The Mischief and Misery of Scandals, Chapter 3

The Mischief and Misery of Scandals · Chapter 3

p. 26CHAP. III.

An Apologie for Religion, and the profeſſours thereof againſt the ſcandal of ſcandals.

GIueGive me leaue now, for vſe of all that hath beene ſaid, to doe that which all the children of wiſdome are bound to doe. Wiſedome, that is Religion, is and ought to be iuſtified of her children. Luke 7. 35. GiueGive me leaue to iuſtifie her, by whom I hope to bee ſaued. Open thy mouth for the dumbe, open thy mouth and plead their cauſe, Pro. 31. 8, 9. much more then open thy mouth, and plead the cauſe of condemned Religion. Neuer doe p. 27ſcandalous euents come to paſſe, but wiſdome and her children doe ſuffer, and Religion and religious ones are inſtantly condemned and cried downe. But let this that hath beene ſpoken ſerue to teach vsus not to be offended at offences, not to bee ſcandalized at ſcandals. It is true indeed, that God ſhould neuer bee offended but it ſhould deeply offend vsus. It ſhould be a trouble to vsus when our brother is offended, 2. Cor. 11. 29. Who is offended and I burne not? How much more then when God is offended, and that by groſſe ſcandals! But my meaning is this, that wee ſhould not ſo take offence at the ſcandals of ſuch as profeſſe Religion, and godlineſſe, whether they doe it ſincerely or hypocritically, as to bee offended either at the Religion or the perſons of all others profeſſing the Truth and power of godlines. Two things here may ſtay vsus in this caſe.

p. 281. Firſt, becauſe our Sauiour hath ddVnde te admoneo ne granius perturberis his ſcandalis quae ideo ventura praedicta ſunt, vt quando venirent reminiſceremur eſſe praedicta, & non ei… valde commoueremur. Nam haec ipſe Dominus ita praedixit, vae mundo à ſcandalis, &c. Auguſt. Epiſt. 209.foretold vsus that they ſhould come, wee are told of it before hand, and therfore nothing in ſuch euents falling out but what was before told, why ſhould any ſtart o… ſtumble at them when they come to paſſe. Why ſhould not this preuent ſcandal in this caſe as well as in the caſe of the Croſſe. Thus Chriſt preuents the ſcandal of the Croſſe and afflictions that ſhould befall his Diſciples, Iohn 16. 1, 2. Theſe things hauehave I ſpoken vntounto you, that ye ſhould not be offended, They ſhal put you out of their Synagogues &c. And thus alſo the Apoſtle, 1. Theſſ. 3. 3, 4. That no man ſhould bee moued by theſe afflictions, for verily when wee were with you, wee told you before that we ſhould ſuffer tribulation. So here our Sauiour hauing eeNon te iſta conturbent fili dilectiſſime, haereſes enim & ſcandala futura praedicta ſunt, vt inter inimicos erudiamur, ac ſic fides & dilectio noſtra poſſit eſſe probatior. Aug Epiſt. 50. Atqui plures, ait Trypho, qui ſe Ieſum profiteri dicunt, & Chriſtiani nominantur audio ſimulachris mactata manducare ***. Cui reſpondens eo quo que , inquā, quod eiuſmodi extent viri qui ſe profitentur Chriſtianos, & Ieſum crucifixum & Dominum, & Chriſtum laudant, ſed non illius doctrinas docent, nos qui purae & verae Jeſu Chriſti diſciplinae ſectatores ſumus in ſpe ab ipſo annunciatâ fide conſtantiores reddimur. Nam quae praedixit futura foreign. Dixit enim, &c. Iuſt. Mart. Dial. cum Tryphone Iudaeo.told vsus before that ſcandals ſhould come, why ſhould wee bee offended thereat, as if ſome p. 29ſtrange thing that had neuer beene thought of had falne out. No man ſhould be moued with ſcandals ſo as to ſtumble at the euent of them, becauſe Chriſt when hee was with vsus told vsus before that they ſhould come, and therefore told vsus before, becauſe we ſhould not be ſtumbled and offended. Yea, theſe things being foretold that they ſhould fall out amongſt thoſe of the Church, and of the true Religion, we ſhould …ereupon bee ſo farre from being ſtumbled, that we ſhould rather be ſo much the more ſtabliſhed and confirmed in the truth of our Religion and Profeſſion, becauſe wee …e thoſe things ſo truely fulfilled which the High Prieſt of our profeſſion hath foretold.

2. Secondly, becauſe we ſee that …ere is a Neceſſitie of them. Since …ere muſt bee offences, and ſince …ere muſt bee ſcandals, therefore …ould wee not for ſcandals bee ſo p. 30duplicate page p. 30ſtumbled as to conclude that Religion to be falſe, and that profeſſio… to bee naught where ſome Profeſſors thereof giuegive ſcandal. For t… ſpeak properly and truly there ca… bee no ſcandal giuen but by thoſ… that are Profeſſors of true Religio… and godlineſſe. A Turke, a Mahometan, a Iew, a Papiſt cannot i… proper and ſtrict phraſe of ſpee… giuegive a ſcandal, for there is ſcand… giuen where occaſion of ſtumblin… at the Truth and Power of godlineſſe is giuen. So that ſcandal i… onelyonly properly giuen by the Profeſſors of Truth, whoſe ſinnes a… ſuch as make the truth of God, an… the ſauing profeſſion thereof to b… ſtumbled at. And therefore the… onelyonly are ſcandals to bee found where Religion and Godlineſſe ar… profeſt. And therefore when ſuch ſcandal is giuen, wee muſt not take offence at Religion becauſe we ſe… there is a neceſſitie of ſcandalo… p. 31euents in the Church of God, and amongſt ſuch as doe profeſſe true Religion.

Indeed when ſcandals do fal out this is the concluſion the Deuill would hauehave men infer vponupon them, and it is the thing hee aymes at in bringing men into ſcandals, to hauehave men thereupon iudge ſuch Religion naught, and all of the ſame outward profeſſion to bee alike. ffEcce quales ſunt qui Chriſtum colunt, falſum plane illud eſt quod aiunt ſe bona diſcere, ſe ſanctae legis praecepta retinere. Si enim bone diſcerent boni eſſent, talis profecto ſecta eſt quales & ſectatores, hoc ſunt abſque dubio quod docentur. Mimeſis Paganorum apud Salu. de Prou. lib. 4.Doe yee not ſee what they are? Are not of the very choiceſt and chiefeſt of them ſcandalous? As they are ſo are they All, As they are, ſo is their Religion they profeſſe; Surely this Religion and the profeſſion of it are not of God. But this is the Deuils Logicke, and reaſoning taught in the Schoole of Hell.

Here bee two things inferred.

Firſt, Therefore their Religion is naught, and not to be truſted.

Secondly, Thus they are all. p. 32That men may not thus ſtumble at ſcandals, conſider the weakneſſe of ſuch inferences.

1. They that profeſſe Religion, fall into ſcandals, therefore their Religion and Profeſſion is naught, &c. If this bee a good reaſon the Religion that is from Heauen, and which is taught by God himſelfe, muſt bee damned for a falſe Religion, for here wee ſee that amongſt the Profeſſors of true Religion, in the very Church of God there muſt bee ſcandals. So that if men ſhall goe this way to worke, they will make but mad worke of it. Let vsus but a little conſider this kind of reaſoning what validitie it hath, or could hauehave in ſuch mens caſes whoſe religion and profeſſion were without queſtion on all hands of God?

Fowle and fearefull was the ſcandal of Dauid, And what was the iſſue? Preſently the enemies p. 33of God and godlineſſe beganne to lift vp their heads, and to fall fowle vponupon Dauids Religion. 2. Sam. 12. The enemies of God blaſphemed the Name of God. And that happily on this, or the like manner. Oh this is hee that was ſo grand a Zelot, that the zeale of Gods houſe did eat him vp, Pſal, 69. 9. This is the man forſooth, that danced before the Arke out of his tranſcendent zeale, 2. Sam. 6. 14. This is he that prayed thrice a day, Morning, Euening, and at Noone, Pſal. 55. 17. This is he that was ſo ſtrict, and ſo preciſe in the gouernment of his Family, Pſal. 101. This your great preciſe Zelot, hath defiled the Wife, and murthered the Husband. Now you ſee what his Religion is, Now you ſee what comes of this Profeſſion of ſo much Holineſſe, and Godlineſſe. Such as he is, ſuch is his Religion, naught both. Now was this thinke wee faire reaſoning? Was p. 34Dauids Religion falſe becauſe his ſcandal was fowle? Who dares iuſtifie Dauids fact, & yet who dares condemne his Religion and Profeſſion?

The fact of the Inceſtuous Corinthian was exceeding fowle, he marries his fathers wife, vncleanneſſe vnparalleld amongſt the Heathen. And how wide now thinke we were the Heathen Corinthians mouthes opened? Certainly at that time they did as thoſe, Pſal. 59. 7. Behold they belch out with their mouth, and as thoſe, Pſal. 73. 9. They ſet their mouth againſt the Heauens, and their tongue walkes through the earth So that Heauen and Earth ſeemed now to ring of them; ggVbi eſi lex catholica quam credunt? vbi ſunt pieta… & caſtitatis praecepta qua diſcunt? Euangelia legunt & impudici ſunt, Apoſtolos audiūt & inebriantur, Chriſtum ſcquū tur & rapiunt, vitam improbā agunt, & probā legem habere ſe dicunt. Mimeſis Paganorum apud Salu. de Prou. lib. 4.Now ſee, ſay they, what the God and the Religion of theſe pure Chriſtians is, Theſe be the fruits of this Chriſtian Religion? Is not your Religion a goodly religion? A cleere caſe that their religion is naught. Thus the p. 35Heathens, and right like Heathens did they reaſon, and pitie it is to heare ſuch Heathen Logicke in Chriſtians mouthes. Was the Religion of Chriſt preached and profeſſed at Corinth naught, and falſe, becauſe that Corinthian being a Chriſtian proued ſo fowle? God forbid. Here that hath a truth in this ſenſe which Tertullian ſpake in caſe of Hereſies, hhQuid ergo ſi Epiſcopus, ſi Doctor, ſi etiam Martyr lapſus … regula fuerit? ideo haereſes videbuntur veritatem ob…inere? ex perſonis prebamus fidem, an ex fide pe ſonas? Tertul. de praeſcript. aduerſ. Haeret.Doe we trie faith by mens perſons, or mens perſons by their faith? Euen in this caſe may we not iudge of faith by mens perſons, as if becauſe ſome perſons profeſſing Religion proue ſcandalous, therfore their religion ſhould bee proued falſe. The Religion of the Chriſtian Corinthians was of God, though that mans inceſtuous practice were from Satan. We find a caſe, Mal. 2. 8. But yee are departed out of the way, yee hauehave cauſed many to ſtumble at the law. It is ſpoken to the Prieſts, they ſhould p. 36hauehave beene examples of holineſſe, and patternes of pietie to the people, but they liued wickedly and ſcandalouſly, ſo that many of the people ſtumbled at the Law of God. They began to call the Law, and their Religion into queſtion, and like enough were ready to ſay, Surely this Law is not of God, nor this Religion which the Prieſts preach and profeſſe, is not from Heauen. For if this Law and Religion were from God, why liue theſe Prieſts ſo lewdly, and baſely. Thus the ſtumbled people reaſoned. But was their reaſon good againſt the Law, and Religion, becauſe the Prieſts were ſcandalous? Was the Law to bee cryed downe, becauſe they liued not according to that Law they preacht and profeſt? Was the Law naught, becauſe the Prieſts were ſo? Wherefore, ſayes the Apoſtle, the Law is holy, and the Commandement is holy, and iuſt, p. 37and good, Rom. 7. 12. Though they were vnholy, yet the Law was holy, though they were vniuſt, yet the Law was Iuſt, though they were naught, yet the Commandement was good. So that it was the peoples great ſinne to ſtumble at the Law, though the Prieſts departed out of the way. It is not therefore a ſafe proceſſe to condemne, and cry downe Religion from the ſcandals and offences of the Profeſſours thereof. Is the Proteſtant Religion falſe, becauſe, as the Papiſts reaſon, ſo many Proteſtants are ſcandalous Drunkards, Adulterers, &c. yea, let this reaſon ſtand good, & ſhew mee that Religion in the whole World that can bee true; by this reaſon there is no true Religion at all on earth. For giuegive me any Religion on the face of the earth, Turkiſh, Iewiſh, Heatheniſh, Popiſh or Proteſtant, among the Profeſſours whereof there may not ſcandalous p. 38perſons be found. If then I will be of no religion till I find one whoſe Profeſſours are wholy free from ſcandalous and notorious offences, I muſt liue and die an irreligious Atheiſt, and renounce all religion.

I confeſſe, there is a caſe wherein a religion may bee cried downe from the wicked, and looſe lifes of the Profeſſours thereof, and that is when the principles and doctrines of it are ſuch as open a gap, and giuegive libertie to looſe and diſhoneſt practices. When men doe not onelyonly breake the Commandements of God, but according to the principles of their religion teach men to doe ſo, Math. 5. 19. As for example, when the Phariſies Diſciples did ſweare, did ſeeke reuenge, did hate their enemies, did neglect their parents in their neceſſities, here a man might hauehave ſaid to them, This is your Religion, becauſe the principles p. 39of Phariſaiſme taught men ſo. When I ſee a Papiſt prophane the Sabbath in hawking, hunting, bowling, carding, dicing, dancing, and going to playes, here I may fall vponupon his religion, becauſe the doctrine of their religion is, that prouided a man heare a Maſſe on the Sabbath be may ſpend the reſt of the day in thoſe things. When I ſee a Papiſt giuegive himſelfe to all lewdnes, and vitious vncleanneſſe, I may lay the blame vponupon his religion, becauſe the principles thereof ſet open a gap thereto. For what need I care for drunkenneſſe whileſt it is made but a Veniall ſin, and a Venial ſinne is ſuch, as our Rhemiſts ſay, is pardonable of it own nature, ſo ſlight Rhem. in Rom. 1 32.Rom 1:32as a man need not make confeſſion of it, ſuch as makes no breach of friendſhip betweene God, and vsus, ſo ſmall a triffle as may bee pardoned by a knocke on the breaſt, by the Biſhops Bleſſing, by the ſprinkling p. 40of holy Water, & ſaying a Pater Noſter, as they teach. Now I ſay if drunkenneſſe be but a veniall ſin, and veniall ſins bee ſuch nothings, why by the principles of his religion ſhould a Papiſt feare to bee drunke. iiProfligata Chriſtipietas & extincta quando quilibet pro modo pretij quod in merces illas expendit peccandi impunitatem ſibi pollicetur. Hinc ſtupra incestus, adulteria, periuria, homicidia, &c. originem traxerunt. Quodenim malorum amplius iam horrebunt mortales quando ſibi peccandi licentiam & impunitatem nedum in hac vitâ, ſed & poſt obitum aere licet immodico comparari poſſe perſuaſum habent. Cent Grau. Germ. art. 3.So what need hee care what ſinnes he runnes into, ſo long as their Prieſts hauehave a iudiciarie power of Abſolution, and the Church hath a treaſurie of Indulgences, and for ſmall ſummes great Pennances and great ſinnes may be remitted. There is no religion wherein a man can ſinne ſo good cheape. Now therefore if wee ſee thoſe of that religion take libertie to looſe and ſinfull courſes, it is no iniuſtice to lay the blame, and condemnation vponupon their religion, whoſe Principles and Doctrines are ſuch as giuegive men libertie enough.

So if I ſhould ſee a man of the Pelagian faith and profeſſion to p. 41liue licentiouſly, in the neglect of the meanes of grace, and to denie himſelfe no carnal libertie, I would here condemne his religion from his life, becauſe the Grounds and Principles of his faith are ſuch as giuegive men libertie to liue as they liſt. For if ſo be there be a power of Free will in me, that I may repent and belieue if I will, and when I will, what need I then care what courſes I take, what ſinnes I runne into, ſo long as I can be ſaued when I liſt, I will trie ſuch and ſuch ſins, and when I hauehave taken my fill, at my pleaſure I will repent and belieue. So that in ſuch a caſe it is not amiſſe to crie downe a Religion from the ſcandalous courſes of the Profeſſours thereof, and in ſuch a caſe a man may innocently ſay, This is your Religion. But on the contrarie, when a Religion is pure Religion, Iam. 1. 27. A Truth which is according to godlineſſe, Tit. 1. 1. p. 42and the doctrine thereof according to Godlineſſe, 1. Tim. 6. 3. When a Religion teaches Godlineſſe, Holineſſe, Puritie, Fidelitie, Iuſt and vpright dealing, and bindes the Conſcience to theſe things vponupon the paine of death eternall, if any Profeſſour of ſuch a religion fall into ſcandalous ſinnes, here to crie downe a Religion that is Holy, Iuſt and Good, becauſe a Profeſſour thereof does wickedly, vilely and vniuſtly, this is the greateſt Iniuſtice, and the moſt vnequall, and iniurious dealing in the world. It is true that amongſt the Profeſſors of true Religion ſcandals muſt bee, but muſt they needes bee from the grounds and doctrines of that Religion? Muſt ſcandals needs be, becauſe that Religion teaches men to doe ſo? Nay, doth not that Religion teach the contrarie, vponupon danger of Hell binde to the contrarie? And why then is the Religion condemned, p. 43and cryed downe? What fowle Iniuſtice is this, that an innocent Religion ſhould ſuffer for a nocent Profeſſour? If the Religion they profeſſe doe kkQuae ſi vera ſunt, nulli vel ſexui vel aetati parcite, ad pe… nas rapite, cum vxoribus & liberis funditus extirpate. Athenag. legat. pro Chriſtian.principle and teach them to bee Drunkards, Adulterers, to be Coozeners, Cheaters, Defrauders; throw dirt in the face of that Religion, yea, ſtones at the head of that religion, and ſpare it not. Not reproaches, ſcoffes, ſquibs, taunts, but euen the ſtake, and the fire is too eaſie a puniſhment for ſuch a religion.

But if religion and its Principles teach nothing but Holineſſe, and righteouſneſſe, nothing but Sanctitie and Honeſtie, why muſt a good and holy Mother be ſmitten and wounded, and hauehave her face ſpitted on, for the miſcarriage of a degenerating, & vngracious child? If the Daughter play the Whore, and the lewd Filth, will it ſtand with any iuſtice, or equitie that the p. 44Mother a graue, ſober, chaſte Matrone that hath inſtituted her better ſhould be carted, and hauehave filth and dirt throwne at her? And yet this is the equitie and iuſtice of the worlds dealings. Becauſe ſometimes ſome of wiſdomes children that ſhould hauehave beene ſo wiſe by their godly and holy lifes to hauehave honoured, and iuſtified their Mother, becauſe I ſay they doe ſometimes play the fooles, the ſcandalous and notorious fooles, therefore they cannot bee content to ſcourge and cart theſe vngratious children, and to caſt abhominable filth vponupon them, as they deſerue, but they muſt needs fall foule vponupon the poore and good Mother, and the keeneſt and ſharpeſt of their teene muſt bee wreackt vponupon her, & ſhe muſt be laſht with the Scorpions of mens malignant tongues, euen to the very bones.

What is this but the ancient p. 45Iewiſh llNon vt principes veſtri viuimus, &c. Quod ſi quos etiam inter nos tales eſſe ſciatis, non continuo ea de cauſa Scripturas & Chri-tſtum maledictis proſcindite. Iuſtin. Mart. Dial. cum Tryph. Iudaeo.practice againſt Chriſtian religion? Who if at any time any of the Chriſtians fell into any ſcandalous euill, fell a rayling vponupon Chriſt, and the ſacred Scriptures? And will we call this Iuſtice? Why rather as in other caſes learne wee not to pitie and lament the caſe of a good Mother in the miſcarriage of a lewd vngracious childe? It ſhould bee the wiſdome of men to ſet the ſaddle vponupon the right horſe, let eueryevery man hauehave the blame and ſhame of his owne euill actions, but take wee heed that wee doe not flie in Gods face by falling fowle vponupon religion for mens ſcandalous miſcarriages. It is not the religions but the mans fault, if one profeſſing religion miſcarrie, had he held him to the rule of his religion, that had kept him from that euill.

That which was of ancient pleaded with the Heathen on the behalfe of Chriſtians had a great p. 46deale of reaſon in it. They deſired but the ſame equitie and moderation towards them which was vſed towards their Philoſophers. mmSi conuicti fuerimus puni amur non propter nomen ſed propter crimen. Hoc modo illos etiam qui philoſophiam profitentur iudicari cernimus. Nemo eorum ante cauſam iudicio cognitam propter ſcientiam vel artem ſuam bonus maluſue iudici eſſe videtur, ſed poſtquam improbitas alicuius dedetecta fuerit paen…s luit, nec vllu mex eo in philoſophiam redundat crimen. foreign, Ille enim malus qui non legitimè philoſophatur, profeſſu autem crimine vacat. Hoc ex aequo & nobis fieri cupimus. Athenag. legat. pro Chriſtian. Quemadmodum nihil ad philoſophiam crimen Sophiſtarum, Epic… reorum, Peripateticorum, aut quorumcun que falſa dogmata profitentium: ita in verum Chriſtianiſmum non cadit crimen deprauantium Euangelia. Origen contra Celſum, lib. 2. Si aliquis cui notum ſit Ieſu praeceptum docentis temperantiam, & dicentis, Quicun que inſpexerit mulierem ad concupiſcentiam, &c. iam commiſit adulterium in corde ſuo, videret paucos aliquot pro Chriſtiani habitos libidinoſc viuere merito eis praeuaricationē impinget, ſed iniquiſſim… faceret, ſi doctrinae Ieſu imputaret eorum flagitia. Orig. con. Celſ. l. 3.If any profeſſing philoſophie did commit any euill worthy puniſhment, after conuiction and detection hee was puniſhed according to the deſert of his fact, yet Philoſophie receiued no impeachment thereby, and that was not preſently cried out vponupon, when a Profeſſor of Philoſophie miſcarried. Becauſe they thus equally and wiſely conſidered, That the wickedneſſe was in p. 47him that was not a Philoſopher according to his rule, but the profeſſion it ſelfe was blameleſſe, That it was the mans fault, and not his profeſſions, that though the man were naught, yet his profeſſion was good. This equitie did the Chriſtians deſire the Heathen would ſhew to them. And this equitie I would Chriſtians would ſhew to thoſe of their owne religion, that the Heathen ſhewed to Philoſophers▪ Doth a man profeſſing religion fall into any ſcandal? Learne to diſtinguiſh betweene the Man and his Profeſsion, and let not the burthen bee laid vponupon religion and his profeſſion, which is to bee laid vponupon his owne backe. Learne thus to iudge? that though the Man be deeply to bee blamed, yet his Religion and Profeſsion is blameleſſe. We may iuſtly in ſuch caſes blame the man, but wee ſhall deale verie vniuſtly to blame religion, becauſe p. 48we know that nothing blames and condemnes ſuch courſes more then that religion which they profeſſe.

We hauehave a propheſie of the conditiō of the laſt times. 2. Tim. 3, 1-5 In which place the Apoſtle ſpeakes not of Pagans, Iewes, Turkes, but of Chriſtians, and ſuch Chriſtians, Verſe 5. That ſhould hauehave an outward forme and profeſsion of godlineſſe. Now will any conclude that the profeſſion of godlines is naught becauſe ſome that profeſſe a forme of godlineſſe are couetous, boaſters, proud, vnholy, &c. And ſhall I be vngodly becauſe ſome that hauehave a forme of godlineſſe bee ſo vile? or ſhall I diſtaſte and condemne godlineſſe, and all profeſſion of it, becauſe many profeſſing godlineſſe proue ſuch and ſuch? God forbid. Yea, the Apoſtle ſufficiently preuents the ſcandal when hee ſayes, Hauing a forme of Godlineſſe, but denying the power thereof, as if hee p. 49ſhould ſay, Let no man for theſe things ſtumble at religion and the profeſſion of Godlines, for godlineſſe and profeſſion is not in the fault, but the fault is becauſe there is but a forme without power. It is not to be denied, but a man that hath the power of Godlineſſe may fall into a ſcandal, and by violence of ſome ſtrong tentation bee ruſht into ſome fowle action, but yet in that particular caſe, and at that time may want the power of Godlineſſe. What is to bee done then? Surely writing is not to bee condemned becauſe ſome Writers blot, and blurre; nor Godlineſſe to bee condemned for ſome mens ſcandals, but formalitie and want of power. Wee may not reſolue therefore that it is beſt not to meddle with godlineſſe, but neuer to meddle with the profeſſion of it, but ioyned with the power. Since therefore there muſt be ſcandals amongſt ſuch as profeſſe Godlineſſe p. 50learn we to be wiſer then for ſcādals to cry down & condemne religion.

2. Come we now to the ſecond inference. Diuers zealous Profeſſours fall into ſcandals, therefore they bee all ſuch, all alike naught, and vnſound, onelyonly they are not diſcouered as ſome are.

This is no new thing, this was the old practice of the nnAd quid enim aliud ſedent iſti, & quid aliud captant, niſi vt quiſq…is Epiſcopus, vel clericus, &c. ceciderit omnes tales eſſe credant, iactent, contendant, ſed non omnes poſſe manifestari. Cum de aliquibus qui ſanctum nomen profit entur, aliquid criminis vel falſi ſonuerit, vel veri patuerit, inſtant, ſatagunt, ambiunt vt de omnibus boc credatur. Aug. Epiſt. 137ancient enemies of the Church, and Gods people long agoe. It is that which Auguſtine in his time complaines to hauehave beene their guiſe, That if any that made profeſsion of the holy Name of God did fall into any ſinne, if either ſome true thing were diſcouered, or ſome falſe thing were reported, oh, how they laid about them, and laboured tooth and naile to perſwade men, and make them belieue that they were All ſuch, though they were not all diſcouered.

The ſame ſpirit liues in too many ſtill, and nothing more vſuall then ſuch language, and ſuch cenſures p. 51in the like caſes. Now yee may ſee what theſe men are, Neuer a barrell better herring, all naught, all alike. An Inference miſerably vncharitable, which muſt neceſſarily make the Church of Chriſt a verie den of Hypocrites. For here wee ſee that in the very Church of Chriſt there muſt neceſſarily bee ſcandals a…d ſcandalous perſons,

And if where ſome bee ſuch all be ſuch, tell mee what the Church of Chriſt ſhall bee but a collection and confluence of rotten and diſſembling Hypocrites. What is …his but to doe that which Dauid in an other caſe was afraide to doe? Pſalme 73. 15. If I ſay, I will ſpeake thus: behold I ſhould offend againſt the generation of thy children. In ſpeaking thus, let men conſider how they can waſh their hands from that guilt. Farre is ſuch dealing from that ſweete and gracious dealing of the Lords, Iſ. 65. 8. p. 52that caſts not away the whole cluſter, for ſome corrupt and euill grapes, farre are men from that Spirit, who becauſe now and then ſome one grape proues rotten, and offenſiue, doe thereupon reiect the whole cluſter, and cry out vponupon the reſt of the grapes of the bunch, as if they were like Ieremies naughty figs. Ier. 24. 2. Which could not be eaten they were ſo bad.

To ſtop the mouth of Iniquity, in ſuch a caſe, let but theſe things be ſeriouſly and ſadly conſidered.

1. That there muſt bee ſuch amongſt thoſe that powerfully and ſauingly profeſſe the Name of Chriſt. And therefore we ſhall neuer finde the moſt holy and happy ooQuantum libet enim vigilet diſciplina domus meae homo ſum et inter homines viuo, nec mihiarrogare audeo vt domus mea melior ſit quam arca Noe vbi tamen inter octo homines reprobus vnus inuentus eſt, aut melior ſit quam domus Abrahae. aut melior ſit quam domus Iſaac aut melior ſit quam cohabitatio ipſius Domini Chriſti, in qua vndecim boni perfidum et furem Iudam colerauerint, aut melior ſit poſtremò quam caelum vnde Angeli ceciderunt Aug. Epiſt 137.ſocieties to hauehave bin ſo happy as to bee free from ſuch. In Noahs Arke where but eight perſons, yet one reprobate Cham, In Abrahams family, a bond-woman, and her ſon to bee caſt out; in Iſaacs family a p. 53profane Eſau; in Iacobs family an Inceſtuous Reuben; amongſt Dauids children an Inceſtuous Amnon; a rebellious Abſolom, in the ſacred colledge of Chriſtes Apoſtles a Iudas a Theife. Ioh. 12. 6. a Traytor. Luk. 6. 16. a Diuell. Ioh. 6. 70. Euen in heauen Gods owne houſe, and habitation, were found ſuch Angels in whom God found not ſtedfaſtneſſe; ſuch Angels as kept not their firſt eſtate, but left their owne habitation, and became Deuills. Now then looke back vponupon ſome of theſe Inſtances, and ſee if this kinde of reaſoning bee ſafe. In Noahs Arke there was a graceleſſe Cham, therefore all in the Arke were ſuch as hee. Amongſt the twelue Patriarches Reuben was vncleane, and Inceſtuous, therefore all your pillers of your Ancient Church were ſuch alſo. Among the twelue Apoſtles of Chriſt the great profeſſours, and preachers of his Name, Iudas p. 52duplicate page p. 53duplicate page p. 54was a thiefe, a traytour, a deuill, therefore the whole company, is a colledge of thieues, traytours and deuills; Amongſt the Angels in heauen, there were legions of Deuills, therefore all of the ſame ſtampe, all alike: would not all men ſpit in that mans face that ſhould thus reaſon? and yet how familiar is ſuch reaſoning in too many mens mouths. It is a ſure thing that as ppSimpliciter autem fateor Charitati veſtrae—quomodo difficile ſum expertu… meliores quam qui in monaſterijs profecerunt: ita non ſum expertus p…iores quam qui in monaſterijs ceciderunt. Aug. Epiſt. 137.there cannot bee found better men in the world, then amongſt thoſe in the Church, profeſſing Chriſts Name, and Truth, ſo neither can there be found ſome times worſe then thoſe that in the Church fall into heynous ſcandals. The which ſince it muſt ſo be, why ſhould the filth of ſome particular perſons miſcarriages bee flung in the faces of all. What is this but for the qqNolite ergo propter amurcam qua oculi veſtri offen duntur, torculariae deteſtari vnde apothecae dominica fructu olei luminoſio…is implentur Aug. Epiſt. 137.lees, and the dregges to loath the preſſes from whence Gods ſtore-houſes are filled with oyle?

p. 552. That though there be ſuch, and that too many, yet farre many more there be of the ſame profeſſion that are not ſuch, what though Chriſt hauehave one diſciple that becomes a thiefe, a traytor, a deuill, that brings ſcandal vponupon the Preaching, and profeſſion, of his Maſters Name, yet hath he not eleuen others holy and right godly men, that liue according to their profeſſion, and doe their profeſſion honour and credit? What though one Chriſtian Corinthian fall into the ſinne of Inceſt, yet why ſhould the heathen Corinthians caſt the diſgrace of that his ſinne, vponupon all the Chriſtian Corinthians? Are they ſo blind that they cannot ſee, that there be many Corinthians. Act 18. 8. and that God hath much people in that City. Act. 18. 10. Who are holy, gracious, mortified, and renowned for the power of Godlines, that doe eueryevery way make p. 56good the religion they profeſſe? what though, now and then we ſee a ſtarre falling from Heauen, yet ſee we not millions of thoſe glorious lights of Heauen, keepe their ſtation and their luſtre? And why hauehave not men an eye as well to looke at ſuch, at the many ſuch whoſe lifes ſuite with their holy profeſſion, as they hauehave an eye to looke at ſuch, at a few ſuch as giuegive ſcandal? why can they not ſee that rrQuapropter et ſi cōtriſtamur de aliquibus purgamentis conſolamur tamen de pluribus ornamentis Aug. Epiſt. 137.there are that ſhine as lights in the middeſt of a froward, and a crooked generation, and ſo ſhine that they bee ornaments of the Church, as well as they can ſee ſuch, as are the diſgracers and diſhonourers of religion? Surely becauſe they are a froward and a crooked generation, and out of that peruerſneſſe of Spirit for one, and by one will iniuriouſly iudge and condemne all.

3. If all ſuch, how is it that ſuch p. 57more then all doe condemne ſuch ſcandalous offenders. Who ſo ſharpe, and ſo ſeuere againſt them, for their ſcandals as ſuch as profeſſe the ſame truth with them. Others triumph ouer them, ſcorne and deride them, but who ſo ſadly, and ſo ſharpely reproues, cenſures, and condemnes them, as doe they of the ſame profeſſion? Who ſo diſcountenances, and diſcardes them once lapſed till their publique ſatisfactions, and their vnqueſtioned repentance, and humiliations doe in ſome meaſure waſh off the blurre of their ſcandals. Sufficient to ſuch a man is this puniſhment which was inflicted of many 2. Cor. 2. 6. And ſufficient was the infliction of that puniſhment, by thoſe many to acquit them from being all ſuch. If they had all countenanced him, held fellowſhip and communion with him, pleaded his cauſe, and iuſtified his practiſe, then p. 58had there beene ſome colour to hauehave ſaid they had beene all ſuch. But now that the Corinthian Chriſtians, deale ſo ſeuerely with him, for his offence, it is cleare that they are not all ſuch, for if all ſuch as hee, then ſhould he hauehave found more fauour at their hands then ſo. And this was Auguſtines anſwer vntounto, and defence againſt the Manichees. It was their faſhion it ſeemes to diſgrace the Church, and caſt reproach vponupon it, and to beſmeare it with the mire of the fowle actions of ſcandalous profeſſors of Chriſtian religion. ſſNolite mihi colligere profeſſores nominis Chriſtian, n…c profeſsionis ſuae vim aut ſcientes aut exhibentes. Noui multos eſſe qui luxurioſiſſimè ſ…pe… mo… tuo… bibent. Noui multos qui renu… iauerint verbis huic ſaculo. Nunc vos illud admoneo vt aliquando eccleſiae catholicae maledicere definatis vituperando mores hominum quos & ipſa condemnat, & quos quotidie tanquam malos filios corigere ſtudet. Auguſt. de moribus eccl. Cathol. cap. 34.He confeſſes that indeed there were many, that gaue ſcandal by there luſtfull and luxurious lifes, by their drunkennes, vile wordlines and earthlines, but yet giues them to vnderſtand that they were iniurious, to reproach p. 59the Church with the condemning of the manners of thoſe men whom the Church her ſelfe did condemne, and whom as euill children ſhee daily endeauoured to reforme. If indeede others of the Church profeſſing the ſame Religion had winked at them, had ſlighted their offences, or had in any kind ſeemed to hauehave countenanced their perſons, or approoued their courſes, then might the Manichees hauehave had ſome colour to hauehave for their ſakes condemned all profeſſours, that they were all alike. But profeſſours and the Church condemning and crying downe their courſes it was but malignantly and peruerſly done of the Maniches to twit and reproach the Church with ſuch mens manners.