Several discourses tending to promote peace & holiness among Christians to which are added,…

2. The scandalous a•d •vil Practices of Professors: These do not only infect but ⟨p. 245⟩offend many, and cause them to stumble at Religion, or fall into a dislike of the Way of Salvation. Scandal is far more dangerous than Persecution: In Persecution, though many be discouraged, 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 it self, but of the hard terms upon which it must be received: But by Scandals, Men dislike Religion it self, 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 prevail with the lighter sort of Christians, but many times those which have had some taste, it makes ⟨p. 246⟩them fly off exceedingly; Matth. 18. 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 Joh. 2. 10. He that loveth his Brother, abideth in the Light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in •im. All things that offend, will not be taken away till the Reapers come: Matth. 13. 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 mean time, 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 complete, though the virtue of this Religion doth not prevail over all those that come under the profession of it.