Two Treatises, Dedication 2 – Treatise 2
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Ladie, the Ladie ELIZABETH, Counteſſe of Winchelſey, his Noble PATRONESSE.
MADAM,
IT is not vnknowne vntounto your Honour, what firſt occaſioned mee to meddle with this Subiect. That which firſt moued me to preach it in mine owne Charge, hath alſo induced mee to make it more publique. I conceiued it might bee a worke well worth the while to vindicate, as much as in mee lay, the Honour of God from that impeachment it commonly receiues from Scandals, to heale the bleeding wounds they vſually giuegive to the profeſsion of Godlineſſe, to ſtop the mouth of iniquity which they ſet ſo wide open, and to giuegive men notice of the great danger that both the taking, and giuing of Scandal may bring them into.
J obſerue, that men doe with the Scandals of Profeſſours, as the Leuite did with the twelue partes of his Concubine, they ſend them Iudg 19. 29.thorough all the quarters of Iſrael. It were happie that ſuch foule actions as trench to the diſhonour of God, and Religion might be buried in eternall ſilence, and neuer be publiſhed, Publiſh it not in 2. Sam. 1.Gath: But ſince that is impoſsible, but that they will be publiſhed in Gath, What inconuenience is it that ſomething bee publiſhed in, and ſent into the Coaſts of Iſrael, that may ſtop the mouthes of the men of Gath, that may ſalue the Honour of God, and Religion, and that may diſcouer and preuent the danger of Scandalous euils.
J confeſſe, that when I conſidered how frequently Scandals hauehave fallen out, and what a world of miſchiefe hath beene done by them, I wondred, that no man, for ought I know, or can learne, had hitherto medled with this Argument ſo needfull, and ſo vſefull, and therefore thought it would not be loſt labour to doe ſomething in this kind.
And what I hauehave done, I now make bold to preſent vntounto your Honour, as preſuming that that ſhall be welcome to you that pleades for the Honour of God, and his Truth. I acknowledge my ſelfe many wayes deeply engaged to your Honour, and the many fauours I hauehave receiued from you, binde mee to a thankefull acknowledgement of them. May it pleaſe you therefore to accept of this ſmall Treatiſe as a publike teſtimoniall of my thankefulneſſe. Which if you ſhall pleaſe to doe, I ſhall reckon it as a ſuperadded fauour to all the reſt, and to my thankefulneſſe to your ſelfe, ſhall adde my daily prayers to the God of all Grace, for his bleſsing vponupon your noble Family, both roote and branch, and that he would not onelyonly continue to you the bleſsing of the left hand, Riches and Honour, Prou. 3. 16.but giuegive you the bleſsing of the right hand alſo length of dayes, and with them both, the beſt of his bleſsings, All ſpirituall bleſſings in heauenly places in Chriſt Ieſus. This ſhall bee the daily ſuite of
Your Honours Seruant in the Goſpell of Chriſt Ieſus. Jer. Dyke.
To the Reader.
THere is not any one thing that Satan the profeſſed enemie of Mankind labours, and endeauours more, then the hindrance of the ſaluation of man. There is but one way to Heauen, that which Peter cals the way of Truth, 2. Pet. 2. 2. which Salomon cals the way of good men, Prou. 2. 20. which Iſaie cals the way of Holineſſe, Iſai. 35. 8. which Ieremie cals the old, and the good way, and the ancient pathes, Ier. 6. 16. 18, 15. Now Sathan to keepe men from Heauen, doth his vtmoſt to make men ſtumble at, and from the ancient pathes, that by taking offence at the waies of God, diſliking, and diſtaſting them, the ſaluation of their ſoules might become impoſſible.
To effect their ſtumbling at thoſe wayes Sathan layes many and ſundrie kinds of ſtumbling blocks in the wayes of men. But yet amongſt thoſe many ones, I find there bee ſome more dangerous then others, and by which the Deuill preuayles much more then by the reſt. And thoſe I obſerue and conceiue to be ſpecially theſe three.
1. The Reproach, Contempt, and Obloquie, that by ſome men is vſually caſt vponupon Religion and the conſcionable profeſſion, and Profeſſours thereof. Sathan tels men that if they will needs goe this way they ſhall hauehave a deale of filth and dirt flung in the faces of them, that they muſt looke to be ſcorned, and Reproached, as if they were the very Of ſcourings of the earth. And this very thing ſtarts and ſtumbles not a few. Some will better abide a ſtake, then ſome others can a mocke. Zedekiah could happily hauehave found in his heart to hauehave hearkened to the Prophets counſell, but that this lay in the way, I am afraid of the Iewes, leaſt they deliuer me into the Caldaeans hands, and they mocke me, Ier. 38. 19. It was death to him to be mocked. But all conſidered, we ſhall ſee how little reaſon any hauehave for this to ſtumble at Religion. For doe but conſider who they are commonly that mock at Godlineſſe. Doe but obſerue their Character in the Scriptures, and you ſhall finde them ſuch as theſe. A company of Hypocrites. Hypocriticall mockers, Pſal. 35. 16. A crue of Drunkards, Pſal. 69. 12. I am the ſong of Drunkards. A ſort of vitious perſons, following their luſts, There ſhall come ſcoffers walking after their owne luſts, 2. Pet. 3. 3. A company of Abiect perſons, Pſal. 35. 15. Like thoſe enemies, Acts 17. 5. Lewd fellowes of the baſer ſort. A rout of prophane godleſſe irreligious Atheiſts that do no more know the Power, then Turkes, and Heathens know the truth, of Godlines, The foole hath ſaid in his heart there is no God, you hauehave made a mocke at the counſell of the poore, becauſe the Lord is his truſt, Pſ. 14. 1. 6. It is a ſhrewd ſuſpition, that he that is a Mocker is an Atheiſt, It well bacomes him to mocke at Religion that denies a God, and it is a ſigne that he denies a God, that mockes at Godlineſſe, And will any wiſe man ſtumble at Religion for ſuch mens Mockes and Reproaches? What can be expected better from them? It was a good anſwere that that Oratour gaue Saluſt, Neque enim Orat. in Saluſt.qui, ita vt tu, vixit, aliter quam tu loqui poteſt, It cannot be but that he that liues thy life, ſhould ſpeake thy language, and it is an anſwere will ſerue the turne in this caſe; To looke for other language from men of ſo ill lifes, were to expect to gather grapes of thornes. Let no man for ſuch mens mockes and reproaches bee ſtumbled at Religion, or thinke euer the worſe of it. A man would chooſe his Religion by ſuch mens enmitie, and it is the great honour of Religion that it hath ſuch Aduerſaries. *Conſulite commentarios veſtros, illic reperietis primum Neronem in hanc ſectam tum maximae Romae orientem Caeſariano gladio f…rociſſe. Sed tali dedicatore damnationis noſtrae gloriamur Qui enim ſcit illum, intelligere poteſt no nni ſi aliquod bonum grande à Nerone damnatum. Tentauerunt & Domitianus, &c.—Tales nobis ſemper Inſecutores, Iniuſti, Impij, Turpes quos & ipſi damnare conſueſtis, à quibus damnatos reſtituere ſoliti eſtis. Tertull. Apol. cap. 5.It was that wherein the Primitiue Chriſtians vſed to glorie that they had Nero their firſt Perſecutor, and condemner of their perſons and Religion, Inaſmuch as they that knew him could not but know that it muſt needs bee ſome great good which Nero did condemne. It was the honour of Chriſtians, and their Religion that Nero and ſuch as he was, vniuſt, vngodly, filthy perſons, whom the Heathen themſelues condemned were the ſoreſt, and bittereſt enemies they had. No wiſe man would hauehave ſtumbled at Chriſtian Religion, becauſe it had ſuch an enemie as Nero was, A wiſe man would hauehave loued it the better. The caſe is the ſame here, It is the honour of Godlineſſe, and Religion, that it hath Hypocrites, Drunkards, vitious followers of their luſts, baſe and lewd fellowes, godleſſe Atheiſts, for her ſcoffing Aduerſaries. It muſt needs bee ſome great good which they hate, and ſcorne, I know ſcarce a better argument to perſwade men to louelove and embrace it, then that ſuch men hate and deride it.
2. The Pouertie, the meane, and homely outſide of ſuch for the moſt part, as receiue & profeſſe Chriſt, and his Goſpel. What ſhould you doe looking this way, ſayes Satan; HaueHave any of the Rulers, or of the Phariſees beleeued on him? But this people, &c. Iohn 7. 48. What a fond thing is it to follow this Chriſt whom none but a company of the meaner ſort of people follow? The greater, and richer ſort of the world they like not, nor look not this way, but onelyonly a few of the lower ranke, and condition of men. And how euer many are ſtumbled at this, yet indeed little reaſon is there that any ſhould in ſuch a caſe be ſcandalized. So much the leſſe reaſon becauſe our Sauiour hath ſo fore-armed and fenced vsus againſt this Scandal, Math. 11. 5. 6. The poore receiue the Goſpel. Why then, might ſome ſay, wee will not receiue this Chriſt, and this Goſpell, which for the moſt part onelyonly the poorer ſort receiue. Therefore ſee what our Sauiour addes to preuent ſuch ſcandal. And bleſſed is hee that is not offended in mee, that is in mee a Chriſt receiued and profeſſed by the poorer ſort. How could men like well of Godlines in gay apparell, and with a gold ring, but the vile rayment makes it vile in their eyes, who conſider not that God hath choſen the vile things of this world, to confound the things that are mighty, that God hath choſen the poore of this world rich in faith, heyres of the kingdom which he hath promiſed, Iam. 2. 5. When *Iulianus dixit, & ſi Philoſophorum ego Senatū aduocau…ro tu continuo ſellularios opiſices, omne que in nos vulgus accēdas, Auguſtinus dixit. Contumelioſus es in infirma mundi quae elegit deus vt confunderet fortia. Aug contr. Iulian. Pelag li. 1.Iulian the Pelagian gibed Auguſtine that he had not the wiſe ſages, nor the learned Senate of Philoſophers, but onelyonly a company of meane tradeſmen, handicraftes men of the vulgar ſort, that tooke part with him, he ſweetly anſwers, Thou reproacheſt the weake things of the world, which God hath choſen to confound the things that are mighty. That one thing may ſuffice to keepe men from ſtumbling at homely outſides. Specially if men had but an eye of faith in their heads. Carnal eyes that are dazeled with the glittering outſides of worldly glories are offended at ſuch ſeeming baſeneſſe, but faith blindes it ſelfe againſt ſuch fleſhly Scandals, and will not ſee them, when it ſees them, but lookes thorough them, and ſees glory thorough them. Ioh. 1. 14. And the word was made fleſh, and wee beheld his glory, as the glory of the onelyonly begotten ſonne of the father, though his glory were obſcured with the vaile of the fleſh, yet this vaile hides not glory from the eye of faith, faith did looke thorough this vaile and eaſily diſcerned him the glorious, & onelyonly begotten ſonne of the father, euen in the abaſement of his Incarnation. The wiſemen that came from the Eaſt, when they ſaw Herod at Ieruſalem, happily in all his royall Robes, yet fall not downe nor worſhip him; They come to Bethlehem and finde Chriſt in a poore faſhiō, happily in little better then rags, & yet they fall downe & worſhip him. Why fall they downe before a meane poore Chriſt, and not before a Magnificent, & glorious Herod? Why rather are they not ſcandalized at Chriſts baſeneſſe and pouerty? This is the excellency of faith, In Chriſts Infancy it ſaw Antiquity, in his baſeneſſe beauty, in his meanneſſe maieſtie, and more glory in Chriſts rags, then in Herods Robes. So ſurely if men did liue and walke by faith, and not by ſight, neuer would Chriſt nor his Truth be ſtumbled at for the homely and poore outſide of thoſe that profeſſe him. The purblind eye of fleſh cannot pierce through theſe vayles and cloudes, And what wonder is it to ſee a blinde man ſtumble?
3. But yet the ſoreſt and greateſt ſtumbling blocke of all, is the ſcandalous ſinnes and falles of ſuch as profeſſe religion, certaine it is that theſe of all others are the moſt perillous ſtumbling blockes by which Satan cauſes multitudes of men to ſtumble at religion, and workes them to the diſlike of the wayes of ſaluation. Afflictions and Perſecutions for the Goſpells ſake are dangerous ſtumbling blockes, and by reaſon of them many are ſo offended at religion, as that they turne their backes vponupon it, Math. 13. 21. When tribulation, or perſecution ariſes becauſe of the word, by and by he is ſcandalized. So that Perſecutions cauſe Scandal. But yet the Scandals that come by the euill lifes of profeſſours are in ſome ſenſe farre more dangerous and hurtfull then thoſe ſcandals that come from Perſecutions. Though the ſcandal of perſecution ſtumble & beate off many, yet hauehave very many beene gayned to a louelove, and liking of Religion, by the Patience, Courage, & Conſtancy of the Saints of God in Perſecution. But neuer were, nor wilbe any gayned thereunto by the ſcandalous falles of profeſſours. Perſecutions keepe men off by feare, but Scandalous ſinnes by Hardening mens hearts. There is far more hope, and poſſibility of gayning a man that is kept off by feare, then of ſuch as are kept off by a ſetled, reſolued Hardnes of Heart. In ſcandals of the Croſſe men may hauehave ſome ſecret likings of the Truth, may hauehave ſecret purpoſes in better times to owne it, but in ſcandals of euill example, men grow to an open, and profeſſed diſlike thereof. In ſcandals of the croſſe, there is not alwayes a diſlike of Religion it ſelfe, but onelyonly of the hard termes, with which it muſt bee receiued, but from ſcandals of euill life growes a diſlike of Religion it ſelfe. Notwithſtanding the ſcandal of the croſſe men may hauehave an Honorable, and a good conceit of Religion, but ſcandals of euill life breede, and nouriſh a baſe and a vile eſteeme thereof in the hearts of men. So that perſecutions doe not doe that miſchiefe that ſcandalous falles doe. Malicious perſecutours in ſome ſenſe doe not that hurt that ſcandalous profeſſours doe.
Now ſcandalous euents being ſo miſchieuous & pernicious, and yet withall ſo common, & ſo frequent, why may it not bee a worke of charity to counterworke Satan, and to remoue out of the way theſe dangerous ſtumbling blockes, at which ſo many fall to their vtter ruine, and deſtruction.
As Satan Balaam-like caſts ſtumbling blocks in, ſo ſhould it be our care to take vp theſe ſtumbling blockes out of mens wayes. It is not enough for vsus that wee put not a ſtumbling blocke, or an occaſion to fall in another mans way, as the Apoſtle aduiſes Rom. 14. 12. But when others hauehave done it, our endeauour ſhould bee, to take ſuch a ſtumbling blocke out of the way. It is Gods owne commandement we ſhould ſo doe, Iſay 57. 14. Take vp the ſtumbling blocke out of the way of my people. It were happy if wee could preuent ſcandals, but ſince that cannot bee (for it muſt needs be that offences come) the next happineſſe is to preuent their miſchiefe, that though they doe come, yet they may come with as little hurt as may be. *Eſto quod alius mouerit ſcandalum, profecto compeſcere vos poteſtis. Nolle compeſcere ſine culpa erit? Aut velle compeſcere ſine gloria erit?—Si ergo vos ſcandalum cum poſſitis non tollitis, plane non impletis miniſterium veſtrum. Bernard. Epiſt. 200. ad vulgar. Epiſco. Audegav.The which thing who ſo will not, nor cares not to doe, ſhall not bee without blame, and who ſo endeauours to doe ſhall not be without his reward. The which worke who ſo doth not when occaſion ſerues, fulfils not his miniſtry, and the which worke who ſo doth, he doth an excellent and a worthy worke, euen the worke of Angels. *Annon deni que miniſterium eſt Angelorum tollere ſcandala de regno Dei? Si dixeritis quid ad nos, &c. Bernard. ibid.Is it not the worke of Angels, ſayes Bernard, to take ſcandals out of the Kingdome of God? Yea we find it to be ſo, Mat. 13. 41. The ſonne of man ſhall ſend forth his Angels and they ſhall gather out of his Kingdome all ſcandals. It is therefore not onelyonly a Charitable, but an Angelicall worke to gather out ſcandals, and take vp the ſtumbling blockes that Satan caſts in mens way to heauen.
The ſame ſpirit ſhould be in all Gods miniſters which was in Paul, 2. Cor. 11. 29. Who is offended, or Scandalized, and I burne not? In caſes of ſcandal hee was all on fire, not only in regard of his griefe for, but in regard of his zeale againſt them. Hee burned with an holy zeale, to remoue the ſcandal and to preuent the miſchiefe it might doe. Hee burned with an holy fire of zeale to keepe others from burning in the fire of Hell, wherewith ſcandals did endanger them.
VponUpon theſe grounds hauehave I bin moued, & encouraged to the publiſhing of this following treatiſe, to try if by any meanes, either preaching, or printing, I might preuent the miſchiefe of ſcandals. Were it that the fame of them did ſpred no farther then the places where they happen, this labour might hauehave beene ſpared, but *Sicut quod de alto cadit grandem ſonū facit vt ita audiant omnes, ſic & qui de alto gradu cadit ruina illius vbicun que auditur. Chryſoſt. in Matth.as that which falles from an high place (it is Chryſoſtomes compariſon) makes a great noiſe, ſo that all heare it; ſo men that fall from an high degree of profeſſion, their falles are not without ſuch a noiſe as is heard farre, and neere. It was needefull therefore to proportion the remedy to the diſeaſe, that the playſter ſhould be as broad as the ſore, and the medicine goe as far as the poyſon. When I ſaw, ſaies Paul, that they walked not vprightly, according to the truth of the Goſpell, I ſaid vntounto Peter before them all. Gal. 2. 14. But why before them all? Why had hee no more regard to the Honour of Peter? Why was it not ſpoken to Peter priuately, and by himſelfe alone? Why ſpeakes hee that which might bee to the diſcredit of Peter before them all? Hierome giues a good anſwer, *Dixi Cephaee Publicum ſcandalum non potuit priuate curari, Hieron. in Gal. 2.A publique ſcandal could not bee healed priuately. It is very fit that publique euills, ſhould hauehave publique remedies. If theſe endeauours of mine, ſuch as they bee, ſhall thorough Gods bleſſing hauehave ſuch effect as to preuent any ſcandals for the time to come, to ſaue any from the danger of ſuch as are already come, or to bring any to repentance by whom offences hauehave come, I ſhall hauehave cauſe to thinke my time and paines happily beſtowed.
The ſeuerall Chapters of this Treatiſe.
CHAP. I. THe Coherence, and Reſolution of the Text. pag. 1.
CHAP. II. The Neceſsitie of ſcandalous euents in Gods Church. pag. 7.
CHAP. III. An Apologie for Religion, and the Profeſſours thereof, againſt the Scandal of Scandals. pag. 26.
CHAP. IIII. That Scandals are wofull and fatall to the Scandalized World. p. 60.
CHAP. V. How Scandals come to be ſo mortally Miſchieuous. pag. 77.
CHAP. VI. What little reaſon men hauehave to triumph at, and what great reaſon to be cautelous in the euent of Scandals. pag. 109.
CHAP. VII. The ſharpe and ſeuere Iuſtice of God vponupon ſuch as giuegive Scandal. p. 136.
CHAP. VIII. Why God is ſo ſmart, and ſo ſeuere in his Iuſtice againſt thoſe by whom Scandals come. pag. 170.
CHAP. IX. The great care we ſhould hauehave of giuing ſcandal, and ſorrow for them giuen, and the great cauſe of humiliation they hauehave by whom offences come. pag. 206.
The Miſchiefe and Miſerie of SCANDALS Both Taken and Giuen.
MATH. 18. 7. Woe vntounto the world becauſe of offences: for it muſt needs bee that offences come: but woe to that man by whom the offence commeth.