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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95730	Scriptures opened and sundry cases of conscience resolved, in plain and practical answers to several questions, upon the proverbs of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel / by that faithful servant of Jesus Christ, William Thomas ...	Thomas, William, 1593-1667.	1675 (1675)	Wing T990; ESTC R42854	160,919	408

the former Precept that Solomon's meaning here is not to give way to any to be wicked in some less degrees no more than it follows that a Man may be angry as much as he will till the Sun go down because Paul saith Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath Ephes 4. 26. Or that men need not pay less Tithes so they look to weightier matters because Christ frowns upon the hypocrisie that was in the one while they omitted the other Mat. 23. 23. ye ought saith Christ to have done the greater and the less both so all wickedness whether little or much is to be avoided because it makes us liable to the Curse of God Gal. 3. 10. 2. This then may be the meaning Do not because a wicked Man prolongeth his days in his wickedness give thy self the rains to be wicked in the highest degree over and above what is in other wicked men Jer. 5. 28. so that this seems to agree with what Solomon saith afterward Because Sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil Eccles 8. 11. to be brimful of wickedness But Be not wicked overmuch saith the Wise-man neither be thou in being so wicked foolish and an enemy to thy self For this sinning with an high hand however God prolong the life of other wicked men may make him cut off thee out of hand Psal 55. 23. Numb 25. 7. 8. Now If the words in these two Verses be taken in their latitude the former Precept may be extended to all those that in any thing overshoot themselves by leaning to their own wisdom yea howsoever they aim at righteousness and holiness in it so far as to go beyond that which the Wisdom of God will warrant And the latter Precept may also be applied to all those who leaning to their own foolishness enlarge themselves in wickedness under the hope of impunity But yet There is a second Interpretation of these words which seemeth more agreeable to the context which ariseth not so much from the consideration of the persons here spoken to in reference to their carriage or miscarriage under Divine Providences as to the censure of these persons in regard of God himself that ordereth out these Providences inasmuch as they run cross to the sense and corrupt reason of shallow men And then The meaning of the former Precept will be this when thou seest a just man perish in his righteousness Be not thou overmuch righteous to wit in charging God foolishly as if he did not govern the world equally Job 1. 22. He 's always righteous overmuch that makes as if God were not righteous enough Why shouldest thou destroy thy self by quarrelling his administration Job 9. 4. 34. 17. 33. 12 13. Hereupon the Second Precept will sound to this sense when thou seest a wicked man prolong his days in his wickedness Be not thou wicked overmuch as if God did let all alone and so wink at the carriage of men as that they may be as bad as they will and yet fare never the worse Psal 50. 21. Zeph. 1. 12. Mal. 2. 17. 3. 14,15 In brief it may be said that these two Sayings set forth two sins 1. The accusing of Providence because the just perish express'd by Be not righteous overmuch neither make thy self over-wise as if thou couldst devise a wiser way of ordering the world And 2. The abusing of Providence and of Gods Patience towards wicked men unto all licentiousness expressed by Be not wicked overmuch Unto both these Extreams the Psalmist upon the same workings of Providence that are here described ver 15. sheweth our proneness who on the one side are ready to condemn the generation of the righteous that is to charge God because he putteth them under such bitter Providences Psal 73. 13 14 15. And on the other side are ready to warp and nod towards the profane world because they prosper Psal 73. 10 11 12. If godly Men go so far no marvel if the ungodly come quite over too and are bold in both these Extreams Sutable hereunto is the close that followeth v. 18. Take hold suffer not to slip say to thy heart withdraw not thy hand from the counsel given on both parts in the former Verses for it is the fear of God and the reverent observation of what God saith in his Word that will help a man to come clear off from the evils and inconveniences of both the Extreams and to walk in the middle way which is to be righteous according to the Rule though there be ruin by it and not to be wicked against the Rule though Prosperity accompany it And again This Fear of God will keep a man from uttering or acting any thing against God or his Word whatsoever tentation there be thereunto by his present Providence It is the Sanctuary where the Fear of God is taught that sets all right Psal 34. 11. Psal 73. 17 c. Eccles 9. 2. All things come alike to all There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an Oath Qu. IS it absolutely so that all things come alike to all Answ It is so in regard of those outward things as riches poverty health sickness honour dishonour whereof Solomon speaks thus to shew the vanity of Men that do so excessively desire those things which they may have whom Hell shall have yea in Gospel-times worse outward things befal the good than the bad because God will exercise and adorn their spiritual graces and comforts But howsoever the things of this life befalling good and bad men be the same in themselves yet if we judg of the works of God by the Word of God there is in regard of the Persons of good and bad men a very great difference both here and hereafter First here in regard of the Cause Concomitants and the End and Effect 1. In regard of the Cause and Root out of which outward Dispensations do arise For 1. As for good Men if they have these outward good things they have them out of Gods love Jer. 31. 2 3. 4. 20 21. and mercy as Jacob had his two bands Gen. 32. 9 10. 33. 5. And if they want them it is out of love that they want them as it is out of love that a Father will not fill his Childs purse because they would be like to be worse for them Prov. 30. 8 9. 2. As for bad Men they have great outward enjoyments 1. From Gods general Providence and Bounty Psal 145. 9 15 16. Luke 6. 35. 2. Perhaps also out of respect to the prayers of some good Men to whom they are called and Gods good-will to those dear Servants of his Gen. 19. 21. as Gen.

numbered with transgressors Mark 15. 28. bare the Sin of many Mat. 26. 28. and made intercession for the transgressors Luk. 23. 34. In a word because he hath fully undergon and done all that was to be don and suffered by him according to the will of God and that with much patience and a gracious intercession for those that took away his life Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great that is I will highly exalt him Phil. 2. 9 10 11 12. Psal 89. 27. John 3. 35. make him higher than the Kings of the earth yea give all into his hands John 3. 35. and he being perfectly Victorious over all enemies shall as Conquerors use to do divide the spoil with the strong as great and strong and the most Victorious Warriors use to do if they divide he shall divide also with and above the best of them see Ephes 2. 21. Col. 2. 15. Now all this is for our benefit also If Joseph have all in his hand Jacob shall not want a portion when he divides the spoil we shall fare the better for he receives to give us Psal 68. 18. yea they that tarry by the Stuff and are willing but not able to do as others do shall have a part in the Son of Davids spoil 1 Sam. 30. 24. If he live after the pouring forth of his Soul unto death we shall live also John 14. 19. 2 Cor. 13. 4. and because he was numbred among transgressors and no intercession of Pilate or his Wife Mat. 27. 19. could get him off but die he must therefore he ever lives to make intercession for us which without a sacrafice and blood he could never have done Heb. 7. 25. 8. 9. 24 25. The Review of all this will shew fully how little a reason there is to be offended at the Cross of Christ at any meanness shame or sorow that befel him And that upon the Consideration of these particulars For 1. All of it was necessary in regard of the will and love of God It pleased the Lord thus to bruise him v. 10. and it was also Voluntary in regard of the love of Christ John 3. 16. Luk. 22. 15. John 10. 15. 17 18. and his will to do his Fathers will Heb. 10. 7. 2. It was necessary in regard of us for we could be saved no other way and delivered from our lost Condition any more than there was cure to be had in the wilderness any other way but by the brasen serpent John 3. 14 15. John 11. 50. Act. 4. 12. 3. And therefore all that was laid upon him was not for any fault in him but was for our faults by reason of our sinful and damnable Condition that he might suffer in our place and stead and as our Surety what we deserved and thereby prevent our perishing 4. This way of God was as effectual as necessary for mans restoring and redemption Heb. 9. 12. 10. 14. 5. Albeit he lay upon this ground under all this shame and suffering yet the Lord put much honour upon him in his sufferings as many other ways Joh. 18. 6 Matt. 27. 17. 52 53 54. so by Pilate's commanding his body to be delivered to a decent and distinguishing and choice burial Mat. 27. 58. But afterwards in and by his resurrection he was much more glorious there being thereby an admirable increase Ps 110. 3. of his seed and after it an everlasting abiding in life both in his Person and in his members 6. After he had endured the Cross and despised the shame Heb. 12. 2. and out-grown it all by his resurrection He triumphantly ascended into Heaven and there sitteth on the right hand of God dividing his spoils giving gifts to men even to the rebellious also communicating all the rich priviledges of his passion together with the benefits of his Kingly Power exercising also his ever-abiding Intercession in the behalf of all true Believers Now considering thus the cause of the low estate of the Messiah and the honour and benefit that follows thereupon to him and flows therefrom to us what reason can there be of rejecting how great reason is there of receiving the Gospel-report especially considering further that if any reject the report upon pretence that God's way to save them is not good enough they cannot possibly escape everlasting damnation Heb. 2. 3. John 3. 28. 36. Isa 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy ways and hardned our heart from thy fear Return for thy Servants sake the tribes of thine inheritance Q. HOw can it stand with the holy reverence of God that ought to be in the Servants of God to fasten such erring and heart-hardening upon him as this verse expresseth A. For the opening of this Scripture these things may be first observed in the generality viz. 1. That Gods Children are subject to erring and some obduration and may be at times grievously under desertion and the sad sense of a gone-God Hos 5. 15. 2. They are in this condition which puts a difference between them and bad men with much complaining Exod. 33. 34. Psal 143. 7. Joh. 20. 13. 3. They complain to God who alone can help it and hath bound himself to his praying Servants to order the matter otherwise Ezek. 36. 26 37. Obj. But they seem not only to complain to God but of God A. What they say they pray that is they speak it not peremptorily but submissively and are upon their knees as it were all the while they speak it It is not a stout and stomachful imputation as if God were in fault for it but an humble and faithful expostulation because it belongs to God to deliver from it of which expostulation and wrestling with God there is special reason inasmuch as this erring and hardning may be said to be of God divers ways viz. 1. Permissively whereas he might hinder it prevent it and all the occasions of it by his power 2. Privatively when he might withstand it by his grace 3. Paenally as an act of his Justice Ezek. 20. 39. which in a measure and for castigation may be exercised upon his Children But where ever these things are we must remember that the hardness is ours though the hardning be Gods and if there be erring upon any temptation the error is our own but leaving to it yea giving up is ascribed to God Rom. 1. 24. 2 Thess 2. 11. 2 Chron. 32. 31. 4. Occasionally for there is a Providential hardning and causing to err God putting men into such a condition and that justly as these here into a seventy-years Captivity whereby their hearts are mightily deaded and apt to deviate As 1. By the removal of Gods Ordinances and spiritual help Psal 74. 9. 2. By being cast among Idolaters profane men subjected to a power and compassed with a company tempting to sin Ezek. 20. 25 32. 3. By being put into a joyless and hopeless estate under wicked and cruel enemies living in all

the Ten Tribes captives 2 King 15. 29. I say between that time and the taking of them away generally by Salmanasar divers of them fled for refuge to Judah and setled themselves there and that seems to be meant by strangers 2 Chron. 30. 25. that is such of the Ten Tribes who besides the Congregation that came out of Israel by the present call to the Passover did by reason of Religion settle themselves in Judah which they might do also in latter times for their safety being liker to fare better in Judah than with the Assyrian All this makes it out that there was a mixture of Judah and Israel before the Captivity Now to apply this to the present purpose the first remarkable time of their coming more closely together was at their return out of the Captivity wherein they had been scattered The Israel-it's that mixed themselves with Judah came it 's very like out of the Captivity when they did partaking therein of the priviledg of the better party to whom they had joined themselves which appeareth also in the genealogy of those that returned out of Babylon among whom not only Judah and Benjamin but divers of other Tribes of Israel are expresly reckoned 1 Chron. 9. 3. Ezra 2. 2. v. 70. albeit they dwelt for present not in the cities of Samaria but of Judah Secondly to come to the second period Although the ten Tribes if we speak of the generality and the Body of them returned not out of Captivity as Judah did to their own country yet under Christ to whom this Coming and Covenanting is to be extended as Jer. 50. 20. they came together when the Gospel was preached as under one Head Hos 1. 11. Hence we read Act. 2. 5. of Jews out of every Nation under Heaven they being scattered by the Assyrian Babylonian and other succeeding Kings into far distant places There also we find the Apostle speaking to the whole House of Israel v. 36. and that at the same time three thousand were converted that is united together in Christ v. 41. That of St. James is clearer who writes expresly to the twelve Tribes scattered abroad that is scattered by the Assyrians and Babylonians or Antiochus So as that they returned not with others to their own Land yet to the Faith of Christ they were converted and therefore James writes to them as to those who had received the Faith though they did not as they ought shew it in the fruits St. Peter also points to the same Persons when he writes to the Strangers 1 Pet. 1. 1. that is to those of Judah and Israel dispersed here and there where they lived as Strangers but yet he writes to them as Persons come into Jesus Christ and conjoined on that corner-stone 1 Pet. 2. 4 5 6. Thirdly there is another period of time that we expect and that is when the Jews shall be called and come together in a considerable Body Rom. 11. 25 26. unto and under Christ the Head of the whole Church unto which time divers Learned men refer those prophecies Ezek. 37. 10 12. Hos 1. 11. Amos. 9. 14. 15. And howsoever this Prophecy may be said to be fulfilled truly already yet ther 's cause to say that it shall be most remarkably compleated then Jer. 50. 4. Weeping they shall go and seek the Lord their God Qu. Wherefore should they go out of Captivity and when they went to meet with God weeping when parting 's cause weepings and meetings joy Joh. 16. 6 22. with Matth. 28. 8. Psal 126. 6 A. Men and so the Church may weep albeit there be cause of rejoycing before them for divers reasons namely out of joy or because of Afflictions accompanying their comforts or for their sins First men may weep for joy and because of the Workings of Natural Affections upon strange and un-expected comfortable changes and alterations so it was with Joseph's brethren the revealing of himself to them after a sad condition before was accompanied with weeping Gen. 45. 13 14. 46. 29. Thus when Archedamus sent word of a great victory with much Loss to the enemy but of none on their part the Spartans hearing of it fell all a weeping Vsq adeo Lacrumae tum laetitiae tum dolori sunt communes Xenoph. Lib 7. Sect. 620. Secondly because of manifold afflictions accompanying their comforts As here in their return 1. Because they had been so long absent from God as Friends met at last weep because they have wanted one another so long When they ken'd a returning God it might well grieve them that they had wanted his sight Seventy years 2. Because divers of their brethren were scattered here and there and abode still in Babylon as not able or not willing to return Hab. 2. 6. Now every creature mourns when it wants its company 3. Because their Countrey was spoiled and wasted A great Comfort it was to see Jerusalem builded as a City compact Psalm 122. 3. but to see it burnt and broken and consum'd that was a weeping business Neh. 1. 4. 4. Because they were to meet with so many Enemies and Oppositions in their own Countrey for though God made Heathen Kings to be for them yet they had to do with malevolent men round about them Neh. 2. 10. that would do them all hurt with all their heart but no good nor suffer to have any but against their will This they might foresee when they went to Zion and grieve at it 5. And especially because the Temple was burnt and the Lord had never an House to dwell in with them we may see the sadness of this in the mournful posture of those fourscore men Jer. 41. 5 6. that are said indeed to come with Offerings to the House of the Lord yet it is not probable that the news of the burning of that House had not sounded so far as Sechem and Shilo They came therefore to present their piety not so much in the House as in the place where the Lord had had an House which because it stood not now as before therefore they were so sad for what 's Canaan without Jerusalem Jerusalem without Zion Zion without God and where was God then most eminently but in his Holy Temple 6. Because though after their return there was a new Temple erected yet that fell so short of the former that they came therefore weeping Ezek. 3. 12. Hagg. 2. 33. To which we may add 7. Because they were never like to see things in their Countrey restored to any such Beauty as they had seen it in formerly to wit looking on things with an eye of Sense and most had not the eye of Faith to look to Christ Hag. 2. 7. yea all generally had a dim eye in those days as to things Spiritual Thirdly There was cause enough to mourn for their Sin In regard whereof 1. There was a mourning making way for their coming out of Captivity for the Lord hears Ephraim bemoaning and then

David 1 Sam. 17. 26. 29. and Paul Act. 17. 16. By this it may appear that the cause and case here stands upon different terms than are ordinarily presented in in the course of Providence And therefore few in all Ages are so remarkably called out to Confession as Daniel was Yet is Confession and standing for God as to the substance of it and when there is just cause for it a common and a standing duty Math. 10. 32 33. But it belongeth not to the negative Precepts like that Thou shall not kill nor commit Adultery nor steal c. unto the observation whereof all are at all times bound but it is to be referred to the Affirmative Precepts such as those are to pray Visit the sick give alms which bind at all times but not to all times The meaning then is not that a man must never forbear to give in his testimony or that a man is always bound to divulge what he thinks of Religion though a Den or Death will evidently follow upon it but the time and season when God calls for it Rev. 2. 13. is to be observed Then therefore Elisha appeared for God 2 King 5. 28. and Gehazi not observing the time did the contrary v. 26. Only It belongs to the negative Preepts thus far that there must never be a perfidious dissimulation though we be not always tied to an open Confession nor always to the utmost Confession If a man flie in time of persecution though this be not so high an appearing for God and Religion as resisting to blood is yet it hath in it a real Confession in Opposition to the enemies of Religion because he leaves his Country Friends State and so suffers many ways rather than that the cause of God should suffer by his abiding under tentation and being drawn to any thing that should be a prejudice to it The question then will be double Qu. First In what case a publick and open Confession may be forborn A. 1. When it is not required of us by those that have Authority though perhaps we be pressed to it out of a malicious petulancy Prov. 26. 4. Mat. 27. 39 40 c. 2. Nor any just cause for it but it will rather do hurt than good Thus Mordecai will not have Esther to shew her kinred or her people Esth 2. 10. for thereby the Nation of the Jews being so hated of the Heathen Esth 9. 1. She and the Church of God might have fared the worse but the same Mordecai at another time told them he was a Jew Esth 3. 4. because then the cause of God was to be tried and all the world was to be given to understand that there was no need to fear to own the name of a Jew See Esth 6. 13. when the Glory of the God of the Jews lay at Stake For this reason Christ oft commanded Silence to others because it would obscure his doctrine which he would have esteemed most by a less profitatable seasonable and less solid applauding of his Miracles And partly because they did thereby so press upon him for bodily cures that it was an hindrance to his preaching Mark 1. 45. See Mat. 8. 4. and 9. 30. And for this cause also Christ was silent himself to admiration Matt. 27. 12 14. John 19. 9 10. Some things being so frivolous that they were not worthy an answer but especially because he would not hinder his suffering by his pleading and that real confession which was to be made by his death for the Glory of God in the Salvation of mankind And in other cases Confession may be needless 1. As When it is done already and it is sufficiently known what our mind is John 9. 27. and 18 19 20. 2. When it will as in Christs case it did Mark 1. 44 45. hinder the spreading of the doctrine of Religion stir up Envy and raise a greater Persecution and Opposition Act. 17. 10. 3. When he that offereth Confession is no way able to maintain the cause of Religion and so like to make it more contemptible unto which some refer that Mat. 9. 30. or will shrink in the wetting Act. 15. 38. wanting Faith and Fortitude to bear the weight of the Cross John 18. 8 9. Hence they were advised to flee rather than stay and dissemble in the Marian Persecution that found themselves too weak for the fire 4. When things are carried in a way of tumult so that there is an eminent danger to the person confessing especially if an eminent person without hope of helping the truth confessed as Act. 19. 30. Q. Secondly In what cases is confession required A. 1. When called to it by authority Mat. 10. 18. Joh. 1. 19 20. especially more solemnly put upon it and pressed to it Matt. 16. 63 64. John 18. 37. 2. When it is seriously demanded by others and may make for their edification by information and confirmation of the truth 1 Pet. 3. 15. 3. When the cause of Religion the Glory of God the Salvation and Spiritual good of others calls us to it As more particularly 1. When Christ is to be acknowledged and there are no others to do it Job 32. 11 12. Luke 19. 40. 2. As in this case of Daniel when otherwise wicked men will be imboldened to blaspheme and cry down the cause and truth of God because none dare appear for it See Act 1. 8. with Act. 4. 10. 18 19 29 33. 3. When the weak will be offended and tempted by our silence and pusillanimity to apostacy or to that dissimulation Hypocrisy and timidity that is next to apostacy Gal. 2. 14. The Conclusion may be the resolution and answering of some Questions and Objections 1. Q. We read of no such appearing of Daniel in the third Chapter where there was such another decree as this why so much now and nothing then A. We must not think that he yielded then that is and was so faithful and couragious now and heretofore Chap. 1. 8. but though he forbore toworship the Image yet the accusing of him was forborn there so as it is not here and that it 's very like because he was in so high favour with the King of whom he had merited so much before Chap. 2. 46. that he was above their reach and they might rather fear displeasure by opposing him than hope to make the King displeased with him It was enough that Daniels companions that were then singled out and accused stood to it to the utmost but here Daniel himself is brought upon the stage 2. Q. But how comes it to pass that here there is no news of any standing up besides Daniel no not of Shadrach Meschech and Abednego that were men so eminent A. 1. Perhaps those three that were not in the Kings Gate as Daniel was but set over the affairs of the province of Babylon Chap. 2. 49. might not be now at ●and and in sight of the Authors of this d●sign and the great Actors in it