Observations Divine and Moral, Chapter 45
CHAP. XLV. Of Offences.
IT must needs be (considering mans frailty,Math. 18. Sathans mallice, and Gods providence) that offences come, sayth Christ our Lord: but w… be to the person by whom they come. Wo be to him, first, that gives offence; next, to him that takes it, where he should not: as the same our Lord teacheth els where, saying, Blessed is he, Math. 11.whosoever shall not be offended in me: that is, who takes not occasion of stumbling, to hinder himself in the way of godlynes, eyther at my person, or doctrine, or works, or followers; or at the persequutions, and contradictions raysed against me, and myne, by myne, and their adversaries. And considering how many such like stumbling stones are in the narrow way of Christ, which leads unto life; he is a happy man indeed, that hath eyther power to remove them, or wisdom to decline from them, or nimblenes of grace to leap over them.
Offence may be given, where none is taken; as in such evill actions, as whereby others may or might be, but areMath. 15. not provoked to evill; and so Peter was an offence, or scandall to Christ: Or offence may be taken, where none isEsay 8. 1 Pet. 2. given; and so Christ, and the gospell were a stone of stumbling, and rock of offence to both the houses of Israel; and so are many good, and lawfull things, yea necessarie also, to many now. Offence also may both be given, and taken in the same action: and that eyther in things simply evill; as when one provokes, and an other is provoked to evill, by false doctrine, corrupt counsayl, ill example, or the like: or in things of indifferent nature, but unseasonably used, to the effectuall hindrance of others, in the way of godlynes. In such cases, as I last mentioned, offence is given through want of charitie; and taken through want, or weaknes of fayth in the particular.Rom. 14.
God would have us walk in fayth towards him, and love 1 Corin. 13.towards men: that so doing we may neyther offend God, nor men. But these two, which the Lord hath joyned together, Sathan would not onelyonly disjoyn in many, but so oppose, as eyther may oppresse, or destroy other. Hence some are so strong in fayth, and zealous for faythfulnes towards God, as they are lifted up above charitie towards men; not considering how they ought to receav the weak, Rom. 14.and bear, and forbear them, yea apply unto them in many things, and drive according to their pace, as fearing to offend one of those litle ones. And though we may do nothing simply evill to please men; (for that were to prefer them before God) nor betray the truth to gratifie them; (so better Austin. Bernard.scandall arise, then truth forsaken) yet are we not onelyonly to do, or leav undone things of indifferent nature, wherein we have libertie, for the preventing of offence, and so toMath. 17. Iohn 16. Math. 9. depart from our own right: but withall, both to do divers things, which out of the case of offence were sin, as Paul circumcised Timothy; and for a time also to forbear both the publishing, and practising of some truth, to the which in time we do ow testimony both wayes. Others, on the contrarie, are so full of charitie towards men, and fear of offending them, as that for, and sometimes under pretence thereof, they will both adventure to do many things, which God plainly enough forbids; and neglect the practise of other things commanded them, and all Christs disciples, in his gospell. Many pretend the weaknes of others, where, in truth, they shew their own weaknes; others, that they would do such and such things, (to which indeed both conscience of God, and duty to men bindes them) but for offence. And what is this offence many times? Surely oftens nothing els but the waspishnes of some peevish and imperious persons caryed against others with hatred, or contempt, or envy, or divers of those passions. But this is not to respect the weak in fayth, but the strong in passion.
To be offended at good things in men (which is the propertie Tertul.of an evill minde) is to be offended at God in men: To be offended at things indifferent, is to be offended, as it were, at men in men: But to be offended at evill in men in due manner, and measure, is to be offended at the divell in men. In this last case no man should think much at due opposition, and reproof, seeing it is not properly against him, but against Sathan in him.
Readines to take offence, and exception at, and against other men in their faylings, shews eyther weaknes of understanding in the offended, when they discern not eyther of mens temptations, under which they lye; or what they may and ought to bear in their brethren: Or it shews pride which makes men eyther out of envy apt to bark at others upon every small occasion; or to despise them in their wants and weaknesses, through over-valuation of their own excellencie; whereas, on the contrarie; they should support them, that they sinck not under the burden of their infirmities: or els it comes from hypocrisy, out of which many seek to cover both from other mens eyes, & from their own also, their proper beam-like corruptionsMath. 7. by quarreling at the moats in their brothers eye. I never knew any more forward to take offence; then such as were most apt to give it: nor any more hardly brought to bear with saylings at the hands of others; then such as stood in greatest need to have both God, and men to bear with no small things amisse in themselves. Oh hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own ey: and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the moat out of thy brothers ey.
None should plead his own offence against a thing, but his reason; nor say, this should not be done, because it offends me: but it offends me, because it should not be done, being contrary to the word of God. To say to another, do not this because it offends God, shews love to God: and, do not this, because it offends others, love to men: But to say, do it not, because it offends me (without rendring further reason against it) is from playn self-love; and is an absurd, and insolent request, and motion. All should take care not to offend one another: but none should look much not to be offended by others: for that is to nourish weaknes in himself, and to provide trouble, and disquietnes for himself before hand.