'Vert. 13. theEpOleto the Romans. 585 given over,as they ufe no endevour for the forfaking of them, and do not enter into any care or courfe of amendment. T z M.Wbat is here meant by [a fumbling block, and occafton offalling?] S r L. They be fpeeches borrowed from earthly things, and tran flared to fpirituall, as from high waies wherein hones and blocks do lye to make men humble and fall,or from fnares and nets of Fowlers and Hunters : they lignifie every thing that hindreth in the courfe ofgodlineffe ; either quite turning us away from Religion [which is meant hereby falling] or canting us to go on leffe cheerfully, which is called here [(fumbling block :] and when the Apo - file faith, [put not,] the meaning is, that we give no manlier of offence, neither fmall nor great, to our Brother, either to make him hie wholly from Chriff,or to trouble him never fò]ittle. For this place fpeaks not of a pall-We offence, which is taken where none is given, as the Pharifees and Scribes which were offended with the Do&frine and mira- cles of Chrili, Mat. 15. 12. and as worldlings now are grieved with Ma- giffrates,MIniffers, and others for doing their dutiee, for their zeal againff vices; which being good things, ought not to fcandalize any,anddo offend none but ill mimics ; but of an aEtive Randall, which is an offence given, when fome evill is not fecretly either fpoken or done, but openly contrary to Gods Law, or when our liberty in things in- difkrent, is unfeafonably ufed, by the which others are made the worfe, leffe godly, and haneff. For as a hone or block, fo an offence muff appear. An horrible crime whilelf it is unknown, it is an offence to God, and hurts the com- mitter1 but no offence to others to hurt them, till it be manife'ted. T s re, What is our Dot7rine front hence? S r L. That all Chriffians muft care- fully look to this, that they never be a juff occalion of finning to any man, ei- ther by words or deeds, to htirt the falvation ofany,or by building them up unto fin by our evill examples in our fayilags or doings. For firfi, this is Interpret. again!{ the commandement of God s C,r. 8. 9, to. & to. 32. Secondly, it pulls down heavie judgements on our felvcs, Mat. r 8. 8. Better a Mi f one were I:anged about our neck, emc. The world is full of examples, of fuch as have been grie- voufly plagued of God, for being au- thors and occalious oflìn to other s, as Gen, 3. the Hiflory of Adam and Eves fall, the Serpen t puni flied more then Eve, and Eve more then Adam. Jezebel more plagued then the Judges and falfewit- nefles, which accufed and killed Naboth . jeroboam tor making the Ifraelites to fin, more punifhed then the lfaelites them- felves. Thirdly, it is againff the example of the blelhd Apoffle, r Cor.S. 13. Fourth - ly,by offence given we b, eak the rule of charity, which fhunneth the grievances and hurt of every man, and ffudyech how to fofler,help, and flrengthen even the weakeff. As in a naturali body the ftronger member fuccoureth the feebler, or as a Phyfitian or Chirurgeon tender- ly handleth a difeafed or pained party : fo love is marvellous chary not to trou- ble or to do the leaf{ harm to the foul of any Chriflian brother. Korn. z4. 15. Fittly, by offence giving,we fin againit our neighbour while we beat, nay wound his weak confcience, (which is great cruelty) procuring him by our example to allow or do fome thing whereof in his confcience he was not re- folved, or which he knew he ought not to do, had not we made him to 'tumble, z Cor.8.' 2. Nay by our offence we de- (troy our brother fo much as lyeth in us, and become very butchers and mur- therers of our brothers foul, (either wholly driving him away from the faith,or difcouraging him:) and what a matter is this, for fo hender a thing as meats and drinks and dayes, or inch like indifferent things,to be the death and [laughter not of the body, but of the precious fouls of men, Rom. 14.15 . Laftly,this reacheth not to our brother alone,and to his defru &ion, but even fo high as Chrifl the head and Lord, again!{ whom we fin in wounding or hurting any member or fervant of his, . s Cor.
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