Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

That hath gone for currant as a certain truth, qui non prohibet cum potest jubet. He that doth not forbid and prevent the commission of sin when it is in the power of his hand to do it, doth interpretativè, Command the doing of it. He allows it who winks at it, he doth encourage it who stops it not. He doth so in the account of God who is a righteous Judge. He had as good command it as stand by and see it done, and say nothing. And if men will in this or any other way contract guilt, they may expect to taste the bitter Effects of it. If Rulers will spare offenders, let not them think that God will spare them. Ahab in a foolish kindness and pity let Benhadad go, whom God had appointed to utter destruction. Now observe what a thundering Message the Prophet brought him thereupon, 1 Kings 20.42. Thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people. So that this kindness of Ahab to Benhadad was desperate cruelty to himself and Israel. And the case of Eli is very pertinent to this purpose, and most worthy of observation. He was not only Priest, but Judge armed with both Parental and Magistratical power; His Sons did not write after that Copy which he had set them, but were Sons of Belial, wicked and profane to a Prodigy, for they Sacrilegiously robbed God, and filthily abused the women that were assembled at the door of the Tabernacle, and by these means made the offering of the Lord to stink, turned it to an abomination. For this Eli their Father reproved them, but it was with very soft and silken words, Why do ye such things? For I hear of your evil doings by all this people; nay my Sons, for it is no good report that I hear, ye make the Lords people to transgress. And here was all he did, but, Oh, how angry was God hereupon! It made his fury come up into his face. Though Eli was a good man, a Priest, one that God had caused to draw near to him, though he had reproved his Sons, and given them good advice, yet this was not enough, it would not serve his turn, God was greatly provoked because he did proceed no further; and see how dreadfully he threatened him, 1 Sam. 2.31. &c. I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy Fathers house, that there shall not be an old man in it, thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, the man of thine that I shall not cut off from my altar shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart.

That hath gone for currant as a certain truth, qui non prohibet cum potest jubet. He that doth not forbid and prevent the commission of sin when it is in the power of his hand to do it, doth interpretativè, Command the doing of it. He allows it who winks at it, he doth encourage it who stops it not. He doth so in the account of God who is a righteous Judge. He had as good command it as stand by and see it done, and say nothing. And if men will in this or any other way contract guilt, they may expect to tast the bitter Effects of it. If Rulers will spare offenders, let not them think that God will spare them. Ahab in a foolish kindness and pity let Benhadad go, whom God had appointed to utter destruction. Now observe what a thundering Message the Prophet brought him thereupon,