2. They were offended at his doctrine, the mysteriousness of it, as when he had spoken of eating his flesh and drinking his blood, they could not tell what to make of it. If it signified anything, it signified his death, and that was a point not to be touched upon in the hearing of them that expected a glorious, pompous Messiah, that should sub- jugate other nations to them. Therefore Christ saith, 'Doth this offend you ?' John vi. 61. Yea, the offence was so great, that ' many of his disciples went backward, and walked no more with him,' ver. GG. Sometimes they were offended at the holiness of it, as when he pressed the pharisees, who were altogether for external observances, to look after an inward cleansing : Mat. xv. 12, ' Knowest thou not that the j)hari.sees were offended after they heard this saying ? ' This was a great distaste to them to hear that a man is defiled by sin, and not at all by meats, and that the washing of the heart is the chief thing.
3. The great stumbling-block of all was his sufferings. This offended good and bad. The good : Mat. xxvi. 31, ' All of you
Mat. XI. 6.] the ready way to blessedness. 83
.sliall be offended because of me this night. For it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. And Peter saith, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended,' ver. 33. The bad : This was the great stumbling-block to the Jews : 1 Cor. i. 23, ' We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block.' By this they fed their obstinacy and prejudice. They could not believe that he that was crucified as a malefactor was the Son of God and the Saviour of the world.
Thirdly, Was it not proper to that age only ? I answer, No ; \ye also may be prejudiced, and guilty of this sin of being offended in Christ. You will say, What danger is there of that now, since Christ is publicly owned, and Christianity in fashion, and the world run into the church ?
I shall show you :—
1. That there is danger still.
2. What is likely to offend since Christ's exaltation. 1. There is danger still : —
[1.] Because though the name of Christ be had in honour, yet the stricter profession and practice of godliness is under reproach, and the nominal hateth the serious Christian, though both own the same Bible, believe the same creed, and are baptized with one and the same baptism into the same profession. Those that are false to their re- ligion will malign and scorn those that are true to it, and live up to the power of it. As there is no commerce between the living and the dead, so no true friendship between the carnal and the heavenly. Among the outside Christians, it will be matter of reproach to be serious and diligent ; and they that are so, will be accounted more precise and nice than wise. No wonder if they slight you, who first slight God, and Christ, and their own salvation.
[2.] It may happen that the stricter sort of Christians are the poorer sort ; and such as carry no great port and appearance in the world ; and so, though they be precious in the eyes of God, yet they may be despised by men. Strictness of religion is many times looked upon by some as too mean a thing for persons of their rank and quality ; and so whilst the poor receive the gospel, they, to keep up their greatness, go the broad way to hell ; these are offended in Christ. In Salviau's time, Quantus in Christiano iwpulo honor Christi est, ubi rcligio igno- hilemfacit; Goguntur esse mali ne viles haheantur, — religion makes them base, and men are compelled to be evil, that they may not be scorned and disgraced. Now we should resolve to be more vile for God, 2 Sam. vi. 22.
[3.] Though men be not distasted against Christianity in whole, yet in part ; though they be not offended in Christ altogether, yet they take offence at some of his ways, wherein his glory and interest is concerned. In the age that we live in, many of those things that fall within the conscience and compass of our duty may be under a cloud and disesteem. Now they that have received light about these things should not be offended though the generality of the world decry and oppose them. Christ gets up by degrees ; and where the main of religion is received, yet all the parts and branches of it are not
84 NOT TO BE OFFEiJDED IN CHRIST [MaT. XI. 6.
received, which must be required in their place ; and though we are not always bound to the positive profession of lesser things, yet we are bound negatively ; we must do nothing against the truth, 2 Cor. xiii. 8. We must not renounce a truth because it is run down by a vulgar prejudice, but in all meekness of wisdom own the better way. Such constancy of mind is expected from a good man, who consults with conscience rather than interest.