The Christian Armory, Book 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of those temptations, scandals, and offences that are by tyrants, wicked men, Heretickes, Apostates, Schismatickes, prophane Protestants, false Brethren, and by the manifest abuse of the law, and Ecclesiasticall discipline, accidentally occasioned, or obiected outwardly vntounto vsus.
Question.
WHat signifieth this word scandall or offence?
A. It is a borrowed speech, & properly signifieth a blocke or stone laid in a mans way,Mat. 18.7.8. at which he stumbleth.
Q. What is it?
A. It is any cause or occasion of grief or offence, whether in word or deed, example, or counsell, whereby a man is hurt or hindered in the course of godlines, or whereby he is hardned, and confirmed in euill.
Q. Why doth God permit it?
A. First, to trie and proue his people whether they will by any occasionall matter obiected in their way, be reuoked from his louelove and obedience.
Secondly,1 Cor. 11.19. to manifest lewd minded men and reprobates, who are ready to take any occasion of stumbling, sinning, and erring.
Q. What are the kinds of it?
A. Two, Active, (or that which is giuen) Passiue, (or that which is taken.)
Q. What is a scandall giuen?
A. Any euill doctrine, word, or work, that is contrary to the louelove of God and our neighbour, whereby the godly are grieued, the weake drawne to sinne & errour, and prophane men confirmed & hardened in their licentious courses.
Q. Of how many kinds and sorts is it?
A. Of fower kinds:Apoc 6.13. Apoc. 12.4. First, when weake consciences are by false doctrine, and the falling away of men from the truth, withdrawne from the simplicity & sincerity of the Gospell of Iesus Christ.
Secondly, when holy and innocent men are defaced.
Thirdly, when men are offended by ill examples, especially of the professors of orthodoxe religion.
Lastly, when by the abuse, or the vntimely, or vnseasonable vse of their liberty, men driue the weake from christianity.
Q. What vse are we to make of scandals giuen?
A. First, in this generall corruption and wickednes of men,Luk. 17.1.2. we are to looke for nothing else, but we must arme our selues against it.
Secondly, let vsus beware, that neither through pride, vnseasonablenes, or any preposterous word or déede, wee bee an offence to others, lest wee bring a woe vponupon our owne selues.
Lastly, let vsus by our words, works, and behauiour, endeauour to draw others to follow vsus in vertue and holines. Phil. 2.14. & 15.
Q. How shall good Christians arme themselues against, and preserue themselues from the gangrene, poison, and pestilence of false and damnable Doctrine?
A. First,1. Cor. 11.29. by remembring that false teachers must of necessity arise, and false doctrine be broached, that they that are approued may be known: but woe be to the authors of it: Luk. 17.1.2.
Secondly, by considering, that this smoake of the bottomlesse pit doth onelyonly blind their eyes,Apoc. 9.2. 2. Thes. 2.10. who despise prophecying, and will not walke and delight themselues in the cleare light of the sacred Scriptures.
Thirdly, they must note that the true sheepe will not follow a stranger,Ioh. 10.5. & 27. 2 Epist. Ioh. v. 10. & 11. (i. one that bringeth strange and false doctrine) but they will …ee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers, neither will they bid God spéed to such: but they heare the voice of Christ & follow him: for he hath the words of eternall life, and to whome should they goe besides? Ioh. 6.68.
Lastly, that it being none of Gods plant shall (at length) be rooted out,Mat. 15 13 and the clouds of it shall bee wholy dispersed when the Sunne-shine of the Gospell breaketh out.
Q. What duties are wee to practise herein?
A. First, seeing that false doctrine is most dangerous and damnable, putting out the sight of our spirituall eyes, and infecting the affections of our harts, we must so much the more beware of it: and for our direction herein heare Christ, watch dayly at his gates,Pro. 8.33. and giuegive attendance at the post of his dores, that we may know Gods wil,2 Pet. 3.18. & grow & increase in the knowledge and obedience of it.
Secondly, it standeth vsus much vponupon to shunne the company of false teachers and seducers, lest by their doctrine, disswasion, and ill example, wee be tainted and corrupted: for why should sheepe conuerse with Foxes, and Lambs with Wolues?
Lastly, we must hold fast that which wee hauehave learned,Apoc. 3.3. Rom. 16.17. & 18. and confirme it by daily hearing and reading of the holy scriptures; but as for those that are false teachers, which cause diuision and offence, contrary to the truth, and by faire words deceiue the hearts of the simple; let vsus marke them diligently, and auoide them.
Q. How shall weake Christians arme and resolue themselues against a generall declination and apostasie from the Gospel of Christ?
A. First, the wicked and prophane are the greatest in number, they know not the law of God and are accursed, and therefore we may not in matter of Religion make their example a rule & warrant of our faith and practise.
Secondly, they that reuolt from the professed truth,1. Ioh. 2.19 and from the communion of Gods saints, are those that are none of the Catholicke Church, for then they would hauehave continued in it, and they are such whose names were neuer written in the booke of life.Apoc. 13.18. They are chaffe by the fanne of affliction …euered from the good Corne: they are like the prodigal Child that would néeds depart from his Fathers house,Luk. 15.13.14. where he liued blessedly; but yet they with him neuer reuert, nor repent; and they are spunges that being pressed with tribulation, soone lose and let goe all the water of Gods grace, which they (in some sort) had, or (at least) seemed to hauehave.
Thirdly, these that thus fall away from the soundnesse and sincerity of truth, are such that either did neuer content themselues wi…h the simplicity of Gods word, but did, and doe mingle it with the poison of humane Traditions, or else did neuer receiue the louelove of the truth.
Fourthly, most of them were (peraduenture) neuer rightly informed in the knowledge of the truth, much lesse conuinced of the soundnesse of it in their consciences, no maruell then that they fall from that they neuer knew, and had no other ground for it, but the command of Princes, and the example of others.
Lastly,Apoc. 13 8 this Apostasie from faith and sound doctrine both in the raigne of Antichrist and that which shall be towards the end of the world,Luk. 18.8. was long sithence foretold by Christ and his Apostles, and therefore we are the lesse to be offended at it.
Q. What duties must wee in such an Apostasie performe (for our preseruation) and the cure of others?
A. First, we must attend diligently to the blessed ministry of Gods word (for it is a lanterne to our feet and a light to our pathes,2. Pet. 1.19 without which wee shall stumble in the darke, and shall not know whither to goe) and we must liue, louelove, and obey it.Mat. 7.25. They that heare Gods word, and doe it, are the wise men who build vponupon the rocke.
Secondly, we must (if we can) separate our selues from the common infection, or at least mourning for our hard hap, get vsus the preseruatiue of faith and a good conscience.
Thirdly, Christian magistrates must maintaine the truth, and banish error and false Teachers (if they can.) And all faithfull Ministers must by the word of truth refute all infectious doctrine, and exhort them earnestly to be constant in the profession and louelove of sound and sincere instruction; and they must more labour by the preseruatiue of wholsome doctrine, to preserue the sound from the pestilence of error, then to cure the infected, which are (commonly and for the most part) vncurable.
Lastly, we must beware of the beginnings of Apostasie, for, nemo repente fit turpissimus.
Q. What comforts and preseruatiues are there against the scandall of false and vniust excommunication?
A. First, it is oftentimes incident to Gods children thus to be dealt withall.Iohn 9.35 Iohn 9.35. and 16.2.
Secondly, if the Pope and his adherents excommunicate vsus, we must note that they are hereticks, idolaters, and no true members of a true visible Church, and therefore their excommunication i… but like a Fencers flourishing, or rather like a leaden dagger, and cannot hurt vsus. For the keyes of discipline and doctrine, and the eccle…iastical censures, are proper to the true Church of Christ, whereof they are no parts nor members.
Lastly, if any Gouernor, officer, or Elders of the true visible Church, vniustly excommunicate any of Gods children, they are so farre from excommunica…ing them from the fauour of God, from the kingdome of heauen, or from being true members of the Church, that they (as an antient Father writeth) excommunicate themselues; wherefore let vsus endeuour to be holy, innocent, and inoffensiue, and then we hauehave no néed to feare any false or abused excommunication.
Q. What if wee in the country or kingd…me where we dwell, see the poore oppressed, and innocency defaced, how shall wee then keepe and preserue our selues from being scandalized?
A. First, if we sée in a country the oppression of the poore, and the defrauding of iustice,Eccles. 5.7. we must not be astonied at the matter, for the highest séeth and regardeth it.
Secondly, if we looke for a Church or State without spot & taint of error and iniustice,Eph. 5.27. we must seek it in …eauen only, where all things are established in an absolute and eternall order and perfection; or else we must get vsus into Mauqsun, or Sir Thomas More his Vtopia, Face…è.where we shall finde such a state and policie.
Thirdly, in this distresse wee must hauehave recourse vntounto the magistrate his helpe, and when one faileth or neglecteth vsus, we must séeke to another.
Lastly, if we sée all outward meanes to faile,Luk. 18.7.8 we ought to call and cry day and night vntounto our God, we must make him our iudge and reuenger, and wait vponupon him vntill he right vsus, and then (though hee seeme to vse long patience towards our aduersaries) he will auenge vsus and that quickly.2. Pet. … 7.
Q. Why doth God so sharpely censure, and so roughly handle his iust and innocent children?
A. First, no man is innocent before God, for there is no man that sinneth not; if God straitely marke mans) iniquity, who shall stand? and no flesh (by his owne workes) can be iustified in Gods sight,1 King. 8.46. Psal. 130.3. Psal. 143.2. so that the all-piercing eye of the almighty, that is tenne thousand times brighter then the sunne, and clearer then crystall, can (if it please him) find sufficient matter to condemn them in their begunne iustice and innocency: wherefore we must not thinke them to be altogether vncorrupt in this wicked world, as the fish that liue in the salt sea, their own element,Dissimile. nothing sauour of the saltnes of it: but that they (in part) are tainted with the worlds corruption.
Secondly, God will not hauehave his children peruerted with the worlds sinnes, much lesse perish with them,1. Cor. 11.31. and therfore hee doth thus seuerely, and that sundry times, scourge and chastice them, for he would hauehave them with this salt water of trouble, to wash out the spots of sinne.
Thirdly, man is no equall Iudge of mens sinnes, and so of their afflictions, but wee must reserue the censure and iudgement hereof to God onelyonly, for hee onelyonly eyeth mans secret sinnes, and can and doth righteously censure and punish them, but man is so farre from finding out the number and nature of secret sinnes, that hee in the cloudy myst of his owne ignorance can hardly discerne the quality and desert of notorious offences, and those that are already brought to light: but onelyonly taketh notice of certaine outward tracks, impressions, and actions. And therefore wee must not thus without cause complaine, nor picke quarrels with God Almighty.
Lastly, God would hereby affright the wicked,1 Pet. 4.17 18. if not reforme them; for if iudgement begin at the house of God, what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell? and if the righteous bee scarsely saued, where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare?
Q. What vse are we to make of Gods proceedings herein?
A. We blind sinners must not take vponupon vsus to iudge of the guilt, and to determine of the circumstances of mens sinnes, and of their estate before God; but we must referre the iudgement hereof to Gods all-séeing eye, and to his sincere iustice.
Secondly, in such hidden and intricate causes and cases, that are vnknowne vntounto vsus, wee must shut our mouthes and suspend our iudgementes;Rom. 14.4. for who are we that condemne an other mans seruant? for he standeth or falleth to his owne master.
Lastly, if God seem to deale extreamly with vsus, we our selues then must s… the remouall of this imputation,Lam. 3.39.40.41. search… sift into our owne wayes, and call t… our remembrance, what duties commaunded we hauehave omitted, and what euill things forbidden we hauehave committed;Psal. 130.3 and how that God in his strict iustice might condemne vsus for the least offence, and then wee shall admire God; patience that hée handleth vsus so gently, and doth in his bottomlesse mercy passe by and pardon so many imperfections and offences in vsus.
Q. But forward men in religion, and many noted professors by their loose life and practises of iniustice, offend many simple hearted men, and weake, yet well affected Christians; what preseruatiue is now to be vsed?
A. The due meditation and practise of these Canons and conclusions following, as namely;
First, many professors are not so bad as the world would make them, a mole hill in them is made a mountaine, and a moat is made a beame, their infirmities, like spots in white paper, or fine linnen, are soone espied and noted: but prophane people are not obserued, and their grosse sinnes are silenced and suppressed.
Secondly, if any, or many, vnderunder the cloake, and maske of zeale, labour to couer their practises of deceit, couetousnes and iniustice, &c we must know that the visible Church of Christ is compared to a field,Math. 13. wherein is not onelyonly wheate but tares; to a garden, wherin are both good herbes, and also wéeds; and to an house wherein are not only vessels of gold, and siluer, but also of wood and earth; and therefore if wee looke that all professors should be without fault or infirmity,2. Tim. 2.20. and all should be good and none euil; we must looke for them in heauen onelyonly, and not in earth, where are more euill, then good men.
Thirdly, the diseases and sins of the soule are not contagious as those of the body are; for the soule is not infected▪ vnlesse it giuegive a consent and allowance to other mens sinnes; and therefore let vsus keepe our selues frée from their sins, and then we néede not to bee scandalized at their euill dealings which wee cannot helpe.
Gal. 6.4. Ezech. 18.20.Lastly, eueryevery man must beare his owne burden, and answere for his own sinnes; and therefore let vsus rather correct our owne sinnes then be scandalized at other mens faults: and let vsus striue to bee perfect in an euill generation.
Q. What practises are necessary in such a case?
A. First, we must beware that wee doe not without cause,Rom. 2.1.2.3. censure, and condemne such; and if we find them faulty, and hereupon reproue them, that we bée not as bad and worse our selues.
Secondly, if many vary much from their sacred profession, and bee workers of iniquity, (for the preuention of this offence) wee must know that we are to walke rather by rule then by example, & rather by the Canon of Gods word, then by custome.
Lastly, it is our duty to reproue, pitty and pray for such offensiue professors.
Q. How shall poore and weake christians confirme themselues in the faith, or preserue themselues from defection, when many noted and notable persons that seemed pillars, reuolt from the sincere truth of Religion?
A. First, they that fall away from the substance of true religion, and forsake the assemblies and fellowship of the Saints in the vse of the word, prayer and Sacraments, were neuer well rooted in it: …or had they beene, no wind or tempest could hauehave ouerturned them; they were onelyonly Meteors or blazing starres soon extinct, but not true starres, for then they had continued in their firmament, and no night of afflictions could hauehave put them out; for if they had béen of the Church, they would hauehave continued in it. 1. Joh. 2.19. Apoc. 13.8.
Secondly,2 The. 2.10. they neuer receiued the louelove of the truth, and were neuer soundly grounded in the principles of Christian faith▪ and therefore they were apt to be seduced with the poi…on and efficacy of errour. For as the fire burneth nothing but that which is combustible, and apt to bee consumed: so heresie infecteth none but such as neglect the means of knowledge, or that denie the power of godlinesse in their hearts and liues.
Lastly, God will by their reuolting take an occasion the more iustly to damn them, and to trie, and make known the constancy of his children, who neuer doe wholy, or finally fall away from faith.
Q. What duties are wee to performe to preuent an apostasie in our selues?
A. First, because eminent persons by their fall like oakes beare downe all things that lie in their way; let vsus beware of their company and communication.
Secondly, let vsus beware of the beginning and occasion of Apostasie: and for our direction herein, pray for the spirite of reuelation and strength, and in no wise neglect the ministerie of the word & sacraments.
Q▪ But how shall a nouice & a weake Christian perswade himselfe of the truth of his sincere profession, when hee seeth and heareth that sundry learned men die in defence of Idolatry and Popery?
A. First, no Heretickes (though they dy in defence of errors) are martyrs, but all Papists are heretikes: for the obstinate maintaining of iustification by works, inuocation and adoration of Saints and Angels, worshipping of images, and especially of their breaden God, denying the sufficiency of the canonicall Scriptures, are so many heresies; Ergo, Iesuites, Seminaries, and popish Priests, that are put to death by the Christian magistrate, are no martyrs.
Secondly,Cypr. Apoc. 14 13 Non poena sed causa facit Martyrem, they that b…are the Crosse, and follow not Christ, are no Martyres of his: and therefore most damnable is the condition of Iesuites, Seminaries, who die for treason, and not for truth: and not for testimony of a good conscience, but for the wilfull trangression of Christian Lawes.
Thirdly, their suffering is of no account before God,1. Cor. 13.3 for they want charirity: which appeaeth in this that they are vtter opposites and aduersaries to the Gospel of Christ and the sound professors of it.
Fourthly, they being no true members of the Church of Christ, but rather incurable persecutors of it, and being slaine out of the Church, doe not winne the crowne of their faith, but the reward o… their felly.
Lastly, true Martyrs ascribe all the glory of their redemption and saluation to Gods mercy in Christ onelyonly; but popish martyrs glory in their owne works (though neuer so vile & vnperfect) & they make them exp…atory for sinne, and to me …t saluation.
Q What vse are we to make hereof?
A First, wee must distinguish and rightly iudge betwéene true martyrs and false ones, which wee shall be enabled to doe by obseruing these rules following. First, true martyrs die in defence of the substance of pure religion: but false martyrs suffer and die in defence of error heresie, and idolatry.
Secondly, true martyrs at their execution shew sorth singular patience in their words, testimony, behauiour; but false martyrs either are outragious and impatient, or (at least) by Art doe stupifie and dead their flesh, that it may become insensible of paine.
Thirdly, true Martyrs die holily, couragiously, ioyfully, without all feare and doubting of the truth of their cause, or of the certainty of saluation: but popish martyrs die (many times) irresolued and astonied.
Fourthly, true and Euangelical martyrs are holy, chaste, innocent, feruent in praier, and diligent in their ciuill and Christian callings: but the like cannot be verified of the popish martyrs.
Lastly, God at the death of true martyrs, hath sometimes wrought strange and wonderfull works, as to speake when their tongues hauehave béen cut aRomanus Bruno.out, and to be vntouched of the fire bIohn the Euangelist.albeit oile were put into it: but in the popish martyrs no such accidents hauehave fallen out.
Secondly, let vsus sée and be resolued by Gods word, that our cause is good, and for Christ; & then let vsus suffer as cōfidently, yea much more comfortably and happily, for the truth, then they for Antichrist and superstition, knowing that our end shall be blessed.
Q. When factions, diuisions, schismes, grow and preuaile in the Church, what are we to iudge of that Church, and how is a Christian then to arme himselfe?
A. First, wee must remember that where the truth (many times) most …lourisheth, there Satan laboureth to make rents and diuisions, and to sow tares amongst the good wheat.
Secondly, the Church of Corinth was a notable Apostolicall Church,1. Cor. 3.3, 4, 5, 6. and yet there were many factions in it.
Thirdly, wee must not separate our selues from such a Church, except it erre in the fundamentall points of faith and true religion; but we must herein comfort our selues, that this schisme is without heresie.
Fourthly, as long as there is error in iudgement and péeuishnes in affection, wee must looke for nothing else but schisme.
Fifthly, schismatikes that depart from the communion of the faithfull, and from the participation of the body and bloud of Christ, indanger their owne soules.
Lastly, God permitteth diuisions, factions, and schismes in the Church, that the faith and louelove of his children might be tried;1. Cor. 11.3 now their faith is tried, whiles they stumble not, nor suffer themselues to be seduced: and their louelove and charity is tried in admonishing them that are the authors and occasioners of these sidings, schismes, diuisions.
Q. What vse are we to make hereof?
A. If wee be men in authority, wee must betimes striue to roote out, and remoue out of the Church whatsoeuer may iustly minister an occasion heereof. Secondly, Ministers must by doctrine and writing note and confute those diligently, which cause diuision and offences, contrary to the doctrine which they hauehave receiued, and auoid them. Rom. 16.17.
Secondly, if wee be but priuate persons, we must beware of pride and selfe-conceitednes, lest we rashly condemne a true and notable visible Church for defects and imperfections in the doctrine and practise of discipline or Church policie, and so without sufficient cause make a rent from the same, and hereby disturbe the common peace; for we must not depart from it, vntill it depart from Christ.
Lastly, we must by praiers, sutes, supplications, teares, and amendment of life, labour to procure better reformation in Church and Commonwealth: and if we cannot attaine it when wee would, then let vsus in the meane be a discipline to our selues, and execute it amongst our families, and let vsus passing by the imperfections of a Church, bee thankfull for, and make vse of the good things of it; for it is better to endu…e an inconuenience and couer an infirmity, then by any publike opposition to make a rent in the Church.
Q. How shall a man comfort himselfe that liueth amongst euill, vnquiet, and irreligious neighbours, or what duties must he execute and performe?
A. First of all, hee that hath a good neighbour, hath (as we say) a good morrow: but an ill and vnquiet neighbour, is like a beare, a lion, a tiger, a viper; and therefore some euill, by reason of an ill neighbour: and herein we must learne either to win him, to endure him, or else (if we can conueniently) to get our selues far from him.
Secondly, if we would dwell néere no ill neighbours, we must get our selues into some wildernesse.
Mat. 7.2.3, 4, 5.Thirdly, we must beware lest we be as bad or worse our selues; for eueryevery man is a sharp censurer of others, but he is a p…rtiall Iudge of himselfe.
Fourthly, it may be that a man hath béen harsh and sharpe to his neighbour, and therefore he is iustly plagued with such an one himselfe.
Lastly, let vsus be innocent as dones, giuing no iust occasion of oftence vntounto him,Math. 10.17. but rather praying for him, and endeuouring to winne him by kind offices, but let vsus be wise as Serpents, to beware he doe no mischiefe against vsus.
Q. How must they arme and comfort themselues that are forsaken, beguiled, abused, and betrayed by their (reputed) friends?
A. First they must remember, that the world hath not wanted such euill examples, and pernicious presidents: was not the caitiffe Cain false and traiterous to his innocent brother Abel. Gen. 4. 2. Sam. 16.was not Achitophel perfidious and treacherous to Dauid, Ioab to Abner, & Amasa, yea and Iudas to our Lord and Sauiour? and the world sithens that time is nothing reformed, but rather generally worse.
Secondly, vnfaithfulnesse and true friendship are incompetible, and can neuer suite nor consort together, & therefore the losse of such fained and false hearted friends is rather to bee entertained wt laughter, thē with lamentatiō.
Thirdly, their falshood sheweth; that truth and integrity is good, contratiorum contraria est ratio.
Fourthly, such fawning, and yet failing, and faithlesse friends are infamous and loathed of all well disposed persons.
Lastly, such deceitfull friends more hurt themselues then them that trust them: for they onelyonly betray those that put affiance in them, but they vndoe themselues.
Q. What vse are we to make hereof?
A. First, wee must neuer put any confidence in men, who are lighter then vanity it selfe:Psal. 62. but trust onelyonly in the liuing Lord, who will neuer faile, nor forsake vsus.
Secondly, that ye more falsly, & Iudas-like others deale with vsus; let vsus (as becommeth Gods children) be so much the more whetted on to deale faithfully with others, and let our conscience be a l…w vntounto vsus.
La…tly, let vsus betimes distrust such, and by smal losses learn to preuent greater ones.
Q. How shall good and religious Princes, Peeres, and Potentates comfort themselues, that are grieued at, and troubled with disobedient and disloyall subiects and people?
A. Diuers wayes: as first, that the most rare and renowned kinges and princes, such as were Moses, Dauid, Salomon, and many in our late memory, (whereof our late Queen Elizabeth, our Deborah, our Hester, our Iudith, and of incomparable learning & vertues, was as the Moon amongst the lesser starres) had wofull experience.
Secondly, they that resist Gods deputies and vicegerents, procure to themselues destruction and damnation.
Thirdly, though their subiects and people vnderunder them may be stubborn and disobedient to them, (as they were to Dauid in the beginning of his raigne, and somtime afterwards) yet they may proue louing and loiall at the last, and therfore they are to hope well of them.
Q. What duties are such princes and rulers to performe?
A. They must seeke rather to be loued then feared, for whom the subiects onelyonly feare, him they hate.
Secondly, they must not so much look to find their people good, as to make thē good and if they doe shew all possible diligence herein, God will accept and prosper their studies and endeauours.
Lastly, that Ministers of Gods word must labour to perswade them to obedience, and if they cannot preuaile, the Magistrate must by the sword correct them (and when néed is,) cut them off, otherwise the sparing of the wolte is the death of the shéepe.
Q. How must subiects and people behaue themselues that are il entreated, & much oppressed by euill rulers and Magistrates?
Exod. 3 7. & 8.A. First, they must acknowledge (in generall) that God is iust, and that malo populo malus rex datu, and therefore they must bewaile their sinnes, the procuring cause thereof, and God will (in time) relieue them.
Secondly, the more euill their gouernors are,1 Pet. 2.13 14.15.16. the more innocent let the subiects he, that they may hauehave comfort in their suffrings, namely, when they are for true religion, and righteousnesse sake.
Thirdly, let them pray vntounto God, to turn their hearts, and to amend them: 1. Tim. 2.1.2.
Fourthly, let them obey them and their lawes so farre forth as they may with good conscience, that they minister no iust cause and occasion of offence vntounto them,Rom. 13.… and (if they be not incurably euill) they shall at length find them more mild and mercifull, for God hath their hearts in his hands.
Lastly, the subiects must note and remember well that the life and tyranny of their Regents shall not continue alwaies: for God will not suffer the scep…er of the wicked to rest vponupon the lot of the righ…eous,Psal. 125.3. lest that they (through violent courses) should stretch out their hands vntounto iniquity, and therefore they must preuent that by their wisedom, yea, and possesse it by hope & patience, which God and time will worke.
Q. How shall weake Christians bee strengthned that are scandalized, and are ready to be peruerted, either by ignorant, idle, or else by euill Ministers?
A. First, if they bee ignorant, and cannot teach, wee must seeke for instruction elsewhere, vnlesse wee would pine and sterue our soules.
Secondly, if they can teach well, and yet be lazie,Col. 4.17. and idle, and will not employ their talent, we must louingly (and yet earnestly) exhort them to more diligence in their calling, add giuegive them all good encouragement: and if we cannot this way preuaile, wee must complaine of them, and present them to lawfull authority that may compell them: but if authority fault herein, wee must pray God to amend them, and so leaue them vntounto him.
Thirdly, if the Ministers teach well, and diligently, and yet liue lewdly and vitiously, then they must know that God sends them such a scandalous Minister for their triall or punishment: and therefore wée must repent vsus of our peculiar sinnes, and waite the good time, vntil either God or his deputies remoue or reforme them. But touching their doctrine, seeing it is sound and good, we must heare and embrace that with all reuerence; we must (as our Lord willeth vsus) obserue what they bid vsus,Math 23.3 Luk. 12.47 but after their works wee must not doe, lest we with them knowing our Masters will, and doing it not, be beaten with many stripes.
Lastly, when the publicke and ordinarie meanes of saluation are wanting or defectiue, wee must entreat the Lord of the haruest to thrust forth more labourers, and (in the mean season) plie more often and earnestly the priuate means of reading, conference, and good examples at home.
Q How shall a Christian arme himselfe against the scandall that the weake take at the streame and inundation of sinne, and at the generall corruption in manners?
A. First,Math. 7.14 that the way that leadeth to life is narrow, and the gate straight, & few there be that find it, and therefore wee must not make the example of the multitude, or of the most, a certaine rule or warrant of his life and p…ctise.
Secondly,Ier. 5.4. the greatest sort of people are ignorant of Gods wayes, and strangers in the holy Scriptures, making custome a rule for conscience, and they more delight in vaine inuentions, then in the knowledge and obedience of the holy Gospell of Christ.
Thirdly,2 Tim 3.2.3.4.5. sinne hath abounded in all ages, and the greatest number of Christians hath béene in many places more licentious then religious, and more prophane then sincere, and the néerer the world groweth to his finall period and consummation, the more Atheisme and Libertinisme shall abound, for men shall generally giuegive themselues to surfetting,Luk 21.34 35. drunkennes and the cares of this life, men shal bee louers of themselues,2 Tim. 3.2.3.5. despisers of them that are good, louers of pleasures, more then louers of God; and though many hauehave a forme and profession of godlines,Luk. 18.8. yet they deny the power of it, so that when Christ commeth to iudgement, he shall hardly find faith vponupon the earth; and therefore he is the lesse to be offended hereat.
Fourthly, when there is a generall corruption in maners, then are the faithfull seruants of God most discerned, and their incorrupt sincerity is most eminēt; then they shew themselus pure & blamelesse, and without rebuke in the middest of a naughty & crooked nation, amongst whom they shine as lights in the world:Phil. 2.15. Noah is iust in his generation, Lot is righteous amongst the Sodomites: in very Pergamus where Satan had his throne, were many faithfull and stout Christians:Apoc. 2.13 Apoc. 3.4 and in Sardi, (that was in a manner dead before God) were a few names that had not defiled their garments.
Lastly,Eph. 5.15.16▪ the more lewd and licentious that the world is, the more wary and strict must wee bee in our conuersation, vnlesse we would perish with the world.