[4.] The world may not be able to bear the owning of these truths ; and therefore, those who set them afoot may be disgraced, afflicted, and reproachfully used ; but the knowledge of a hated truth is a greater argument of God's favour than the prosperity of the world : Prov. iii. 32, ' Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways ; for the froward is an abomination unto the Lord, but his secret is with the righteous.'
[5.] There is no man in the world but, if he run up his refusal of Christ, or his impenitency and unbelief, to its proper principle^ he will find it to be some offence or dislike, either because of the inward constitution of his mind, or the external state of religion in the world. Either he cannot bring his heart to suit with the strictness, purity, and self-denial of Christ's religion, or Christ's religion to suit with his heart. As the young man, Mark x. 22, ' He was sad at that saying, and went awa-y grieved, for he had great possessions.' Or else, if both suit, the world liketh not the match ; so that it cometh to this point, that he must be an enemy to God or the world : James iv. 4, ' Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God ! Whosoever, therefore, will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God.'
2. What is likely to offend, since Christ's exaltation of his person in heaven, and his religion in the world ?
[1.] The many calamities which attend the profession of it. John, who was his forerunner, was now in prison when Christ spake these words; and Christ foretelleth grievous troubles and afflictions : Mat. xxiv. 10, ' And then many shall be offended.' And he foretelleth us that we may not be offended : John xvi. 1, ' These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended ; ' that is, scandalised by the hazards which attend Christ's service, or take occasion to alien- ate themselves from him. Yet all will not do: Mat. xiii. 21, ' When persecution ariseth for the word, by and by he is offended.' A man is ofiended when he findeth that which he did not look for. Many promi.se themselves ease and peace in Christianity ; and when it falleth out otherwise, they dislike what they formerly seemed to prize.
[2.] They may take offence at Christ's doctrine, at the purity, the self-denial, the simplicity, the mysteriousne.ss of it.
(1.) The purity of it. To holy men this is an argument of love : P«. cxix. 140, ' Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.' But to the carnal of dislike and offence ; John iii. 20, * Every one that doeth evil hateth the light ; neither cometh he to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.' They have somewhat to conceal, some- what which they are loth to part wilh. And so, lest they should be found faulty, and engaged to reform themselves, they cannot endure
Mat. XL 6.] the ready way to blessedness. 85
the light of the gospel, and are offended at Christ's strict doctrine, as sore eyes are at the brightness of the sun. This light is not only shin- ing, but scorching.
(2.) The mortification and self-denial of it. Mortification respects our lusts, and self-denial our interest. Our worldly interests are the baits of our carnal desires or lusts. Now, to crucify the flesh or deny the world are both distasteful to flesh and blood ; and, therefore, they are apt to say, ' This is an hard saying ; ' and ' What strange doctrine is this ? ' 1 Peter iv. 4, ' They think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot.' It is matter of great admiration that others should abandon their course of life. The sweetness of Christ's service is wholly hidden from them ; therefore they hate that religion which they do profess, and all that are serious in it. They think strange Grod should plant desires in tliem which he would not have to be satisfied. But they do not distinguish between what nature craveth and corruption lusteth after. That the inordinancy is from themselves, and therefore have a secret dislike of Christ in their souls, because they would do what they list, not what they ought. They would not be fettered by any of his laws, or look upon that fruit as forbidden which corrupt nature hath a longing unto, as if all necessary restraint were a kind of prison to them.
(3.) The simplicity and plainness of the gospel, void of human wisdom and excellency of words. It is a plain thing teaching the way how sinners may return to God and blessedness. This doctrine is clad in the simple attire of a vulgar style ; and this was the ofi'ence of the Gentiles, who would be gratified with eloquence and profound knowledge : 1 Cor. i. 22, ' The Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom ; ' that is, the Jews, who were trained up in extra- ordinary dispensations, they would have miracles and prodigies from heaven. The Gentiles look for profound philosophy in the gospel, and scorn it because they find it not there. Their offence was be- cause they found not matter of dispute, but practice ; for they were altogether bred up in the uncertain debates of their philosophers. But little did these mind that there was a sublimity of wisdom in this plain doctrine (1 Cor. ii. 6, ' We speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not th« wisdom of this world,' &c.),as discovering the true way of easing the conscience, and the nature of true happiness, which were the two things about which the wisest and profoundest of them spent all their thoughts and speculations. Nor did they mind this : that laws would lose their authority, if not delivered in a plain style ; nor would our duty so clearly be stated by man's reason as by God's authority. When it is to be found out by man's reason it is left more to the uncertainty of dispute. Bare nature is a hard book to study in, nor are the lessons of it so easily found out. While the wise men of the world were debating about felicity and happiness, practical godli- ness died upon their hands, and men strove rather to be witty than good, and so delivered things more coldly, and not with that life and power and authority for the reclaiming and reducing man to his duty 0 God ; like the curious wits of our age, who delight to speak finely, rather than successfully, in the matters of religion.