Two Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Why God is ſo ſmart, and ſo ſeuere in his Iuſtice againſt thoſe by whom Scandals come.
WE hauehave ſeene how ſharpe, and ſeuere the Iuſtice of God is in puniſhing ſuch by whom offences come. Conſider we a little, as wee hauehave ſeene the ſeueritie of his Iuſtice, ſo the Iuſtice of his ſeueritie, and why God doth deale thus roundly with offenders in that kind. I conceiue there bee foure ſpeciall reaſons of Gods ſo dealing.
1. Becauſe by Scandals Gods holy and glorious Name is polluted, and blaſphemed, and ſo God in a high meaſure wronged. God is a iealous God, and he will not hold him guiltleſſe that takes his Name in vaine, that is, hee will ſurely meete with, and bee reuenged vponupon ſuch as doe it. It is a greater matter to pollute, and profane Gods Name then it is to take his name in vaine. If therefore God will deale ſo ſeuerely with them that doe but take his Name in vaine, how much more will hee make them ſmart that doe pollute his Name, and cauſe it to be blaſphemed by the malignant enemies of his truth. The defiling of Gods Name is an heynous thing, wee ſee how ſharpe God was with Moſes and Aaron, they muſt both die, and not come into the Land of Canaan. But what was the reaſon? See Deut. 32. 51. Becauſe yee treſpaſſed againſt mee amongſt the children of Iſrael. But what was that treſpaſſe? Becauſe yee ſanctified mee not in the middeſt of the children of Iſrael. And muſt they die, and not enter Canaan becauſe they ſanctified not, what if they had polluted his Name? If it be ſo heynous not to ſanctifie, what is it to pollute, and defie Gods Name? And this ſinne is pNumquid dici de Hunis poteſt. Ecce qua les ſunt qui Chriſtiani dicuntur? Numquid de Saxonibus aut Francis? Ecce quae faciunt, qui ſe aſſerunt Chriſti eſſe cultores? Numquid propter Maurorum efferos mores lex ſacro-ſancta culpatur? Nunquid Scythârum aut Gepidarum inhumaniſſimi ritus in maledictum. at que blaſphemiā nomen Domini Saluatoris inducunt?—Hoc autem, vt dixi, malum peculialiter tantum Chriſtianerum eſt, quia per eos tantummodo blaſphematur Deus, qui bona dicunt, & mala faciunt. Salu. de Prou. Dei lib. 4.proper and peculiar to the Profeſſors of the Name of God, and Chriſt to defile his Name.
Other men ſinne in thoſe euils which they commit, but yet this ſinne they are not guiltie of. They onelyonly commit the ſinne of polluting Gods Name, that doe profeſſe his Name. This is properly a Church-ſinne, and befals not ſuch as are without. When men take the Name of God, and the profeſſion of Religion vponupon them, and yet liue lewdly and looſely, or fall into any ſcandalous practices, they doe thereby defile the Name of God, and pollute it. Wee finde the people charged with this ſinne, Ezek. 36. 20. That they prophaned or polluted Gods holy Name amongſt the Heathen whither they went. Now how could they pollute Gods Name? That they did by that which followes in the ſame Verſe. They prophaned my Name amongſt the Heathen when they ſaid of them, Theſe are the people of the Lord, and are gone out of his Land. The Iewes where euer they came profeſſed themſelues the people of God; that they had the God of Heauen for their God, and that they had his Law, and Oracles, and that they were an holy people, neer vntounto him, hereupon the Heathen looked for ſome ſingular thing from them, ſingular holineſſe in their lifes, ſingular fidelitie in their dealings, &c. But when they obſerued their lifes, many of them to bee looſe and ſcandalous, they beganne preſently to open their mouthes againſt God, and againſt his Truth, oh theſe bee the people of the Lord, theſe be your holy people, that worſhip ſuch an holy God, that hauehave ſuch an holy Law. No maruell their God, their Law, their Religion is ſo holy, for ought wee fee by theſe mens lifes, there is no more in their God, and Religion then in ours. Thus ſpake the Heathen when they ſaw the wicked lifes and practices of ſome of the people of the Iewes. And indeede it is an Heatheniſh tricke in ſuch caſes to fall foule vponupon God and Religion, It is heatheniſh language to ſay, Theſe bee the people of the Lord, and this is their religion and their zeale.
And thus by their euill lifes occaſioning the heathen to blaſpheme God, and to throw the filth of their baſe actions vponupon Him and his Name, they thereby polluted his Name.
Thus was Gods Name polluted by the Spaniards among the Indians: When they firſt came amongſt the Weſt Indians, the people enquired of them whence they came, and what they were? They tolde them that they were come downe from Heauen, and that they were the ſonnes of the God of Heauen. Whereupon the poore Saluages obſeruing their couetouſneſſe, crueltie, and vncleanneſſe, anſwered, that he could not be a good God that had ſuch euill ſonnes, and ſo was Gods Name polluted by their polluted lifes. qSicut enim nomen Dei glorificatur vita piorum hominum in quibus ipſe per ſpiritum ſuum operatur quic quid faciunt boni: ita è diuerſo polluitur & infamatur malefactis eorum qui ſe Dei cultores profitentur. Cypr. de dupl. Mart. Poſtremò ſancta à Chriſtianis ſi erent, ſi Chriſtus ſancta docuiſſet. Aeſtimari ita que de cultoribus ſuis poteſt ille qui colitur. Quomodo enim bonus magiſter eſt, cuius tam malos videmus eſſe diſcipulos? Ex ipſo enim Chriſtiani ſunt, ipſum audiunt, ipſum legunt. Promptum eſt omnibus Chriſti intelligere doctrinam. Vide Chriſtianos, quid agant, & euidenter poteſt de ipſo Chriſto ſciri, quid doceat. Mimeſis Pagan. Salu. de Prouiden. lib▪ …For looke as an holy & honeſt conuerſation ſanctifies, & glorifies the Name of God, 1. Pet. 2. 12. I beſeech you abſtaine from fleſhly luſts, Hauing your conuerſation honeſt amongſt the Gentiles, that when they ſpeake againſt you as euill doers, they may by your good workes which they ſhall behold glorifie God in the day of viſitation; So contrarily, Gods Name is vnhallowed, and polluted by the euill and ſcandalous lifes of ſuch as profeſſe his Name. When Gods Name is blaſphemed it is polluted, Gods Name is blaſphemed when the Truth is blaſphemed. The truth comes to be blaſphemed by reaſon of the euill lifes of ſuch as profeſſe the Truth, 2. Pet. 2. 2 And many ſhall follow their pernicious wayes by reaſon of whom the way of truth ſhall bee blaſphemed, foreign. Now God will not put it vp at mens hands that occaſion others to pollute his Name. God is verie tender of the glorie of his Name. He hath preſcribed, Hallowed bee thy Name, to be the leading petition in our Prayers, and if therefore the glory of his Name bee any way impeached by mens ſcandalous actions, he will repaire and make his glorie whole by his Iuſtice vponupon their perſons who hauehave by ſcandal wronged it. When men doe pollute Gods Name, God who is alwayes readie to vindicate his owne glorie, will ſanctifie his owne Name, and reſcue it from the pollutions, and prophanations wherewith ſcandalous perſons hauehave defiled it.
That paſſage is worthy our obſeruation, Ezek. 36. 20. 23. When they entred vntounto the Heathen whither they went, they prophaned mine holy Name: And I will ſanctifie my great Name which was prophaned amongſt the Heathen, which they hauehave profaned in the middeſt of them, and the Heathen ſhall know that I am the Lord, ſaith the Lord God, when I ſhall bee ſanctified in you before their eyes. See then that God will ſanctifie his Name when men pollute it, and hee will one way or other take order to waſh off that pollution, wherewith men hauehave defiled it. God would be ſanctified in them before the eyes of the Heathen.
Now Gods Name is ſometimes ſanctified in his workes of MercieMercy, as Ezek. 20. 41.—and ſometimes in the workes of Iuſtice. Ezek. 38 22, 23. Now though in that forenamed place it is ſpoken of ſanctifying his polluted Name by his workes of MercieMercy in the eyes of enemies, yet it is alſo true that God wil ſanctifie his polluted Name in the eyes of Aduerſaries by his workes of Iuſtice, That is, hee will doe ſuch exemplarie Iuſtice, and ſuch ſmart woe vponupon ſuch as by their ſcandals polluted his Name, that he will recouer himſelfe as much glorie in their puniſhment as they loſt him by their ſinne, and ſo remarkeably will he doe it in enemies eyes, that they who before opened their mouthes to diſhonour his Truth, ſhall now open their mouthes to acknowledge his glorious Iuſtice, and by that Iuſtice bee drawne at leaſt to a ſecret acknowledgement, that this Religion and this profeſſion is the truth, the Scandalizers whereof God doth ſo ſeuerly puniſh.
This wee ſhall ſee in Dauid, 2. Sam. 12. 14. There was no remedie, Dauid though faſt and pray, and ſeeke the childs life, yea though Dauid hauehave repented, and Nathan hauehave pronounced the pardon of his ſinne, yet no remedie but the childe muſt die. rQuam grauis autem & piaculi ſingularis malum ſit nomen diuinitatis in blaſphemiam Gentium dare etiam Dauid beatiſſimi exemplo edo…emur qui—cum aeternam pro offenſionibus ſuis poenam per vnam confeſſionem meruerit euadere: huius tamen criminis veniam non per poenitentiam patrocinantem potuit impetrare. Nam cum ei proprios errores confitenti Nathan Propheta dixiſſet, tranſtulit Deus peccatum tuum, non morieris, ſubdidit ſtatim veruntamen quia blaſphemare feciſti inimicos Dei propter verbum hoc filius qui natus eſt morietur, & quid poſt haec? Depoſito ſcilicet diadèmate, proiectis gemmis—fletu madidus, cinere ſordidatus vitam paruuli ſui tot lamentationum ſuffragijs peteret, & pijſſimum Deum tanta precum ambitione pulſaret, ſic rogans & obſecrans obtinerè non potuit, ex quo intelligi poteſt quod nullam penitus maioris piaculi crimen eſt quam blaſphemandi cauſam Gentibus dare. Salu. lib. 4. de Prouid.What was the reaſon? Becauſe by his ſcandal hee had giuen great occaſion to the enemies of God to blaſpheme. His ſcandal was great. Any ſcandal giues occaſion of blaſpheming, but great ſcandals giuegive great occaſion of blaſpheming, therefore as he by his great Scandal hath polluted Gods Name, ſo God by his great Iuſtice would ſanctifie his name in the eyes of thoſe enemies that had blaſphemed.
We find a Law Deut. 22. 19. that a man in that caſe ſpecified in the text, ſhould be ſharpely amearced, and a good round fine ſet vponupon his head, and the reaſon is giuen becauſe hee hath brought vp an euill Name vponupon a virgin of Iſrael. Now in caſes of ſcandal there is an euill Name brought vp not vponupon a virgin of Iſrael, but vponupon the God of Iſrael, vponupon his Goſpell, and truth. If then God would hauehave a man ſo ſeuerely puniſht, that ſhould bring vp an euill name vponupon a Virgin of Iſrael, how much more will God himſelfe ſet ſmart fines vponupon their heads as bring, as doe occaſion the bringing vp of an euill name vponupon the Religion, & the God of Iſrael. Amongſt men, how euer other offences ſcape, yet how great is the ſeueritie of the Law in puniſhing Scandalum Magnatum. Now in ſcandalous offences of Profeſſors, there is a right Scandalum Magnatum, in regard of the wrong, and iniurie that Gods great Name ſuffers.
No maruell, that God is ſo ſeuere in puniſhing ſcandals. For where God ſuffers greateſt wrong, there Iuſtice requires that men vndergoe ſeuereſt puniſhments. Now no ſinnes doe God greater wrong then ſcandals. Other ſinnes, and other mens ſins are breaches of his Law, and pollutions of mens Conſciences, but yet are not pollutions of Gods Name. But ſcandals, and the notorious offences of Profeſſours are not onelyonly breaches of Gods Law, and pollutions of the offenders Conſciences, but are pollutions of Gods Name. What wonder then, that ſuch ſeueritie followes ſcandals? It it but Iuſtice that where the guilt is ſforeign. Baſil. de Bapt. lib. 1. q. 10.double in the offence, there ſhould be a double, and a proportionable meaſure of puniſhment.
Now in eueryevery ſcandal there is a double guilt.
Firſt, the guilt of breaking of Gods Law, and polluting a mans owne Conſcience. And ſecondly, the guilt of prophaning, and polluting Gods Name. And this latter is the farre greater, and more prouoking guilt. God will worſe brooke the pollution of his Name, then the breach of his Law. And therefore it is a ſure truth that hee that commits a greater ſinne which yet is ſecret, ſhalbee leſſe puniſht then hee which commits a ſmaller ſinne, which breaking out prooues ſcandalous. Wee hauehave an inſtance, Numb. 11. 21. compared with Deut. 32. 51. Wee hauehave in theſe two places two offences of Moſes his committing. Let a man weigh them together, and queſtionleſſe in their owne nature compared, that offence Numb. 11. 21, 22. was the greater, there is in it not onelyonly vnbeliefe as in the other, but a kinde of murmuring conteſt with God, as it were to his face. The latter hath reference to that Hiſtorie, Numb. 20. 10. where wee finde Moſes to conteſt with ſome impatience, and vnbeliefe with the people. Is it not a greater ſinne to murmure and conteſt in vnbeliefe and impatience with God, then to grow into paſſion with a rebellious people? Is it not a greater matter to hauehave ones ſpirit ſtirred at God, then with ſinfull men? Conſider both paſſages together, and any one will iudge the firſt miſcarriage in it owne nature the greateſt. And yet all that God ſayes to the firſt is this, Is the Lords hand now waxed ſhort? Thou ſhalt ſee now whether my Word ſhall come to paſſe vntounto thee or not. What could hauehave beene ſaid leſſe? But now come to the other which in it ſelfe ſeemes nothing ſo great, and ſee what followes vponupon it. Becauſe yee beleeued me not to ſanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Iſrael, therefore ye ſhall not bring this Congregation into the Land. Numb. 20. 12. But ſhall die becauſe yee treſpaſſed, and ſanctified mee not in the middeſt of the children of Iſrael. Now then here may be a queſtion, why the leſſer ſinne hath the ſharper reproofe and the greater puniſhment.
Is it equall dealing to winke at and paſſe by a greater, and to be ſo ſeuere in the leſſer? Yes moſt equal, for though the former ſinne in it owne nature were greater, yet that was happily tforeign Iſid peluſ. lib. 5. Epiſt. 161.priuate between God and Moſes, and ſo no ſcandal in it, but the latter was publike before all the people, and ſo a ſcandal in it, God not ſanctified, his Name diſhonoured, and for the ſcandal ſake the puniſhment ſo ſmart in this rather then in the other.
A ſmall ſinne ſcandalous hath a greater puniſhment then a great ſinne cloſe, and ſecret, becauſe there is in the ſcandal a pollution of Gods Name, an Impeach of his honour, beſides the guilt of the breach of his Law. So then therefore is God ſo ſeuere in puniſhing ſcandals, becauſe God is more wronged by them then by ſimple ſinne, becauſe they pollute his ſacred Name.
2. God is thus ſeuere in the puniſhing of ſcandals, becauſe ſoulebloud is not cheape with God. They that ſpill the bloud of ſoules ſhall pay full dearely for it, God will require it at their hands. Now in the commiſſion of ſcandalous ſinnes there is a great deale of ſpirituall uSi quis ſimplici mente & deſiderio veniat ad Eccleſiam vt proſiciat, vt melior fiat: iſte ſi videat nos qui multo iam tempore in ſide ſtetimus, vel non recte agentes, vel cum offendiculo loquentes efficimur nos illi lapſus ad peccatum, Cum autem peccauerit trueidatus eſt, & ſanguis animae eius proſtuit, omnis ob eo virtus vitalis abſcedit—Scandalizati animae ſanguis effunditur cum ceciderit in peccatum & propterea dixit, quia requi retur ſanguis eius à fratre, frater tuus eſt qui fudit ſanguinem tuum. Origen. in Pſal. 36. hom. 3.bloudſhed, and murther. Paul ſpeaking of Scandals of an inferiour nature, ſuch as are giuen to weake brethren in the vſe of Chriſtian libertie, in the vſe of things in their nature indifferent makes them bloudie and murtherour, Rom. 14. 15. Deſtroy not him with thy meat for whom Chriſt died, 1. Cor. 8. 12. Thorough thy knowledge ſhall thy weake brother periſh.
If Scandals in ſuch cauſes bee ſo dangerous in their iſſue, & of ſuch mortal conſequence, then what are Scandals in a higher nature in the offenſiue, and euill lifes of ſuch as profeſſe Religion? How much more are they of deadly conſequence, and how much more is bloud ſpilt by them? If a man may hauehave his hand in the bloud of ſoules by giuing ſcandal in the doing of things in their owne nature lawfull, then how much more by giuing ſcandal in the doing of ſuch things as in their owne nature are ſinfull and vnlawfull? There is a Law Exod. 21. 33, 34. that if a man open a pit, and couer it not, and an Oxe or an Aſſe fal therein, the owner of the pit ſhall make it good. Now in eueryevery Scandal giuen there is a pit digged, and opened, eueryevery one that giues a Scandal opens, and digges a pit, into which many a ſoule fals headlong. If he that opened the pit muſt make good the Oxe or Aſſe, that fell thereinto, that is, muſt pay the full price and worth of it to the owner, what muſt hee doe that opens a pit into which a ſoule fals? Surely God will require it at his hands, and it muſt bee made good. Doth God, ſaith the Apoſtle, take care for Oxen? So here, will God require Oxen at their hands thorough whoſe default they fall into pits? then how much more doth he take care, and will he require ſoules of men at their hands, that by Scandals hauehave opened pits into which they are fallen, and ruined? There is another Law in the ſame place worth our noting to this purpoſe, Exod. 21. 22. 23. If men ſtriue & hurt a woman with child ſo that her fruit depart from her, & yet no miſchiefe follow, hee ſhall be ſurely puniſhed, &c. And if any miſchiefe follow thou ſhalt giuegive life for life, or ſoul for ſoul, as the words originally are; If no miſchiefe follow either to the womā or the child, yet a puniſhment was due in ſuch a caſe, but if miſchiefe followed, then life for life, ſoule for ſoule, Now in the caſe of ſcandals it is a ſure thing that Miſchiefe doth follow, wee ſaw before what a deale of Woe, and Miſchiefe they bring with them. Hee that giues a Scandal is as a man that ſmites or ſpurnes a woman with childe. He that doth ſo, a hundred to one but hee cauſes miſchiefe to follow.
It may bee there was a man that began to hauehave ſome good in him, ſome hope that Chriſt began to be formed in him. Now a man giues ſome heynous Scandal, and therevpon miſchiefe followes, all theſe hopes are daſht, this man flies quite off, and caſts off all thoughts of medling any more with godlineſſe, here is one with child ſpurned, and a miſchiefe followes, therefore life for life, ſoule for ſoule will be required. *Vae illi qui ſcandalizauerit vnum ex puſillis iſtis. Vae pregnantem calcanti. Ambroſ. in Pſal. 118.Woe be to him that ſpurnes a woman with childe, and cauſes miſchiefe to follow, and therefore Woe to him by whom an offence comes, becauſe by him miſchiefe comes, miſchiefe comes to many a ſoule, the miſchiefe of reiecting religion, or the miſchiefe of an hardened heart. And therefore is God thus ſeuere in his Iuſtice vponupon ſuch becauſe they do bloudie miſchiefe, and therefore they muſt giuegive zQui ſcandali conſcius eſt animam dabit pro anima eius quem ſcandalizauit, Origen,ſoule for ſoule.
It may bee that many a man was like to be brought on to Religion, might hauehave ſome aFactus ſum opprobrium & vicinis meis nimium vicinis meis nimium opprobrium factus ſum, id eſt, qui mihi (Eccleſiae) iam appropinquabant vt crederent: hoc eſt, vicini mei nimium deterriti ſunt mala vita malorum & falſorum Chriſtianorum. Quam multos enim putatis, fratres mei, velle eſſe Christianos, ſed offendi malis moribus Christianorum. Ipſi ſunt vicini qui iam appropinquabant, & nimium opprobrium illis viſi ſumus. Auguſtinus in Pſal. 30.thoughts of imbracing, and receiuing the truth, but now ſome Profeſſor of Religion falling foule, he fals off and will none, all theſe thoughts are dampt, and ſo laid aſide. There be ſo many ſoules loſt, and kept out of Heauen by that Scandal, Here is the bloud of ſoules ſpilt. How many might hauehave come to hauehave been godly and religious Chriſtians, if it had not beene for the Scandal of ſome one man profeſſing godlineſſe, and religion. Such a deale of miſchiefe followes by ſuch a ſcandal. And for this cauſe, was that woe, vponupon the Prieſts that they were baſe and contemptible, becauſe they had cauſed many to ſtumble at the law, and to fly off from religion which was not without the miſchieuing of their ſoules for euer.
It may bee many a mans mouth was ſhut, and though hee ſaid no good, yet hee could ſay no euill of the way of truth, now that a man falles into ſcandal, his mouth is opened againſt God, & againſt Religion, and he blaſphemes ful mouth. Now is this mans ſoule by his blaſphemy miſerably endaūgered, here is ſoule blood ſpilt. What a deale of miſchiefe is done to his ſoule, but who is guilty of that miſchiefe, but hee that gaue that ſcandal? and therefore the bQui enim ſine blaſphemia aliorum grauiter errauerit ſibi tantum adfert damnationem: Qui autē alios blaſphemare fecerit multos ſecum praecipitat in mortem, & neceſſe erit vt ſit pro tantis reus quantos ſecum traxerit in reatum, Salu. lib. 4 de Prouid.blood of that blaſpheming ſoule ſhalbe required at thine hands that gaue the ſcandal which ruſht him into that miſchiefe.
It may bee many a man began to miſlike his euill wayes, many mens hearts began to miſgiue them, but now a ſcandal is fallen out, their hands are ſtrengthened, their hearts are hardened, and ſo they ſealed vp to hell. Here is ſoule bloud ſpilt againe. Here be many ſtumbling & fallen into the pit of hell, I, but who laid this ſtumbling ſtone, that hath topled them ouer? Here bee a companie of ſoules vndone, and caſt away, I but who hath vndone, and caſt them away? Here is miſchiefe done, but who hath done it? Euen he that hath cōmitted ſuch a ſcandal; he it is that hath done this miſchiefe, hee hath (as much as in him lies) damned and deſtroyed theſe ſoules. And is it nothing to damne ſoules? Is it any wonder that God ſhould bee ſo ſeuere, when their ſinne is ſo bloudy, when they hauehave deſtroyed who knowes how many ſoules? God will puniſh ſuch as do not endeauour to cforeign. Chryſ ad Rom. Hom. 15.ſaue other mens ſoules what in them lyes, what then deſerue they at his hands, that caſt away mens ſoules as ſcandalous ſinners doe. And what wonder that heauy Iuſtice followes heauy ſinnes.
Thou ſhalt not put a ſtumbling blocke before the blind. Leuit. 19. 14. But what if a man doe it? Then ſhall a woe, and a curſe fall vponupon him, Deut. 27. 18. Curſed bee hee that makes the blind to wander out of his way. Now when men doe giuegive ſcandal they doe lay ſtumbling blockes in the way of many blind ones, they cauſe them to wander out of the way, and to ſtumble ſo that they fall into eternall ruine. And therefore is God ſo ſharpe with them. Wee ſhall ſee an heauy woe denounced againſt thoſe falſe prophiteſſes. Ezek. 13. 18. Thus ſaith the Lord God, Woe to the woman that ſow pillowes to al armeholes, &c. But why doth God threatuen a woe againſt them? See the reaſon, Verſe. 22. Becauſe with lies, yee hauehave made the hearts of the righteous ſad, and ſtrengthened the hands of the wicked that hee ſhould not returne from his wicked way. Now ſuch as giuegive ſcandal doe both theſe things, they doe grieue & ſad the hearts of the righteous, and ſtrengthen the hands of the wicked that they returne not from their wicked wayes. And therefore vponupon the ſame ground that the woe was threatned againſt the falſe prophetiſſes, is it due to the giuers of ſcandals. They are guilty of the ſame euill, and therefore vnderunder the ſame woe. If the falſe prophetiſſes deſerue a woe becauſe by ſtrengthening the hands, and hardening the hearts of wicked men, they were guilty of the bloud of their ſoules, then becauſe ſcandalous ones, are guilty of the ſelfe ſame euill, they righteoſly come vnderunder the ſame woe.
It is a dangerous thing to hauehave an hand in other mans dI gitur & tu quo que ſi reliquis perditionis cauſa fueris, grauiora patieris quam qui per te ſubuer ſi ſunt. Ne que enim peccare tantum in ſe perditionis habet, quantum quod reliqui ad peccandum inducuntur, Chryſoſt. ad Rom. Hom. 25.ſinnes, and ſo in other mens damnations. A mans owne perſonall guiit, will be heauy enough, he ſhal not neede to loade himſelfe with other mens guilt. Now this is the caſe of ſcandalous perſons, they ſtand anſwereable for others mens ſinnes, as the cauſers of them, and many times the cauſers may ſmart as much, if not more then the committers of them.
3. God is ſo ſeuere in the puniſhment of ſcandals, becauſe by them is brought a blurre, a diſgrace, and a Reproach vponupon a whole Church. As God is tender of his owne, ſo is he alſo tender of the honour of his Church. It is not ſafe to bring diſgrace but vponupon one good man, nay, we ſaw before that hee muſt ſmart for it, that brought vp an euil report, but vponupon one virgin of Iſrael, Deut. 22. Is God ſo tender of the honour, and ctedit of one virgin of Iſrael, what is hee then of the honor of al Iſrael. If not ſafe to bring vp an euill report vp on one member of the Church, then much leſſe to bring vp an euill report vponupon a whole Church. Wee finde Numb. 14. 37. ſome there that brought vp an euil report vponupon the land, & what was the ſequell? They dyed of the plague before the Lord. If God were ſo ſeuere in his Iuſtice to ſmite them with preſent death that brought vp an euil report vponupon the Land of Canaan, what ſeuerity may they expect that bring vp an euill report vponupon his Church. What compariſon betweene Canaan and Gods Church? Now this al ſcandalours offenders doe. If the reproach of their actions, and the Infamy of their practiſes, were but only perſonall, the matter were not ſo great, they hauehave but their iuſt deſerts, but the reproach of their ſcandals redoundes to the diſgrace of the whole eforeign. Iuſtin. Apol. 2. a pro Chiſtianis.Church of God and the excrementitious filth of their actions is throwne in the face of the whole Church. Dauid hath a praier. Pſ. 69. 5. 6. O God thou knoweſt my fooliſhneſſe, and my ſinnes are not hid from thee, let not them that waite on thee O Lord God of hoſtes, be aſhamed for my ſake O God of Iſrael. As if hee had ſaid. Thou knoweſt O Lord, what heynous things mine enemies lay vntounto my charge, thou that knoweſt all my fooliſhnes and ſins, knoweſt that they lay them falſely vponupon mee, But what euer ſinnes they charge vponupon me, yet Lord keepe me and preſerue mee, that I may not fall into any ſuch ſcandalous ſinne, that may bring ſhame, & reproach vponupon thy people, Let me not ſo ſin, that for my ſake thy people ſhould hauehave any ſhame. Marke then that when any that profeſſe the Name of God fall into any groſſe euill, it turnes to the ſhame not onelyonly of him that falls, but it brings ſhame vponupon all that waite vponupon God, and ſeeke him. All Gods people ſuffer, and ſhare in the reproach of one miſcarrying. We hauehave an example of it. 1. Cor. 1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication amongſt you. fPungit ac ferit et quo ad eius fieri poteſt commune profert probrū criminis Non dixit enim. cur ille, aut iſte eſt fornicatus, ſed auditur inter vos fornicatio, nevt qui eſſent nulli reprehenſioni affines, pigri eſſēt ac ſocordes, ſed vtpote cōmuni percuſſo, & in crimen vocat â eccleſia ita eſſent animi dubij & anxij. Nemo enim dicet inquit quod ille aut iſte fornicatus est, ſed quod in eccleſia Corinthiorum admiffum eſt illud peccatum. Chryſoſt. in locum.He doth not ſay, men do report that ſuch a man hath cō mitted fornication, but the report goes that fornication is committed amongſt you. If it had beene reported that ſuch a man had committed fornication, that had beene but a perſonall reproach, and diſgrace to that one particular man. But; It is reported that fornication is committed amongſt you, ſo went the report. There is fornication amongſt the Chriſtians, and in the Church of Corinth, And ſo the reproach was generall to the whole Church of Corinth, and common to them all, So that by his Inceſtuous fact hee brought a reproach vponupon the whole body of beleeuers. And the heathen queſtionleſſe ſo reported it as to blurre them all, as if they were al alike. So the whole Church of Corinth ſuffered by that one mans ſcandall. And this is the ordinary practiſe of enemies to diſgrace all with one mans folly. Thus was it the Diuels pollicie and malice to raiſe vp thoſe Impure *His igitur diabolus vſus eſt vtigentibus qui erant à fide alieni anſam praeberent ſacroſancto Dei verbo petulanter impie que obtrectandi: eo planè conſilio vt fama de flagitioſa eorum vitae ratione paſſim diſſipatâ turpemignominae notam vniuerſae Christianorum multitudini inureret, Euſeb. Hiſt. Eccl. lib. 4. cap. 7.Gnoſtickes, that the heathen might hauehave occaſion of ſpeaking againſt the Goſpell, and that the report of their flagitious courſes being eueryevery where ſpred, he might brande the whole multitude of Chriſtians, with the marke of their Ignominy. There is the ſame ſpirit reignes in al enemies that was in Haman, Mordecay had offēded him, but it would not ſerue his turne nor, ſatisfie his malice to lay hands on Mordecay alone, for they had ſhewed him the people of Mordecay, wherfore Haman ſought to deſtroy all the Iewes, euen the people of Mordecay. Eſth. 3. 6. Mordecay had done him no wrong d Quid tam timendum quā cum vidit homo multos male viuentes, & de quibus bene ſperabatur in multis malefactis inuentos? Timet ne tales ſint omnes quos putabat bonos, & veniunt inſuſpicionem malam prope omnes honi. Qualis vir? Quomodo cecidit? Quomodo inuentus eſt in illâ turpitudine in illo ſcelere, in illo facto malo? Putaſnè tales ſunt omnes?—Quanta mala dicunt in malos Chriſtianos quae maledicta perueniunt adomnes Chriſtianos? Nunquid enim dicit qui maledicit aut qui reprehendit Chriſtianos, Ecce quid faciunt, non boni Chriſtiani? Sed ecce quid faciunt Chriſtiani. Nonſeparat non diſcernit. Auguſt. in Pſal 30.nor committed any offence, but when Hamans choller was vp, the quarrell is not at Mordecay alone, but at his people. So is it in caſes of iuſt offence, whē ſcandals are giuen the ſhame and blame is not laid vponupon the offender alone, but vponupon his people, not vponupon that profeſſour alone but vponupon all profeſſours, not vponupon that member of the Church, but vponupon the whole Church. It is a true thing which g Auguſtine obſerues, that when ſome one man fals into ſome groſſe euill, that gaue ſome hope, and made ſome ſhew of goodneſſe, that ſuch as are without, are ready to iudge others like them, and that an euill ſuſpicion lies vponupon all good men. Oh what a man? ſay they. How foulely is he fallen? how is hee found in ſuch a filthineſſe, in ſuch a wickedneſſe, in ſuch a vile fact? doe yee not thinke that they are all ſuch? how great and foule euill things, ſaith he, do they ſpeak againſt euil Chriſtians, which euill ſayings reach vntounto all Chriſtians? for, doth he thus ſpeake, that ſpeakes euill of, or falls foule vponupon Chriſtians, Behold what they doe, that are not good Chriſtians? No, but, Behold what the Chriſtians doe, he puts no difference at all. And ſo the ſcandals of one Chriſtian, tends and trenches to the diſgrace of all Chriſtians, euen to the diſhonour of the hSed quoſdam audio inficere numerum veſtrum, & laudē praecipui nominis praua conuerſatione deſtruere—Cum quanto enim nominis veſtri pudore delinquitur quādo alius aliquis temulentus & laſciuiens demoratur, &c. Cypr. Epiſt. 7.Chriſtian name, the fall of one ſcandalous profeſſour to the reproach all all.
4. Laſtly, God is ſo ſeuere in puniſhing ſuch as giuegive ſcandal, becauſe their ſinnes therein are greater then other mens. Though other iEx ipſo vti que deteriores ſumus ſi meliores non ſumus, qui meliores eſſe debemus. Criminoſior enim culpa eſt vbi honeſtior ſtatus: ſi honoratior eſt perſona peccentis, peccati quo que maior inuidia, furtum quidem in homine eſt malum facinus, Sed damnabilius abſ que dubio ſi Senator furatur aliquando. Cunctis fornicatio interdicitur, ſed, grauius multo eſt ſi de clero aliquis quā ſi de populo fornicatur. Ita & nos qui Chriſtiani eſſe dicimur, ſi ſimile aliquid barbarorum impuritatibus facimus grauius: erramus atrociusenim ſub ſancti nomnis profeſſione peccamus. Vbi ſublimior eſt praerogatiua, maior culpa, Ipſo enim, errores noſtros, religio quam profitemur, accuſat. Criminoſior eius est impudicitia qui promiſerit caſtitatem foedius inebriatur, ſobrietatem fronte praetendeus. Nihil eſt Philoſopho turpius vitia obſcaena ſectanti, quia praeter eam deformitatem quam vitia in ſe habent, ſapientiae nomine plus notatur, & nos igitur in omni humano genere philoſophiam Chriſtianam profeſſi ſumus, ac per hoc deteriores nos cunctis gentibus credi at que haberi neceſſe eſt, quia ſub tam magno profeſſionis nomine viuimus, & poſitiin religione peccamus. Salu. de Prouid, lib 4.men commit the ſelfe ſame ſinnes they doe, yet are they not ſo great in other men, as they are in ſuch as profeſſe religion. Their ſinnes are greater then other mens, becauſe theirs, becauſe the ſinnes of ſuch as honoured with an high and holy calling to bee the people of God, to be a people neere vntounto him. And the greater a mans honour is, the more it aggrauates his guilt in caſe of offēce. Theft is foule in any man, but moſt foule in a Magiſtrate. It is a fouler offence for a Miniſter then another man to commit fornication. The dignity of the perſon adds to the foulnes of the gult. So here, ſuch whom God hath called with this high calling to be his peculiar people, hauehave a dignity, & excellency aboue other men, & the dignity of their perſons adds to the indignity of their facts. Speake vntounto the children of Iſrael and ſay vntounto thē, when any man hath a running iſſue out of his fleſh, becauſe of his iſſue he is vncleane, Leu. 15. 2. 4. But why, ſpeake vntounto the children of Iſrael? Becauſe they only were vncleane, and made others vncleane by running iſſues. Heathens as ſome obſerue out of the Iewiſh Rabbins, did not make vncleane by an iſſue, or childbirth &c: but Iſraelites did. An iſſue was an iſſue in an heathen, as well as in an Iſraelite, but in an Iſraelite onelyonly an vncleane and a deſiling iſſue. Sinnes are ſinnes in other men as well as in profeſſours of Religion, but in profeſſours they bee horirible ſinnes, Ier. 18. 13. Aske now among the Heathen, who hath heard ſuch things? The Virgin of Iſrael hath done a very horrible thing. The ſinnes of Gods people are horrible ſinnes, becauſe kQuanto enim honoribus alios antecellunt, tanto quo que ipſorum peccatum, etiam ſi alioqui idem ſit, grauius efficitur, foreign Iſid. peluſ. lib. 4. Epiſt. 15. Quo grandius nomen, eo grandius ſcandalum Ber. Epiſt. 200.their perſons are honourable perſons, Iſai. 43. 4. As God ſpeakes of the Prophets of Samaria and Ieruſalem, Ier. 23. 13. 14. So it may be ſaid of the people of both. I hauehave ſeene folly in the Prophets of Samaria, I hauehave ſeene alſo in the Prophets of Ieruſalem an horrible thing: and yet in effect the ſinnes of both were the ſame, but the ſame ſinnes diuerſly circumſtanced may differ much, and ſo by reaſon of the perſons one being Prophets of Baal, the other profeſſing themſelues the Prophets of the true God, that which was but folly in the Prophets of Samaria, was an horrible thing in the Prophets of Ieruſalem. So is the caſe amongſt the people, that which is but folly in ſuch as are ignorant, irreligious, and liue without God in the World, is an horrible thing in a man that makes profeſſion of Religion. And therefore hence, it is iuſt with God to bee ſo ſeuere in the puniſhment of ſuch, and God will bee ſanctified in them that come nigh vntounto him, and before all the people will hee bee glorified, Leuit. 10. 3. If he be not ſanctified by their ſingular and ſpeciall obedience towards him, he will bee ſanctified by his iuſtice vponupon them, and will be glorified before all the people, that is, publiquely and openly, he will do ſuch ſeuere exemplary iuſtice vpō them, that all ſhall take notice of it. It ſuits with that, Amos 3. 2. You onelyonly hauehave I knowne of all the Families of the earth, therefore I will puniſh you for all your iniquities. How ſmart was Gods iuſtice vponupon Ieruſalem? Dan. 9. 12. For vnderunder the whole Heauen hath not beene done, as hath beene done▪ vponupon Ieruſalem. Why ſo? for vnderunder the whole Heauen had not beene done, as had been done in & by Ieruſalem. Ieruſalem was the holy Citie, Math. 4. 5. The Citie of the great King, Math. 5. 35. The Citie of God, Pſal. 87. 3. Such ſhe profeſſed herſelfe, ſo that ſhe ſinning, her ſinnes were out of meaſure ſinfull, and therefore God moſt righteous, though moſt ſeuere againſt her.
It is in this caſe of the peoples ſufferings, as it was in the Prieſts Offerings. Wee ſhall ſee that in ſome caſes the people ſinning, they might bring for their Offering a Kid of the Goates, Leuit. 4. 23. 28. But ſtill for the ſinnes of the Prieſts there muſt bee offered a Bullocke, Leuit. 4. 3. Leuit. 16. 6. Exod. 29. 10. What might the reaſon of this be? The Prieſts perſon being more excellent, and nigh vntounto God, their ſins were greater then other mens, ſo much greater as a Bullocke is greater then a Kid, and therefore wheras a Kid would ſerue another man, the Prieſt muſt bring a Bullocke. So here in caſe of ſuffering iuſtice. All that profeſſe themſelues Gods people doe profeſſe themſelues Prieſts vntounto God, and therefore their ſinnes are as much aboue other mens, as is a Bullocke aboue a Kid, and therefore when other mens puniſhment which they ſuffer ſhall be but the weight of a Kid, that puniſhment which they ſuffer ſhall bee the weight of a Bullocke. Woe, euen a weightie, and an heauie Woe to him by whom the offence commeth.
Profeſſion of Religion giues no man a licence or diſpenſation, as if becauſe men will owne and countenance Religion, God were beholding to them, and they may take libertie to doe what they pleaſe, but profeſſion of Religion is the ſtrongeſt lReligio autem eſt ſcientia Dei, ac per hoc omnis religioſus hoc ipſo quod religionem ſequitur Dei ſe voluntatem noſſe teſtatur. Profeſſio ita que religionis non aufert debitum, ſed auget, quia aſſumptio religioſinominis ſponſio eſt deuotionis, per hoc plus quiſpiam debet opere quanto plus, promiſerit profeſsione. Saluian. contra. Auarit. lib. 2.obligation, & the deepeſt ingagement vntounto godlines & holineſſe that can be. That bond and obligation being broken, God will aſſuredly both ſue the bond, and take the forfeiture to the vtmoſt.
And thus wee ſee the reaſons of Gods ſo ſharpe ſeueritie in puniſhing Scandals, and ſcandalous offendours.