The Reexamination of Two of the Articles Abridged, Part 3
A passage of Master William Covvper pretended bishop of Gallovvay, his sermon delivered before the Estates, anno 1606. at which time hee was Minister at Perth. On 2 Corinth. 6.3.4.
AS to the giving of offences, our Saviour hath forewarned us, that there will bee offences, but he hath pronounced a fearfull wo upon them by whom offences come, It were better, sayeth our Saviour, that a milestone were put about his neck and hee cast in the midst of the sea. And by the law of Moses hee was accursed, that laid a stumbling block before the blinde. The equitie of that law yet remaineth under the gospel, binding the Christian, that no man put an occasion to fall, or a stumbling block before his brethren, but most of al a Christian preacher, his office is to edifie others in the most holy faith, and to strengthen the brethren, hee being converted himself. It should therefore be far from him, to give any that are weak an occasion to stumble and fall: generally hee may do it by his evill life, for hardly can weak ones believe that the religion is good, where the life is evill: yea, by it they take occasion to blaspheme the truth of God, and to speake evil of his name. A preacher is compared by our Saviour to a candle, to shine to others; and againe, to the salt of the earth, that should season others. A candle once lighted, if it dieth out, smelleth worse then if it had never beene lighted, and salt that is made by concoction of salt matters, if againe it returne into water, becometh more unsavorie, and unpleasant to the taste then any other water: so, a preacher once separate by God, chosen out from the world, & entered into a holy calling, if again he return to be a worldling, if in his life he become profane, and suffer the light that is in him become darknesse, falling away from his first love, of all the men in the world hee becometh the greatest offence, and the latter end of that man shall bee worse then his beginning. These are the words I spake the last time, wherewith yee were offended, and now I repeat them, that others may see no cause of offence is in them. More specially a preacher giveth offence, by doing any of these two things: First, when a preacher of greater gifts and knowledge, howsoever hee do it of a good intention, draweth on a weaker brother to follow him in a cause wherein hee hath not a warrant from God. A notable example whereof we have 2 King. 13. where a prophet of Iuda being sent to Bethel, to denounce the judgements of God against Ieroboam, for his idolatrie, was commanded neither to eat nor drink in Bethel. Ieroboam could not beguile him, for hee gave the king this answere, If thou would give me the half of thy house, I wold not goin with thee, nor eat bread; nor drink water in this place, for so I was charged by the word of the Lord. But an old prophet deceived him, saying, I am also a prophet as well as thou art, and an angel of God commanded me to bring thee into my house, and cause thee eat bread. Thus the authoritie, the age, the pretended light of an other prophet draweth either prophets in an evill course, whereunto otherwise they would not bee easily induced. Heereby wee that are of meane gifts in the ministrie are admonished, never to depart from that immediat warrant of doingin our calling: we have of the word of God, for any mediat warrant brought out of the promptuarie of mans wit, suppose it were covered with never so fair pretences: yea suppose an angel would come from heaven, and bring an other doctrine then that which is delivered us in the word, wee are not to credite him, far lesse an earthly man that speaketh, but contrariwise to hold him accursed.
The other thing wherein the preacher may give offence, is, if hee alter or change in any point of his calling, either in doctrine or discipline, departing from that which once hee maintained. This rule is given us by the apostle, Gal. 2.18. If I build again these things I have destroyed, I make my self a transgressour. This is a rule by which ye can not refuse to be tried, and which necessarly binds you to stand to that truth of doctrine and discipline yee have once embraced, unlesse yee would be found trespassers, and such as give just cause of offence that our ministrie should bee reprehended. If ye have any new light ye had not before, communicat to other brethren, that we also may follow you. If not, I beseech you walk not in that course, wherein the light of GOD doth not allow you.
FINIS.
End of the text · David Calderwood, The Reexamination of Two of the Articles Abridged (1636)