Doct. 24. As Christ is unto the unbeleevers honour and salvation, so he is unto the unbeleevers confusion and perdition.
This is gathered out of the seventh Verse, Psal. 118.22. Isay 8.14. Matth. 21.42. But this similitude doth not hold in all things. For first, the proper end of Christ our Saviour was to save man, not to destroy him. Secondly, Christ is the cause of faith in the beleevers, but he is not the cause of unbeliefe in the unbeleevers, though something of Christ may be the occasion of their unbeliefe; like as his humiliation was both unto the Iewes and many of the Gentiles. Thirdly, Christ merited salvation for the believers, and not they themselves; but the unbelievers merit their owne perdition, and not Christ: but yet Christ is truly said to be confusion and perdition to the unbelievers, 1 As they take offence at him, and so runne headlong into their owne destruction. 2. As he doth justly punish their infidelity and impiety, as he is the just Iudge of all the world. Reason 1. Because those unbelievers to whom Christ is offered, in contemning his goodnesse, doe directly as it were provoke him to use the greatest severity upon them. 2. Because by this meanes alone is the glory of God and of Christ preserved, when his enemies are put under his feet. Vse 1. This may serve to admonish us to beware of all infidelity. 2. To exhort us, when we compare our beliefe with the misery of unbelievers, to learne to be thankfull unto God and to give him the glory of it in Iesus Christ: for these ends is this amplification made in the text. Doct. 25. Men come unto this confusion and perdition by stumbling at the Doctrine of the Gospell.
This is gathered from the 8 Verse. Now men stumble at the word of the Gospell, when they apprehend the Gospell to be such, that they owe no assent and subjecton thereunto: so the Iewes were offended at the infirmity of Christ crucified, 1 Cor. 1.23. and the Greekes at the foolishnesse of that word which bringeth salvation, Ibid. For the Iewes, like as the Papists, with many others, are offended, for that the Gospell requires them to deny their owne righteousnesse and workes, and to seeke to be justified by Christ, 'Rom.' 9.32.
