It was not only an admonition, but a prophecy of Christ, when he said, "Woe to the world because of offences! It must be that offences come." And, "Blessed is he that is not offended or scandalized in me." He foreknew that the errors and misdoings of some, would be the snare and ruin of many others; and that, when "damnable heresies arise, many will follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of," 2 Pet. i. 2. Like men in the dark, where if one catch a fall, he that comes next him falls upon him.
There are four sorts of persons that use to be scandalized or hurt by the sins of others.
1. Malignant enemies of Christ and godliness, who are partly hardened in their malice, and partly rejoiced at the dishonour of religion, and insult over those that give the offence, or take occasion by it to blaspheme or persecute.
2. Some that are more equal, and hopeful, and in greater possibility of conversion, who are stopped by it in their desires, and purposes, and attempts of a godly life.
3. Unsound professors, or hypocrites, who are turned by scandals from the way of godliness, which they seemed to walk in.
4. Weak christians, who are troubled and hindered in their way of piety, or else drawn into some particular error or sin, though they fall not off.
So that the effects of scandal may be reduced to these two: I. The perverting of men's judgments, to dislike religion, and think hardly either of the doctrine or practice of Christianity. II. The imboldening of men to commit particular sins, or to omit particular duties; or at least the troubling and hindering them in the performance: against which, I shall first give you distinctly some meditative directions, and then some practical directions against them both together.
I. _Direct._ I. Consider what an evident sign it is of a very blind or malicious soul, to be so apt to pick quarrels with God and godliness, because of the sins of other men.
Love thinketh not ill of those we love: ill will and malice are still ready to impute whatever is amiss to those whom they hate. Enmity is contentious and slanderous; and will make a crime of virtue itself, and from any topic fetch matter of reproach. There is no witness seemeth incredible to it, who speaketh any thing that is evil of those they hate. An argument _a baculo ad verbera_ is sufficient. Thus did the heathens by the primitive christians; and will you do thus by God? Will you terrify your own consciences, when they shall awake, and find such an ugly serpent in your bosom, as malice and enmity against your Maker and Redeemer? It is the nature of the devil, even his principal sin. And will you not only wear his livery, but bear his image, to prove that he is your father? and by community of natures, to prove that you must also have a communion with him in condemnation and punishment? And doth not so visible a mark of devilism upon your souls, affright you, and make you ready to run away from yourselves? Nothing but devilish malice can charge that upon God or godliness, which is done by sinners against his laws. Would you use a friend thus? If a murder were done, or a slander raised of you, or your house were fired, or your goods stolen, would you suspect your friend of it? or any one that you honoured, loved, or thought well of? You would not certainly, but rather your enemy, or some lewd and dissolute persons that were most likely to be guilty. You are blinded by malice, if you see not how evident a proof of your devilish malice this is, to be ready, when men that profess religion do any thing amiss, to think the worse of godliness or religion for it! The cause of this suspicion is lodged in your own hearts.
_Direct._ II. Remember that this was the first temptation, by which the devil overthrew mankind, to persuade them to think ill of God, as if he had been false to his word, and had envied them their felicity. "Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil," Gen. iii. 4, 5. And will you not be warned by the calamity of all the world, to take heed of thinking ill of God, and of his word, and of believing the devil's reports against him?