The Principle of Protestant Truth and Peace, Title page – Preface 1

The Principle of Protestant Truth and Peace · Title page – Preface 1

THE Woe of Scandal: OR, SCANDAL In its General NATURE and EFFECTS;

DISCOURS'D, As one ſtrongeſt Argument againſt Impoſitions in Religious Things acknowledg'd to be Indifferent.

LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt, at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapſide. 1682.

THE PREFACE TO THE READER.

THAT which I will endeavour in preparation to the following Diſcourſe, be to preſent my Deſign and Method in ſtating the Nature of Scandal, that it may be more intelligible by being ſeen firſt, as in a Landſcape, in this Entry; and then to add ſome Conſiderations of great ſtrength to each part of that Undertaking, that have ſince arrived to my Thoughts.

As to the Method, I muſt in my own defence ſay, that I have to do with a Subject, in which ſo much of the deceitfulneſs of Sin is treaſured up, of ſo moveable a conſideration, (as Scripture from its own various ſhapes offers it to us) that it cannot eaſily be known, or trac'd: I hope therefore it will be allowed as ſome part of an Apology, that the Thread of my Treating concerning it, does not run ſo even, and ſtreight along, as it ought.

Further, I muſt take Sanctuary at the Reader's Candor, for the acceptance of my ſincere intention, and any degree of performance in ſo difficult a task: I confeſs the want of the moſt advantageous Arts of Method, and a clear unperplexed Style: Yet that I might take the trueſt meaſure of ſo multiform and vague a Notion;

1. I have taken hold of it in the moſt ſtrict and preciſe Deſcription I could frame, as it is applicable to all caſes of Sin, therein reſting eſpecially upon thoſe words Scripture uſes to convey the ſentiments of it to us. Thus Scandal is that by which we are drawn into any ſin, and off from the courſe of Duty, and Religious Action, and ſo intangled in Guilt, diſeaſe of Conſcience, and indangered as to Eternal Happineſs, under a pretext of Reaſon or Religion.

2. Becauſe I find the Scripture applies the Notion of Scandal eſpecially, when ſome of the grand Principles and Laws of Religion are violated under ſuch pretext; I have conſidered it, as referred to thoſe great Principles by ſuch ſacred uſe.

3. Becauſe there is a very peculiar, and moſt remarkable uſe of it, in the caſe of indifferent Things, by the Apoſtle, when they are turned into ſin, by being determined upon in practice with a doubting Conſcience (beſides other ways, wherein being uſed amiſs, they may become Scandals, or occaſions of it) I have therefore allowed a very peculiar Head of Diſcourſe to that Caſe.

4. Becauſe by deeply conſidering Scandal, and that, as our Saviour pronounces, Scandals muſt needs come, I found there muſt be ſome Primitive, Fundamental, and Ʋniverſal Scandal, that covers the whole State of Sin in general; I addreſſed the laſt part of my Meditation on the Nature of Scandal, to this Primitive, Ʋniverſal Scandal.

And laſtly, I reſume upon the whole, a repreſentation of Scandal adjuſted to what I found upon each of thoſe forementioned Inquiries after it.

And herein I hope I may have hung up Lights to diſcover in ſome degree, and to avoid ſo dark and myſterious an Evil, as Scandal, though I have not been able to do it to thoſe degrees I deſired, or to compoſe into ſo happy an Order, or ſo perſpicuous an Expreſſion, what I had my ſelf clearer apprehenſions of. Thus far as to the Method.

Now for the ſtrengthening ſome parts of this diſcourſe by Conſiderations that have arrived to my Thoughts, ſince I had ſet an end to the Treatiſe it ſelf; they have ariſen from the cloſe obſervation of the Contexture of the Lord's Sermon upon Scandal, as it is Recorded eſpecially in this 18th of Matthew, and Mark 9. and Luke 17. Compared with the Debates of the Apoſtle to the Romans, and the Corinths, which are the moſt eminent Seats of the Doctrin of Scandal, we have in all the Scripture.

Our Saviour therefore, whoſe chief buſineſs into the World, was his recovery of it from Scandal, the Deception, and the Ruin of it, by giving ſatisfaction to the Divine Glory, for the diſhonour done to it by Scandal, hath bleſſed us with as Soveraign Arguments and Inſtructions againſt either giving or receiving it.

Our Lord hath ſo embraced all ſorts and degrees of Scandal within this Sermon, that none can be exempted from the force and energy of thoſ… his Arguments, Inſtructions, or ſevere Denunciations. But y…t, that they have a particular poignancy againſt Scandals within his Church, and one more particular kind, given by a particular ſort of Men, and directed againſt another particular ſort of Men, will be moſt evident from the ſurvey I am now to give of his Heaven-born Diſcourſe.

The occaſion of it was the Diſciples coming ſolemnly to him with a grand Quere, in which no doubt their Ambition, a very ignorant Ambition, was deeply concerned. Who, ſay they, is the greateſt in the Kingdom of Heaven? That is, as was generally underſtood at that time, in the Kingdom of the Meſſiah.

The Lord, as he was wont on all ſuch Queſtions, takes the occaſion of moſt Grave, Weighty, and Important Doctrine, and Admonition in return to it.

And that he might place in his Remonſtrance a moſt lively Emblem; He calls a little Child, and ſets him in the midſt of the Diſciples: and upon him diſplays theſe two great points of Truth.

1. That except a man be converted, and become as a little Child, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; either of Chriſt here in the Goſpel, and his True Church, or the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter.

Now though this being Converted, and becoming as little Children, be very profitably, and pertinently applyed to Regeneration; yet, conſidering it in the Scope, and whole Context, it is very evidently deſigned to that Humility, Unimperiouſneſs, ſenſe of the danger of periſhing for ever; Innocency, and Inoffenſiveneſs from Scandal, by which others periſh: The reſemblances of which are found no where in this World ſo agreeable and ſignificant, as in ſome Properties of little Children, and their Nature; the manly ſtate of Humane Nature, ſhewing ſo little hereof in this great Degeneracy, as to require a perfect Converſion, and Regeneration to ſuch a ſtate.

2. The ſecond point of Truth is this, That whoever humbles himſelf, and becomes as ſuch a little Child, in thoſe Chriſtian Properties, is one of thoſe Great ones, thoſe Magnates; or the more any one humbles himſelf ſo, the greater he is; and he that humbles himſelf moſt, is the greateſt in the Kingdom of Heaven, in the Kingdom of the Meſſiah, and ſhall be in the Kingdom of Glory.

Theſe two great Points of Inſtruction being now ſettled upon this living Emblem, the Lord propoſes the very ſame to other two as great purpoſes of Admonition, although from another aſpect or caſt of this one Picture: Conſider Little Ones, as the Emblems of Weakneſs, Infirmity, liableneſs to Danger and Injury, of little Defence and Reſiſtance to any Aſſault; and ſo the Lord declares:

1. Whoever receives ſuch a little one in his name, that is, upon the account of Profeſſion of Jeſus Chriſt, into a juſt eſteem, value, and care, of cheriſhing ſuch a one in that Holy Profeſſion, and ſecuring him, as far as he can, in the Bleſſedneſs of that ſtate; receives, that is owns and acknowledges with Honour, Chriſt himſelf, and the kindneſs is accepted, as if it were immediately placed upon Chriſt.

2. But if any one Scandaliſes, ſets a ſtone of Offence and Ruin, in the path of ſuch a Little One, by which he falls from, or in, his Profeſſion of Chriſtianity to his Deſtruction, the Lord pronounces a Woe upon ſuch a one, as dreadful as the Proverb imports, It were better that a Milſtone were hung about his Neck, and he were caſt into the depth of the Sea: Which as it peremptorily dooms the Profeſſed, obſtinate Scandaliſer, ſo it warns all of managing themſelves ſo in Chriſtianity, as to caſt off all Offence and Scandal from it, and to encourage the tendereſt in it, to ſtrengthen, and promote them.

Hereby then, our Lord hath deſigned the ſecurity of the whole ſtate of Chriſtianity from the harm and danger of Scandal; for in theſe Little Ones he comprehends,

1. Thoſe, who in regard of their being newborn out of the State of Univerſal Scandal, are in danger of being re-intangled in its Net, or in regard of any other diſadvantage, or liableneſs to Scandals miſchief, are the loſt, as our Saviour after ſtiles them, and the weak, though not the young, (as the Apoſtle names them.) Now if ſuch are ſecured, all are ſecured: For if a Chriſtians carriage be ſo off from the danger of Scandaliſing, as not to Scandaliſe the weak, the ſtronger will be much leſs in danger to be offended.

2. Thoſe are the weak, and the Little Ones to us, who appear to us under any ſuch diſadvantage, though indeed they are not; as he that doubts, and dares not do what others profeſs to do on great aſſurances, ſeems weak to them that doubt not, but are ſo aſſured; and then the Precept of Chriſt takes as great hold of us, in all our Adminiſtrations towards them, as if they were really ſo. Now what a Wall of defence were this to Chriſtianity! what a happy ſtate would the ſtate of it be! if we were all moſt tender towards thoſe, with relation to their ſafety for Eternal Happineſs, who ſeem the loweſt, weakeſt, leaſt to us in that Profeſſion?

3. The Term, Little Ones, expreſſes a ſubordination under the Great Ones: Now that they may not aſſume over the Little Ones, the Lord firſt affirms, with his uſual Aſſeveration, that none can be Great, or any thing at all in his Kingdom, that is not humble and inoffenſive, as a Little One. And that if any that takes himſelf to be a Great One, thinks he has priviledge to do as he pleaſes, either by Impoſition, or Imperiouſneſs over the Little Ones, and does not in all points of Chriſtianity, demean himſelf as the leaſt under one common Lord, the Lords dreadful Commination hangs over him, he is in danger to be One of the Grandees in Torments.

On thoſe things therefore, that lye within the Compare betwixt the Great Ones and the Little Ones, does the Finger of the Lords Diſcourſe eſpecially point.

But though our Lord was moſt feelingly concerned, and ſtruck the moſt ſtinging Woe into thoſe that Scandaliſe them that believe in him; yet he did not overlook the World in general, but bewailed it periſhing under Scandals, the multitude of Scandals, the inevitableneſs of Scandals, that they muſt needs come, even impoſſible they ſhould not come; and yet becauſe he knew what Spirit it is that acts Scandal, even from Satan the chief of Scandal, down through all the Miniſters of it, he heaps the Woe upon him by whom Scandal comes. Of which I have endeavoured a full account in the after management.

And becauſe whoever Scandaliſes others, is firſt Scandaliſed himſelf, and they alſo, that receive Scandal from others, have ſome great Scandal within, upon which that from without catches; he therefore ſo ſeverely cautions on all ſides againſt the Scandal of the Right Eye, the Right Hand, the Right Foot, and prefers to every mans choice the diſmembring any of them, rather than that the whole Body joyned to that Member, ſo fettered with Scandal, ſhould be caſt into Hell, where their Worm dies not, and their Fire is never quenched, the dreadful end of Scandal.

Next follow the Arguments with which our Lord preſſes the higheſt value, and care over the leaſt of them that believe in him, not to offend them.

1. He ſhews at the ſame time, how honourable the Employment in ſerving the little ones is, and alſo of how dangerous a conſequence it is to deſpiſe them (which, both by the relation it hath to the Context, and the Apoſtles uſe of it, cannot be far from Scandaliſing.) The Angels ſuffer no diſparagement, in being called their Angels. And the very mention of Angels brings to mind, the Charge they have over all ſuch, to bear them up in their hands, to guard them in all their ways, that they may not d…h their foot aginſt any of the ſtones of Scandal. They are Miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to Miniſter for them that ſhall be Heirs of Salvation: Thoſe greateſt in the Kingdom of Heaven humble themſelves as Little Ones, to ſerve the Little Ones of God and Chriſt.

And, as their Angels, they always behold in Heaven the Father of our Lord, and of all that believe in him, that whoever deſpiſes them, even to Scandal, muſt be ſure to have it remonſtrated againſt them.

2. He exemplifies the care of them in himſelf: The Son of Man is come to ſeek and ſave that which is loſt; and the Argument is raiſed to the height, as it is exemplified in the Father of the whole Family in Heaven and Earth, named after Chriſt; whoſe will it is not, that ſo much as one (and yet when one only is in the danger of Scandal, Who does not look upon him as a Singulariſt, eſpecially if one of the leaſt too, and reject him?) ſhould periſh, but is pleaſed in the preſervation of one ſuch; even as the joy of one Sheep, that is loſt out of a hundred, exceeds ſenſibly the joy of the ninety nine that were not in hazard.

But now leſt the great charge againſt Scandaliſing and Deſpiſing ſhould ſeem to introduce a Lawleſs ſtate in Chriſtianity, and increaſe Petulancy, and Licentiouſneſs in thoſe, who would be looked upon as, at leaſt, Little Ones in Chriſtianity, or make the care of not Scandaliſing of endleſs ſcruple, or burden; Our Lord preſcribes a Method for preventing ſo ill Conſequences; very certain to its End, yet very far from Scandal or Deſpiſing.

A Method that allows no ſin, and yet deſerts none, till they deſerve to be accounted but as Heathens or Publicans, to whom yet a due meaſure of Chriſtian Charity is to be preſerved.

Which Method it is not my buſineſs now to enter into the Controverſal part of, but to obſerve, as of great moment, that the Doubting of the lawful uſe of Indifferent Things in Religion, falls not into the account of any of thoſe Treſpaſſes the Lord ſpeaks of; and that, as if it were on purpoſe leſt the thing ſhould be miſtaken, a moſt different Method is in that Caſe commanded by the Apoſtle of the Lord.

Here therefore give me liberty to compare, in ſome things which I have omitted in the body of the Diſcourſe, the Sermon of our Lord and his Apoſtle.

Firſt, He that doubts in Indifferent Things, and cannot conform to what others do, and would be conformed to in, is not commanded by the Apoſtle to hear the one, or the two, or three, nor the Church it ſelf.

Nor is it ſaid by the Apoſtle, they that will not hear on ſuch accounts, ſhould be as Heathen-men, or Publicans, (or as we ſpeak, Excommunicate) both which are very notorious in the Evangeliſts Records, in the Caſe of the Treſpaſſes there ſpoken of, which aſſures us they are of another Nature.

Nor doth the Apoſtle urge as from our Saviour, that what is in theſe Caſes bound on Earth, ſhall be bound in Heaven; or what is looſed on Earth, ſhall be looſed in Heaven; that there ſhall be any obligation on the doubting Conſcience by the Churches Canons, or any ſuch diſcharge of it before God or it ſelf by obeying them: But every Man in this Caſe is to hear his own Conſcience, there every thing of this nature is bound and looſed; there every word or matter is heard and eſtabliſhed.

On the other ſide, there is no Injunction of telling the fault of Non-Conformity, if any be aggrieved at it, in that gradation from one to more, and ſo to the Church.

But the Apoſtle's command is, Firſt, Not to Judge, or Deſpiſe, if that may keep Indifferents to their Equipoiſe; if not, the Command is, not ſo much as by Example to Scandaliſe, or draw any that Doubt to act againſt, or over their Doubt in Indifferent Things, becauſe they are but Indifferent; for that is to ſin againſt the Brethren, the weak Brethren; as at the leaſt we eſteem them: Now in theſe Caſes, to ſin againſt the Brethren, is to ſin againſt Chriſt in his Law againſt Scandal.

Now in that all things are of ſo diverſe a frame and aſpect in the Lords Preſcriptions concerning Treſpaſſes, and the Apoſtle's Directions in caſes of various apprehenſions in things of Indifferency, wherein one great part may be guilty yet of great weakneſs and miſtake, and that none of the Methods ordered in the one, is ſo much as mentioned in the other, or once intimated; it argues very evidently, that variety, and as various practices in indifferent Things, though joined with ſuch miſtake and weakneſs, are none of the Treſpaſſes our Saviour had regard to. And ſince the Apoſtle puts all under the notion of Scandal, wherein the weaker part is either drawn into ſin, enfeebled in the vigour, diſquieted in the true peace of Conſcience, or ſo much as deſpiſed, by being incompaſſionately neglected in his Doubt; the whole Caſe is brought under the force of our Saviour's Sermon againſt Scandal, that none looking upon themſelves on any accounts, as Great in the Kingdom of God, in the Church, or in the Chriſtian Profeſſion (let thoſe Accounts be whatever they can be preſumed to be) ſhould by any ſort of Imperiouſneſs, whether Command, rigorous Treaty, or Example, that deſpiſes all that do not follow it, impoſe upon the Little Ones.

To all which let me have the Readers patience to add this one Obſervation, That the Evangeliſt Mark makes the occaſion of this, or a like Diſcourſe of the Lords upon Scandal, That the Diſciples were much diſpleaſed that one did caſt out Devils in Chriſts name, that did not follow them, that did not ſeem, and indeed was not of their way, in the appearance of Things. But our Lord, with great Compaſſion, accepts him ſo far as he was come. For, ſaith he, He that is not againſt us, is on our part. He that, although in a different Company, or Mode, does the ſame things we do, and does nothing in oppoſition to our Great Deſign, is on our ſide. And ſo he proceeds into a ſimilar Diſcourſe of Kindneſs to, or Scandal againſt his Diſciples, though Little Ones. And if we ſuppoſe it the ſame Diſcourſe as in St. Matthew, and that this Evangeliſt had not an accurate regard to the occaſion; yet in that he connected it with ſuch an occaſion, and that by the Divine Wiſdom, it teaches us how much ſuch a Diſcourſe is adjuſted to ſuch an occaſion; for guided by the Holy Spirit, the things are ſo laid together.

Now that the Apoſtle had his Eye upon theſe ſo famous Diſcourſes, beſides the Reaſons I have given on this Head in its due place, it is evident to me further he had ſo, by his Repreſentation of himſelf in a Figure, all along the ninth Chap. of his Firſt Epiſtle to the Corinths, in the very heart of a Diſcourſe concerning Scandal; as that Perſon that humbles himſelf, as a Little Child, in ſo many Remarkable Inſtances: His Little-Child-like Inoffenſiveneſs, his eaſie Receſſion from his Juſt Rights for the Goſpels ſake, his Inoffenſiveneſs and Deſire to pleaſe all, to win upon all, that they might be ſaved, …is dread of Danger, leſt whilſt he Preached to others, he himſelf ſhould become a Caſt-away. Nor ever was there a clearer Comment upon cutting off the Right Hand, and Foot, and plucking out the Right Eye, than his weighty Admonition of being Temperate in all things, and bringing the Body into ſubjection.

One thing more I cannot but yet adjoin, that the Apoſtle is ſo wary of Impoſing upon any one in Indifferent Things, appertaining to Religion, in a poſitive, or affirmative kind of obſervance, that though for the avoiding Scandal, he dehorts from Eating Meats, or drinking Wine, that may ſcandaliſe any in the very Eye of their Doubting Conſcience, and draw them into Sin: yet he no where, to the ſame purpoſe of avoiding Scandal, perſwades to the eſteeming, or obſerving a Day to the Lord; though another may be Scandaliſed if he does not ſo. Such abſtinence (yet in a full Freedom of Thoughts) being a much eaſier performance of Charity, extending only to Meats in Doubt, under the Eye of the Doubting mind; but obſerving a Day, requires direct acts of Devotion; From laying the obligation of which upon any Man, the Apoſtle hath wholly withdrawn his Hand, even in caſe of Scandal, and only preſerves from Deſpiſal ſuch a doubting Chriſtian, and then only, when the Out-date of the Divine Command for ſuch obſervance, was but juſt come, and not fully underſtood, Pag. 38. l. 25. What therefore I have intimated contrary to this Account, I retract as not fully conſidered.

And I now bow my Knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of Glory, that he would inſpire the Hearts of Civil, and Eccleſiaſtical Governors, who are conſtituted as Guardian Angels of Conſcience againſt Scandal, and of all Chriſtians in general, that out of his Kingdom, throughout the World, and particularly in this Nation, may be gathered all ſuch things that offend, and all thoſe that w…rk iniquity on account of Them.