The Mischief and Misery of Scandals, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
The Neceſsitie of ſcandalous euents in Gods Church.
THe point we hauehave then firſt to handle is this. That there is a neceſsitie of ſcandalous euents in the Church of God. That ſcandalous euents, and offences ſhall aſſuredly and infallibly fall out amongſt thoſe that profeſſe the Name of Chriſt. It muſt bee, and it muſt needs bee that offences come. So, Luke 17. 1. It is impoſsible but that offences ſhould come. And as the Apoſtle ſpeakes of hereſies, and of offences giuen in that kinde, 1. Cor. 11. 19. There muſt be hereſies, ſo is it true of theſe kinds of offences which are giuen by ſinfull and foule actions, that there muſt bee ſcandals.
This Neceſſitie ariſes from a threefold ground:
1. From the decree and councell of God, and his ſecret, but moſt Iuſt Iudgement: for God that brought light out of darkneſſe, can bring good out of euill, and can worke out his glory euen from thoſe things which in their euents ſeeme to make exceedingly to the impeaching and obſcuring thereof. God can gather grapes of theſe thiſtles, and figs of theſe thornes, and therefore his pleaſure it is, and ſo will he hauehave it that ſuch thornes, and thiſtles ſhould grow, and come vp in his garden. His wayes are not as our wayes, nor his thoughts as our thoughts. Hee can make that which for the preſent, and in our eye and apprehenſion is for the great diſhonour and diſgrace of his Name and Truth, to turn at the laſt to the greater honour, and glorie of both. Hee by his permiſſiue decree orders all ſuch ſcandalous euents to worke together to bring him in a great, and a rich returne of glory. Therefore, Ezek. 3. 20. God is ſaid to lay a ſtumbling blocke before a man, And I lay a ſtumbling blocke before him. God hath decreed that there ſhall bee ſcandals. Not a Sparrow falls on the ground without our Father, Math. 10. 29. And therefore not a Profeſſour of his Name falls into ſcandal without him. And therefore God hauing decreed that ſcandals ſhall be, there is a neceſſitie of the euent, It is impoſſible but that there ſhould be offences. But yet this decree doth in no wiſe make God the authour of theſe euils, becauſe his decree hath no neceſſitating influence into the wils of men. It is a neceſſitie of infallibilitie, and certaintie of the euent, but not a conſtraining, forcing neceſſitie to make them to doe that which ſhall giuegive ſcandal. Scandals ſhall neceſſarily, that is infallibly come to paſſe, but yet ſuch as giuegive ſcandal, ſhall not bee forced and neceſſarily conſtrained by the decree of God to doe that they doe. They ſhall worke freely and voluntarily in that which they doe, or elſe it were iniuſtice in God to bring a woe vponupon him by whom an offence comes, if hee by a Superiour power from Heauen were forced and conſtrained to fall into ſcandal. What Gods holy ends are in that his Decree, wee ſhall ſee after in the opening of the next point.
2. From the malice of Sathan. The malice of the Deuill againſt Gods Truth, and Mans Saluation is exceeding great, and out of his malice againſt both, he endeuours nothing more then to make men ſinne. He goes about like a roaring Lion, ſeeking whome hee may deuoure. But yet though all bee fiſh that comes to his net, yet his ſpeciall malice is againſt thoſe of Gods Church, and thoſe therein that moſt zealouſly profeſſe his Name and Truth. He knowes that if he can but draw ſuch into his nets and ſnares, and make them fall into fowle and ſcandalous actions, this will in a great meaſure diſhonour God and his Goſpell, diſgrace Religion and Godlineſſe, and ſtartle ſuch as are but looking towardes God, and wonderfully harden ſuch in their ſinfull wayes that are not ſo forward in the zealous profeſſion of the Goſpell, and therefore of all others hee hath ſuch in his eye, and vſes all his power and policie toe nſnare and ſupplant ſuch more then a thouſand others. He had rather catch one fiſh then a thouſand frogs, rather fell one Cedar then a whole wood of ſhrubs. Satan ſees that the ſins and ſcandalous offences of ſuch will bee exceeding aduantageous to the aduancement of his kingdome, and will conduce to the ſtrengthening of his partie more then the falls of any other. Therefore hee ſets vponupon them with all his might and malice aboue others. Thou art, ſay they of Dauid, worth ten thouſand of vsus, And if the enemy had ſurprized Dauid, it had beene more aduantage to him then to hauehave ſurprized ten thouſand other Iſraelites. So Sathan reckons one zealous Profeſſour of Religion if he can but entrap him worth ten thouſand others for his turne. Such a mans fal would more blemiſh the Goſpell, and make men more ſtumble at Godlineſſe then if ten thouſand others ſhould do the like. Therefore liues hee by the King of Syria his principle, Fight neither againſt ſmall nor great, ſaue onelyonly againſt the King of Iſrael, for let the King of Iſrael fall, and ſmall and great fall with him. His policie therefore is to aime and leuell eſpecially at ſuch in whoſe fals hee may ruine many, and by whoſe ruines he may rayſe his owne kingdome. Other mens ſinnes worke nothing ſo much for his aduantage. aNumquid tam reprehenſibilis ebrietas Alamann… quam ebrietas Chriſtiani? aut tam damnabilis rapacitas Albani quam rapacitas Chriſtiani? ſi fallat Hunnus, vel Gepida, quid mirum eſt? ſi peieret Francus quid noni faceret? Salu. de prou. lib. 4.Who wonders or ſtaggers at it to ſee prophane and irreligious godleſſe perſons to bee vitious adulterers, to be brutiſh drunkards, to be artificiall deceiuers and defrauders. It is no new thing, they doe but their kinde. The wonder were, if they ſhould bee, or doe otherwiſe. But when a man that profeſſes Godlineſſe and Religion ſhall fall into any of theſe fowle courſes, how infinitely are thouſands ſtaggered and ſcandalized at it? How fowly is Religion and Godlineſſe blurred? How many are there who reſolutely determine neuer to meddle with ſuch Religion? And ſo the Deuill hath his end, hath what hee would hauehave.
Conſider to this end that example, 1. Cor. 5. 1. There is fornication amongſt you, and ſuch fornication as is not once named amongſt the Gentiles. Obſerue the horrible malice of Satan againſt the Church of God, and ſuch as are within it, bee they ſound, or hypocriticall profeſſours of the Goſpell. He labours to bring of them into fowler, and more notorious offenſiue euils, then the very heathens themſelues are guiltie of according to that, Ieremy 18. 13. Aske now amongſt the heathen who hath heard ſuch things. The Virgin of Iſrael hath done an horrible thing. At that time Chriſtians were called out from amōgſt the heathen, with whom they liued mingled together. Now the Deuill did what in him lay to keepe thoſe heathen from receiuing the Goſpell, and Chriſtian Religion, that by no meanes they might hearken to it. Now to bring this about what was Satans proiect? He layes about him to enſnare ſome one of the Chriſtian Corinthians, and to bring him into fowler fornication then was amongſt the heathen. This the Deuill effects, and what thinke wee followed vponupon it? Now hauehave the heathen occaſion to crie downe Chriſtian Religion, and to ſay, Behold theſe be your Chriſtians that talke ſo much of holineſſe, where did they euer ſee any of vsus whom they terme heathens to commit ſo fowle an act of Inceſt as to marrie his fathers wife. What are our Adulteries, and fornications they ſo much iudge vsus for to ſuch fowle vncleanneſſe as this? This is your Chriſtian Religion, and theſe bee your Saints forſooth, now God bleſſe vsus from ſuch a Religion, neuer will wee be of ſuch a Religion. How much better is it to be honeſt heathens, nay, Adulterous fornicating Pagans then Inceſtuous Chriſtians? And thus queſtionles was many a Pagan mouth opened, and many an heathen heart ſtumbled, yea, many an one that before might be in ſome doubt of the euil condition of paganiſme was by this ſcandal kept off from looking towards Chriſtian Religion. They liked not this Goſpell, and new doctrine of theſe Chriſtians. Such mens ſcandals therefore being of ſo great aduantage for Satans purpoſes, and hee being ſo ſedulous and induſtrious to ſeeke and take all aduantages for his owne turne, hence it is that it cannot bee but that offences come.
How wel did Satan foreſee what he ſhould gaine by Dauids Scandal? Could hee but get Dauid in, and bring him to commit Adulterie with Bathſheba, it would ſtrike a greater ſtroke on his ſide, and do him more ſeruice then if a thouſand ſuch as Doeg, Shimei, or Achitophel ſhould doe the like. How many men would thereby be ſtumbled at Dauids zealous profeſſion? How many hearts bee thereby hardened in their euill wayes? How many mens wayes be blockt vp for going to Heauen? How therefore in this caſe would, and did the Deuill put on to get Dauid downe, and to cauſe him to fall ſo fowly? The practiſes of the Carpocraſians, and the Gnoſtickes were ſtupendiouſly, and prodigiouſly filthy and impure. Neuer the like horrid Impurities practiſed or once heard of amongſt the moſt godleſſe heathen that euer were on the face of the earth.
The Apoſtle ſpeakes of the heathen, that it was a ſhame to ſpeake of thoſe things which they did in ſecret, but ſurely the moſt degenerate heathen that had put off nature, could not but think it a ſhame to ſpeake of thoſe things in ſecret which they did openly and familiarly, who tooke vponupon them the name and profeſſion of Chriſtians.
bQuod hominum genus ad Eccleſiae Dei probrum, & ſcandalum adornaſſe & ſubmiſiſſe Satanas videtur: quippe qui Chriſtianorum ſibi nomen indiderint, vt propter illos offenſae Gentes à ſanctae Dei Eccleſiae vtilitate abhorreant, nunciatamque veritatem ob immania illorum facinora, & incred…bilem nequitiam repudient, vt inquam frequentibus illorum ſceleribus animaduerſis, eos quo que qui è ſanctâ Dei Eccleſiâ ſunt, tales eſſe ſibi perſuadeant, at que ita à veriſſima Dei doctrina aures auertant, aut cer…e paucorum improbitate conſpectâ in vniuerſos eadem maledicta conijciant. At que ea demum cauſa eſt cur pleri que Gentilium vbicun que iſtius ſectae homines deprehenderint, nullam nobiſcum velint neque dati▪ acceptique, neque conſilij, neque audiendi diuini verbi ſocietatem coniungere, ac neaures quidem praebere ſuſtineant, vſque adeo neſarijs illorum flagitijs consternati ac deterriti ſunt. Ephiphan lib. 1. Haereſ. 27. Ad detrectationem diuini nominis & Eccleſiae à Satana praemiſſi ſunt, vti quae ſunt illorum audientes homines, & putantes omnes nos tales eſſe quertant aures ſuas à pr…co…i… veritatis. Iraen. lib. 1. cap. 24.Now what was the ayme of Satans malice in bringing thoſe Carpocraſians and Gnoſtickes tearming themſelues Chriſtians vntounto ſuch more then heatheniſh Impurities? Surely none other but this, that vponupon the ſight of their loathſome courſes the heathen might abhorre the Church of God, and might be ſo ſcandalized thereby that they might vtterly reiect the truth of God preached vntounto them. By their ſcandalous filthineſſe they tooke occaſion to rayle on Chriſtian Religion, and ſo to iudge all Chriſtians of the ſame ſtampe that they would not onelyonly none of their Religion, but no manner of dealing with them, no not in ciuill commerce. So ſtrongly by their ſcandalous lifes did Satan hedge and fence vp their way from comming into the Church, and vntounto Chriſt. With theſe thornes did the Deuill hedge vp their way from entring into the Church.
3. From the corruption, falſeneſſe, hypocriſie and deceitfulneſſe of mens hearts. There bee in the Church of God, and in the number of ſuch as profeſſe the Name of God, two ſorts of perſons.
1. Such as profeſſe his Name hypocritically, ſuch as make Religion but a maske and a cloake to hide and couer their rotten inſides, and take vponupon them the profeſſion of Religion for baſe and by-ends, onelyonly to aduance their credit, and their profit, as the Shechemites would bee circumciſed for ſheepe, oxen, and ſubſtance. Some put on a cQuanam ſunt iſtae pelles onium niſi nomini… Cbriſtiani extrinſecus ſuperficies? Tertull. de praeſcript. aduerſ. Haeret. Quae ſunt veſtimenta ouilia? ſpecies videlicet ſimulatae religionis, elcēmoſyna ſimulata, oratio ſimulata, ieiunium ſimulatum &c. Chryſ. oper. imperf. in Math. hom. 19.ſheeps clothing, but inwardly are rauening wolues. Now where Religion is thus perſonated, and men doe but act a part, corruption reſtrained will breake out at laſt. Yea, and God in his Iuſtice will vncaſe, and diſcouer ſuch by giuing them vp to fowle and notorious groſſe euils. Iudas vnderunder hope of ſome temporall preferments both profeſſed, and preached Chriſt, forſakes all, and followes him, and was as forward as the beſt of them. But becauſe all this was in hypocriſie, therefore his corruption held in for a time vnderunder this violent reſtraint at the laſt breakes fowly out, and becauſe hee fowly takes Gods Name in vaine, he is by diuine Iuſtice left to himſelfe, and falls into that fearefull ſcandal of betraying Chriſt. Obſerue that Matth. 7. 27. The houſe built vponupon the ſand fell, and the fall of it was great: When Hypocrites fall, they fall not the ordinary fals of other men, Great was the fall of it, They fall into great and hainous ſcandals. As Moſes ſpeakes of thoſe, Numb. 16. 29. If theſe men die the common death of all men, as eueryevery man dies, &c. So theſe men fall not the common fals of all men, not as eueryevery man fals, but when they fall their fall is great, with great and notorious ſcandall. Other men may fall on the ground, but they fall into the kennell, the puddle, into the very mire; The Sow that is waſhed to her wallowing in the myre. 2. Peter 2. 22. She lies not downe in the duſt, nor in the dirt, but in the myre, and not onelyonly lies downe, or fals downe into the myre, but wallowes in the myre, and ſo becomes all ouer fowle and filthy. It is ſo with Hypocrites, they ſo fall, as if a man fel into and wallowed in the myre, ſo fowle and ſcandalous are their fals. Now, then, inaſmuch as it cannot be auoyded, and it is impoſſible, but that there will and ſhall be Hypocrites in the Church of God, and Satan will be ſtanding amongſt the children of God, Iob 1. and in as much as it cannot be but that rotten hypocriſie will breake out, and in regard of Gods Iuſtice muſt ſometimes bee diſcouered in this life, therefore there muſt needs be ſcandals, and therefore it is impoſſible but that offences ſhould come.
2. Such as profeſſe ſincerely, and in Truth. Now euen in theſe there are yet great remaynders of corruption, the very beſt beare a bodie of ſin and death about them. And becauſe they are not ſo watchfull as they ſhould, to looke ſo narrowly to their owne hearts as they ought, therefore comes it to paſſe alſo that offences muſt needs come. The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things, Ier. 17. therefore ſhould Chriſtians bee watchfull ouer it aboue all things. But becauſe they truſt their falſe and looſe hearts to much, and grow remiſſe in their watch, thence comes it frequently to paſſe that offences muſt needs come. When they keepe not their own Vineyard, their mothers children are angrie with them, Cant. 1. 6. that is their naturall corruptions Sic Iunius.which they brought from their mothers wombe with them, when they watch not, and looke not to themſelues doe rebell, and ouer-power them, and ſo oftentimes carrie them into offenſiue courſes. Dauid was a man after Gods owne heart, and yet Dauid fell into a fowle ſcandal. It is not alwayes ſafe to iudge a man to bee an Hypocrite, becauſe hee giues ſcandal. Gods deareſt ſeruants are not alwaies freed and ſecured from falling into ſcandalous ſins. Well, but what made Dauid fall? All the while Dauid was in his exile, and affliction all that while Dauid was free enough. Afflictions kept him awake. But afterwards when Dauid came to be King, and liued in a full eſtate at his eaſe, then began he to be more remiſſe, and therfore after his afternoones nap when hee was walking vponupon the roofe, the Deuill ſets a ſnare, and his owne remiſſe heart ſoone catches at the baite, and he is preſently enſnared. We find, Math. 13. 27, 28. tares in the field amongſt the wheate. Sir, didſt thou not ſow good wheate in thy field? Whence then hath it tares? He ſaid vntounto them, An enemie hath done this! Theſe tares are Scandals, Verſe 40, 41. They ſhall gather out of his kingdome all ſcandals. Wee ſee whence theſe ſcandals come, Verſe 28. An enemie hath done this. Satan hath a great hand in ſowing theſe tares. But obſerue when this enemie ſowes theſe tares, Verſe 25. But whilſt men ſlept the enemy came, and ſowed tares. The time of mens ſecuritie is the Deuils ſeedes time, their ſleeping time is his ſowing time. So that becauſe men ſleepe, euen good men oftentimes fall aſleepe, and are not ſo watchfull as would become them, hence comes it to paſſe, that tares muſt needs be ſowne, and that offences muſt needs come. Thus we ſee the grounds of the neceſſitie of ſcandalous euents in Gods Church.