A Treatise of Scandalizing, Treatise · Chapter 6
CAP. 6.
Of scandalizing in speciall by persecution.
THe fourth way of scandalizing in the distribution before made is scandalizing by injuring or persecuting.§. 1. This way Maldonate conceives our Saviour specially intended vers. 2. and he gathers it from the Antithesis as it is set down by S. Mat. ch: 18. 5. 6. for having said v. 5. who so shall receive one such little one in my name, receiveth me. Addes immediately v. 6. But who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me &c. Where scandalizing vers. 6. is opposed to receiving, that is entertaining with kindnesse, and therefore imports injuring or persecuting. And indeed scandalizing is an effect of persecution, even such scandalizing as causeth Apopostasie. Our Saviour saies of the stony ground which resembles such hearers as have no roote in themselves, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by they are offended, Mat. 13. 21. and that when many shall be delivered up to be afflicted, many shall be offended. Mat. 24. 10. Wherefore we conclude, That misery or woe belongs to those that scandalize others, A woe belongs to scandalizers by persecution.by afflicting, injuring, or persecuting them. Which woe belongs to all that shall cause enmities, griefes, and other harmings of mens minds, by terrifiing them with threats, by wronging them in spoiling their goods, by giving them blowes, or other wayes, whoever the persons thus harmed be. For such workes being the works of unrighteousnesse shall have their due vengeance. VntoUnto them that are contentious, that obey unrighteousnesse shall bee indignation and wrath, tribulation & anguish upon the soule of every man that doth evill. Ro. 2. 8. 9. But yet in a higher degree the woe belongs to them that offend beleivers in Christ, who are the chiefe object of persecution, which are chiefly meant in this place. Of whom the Apostle saies, 2. Thess. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble such. To cleare this truth I shall distinctly answer these 3 questions. 1. wherein persecution is exercised, and how believers are persecuted, 2. how scandalized by persecution. 3. What woe belongs to such as thus scandalize them.
For an answer to the first of these questions;§. 2. How beleivers are persecuted. persecution in Greeke foreign doth most properly signify an eager swift motion, as in running a race, or in the chasing of an enemy flying, with an hostile mind: by translation it signifies any eager pursuit, or seeking after a thing which wee would obtaine, as when we are commanded Heb. 12. 14. foreign, follow after peace, & the Apostle Phil. 3. 12. foreign, I pursue if I may comprehend or attaine to, hee meanes the knowlgdge and grace of Christ. But in the Ecclesiasticall use of this word it is appropriated to those afflictions which unbeleiving and ungodly men doe set themselves to inflict on the godly and believers. In this sense it is used Mark. 10. 30. where our Saviour sayes that the losse of things left for him shall bee recompenced with an hundred fold in this time, yet foreign not without persecutions, that is afflictions and hard usages from evill men. And S. Paul 2. Tim. 3. 12. They that live godly in Christ Iesus foreign shall be persecuted, that is, be ill handled by the ungodly which thing they doe many wayes. Sometimes by seeking after their lives; so that nothing will satisfy them but the shedding of their blood, as if nothing else could quench their thirst, but a draught of a godly Christians blood. Yet not all in the like cruell manner: To some it's enough that they can destroy them: to others it's not sufficient unlesse they can cause them sensim mori, to dye a lingring death by torture, so as to be long a dying, or that if it be shorter for the time, it may be with the extreamest paine, or with the extreamest ignominy. Nor are the impulsive causes the same in all: it's in all hatred of the godly, but not for the same reason: and therefore the bitternesse of this hatred is in some greater and more lasting: in others lesse, and sooner removed: S. Paul persecuted the Church of God: but he did it out of ignorance and unbeliefe, and therefore was the more capeable of repentance and mercy, 1. Tim. 1. 13. Iezabel persecuted the Prophet Elijah out of zeale for her Idolatry, 1. Kings 19. 2. Herodias, because Iohn Baptist had preached against her companying with Herod, Mark. 6. Herod persecuted Iames and Peter that hee might please the people. Acts 12. In all there's malice, but upon different reasons. And for the kind of death which they inflict on them, it is different according to the divers degrees of their malice, wit and power, some they stone, others they saw in two, others they slay with the sword. Heb. 11. 37. some they hang on a crosse, some they cast to wild beasts, some they drowne in the sea, some they boyle in oyle to death, some they broyle on a greediron, some they burne at a stake, some they make away in secret, as the Histories of the Church doe abundantly testify. Sometimes persecution reacheth not to the taking away the life, but to bonds and imprisonment, as it befell Paul and Silas Acts 16. to banishment, losse of goods, as it befell the Saints, Heb. 11. 37. to excommunications, and casting out of the Synagogue, as our Saviour foretold, Ioh. 16. 2. to threatnings and hard speeches, Iude 15. to slanders, and false accusations, Mat. 5. 11. to scoffes, insulting Sarcasmes, which are called cruell mockings, Heb. 11. 36. and with which it is said Ismael persecuted Isaak. Gal. 4. 29. In a word all those wayes of inflicting evill, whereby the malignant spirits of wicked men doe harme the godly in their bodies, outward estates, & name, are acts of persecution. Such kind of evills sometimes happen to the godly by voluntary vndertakings, as death, and danger, and wants by reason of travaile to promote the Gospell, or the like cause: but then they are acts of persecution when they are by others inflicted on them to doe them mischiefe. It falls out sometimes that believers and godly persons doe molest and practise one against another, by reason of private discord, and grudges from corruption prevayling although they agree in the worship of the same Lord. Sometimes such kinde of practises are betweene unbeleivers themselves, who seekes one anothers lives, vexe, spoyle, expell one another, by reason of private enmities: sometimes they doe the like to beleevers upon private quarrells arising from ambition, covetousnesse or the like cause. By all which there may harming and scandalizing come; But it is then in the usuall Ecclesiasticall acception of the word, persecution, when ungodly men inflict those evills on godly and beleiving persons, quî tales, as they are such, for their piety or faiths sake, for righteousnesse sake. Mat. 6. 10. 1. Pet. 3. 14. For Christs sake and the Gospells, Mark. 10. 29. More distinctly when men inflict evill on others for their profession of Christ, and his Gospell, for not serving Idols, as when the Emperour did put to death Christians for refusing to offer incense to their heathen Gods. And Nebuchadnezzar cast into a fiery fornace, three Iewes for not bowing downe to his golden Image, or when they bring evill on them for doing their duty, the reproving of sin, delivering Gods message, as when Ahab and Iesabel made Elijah to fly, Micajah to lye in prison, Herod cast Iohn Baptist in prison for declaring their sins to them, and foretelling ther judgment, when the Princes of Darius procured Daniel to bee cast into a den of Lions for praying to God three times aday, when the Iewes drave the Apostles from one citty to another for preaching the Gospell, then it is persecution; And thus even at this day those that have power doe persecute christians in some places by cruell torments, in some by expulsion from their dwellings, spoyling their goods, in some by tauntes, mockes, threates, disgracings, slanders &c. For their embracing the word of life, rejection of Idolatry, publishing of the truth, non-conformity to the vices of the world. For it is the lot of Gods people which our Saviour requires us to remember, Iohn 16. 20. The servant is no greater then the Lord, if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
Now these persecutions doe scandalize,§ 3. How persecutions doe scandalize. as our Saviour tells us Mat. 13. 21. And the reason of their scandalizing may be gathered from our Saviours words, who tells us that the good hearers persevere, because they bring forth fruit with patience. Wherefore on the contrary the scandall of the temporary beleivers is for want of patience: Defect of patience to beare the assaults of persecution is that which causeth the persecuted beleiver or hearer of Gods word to be scandalized. For the heart of man is swayed by paines and delights. Arist. lib: 2. Ethic: ad Nicom: makes voluptatem & dolorem, pleasure and griefe, the generall objects, or matter about which vertues, and vices are conversant. The reason of which is because in all morall things pleasure and griefe doe move and sway men to or from a thing. Hereupon it is that when men have not roote of faith, and strength of patience, their resolutions are altered, their courses changed, their minds broken by suffering hard things: so that rather then undergoe them, they will yeild to that sin which is their ruine. The spirits of strong men are apt to be broken with calamities, even as a strong Oake by a mighty wind, yea the feare of things grievous doth oft prevaile to scandalize men. S. Peter who was a man of great resolutions, was dashed by the charge of a weake mayd, when it tended to bring him into danger, and all the Disciples were offended because of Christ, as soone as he was apprehended, Mat. 26. 31.
As for the woe that belongs to such scandalizing,§ 4. What woe belongs to scandalizers by persecuiion. it is the same which is awarded unto other sorts of scandalizing; if not greater: Forasmuch as this kind of scandalizing hath more of malice in it then the rest. For all persecutors are moved by bitter malice towards the godly to injure and molest them. 'Tis true, sometimes their malice is pure malice, sometimes mixt: but alwayes malice. The Pharisees who persecuted our Lord Christ out of pure malice, they said, hee had an uncleane spirit: Mark. 3. 30. they called him a Samaritane, a Wine-bibber, a friend of Publicans and sinners. They sought to intangle him, to destroy him though his miracles convinced them, that he was a teacher sent from God, and that God was with him, Iohn 3. 2. But others persecuted out of malice compounded with ignorance. Luk. 23. 34. saith our Saviour, Father forgive them, for they know not what they doe; compounded with blind zeale; The time cometh saith our Saviour Iohn 16. 2. That whosoever killeth you will thinke that hee doth God service. S. Paul sayes that out of zeale hee persecuted the Church, Philip. 3. 6. This malice is lesse then pure malice, and the woe due to this scandalizing by persecution, lesse then to the former; 1. Persecution out of blind malice is the more pardonable, and the lesse punishable, then that which is done out of pure malice, which may perhaps be utterly unpardonable, when it is the sinne against the Holy Ghost. Whereas S. Paul alleadgeth for himselfe, that though he were a persecutor, and a blaspheamer, yet hee obtained mercy, because hee did it ignorantly in unbeleife, 1. Tim. 1. 13. Neverthelesse all persecution of the godly, all scandalizing by evill handling of men, without repentance, hath eternall death for its wages. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you, saith S. Paul. 2. Thes. 1. 6. & what is the tribulation? He tells them v. 9. They shall be punished with everlasting destruction frō the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. And though God suffer such enemies of his Church to prevaile for a time, yet few of them in the end escape his hand, but by some exemplary death, or other grievous judgment they beare the punishment of their iniquity. Neither Pharaoh, nor Saul, nor Herod, nor Nero, nor Domitian, nor any of the Chaldaean, Syrian, Roman persecutors have escaped without deserved vengeance. As it is just with God to recomdence tribulation to them that trouble his people. So he doth undoubtedly inflict it seriùs aut citiù…, sooner or latter, unless his revēging hand be held up by the repentance of the persecutor.
For application of this truth,§ 5. Application. 1. To discover the danger of such scandalizers. first wee may hereby discerne the danger of those that this way scandalize others. The impetuous malice of persecutors carries them violently with rage against beleivers, so that they neither perceive their sin, nor the woe due to it. Even like a horse that runs furiously and violently, observes not into what precipices, pits, down-falls it casts it selfe: so a persecutor that is driven by malice and blind zeale to breath out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of Christ, and to spoyle the Church runs (as we use to so say) without feare or wit, neither considering whom he persecutes, nor how hard a thing it is for him to kick against the pricks: they see not what a tempest hangs over their heads, what a pit they are falling into. For even then when they study cruelty, devise mischiefe on their beds, while they act it with their tongue cutting like a sharp rasour, weigh the violence of their hands in the earth, use their strength, authority, power, as men that know not the way of peace, but destruction & unhappines are in their wayes, while they hire souldiers, arme executioners, invent torments for the Saints, even thē & all that while God is whetting his sword and bending his bow and making it ready, hee is preparing for him the instruments of Death; he ordaineth his arrowes against the persecutors, that their mischiefe may returne upon their owne head, and their violent dealing may come downe upon their pate. Ps. 7. 12. 13, 16. God is diging up a pit for the wicked, Psal. 94. 13. And as sure as Pharoah, Saul, Iezabel, Herod, Nero, Domitian, and the rest of persecutors have suffered divine vengeance: so surely shall all cruell Inquisitors, barbarous Turks, unjust oppressours, ungodly scoffers, divellish belyers of Gods people perish. It is determined in heaven: upon the wicked hee shall raine snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall bee the portion of their cup. For the Lord tryeth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soule hateth, Psal. 11. 5, 6.
2. This may justly deterre men from this way of scandalizing by persecution.§ 6. 2. To deterre them from it. A way of scandalizing it is that Satan, who vseth all practises to stumble men, vi & dolo, by force and Craft, hath set on foote in all times, in all Churches. where princes are infidels or heretiques he seeks to raise them vp to waste the Church to vexe the godly. where they have professed, and Countenanced the Gospell, and godlynes, there hee sets on worke some or other as secret vnderminers of their peace, such as may reach at them with their tongues, if they cannot with their hands. And it is so still: as in some places there are persecuting souldiers▪ and persecuting Iudges, so there are in other places persecuting scoffers, persecuting accusers, whose busines is to discourage beleevers, to affright the godly▪ not only infidell princes, and hereticall Prelates, but also the whole rabble of vitious men, riotous livers, sons of Belial will bee out of their malignity practising against the Saints that are opposite to their wayes. And the divell knowes this to be a prevailing way by reason of the love men have to their lives, goods, ease, and quietnesse. But for such as thus doe scandalize, it behoves them take notice of the woe following, to remember what our saviour said to Saul, Act. 9. 4, 5. It is hard for thee to kicke against the pricks. If they be able to fight with God, let them goe on: if not, let them remember Iulians end betimes, that they may not be forced to confesse as he did, vicisti Galilaee; Christ hath overcome them, though to their perdition.
3. Lastly for those that are apt to be scandalized by persecutions it concernes them to get roote in themselves,§ 7. 3. To advise them that are in danger of being scandalized by persecutions. strength of faith, stability of patience to stand in the time of triall, that they be not overthrowne in their goings by violent scandalls.
The fiery triall must not be, as if some strange thing had happened to us; but as men prepared for such a combate, we are wisely to foresee the assaults of such temptations, that we be not surprised by them, and to fortifie our selves with faith and courage, that we be not forced by them. We must watch, stand fast, quit our selves like men, be strong. 1. Cor. 16. 13. remembring that the favour of God, the peace of our consciences, & salvation of our soules, depends upon our victory: that the fearfull shall be without: to him that overcometh shall be given to eate of the tree of life, which is in the middest of of the paradise of God. We must breake through terrours; looke beyond death; and by faith overcomming the world, and the Prince of it, as Christ and the Saints have done, enter into glory.