and negative must be written out by the Magistrate that we might observe it and it was also written in a Book by Moses and put into the Ark as a witness against the Israelites if they should not observe it Deut. 31.24 25 26. Joshua succeeds Moses in his Charge over the Jews and in his Commands to them both affirmatively and negatively Joshua 23.7 Samuel follows after and speaks the same Language Serve the Lord with all your heart fear him and serve him in truth And turn ye not aside for then ye should go after vain things which cannot profit or deliver for they are vain 1 Sam. 12.20 21 24. David doth the like Depart from evil and do good Psal 34.14 Solomon writes after his Fathers Copy in the very qualifications of those whom he intreats Mercy for If they sin and afterwards bethink themselves and turn i. e. from their sins and return unto thee with all the Heart and with all the Soul then hear thou from Heaven from thy Dwelling-place 2 Chron. 6.36 to 40. Isaiah calls on men not only to forsake their evil ways and evil thoughts but also to return unto the Lord Isa 55.7 Jeremiah crieth to his people Not to oppress the Stranger the Fatherless and the Widows and also throughly to execute Judgment between a man and his Neighbour Jer. 7.5 6. So Ezekiel and the rest of the Prophets Ezek. 18.21 Our Saviour in his Exposition of the Law doth forbid what is Evil and command what is Good Matth. 5.43 44. So Matth. 7. per tot The Apostle St. Paul commands Not to be conformed to the World there is the Prohibition but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind proving what is the good and perfect and acceptable will of God there is the Precept Rom. 12.1 2. Again Put off the works of Darkness put on the armour of Light Put off the old man which is corrupt according to his deceitful lusts And put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Ephes 4.23 24. Lye not one to another but speak the truth The Apostle St. James tells us Religion consisteth in Negatives and Positives also James 1.21 22 26 27. So St. Peter 1 Pet. 1.14 15. 1 Pet. 2.11 12. St. Joh. 3.9 10. Jude vers 21 22 23. Thus we see through the whole Bible the Mind of God by his Messengers to be Positive as well as Negative and this Mind of his he hath ordained to be the rule of our Hearts and Lives and what shall we answer when we shall be called to an account for our Disobedience To what purpose is a Rule if it be not followed and to what end is the Penalty denounced against the Ungodly if it be not executed This is the Voice of the Law of God and therefore Reader either thou must betake thy self to practical godliness or else disown the Scriptures for thy rule and square Thy Duty must at least in thy desires and endeavours carry some proportion to thy standard and rule or else thy Religion is a meer cypher and signifieth nothing So far as the best come short of the Law they sin 1 Joh. 5.3 Sin is a transgression of the Law And that because the Law is given to him as a rule of Life God hath therefore qualified it with the porperties of a Rule 1. A Rule must be perfect and not defective not redundant The Law of the Lord is perfect Psal 19.7 2. A Rule must be plain not dark All her ways are plain to him that understandeth 3. A Rule must be published and known otherwise it 's a snare to intrap men God hath proclaimed his Law The Command is not hidden from thee nor far off Deut. 30.11 It 's not in Heaven that thou shouldst say Who shall go up for us thither and fetch it thence that we may hear it and do it Nor beyond the Seas But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart 12 13 14 verses that thou mayst do them 4. A Rule is that by which men shall be judged so is this Law Joh. 12. 48. The Word that I have spoken the same shall judge you at the last day 2. The Mercies of God to thee are positive as well as privative and why should not thy Duty be suitable to the Divine Bounty God is not only a Shield to defend thee from evil in thy Body in thy Soul in thy Person in thy Relations in thine Out-goings and in thine Incomings by Night and by Day at all times and in all places but he is also a Sun to refresh thee with good with temporal good Food Raiment Friends Relations Sleep Liberty Wealth esteem in the World c. With spiritual good with Sabbaths Scriptures Sacraments seasons of Grace with the tenders of Pardon and Peace and Adoption and eternal Salvation upon excellent and equitable terms And what reason can we give why our Obedience should not bear a proportion to his Beneficence He is a Sun and a Shield and gives Grace and Glory and with-holdeth no good things from them that walk uprightly Psal 84. Shall God with-hold no good thing from thee and canst thou find in thy heart to deny the doing of any good thing for him Is his Bounty of so large an extent as to comprehend protection from all Evil and the fruition of all good and must thy Duty be so narrow and scanty as if he did not deserve so much as he requireth Is it honest to receive or buy in by one Measure and to return and sell out by another Divers Weights and divers Measures both of them are abomination to the Lord. A Weight and a Weight a Measure and a Measure one to buy with that 's large another to sell with that is less I only allude to it It 's abominable for thee to receive of God by the largest measure and to return to him by the least Reader if thou art born of God and guilty of these partial temporary Omissions consider it seriously let ingenuity plead for God When he first wrought upon thy Soul he did not only translate thee out of the Kingdom of Darkness but also bring thee into the Kingdom of his dear Son He did not only turn thee from Satan but also cause thee to return to himself He brought thee out of a state of Wrath and brought thee into a state of Love and Favour 1 Pet. 2.9 He redeemed thee from those Enemies which had carried thee Captive Sin Satan Death Hell Rom. 6.11 Ephes 2.3 4. Heb. 2. 2 Tim. 1.9 10. 1 Thess 1. ult But this is not all he hath also brought thee into the glorious liberty of the Children of God 1 Joh. 12. 1 Joh. 3.1 He hath delivered thee from this present evil World that its affrightments its allurements that all its power and policy shall not be able to destroy thee but this is not all he hath made thee an Heir of a better
read them with sorrow and terror whether they will or no. CHAP. II. The division and brief Explication of 4. THe Pronunciation of the Sentence vers 41 42 43 c. In which we may take notice 1. Of the Persons sentenced these are described 1. By their station on the left hand Then shall he say to them on the left hand 2. By their condition cursed ones Depart ye cursed 2. Of their punishment In which there is 1. Pain of loss Depart from me 2. Pain of sense which punishment is aggravated 1. By its extremity Fire This is amplified 1. By their Companions in those flames The Devil and his Angels 2. By the Divine Ordination of it for them Prepared for the Devil and his Angels 2. By its eternity Everlasting Fire 3. Of the reason of this punishment For I was hungry and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink vers 42 43. I shall begin with the Sentence wherein every word speaks Woe and Wrath Fire and Fury Death and Damnation and every syllable speaks the deepest Sorrow and dreadfulest Sufferings It is like Ezekiel's Roll written within and without and within is written Lamentation Weeping and Woe Ezek. 2.10 The Lord Chief Justice of the World the Judge of the Quick and Dead is now in all his Robes and Royalty with millions of glorious Attendants in the Glory of his Father with all his holy Angels set on the Bench. The poor Prisoner whose trembling Soul is newly reunited to the loathsome Carkasse of his Body is drag'd to the Bar awaiting and expecting some doleful doom He is lately come from Hell to give an account of his Life on Earth and to receive his Sentence and loath he is to go back to that place of torments as knowing that the pain of his Body will be a new and grievous addition to his misery when that shall burn in flames as his Soul doth already in fury Therefore he pleads Prisoner Lord let me stay here though poor wretch he hath his Hell about him in his accusing affrighting Conscience rather than go to that Dungeon of darkness A sight of thy beautiful Face may possibly abate my Sorrows and thy Presence may mittigate my Sufferings Judge No saith Christ here is no abiding for thee be gone hence Thou mayst remember when my Presence was thy Torment when thou didst bid me depart from thee choosing my room before my company Now my absence shall be thy Terror I like thee not so well to have thee nigh me Depart I say from me Prisâ—ner Lord if I must undergo so dreadful a doom as to depart from thee the Father of Lights and Fountain of Life yet bless me before I go One good wish of thy Heart one good word of thy Mouth will make me blessed where ever I go Those whom thou blessest are blessed indeed Bless me even me O my Father At this parting grant me thy blessing Judge Sinner be gone and my curse go along with thee Thou hast many a time despised my Blessing when it hath been offer'd to thee though I was made a Curse to purchase it for thee therefore I say depart from me and the Curse of an angry Lord and of a righteous Law accompany thee for ever Depart I say thou cursed Prisoner Lord if I must go and thy Curse with me send me to some good place where I may find somewhat to refresh me under thy loss and curse It 's misery enough to lose thy presence Good Lord command me to some good place Judge No Sinner be gone with my Curse to that place which will torture and rack thee with extremity and universality of pains The time hath been that thou hast wallowed in sensual Pleasures now thou must fry in intollerable flames Depart thou cursed into fire Prisoner Ah Lord if I must go with thy Curse and to so woful a place as fire I beseech thee let me not stay there long Alas who can abide devouring flames one moment material fires of mans kindling are terrible but how intollerable are those flames which thy breath like a stream of brimstone hath kindled I beseech thee if I must go to it let me pass swiftly through it and not stay in it Judge No Sinner depart and my Curse with thee to those extream Torments that admit of no ease and no end where the worm never dieth and the fire never goeth out to the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever Depart thou cursed into everlasting fire Prisoner Lord this is dismal and dreadful indeed to go from thee who art all good and to go to fire which hath in it extremity of all evil and to lose thee and fry in flames for ever ever ever yet Lord if it is thy Will it should be so hear me yet in one desire let me have such society as may mitigate at least such as may not aggravate my misery Judge No Sinner thy Company must be such for ever as thou didst choose in thy life time He who was thy Tempter shall be thy Tormentor And they who led thee captive at their will shall be bound with thee in Chains of everlasting darkness and faggotted up with thee together for unquenchable fire Such fiery Serpents gnawing Worms stinging Adders poisonous Toads roaring and devouring Lions hideous Monsters frightful Fiends must be thy eternal Companions Depart from me thou cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels I shall now speak particularly to the punishment of these wicked ones and explain the words as I come to speak to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est Metaphora qua vita humana cursus per iter sive prosectionem describitur I begin with the beginning of Christ's Sentence viz. The pain of loss which shall be the punishment of the damned Depart from me The word depart is a metaphor which describes the course of humane loss by a Journey Luk. 1.6 2 Pet. 2.10 And also their progress to death Luk. 13. The eternal death of the damned will consist partly if not principally in their departure from the Lord of Life But it may be Objected Who can depart from him who is every where Christ is God Joh. 1.1 1 Joh. 5.20 And God is Omnipresent Whither shall I fly from thy presence Psal 139.7 Therefore we must know there is a three-fold presence of God or Christ 1. There is the essential presence of God as he is infinite in his Being included in no place and excluded out of none so none can depart from him Psal 139.6 to 10. Jer. 23.24 Amos 9.2 3. 2. There is the favourable presence of God as he is the Fountain of Life and Love and the Father of Mercy and kindness and all good The former is the presence of his Being this of his Bounty This is as the presence of the Sun by his heat chearing and by his light delighting the Creature His presence in this sense is the substance
voluntary departure from Gods Precepts Heb. 3.12 Jer. 2.5 And its woful Effect is an eternal total departure from his gracious presence His partial temporary departure from his own people who are the Objects of his eternal Choice and infinite Love which makes them go mourning all the day and lie roaring all the night because of their sins speaks much of the evil of sin but his full everlasting departure from others which leaves them naked and stript of all Comfort and exposed to all Misery and Mischief doth more abundantly proclaim its filthiness and loathsomeness It can be no ordinary Cloud or Vapour that can obscure the Sun at noon-day in all his beauty and brightness and turn the clear day into a black night And it can be no little or small thing which provokes the Father of Mercy and God of all Grace to deal so severely with the works of his own hands 2. It informs us of the unconceivable misery of Sinners They must depart from Christ for ever To depart for ever from loving and lovely Relations is no mean misery to them who have no other Kindred than those on Earth It was no small trial of Abraham to leave his Kindred and Fathers house Gen. 12.1 To depart for ever from dear and intimate Friends is a sore trouble to him whose heart is knit to them The failure and distance of Friends was grievous to Job Job 19.13 14. And David Psal 38.11 To depart for ever from all the Saints the Children of the most high the excellent of the Earth from the Members of Christ of whom the World is not worthy will cut deep in them who have any eyes to see the amiableness of their Persons and any hearts to underderstand the benefit of their Prayers and Patterns But to depart for ever from Christ the Prince of Life the Lord of Glory the Heir of all things the richest Treasure and highest Honour and sweetest Pleasure is doleful and dreadful indeed How may the damned cry out Ah whither do we go now we are going from thee thou hast the words of eternal life The presence of Christ is the happiness of the Soul on Earth Deut. 4.7 I will see you and your hearts shall rejoyce Joh. 16.22 And ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your hearts shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you No such hearty comfort as in the gracious presence of Christ And the presence of Christ is the happiness of the Soul in Heaven I desire to be dissolved though death simply consider'd be not desirable and to be with Christ Finis conciliat mediis amorem His presence is the Heaven of Heavens It 's the excellency of the new Jerusalem that there the Tabernacle of God is with men and God himself shall be with them Rev. 21.3 And the felicity of the Citizens there They shall see his Face Rev. 22.4 In the presence of Christ is all good and in the absence of Christ is all evil If it were death to Absolom not to see the Kings face what death will it be to the damned to be denied for ever the blissful sight of the face of Christ If God depart from his people in some degrees for he is their God still Psal 22.1 Psal 88.1 and but for a time as a loving Father to make his Children more sensible of their folly and of the worth of his Favour How sadly have they cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me How horribly will they screech and roar from whom he departs wholly and eternally as a supream and righteous Judge It will greatly aggravate their misery to consider these particulars 1. The greatness of their loss It 's not the loss of an House or Estate or bodily good but the loss of a Soul the loss of a Saviour the loss of a God yea the loss of all good and that for ever It 's such a loss as never had its fellow or equal It 's such a loss as cannot admit of any addition to it It 's a loss that never had the like before it nor shall have the like after it It 's an incomparable loss that the damned may say as he Ye have taken away my God and what have I more 2. For how small a thing they lose the blessed Jesus If they had lost Christ for somewhat which might have countervail'd the want of him or had in any degree equal'd him it had been the better but to lose a God a Christ a Soul fulness of Joy for a little aiery Honour or bruitish Pleasure this will cut to the heart O how will it wound the Soul in the other World to think for how small a toy for how pitiful a trifle have I lost a Crown of Glory and Rivers of Pleasures for ever Ah what a Fool have I been to lose Substance for Shadows Bread for Husks a Fountain of living Waters for broken Cisterns their own Mercies for lying Vanities Christal streams for puddle Water the choice Dainties of Gods House for the Devils scraps Heaven for Earth and all things for nothing Was any in Bedlam ever half so distracted 3. It will much aggravate their misery to consider that it was their own voluntary act to lose so much for so little They shall then think with themselves that this woful condition in which they are was their own choice All the power and policy of Earth and Hell could not force them to destroy themselves The Cords that bind them were of their own twisting the Rods that scourge them were gather'd with their own hands The Web in which they are caught and kill'd was spun out of their bowels God may say to them as once to Israel Ye have destroyed your selves Hos 13. Ye are your own Murtherers I put your Salvation so far into your own hands that ye could not be damned against your wills Your own Iniquities correct you and ye are holden with cords of your own sins Prov. 5.22 Jer. 4.18 Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickedness because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thine heart Jer. 2.19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God 4. It will exceedingly increase their anguish to know perfectly the greatness of their loss Here they know not the worth of a Christ and thence they are little troubled at the want of Christ but then their eyes shall be opened to see the Beauty Excellency and Amiableness of him whom they have lost and to see the costly Delicacies choice Dainties pure and perfect Pleasures which the Godly enjoy in him and with him and so by the increase of their knowledge will be an increase of their sorrow They shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven they shall see their Neighbours whom they
the presence of the Lord. The difference between the Godly and the Wicked at that day will be vast 1. In regard of their station Then shall he separate them one from another as a Shepheard divideth his Sheep from the Goats And he shall set the Sheep at his right hand in token of honour and favour and the Goats on his left as a sign of shame and contempt Matth. 25. 32 33. Those who are now uppermost will then be undermost The filth of the World will then appear to be God's Jewels and the darlings of the World will then appear to be the Children of the Devil The Righteous shall have dominion over them in the morning Psal 49. In the night of this world the Wicked sit in high Places and have dominion over the Godly but in the morning of the World the Godly shall sit at the right hand of Christ and have dominion over the Wicked 2. In regard of the Sentence And indeed herein is the principal difference God and the Devil Light and Darkness Heaven and Hell are not more contrary than the doom of the Godly and Wicked at the great day 1. His Voice to the Wicked is Depart from me And those words will wound to purpose Ah whither do they go that go from Christ His Voice to the Godly Come Come No Honey to the Tast no Musick to the Ears no Cordial to the Heart was ever so sweet as this word of Christ His Voice in the Gospel when he called out Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest was sweet and refreshing to them but that was but as water to this Wine Come O come and welcome into my Arms and embraces When they who had long'd for his coming and look'd for his coming Titus 2.13 and loved dearly his coming 2 Tim. 4.8 and sigh'd and sob'd so often for his coming Why are his Chariots so long a coming why tarry the wheels of his Chariot Make haste my Beloved and be thou like the Hart and Roe upon the Mountain of Spices And pray'd so earnestly for his coming The Spirit and the Bride say Come Rev 22.17 Come Lord Jesus come quickly vers 20. For these to see him coming in the Clouds with all his train of Angels and to hear him calling to them Come to me O who can imagine the joy that will fill their hearts If when they saw him coming with the prospective of Faith they rejoyced with joy unspeakable how will they rejoyce when they shall see him coming with the eye of sense and hear him call to them to come to him 2. His Voice to the Wicked will be Depart from me ye cursed Be gone as a cursed Brood and my curse shall follow you where-ever you go His Voice to the Godly will be Come ye blessed of my Father O come dear Souls whom my Father blessed in his eternal Choice to bless whom he sent me into the world as a token of whose blessing he hath provided an everlasting Inheritance for you Come ye blessed in your Souls blessed in your Bodies blessed in your Names blessed in your Conditions and thrice blessed in your eternal possessions 3. His Voice to the Wicked will be Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire Be gone from me to extremity of Torments Fire and eternity of Torments Everlasting fire His Voice to the Godly will be Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom Ye have been Heirs a long while under Age and Kings in the lower World in disguise the time is now come for you to enjoy your Inheritance O come ye blessed Ones and inherit the Kingdom as Kings thereof Enjoy your full Glory 2 Cor. 7.17 Perfect Pleasure Psal 18. ult And vast Dominion 1 Cor. 6.3 And Rev. 2.26 27. And he that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations and he shall Rule them with a Rod of Iron c. I and enjoy this Kingdom for ever Inherit the Kingdom Inheritances are for ever The Lord knoweth the days of the Vpright and their Inheritance shall be for ever Psal 37.18 4. His Voice to the Wicked will be Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Be gone to that place of Torments which infinite Wisdom and Wrath contrived and infinite Power and Justice provideth for the Devil and his cursed Crew Depart from me and be their Partners and Companions in Torments for ever His Voice to the Godly will be Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World Come take possession of a Crown to which your Heads were destin'd before ye were born O come and partake of those Pleasures and Joys of that Glory and Dignity to which infinite Love elected you and which infinite Wisdom and Goodness and Grace hath prepared for you O how vast will the difference be at that day between the Servants of God and the Servants of Sin when those shall weep and howl and wail and gnash their teeth for envy and vexation and shall call to the Rocks to fall upon them and the Mountains to cover them from the Wrath of the Lamb the Servants of God shall sing and rejoyce and lift up their Heads with joy because the day of their Redemption is come Rev. 6.16 Luke 21.28 And when these things begin to come to pass then look up and lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth nigh CHAP. VIII An use of Trial with the marks of those that shall be banished Christs presence Secondly THis Doctrine may be useful by way of Exhortation and that two ways 1. To try whether thou Reader art one of them that art like to be banished the presence of Christ It 's a woful doom as thou hast heard at large therefore examine thy self whether it shall be thy part and portion or no To help thee herein that thou mayst not deceive and delude thy own Soul I shall give thee out of the Word of Truth the Characters of them to whom Christ will say Depart from me 1. The evil Liver and prophane Person shall be banished Christs presence The black Sinner shall not stand before the white Throne Then shall he say unto them Depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity I know you not Matth. 7.23 Luk. 13.27 Those who lived in the breach of his Commands must not live in the enjoyment of his company The Workers of Iniquity must associate with the wicked One not with the holy One. Heaven can by no means admit the unholy Into it can in no wise enter any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination Rev. 21. ult Scandalous Sinners proclaim to the World That the Devil not Christ is their Master and that Hell where the Devil is with his Angels not Heaven where Christ is with his Angels shall be their eternal home They who never liked or loved his presence on
of these Duties is the out-side of the Command and he who doth them though customarily obeys the Command literally but the sanctifying the Name of God in these Duties and the performance of them with Reverence Humility Faith Love Joy according to the several duties and several parts of them is the inside of the Command and he alone that performeth these Duties in such a manner obeyeth the Law spiritually The neglect of the former is an external Omission for which God threatens Families and Nations Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not upon thy Name Jer. 10.25 They who will not deprecate the wrath of God must feel it and they who will not intreat his Favour must go without it So the not casting the incestuous Person out of the Church was an external omission 1 Cor. 5.2 The neglect of the latter i. e. of performing Sabbath-Duties in the forementioned manner is an internal omission Thus God complains of his people that though they pray'd and possibly made long Prayers yet God counts their prayers as no prayers for their internal Omissions There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee They put up it may be some lazy Petitions but they pour out no hearty Desires Nay God curseth men for doing his work negligently Jer. 48.10 Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully CHAP. XXI The agreement and difference between sins of Omission and sins of Commission 2. IT will further explain these sins of Omission to consider the difference between Omissions and Commissions as also their agreement 1. They agree in the Authority forbidding them The same God forbids each sin He that saith Thou shalt not kill The same saith Thou shalt serve me diligently Exod. 20. Jer. 48.10 Matth. 22.37 With all thy heart Matth. 7.13 2. They are both against the same particular Command In the same Command wherein he forbids theft he commands diligence in our Callings and the use of all lawful means for the increase of our own Estates In the same Law wherein he forbids Vncleanness He commands Care and endeavour to preserve our own and our Neighbours Chastity 3. They are both a privation of that Rectitude which is required by the Law to the goodness of every action For if malitia moralis non est quid positivum If there be nothing positive in the formal nature of sin according to the Schoolmen as there can be nothing positive in it unless we will make God the Author of it but a want of a conformity to the Law then every Commission is an Omission in this respect and so they agree in their formal nature 4. They agree in their fruit and effect sins of Commission exclude Heaven and condem to Hell Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Adulterers nor Drunkards nor Covetous shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Ephes 5.9 and so do sins of Omission as the Text doth abundantly prove The difference between sins of Omission and sins of Commission consisteth 1. In that sins of Commission are against a Negative Law and sins of Omission are against an Affirmative Law Oppression is against a Negative Law Thou shalt not oppress thy Neighbour Thou shalt not oppress a Stranger Neglect of Charity is against an Affirmative Law Give to him that asketh of thee and from him that would borrow turn not thou away Matth. 5.42 2. They differ in this Every Commission proceeds originally from a sin of Omission but sins of Omission do not proceed originally from sins of Commission All sin springeth from this The departure of the heart from God Jer. 2.5 Heb. 3.12 and the want of true love to and fear of his Majesty 1 Joh. 5.3 Joh. 15. which are sins of Omission Where there is no love to God there is no care to forbear what he forbids Joh. 14.24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings And where there is no fear of God all manner of wickedness will abound Psal 36.1.2 David concludes a wicked mans Omission from his sins of Commission The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart That there is no fear of God before his eyes i. e. His scandalous Practices and sins of Commission tell me That he is guilty of inward Omissions That there is no fear of God before his eyes He who casteth off fear will soon let the Reins loose to all Licentiousness They who called not on God will devour Jacob and make waste his dwelling-place Jer. 10. ult No sin comes amiss to them Rom. 3.9 to 14. The monstrous horrid unnatural sins of the Heathen had their beginning in sins of Omission When they knew God i. e. by the light of nature which plainly speaks a Deity they glorified him not as God e. i. did not love him fear him trust in him honour him as God neither were thankful did not acknowledge their Ingagements to him for their noble Beings and manifold Mercies These were sins of Omission but what followeth upon them Truly unnatural bestiality unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness envy murther pride c. Rom. 21.21 to the end Men leave the fountain of living Waters and then hew themselves broken Cisterns which will hold no water Jer. 2.13 The first and great sin of Mankind proceeded from an omission Adam's heart was turned from God by Unbelief I humbly conceive before ever his Hand touched or Tongue tasted the forbidden fruit But now sins of Omission do not proceed originally from sins of Commission James 1.14 15. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Barlow exercit 3. They differ in this that sins of Commission are founded in some act or habit Sins of Omission only in the Soul without acts or habits 1. There is somewhat positive about sins of Commission but nothing about sins of Omission and that is the reason 2. As Drunkenness is an immoderate use of Beer or Wine Here is an act of the Creature and much positive about this sin though nothing positive in the sin it self So in theft another sin of Commission there is somewhat positive about the taking away our Neighbours goods and keeping them as our own but in sins of Omission there is nothing positive as in not praying not hearing not believing not giving to the Poor there is nothing positive no acts but a neglect of acts required Sins of Omission are wholly privative and have nothing of positivity in them 4. They differ in this that sins of Commission are more scandalous in the eyes of men than sins of Omission I do not say sins of Omission are always less hainous than sins of Commission I shall prove by and by they may be
more hainous but that they are less scandalous Sins of Commission as Drunkenness Uncleanness Theft Swearing Murther these make a great noise in the World are taken notice of by all and with the Snail leave a slime and filth behind them wheresoever they are But sins of Omission as not praying in our Closets not examining our own Hearts not relieving the Poor and Needy not bringing up our Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord c. These are more still and quiet observed by few or none 5. They differ in this that sins of Omission are the aversion of the heart from God and sins of Commission are the conversion of the heart to the Creature or somewhat below God Omission turns the heart from God Hence we read of mans going far from God Jer. 2.5 and of their departing away from the living God Heb. 3.12 Which is not meant in regard of local motion for so none can depart from God Psal 139.2 3 4 5. but in regard of their inward carnal Affections and disobedient Conversations Jer. 17.5 Whose heart departeth from the Lord. Commissions are a turning to the Creature Whose heart is after covetousness They imagine mischief in their hearts Psal 140.2 Eccles 9.3 The heart of the Sons of men is full of evil Having spoken to the nature of sins of Omission in general and more particularly by their several distinctions and their agreement with and difference from sins of Commission I come to the second thing promised in the explication of the Doctrine and that is the danger of them CHAP. XXII The danger of sins of Omission in the hainous nature of them and their offensiveness to God Secondly THe danger of sins of Omission though men are ready to conceive that sins of Omission because they make no great cry in the World are but infirmities are venial sins and are not much to be regarded as having little of danger to the Soul in them yet the contrary will appear plainly if we consider these particulars 1. The malignity and sinfulness of them speaks their danger The more venome and poyson there is in any Cup or Dish the more dangerous it must needs be the more sinfulness there is in any sin the more hazardous it is to the Soul Now I shall shew the sinfulness of omissions 1. They are most against the mind and will of God Those sins are the greatest which most cross the Will of the Law-giver For sin is a transgression of the Law or Mind of God And every one knoweth that the Mind of God is more in the Precept or Affirmative part of the Law than in the Prohibition or Negative part of it The Precept or performance of the Duty commanded is the main thing the Prohibition is as it were accidental in order to our Obedience to the Precept Mens legis est lex therefore sins of Omission being against the substance and principal part of the Command and so most directly against that which is the special Mind of the Law-giver must needs be the greatest Sins It is more good to do good than not to do evil Omissions are not to be esteemed bare Negations or Privations but as breaches of a positive Law wherein the mind of God is most discover'd Now how great a Sin and how dangerous is it to cross the Mind of God surely it 's bad thwarting him that can cast Body and Soul into Hell Vide ante The second difference between sins of omission commission I say unto you saith Christ fear him Matth. 10.28 2. Sins of Omission are the ground of and make way for Sins of Commission The want of love to God and our not believing his Word which are Sins of Omission are the ground of all abominations When a man once casteth off daily reading the Word and seeking God by Prayer or performs those Duties coldly and carelesly he throws himself out of God's Protection and so becomes a Lacquey to the Devil and a tame Slave to every Lust to trample on and tyranize over at pleasure Psal 14.3 4. They are all gone aside they are altogether filthy there is none that doth good no not one Negligentiam in orando semper aliqua notabilis transgressio sequitur saith One always some notable Sin followeth upon slothfulness in prayer David's not watching his Eyes and Heart and his not imploying his time better at that hour of the day brought forth Drunkenness Murder Adultery Lying c. Some Sins of Omission are like great men that never go without many Followers admit their Persons you must admit their long train which they bring with them So a Gad a whole troop of ugly lusts will throng in upon our neglect of one Duty Not doing good fits the heart for doing evil The ground not sown with good Corn doth naturally of its own accord bring forth evil weeds Indeed it 's impossible for him that doth no good not to do evil He that doth not gather with Christ scattereth and he that is not with me is against me Matth. 12.30 He that fights not for his Prince in a day of Battel is his Enemy and that Servant who helps not his Master in Harvest hinders him Not to save a life when we may is to destroy and murther it The Negative Christian will quickly fall to be a positive Atheist and Heathen If the Heart be empty of good and swept clean of Grace the unclean Spirit will quickly take up his logding in it Besides God doth often judicially give up them to commit Evil who refuse to do good Because they received not the truth in the love of it here is a Sin of Omission God gave them up to strong delusions that they might believe a lye c. 2 Thess 2.10 11. Now how great and dangerous is this Sin that ushers in so many Sins Alas one Sin is too weighty for thy Soul to bear how heavy then will that whole rabble and regiment of sins be that one sin of Omission may bring along with it If I live in Sins of Omission Sins of Commission will follow both naturally and judicially 3. Sins of Commission do exceedingly grieve the Spirit of God Indeed every Sin is offensive to the Holy Ghost or Spirit of Holiness as directly contrary to its nature but the Spirit of God sets a particular special brand and mark upon these Sins as grievous to him Follow that which is good rejoyce evermore pray without ceasing In every thing give thanks quench not the Spirit despise not Prophesying 1 Thess 5.15 16 17 18 19. Observe the Duties are all positive the neglect whereof is a Sin of Omission to which he exhorts them if they would not quench the Spirit The Spirit is not only grieved but also quenched by Sins of Omission Fire may be quenched by with-drawing fewel from it as well as by throwing water on it By scandalous Sins of Commission we throw water on this heavenly Flameâ— quench it but by
a bare forbearance of what is evil and be shamed by inanimate Creatures who according to their natures in their places do good Why dost thou call thy self a Christian if thou wilt not follow the pattern of Christ and how canst thou profess thy self Gods Servant if thou wilt not do him Service Know ye not saith the Apostle that to whom ye yield your selves Servants to obey his Servants ye are to whom ye obey Rom. 6.16 Either obey God as a Servant ought or disown him to be thy Master Can he be said to be thy Servant who neglects thy work though he do thee no mischief Another mans Servant in this respect may as properly be said to be thine for as he minds not thy business so he doth thee no prejudice I must speak plainly to thee if thou allowest thy self in these Omissions thy practices give the lye to thy profession and thou art the Devils Servant though thou wearest Gods Livery I shall end this Head with commending to thee the counsel of Christ You call me Lord and Master and thou sayest well for so I am If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet and gone about doing good how much more should you my Servant 6. Consider all your Religion is nothing and will come to nothing if you live in the neglect of Gods positive Will And will you deny your self once and again in forbearing many things that would delight and gratifie your Flesh and possibly incur the anger of your prophane Neighbors for not running with them to the same excess of riot and then lose all for want of doing what is commanded thee Wouldst not thou think him a foolish Husbandman that should take care for the casting out the stones and plucking up the weeds out of his ground and then lose all his cost and pains for want of sowing it with good seed Would it not vex a Scrivener after he had taken much pains and spent much time about a large Deed or Conveyance after he had taken great care to write it fair without any blots to be forced to write all over again for his omission of some material passage in it The Apostle writes to the Elect Lady 2 Joh. 1.8 Look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward If he that doth not persevere in well-doing may deprive himself of all the benefit of his good deeds which he hath already done what benefit can they expect who never began to do good How can their good works follow them to their comfort into the other World who never did any Or how can God Register their Prayers and Watchings and Fastings and Weepings for Sin and acts of Devotion in his Book of Remembrance who never minded them Rev. 14.13 Mal. 3.7 Christ tells us Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according to his Works Rev. 22.12 Now Reader if thou contentest thy self in thine Omissions what Works hast thou for Christ to reward all the reward of a negative Holiness is but a cooler Hell and God knoweth that is small comfort Thou hast no work of Faith or labour of Love or patience of Hope or fervency in Prayer or breathings and longings after conformity to and communion with the blessed God for Christ to Record and Reward The Holy Ghost when he tells us That God will render to every man according to his deeds presently subjoyns To them who by patient continuance in well-doing i. e. positive Holiness seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality everlasting life Rom. 2.6 7. Virtutis est magis honesta agere quam non turpia as he said well It 's rather the property of Virtue to do things laudable than not to do things loathsome A negative Christian in Gods account is no Christian and though he may stand for somewhat among men that are no better than himself yet he is a meer Cypher in the account of God God seeth that as he is not outwardly bad so he is not inwardly good and that he is at a greater distance from Piety than from Prophaneness and he looking most to the heart and bent thereof Psal 51.7 1 Sam. 15. must needs loath a filthy unclean Conscience under a fair civil Conversation A Tree may be full of Vermine when the green leaves may hide them from the eyes of men So the vermine of Pride and Unbelief and Hypocrisie may crawl in thy Heart though thy civility may hide them from the sight or suspicion of thy fellow Creatures We say All is not Gold that glisters much less is shining-civility sincere sanctity The Jews who obeyed some of Gods Laws because they lived in the wilful breach of others are said to have done nothing of all his Commands Jer. 32.23 And they came in and possessed it i. e. the Land of Canaan but they obeyed not thy Voice nor walked in thy Law They have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do It seems strange that the Indictment should run so high as to accuse them of the breach of every Law and the neglect of every positive Precept surely the Jews offer'd Sacrifice circumcised their Children kept the Passover observed their new Moons and Sabbaths and did many things which God commanded them to do and yet here they are charged to do nothing that God commanded them to do Truly because they had not a consciencious eye to every known Duty but allowed themselves in the Omission of some God reckons that they obey'd him in none and deals with them as if they had done nothing of all that he commanded them Now Reader if they who perform some positive Duties are counted by God as performing none if they wilfully neglect any what a pitiful nothing will God reckon thy Religion if it be wholly negative without any positive Obedience at all Though brass Coin be not so bad as Leathern yet not being so good as Silver it 's little accounted Though thou art not as bad as the scandalous yet if thou art not as good as the truly pious God will not esteem thee For what is highly esteemed of men may be an abomination in the sight of God Reader weigh this Argument wouldst thou lose all the pains thou takest to forbear what is evil art thou contented to work all thy days at the Labour-in-vain Canst thou be satisfied that thy negative Religion should be counted at the Great Day a Nullity or no Religion at all Little dost thou think how deep it will cut thy heart to find thy civility judged by God himself to be but varnished Heathenism or glistering Impiety The young man who was more than a meer negative Christian thought his condition safe and sound but when Christ discover'd him insincere he went away as heavily as he came to him hastily Probably thy hopes are great but I must tell thee thy disappointment will be the more grievous when thou shalt