The Cure of Misprision, Section 34 – Section 35
Sect. 34.
4. But to come nearer, in ſhewing thee thy folly, and madneſſe: ſuppoſe other men ſhould be of thy wicked mind, and ſo fore ſtall themſelves with prejudice as thou doeſt. What would become of religion and piety? Or if this had been their argument in former times, how many ſhould have ſtumbled, and fal…e off from the true religion: When David fell into his Adultery and murther. How many at Chriſtianty, when Judas one of Chriſts Apoſtles, play'd the Theefe, betrayed his maſter, and hang'd himſelfe: the Goſpel being then but a planting. How many at Peters denying, and forſwearing his Maſter? And ſo at the like in every age of the Church? Would not the iſſue be this, God and reigion ſhould bee utterly forſaken, and the whole World become ſubjects to Satan, and Citizens of Hell.
Wherefore while thou haſt time, take heed, and know that the Divel firſt puts out wicked mens eyes, and then layes blocks in their way, to make them ſtumble and fall: that ſo they may daſh themſelves in peeces.
Or rather, God himſelfe in juſtice, ſuffers theſe ſcandals to be given, or theſe ſtumbling blocks to be laid: that thou, (and ſuch others as thou art) mayſt ſtumble at them, to thy deſtruction, and break thy ſoules neck, as 'tis Ezek. 3. 20. For when God ſeeth that nothing will better men, but to Hell they will goe; and damned they will be, let his miniſters and people, mercies, and judgements do what they can: he enters into a reſolution to make ſure work with them: as If the Lord ſhould ſpeake on this m…nner; I have giventh m my word and Goſpel, it hath been preached among them plenti…ully, and powerfully; I have ſent my miniſters, whom I made fiſhers of men: with their nets, and baits to catch them; but by no meanes will they be taken in their nets, or bite at their baits, or be caught by their hookes. Neither will they be drawn to Heaven by the holy examples of my ſaints, and ſervants. For notwithſtanding all meanes, they have beene no whit better, but rather the worſe; more ſtubborne, more rebe…lious, more malicious: wherefore now. I will lay a ſtumbling block before them; I will ſuffer ſome noted profeſſor of religion, to fall into ſome groſſe ſcandalous ſinne; and that ſcandall of his, will prove ſuch a ſtumbling block, trap, or gin, (for ſo the word ſcandall imp…ies in the Originall) that they ſhall greedily, and eagerly run upon it, and be ſnared, and held faſt for ever getting out againe. For which ſee ſundry Book caſes as 1 Kings 22. 20. 21. 22. Matth. 18. 7. 2. Pet. 2. 12. Iſay. 8. 14. 15.
Nay who knowes, but ſuch a profeſſor at whoſe life thou ſtumbleſt, may be tempted by Satan, and ſuffered by God to fall; rather for the ruine of thy ſoule, and others of thy condition, then his owne. As when the wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael, he moved David to number the people. 2 Sam. 24. 1. And Satan provoked him thereunto 1. Chron. 21. 1. more to take vengeance of the people, (of whom ſeventie thonſand died by the plague) then of the King himſelfe. God may ſuffer one whom hee deatly loves, to fall into ſome foule ſinne, for his greater benefit: to make him more humble, and wary afterward. It was Peters caſe: whereas thou art hardned by his fall, and made to proteſt againſt thine owne converſion.
Bur admit this be not altogether thy caſe, yet it is a manifeſt ſigne, that thou art for the preſent an hypocrite, and one of Gods enemies. As who but Gods enemies ſtumbled at Davids fal, becauſe thou haſt made the enemies of God to blaſpheme, ſaith the Prophet Nathan. 2 Sam. 12. 14. And indeed all that are friends to God and religion, will be ſorry, and grieve when ſuch offences are given.
Again hadſt thou any grace in thine heart, and wert not blinded by Satan: thou wouldeſt pick good out of their evil practiſes: theſe offences would make thee the more ſtrive, and pray for grace, that thou mayeſt be able to ſtand though others fall. What ſaith David? They have deſtroyed thy Law, therefore love I thy Commandements above Gold, yea, above moſt fine Gold, therefore I eſteeme all thy precepts moſt just, and hate every falſe way. Pſal. 119. 126. 127. 128. Other mens apoſtacy, could not make him forſake his God, and abandon his religion. Nor will any but hypocrites, be diſcouraged, and beaten off by others falling.
Sect. 35.
4. Fourthly, theſe envyous Cains will judge men hypocrites for ſome diſaſter, or affliction that befals them. Job 13. and 20. 5. Reſembling thoſe ſottiſh Barbarians Act. 28. 3. 4. Who ſeeing the Viper on Pauls hand, ſaid no doubt but this man is a murtherer▪ whom though hee have eſcaped the ſea, yet vengeance ſuffereth him not to live. Where note by the way their conſtancy, and ſoliddity: before this accident fell out Paul was a God, now he is curſed of God. When ſenſuall men paſſe their vardits upon the godly, they are alwaies in extreames.
It is incident to Nature to be ſuperſtitious, and ſuperſtition for the moſt part judges of the Goodneſſe of the action, by the Goodneſſe of the ſucceſſe; the cauſe by the effect: whereas contrarily they ſhould judge of the goodneſſe of the ſucceſſe, by the goodneſſe of the action, or the intention of that good: tho effect by the cauſe.
Againe if they but heare of one that is troubled in mind for his ſinnes (as commonly all are at their firſt converſion) O then they are greater ſinners then other men: they have done or committed ſome ſtrange thing, and God hath found them out. Not being wiſe enough to conſider, that God uſually workes joy out of feare, light out of darkeneſſe and brings us to the kingdome of Heaven, by the gates of Hell. For as when the wicked cry peace peace, Heaven Heaven, hell and perdition are at hand: So when theſe in their diſtreſſe of mind cr… Hell Hell, damnation damnation: Heaven and ſalvation are at hand. And I wiſh our confident ones would take notice, that they who never doubted of their ſalvation, their ſalvation is much to be doubted of. And that Satan hath none ſo ſure, as thoſe whom he never yet aſaulted. For as while Iacob continued under Laban… tyrannie, and would be made his drudge all was well: but when once he begins to flie, he makes after him with all his might: So the Divell, when any one parts from him to Chriſt, then he is as a Beare robbed of his whelps: and never does he more torment thoſe whom he does poſſeſſe, then when he knoweth that he muſt depart. But let ſuch dunces (as doubt whether all outward, and inward afflictions happen not alike to all: aſwell to the juſt as to the wicked, to the good and pure, as to the poluted: to him that ſweareth as to him that feareth an oath) to cleere their ſight, read Luke 13. 1. to 6. Eccleſ. 9. 1. 2.