[2.] The scandalous and evil practices of professors. These do not only infect but offend many, and cause them to stumble at religion, or fall into a dislike of the way of salvation. Scandal is far more dan- gerous than persecution. In persecution, though many be dis- couraged, yet others are gained to a liking of religion. There are many that have been gained by the patience, courage, and constancy of the martyrs, but never any were gained by the scandalous falls of professors. Persecutions do only work upon our heart, which may be allayed by proposal of the crown of life ; but by scandalous actions, how many settle into a resolved hardness of heart ! In crosses and persecutions many men may have a secret liking of the truth, and a purpose to own it in better times ; but by this kind of scandal, men grow into an open and professed dislike thereof In persecutions there is not a dislike of religion itself, but of the hard terms upon which it must be received ; but by scandals men dislike religion itself, and nourish a base and vile opinion thereof in their hearts, and so they grow loose and fall off. And this mischief doth not only pre- vail with the lighter sort of Christians, but many times those which have had some taste, it makes them fly off exceedingly: Mat. xviii. 7, ' There will be offences, but woe unto them by whom they come.' Christ hath told us all will not walk up to the religion they own ; but a man that is not offended in Christ will not be offended at the disorders of those that profess his way : 1 John ii. 10, 'He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.' All things that offend will not be taken away till the reapers come : Mat. xiii. 41, ' The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity.' In the meantime he that loveth Christ, and loveth his brother, dareth not reason from some to all, from persons to the religion ; for religion is not to be judged by the persons that profess it, but the persons by the religion. These things must ever be distinguished : the rule and the practice, the form and the power. The form, manner, or model of truth may be com- plete, though the virtue of this religion doth not prevail over all those that come under the profession of it. It is against all reason that the excellency of Christ should stand to the courtesy of man's obedience. The art is not to be judged by the bungling of the artist ; and thea
90 ^'0T TO BE OFFENDED IN CHRIST [MaT. XI. 6.
for the other, the love of the brethren will not permit them that tliey should judge of all the rest by a few, and those the worser part. This is, as if a man should judge of a street by the sink or kennel, or throw away the whole cluster or bunch of grapes for one or two rotten ones. Shall the apostles be judged of by Judas? or the good angels by the bad ? or Abraliam's family by Ishmael ? If some make shipwreck of a good conscience, others keep up the honour and majesty of religion, as well as they disgrace it.
[3.] The troublesome poverty and mean outside of those that pro- fess the gospel, and their many troubles and calamities ; as in Christ's time the grandees and learned rabbis did not own Christ, ' Have any of the pharisees or rulers believed in him ? ' that is, persons of eminence and place. Celsus, the heathen, maketh the objection, Should a few mariners (meaning fishermen) prescribe to the world ? But God never intended that truth should be known by pom]), nor con- demned or disallowed for troubles that accompany it. The drift of Christianity is to take us off from the hopes and fears of the present world ; therefore he that liketh Christ and his promises is not likely to be separated from him by persecution, Kom. viii. 37. He is held to him, not only by the head, but by the heart.
Now the use that we should make of this is caution. Take heed of being offended in Christ. I shall show you : —
1. Who are in danger of it.
2. The heinousness of it,
3. What we should do to avoid it.
1. Who are in danger of it ? I answer —
[1.] All such as are hardened in malice and opposition against those that profess godliness, and have a male talent ^ against strictness, and are glad when it meeteth with any trouble or disgrace. The clearest evidence will not convince these men. Such were the froward obsti- nate Jews, who were hardened and believed not, but spake evil of that way, Acts xix. 9. Again, there are some that are more moderate, but are discouraged in their first attempts of a godly life, and so give over through despondency. The bullock is most unruly at the first yok- ing ; the fire at first kindling casts forth most smoke. This they can- not bear, therefore give it over as ho})eless. And then partly the insincere, whose league with their lusts was never dissolved. And again, weak Christians, who are not fortified and rooted in the love of God, and the faith and hope of the gospel.