Martin Bucer's Exposition on Matthew 18:7

The mind and exposition of that excellent learned man Martyn Bucer / upon these words of S. Matthew: Woo be to the wordle because of offenses. Math. xviij. Faithfully translated in to English, by a faithful brother, with certain objections and answers to the same. Matthew. 15. Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be plucked up by the rotes. Printed at Emden. 1566. To the godly Reader. Understanding (dearly beloved in the Lord Jesus) by a faithful brother, of the contention that now is in my native country, concerning popish apparel and ceremonies, to the great grief and sorrow of the godly, and to the reioysinge of the enemies, (which hops daily for the rest of their father dregs) I thought it mete (as one wyshing good to my country) to translate the work of that excellent instrumente of the Lords vinyarde Martyn Bucer, entreatinge upon the words of our Savior, written by S. Matthew in the.xviij chap. saying: Woo be unto the wordle because of offenses: wherein he declares not only what an offense is, and how it is taken, but also as occasion does serve concerning rites and ceremonies of the church, to the great comfort of the godly. Wylling and requyring that ye stand fast in the liberty, wherewith Christ Jesus has made you free and wrappe not your selves in the yoke of bondage. For it is not now time to slip back from the liberty of the Gospel, but manfully to abide therein, yea even, though it be with life to confirm ye same as worthy souldiars in Christ's church, always lokinge for the coming of our Savior Jesus Thus fare ye well. The mind and exposition of that excellent learned man Martin Bucer, upon these words of Matthew: Woo be to the world, because of offenses. Math. xviij. HEre Christ speaks not of such offenses as the good are wont to give unto the evil, but of such as the evil give unto ye good, or to those that endeavor to become good and godly. These offenses (as may be gathered by the places of scripture which make mention thereof) are what things so ever be spoken or done, geuinge any occasion of sin, either because they are evil of them selves, or else because they are not discretly done and according to Christian charity. For this cause Paul in the.2. epist. and.6. chap. to the Corinth. exhorting us, that in nothing we give occasion of offense, does declare by those things which he mencioneth by and by after, that then we give no offense at all, when we approve our selves in all things as the ministers of God: that is to say, when we so behave our selves in all things which we either speak or do, that they may make to edification and appear to be done in the spirit of Christ. Where upon we may take that to be an offense, the definicion of an offense. what soever we say or do that makes not to the furtherance of Gods glory and the salvation of our brethren, procedyng of a sound and unfeigned faith and ordered according to sincere and true love.

Now this mind and purpose all the wicked have not, I mean to do all things to the glory of God and the commodity of men: and therefore not only all that they speak or do may well be called offenses, but they themselves also because their whole life is nothing else but an offense, are of the Lord him self before in the.13. chap. called an offense. Seeing therefore the world is now full of such offenders, it is not without great cause that the Lord here says: It is nedfull that offenses should come. For seeing there be so many evil trees, there must needs be great abundance of evil fruit also. Moreover even the very elect, because they are never free from sin, being always compelled to say: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us, do give many occasions of offense, when so ever they speak or do any thing that proceeds not of faith and love. Therefore Paul exhorts and beseech those men to beware that they receive not the grace of God in vain, giving occasion of offense to no man. He exhorts us also to the same thing as often as he wills us to walk circumspectly and warely following in all things the will of God. For we are planted to this end, that we should bear fruit, and bring many to true righteousness and godliness. wherefore if we commit any thing either in word or deed, which tends not to this end, we give therein occasion of offense, and do contrary to our vocation: and forsakinge the kingdom of Christ, we promote the kingdom of Satan: which thing how horrible it is for a Christian man to do, who sees not? For this cause S. Paul in the xiiij. to the Romans and in the.j. epist. and.viij. chap. to the Corint. Vehemently detesteth even those offenses which they that indiscreetly use the Christian liberty give unto the weak by such things as of themselves in deed are not evil, but yet are not done according to charity. When the new Testament was confirmed by the blood of Christ emonges the elect, where soever they were, and of what stock and kynred so ever they came, and that without any law of ceremonies: then were all rites and ceremonies included in the precepte of love, and all kinds of meats and days were made then alike. But yet when many of the Jews were converted unto Christ, their faith was more weak then that they durst use this liberty. …