3. There is a total and there is a partial off'ence. The total offence is when men will give Christ no place in their hearts, but remain in their infidelity : John viii. 24, ' Because ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.' When they will take no warning, they shall perish for despising the remedy. The partial offence is, when they do not receive all of Christ, though they may be sound in the main ; these are those that the apostle speaks of, that they are ' saved as by fire,' 1 Cor. iii. 15. Some doctrine or practice, wherein they allow themselves, may prove false and unchristian ; yet the man may be mercifully dealt with by Christ, and freed from having his portion with unbelievers ; yet it goeth hard with him, as one involved in a common fire hardly escapeth out of it ; their salvation is more difficult. In short, every one is more happy, as he is less apt to be offended in Christ ; but they are most unhappy that are most offended in him.
I now come to show you —
Fifthly, How it is true that those that escape this sin are in the ready way to salvation.
88 NOT TO BE OFFENDED IN CHRIST [MaT. XI. G.
To this I answer —
1. The negative includeth the positive, and must be thus explained : He that is not olVended, but evangelised, hath the power and virtue of the gospel stamped upon his heart : ' Blessed is he.' Among them that are offended, some forsake and fall oft' from Christ, others never come at him. But these believe so as to be changed and converted. Nothing hindereth them when Christ hath gained their liking and esteem ; for this esteem that we speak of now is not a simple specu- lative approbation (for that may be, and no change follow : Rom. ii. 18, ' Thou approvest the things that are excellent'), but a practical comparative approbation: all things considered, Christ is best for their turns. Always a change followeth this esteem : Phil. iii. 8, ' I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.' And till we have this esteem, there is some secret offence that we take at Christ, either at his person, doctrine, precepts, or the bad entertainment they have in the world ; and for the contrariety of our affections, Christ and we do not close with full complacency and delight.
2. This esteem produceth a uniform obedience ; for they that thus esteem Christ will study to please him. Delight in our master breedeth delight in our work : Col. i. 10, ' That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God ;' and 1 Thes. ii. 12, ' That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.' The only way to know whether we be more or less offended in Christ, is to compare our conversation and practice with his pre- cepts. His benefits commend themselves to our affections, his pre- cepts to our consciences ; the one sweeten the other. We have such a good master, we can never do enough for him. If we like Christ, nothing will be grievous that he giveth us in charge : 1 John v. 3, ' His commandments are not grievous.'
3. When we are not off'cnded in Christ we are the better fortified against temptations to apostasy. They are of three sorts — errors, scandals, persecutions.
[L] Errors. Many are drawn away with vain pretences, * But we have an unction from the holy one, and know all things,' 1 John ii. 20. But they are an off"ence, not only of seduction, but contristation : Rom. xvi. 17, ' Mark them wliicli cause errors and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them.' These are wens of Ciirist's mystical body, not parts. Errors in the church breed atheism in the world. Many question the ways of God, and give over all religion ; because there are so many diftc-rences and sects, therefore they think nothing certain. Certainly God saw this discipline to be fittest for his people ; he hath told us there must be errors ; he would not have us to take up religion upon trust, without the pains of study and prayer. Lazy men would fain give laws to heaven, and teach God how to govern the affairs of the world ; they would have all things clear and plain, that there should be no doubt about it. But the Lord, in his wise providence, seeth it fit to permit these things, ' That they which are approved may be made manifest.' To excuse the trouble of a search, study, and prayer, men would liave all things
Mat. XI. 6.] the ready way to blessedness. 89
agreed, else they take offence at religion, and that is one means to draw them off, even after profession. The canonists say, Non fuisset cits- cretus Dominus Deus, nisi unum constituerit universalem judicem. This was their blasphemy, that God was not discreet and wise, unless he had appointed one universal and infallible interpreter. This is men's natural thoughts ; the Jews say that Christ was not the true Messiah. Why ? Because if he had been, he would not have come in such a way as to leave any of his countrymen in doubt, but would so plainly have discovered himself that all might know him. So many think religion is but a fancy, and so flill off to atheism and scepticism at last, and irresolution in religion, because there are so many sects and divisions, and all upholding it with plausible pretences. And to excuse laziness or prejudice, men pretend want of certainty; but God's word is plain to all that will do his will, John vii. 17.