The principles of Protestant truth and peace in four treatises : viz. the true state of liberty of conscience, in freedom from penal laws and church-censures, the obligations to national true religion, the nature of scandal, paricularly as it relates to indifferent things, a Catholick catechism, shewing the true grounds upon which the Catholick religion is ascertained / by Tho. Beverley ...

Object. 7. Order and Government in the Church, or Na∣tional Religion, cannot be preserv'd without such Guards up∣on both Piety, Order, and Unity; for besides that Publick Authority hath thought them fit, there are many private Chri∣stians zealous of them, and that would be scandalised, if they were taken away, as if the Precept of the Apostle were broken, Let all things be done Decently, and in Or∣der; and of them greatest care is to be had, as owning the Publique Authority most.

Answ. I have already asserted, in answer to some parts of this Objection;

1. That Religion and Piety are its own best Guards, and Devotion to God preserv'd most awful, as well as most pure, in its own Spirituality and Truth.

2. That all Natural and Necessary Order and Decency, are always to be secured, as much as may be, as being above the Scale of meer Indifferents.

3. That Unity is to be preserv'd in the Inviolate love of Christians to one another, center'd in those principal

Things, Love of God and Christ, and keeping his Command∣ments; and not in one Face of Ʋniformity; which is, if plac'd upon Ceremonials, in its own Nature, as variable as the Phase of the Moon.

4. I add, The more Publick Societies in Religion are intended, and desired to be, the more Comprehensive the Forms of Union must be. The Prudence, and holy Cau∣tion, of that first Council we read of in the Christian Church, is always to be followed: When the Jews and Gentiles were to come into the nearest Union, and as great an Ʋniformity, as was any way necessary, either in the se∣veral Churches, or the whole Church; when Doubts and Disputes had arisen concerning the Terms of their Union, was that prime Canon made, (happy had it been, if that Pattern had been ever since kept to) It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no other Burden, than These necessary Things; one necessary by a perpetual Morality, one other in the fear and danger of Idolatry, or Scandal: The other two necessary at that time, but by alteration of Time they dropp'd off, as to any Religious Import; ex∣cept as general Nature may check at them.

5. The Banding of Societies in unnecessary Rites, is ra∣ther of Ecclesiastick Interest and Domination, than of the Concerns of Christian Religion.

6. If there are such Varieties, that some cannot serve God, without adorning their Worship with these Arbitrary Rites of Order and Decency, they must stand or fall to their own Master: If they have such a Faith, seeing the Danger of Scandalising lies most on the side of Ceremonies, they are those that should have it to themselves before God, not they that doubt; or, because it is the Publickly Established Order, they should carry the Happiness, the Priviledge of their full Perswasion humbly, and compassionately, being not high minded, but fearing, lest in some parts of that, wherein they seem so clear, Causes of Condemning

themselves lye hid at present, and afterwards start out.

But all this cannot be a Standard for others; they that are doubtful ought not to be screwed up, by Engines and Pullies, to this Happiness: Seeing then there are some that dare not serve God in this way, we must seek out o∣ther Terms of Union, and they are very near us; the vital Union of Christianity, our National Reformed Religion, which may subsist well enough, if we would let it, in these lesser Distinctions.

It did not make diverse Churches in Primitive Rome, that some Christians distinguished Meats and Days, and others did not.

Yet the asserting the Rights of the Gospel-Freedom from Judaick Bondage, was of more concernment to the Christian Church, at that time, than all the Order and De∣cency of Despotick Ceremonies can be worth to it now.

Let us therefore, as the Conclusion of this Head of Scandal, always remember, upon the point of Indifferency, That, All that it is, hath been nam'd already, and it is known to be Indifferency, and it may not contend with Scandal, that is mightier than it; for Scandal is Scandal, real Mischief, and lays about it from every Quarter with Mischiefs. How much better then is it, that indifferent things in Religion were taken away, even while the World standeth, than that they should be kept up as the Sconces of Scandal?

For Indifferent Things let not the Work of God be destroy∣ed, nor any for whom Christ dyed in danger to Perish; the more we esteem our Church, our Religion, our Worship of God, the better and purer they are, the more it is pity any should be divided from it, should be so far scandalised, as to be Schismaticks from it, either in our account, or if it be that Sin, in the real danger of it, and of perishing in it. The more excellent our Church is, the more the A∣postles Rules take hold of us. Let not the good of our Church

be evil spoken of, as if it was Ceremonial; Let us not lose any from our Church, for Meat and Drink: Increase not the Woe of Scandal any way, for so mean Things, as Indiffe∣rents.

Let us not indanger our selves into the Woe of him, by whom Scandal comes, for Elements.

But besides all these Considerations, there is not so abso∣lute a security in adding any thing, under any Name what∣ever, to the pure Worship of God, any more than to his Word, lest we be found Lyars to him, mismatching with it, what will not endure the Fire. Greatest Peace have they that * 1.1 love thy Law, O Lord, and that only; nothing shall offend them, in nothing will they offend others. Observing Rites that had been Divine, was not so safe to the first Christians, having to do with Rites that had been corrupted Idolatrou∣sly, and Superstitiously, proved very Fatal. Ceremonies are but Shaddows, Superstition easily pervades that little thin Essence they have: They have not the Right of being Gods Creation to bring them off, to lye lower than their Corrup∣tion, and commend them: There is no such Cause to be over-zealous of such things, in regard of which, a late * 1.2 Ro∣manist hath said, The true Religion of the Church of England, differs little from the Romish, in outward appearance.

The Argument strikes all ways, if our Constitution be so good, and injur'd not at all by Ceremonies, let us, as Christ, Seek, and save that which is lost; those we look upon, as the least, that believe in Christ, let them not be lost for Ceremo∣nies. The Love and Compassion of a Saviour, triumphs towards these least, easily Offended, narrow-soul'd, mo∣rose, suppose them; Smoaking Flax, bruised Reeds, yet de∣spise them not, if Christians, if Protestants. Their Angels behold the Face of the Father, of Christ in Heaven. Let them not be Offended, Scandalised from Union with our Natio∣nal Church for Ceremonies.

If on the other side, our Ceremonies in Gods account should be blemishes of our Church, and Imperfections; or if they may be turned into such by an ignorant use of them, or if they cause Divisions and Scandals; if the Mischiefs of those Scandals fall upon Strangers to true Religion, and keep them at distance: All these considerations weigh hea∣vy against a Zeal for them.

But if none of these can be laid to their Charge; yet if Men doubt concerning them, what must they do? How shall they escape that of the Apostle? He that doubteth is Damned if he Eats. Whatever is not of Faith is Sin. Why should this be hazzarded for Indifferents? And when the Tyde of Advantages, Preferments, Publick Approbation, are on one side; Deprivation of all those, Censures and Penalties on the other; who dares answer for many Men, that they do not offer Violence to their Principles, much more venture over their Doubts? And yet in those very Doubts has the Apostle laid his Doctrine.

Or Lastly, Wo can reasonably suppose, Men would stem this Tyde that is against them, if they had not real Con∣scientious Doubts, or higher than Doubts, to contest with in prejudice of their Complyance.

Upon the whole then, I cannot but conclude, Imposing Indifferent Things in Religion, by a violent Example; much more by severe Ways, is very contrary to the Apo∣stles Doctrine in that Case; and that upon Reasons, that till I see them answered, I must suppose unanswerable.

I have now thus far discoursed of Scandal in the more strict, and particular Cases, Scripture hath given us the notices of; but in the remaining Heads to be treated of, I shall consider it in that largest and most comprehensive Grasp of it, Religion in general.

And there is nothing that requires greater Wisdom, and the prepossessions of a more Religious Prudence, than to sit, and count the Charge of undertaking serious Piety, as

the Lord hath bidden us in relation to one Branch of Scan∣dal, Persecution; so with respect to the whole Negotia∣tion of Scandal in the World.

It is the great both Wisdom and Goodness of God in the Scripture, that he hath given full and ample warning before hand, of all the Disadvantages we are to encoun∣ter in our Faith, Love, and Obedience to him; as when we are assured, There shall be False Prophets, There must be Heresies, There shall be Persecution, There shall be an Apostacy, or general Defection from True Symmetral Chri∣stianity, within Christianity it self: And so in the present Case, it must needs be that Scandals come. For the Know∣ledge of these things is one greatest Defence against the Evil predicted, as also against the staggering of our Minds, concerning the Truth of Religion it self.

Let any man then enquire, and search this thing out, both in Scripture and close Reason, and he will find Scan∣dals must come; though he may at first think, Religion, if it be so great and excellent as is given out of it, should not be darkned and clouded with Scandal, but stand clear from it; and it be impossible it should be any way liable to it.

Now that it is in it self Just and Right, even to Perfe∣ction it self, is every where recorded and published of it. Wisdom speaks excellent things, and the opening its Lips are * 1.3 Right Things: It speaketh Truth, and Wickedness is an abo∣mination to its Lips: All its Words are in Righteousness, and nothing froward or perverse in them: They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find Know∣ledge. The Righteousness of thy Testimonies is everlasting, give me Ʋnderstanding and I shall live. Gods Precepts are right concerning All Things, and secure from every False Way. * 1.4 His Law is the Truth. By the Word of his Lips Men are kept from the Paths of the Destroyer. Amidst all the scan∣dalising, * 1.5 and intangling Works of Men, The Ways of the

Lord are all right, if Men have but right Feet, right In∣tentions, Affections, and Motions. And yet when all this is granted, let any Man cast the thing in his severest Thoughts, and he will find it impossible, as things are, Religion should be free from Scandal, and that therefore, as if any Man cannot deny himself, he cannot be Christ's Disciple, so if any Man cannot Encounter Scandal, and overcome, he cannot be the Servant of God, the Disciple of Christ.

Let us then resume the Notion of Scandal, and fit it to this general Prospect over Religion, I am now upon, and we shall find, as the Lord speaks, that Scandals must come.

Scandal then is any False Pretence or Appearance, where∣by Religion, or any of the nobler Objects, Parts, Rules, or Reasons of it, are expos'd to Disadvantage and Disgust, as unreasonable, unjust, untrue, weak and empty; mo∣rose, unlovely, and undesirable; or the contrary, Sin, Ir∣religion, and Disobedience to God are gloss'd over, and presented, as in all regards, more choosable, and to be de∣sired than Religion; and all things so intangled and per∣plex'd among themselves, that Men are seduc'd from the esteem of the Divine Law, and Obedience to it, and in∣snar'd in Sin; even by that justle, and disorder Scan∣dal makes in the several Laws and Rules of Religion a∣mong themselves; and the blending with them the pre∣tences of Sin; upon which great dishonour to God and Religion, sharp Conflicts of Conscience within it self, Mischief to the Souls of Men, and a general Dis∣affecti∣on to Religion ensues.

And now, how this must needs be, I shall undertake to shew, having only observed; First,

That there are some main Things so necessary for our Knowledge, Faith, and Practice, that they are made exquisitely clear, and most easie to be understood. He

that runs, may read them; wafaring Men, though Fools, can∣not err therein; the entrance of the Word of God, concer∣ning them, giveth Light, it giveth understanding to the Simple.

Again, There are some Things of very great advancement to the Soul, and its Happiness, that are the reward of a holy, humble diligence to know, in such a Measure, as they ought to be known, and of a preceeding Obedience in those so plain things, that (as the Resurrection of Christ) are not shewn to all the People, but to chosen Witnesses: Thus the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his Covenant: What Man is he that feareth the * 1.6 Lord? Him shall he teach in the way, that he shall chuse: The Meek will he guide in Judgment; and the Meek will he teach his way. If any Man will do his Will, he shall know of * 1.7 my Doctrine, whether it be of God, or not: On the other side Ignorance, and Disobedience to those Divine Truths, that are nearest, and most plain to us, are punished, either with concealment of, or leaving us to Injudiciousness, and Insensibleness, in higher Divine Manifestations; where also that Injudiciousness and Insensibleness are Condemned. For to him that hath shall be given, and from him that hath not, * 1.8 by improvement and good use, shall be taken away, even that which he hath: And this is the Condemnation for not be∣lieving * 1.9 in Christ (that supernatural Revelation) because they loved Darkness rather than Light, as a Cover for their E∣vil deeds.

But besides those plain Truths, written with a Sun∣beam in Nature it self, besides those of clear Revelation, there are necessarily some deep Truths, concerning the Di∣vine Nature, the Attributes of God, his Decrees, and Acts, some Mysteries of Christ, of Providence, and the Govern∣ment of the World, that command Awe, Reverence, and Modesty, and are not to be fathom'd and fully understood, and yet cannot be so divided, nor separated from those

Truths that are necessary to be known; but that the Un∣derstanding must, and ought to have an observation of, and search after them; though with Fear and Trembling, and with a Wisdom to Sobriety, yet to know as much of them, as it is made to know by Scripture.

These things now being premised, I come to shew, That in the first and best state of Things, Scandals might come; and that in the corrupt and degenerate state they must come.

And first how they might come; and there must the same Original be assigned to Scandal, as there is to Evil and Sin it self; for neither Sin nor Scandal can derive themselves from the Holy, Wise, and Good Creator, who made all Things just and even; He, most upright, weighed out the Path of the Just by his own Eternal Perfect Way, and made the Angelical, and Humane, the whole Rational Nature, according to it, upright and perfect, so that there was no Scandal from this first beginning of Things. But when God made Creatures of Reason and Understanding, and of Free Will and Choice; Understanding in the very Na∣ture of it could search and pry, and range every way; and look not only upon Things that are, but by Things that are, they could collect Things possible; from the Na∣ture of Wise, Good, and Just, they could descry Folly, Evil and Wrong; and in Happiness and Blessedness, they could behold, as in privation from them, Misery and Un∣happiness, or the Transcendency and Infiniteness of Hap∣piness; and the Degrees below it; they could trace and find out the Lines by which there rose up a Supremacy of these, and back again, by which there was Declination of Degrees from this Azimuth, or insuperable Height.

And as these Understandings are so great, so they are suited with Wills and Appetites as great, by which they could aspire to be whatever they saw above themselves; and to dislike in whatever they found themselves below.

So that it was possible for them to dislike their first Estates, to forsake their proper Mansions or Habitations, and leave them, as if they were not loughty, large, and roomthy enough for them. Thus the Angels left their Estate in Heaven, and Adam his in Paradise, aspiring to something higher; and this through mutability, from misapprehen∣sion, jealousie, and disgust, arising from perfect mistake, false appearance, and mis-judging, which is perfect Scan∣dal. Thus not being Infinite, not being Omniscient, nor able to find out the Almighty to perfection, nor resting in the Love and Obedience of God in those things most cer∣tain, evident, and undoubted to them, but projecting be∣yond their own Sphere, they might come to charge Gods Holiness, Goodness, and Wisdom foolishly; to raise suspi∣tions they were not high and well enough; observing how Evil lay from Good, they might in Discontent draw the Line of Evil upon Good, and charge Imperfection upon Perfection it self; they might disorder the most orderly Alliances, and confuse the just Distances between Things and Things.

This they might possibly do, except God did interpose with his Immutability of Perfection for them, and secure them: But God permitting things to liberty, this must be possible to fall out.

This possibility of Change was the Folly God charged the purest Angels with, and in regard of which, the Hea∣vens were not clean in his sight.

From the miserable Consequences of this Possibility com∣ing into actual Event, the Good Angels were Elected, and into them the Bad Angels fell, who abode not in the Truth, but fell into cursed Scandal, and are wrapped up in Scan∣dal, fettered in it, even in Chains of darkness, which are Chains of Scandal, till the Judgment of the great day; that * 1.10 it may then be decided, whether they had just cause of Offence or not: Thus the Devil was a Lyar from the begin∣ning,

and the Father of it, of the Lye of Scandal: For all Scandal is a Lye, John 8. 44.

And now, when there was an actual Fall, a Defection of any of the Rational Creatures, actually come to pass, God still permitting things to their own Liberty, then it cannot be, but that Scandals come; For when once the Activity of an Understanding, carried with a perverse and disorderly Will, is in motion, then it traverses all ways, cuts all those Lines of Allyance and Connexion betwixt Things and Things, scales the heights, dives down into the bottom, fills all things with Confusion and Perplexity, that it may Scandalise, mis-represent, and mis-report God, and Supream Goodness, extols forbidden Pleasures and En∣joyments, and an imaginary Happiness, as if enviously de∣nied, and that denial unreasonably, and to no benefit com∣plyed with.

And the more Agents there are thus perverted, and ill disposed, the more Scandals must needs arise and shew them∣selves; when therefore Angels fell, or if some Principal fell first, there must needs be Scandals in motion from them, and they drew down innumerable lesser Stars with them; when they propagated Scandal to Men, as we read in the History of the Fall, and Men grew numerous and wicked, Scandals must needs come amain, and multiply themselves: For so many sinful and impure Understan∣dings at work, and hurried on by extreamly bad and un∣holy Wills, Scandals must become like a Deluge, and can∣not but increase to a kind of Infinite, and must be pressing every where; for there is no Light so clear, but a dim and dark Eye may report it black and obscure, there is no way so smooth and even, but Lame Legs, Crooked Feet, being themselves unequal, may stumble and fall in it: When a Man, as Solomon says, is cast into a Net by his own Feet; when his Feet are a Net to themselves, he must be Scanda∣lised, and Catch'd wherever he goes. There is no Sense so

grave, and seriously compos'd, but a vain Fancy, that is full of odd and antick Shapes and Images within it self, may travestee, and turn it into Ridicule. Even the plain∣est Sense, by Ignorance, or Malice, may be so transpos'd, as to be made most unintelligible Non sense, and by sepa∣rating the parts from their due order one to another, may be perverted into Falshood and Blasphemy.

Thus therefore, by the Darkness of Mens minds, by the Maliciousness and ill Designs of corrupted Intellectu∣als, enraged by impure Lusts and Passions, the plainest things in Religion may be mis-understood, mis-represen∣ted, mis-reported, and disguised out of themselves; much more the more secret, retir'd, and even unfathomable parts of Divine Truth, Providence, and Government.

God hath made every thing good, that he hath made, and his very permissions of Evil, are all over-ruled by him to Good; and even to us they may be Medicinal, and of use, if taken by the right Handle.

On the other side, Scandal turns the very best things in∣to Evil, to the Person Offended, and nothing can be so Good, that it both not so abuse: The Spies it sends out upon the Land of Promise, bring up an ill Report of it.

Indifferent Things, that are by God prepared, and inten∣ded to turn each way, either to use or not to use, accor∣ding as Circumstances lead, and both ways to be advan∣tages for Good, Scandal hath a great hand over, and turns them to Evil all ways.

Things that are Evil, the Sins, and Falls of Men, ei∣ther Good Men, or Bad Men, or Men seemingly Good, and inwardly Bad, are as the proper Dominion and Ter∣ritory of Scandal, and it raises what it can against Religion by them.

Thus every thing, by the not only Permission, but Ju∣stice of God upon the faln World, is subjected to Scandal, not willingly, for all things work together for good, as they

are impressed with Motion from the Divine Hand; but de∣serted by that, but so much as permissively, Scandal vio∣lently transports them upon Evil.

Now things standing thus, there is the God of Scandal and his Angels, the Angels of Scandal; the Divel, and the whole Hoast of faln Spirits; the Great Reasons, and Wits of this World, the Prophets of Scandal; the Ambitious Powers, and Interests of Worldly Greatness, Secular Poli∣cy, Ecclesiastical Domination, Debauched Religion, and in one word, the whole Universe of Lusts, all at the service of Scandal, and employed by it.

From hence are all those Atheistick Discourses, those Heretical Opinions, those Monstrous Idolatries and Su∣perstitions; those Burlesques of Lucian Wits, those Bold and Authoritative Examples of general Wickedness, Pro∣phaneness, and Irreligion, that have spread themselves over the whole Earth, those Severities in matters of Indifferency.

And where there is in any Time, or Place, such a sense of Truth and Religion, that any of these Evils, plain and bare-faced, take very little, but are hated and hooted at, every thing, that is better, is borrowed against it self, the Mantle of Law and Right is put on, pretences of Re∣ligion are made the Rayment of things most contrary to it And in all times, True Religion, Piety and Vertue expulsed under the worst Names, and covered with the ugly Vizor of Evil; it being hard to bring Goodness into mis-repute in its own likeness, under its own appearance.

To this purpose besides every Man, being the first and worst Scandaliser to himself, besides the lower and lesser Ministeries of Scandal, within privater Com∣munities, there are in all Times and Places, the pub∣lick Councels of Scandal, and the Cabals of it, that are neither Idle, nor Lukewarm, but pursuing all things to the utmost.

And the Men of this World are always greedy of Scandal, of receiving it, either through miserable Ignorance, and Inapprehensiveness, or from Propensions of their own, and to serve their particular Occasions; or as they embark their Interests in the Bottom of a Common Scandal, as most safe, and of the richest Return: or if it were no more, they are always so near of Kin to Degeneracy, and Depraved∣ness.

Now lay all these together, and we may easily find, Scandals must come, not only lesser Scandals, but greatest and most prevailing ones, that do as it were sweep the World before them.

If any thing therefore can be added to Scandal, it will be, we must expect it; though there hath been so much done upon it to improve it, and especially since the Rising, Pro∣gress, and yet surviving Contest of the Western Antichristi∣anisme. And whether there may be yet a Reserve in the Counsels of God for Scandal, before its Final Abolition, to unite and summon all its Strength, and become in a sort Oecumenical; I mean the Scandal of Antichristianism especi∣ally; these latter Days must discover.

In the mean time I will not be afraid to say, There is a very horrible Scandal rising at this very time, even a Pro∣testant Popery, placing such an absolute Dependence upon Succession from the Apostles (without cautioning for any thing of their true Spirit) and which so hangs Salvation at the Girdle of those that would be their Successours, as turns Christianity into a most Arbitrary and Tirannick Party.

But they that know the Scriptures, know assuredly, Christ hath founded no Rule, Government, or Authority in his Church, whatever, but whose whole display of it self is in Teaching, Instructing according to his Word: If that be not clear and evident, the whole Authority and Power falls to the Ground. This Word appearing in and

with it self, though by the Ministers of it, hath the sole Power over Conscience: They that would Rule without this, as Rulers appointed by Christ in his Church, are but Lay-Elders, Lay-Bishops, or indeed they leave the Word of God, and serve Tables.

But in this Universal Rage of Scandal, God hath not so forsaken the World, but that his Spirit lifts up a Standard against it.

Evil is not Infinite, but is at all times stopp'd by Eviden∣ces of God, and true Goodness environing it on every side, and bounding it, that it cannot do what it has a mind to do, and is therefore forced to leave it undone; for it can go no farther than the Beings that carry it can go, and God is always above them, and hems them in on every side.

Scandal hath only a permission from God, a Dispensa∣tion to manifest it self; it is always subject to Truth, as Night is to Day: It is subject to be reduc'd, and contract∣ed, as God pleases.

And thus have I finished the Third Head of Discourse concerning Scandal, It must needs be that Scandals come.

I come to a brief Dispatch of the Fourth Head, The De∣monstration of the World's Woe because of Scandal.

1. Let the Scandal be never so fair and plausible in its Pretence, or Reasons of Seduction from God and our Du∣ty, there is so great a Force of Truth and Higher Reason against it, that our Guilt and Condemnation is unavoida∣ble in not resisting the Temptation: Nothing can justifie a Plea against the Divine Law, not an Angel from Heaven; we must pronounce Anathema upon him, if he undertakes it. There are such Foundations of Truth laid by God, that cannot be moved; and they have such Evidence and Assurance to all sincere Minds, that there is no excuse a∣gainst the Guilt of being taken with Scandal.

2. There is therefore always some most Guilty Cause of Scandal, and its prevalency within every Man that is taken by it: Some Lust and love of Evil that betrays him, and on which he is condemned. When Scandal rages most abroad, and comes with lying Signs and Wonders, and with all de∣ceivableness of unrighteousness, it is because Men have plea∣sure in unrighteousness, and receive not the Truth in the love of it.

3. Scandal is it self Misery and Ruine: A Man cannot fall, and be snared, he cannot be wounded and broken, but he must be miserable. Life, Health, Salvation are only in Obedience to God, and Conformity to his holy Will. Who hath Woe? Who hath Wounds? Who hath Grief? But he that hath received Scandal against the Divine Truth. This is a deep Ditch, he only that is hated of God falleth into it, as not to recover. It is vain to pretend the Force, the Power, the unavoidableness of Scandal, when it self is Death and Ruine: How many are pleased with their Scandals, and will by no means part with them? Many excuse them∣selves, they could not withstand their Deceipt and Vio∣lence, and will not apprehend their Case. The first close∣ly embrace Death, or, as Solomon says, love Death. The latter can have no other Pity at the highest, but that they are undone; their Scandals are upon them, and they pine away in them, as they speak in Ezekiel, and how then should * 1.11 they live? God hath no pleasure in their death, yet still they dye, except restor'd by Repentance.

4. Were it not for Scandal, were it not some unhappy and mischievous mis-representation of Divine Goodness and Truth, were there not something that imposed upon the Understanding, and seduced the Will, with a false appea∣rance of Truth and Good, Rational Beings could not re∣sist Truth, nor fall out with Infinite Goodness; or on the other side, entertain Falshood, or fall in love with Evil, and so would be every way secure from Destruction: Surely,

were it not for Scandal, some most mischievous possession upon our Minds, while there are any hopes of Mercy, we could not refuse and reject it, nor cleave so fast to sin and death, which can have no desirableness, but to the de∣ceived Soul; as Holiness and the Favour of God cannot be disgustful to any, but the Scandalised: Were it not for some indissolvable Scandal, even the sin against the Holy Spirit might be repented of, and forgiven; some irreconcileable prejudice retains both the sin and so the punishment. And in Hell there is that Eternal Scandal for ever holding fast the Damned, That a Creature deprived of God justly hate and rebel against him: Or it is best for it in that Circum∣stance so to do. Were it possible to be loosed from this Snare of Death, this Everlasting Chain of Darkness, there might be an escape out of Hell it self: Were there not an Eternal Discontent and Disgust to God, Hell could not be Hell, nor Devils Devils any longer; so miserable a thing is Scandal.

The fifth Head in this Discourse is the accumulative Woe to him by whom Scandal cometh; the Woe by way of Tran∣scendency.

1. The Designers of Scandal must be as so many Sa∣tans in the World, of the just contrary Spirit and Action to God and Christ, and the Holy Spirit in the World; and therefore shall be for ever separated from that Blessed Pre∣sence, into that Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels; the God, and the Angels of Scandal.

Some have in all Ages been brandedly infamous herein, but none like him, whose coming is after Satan, with lying Signs and Wonders, and all deceivableness of Ʋnrighteousness.

All those Atheistical Defamations of God, and Religion, and the Scurrilities of Prophane Wits, are deeply dyed in this Guilt. They are like the throwing of Firebrands, Arrows, and Death; so is the Scandalising of Men in such sports of Wit, to their Ruine.

They that offer themselves, as Coppies and Patterns of Wickedness, in defiance of Heaven, dwell near to this insupportable Woe.

They, whose Laws Armed with cruel Penalties, are so many destructive Traps, and Engins of Mischief, against all that are Professors of true and sincere Religion, shall be gathered out of Gods Kingdom, their Scandals, and them∣selves, that work iniquity by them.

They that in Indifferent Things, that they themselves acknowledge Indifferent, use a violent Example, that must be answered with Conformity, though Men do with great∣est Seriousness and Solemnity protest their Doubt in the Case, and though Scandal be planted every where in their Indifferencies, had need, as our Saviour bids them, take heed, they offend not, they despise not, though they should be but the Little ones in Christianity.

Let them sit down, and count their danger, a Milstone about their Necks, and the bottom of the Sea, is safer in our Lords Judgment of the Case.

Wherever the Instruments of Cruelty are in any Habitati∣ons, upon the account of lesser Differences in Religion, Oh my Soul come not thou into their Secret: Oh my Honour be not thou united to their Assembly: In their Anger they dig down Walls of Defence and Security to Religion, Protestant Religion: Ʋnhappy, very unhappy is their Anger, for it is fierce, and their Wrath, for it is cruel: They divide Jacob, and scat∣ter Israel.

2. They that are the Authors of Scandal, by their great Mistakes in Religion, by their unhappy and miserable Falls into Sin, by their involving others in their own Sin, with∣out considering the sad Consequence and End of both; they have this great Aggravation of Guilt, that Scandal, Mis∣chief, and Death, have spread from them, and faln as a Snare upon others.

Yet their Guilt is measured by the proportion of the Scan∣dal in its own Nature, the malignancy of the Intention, the stupid, or seared carelesness of the Event, but not by the Event it self; whether the Scandal prevail upon others, or not; or whether they that are Scandalised, repent, or not.

Because the Guilt of the Scandalised is reckon'd to him, by his own Degrees of Light, his circumstances of defence against, or extream danger of falling into the temptation, by his own love of Sin, or enmity against the Divine Law, in which every Man is the principal Scandaliser to himself; and his recovery out of the Scandal, depends upon his own Repentance, or Obduracy against the means of Repen∣tance.

The Guilt of the Scandaliser is measured also, by his own state in Sin in general, his state in relation to that Sin of Scandalising, his Continuance in it, or Repentance from it, and not by what befalls the Scandalised; else the Apostle Paul's Salvation had been hopeless, without the certain Repentance of all those he compelled to Blaspheme.

Repentance, and Faith in Jesus Christ, and the Mercy of God in him, are the only means of recovery out of this Snare of Death, both to the Scandaliser, or Scandalised, and a certain means it is to either.

Before I come to the last Head of this Discourse, viz. to draw down the whole Meditation so, as that it may be most fitted to Practice, I will endeavour to resume the whole diffusive Notion of Scandal into one Uniform Representation, descending from the General into the Particulars of it.

Original Scandal is that dislike, and exception, the Rati∣onal Creature took to the Creator's Supream dispose over it, and its disgust to that State wherein infinite Wisdom and Goodness had placed it; so that instead of a thankful ac∣quiescency in it, to its happiness; it hath proved a Fugi∣tive and a Vagabond from it, to its Ruine.

Reason of this at first there could be none, but a disdain to have its large Capacities of Understanding confined, or dictated to, or its Freeborn 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 bridled, or restrain∣ed, its Liberty of Will manacled, or fettered by a Divine Law: As if it were not indeed greatest Understanding to be conformed with Truth; and noblest Liberty, to adhere to Infinite Goodness; or as if Understanding were not Understanding, if it could not take measures of Truth for it self without God Authoritatively superintending it; nor Free-will be Free, if it could not chuse wholly for it self, and owe no account to God.

And whether this Scandal is first in the Understanding, or Will, is not material; for the Union is so Vital between them both, that what is in one, is at the same time, and as they say, ipso facto, in the other.

The Devil at the same time he abode not in the Truth, had, as our Saviour tells us, swelling Lusts in his Will, sui∣table * 1.12 to his Prevarication from the Truth.

The very same may be observed in the fall of Adam, there was in one Act a deception upon his Understanding, deserting Truth, a sensual Eye upon the Fair, but forbid∣den Fruit, and the Lusts of the Mind aspiring to an imagi∣nary * 1.13 more mounted condition, than God had placed him in, to be as Gods knowing Good and Evil.

This then is the first great Scandal, at which the Angels and Adam fell, a discontent at a state of Obedience, and Subjection to God, and his Commands, how Holy, Just, and Good soever; as if it were too Arbitrary upon Beings, that could understand and chuse for themselves, to be so li∣mitted.

They did not like to consider, to retain upon their Rea∣sons, not only that they had their Beings given them, and that their Obedience was an absolute Due to the Creator, but that it was Obedience to an Infinitely Good and Faith∣ful Creator, truer to the Interest of his Creatures,

than themselves could be: This Scandal therefore pre∣vailing upon them, drew along the whole Tain of misery with it.

Scandalised Spirits always report ill of God and his Laws, so far as they are Scandalised, and they that are entering into Scandal, too contentedly hear ill of him, as appears in the Dialogue betwixt the Serpent, and the First Man and Woman.

Spirits utterly lost by Scandal, act in defiance of God, and are the more enraged by finding the Misery of their Scandal pressing upon them, even to despair, as we see in the Devils. Humane Nature, is more modest and tender, being succoured by Grace, and the promised Seed, in our first Parents: and their Posterity preserved from the utmost mischief of Scandal, by that Great Restorer from Scandal; Not perfectly recovered, but in a state of second Probation, of rising after so great a Fall, or being most unhappily a∣gain sunk below those hopes, and made for ever the prey of Scandal, even after Grace offered.

This State of Humane Nature is waved, and various. In some things Men are more clear and free, in others hooked, and staked with Scandal; and wherein they are Right in the Generals, they are often insnared in the Particulars, and so that their freedom in the one, giving them more room and space to stir, inwraps them more in the Scan∣dal of the other. By degrees, if not restor'd, men lose the modesty and tenderness preserv'd to them by Grace, and fall into the very Scandal of the Devils themselves, or very near to it.

However in all Scandal there are some of the Linea∣ments of Primitive Scandal; and the greater the Scandal, the more, and the more apparent, are those strokes of the first Scandal.

There is in every Scandal an Understanding that will be wiser than God is for it, a disgust to self Resignation into the Divine Will.

There is some Lust that clouds and darkens the Mind and there is some false Principle that imboldens Lust.

Scandal always wraps up sin with it self, else it were not Scandal; sin hath always Scandal to introduce it, else there could be no sin: Although therefore, when we come to particular Cases, there are many sins lye wholly naked, and uncovered of any pretence, according to acknowledg∣ed Principles of Natural Religion, and the Word of God, yet they are not without the Shelter of some Scandal, and if they are driven out of all else, they yet retire under this; It is an undesirable state for a free-born Understanding and Will to be under Subjection; there is something Tyran∣nick and Oppressive in it, that they may not know and chuse what is best for themselves; and so there is a resolv∣edness in corrupt Nature to do whatever goes out of its own Mouth.

The Apostle observes, The Carnal Mind is Enmity to the Law of God, it is not subject to it, neither indeed can be. * 1.14 It is always offended at it, it always pretends some Cause against it, and, if there be no other, that it is too Arbitra∣ry: A pretence, a shew of Reason, seems▪ necessary to a Rational Mind and Will, that is so made under the power of Truth and Goodness, it cannot sin, but by being deceiv∣ed, and grasping at some forbidden, appearing Good. Hence even the Devils think their Case justifies an eternal quarrel against God, their Misery is to them a just Cause. But the various Degrees, Kinds, and Shapes of Scandal are so many, so confused, so perplexing, that the very view of it would enforce a thinking Soul, to cry out, I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord; as the Patriarch Jacob, in a Prophetick Prospect upon Dan, out of whom some have fansied Antichrist should arise, describes him as one would describe Scandal, and therefore near enough to Antichrist that Man of Scandal and Son of Perdition, that yet will be as Dan, Judge over the Tribes of Israel.

Scandal is a Serpent by the Way, an Adder in the Path, that biteth the Horse heels, so that his Rider shall fall back∣ward; most mischievous Ruine. Considering therefore the Danger, the Multitude of Scandals, We wait for thy Salvation, O Lord.

Scandals then in particular Persons and Cases are Infinite; but the more general may be reduced. In Persons of no sense, no true love to Religion.

1. To the almost Universal Insolency of Wickedness in Humane Nature, bearing away with the force and autho∣rity of so bad Example, all before it. And if defended by Atheistick Boldness, wicked men clap their hands among themselves, and multiply words against God, they go in Com∣pany * 1.15 one with another, and fulfill, or justifie and make good, the judgment of the Ʋngodly. They drink scorning like Wa∣ter, and add Rebellion to their sin.

2. To the Ignorance, Sottishness, and Unconcernedness in Religion of Vulgar Minds, which rests under such Sha∣dows as these, God is Merciful and will not Damn his Creatures; All have their Faults, even the Best, the Wisest, and the most Religious. There is more ado than needs, Religion drives Men out of their Wits.

3. To a False, a Formal Religion, Damnable Heresies, or a Superstition in place of Religion, raging with great shew of Zeal, and Devotion against True Religion, which while men bloodily pursue they think they do God good service.

From those that are more serious in the True Religion, these Scandals especially arise.

1. All Immoralities, impure Interest of Ambition, Plea∣sure, or Coveteousness are very Offensive, and expose Reli∣gion both to Strangers, and even among themselves, it be∣ing so very difficult, or almost impossible in this Scanda∣lis'd state to sever in our Censures Religion it self, from the miscarriages of those that profess it; men will know the Religion, and not only the men by the Fruits they

bring forth; though Religion be the first, and most severe, in condemning what ever is bad, and so should be judg'd only by it self.

2. The great and many, and sharp Differences among those, that are the Professors of Religion, made most re∣markable by the high Feuds, and furious Rencounters that give sport to the Enemies of it, in traducing it, and every way enfeeble it among themselves, are great Scandals.

3. The strange Antipathy in Religious persons against permitting the due Liberty to Conscience in things indiffe∣rent, or in all things that are not expresly commanded, or forbidden by God, that men either upon the known Principles of Natural Religion, or their own Principles, and acknowledged Consequences from them, cannot deny; which is many ways destructive of the true power of Religion, wherever it takes, being the Scandal of acting against Sense or Conscience. The Apostle, as hath been shewn, so remarks upon, and is however a great discouragement to the entrances into, and loss of Reputation to the pro∣fession of it, by the Clashes between those that cannot comply because they Doubt, and those, that either will not believe them, when they say they Doubt, or think them not able to understand whether they doubt, or not; or would drive them against the express Rule of the Apostle, though it be allowed they do doubt.

Thus I have described Scandal, in which the whole un∣converted Nature of man is Seated, though some are deeper than others in it.

The very best men are under the Remains of it, and are never perfect from it, till in the state of Just Spirits made perfect, where Scandal cannot enter.

In Hell it remains for ever, even under the Convicti∣ons of Everlasting punishment.

There is an Eternal Dislike, and Discontent at, a Reply against God and his Government, as not worthy of love,

and submissive Reverence, but to be rebelled against, in the very midst of those Convictions: Could there be that humble deference so due to God, it would be Repentance and Recovery to Heaven.

And now the misery of Scandal runs along with it: All Disobedience to the Divine Commands, which are Eter∣nal Life, is Scandal in the Deception first, and after falls down into the miserable state, in which it always remains, but never ends, expressed by the Worm that never dies, the Fire never quenched, the weeping, wailing, and gnashing of Teeth for ever. Every one that maketh, and he that receiveth the lye of Scandal are cast into the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone, which is the second Death, but he that maketh that ••ye, sinks deepest; for though they are so miserable, so great a Woe is to them that receive it, yet still Woe in an Eminency to him by whom Scandal com∣eth, hath been pronounced by the Lord, and cannot be reversed.

And now I am more immediately, and nearly, to fall upon what concerns us in a way of Practice, from the con∣sideration of Scandal.

1. Let us seriously apprehend the great Folly of taking hold of Scandal, and making advantage of it against any of the Rules, and Laws of Religion: It is no other, than sucking in a Common Infection, or Contagion, because it is common, or taking into our selves a Reason, or a pre∣tence of Reason, to be Eternally undone and miserable, be∣cause the most are so. The Scandalising, and the Scanda∣lised World perish together; they that bring the Pestilenti∣tial Contagion, that runs deep in their own Veins, and they that draw it in to themselves from others. What recom∣pence, or allay of Anguish will it be to us, that there were such and such Offences, or Causes of Exception to Religion, and the Ways of it? And that we saw they took mightily in the World, that they were generally received? When

all is but making a Covenant with Death, and binding over our selves to it: Can there be any Cause just enough, why we should be Damned, and lose our selves for ever? Or will it satisfie us for our Souls, that others perish with us?

2. It is therefore every Mans Interest, to arm himself with all the Reasons he can against Scandal, (as there are sufficient) and to resist this Enemy at the very Gates. It is only that we are deeply Scandalised first against Religion, that we go up and down, as it were inquiring for Scandal, for some to Scandalise us, and to give us further shew of Reason against being Religious: Were our Hearts but true to Religion, we should easily find, they are more, and stronger, that are with it, than that are against it. If our Eyes were opened, the Reasons for Religion are like a Mountain full of Charriots and Horses of Fire, that cannot be resisted. Our bu∣siness therefore is not, if we sincerely resolve, that we and our * 1.16 House shall serve the Lord, to search every where for Offences * 1.17 against such a resolution; but to find out the pressing and un∣deniable Arguments why we should so resolve to fortifie our selves against all the seeming pretences to the contrary, by setting them before us, as Joshua does before the People of Is∣rael, to animate our selves the higher against them. That we are so unequally poised, so propense upon Scandal, is, because our Hearts are first bribed toward Sin, and A∣postacy from God.

3. This should engage us to take heed to our selves, to beware of our own proper Scandal, the motion, prejudice, and passion that grows from our own false Understanding, or Lust, and does and will scandalise us, though there were no other Scandal in the World; these will make us fall into Dislike or Discontent with any of the ways of Holiness and our Duty, when they do not satisfie our par∣ticular Apprehensions, Affections, or Desires. Let us com∣mit our ways wholly to the Lord, and he will give us the de∣sires * 1.18

of our hearts, a hundred fold, in our Design of Good, even in this Life, in the room of what we would pur∣chase with Scandal. Let us rest in the Lord, and wait pa∣tiently for him, and he will bring it to pass for us. But let us not fret our selves in any wise to do Evil, because any thing in our Duty lies cross to our inordinate Concupiscence: We cannot do well in being angry to Scandal, for that is in∣deed, to be angry to our Death; we foolishly pervert our own way, when ever our hearts fret against the Lord. If we love the Law of God, nothing can offend us. If we love God and our Brother, we can have no occasion of stumbling or Scandal in us.

4. Seeing Scandals are so every where abroad, and our own Hearts so weak on the part of Scandal, it is most ne∣cessary to commit our selves to Infinite Grace, and the Di∣vine Spirit, as our greatest Security and Protection; with∣out which no Flesh could be saved, not the very Elect: If we set our love upon God, and place our trust in him, we shall dwell in the secret place of the Most High, and rest under the Shadow of the Almighty, and he will deliver us from the Snare of the Fowler, from noisome Scandal, though a thou∣sand * 1.19 fall at our side, and ten thousand at our right hand. They that be planted in the House of the Lord, shall flourish * 1.20 in the Courts of our God; they shall still, being unscandalised, bring forth fruit in their old-age; they shall be fat and flou∣rishing, not blasted with Scandal's East Wind, to shew that the Lord is upright, a Rock of Security, not of Scandal, and there is no unrighteousness, no cause of Scandal in him. Oh how great is thy Goodness to them that fear thee, to them * 1.21 that trust in thee before the Sons of Men. Thou shalt hide them in the Secret of thy presence, from the Pride of Scandal that compasseth men as a Chain, yet they are proud of it, from the strife of Tongues, the Tongue of Scandal, that are a World of Inquity, that are set on fire of Hell, that are set against Heav'n, and walk through the Earth.

5. We may from hence learn the great unreasonableness of being Scandalised; that there are so many Scandals against Religion not marked with Vengeance. If we consider well the state of the World, how can it be otherwise? It is nei∣ther a Heaven, nor a Paradise upon Earth, that immediate∣ly spue out Scandal, and having once spued it out, never receive it any more for ever. Nor is it a Hell where there is Scandal, all Scandal and no Religion, but Scandal under Divine Vengeance, Scandal all in a Flame with the Wrath of God, discovering what it is, so that it can intrap none any longer, but those that are its Vassals for ever.

This World then is a World of Scandals, and scandalised; only it is under a Discipline, an Administration of Grace, like an Hospital, a Bethlehem for Lunaticks, the Lunaticks of Scandal, the Infani, as Holy Writ calls them. They are under a gracious Provision of all Necessaries, and a Me∣thod for Cure: In the mean time, that they, that are at the height of this Lunacy, should throw about Scandal with all their might, is no more strange, than that there are Mad Men in such a Bethlehem at the height of Distraction: Indeed the Patience, the Bounty that God uses to these is greater, than of the most compassionate Hospitals ge∣nerally in this world; yet no doubt they have the cruel twinges and lashes of Conscience in order to their Cure, if they might proceed to their Effect; but that their Cure grows desperate, is no more to be wondered at in the one Case than in the other. Many never come to themselves. They truly have Devils, and are Mad, Devils that are ne∣ver cast out.

Others there are that are brought to a more quiet, but sullen state; others that have their lucid Intervals; others again that have generally fair appearance of Reason, yet not in their Right Minds; and lastly, some that are reduced beyond danger of relapse, but not perfect.

What Reproach is it now to Right Reason, to Sobriety,

that Lunaticks of all sorts erre from it, or that some rally at it, or that the very best among them do some things unbecoming to it?

No more is it that Evil Men, or Imperfect Men, not sanctified to the Perfection of Paradise, or Heaven, do un∣suitable to Religion, according to their several states, though they do insanire cum ratione, seem to be in their Wits and Reason while they do so.

Or that there are Infamous Malefactors, Male-contents, under the most wise and sage Government; or Wits ill em∣ployed, that Lampoon it.

6. Let us continually look to Jesus, who in himself sub∣dued the whole power of Scandal, keeping steady and uni∣form Obedience to the Divine Will, and did always the things that were pleasing to it, though Scandals of all sorts pressed in on every side. Who being in the Form of * 1.22 God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, yet made himself of no Reputation, but took on him the Form of a Ser∣vant, and was made in the likeness of Men; and being found in fashion as a Man, he humbled himself, and became obedi∣ent to death, even to the death of the Cross.

Hereby, even by the Dignity of his Person, and the Profound Humility of his Obedience, he hath not only done that Honour, given that Glory to the Divine Soveraignty, and Righteousness, the Glory of that Supreme Authority, as hath made Recompence for all the Scandals of Angels and Men, so far as that Soveraignty or Righteousness are abso∣lutely concerned, whether any should believe in him or not; but hath also made Attonement, perfect Attonement, and Reconciliation for all that do believe in, and obey him; into a share of which, I make no doubt, the Holy Angelical Nature immediately entred, according to their state, even from the time he was declared the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World; Through his Obedience and Meditaion ador'd, and applyed to, they have perse∣ver'd

free from Scandal, by which so great a part fell, up∣on account of which, when the First begotten came into the * 1.23 World, all the Angels of God Worshipped him. The virtue from himself, as the Exemplar, as the First-born among many Bre∣thren, * 1.24 to whose Image they are Predestinated to be conformed, does by degrees extirpate all the very remains of Scandal in his Church; and he presents it without blame, spot, wrin∣kle, blemish, or any such thing, (even by real and effica∣cious operation) before the Eyes of Glory. His Example alwaies stands before them, as the most absolute and sub∣lime Pattern, to which, they daily are exercised in fa∣shioning themselves. Thus our Lord does every way dis∣solve the Works of the Devil, and deliver them, who by reason of Scandal were all their lives time subject to bon∣dage, by destroying Scandal, and him that hath the great Power of it, the Devil.

7. This should make Heaven desirable to us, where no Scandal dwells, nor any more, since the Angels of Scan∣dal were cast out of it, can so much as once enter; where there is perfect light, without any variation or shaddow of turning. The Holy ones there are vext with Scandal's Wiles no more, with the Wiles of the God or Ministers of Scandal, or those that by his Stratagems are made any way serviceable to it.

8. It makes Hell more dreadful; the seat, and Center, the Fund of Scandal, where all the good Principles men have had, or seem'd to have while they were in the World, or the Church, the best state of this World, and their Temporary good Actions are all swallowed up, and by the great power of Scandal turned all into it self; where∣in all the temporary, partial Righteous men of this World, whose being Scandalis'd as to the main, the true love of God, and his Children, turned their best things now into a sort of Splendida peccata, better complexioned sins, have then all that they seemed to have taken from them. And by

reason of that great Stumbling Block, the Eternal loss of God, They turn from all their Righteousness, and all that they have done is not remembred to them any more for ever. They sink into that unpardonable Blasphemy against the Holy Spi∣rit, whch is an irreconcilable Enmity to what is known to be of God, undeniably of him, and that Enmity expressed in the proper language of Scandal, Blasphemy; and is ne∣ver forgiven, whether committed in this World, or that which is to come.

Now what is there more dreadful to the mind, that hath any thing remaining of an Ingenuous sense towards God, that hath but so much Love, and Reverence towards him, (though too faint for true saving Grace) as will answer a profession of God, and the Lord Jesus, but will be horri∣bly afraid at the supposition of such a hatred of God, such a Blasphemy of him, and so of Hell on this account, that every sin boils up there into this Height of Scandal.

9. We are dreadfully warned from being the Ministers of Scandal, either through Design, or through great Falls, and Miscarriages in our Religious Course; this we ought to take care of, in Relation to the World in general, but espe∣cially towards the Little ones, that believe in Christ; stronger Christians are most out of our danger, who grieve, or have a just Zeal against our Scandals, but in the mean time themselves grow stronger, and stronger, as Trees that cast their Roots the deeper, for being assailed with the Winds: But the Little ones are, in the Eye of Christ, of the tenderest concern, because they need it most.

While we are in the way of our Duty, if any receive Scandal, and are resolved to do so, they create it to them∣selves, we must let them alone; but in all things wherein we can save a Soul from Scandal, let us consider the Recompence, we save a Soul from Death, and hide a multitude of Sins; a glorious Reward without any more.

And herein let us always remember, we have an Emi∣nent Seat of Doctrine, not to Scandalise for the sake of Indif∣ferent Things, a Doctrine prepared on purpose for all Ages of the Church of Christ, concerning Indifferents, one of the Eminent Seats of Doctrine of the New Testament, and more particularly in relation to Scandal, and therefore by no means to be lightly regarded.

To Conclude all; that we may neither give nor receive Scandal, three things are most necessary, to which I shall subjoin great Counsels of Scripture in each Case.

1. That we have our Judgments well settled within our selves, in all the substantials and necessary points of true Re∣ligion, upon a Divine, and not an Humane assurance only, that in that part we may neither Offend, nor receive Offence, for which Solomon's Advice is our great Security. Bow down * 1.25 thine Ear to the Words of the Wise, and apply thy Heart to my Knowledge: For it is a pleasant thing, if thou keep them within thee, they shall withal be fitted in thy Lips: That thy Trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee: Have I not Written to thee excellent things in Counsels and Knowledge? That I might make the know the certainty of the words of Truth, that thou mightest answer the words of Truth to them that send unto thee.

Or those Admonitions of the Apostle Paul.

That we henceforth be no more as Children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every Wind of Doctrine, by the sleights of Men, and cunning Craftiness, whereby they lye in * 1.26 wait to deceive. But following the Truth in Love, we may grow up into him in all things, who is the Head, even Christ; From the whole Body fitly joyned together, and compacted by that, which every Joint supplieth, according to the effectual working, in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the Body, to the edifying it self in Love. Be not carried a∣bout * 1.27 with divers and strange Doctrines. For it is a good thing

that the Heart be established with Grace; not with Meats, which have not profited them, that have been exercised therein.

2. That we have a true and sincere Love of the Divine Law, and our Obedience to it; the Blessedness of which, and its great preservation from Scandal, the Psalmist thus describes. Blessed is the Man that walketh not in the Coun∣cel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of Sinners, nor * 1.28 sitteth in the Seat of the Scornful: But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in that Law doth he meditate Day and Night: And he shall be like the Tree planted by the Rivers of Water, that bringeth forth his Fruit in due season; his Leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doth shall prosper.

3. That we order all things of Indifferency in Religi∣on aright, both as to the Sense of our own minds, and the Edification of others. To which purpose, the Apostles Directions should be always before us.

The Kingdom of God is not Meat nor Drink, but Righteous∣ness, Peace, and Joy, in the Holy Ghost.

Let every Man be fully perswaded in his own Mind. * 1.29

Give no Offence neither to the Jews nor Gentiles, nor to the Church of God, even as I please all men in all things, not seek∣ing my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved: Whoever thus serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of Men.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Prov. 30. 5, 6.
• * 1.2

  Father Sim∣mons's Critical History.
• * 1.3

  Prov. 8. 6.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 119. 104. &c.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 17. 4. Hos. 14. 11.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 25. 12, 14, &c.
• * 1.7

  John 7. 17.
• * 1.8

  Luke 8. 18.
• * 1.9

  John 3. 19.
• * 1.10

  Jude 6.
• * 1.11

  Ezek. 33. 10.
• * 1.12

  John. 8. 44.
• * 1.13

  Gen. 3. 6.
• * 1.14

  Rom. 8. 7.
• * 1.15

  Job. 43. 7.
• * 1.16

  2 kings. 6. 17.
• * 1.17

  Josh. 24. 17.
• * 1.18

  Psal. 37. 1. &c.
• * 1.19

  Psal. 91.
• * 1.20

  Psal. 92. 13. &c.
• * 1.21

  Psal. 31. 19.
• * 1.22

  Phil. 2. 6.
• * 1.23

  Heb. 1. 6.
• * 1.24

  Rom. 8. 29.
• * 1.25

  Prov. 22. 7.
• * 1.26

  Eccles. 4. 14.
• * 1.27

  Heb. 13 9.
• * 1.28

  Psal. 1. 1.
• * 1.29

  Rom. 14. 5, 17. 1 Cor. 10. 22.