. 12. we see the cause of them all these woes were vpon Dauid for his scandal And if Gods woe in these temporall outward calamities will thus pursue and follow a repeÌ„ting an humbled scandalous offender how much more will that hand of God pursue that man vpon whose scandal followes no Repentance and Humiliation If Dauid the man after Gods owne heart must not escape what then shall others looke for If a beloued Dauid shall haue his teeth on edge with his owne sowre grapes of his scandalous courses who then shall thinke to goe scotfree that is guilty of scandalous transgressions what a sure irresistible wo is that which Repentance it selfe cannot keepe off from a mans children his life person and goods And thus temporall woe is to him by whom offences come 2. God will pursue and pinch such as giue offence with spirituall woe God will fill such mens hearts specially if they belong to him with much spirituall woe and bitternesse of soule He will awaken conscience to smite pinch and gripe them at the heart He will so loade and burden their consciences that in the anguish and bitternes of their spirits they shal be forced to cry out woe is mee vile wretch that I was borne that euer I breathed thus to dishonour God It is true that there is an happinesse in this woe and it is singular mercy that men are not seared and hardened in their sinne but yet for all that there is a great deale of smart sorrow and a great deale of woeful bitternes in the worke 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 potion 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 he was euen in a sea and gulfe of sorrow ready to bee absorpt and swallowed vp therein The Lord therefore pluÌ„ged 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
reclaime men of the world nothing will do them good still will they goe on in their vnbeliefe and hardnesse of heart notwithstanding the light of the Word and the light of holy examples notwithstanding the shining light of both they will loue and liue in darknesse still So then God seeing this that nothing will better them but to Hell they will goe and damned they will be let his Ministers and his people do what they can he thereupon enters into a resolution to make sure worke with them and to take such a course as shall infallibly and irreuocably make way for their eternall ruine and to this end in his prouidence disposes of these scandalous euents as stumbling stones and stumbling blockes at which they may so stumble as they may fall and be surely ruined As if the Lord should speak on this manner I haue giuen you my Word and Gospell it hath beene preacht amongst you plentifully and powerfully all the meanes notwithstanding you haue not beene one whit the better but rather worse yee are more stubborne more rebellious more malicious and to Hell yee will doe my Ministers what they can Well then since there is no re◠medie since yee will goe I will take an order to set you going surely Behold in my prouidence I will dispose of scandalous euents to fall out that shall lie as stumbling blocks in your way at which stumble yee and fall yee and be yee remedilesly ruined I gaue you my word that you might haue risen but you would not be raised by it I wil therfore lay a stumbling block in your way at which you shall be sure to fall I gaue you my word that you might haue liued but now I will lay a stumbling blocke that you may die Ezek. 3. 20. You would not bee drawne to Heauen by the holy examples and lifes of my Saints therefore shall yee bee head-longed another way by the scandalous euents that shall by my prouidence fall out I sent my Ministers whom I made fishers of men with their nets and baites to catch you but by no meanes would yee bee caught in their nets nor bite at their baites nor bee catcht with their hookes therefore now will I dispose of scandalous euents which I will set as traps and snares and ginnes for you greedily and eagerly shall you come to them shal be ensnared and held fast for euer getting out againe And thus doe scandals come as messengers of wrath and death Gods dealing with wicked men in euents of scandals is cleane contrarie to his dealing with good men Such as loue the truth of God and subiect vnto it though scandals come shall not bee ensnared by them God will secure and saue them from being ensnared Psal 119. 165. Great peace haue they which loue thy law and nothing shall offend them or they shall haue no stumbling blocke Such as loue Gods truth haue great peace great securitie when scandals fall out they shall haue no stūbling blocks God himselfe will keepe them that they shal not dash their feet against these stones they shall haue no stumbling blockes to hurt them But now on the contrarie great danger and mischiefe shall they haue that loue not the Law they shall haue stumbling blockes and therefore because they loue not Gods law shal they haue them that God may bee auenged vpon them for the neglect and contempt of his truth And because they loue not Gods Law therefore shall scandals come that shal bee fatal stumbling blocks for them That looke as Salomon speakes of the Harlot Eccl. 7. 26. I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is snares and nets and her hands as bands who so is good before God shall escape from her but the sinner shal bee taken by her So may it be said of scandals More bitter then death woe vnto the world because of scandals are scandalous euents for they are as snares and nets who so is good before God an holy and a godly man shal escape and bee deliuered from being ensnared by them but the sinner the neglecter and contemner of Gods grace shal bee taken and bee ruined by them and therefore woe vnto the sinners of the world because of scandals It is in this case betweene men of the world and scandals as it was in Ahabs case betweene him and his false prophets 1. King 22. 20 21 22. God had a purpose out of diuine Iustice and vengeance that Ahab should fall and bee ruined Now God enters into counsell what course shall bee taken to bring it about that hee may fall and perish Verse 20. Who shall perswade Ahab that hee may goe vp and fall at Ramoth Gilead There comes forth a spirit Verse 21. and sayes I will perswade him The Lord askes Verse 22. How or wherewith Hee answers I will goe forth and bee a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets And the Lord said Thou shalt perswade him and preuaile also Goe forth and doe so The case is the very same here God bestowes his Word and the Ministerie of it vpon a people it workes them not to Faith Repentance Hereupon is the Lord prouoked to anger and vpon that hee enters into a consult of reuenge Here be a company of men that haue had the meanes of grace but they will not bee conuerted and raised vp I am therefore resolued they shall fall into Hell for euer But who will now take some course that they may fal Then steps forth Satan I will take a course to make them fall fatally And the Lord sayes what course wilt thou take Satan answers I will goe forth and draw some noted Professour of Religion into some grosse and scandalous sinne And that scandal of his wil be such a stumbling blocke at which they will so stumble that I will warrant them fall farre enough and deepe enough for euer recouering out of the pit And the Lord answeres Thou shalt effect it and preuaile Goe forth and doe so Goe Satan preuaile with such and such a Professour of Religion to bring him into some fowle scandal And let that scandal bee a fatal stumbling blocke to make such fall and assuredly perish that would not bee wrought vpon by the word So that looke what the false prophets were to Ahab that are scandals to the world meanes of their fatall fals and ruines woe to Ahab because of the false prophets and woe to the world because of scandals that make way for their mischiefe as the false prophets did for Ahabs So that by all this wee see that Gods disposall of scandals is an Act of diuine vengeance and Iustice plaguing mens vnprofitablenesse vnder the meanes of grace that by this means their righteous damnation might be sealed vp and made sure And therefore this is a point well worth our obseruation That where God sends most preaching and the greatest meanes of grace there commonly fall out the greatest and foulest scandals and where litle or
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 heed 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 auoid 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. I said 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 distaste 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 wisdom 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 egredia◠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 probari oporteret Ait enim quoniam abundauit iniquitas refrigescet charitas multorum sed continu subijcit Qui autem 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 iniquities 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 that 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 not hurt vs that wee 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 he was commanded to eat the roule Had it beene a matter left to his owne choice like enough he 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 take heed how he eate such roules least a man get away with bitternesse in the end A wise man sees a plague and hides himselfe but fooles goe on and are punished Prou. 22. When the plague comes how warie are men how cautelous and carefull to looke to themselues And what makes them so but onely because it is a wofull and a fatal disease By the same reason should men be no lesse cautelous and wisely warie in the euent of Scandals because when they come a woe comes with them and therefore should people be as feareful of the wo that comes with a Scandal as they would bee of the infection that is in the plague CHAP. VII The sharpe and seuere Iustice of God vpon such as giue Scandal ANd thus haue we seene the first Mischiefe and Woe that comes by Scandals namely that which comes to the scandalized World now followes the second mischiefe and woe that which is to the parties scādalizing and to such as giue the offence But woe to the man by whom the offence commeth that is A necessitie there is of scandalous euents but that necessitie shal be no excuse or protection to the offender but as there is a woe for the taker so there is a woe for the giuer of the offence woe be to him by whom the offence commeth In which
words take notice of The seuere and smart Iustice of God vpon all Scandalizers of the Gospell and Religion God will assuredly be meet with such persons as breake out and fall into foule notorious scandalous Actions and will meete with them sharply and seuerely Woe vnto him by whom the offence commeth God threatens Eli very sharply I haue told him that I will iudge his house for euer 1. Sam. 3. 18. But why would God deale so seuerely Because say some Translations his sonnes runne into a scandal and he restrained them not or frowned not vpon them If God would punish Eli for not punishing Scandals how much more will he punish them that giue scandals The practices of Elies sonnes were monstrous scandalous 1. Sam. 2. 22. and what did they by so doing Because his sonnes bringing a curse vpon themselues So Iunius So that by those Scandals they brought a curse vpon themselues A woe came vpon them by their Scandal The woe that pursues such is threefold First Temporall Secondly Spirituall Thirdly An eternall woe 1. God will pursue such with temporall woes And they are these three 1. With a woe vpon them in their Name A good Name is exceeding pretious For the worth and value of it preferred before Siluer Gold and great riches Prou. 22. 1. For the sweetnes comfort and contentment of it before sweet oyntment Eccles 7. 2. So that for a man to loose his good Name is as great a losse as to loose a great estate of great riches It would be iudged a woefull condition for a man that had a great estate and abundance of wealth if Gods hand should follow him and consume him and bring him to nothing It is no lesse a wo to be bereft of ones good Name and to haue the smell of that ointment taken away Now in this thing is there a woe to him by whom an offence and a scandal commeth Not onely the sweetnes of this ointment is taken away but that sweetnesse is turned into a loathsome and a noysome sauour Eccles 10. 1. Dead flyes cause the ointment of the Apothecarie to send forth a stinking sauour so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdome and honour Let a man haue the honourable name of a wiseman yea of a godly religious zealous man which giue the greatest honour in the world to a man yet if he bee guiltie but of a little folly that little folly impeaches his Name as much as a dead flie wil doe a boxe of ointment Let ointment be euer so sweet good yet if but a dead flie or two be in it they doe not onely take away the sweetnesse of the ointment but cause it to stinke and to haue a vile sauour so that a man will not onely not smell to it but stops his nose at it Now if a dead flie will doe so much in a boxe of ointment what will a dead dogge or some such filthy carrion doe If a little folly will staine a mans reputation what will a great deale doe Specially when it is folly in a high nature not folly slipt into at vnawares but artificiall and deliberate folly folly lyen in and practiced a long while how much more will that staine make a mans name stinke That same speech of Thamars but that Lust hath no eares had a great deale of weight in it when Amnon was bent vpon the commission of a foule scandalous fact 2. Sam. 13. 13. And as for thee thou shalt be as one of the Fooles in Israel Indeed that had beene enough to haue stayed him if his Lust would haue giuen him the libertie of deliberation It was as if she had said If thou doest this thing woe bee vnto thee But what woe Now thou art a man of some credite and esteeme but if thou do this scandalous Act God wil blast thy name and credit Thou shalt be as one of the Fooles of Israel This is the iust hand of God vpon such that they shal be smitten with the losse of their credit and Name and bee counted of the number of the Fooles in Israel It is a vile disgrace to be a Foole any where but to be a Foole in Israel to be of vile and base report and repute in the Church of God this is an heauie punishment Amnon was afterward stabd by Absoloms Seruants had Amnon had but any sense left after that sinne of his the Sword of Absoloms Seruants could not bee so cutting and so piercing as was this There goes Amnon that base man that vile person There goes one of the Fooles in Israel When Amnon could not stirre nor bee seene in the streets could not bee occasionally mentioned in ordinarie talke but one or other would bee throwing the myre of his base action in his face and the mention of him had beene as the stirring of an vnsauourie excrement What He Ah vile man ah wretched fellow Why these things were farre more keene and cutting then the very Swords that murthered him Wee may see the truth of this Mal. 2. 8 9. The Priests were scandalous and by their scandalous courses had caused many to stumble at the Law Well woe bee to them God would meet with them for it What woe doth God bring vpon them Therefore haue I also made you contemptible and base before all the people God brought a woe vpon them in their credit and esteeme that they were vile in the esteeme of all one and another good and bad And herein the Lord serues men but iustly and payes them with their owne coine By scandals Gods Name is defiled Gods Name disgraced blasphemed therefore for their Scandals God smites them in their Names that in the woe lighting vpon their Names they may see what it was to dishonour pollute the Name of God God will pollute their Names that pollute his and will cause that pearle of theirs to bee trod in the dirt and mire Yea God so takes to heart the dishonour of his Name by scandals that though there may bee true Repentance yet still some staine may lie vpon the Name Dauid made his peace with God and truly repented so as the Prophet tels him his sinne was forgiuen him and yet 1 King 15. 5. after Dauid is dead and gone that fact of his is mentioned as some blurre Dauid did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord saue onely in the matter of Vriah the Hittite Dauid did other things that were sinfull the Numbring of the people the giuing of Mephibosheths Lands to Ziba why then sayes the text saue in the matter of Vriah Because though the other were sinnes yet they were not scandalous sinnes The other was a scandalous sinne and a scandalous sin is of that heynous nature that though the guilt be taken away yet after the wound hath done bleeding and is closed vp and healed there will remaine some skarre in the Name and credit So that of foule scandalous offenders it may be said
knowes how many soules God will punish such as do not endeauour to c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys ad Rom. Hom. 25. saue other mens soules what in them lyes what then deserue they at his hands that castaway 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 be 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 We shall see an heauy woe denounced against those false prophetesses Ezek. 13. 18. Thus saith the Lord God Woe to the woment that sow pillowes to al armeholes c. But why doth God threatnen 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 righteously come vnder the same woe It is a dangerous thing to haue an hand in other mens d Igitur 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 guilt 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 this owne so is hee 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 he must smart for it that brought vp an euill report but vpon one virgin of Israel Deut. 22. Is God so tender of the honour and credit of one virgin of Israel what is hee then of the honor of all Israel If not safe to bring vp an euill report vpon 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 and what was the sequel 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 scandalous 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 Christianis 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. 5. 1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication amongst you f Pungit ac ferit et quoad eius fieri potest commune profert probrū criminis Non dixit enim curille aut iste est fornicatus sed auditur inter vos fornicatio ne vt qui essent nulli reprehensioni affines pigri esset ac socordes sed vtpote cōmuni percusso in crimen vocatâ ecclesia ita essent animi dubij anxij Nemo enim dicet inquit quod ille aut iste fornicatus est sed quod in ecclesia Corinthiorum admissum est illud peccatum Chrysost in locum He doth not say men do report that such a man hath cōmitted fornication but the report goes that fornication is committed amongst you If it had beene reported that such a man had committed fornication that had beene but a personall reproach and disgrace to that one particular man But It is reported that fornication is committed amongst you so went the report There is fornication amongst the Christians and in the Church of Corinth And so the reproach was generall to the whole Church of Corinth and common to them all So that by his Incestuous fact hee brought a reproach vpon the whole body of beleeuers And the heathen questionlesse so reported it as to blurre them all as if they were al a like So the whole Church of Corinth suffered by that one mans scandal And this is the ordinary practise of enemies to disgrace all with one mans folly Thus was it the Diuels pollicie and malice to raise vp those Impure * His igitur diabolus vsus est vt gentibus qui erant à fide alieni ansam praeberent sacrosancto Dei verbo petulanter impieque obtrectandi eo
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 ueuer be saued But now what course will God take to effect this and bring this woe vpon them Hee 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 distast 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 blaspheming 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 fearefull 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 46. 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 turne 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 in to 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 a mongst 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. 1. 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 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 surely 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 wil be as quaternions of Souldiers as Chaines and Keepers Lockes Barres Bolts 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 wil goe on and hee wil doe this and that say all the Preachers what they wil 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 rebelliously stood out against the meanes I am resolued hee shal neuer be saued I but perhaps the man liues stil 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 wil haue such a mans heart hardened And if once the heart be hardened there is no possibilitie of Conuersion if no Conuersion no Saluation This processe of Diuine Iustice vengeance we 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 heart 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 hardening 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 in steed of that whom he 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 wofull 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