them if they look for great things hereafter they shall bee sure to have them Heaven is their countrey there is their preferment On it they must fixe their hopes by it they must sustaine their soules Lastly this consideration that scandalizing of them that beleive in Christ is the offending of little ones aggravateth much the sinne of scandalizers To trample little ones under foot to injure and harme little children argues much pride and much unmercifullnesse Smallnesse should be the object of mercy not of insolency And therefore in this respect the sinne of persecutors is great who scandalize Christs little ones and accordingly their woe is great which is the principall point of this verse and is now to be handled The second observation and that which is the maine point in these words is this That the punishment due to them that scandalize believers in Christ is greater then any temporall death though never so greivous This assertion needs no other confirmation then the words of the text rightly understood according to the explication before made To which neverthelesse may bee added this argument The punishment due to scandalizers of believers in Christ is eternall punishment in hell For that such is due to this sinne hath been proved before in declaring the woe due to scandalizing in generall and to each particular branch thereof But it is certaine that no temporall death is or can be so grievous as eternall punishment in hell none so sharpe and tormenting none so constant and lasting the bitterest paines of the most lingring temporall death being sufferable and finite the other being intolerable eternall and so in a sort infinite now finiti ad infinitū nulla proportio there 's no proportion between a thing finite and a thing infinite Therefore no temporall death can be equall to the punishment of scandalizers of beleivers in Christ. But that I may distinctly handle the conclusion it will be needfull to consider 1. Who are to bee accounted beleivers in Christ. 2. Why to the scandalizing of them there is so great vengeance allotted To believe in Christ is to acknowledge in heart that he is the Messias that was to come into the world to assent to the doctrine of the Gospell which hee published and to trust in him for remission of sinnes and salvation From hence men are denominated beleivers in Christ. So that they are indeed beleivers in Christ who doe acknowledge in heart that he is the Christ the son the living God that assent to his doctrine and trust in him for righteousnes salvation My purpose is not to take occasion to cōsider exactly the nature and sorts of faith in Christ nor the signes whereby that which is true and genuine is distinguished from counterfeit imperfect or defective For at this time we are onely to consider whom another man is to take for a beleiver in Christ whom hee ought to take heed of scandalizing Onely thus much may be fit to be considered that beleivers in Christ may bee so called either according to Gods estimation as they are in his sight And in this acception they onely are beleivers in Christ who have the most excellent grace of faith planted in their hearts by Gods spirit by which they are united to Christ dwell in him live by and to him which all that acknowledge the truth of the Gospell in their profession of it or that yeild to it in mind a light and uneffectuall credulity to it doe not But these are only knowne by God Who alone searcheth the heart and reines Or else beleivers in Christ are called such according to that estimation man may make And thus wee are to account all those as beleivers in Christ who knowing what they professe doe without compulsion professe themselves beleivers in Christ and doe not openly renounce either by speech or practice the truth of Christian faith though they have much weakenesse of knowledge many errours in opinion and many sinnes in their practice In generall the number of those who professe freely their assent to the Articles of the creed that joyne in the worship of Christ and professe subjection to his precepts are to bee accounted by men as beleivers in Christ the scandalizing of whom is so woefull The reasons why so great a degree of punishment belongs to such as scandalize beleivers in Christ are 1. Because Christ doth love them dearely and they are of neare relation to him The love of Christ to them is abundantly manifest in that superlative expression of it his dying for them hee loved us saith the Apostle Eph. 5. 2. and hath given himselfe for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour And in like sort are they most tenderly beloved of his Father Who so loved them that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever beleiveth on him should not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3. 16. And for their relation there is no relation of dearenesse by which their indearednesse to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ is not expressed They are his little flock Luke 12. 32. And a good sheepheard is tender over his flocke they are his servants Iohn 12. 26. And of these good masters are carefull they are his friends Iohn 16. 15. and true friends are very mindefull of their friends they are his peculiar people Tit. 2. 14. 1. Pet. 2. 9. and a good Prince is very tender of his peoples safety they are his brethren Heb. 2. 11. and true-hearted brethren are very regardfull of their brethrens good they are his children v. 13. the sonnes of God 1. Iohn 3. 1. heires of God joynt heires with Christ Rom. 8. 17. and strong is the affection of a Father to his Child his sonne his heire they are the spouse of Christ Eph. 5. 23. 25. and what is a man more zealously affected to then to his beloved spouse they are his members v. 30. and what is it that a man will not give or doe to save his members whence it is that he that sheweth kindnesse to them doth it to Christ Math. 25. 40. the neglecting of shewing mercy to them is a deniall of it to Christ v. 45. And an offence to them a sinnne againg Christ 1. Cor. 8. 12. Their sufferings Christs sufferings Coloss. 1. 24. This was the reason why Christ when he spake to Saul from heaven going about the persecuting of beleivers at Damascus said thus to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9. 4 5. Saul thought that hee had bent himselfe onely against a company of peevish refractary people whom hee thought worthy of all punishment for their obstinate adhering to their profession by him conceived impious superstition and heresy but it was indeed Christ himselfe who was persecuted and strucke at in their persecutions And so it is in all the persecutions of beleivers for their faith and obedience Now then Christ must needs be provoked greatly by the scandalizing of
a mischiefe or at least a vexation to his brother shewes that he loves himselfe much his brother litle or nothing at all 5. And as this offensive use of our liberty discovers want of charity so it doth also want of mercy For it is a kind of spirituall slaying or wounding of our brother The Apostle 1. Cor. 8. 11. 12. saith that by such offences the scandalizers doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beate and wound the weak conscience of their brother as a man that doth kill another with a destructive weapon and that consequently the offended person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perisheth that is quantum per ipsum stat as much as pertaines to him And to the like purpose disswading from using our liberty in meates with offence hee forbids it in this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 14. 15. Destroy not him with thy meat and againe v. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For meat destroy not or dissolve not the work of God that is the soule of thy brother As if scandalizing were a destroying or murther such as a soule is capable of For what is the murther of the soule but grieving it perverting it causing it to sin to feele Gods anger This is that which the scripture calleth Death as being indeed the onely death of an immortall spirit so that to cause this by using of our liberty is against the mercy wee are to shew to our brothers soule which is also aggravated in that it is a destroying of Gods worke that is the soule which is divinae particula aurae that particle as it were of Gods breath Gen. 2. 7. That image of the invisible God farre surpassing in worth the whole masse of corporeall beings and therefore the destruction of it much exceeding the destruction of the body 6. Adde hereunto that this scandalizing must needes hinder the peace the sweet peace that should bee betweene Christians that are members of the same body For whereas they should follow after the things that make for peace Rom. 14. 19. This course is opposite thereto Peace is to be followed by yielding somewhat to other mens desires by being indulgent to their weakenesse by relaxation of that rigour we may stand upon But in this way of scandalizing another by the use of our liberty there 's no yielding to the desires of others no indulgence to their weaknesse no remission of rigour yea besides it causeth a jealousy in the offended person of his enmity towards him who would doe that which hee is so much offended with Which apprehension will assuredly cause him to look obliquo oculo awry on him that offends and instead of imbracing him flye off farther from him 7. And indeed whether there bee enmity or evill will or no in the scandalizer surely there is some pride and contempt of his brother in this sin For the Apostle when hee speakes of the fountaine of this evill derives it from the swelling of knowledge that his knowledge puffeth him up 1. Cor. 8. 1. And againe when he forbids the cause of scandalizing in the use of things indifferent hee chargeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him not despise or set at nought his brother Intimating that if he were not puffed up with his knowledge nor set at nought his brother but esteemed him as hee should hee would prize him above his owne conveniences and remit his use of them for his sake Now pride whereby a man despiseth another as it is a great evill in it selfe so is it the greater in that by it commeth contention Prov. 13. 10. 8. Furthermore the obligation of christians bindes them to the utmost of their power to further the kingdome of God in men his glory and their salvation The mercy we have our selves received should move us to endeavour to make others partakers of the same we being called should call others as Philip having found the Messiah invites Nathaniel to come to him Iohn 1. 45. Peter being converted was bound to strengthen his brethren Luke 22. 32. Wherefore for such a one not onely not to strengthen but even for unnecessary things in which the kingdome of God consists not to weaken them is very contrary to to the heavenly calling wherewith we are called to the unspeakable grace we have received doubtlesse the Apostles rule is most equall for such That whether they eat or drink or whatsoever they doe they doe all to the glory of God giving none offence neither to the Iewes nor the Gentiles nor to the Church of God But as he himselfe did who pleased all men in all things not seeking his owne profit but the profit of many that they may be saved 1. Cor. 10. 3. 32. 33. 9. Vnto which the example of our Lord Christ should yet more forcibly urge us as the same Apostle presseth it Rom. 15. 1. 2. 3. We that are strong ought to beare with the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification For even Christ pleased not himselfe but as it is written The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me How much doe they degenerate from Christs example whom they ought to follow who are unwilling to suspend the use of their liberty for their pleasure whereas the Lord Christ laid aside his glory emptied himselfe and became of no reputation for their sake 10. Finally what is scandalizing our brethren for our liberties sake but a forgetting what love Christ vouchsafed them and us in that hee dyed for them and us Christ dyed for them that hee might save them wee let them perish for our pleasure Such practise is doubtlesse not onely a sin against the brethren but against Christ much more 1. Cor. 8. 12. All these reasons put together declare how great a sin this kind of scandal is and therefore how justly a woe belongs to it And so much the greater a woe is awarded to such scandalizers as it is committed with and so much the greater pride wilfulnes or wantones when it is done data opera of set purpose or with evident foresight of the grievance harme ensuing thereby to their brother For these things make it the more voluntary and therefore the more sinfull But then it is a very hard and knotty point in many cases to know when a christian doeth thus abuse his liberty in things indifferent when not it being a hard thing to understand when men are weak when wilfull a hard thing to determin what to doe when the harme of another by our use of our liberty is only suspected or feared it may be but on the other side probably may not be what is to be done when it is likely that there may be scandall either way in using or not using our liberty what regard is to be had to our brethren in case the Magistrate interposeth his authority From these and sundry more such difficulties arise many doubts to the disquiet
us Mat. 13. 21. And the reason of their scandalizing may be gathered from our Saviours words who tells us that the good hearers persevere because they bring forth fruit with patience Wherefore on the contrary the scandall of the temporary beleivers is for want of patience Defect of patience to beare the assaults of persecution is that which causeth the persecuted beleiver or hearer of Gods word to be scandalized For the heart of man is swayed by paines and delights Arist. lib 2. Ethic ad Nicom makes voluptatem dolorem pleasure and griefe the generall objects or matter about which vertues and vices are conversant The reason of which is because in all morall things pleasure and griefe doe move and sway men to or from a thing Hereupon it is that when men have not roote of faith and strength of patience their resolutions are altered their courses changed their minds broken by suffering hard things so that rather then undergoe them they will yeild to that sin which is their ruine The spirits of strong men are apt to be broken with calamities even as a strong Oake by a mighty wind yea the feare of things grievous doth oft prevaile â—o scandalize men S. Peter who was a man of great resolutions was dashed by the charge of a weake mayd when it tended to bring him into danger and all the Disciples were offended because of Christ as soone as he was apprehended Mat. 26. 31. As for the woe that belongs to such scandalizing it is the same which is awarded unto other sorts of scandalizing if not greater Forasmuch as this kind of scandalizing hath more of malice in it then the rest For all persecutors are moved by bitter malice towards the godly to injure and molest them 'T is true sometimes their malice is pure malice sometimes mixt but alwayes malice The Pharisees who persecuted our Lord Christ out of pure malice they said hee had an uncleane spirit Mark 3. 30. they called him a Samaritane a Wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and sinners They sought to intangle him to destroy him though his miracles convinced them that he was a teacher sent from God and that God was with him Iohn 3. 2. But others persecuted out of malice compounded with ignorance Luk. 23. 34. saith our Saviour Father forgive them for they know not what they doe compounded with blind zeale The time cometh saith our Saviour Iohn 16. 2. That who soever killeth you will thinke that hee doth God service S. Paul sayes that out of zeale hee persecuted the Church Philip. 3. 6. This malice is lesse then pure malice and the woe due to this scandalizing by persecution lesse then to the former 1. Persecution out of blind malice is the more pardonable and the lesse punishable then that which is done out of pure malice which may perhaps be utterly unpardonable when it is the sinne against the Holy Ghost Whereas S. Paul alleadgeth for himselfe that though he were a persecutor and a blaspheamer yet hee obtained mercy because hee did it ignorantly in unbeleife 1. Tim. 1. 13. Neverthelesse all persecution of the godly all scandalizing by evill handling of men without repentance hath eternall death for its wages It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you saith S. Paul 2. Thes. 1. 6. what is the tribulation He tells them v. 9. They shall be punished with everlasting destruction froÌ„ the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power And though God suffer such enemies of his Church to prevaile for a time yet few of them in the end escape his hand but by some exemplary death or other grievous judgment they beare the punishment of their iniquity Neither Pharaoh nor Saul nor Herod nor Nero nor Domitian nor any of the Chaldaean Syrian Roman persecutors have escaped without deserved vengeance As it is just with God to recomdence tribulation to them that trouble his people So he doth undoubtedly inflict it seriùs aut citiùs sooner or latter unles his reveÌ„ging hand be held up by the repentance of the persecutor For application of this truth first wee may hereby discerne the danger of those that this way scandalize others The impetuous malice of persecutors carries them violently with rage against beleivers so that they neither perceive their sin nor the woe due to it Even like a horse that runs furiously and violently observes not into what precipices pits down-falls it casts it selfe so a persecutor that is driven by malice and blind zeale to breath out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of Christ and to spoyle the Church runs as we use to so say without feare or wit neither considering whom he persecutes nor how hard a thing it is for him to kick against the pricks they see not what a tempest hangs over their heads what a pit they are falling into For even then when they study cruelty devise mischiefe on their beds while they act it with their tongue cutting like a sharp rasour weigh the violence of their hands in the earth use their strength authority power as men that know not the way of peace but destruction unhappines are in their wayes while they hire souldiers arme executioners invent torments for the Saints even theÌ„ all that while God is whetting his sword and bending his bow and making it ready hee is preparing for him the instruments of Death he ordaineth his arrowes against the persecutors that their mischiefe may returne upon their owne head and their violent dealing may come downe upon their pate Ps. 7. 12. 13 16. God is diging up a pit for the wicked Psal. 94. 13. And as sure as Pharoah Saul Iezabel Herod Nero Domitian and the rest of persecutors have suffered divine vengeance so surely shall all cruell Inquisitors barbarous Turks unjust oppressours ungodly scoffers divellish belyers of Gods people perish It is determined in heaven upon the wicked hee shall raine snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall bee the portion of their cup. For the Lord tryeth the righteous but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soule hateth Psal. 11. 5 6. 2. This may justly deterre men from this way of scandalizing by persecution A way of scandalizing it is that Satan who vseth all practises to stumble men vi dolo by force and Craft hath set on foote in all times in all Churches where princes are infidels or heretiques he seeks to raise them vp to waste the Church to vexe the godly where they have professed and Countenanced the Gospell and godlynes there hee sets on worke some or other as secret vnderminers of their peace such as may reach at them with their tongues if they cannot with their hands And it is so still as in some places there are persecuting souldiers and persecuting Iudges so there are in other places persecuting scoffers persecuting accusers whose busines is to discourage beleevers to affright
malefactors in the deepe of the sea with a milstone hanged about their necke Casaubon in his notes on Matthew 18. 6. proves by a passage or two which he cites out of Diodorus Siculus and Athenaeus that the Greekes used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drowning in the Sea as a punishment among them but he finds not that it was by tying a stone to their necke but rather by putting the malefactor into leade And it may seeme by a passage which he cites out of Polybius that it was rather reckoned among the easier then more grievous sorts of punishment Maldonate conceives it might bee that our Saviour in using this resemblance did allude unto the pride which hee here censures as he did Math 11. 23. when hee said And thou Capernaum which art exalted to heaven shalt be brought down to hell What ever the allusion be Saint Hierome rightly notes that our Saviour meant hereby to let us understand that it were better for scandalizers to receive a short punishment here then eternall torments Or that though to be cast into the sea with a milstone about the necke be a certaine grievous irrecoverable destruction yet the woe of scandalizers is more certaine more grievous more irrecoverable And it is considerable that the Emphasis of our Saviours words in averring this seemes to intimate that He spake this with some vehemency as if he had said to this purpose though it bee that those that beleive in me are litle ones in their owne and others eyes yet I tell you it will be more tolerable for a man to bee thus dolefully cast into the sea then for him to incurre the punishment of offending these litle ones as little as they be yea though hee offend but one of these little ones Now from this speech of our Saviour wee may observe that those that beleive in Christ are litle ones which is true whether we compare them among themselves or with others for Magnum parvum are relatives as Aristotle observes in his Categories in the chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now compared among themselves they are some lesse then others Our Saviour Math 25 40. by saying In as much as yee have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren yee have done it unto mee Intimates that some of his brethren are lesse then others And indeed so it is 1 In respect of spirituall gifts and graces some are lesse then others Our Saviour in his charge to Peter concerning his pastorall office distinguisheth betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his little Lambes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his sheepe Ioh. 21. 15 16. and requires Peter to doe as it was foretold of himselfe Isay 40. 11. that he should feed his flocke like a shepheard that hee should gather the Lambes with his armes and carry them in his bosome and should gently leade those that are with young The Apostle distinguisheth between the strong in faith and the weak in faith Rom. 14. 1. and 15. 1. Thus it hath beene and it is still Some are Christians come to maturity others are in the blossome and bud some are novices Catechumeni yongling in Christ some are confirmed Christians strong men in Christ. Which thing happens First because of the sutablenesse of it to the condition of a body For as it is in the naturall body all members are not of equall growth so it is in the mysticall body of Christ it is fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of each part Ephes. 4. 16. There is a different measure of each part that there may be a meete Symmetry in the whole Secōdly Besides all members have not the same office And therefore Gods spirit gives not to all a like measure of knowledge and other gifts Rom. 12. 4 6. Thirdly Againe all parts have not a like meanes for growth not a like instruction and nurture not a like time for growth There is a different working in the severall parts and accordingly a different growth Ephes. 4. 16. Fourthly If all Christians were of equall strength Faith wisdome and other graces there would be a subtraction of the matter of sundry principall duties there would be no need one Christian should edifie one another beare with one another avoyd the offence of another give helpe to another restore one another c. Wheras God hath so tempered the parts of the mysticall body as well as the naturall that the members should have the same care one of another 1. Cor. 12. 25. 2. In power dignity authority wealth c. Both in the Church and in the world some believers in Christ exceed others Among many meane Christians some are noble in birth and dignity among many Christian subjects there are some soveraigne Kings and Princes that are Christians among many illiterate believers there are some learned believers In which thing God hath admirably ordered that as there should be some nobles some Princes some learned among his people that they may help defend his Church so there are not many nobles not many mighty not many wise after the flesh that the support and raising of his Church may appeare not to be by an arme of flesh not by might but by his spirit that no flesh should glory in his presence 1. Cor. 1. 26 29. If wee compare them with others they are but little I meane in dignity secular honour power strength among men Except a David or a Constantine and some other christian Kings how few of Gods people have injoyed any eminent degree of worldy glory the triumphant Cōquerors the mighty Monarchs of the world have been most of them Infidels The Almighty that intends a better inheritance for his Saints even a kingdome that cannot be shaken Heb. 12. 28. bestowes not on them the great Monarchies Dominions and dignities of this world which are meaner gifts And accordingly the world makes small account of beleivers as if they were but contemptible persons For the men of this world have eyes of flesh and fleshly minds they magnify and admire the world and the pompe thereof sumptuous palaces gorgeous attire great command great observance and attendance But the worth of spirituall excellencies the glorious priviledges and endowments of Gods sons they know not even as Christ was unknowne in the world so are his members 1. Iohn 3. 1 2. Lastly those that believe in Christ are little in their owne eyes that is humble which it's likely was chiefly here meant by our Saviour For to this Christ specially applyes the Embleme of a little child Math. 18. 4. And in this sense Saul is said to have been little in his own eyes 1. Sam. 15. 17. Thus certainly are all the Saints David was as great in the eye of others as any man in the world in his age yet he was not so great in the eyes of others but he was as small in his owne Who am
them whom hee loves so dearely accounts so neare to him Doubtlesse what was said of the Iewes Zech. 2. 8. Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye is truely verified of all true beleivers hee that toucheth them toucheth the apple if I may so speake of Gods eye which he will not let passe unrevenged 2. The sinne of scandalizing beleivers in Christ as it is against those whom Christ loves and are neare and deare to him so it tends directly to the overthrow of Christs kingdome For to what end are they persecuted for the faith and service of Christ to what end are they tempted to sinne harmed in their consciences but that they may be alienated from Christ withdrawen from subjection to him hindred in his service Sauls persecuting of David is construed as if hee had bid him goe serve other Gods they have driven me saith David out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying goe serve other Gods 1. Sam. 26. 19. Nor can it be otherwise interpreted but that they which scandalize little ones that beleive in Christ for their faith and obedience sake doe as good as say beleive not obey not Christ. Now all such cannot but fall heavily under the wrath of God and of Christ Iesus the universall Iudge What he said Luk. 19. 27. will be verified of them As for those mine enemies that would not that I should raigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me For loe thine enemies O Lord Loe thine enemies shall perish and all the workers of iniquity shall bee scattered Psal. 92. 9. 3. As it tends to the overthrow of Christs kingdome so especially in the last sorts of scandalizing it ariseth out of hatred of Christ his people kingdome and Gospell which shewes a most wicked heart and causeth intollerable provocation to anger 4. In the practise of this sinne especially by persecution what are scandalizers but as Satans hands to execute what hee instigates them to Our Saviour in his Epistle to the Church of Smyrna Revel 2. 10. tells that Church that the Divell should cast some of them into prison that they might bee tryed and they should have tribulation ten dayes Are wee to thinke that the Divell did in his owne person lay hands on any of the beleivers of that Church and by might hale them to prison as Saul intended to doe at Damascus Nay wee find no record for any such thing nor is it agreeable to the course of Gods providence whereby hee rules the world But rather we are to thinke that the Divell is said to cast them into prison because he excited the Infidell rulers of those times to doe it who therein tooke on them the person of the Divell as Iudas did when he betrayed Christ and Peter though in another manner when hee disswaded Christ from his willingnesse to suffer Now that which is promoted by Satan who is the Father of all evill and the grand enemy of Christ cannot but bee most odious to him and procure his wrath specially when men suffer themselves to be made Satans professed Agents and servants to doe his will For application of this truth 1. wee may hereby perceive the tender care which Christ hath over his people He takes their scandals as if he himselfe were scandalized their injuries as his owne injuries the persecuting of them as the persecuting of himselfe which hee will not suffer to escape unpunished Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of the Saints saith the Psalmist Psal. 116. 15. Their lives are pretious and their death is pretious I may adde even their reproaches their injuries their false accusations their scandalls are pretious not sold for nought nor valued as no losse Albeit sometimes it may seeme so yet it is not in truth so as the Psalmist complaines Psal. 44. 12. Thou sellest thy people for nought and dost not increase by their price Nay rather their haires are numbred Luke 12. 7. Hee that valewes sparrowes doth not account his childrē as nought worth doubtlesse the meanest of his Saints hath his teares bottled and his flittings numbred and all his injuries booked Psal. 56. 8. And that to some end even that they may be recompensed in them revenged on their adversaries A great Cordiall this should be to Christs little ones to persist in the faith notwithstanding their scandalls sith this light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for them a farre more exceeding eternall weight of glory 2. Cor. 4. 17. And as it hath been some content to some spirits dying that they knew their death should not be unrevenged so it may bee a comfort to beleivers that their persecutions shall be required hee will doe right to them justice on their enemies 2. It should further direct us when wee are scandalized to commit our cause to God to our Lord Christ. Thus did Zechariah when they stoned him with stones hee said The Lord looke upon it and require it 2. Chr 24. 22. And thus did our Lord Christ 1. Pet. 2. 23. when he suffered he threatned not but committed himselfe to him that judgeth righteously So should we else wee intrence on Gods prerogative who hath said vengeance is mine and I will repay Rom 12. 19. wee disadvantage our selves by hindering the recompence of our patience wee marre our cause by making it evill which otherwise would be good wee harme our selves by moving God to anger for our miscarriage It s our wisdome to forbeare avenging our selvs else we shall shew that we remember not Christs love to us nor trust his care over us 3. From hence scandalizers may take the right measure of their sinne and the greatnesse of their punishment They thinke commonly when they persecute beleivers godly preachers faithfull christians they doe but speake against and vexe and oppose a company of peevish precise silly weak folke Thus did Paul imagine when he persecuted the Church of God But Christ told him otherwise I am Iesus whom thou persecutest Acts. 9. 5. And so doe all that are moved by the same spirit and walke the same way For wherefore are beleivers hated Is it not for their constancy in the faith their profession of the truth their zeale to Christs kingdome their obedience to his precepts The scandalizing of them then can bee no other but an offence of Christ. There may bee some that may thinke they love Christ and yet scandalize his little ones But this cannot bee the love of Christ and of the brethren goe together as S. Iohn strongly proves in his first Epistle Know then that scandalizing of Christs members is no lesse then the offending of Christ and will be punished as if his person were directly struck at Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousands of his Saints to execute Iudgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds and of all their hard speeches which ungodly