The Cure of Church Divisions, Directions · Direction 23
DIRECT. XXIII.
Mistake not the nature of the sin of scandal: Think not that it is the bare displeasing or grieving of another; For it is the laying of a stumbling block, that is, a temptation, or occasion of sinning before another.
INdeed the word [offend] hath occasioned the mistake of many in this point, to the great ensnaring of themselves and others. Offending sometime signifieth only Displeasing or grieving another: And this is not the scandal which the Scripture speaks against. But it signifieth also the laying of a stumbling block before another, upon which he may be occasioned to fall into sin; And this is the offence which is called scandal. Abundance of well meaning people, have thought that they must not use any form or words or order or action (especially if it be indifferent in it self) which others are displeased or grieved at: Because they think that is scandal: Indeed there is a grieving others which is scandal; that is, when by grieving them we occasion them to sin. But consider I beseech you these two things.
First, what a wretched person that is. who will sin against God every time that his brother doth not humor him? Durst these persons profess this openly with their tongues? Dare you say, Do not you use such a form of prayer or such a ceremony for if you do, I will sin against God? What elfe do you mean, when you blame men for scandalizing you? I hope you do not mean that no body must displease you? If not, you must know that this only is true scandal, to occasion you to sin? And is it not a shame that you will sin so easily?
2. And if bare displeasing had been scandal, then peevishness and ignorance would have advanced all that had them to be the Governours of the world. For what is it to govern, but to have all others obliged to fulfil your wills? And if no man must displease you then all must fulfil your wills: And he is scandalous that is not ruled by you. And if this were so, the most childish and womanish sort of Christians, who have the weakest judgement and the strongest wils, and passions, must rule all the world: For these are hardliest pleased, and no man must displease them.
But I beseech you remember that scandal lieth in Pleasing men as well as in displeasing them, when it may harden them in an errour, or tempt them to any sin: I will instance to you but in two scandalous acts of Peter himself. The first was to Christ in Math. 16. 22, 23. Where he thought to please Christ and save him from suffering, and would have had him to spare or favour himself. And Christ saith, Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence to me: the Greek word is, A scandal: that is, Thou wouldst do as satan did, even tempt me to sin, & neglect the work which I came into the world about. The other was in Gal. 2. 12, 13▪ Where Peter did scandalize the Iews by pleasing them! For fear of offending the weak Juda…zing Christians, he separated from familiar communion with the Gentiles. By which he laid a stumbling block or temptation before them, to harden them in the sinful opinion of separation. If it had been done in our dayes many would have been drawn away with Barnabas, and thought that Peter had not given scandal to the Iewish Christians, but only separated for fear of scandalizing them. Many a time I have the rather gone to the Common prayers of the publick assemblies, for fear of being a scandal to those same men that called the going to them a scandal: that is, for fear of hardening them in a sinful separation and errour: because I knew that that was not scandal which they called scandal, that is, displeasing them and crossing their opinions: but hardening them in an errour or other sin, is true scandalizing. Understand this or you will displease God under pretence of avoiding scandal.