the wicked Neighbours of these men will confess the truth thereof and their Consciences will force them to consent thereto Again there is hardly a Muck-worm whose Motto is To have and to hold to heap and to hoard up who will as soon part with his blood as any thing considerable to the poor but all his Neighbours good and bad observe him speak of him and generally condemn him for his earthly-mindedness So that when Christ at the Great Day shall accuse him they will be forced to attest the truth of that Accusation and when Christ at that day shall condemn him they cannot but agree to the Sentence Psal 52.6 7. The Righteous also shall see and fear and shall laugh at him Lo this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthned himself in his wickedness 2. Because these acts of Charity are signes of Faith and Love to which Graces Heaven is promised James 1.12 James 2.5 Joh. 3.16 17 ult Christ who knoweth the Heart understandeth â—â—om what inward root our outward â—ruit springeth and therefore Faith and Love which are the Fountain of true Charity James 2.15 16 17. being inward and secret he mentions what is more open and known as a sign and testimony of that faith in him and love to him which are invisible and unknown to the World Faith is a Grace seated in the heart With the heart man believeth unto righteousness where by heart I suppose is understood the Vnderstanding and Will for Faith in habitu is in each and in exercitio an act of both And the heart is called an hidden man 1 Pet. 3. But it discovers it self to the Believer by love For when once the Soul applieth Christ for Pardon and Life and begins to hope for those great and good things which Christ hath purchased for him and promised to him this Faith kindleth an holy flame of Love in the affections to Christ and hereby the Soul understands that he is a true Believer beloved of God for our Love is but the reverberation of God's Love back again to himself 1 Joh. 4.19 And then Faith discovers it self to others by these fruits and effects of love to God i. e. feeding the Hungry and cloathing the Naked St. Paul tells us That Faith works by love as its Tool or Instrument Gal. 5.6 Love to God produceth love to his Saints and love to the Saints will draw out the hand and heart and purse to relieve them in their wants 1 Joh. 3.17 Love is costly and expensive thinks nothing too much or too good for it s Beloved Mary's Box of Oyntment is very precious but not too precious for her Lord. Life is worth all the World yet laid down for a Christian at the command of Love 1 Joh. 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us 3. Because practical godliness of which Charity is a part will be that by which men shall be tried at the Great Day our Lord Jesus doth hereby declare That it is not the Profession but the practice of Religion that will be enquired into by the Judge of quick and dead It is not saying Be thou fed and be thou cloathed without giving wherewith to be fed and cloathed But it is feeding the Hungry and cloathing the Naked that shall be rewarded Good words may please our selves but good works only please God and profit our own Souls Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven It 's the doing not the talking Christian that hath the promise of Heaven Matth. 7. It 's the practical not the verbal Christian that hath a right to Heaven through the precious blood of Christ and the gracious promise of God Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates into the City It is the real not the nominal Christian that is prepared for heaven None are fit to do the will of God in heaven but those who have been accustomed to do the Will of God on Earth There is a making meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 A young man by the School is made meet for the University and a Christian by practical Holiness is fitted for eternal Happiness Our Redeemer would hereby declare That all shews and shadows of Godliness all gaudy Professions and curious flourishes of Religion if void of good Works though as Gloworms they shine somewhat in the dark night of this World yet in the long day of eternity they will all vanish and disappear God will not then examine who hath been the greatest Talker of his Will but the greatest Walker in his Way nor who hath been the best Speaker but who hath been the best Doer For whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful Hearer but a doer of the Work this man shall be blessed in his deed Jam. 1.25 Hearing the Word without doing the Work it commands brings no blessing The life and substance of Religion consists in practising what is good and not in praising what is good It consists in Scripture-Duties not in Scripture Phrases 4. Because Christ would hereby publish to the World the great respect he hath for Charity therefore he tells us He will take special notice of his Saints Charity at that day Charity whether in relieving the Oppressed or comforting the Sorrowful or counselling the Doubtful or supporting the Feeble or feeding the Hungry or visiting the Sick or cloathing the Naked is highly esteemed of Christ To what Duty hath he annexed more or larger Promises Matth. 5.7 Psal 18.25 Eccles 11.1 2. Psal 41.1 Psal 112.1 Isa 58.12 He speaks of it as if very much of Religion did consist in it and almost all of it Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is to visit the Fatherless and the Afflicted James 1. ult He slights our most severe Duties those which are most irksome to the flesh if this be wanting Psal 58.7 8 9 10. He limits his own Mercy to the merciful 2 Sam. 22.25 James 2.13 He is himself a merciful High Priest Heb. 5. He had compassion on the ignorant and those that were out of the way Heb. 5.2 On those that had nothing to eat Matth. 15.32 On those that were scattered as sheep without a Shepheard Matth. 9.36 Therefore he cannot but value exceedingly and love tenderly those that are like him That which lieth so near his heart must needs be enquired after as much if not more than any thing else And there is scarce any thing that speaks our respect of persons or things more than our enquiry after them Joseph loved his Father Jacob dearly I suppose far above all his Kindred and therefore he first enquires after him â—…s your
neglecting to pâ—â—â—â—…d to attend on Prophesying and such Sins of Omission we withdraw fewel from it and thereby put it out When the Israelites would not hear the Voice of God they are said to grieve his holy Spirit Psal 95. And when they believed not his Word the Wonders that he wrought they are said to vex his holy Spirit Isa 63.10 with Numb 14.11 Numb 20.12 Then they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit Not to obey God is to disobey him Not to be loyal to him is to be rebellious now hereby they vexed his holy Spirit Now how great a Sin and how dangerous is it to grieve the Spirit of God the size or measure of Sin is to be taken from the Majesty slighted disobeyed and offended by it The Spirit is God an infinite boundless Being whom these Sins of Omission grieve and vex Again how dangerous is it to grieve and drive the Spirit from us It 's the Spirit that must enable us to our Duties Rom. 8.26 Direct us in our walkings Psal 143.10 Comfort us in our Sorrows Joh. 14.16 Isa 65.1 2 3. It is the Spirit that is the Spirit of Grace and Holiness Zach. 12.10 〈◊〉 1.4 and must work them in our hearts if ever we be gracious and holy 1 Pet. 1.2 It is the Spirit must strengthen us with might in our inward man to keep the Commandments of God Ephes 3.16 Ezez 36.27 It is the Spirit that is the earnest of our Inheritance the First-fruits of our eternal blessed Harvest and that must seal us up unto the day of Redemption Ephes 1.13 14. Rom. 8. Ephes 4.30 How great a Sin and how dangerous therefore is it to grieve this Spirit and by Sins of Omission to incense him to with-draw from us without whom we are unable unto any good and indeed exposed to all evil 2. The danger of these Sins will appear by their offensiveness to God Since our Felicity depends on the Favour of God and our Misery on his Anger Hell it self being but his wrath ever to come 1 Thess 1. ult those Sins which are highly provoking to God must be very dangerous If in his Favour be Life Psal 30.5 and his Wrath be worse than Death Psal 90.11 I had need to beware how I provoke him to jealousie Now the not believing God which is a sin of Omission is called the Provocation Psal 95.8 9. Harden not your hearts as in the Provocation as in the day of temptation in the Wilderness When your Fathers tempted me proved me and saw my Works This Provocation was their not believing his Word for all the Wonders he had wrought for them They said Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness Behold he smote the Rock that waters gushed out Can he give Bread also Can he provide Flesh for his people Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth So a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger also came up against Israel because they believed not in God and trusted not in his Salvation Psal 78.19 to 23. It will appear how provoking sins of Omission are to God by these three particulars 1. By his frequent Reprehensions and complaints of men for them He blames men for not sacrificing Mal. 3.18 for not mourning 1 Cor. 5. And sharply reproves for not receiving Correction Jer. 2.30 In vain have I smitten your Children they received no Correction For not grieving when smitten Jer. 5.3 For not seeking God Isa 9.13 Nay observe what special notice he takes of and how sadly he aggravates their Omissions Jer. 3.7 I said after she had done all these things i. e. gone up upon every high Mountain and upon every green Tree Turn thou unto me but she turned not Here he complains of Israels Omission in not turning to him but mark how he accents Judahs Omission who knew what Israel had done and how God had put her away vers 8. Yet her treacherous Sister Judah feared not the dreadful doom of Israel struck no aw into the heart of Judah And vers 10. And yet for all this that Israel hath committed and been severely punished for her treacherous Sister Judah hath not turned unto me with the whole heart but feignedly saith the Lord. Here was an Omission internal or in the manner of her Conversation it was not sincere but with dissimulation 2. By his severe Comminations and Threatnings denounced against those that are guilty of Omissions He curseth those that deny him their help in a day of Battel and that come not forth to help the Lord against the mighty Judg. 5.23 He curseth those that are not diligent about his Work Jer. 48.10 And believe it his Curse is effectual not like the discharge of a piece with powder only which doth no execution Those whom he curseth are cursed indeed His curse like Lightning blasteth and withereth where-ever it cometh I cursed his habitation saith Eliphaz not as a private Malediction of his own Spirit but as a pious Praediction of Gods Spirit Now mark what followeth upon God's cursing the wicked mans Habitation Job 5.2 3 4. His house is by this breath of God tumbling to the ground presently His Children that should be the honour and support of it are far from safety vers 3. they are crushed in the Gate and there is none to deliver them vers 4. Whose harvest the hungry eateth up and taketh out of the thorns and the Robber swalloweth up his substance His Estate which is a second thing requisite to the outward glory of a Family that is seised on and snatched from him So God threatneth multitudes with his wrath which is so terrible so intollerable that none can stand before it Psal 147.8 that Mountains are moved Rocks are rent in pieces the Foundations of the Earth tremble at it yea that God's own people are ready to be distracted at it Psal 88.3 4 5. for a Sin of Omission For not calling on his Name Jer. 10. ult God threatneth to cut a man off from his people which includes either a cutting off from the society of Gods people here and hereafter as Gen. 17.14 or of being cut off out of the Land of the living by the Sword of the Magistrate Exod. 30.33 or both as some think for a meer omission But a man that is clean and is not in a journey and forbeareth to keep the Passover even the same Soul shall be cut off from his people Numb 9.13 3. It appears that Sins of Omission are highly provoking to God by the execution of his Judgments on them that are guilty of them His Works as well as his Word speak his great indignation against these sins Saul lost his Kindgom for not killing Agag and the best of the Flock Because thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord the Lord hath also rejected thee from being King saith Samuel to him 1 Sam. 15.23 26 28. Ahab omitted to kill Benhadad and lost his life for it 1 King 20.42 Because thou hast let go a man out of thy
World Of a Child of the Devil thou art made a Child of God of a Slave to sin a Citizen of Sion nay he doth not only free thee from damnation and the curse of the Law but also give thee the blessing of eternal life in and with himself among his innumerable Company of Angels and the Congregation of the First-born Now Reader judge whether it be not very disingenious to receive from God all sorts of Mercies and to give to God not half the Duties we owe to him How canst thou mete to God one measure and expect from him another Friend God doth not put thee off with half-Happiness and why shouldst thou put him off with half-Holiness CHAP. XXXV Arguments against Omissions Christ purchased positive as well as negative Holiness and our Priviledges oblige to both 3. COnsider Christ died to purchase positive as well as negative godliness for men and wilt thou disappoint him of the Fruits of his Death Indeed if it had been possible for him to have bought mans deliverance from sin without the re-impression of Gods Image on the Soul he had been but half a Saviour and made us at the most but half happy But according to the Apostles phrase he saves perfectly or to the utmost upon all accounts and in all respects Heb. 7.25 and in order thereunto bought man off from sin and unto the Service of God He redeems us from sin We are redeemed saith the Apostle from our vain Conversation received by tradition from our Fathers Not with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without spot and blemish 1 Pet. 1.17 18 19. He redeems also unto his own Service Chap. 3. vers 18. of the same Epistle He suffered the Just for the Vnjust to bring us to God He died that we might die to sin and he died that we might live to God He suffered to bring us off from our cursed loathsome Lusts and he suffered to bring us to the Fear and Love and Service of the blessed and glorious Lord. We have both these ends of our Saviours Sufferings mention'd in Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself his Death is called a giving himself because it was voluntary and a freewill Offering for us here is his Passion but what ends had he in his eye truly both these that he might redeem us from all Iniquity make us negatively religious in freeing us from the bondage of sin and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works i. e. make them positively holy None are purified without positive qualifications and gracious habits in the Soul To be purified unto himself is to be thus qualified for the honour and service of Christ And to make it more plain the Apostle tells us To purifie unto himself a peculiar people a people that shall disown all other Lords and all other Work and shall be his Servants and do his Work only zealous of good works He did not die only to make men good and to enable men to do good but also to cause them to do good with heat and heart and fervency of Spirit Nay it is evident that to make men positively pious was the main and principal end of his Passion and that his delivering us from sin was only in order to this to his adorning us with Sanctity As a man cannot put on new Robes till he hath first put off his old Rags so a man cannot put on the new man the beautiful Image of the heavenly till he hath put off the old man the abominable Image of the earthly Adam Luke 1.74 75. We are delivered out of the hands of our Enemies that we should serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives He plougheth up the fallow ground of the Heart and kills the weeds of sin in order to the casting in the seed of Grace into the Soul Now Reader consider if Christ died to purchase positive Holiness for thee what hope canst thou have of an interest in his Death without it Canst thou think he bought one for thee without the other or that thou mayst be a partial sharer in his Death And what wilt thou do without an interest in his Sufferings Except he wash thee in his blood thou hast no part in him and if thou hast no part in him thy part must be among Devils and damned Spirits Again wilt thou by thy Omissions deny and deprive Christ of that Service which he hath bought so dearly Alas how little is it that thou art able to do for him when thou dost all thou canst And how much did that cost him what pangs and throws did he bear what rage from men what wrath from God how did he wrastle with the Frowns and Fury with the Power and Policy of the World and Hell And after all this dost thou grudge him that poor Service for which he was hungry and thirsty and weary and tempted and betrayed and crucified Whether we live saith the Apostle we live to the Lord whether we die we die to the Lord whether we live or die we are the Lords To this end Jesus died and rose again that he might be Lord both of the Dead and Living Rom. 14.7 8. Thou wouldst take it ill thy self to be denied the Service of that for which thou hast so dearly paid O think of it when thou art guilty of Omissions in the matter or manner of Duties I now rob Jesus Christ of that which he bought with his most precious blood and let him see the travail of his Soul upon thee and be satisfied 4. Consider the Priviledges thou enjoyest call aloud upon thee to mind positive Holiness and to do good as well as to forbear evil I am sure thy Priviledges are positive and so should thy Piety be What is the Gospel but a Cabinet of precious Jewels a River of living water a Case of the richest and costliest Cordials a Counterpart of Heavens eternal Court-Rolls concerning the Philanthropy or kindness of God to Mankind wherein are all sorts of blessings for Body and Soul in every condition treasur'd up The enjoyment of it is a special singular Priviledge the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 9. The Ministration of Righteousness far above the Legal Ministration The Psalmist tells us The Laws God gave to the Israelites were a special distinguishing Mercy He sheweth his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgments unto Israel He hath not dealt so with every Nation as for his Judgments they have not known them Psal 147.19 20. But his Gospel-Dispensation is an higher and greater Favour But what doth this Gospel-Priviledge call for surely positive as well as negative godliness The Grace of God the Gospel is so called because it declares it to us 2 Tim. 1.10 and interests us in it as an Instrument thereof Rom. 1.16 which bringeth Salvation which proclaimeth Life upon holy Conditions teacheth us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts Commissions
true he is pleased to see men deny ungodliness and worldly lusts but nothing to that pleasure which he takes in seeing them live righteously soberly and godly in this present evil World He likes ceasing from evil because it 's agreeable to his Word but he likes better doing of good because it 's more conformable to his Will Isa 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness Thou meetest him with the riches of Mercy who worketh what is good with alacrity If he come to thee thou wilt not cast him away nay thou wilt run to meet him and embrace him As the Father of the Prodigal ran to meet his returning Son Luke 15. And as one at odds but willing to be reconciled tells us He will meet his Opposite half-way And I may say of Gods meeting a Soul that worketh Righteousness as God tells Moses Behold Aaron thy Brother comes to meet thee and when he seeth thee he will be glad at his heart Behold thy God and Father cometh to meet thee and when he seeth thee working Righteousness he will be glad at his heart nay so glad that the disadvantage of a mans Country shall not hinder him of this kindness Acts 10. And Peter said I perceive now that God is no Respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him God proclaimeth to all the World That he delighteth in such a mans way Psal 73.23 and therefore his Word which he hath given us for our Rule herein is called his good and acceptable Will Rom. 12.2 And the reason is because such persons are most like God therefore they have most of his love and delight God is a pure Act and so cannot but approve of them that are active He is ever at work Joh. 5.17 Hitherto my Father worketh and I work And its righteousness he is always working The Lord is holy in all his Ways and righteous in all his Works Psal 145. He is good and doth good so that those who are positively holy do most resemble him and so do most delight him We all take most pleasure in those Children that are our exactest Pictures Reader art thou negatively holy Canst thou say I am no Drunkard no Glutton no Adulterer thou mayst say this and be like the Devil for the Devil himself may say as much Canst thou say I am no Thief no Swearer no Blasphemer no Sabbath-breaker no Trader with false Weights or false Measures no Bearer of false witness against my Neighbour A Beast may say as much and thou mayst be free from these sins and yet like a Beast But if thou livest in the love and delight of the blessed Majesty doing his pleasure this is to be like an Angel Psal 103. And doing good to others this is to be like God and this is that which takes his heart Common humanity is much affected with one that aboundeth in goodness and is rich in good Works therefore the Apostle tells us That for a good man possibly some may even dare to die Rom. 5. The reason of which is because the people of the Jews were divided into three sorts of Persons there were Reshagnim or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked or ungodly those who lived without the Worship of God and walked in prophane courses there were also Tsidikim or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the just or righteous men of rigid righteousness or severe innocency and Chasidim or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good and liberal men of large Hearts and open Hands to do good to others who as publick Conduits are of publick advantage in the places where they live Now saith the Apostle Scarcely for a righteous man that is for a man of austere Justice will one die but for a good man a man full of good works one that is bountiful to others and useful in his Generation a man would even dare to die Humanity is so taken with doing good that a man can be contented almost to die for such much more must goodness it self and the Fountain of all Goodness be affected therewith He tells us That he is a God who executeth Kindness Judgment and Righteousness For in these things I delight saith the Lord. Both in doing them my self and seeing them done by others Psal 11. ult Mich. 6.8 What thinkest thou Reader of this motive to good Works wouldst thou not delight the heart of God How long hast thou by thy Omissions grieved him and is it not yet time to rejoyce him How often hast thou displeased him how many millions of times and wilt thou not now please him Thou daily seest that though he hath no Obligations to his Creatures but the contrary he doth them good and gives them food and fruitful seasons and fills their Hearts with gladness And wilt thou not do thy utmost to glad his Heart who hath above all apprehensions obliged thee Truly he doth not deserve the name of a rational Creature who doth not above all things seek to please his Maker and there is no way hereunto like abounding in well-doing Therefore the Apostle begs for the Colossians That they may be filled with the knowledge of his Will Why that they might keep their Light in a dark Lanthorn or have it as men wear a Glass-eye for shew and not for use or that men might be able to talk the more of Religion and the things that appertain thereunto No That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his whole liking and delight that ye might please God I but how may this be done he presently tells us how That ye may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work There is no such way to please God as fruitfulness in every good Work It rejoyceth the Husbandman to see his Trees laden with fruit to see his Fields cover'd over as the Psalmists phrase is Psal 65. ult with Corn and to see his returns answer his Cost And it rejoyceth the blessed God to see an Heart that hath long lain fallow and been barren full of faith and love and humility and heavenly-mindedness and all the fruits of Righteousness and so a Life that hath been idle and unprofitable abundant in acts of Piety Charity and the like David who served the Wills of God in his Generation he of all men was the man after Gods own heart 14. Consider thou hast but a little time to do good in therefore it concerns thee to set speedily upon it and to be diligent at it Alas how short is thy whole Life from the Womb to the Tomb It 's but a shadow that fleeth away and continueth not a Vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away it 's nothing Job 14.2 James 4.14 Psal 39.6 And how much of this time is gone hath been spent as a tale that is told impertinently and to no purpose in doing nothing or in doing that
thee if ignorant to labour after the Knowledge of God and thy Duty to him When David leaves his charge with his Son Solomon to serve and worship the blessed God as the great business of his life Mark how he begins with the means thereof and concludes with the motive thereto And thou Solomon my Son know the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind If thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever 1 Chron. 28.9 As if he had said Solomon thou Son of my Love thou Son of my Vows I am now dying and going to my long home Nature and Grace my love to thee and to God do both strongly incline me to desire thy well-fare and to wish thee well eternally I know not better how to speak and declare it than by charging and commanding thee that what-ever thou omittest or neglectest thou wouldst adore and worship the God of thy Fathers and that not formally and customarily but solemnly and sincerely with a perfect Heart and willing Mind and to this end there is a necessity of thy knowing him Till thou knowest his Grace and Goodness thou wilt never love him till thou knowest his Holiness and Justice thou wilt never fear him till thou knowest his Promises and Power and Faithfulness thou wilt never trust him and till thou knowest his boundless Soveraignty and Dominion over his unquestionable Right and Propriety in the works of his Hands thou wilt never obey him therefore study the knowledge of this God of thy Fathers that thou mayst serve him for be assured he will not be mocked But with the Vpright he will carry himself upright and with the Froward he will carry himself froward Psal 18. If thou livest after the Flesh thou shalt die if thou walkest after the Spirit thou shalt live If thou seek him in his own way with all thy Heart as the great work and business of thy Life he will reveal himself to thee and be found of thee in a way of Grace and Favour but if thou imbrace the World or the Flesh as thy Soveraigns or Portions and so cast him off be confident he will forsake and cast thee off for ever and then what will Devils do to thee and what misery will not surprize thee Friend God affords thee many helps for knowledge and wilt thou not labour after it shall men stumble and fall into Hell for want of doing their Duties and neglect to do their Duties for want of knowledge and that in the clear Sun-shine of the Gospel as those do that live in the night and darkness of Heathenism and Paganism Reader wilt thou not see at Mid-day at Noon-day shall neither the Works nor Word of God teach thee the knowledge of him Wouldst thou do the Will of God or not if thou wouldst not I have no more to say to thee But the Lord have mercy on thee If thou wouldst as thou must if ever thou be saved Matth. 23. Thou seest a necessity of knowledge for can thy Child or Servant do thy Will if they be ignorant of thy Will Is it rational to expect that one who knoweth not what thou wouldst have should do what thou wouldst have Why canst not thou make thy Beast as pliable and as obedient to thee as thy Son Is it not because thy Beast is not so capable of understanding thy mind as thy Son is Nay if thou shouldst do what God commands and not know that he commanded it thou couldst not obey him in it for all Obedience consisteth in doing what God bids us because he bids us Psal 119.5 6. For unless his Authority do principally sway the Conscience in our subjection to what he enjoyns it 's nothing worth God hates blind Sacrifices Mal. 1. Reader wouldst thou have high and honourable thoughts of God wouldst thou have awful and reverential apprehensions of God wouldst thou have Heart and Life wholly at his Command then know him Psal 78.1 In Judah is God known his Name is great in Israel How comes his Name to be so much reverenced and praised and admired in his Church more than in all the World beside but because there he is better known In Judah is God known thence his Name is so great in Israel Father the World hath not known thee but these have known thee Joh. 17. So that Reader if ever thou wouldst esteem and honour and love and obey God get the knowledge of him This is spiritual life and the seed of eternal Joh. 17.3 Be not bruitish in the shape of a man as the Horse and Mule which hath no understanding Psal 32.9 Psal 49. ult Psal 92.6 but take any pains in hearing and reading and meditating and in conferring with others that thou mayst get knowledge They shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased The Merchant ventures to and fro from Port to Port in a wooden bottom to increase his Wealth and get some precious Pearls Knowledge is a Jewel of much greater value Let no labour be thought too much for it especially cry after Knowledge and lift up thy Voice for Vnderstanding seek her as Silver and search for her as for hid Treasure Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God Prov. 2.4 5 6. CHAP. XLIII Another cause of sins of Omission Idleness with the cure of it 3. A Third cause of sins of Omission is Idleness Negative Holiness requires no great pains a man may forbear Drunkenness swearing lying stealing c. without any great labour A man may keep his Bed or his Chair all day and so do no hurt Some men as the Historian observes Tacitus are sola socordia innocentes do no mischief not because they dare not God having forbidden it but because it would cost them some pains to do it Their Heads must work to plot and contrive it and their Hands to manage and execute it There is a sluggish temper and poorness of spirit in many men who prefer a mean quiet before a treasure with labour The Sluggard would do evil as other men only he is unwilling to lose his sleep and ease as they do to accomplish their wicked designs and he would do good as others I mean in regard of the matter of Duties only he is loth to be at the labour Negative godliness requires only a siting still and a forbearing to meddle with such and such things which God hath prohibited but positive Godliness if to any purpose requires industry and zeal and activity and the putting forth our strength and spirits which makes the idle Wretch take his leave of it The slothful Servant could let his Talent lie still in the Earth and not lay it out in gaming and rioting c. and continue his slothfulness but if he had improved it in trading for his Masters profit he must have gone up and down and taken pains It 's
THE SINNERS Last Sentence TO Eternal Punishment FOR SINS of OMISSION Wherein is discovered The Nature The Causes and The Cure Of those Sins By Geo. Swinnock M. A. Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation c. London Printed for Geo. Swinnock and are to be sold at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside 1675. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE CHARLES Earl of Carnarvon Lord Dormer Viscount Ascot Baron of Wing c. May it please your Lordship FOr so mean a thing as I am to address my self to a Personage of your Honour and Quality may cause wonder in others and abashment in my self But for some Considerations which may give them satisfaction and me boldness and encouragement What I now present your Honour is a poor Widows mite such as being cast into the Treasury of Gods Temple may contribute something to repair the breaches of collapsed Piety and such as I hope the Lord of Lords will not despise Do I call it Mine I must correct my self it is indeed your Honours and my tendring it to your acceptance is but my paying you your own It is a Legacy left you by my dear deceased Husband who commanded me on his death-bed in all humble wise to present it to your Honour and publish it under your Protection So that although it was left with me it was left by him for your Honour Do I call it a Legacy I must again correct and confess It is a due Debt For our poor Family stands most deeply obliged to your Honour who have been pleased to exercise a generous bounty towards us and such as is suitable to none but a noble mind The Debt is humbly acknowledged by us and shall be undoubtedly repaid by the Lord to whom it was lent Your Lordship may with comfort read the Specialty in Gods own Word Prov. 19.17 which is very good security But as for us alas what have we to return except these gleanings of the Fruits of my dear Husbands Labours even some of those which were brought forth when he last laboured in the Lords Vineyard I desire for ever to adore the goodness of God towards me whose weak condition seemed to cry like that woman of the wives of the Sons of the Prophets unto Elisha saying Thy Servant my Hushand is dead and thou knowest that thy Servant did fear the Lord c. 2 Kings 4.1 To which Cry your Lordships overflowing munificence hath answered very like the Man of God vers 7. Go and sell the Oyl and pay thy Debt and live thou and thy Children of the rest As for the matter of this Discourse it is not proper for me to reflect thereon Only I have a good confidence That as your Honour hath been pleased to cast a favourable Eye on other of my Husbands Works professing profit and pleasure in the reading of them So these words of your dying Servant will not be unsuccessful but have the Good Reader BEing requested to recommend this Treatise to thy acceptance I readily complyed with the motion induced thereunto partly by my respect to the Author Mr. Swinnock a Name well known to most serious Christians by his former savoury and useful Works published for the good of the Church before one of which I have expressed my just esteem of his Gifts and Graces in an Epistle prefixed and therefore commendation is not my business now it needeth not but attestation and to assure thee that this piece is his delivered by his own hands to his Son a little before his to him blessed but alas to us untimely death * He died Nov. 0. 1673. in the 46th year of his Age. and accordingly thou wilt find the one spirit of the Author in it and the same holy lively way of discoursing which is so remarkable in his other Writings partly with respect to the matter which is about the eternal recompences as they are represented by our Lord in a Scheme or Draught of the last Judgment We are hedged within the compass of our Duty both on the right hand and on the left on the right hand with the hopes of a most blessed everlasting Estate on the left with the fears of endless and never-ceasing Torments Reflections on the former are comfortable what is sweeter than to live in the expectation and fore-sight of endless Glory But the consideration of the latter is also profitable We need many Sermons about Hell to keep us out of Hell therefore in this Treatise the worthy Author insisteth on the dreadful Doom and Sentence that shall pass on the Wicked at the last day There is also another thing largely represented which is of great use the hainousness of Sins of Omission Sin in the general is a transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 Now the Law may be transgressed either by omitting what is commanded as a Duty to God or by committing what is forbidden when we directly transgress an affirmative Precept that is a sin of Omission but when we do any thing against a negative Precept that is a sin of Commission in both there is Disobedience and so by consequence contempt of Gods Authority When Saul had not done what God bids him to do he telleth him That Rebellion is as a sin of Witchcraft and stubbornness as Idolatry 1 Sam. 15.13 Implying that Omission to be Rebellion and Stubbornness for which God would rend the Kingdom from him So for a sin of Omission he put by Eli's Family from the Priesthood 1 Sam. 3.19 I will judge his House for ever because his Sons had made themselves vile and he restrained them not Now the more necessary the Duties omitted are the greater is the sin as Heb. 2.3 especially if the Omission be total Psal 14.3 Jer. 2.32 Or when the Duty is most seasonable Prov. 17.16 Or the performance easie for this is to stand with God for a trifle he is denied a drop that would not give a crum Luke 16.24 Or when we are fully convinced that it is our Duty James 4.17 Briefly these sins of Omission are the ruine of most people in the World yea the Children of God oftner offend in these kind of Sins than in fowler excesses Oh how many of them go out of the World bewailing their neglects and omissions the best might have done much more for God than ever they have yet done But I detain thee too long from the Book its self read and peruse it and the Lord give thee understanding in all things I am Thine in all Christian Observation Tho. Manton D.D. MATTH 25.41 42. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink CHAP. I. The Preface and Introduction
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
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
time now is the day of Salvation Therefore O Sinner Agree with thine Adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him lest at any time the Adversary deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into Prison Verily I say unto thee thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing Matth. 5.25 26. But having written largely of this in another Treatise and intending to speak of it here only by way of Preface to what I mainly intend and now come to discourse of and that is the Nature Danger Cause and Curse of Sins of Omission in the reasons of this severe Sentence I shall speak no more thereof but proceed to the third general part of the Text and that is the reason CHAP. XV. The reason of Christs severe Sentence and a question resolved whether the Righteous by their Acts of Charity do not deserve Heaven as well as the Wicked by their Omission thereof deserve Hell Thirdly THe reason of Christ's severe Sentence against them vers 40 43. For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not The words have nothing of difficulty in them and therefore I shall not wast time in the explication of them Every one knows what it is not to give meat to the Hungry or drink to the Thirsty or Raiment to the Naked c. That it is the omission of a Duty viz. Charity which God commands and also that Believers are the Members of Christ Ephes 1. ult Christ mystical 1 Cor. 12.12 And therefore what injuries are done to them are done to Christ Acts 9. Only it may be needful to speak to these two particulars before I raise the Doctrine 1. Whether there be not the like ground of the Salvation of the blessed that there is of the damnation of the wicked namely the merit of their works Both seem to speak it Come ye blessed c. For I was hungry and ye gave me meat Again Go ye cursed c. For I was hungry and ye gave me no meat c. 2. Why Christ will try men at the great day by the performance or neglect of this Duty of Charity and not rather by their performance or neglect of Prayer Hearing Watchfulness or some other Duty or by their Humility Heavenly-mindedness Patience Temperance c. In answer to the first though Bellarmine affirms There is the same reason in each and Cornel. A Lapide with the rest of the Papists concur therein yet if they were not wilfully blind they might see enough in the Text to disprove them 1. In that Christ calls to the blessed to inherit the Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth Haereditatis jure possidere to enjoy a thing by right of Inheritance from Parents and Ancestors and not by right of Purchase or deserving therefore Heaven is often called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Inheritance Col. 1.12 Ephes 1.14 1 Pet. 1.3 So the Type of it the Land of Canaan is often called by the 70 probably from the division or distribution of the Land by lot to them A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lexceu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Distribuo quia hereditates olim per sortem distribul solebant Josh 14.2 which to a word is the import of the word Now they who enjoy an Estate by right of Sonship do not possess it by Merit What can a Child who may inherit his deceased Fathers Estate in his Child-hood or Infancy do to deserve that Estate 2. In that Christ tells them That this Kingdom was prepared for them before the foundation of the World Now what could they do before they had a Being to deserve this Inheritance And the Apostle is positive that all is to be referred to the Purpose of God not to the piety of any men For saith he the Children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand mark not of works but of him that calleth It was said unto her The Elder shall serve the younger Rom. 9.11 12. Eph. 1.4 Rev. 13.8 If it be Objected That God foresaw that they would improve their Free will unto the performance of such good Works whereby they would deserve Heaven and therefore chose them to Heaven which the Papists stand much upon I answer 1. The fore-sight of their Faith and good Works cannot be the cause of their Election because their Election is by God himself declared to be the cause of their Faith and good Works If their Faith and Obedience be the effect of Election they cannot be the cause of it but so they are Joh. 6.37 All that the Father hath given me shall come to me i. e. believe on me Again As many as were ordained to eternal life believed Act. 13.48 So for good Works Joh. 15.13 Eph. 1.4 Rom. 8.30 2. Then mans will must be the ground of God's Actions not his own Will The Scripture tells us That God worketh all things after the Counsel of his own will Ephes 1.11 But say the Papists in Election God worketh according to the impâ—â—vement of mans will 3. Then the accomplishment of Goâ—… Decree depends upon the mutable and uncertain will of man so that there is a possibility that God may be disappointed of his Choice and his Elect of that Happiness to which they are chosen if both depend on a changeable Creature But the word of God speaks the contrary that God cannot be frustrated of his Choice Psal 33.10 The Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all Generations His Decrees are sure 2 Tim. 2.19 though his sentence may be alter'd Jer. 18.7 8 9 10. Nor can the Elect be disappointed Matth. 24.24 If it were possible they would deceive the very Elect. Here the impossibility of their seduction is grounded on the stability of their Election 4. Then there can be no Election of Infants to everlasting life I mean of such as God fore-seeth or ordaineth to die in their infancy because God cannot fore-see that these will improve the liberty of their wills unto Faith and Repentance That Infants may be saved is clear Matth. 19.14 Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Matthew calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first word signifieth Puerulus a little Child one say the Criticks that is in the first seven years of his Age. But the latter Luke 18.15 signifieth Infants newly born or sucking Babes Now if of such is the Kingdom of Heaven then they may be saved But none are saved save such as are elected therefore without any fore-sight of Faith or good Works
hew to purpose Hos 6.5 God heweth them by his Prophets and slays them by the word of his mouth It cuts to the heart Act. 4.54 Act. 5.33 And hath dreadful effects on them Isa 6.9 10. And he said go and tell this people Hear ye indeed but understand not see ye indeed but perceive not Make the hearts of this people fat and make their Ears heavy and shut their Eyes lest they see with their Eyes and hear with their Ears and understand with their Hearts and convert and be healed And this hewing them down is also by death The Ax of death fells the Tree for the fire of Hell The rotten Tree or the barren Tree is not good for fruit therefore for the fire He is hewn down and cast into the fire Abscission is the way to perdition to eternal burning This is the Catastrophe of the barren Trees Tragedy 3. The certainty of it Both Christ and the Baptist speak of the punishment in the present Tense not the Future Is hewn down and cast into the fire not shall be hewn down c. The fruitless person shall as certainly be in Hell as if he were there already therefore promises and threatnings though future are delivered to us as present As to us a Son is born Isa 9.6 Isa 21.9 Babylon is fallen 4. The universality of the Persons Every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit Every man what ever his Profession may be or his Hopes are or his Priviledges have been if he bring not forth good fruit he is hewn down and cast into the fire The Doctrine being thus proved by Scripture I shall proceed to the Explication of it in several particulars 1. I shall speak to the nature of them and shew what sins of Omission are 2. To the danger of them 3. To the Reasons why they are so damnable CHAP. XIX The nature of sins of Omission in general First COncerning the first i. e. the nature of them I shall speak to one more generally and two more particularly 1. By the several distinctions of these Sins 2. By their agreement with and difference from sins of Omission 1. More generally a sin of Omission is a neglect of some Duty commanded us in the Word of God In every Command there is a Precept and a Prohibition A Precept enjoyning and a Prohibition forbidding A Precept enjoyning some Duty and a Prohibition forbidding the contrary The neglect of doing what the Precept enjoyns is a sin of Omission and the doing what the Precept forbids is a sin of commission The truth is in every Commission there is an Omission as in every deadly Disease somewhat of a Feavor For in every Commission as in Drunkenness or Oppression or Uncleanness there is a neglect or omission of the Duty commanded as Temperance Charity and Chastity But those we most properly call sins of Omission which are extrinsicate from sins of Commission as not praying not reading the Word not believing not feeding the hungry c. But to speak strictly there is no sin but sins of Omission for all sin consists in privation of due rectitude or deficiency and coming short of the rule Though the Commands are generally deliver'd by way of negation partly because of the proneness of men to commit those sins that are forbidden and God would by his Negative command curb and keep them in Thou shalt not c. thou shalt not c. partly because Negative Commands bind more strongly than the Affirmative The Affirmative obligant semper but not ad semper but the Negative bind semper ad semper as the School-men speak The Affirmative bind us always i. e. there is no time wherein it can be said that they are of no force but not to all times I am always bound to pray but I am not bound to pray at all times I am bound always to speak truth but I am not bound to speak all truth at all times But Negative Commands bind always and at all times as Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit Adultery These bind every moment of a mans life I mean every moment of his life these sins are to be forborn they are at no time lawful Though I say the Commands are deliver'd Negative for the most part viz. eight of them yet we must understand that all the Negative Commands of God include their Affirmative as Thou shalt have no other gods before me this includes thou shalt have me for thy God thou shalt know me love me fear me trust me and worship me as thy God And when God saith Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. this includes thou shalt Worship me according to my Will revealed in my Word When God saith Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain this includes thou shalt use reverently all my Names Titles Attributes Ordinances Word and Works VVhen God saith Thou shalt not kill this includes thou shalt use all lawful means for the preservation of thine own and thy Neighbours life When God saith Thou shalt not commit Adultery this includes thou shalt by all just ways maintain thine own and thy Neighbours Chastity in thought word and deed When God saith Thou shalt not steal this includes thou shalt be true faithful and just in all thy Contracts and Dealings with others restore what is ill gotten be diligent in thy Calling and endeavour the furtherance of thy own and thy Neighbours estate by all just ways When God saith Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour this includes thou shalt to thy power promote truth in thy self and others maintain thine own and thy Neighbours good Name When God saith Thou shalt not covet c. this includes thou shall be fully satisfied with thine own Condition and desire and delight in thy Neighbours prosperity Thus the Negative Commands of God include their Affirmative so that to depart from the evil forbidden is not to keep these Laws unless also we practise the Duties commanded The neglect of any of them is a sin of Omission CHAP. XX. Three distinctions about sins of Omission 2. I Shall speak more particularly and explain these sins 1. By these distinctions 2. By their agreement with and difference from sins of Commission First These sins of Omission are to be distinguished in regard of substance manner or measure 1. When a duty is omitted in regard of the matter of it as when men pray not give not to the Poor hear not the VVord c. these omit the substance of the Duty Of such as those God complains There is none that looketh after God Rom. 3.11 And again They will will not hear the Law of the Lord Isa 30.9 And he that turneth away his Ears from the cry of the poor he also shall cry himself but shall not be heard Prov. 21.13 These are most deeply guilty before God They shew their utter contempt of him and openly manifest it to others when they omit
Servants Ephes 5. Ephes 6. Col. 3. Col. 4. It directs us in all Conditions how to demean our selves in Prosperity to be joyful in Adversity to consider how God hath set the one against the other In Afflictions to be patient and prayerful and more studious of a right improvement of them than of deliverance out of them Under Mercies it directs us to be thankful to God the more chearful in his Service and faithful in the use of our Talents for the honour of our Master It directs us in all our Thoughts Jer. 4.14 Words Psal 39.2 Works Prov. 4.23 24 26. It directs us in all our natural Actions as Eating Drinking Sleeping 1 Cor. 10.31 Tit. 2.12 In our civil Converses Micah 6.8 In our religious Duties how to pray James 5. James 1. How to hear how to receive 1 Cor. 11. 3. It s purity above and beyond all other Religions appears in this That it forbids Evil all Evil nothing but Evil it commands Good whatsoever is Good and nothing but Good Isa 1. Psal 32.14 The Laws of Lycurgus among the Grecians and Numa among the Romans had somewhat of good in them but not all prohibited somewhat that was evil but not all that was evil But the Christian Religion is of a larger extent both in its Precepts and Prohibitions I have seen an end of all Perfections but thy Commandments are exceeding broad Psal 119.96 A man with the eye of his Body may behold an end of many worldly Perfections of many fair Estates great Beauties large Parts hopeful Families but a man with the eye of his Soul for by Faith may see an end of all earthly Perfections He may see the World in a flame and all its Pomp and Pride and Glory and Gallantry and Crowns and Scepters and Riches and Treasures turn'd into ashes he may see the Heavens passing away like a scroll and the Elements melting with fervent heat and the Earth with the things thereon consumed and all its Persections which men doted so much on vanished into smoke and nothing It 's easie to see to the end of all terrene Perfections but its difficult yea impossible to see to the end of Divine Precepts But thy Commandments are exceeding broad Of a vast Latitude beyond our apprehension They are so deep that none can fadom them Psal 36.6 So high that they are established in Heaven Psal 119.48 So long that they endure for ever 2 Pet. 1. And so broad that none can measure them They are not only broad but exceeding broad Higher than Heaven longer than the Earth broader than the Sea The Commands of God reach the inward parts the most secret motions and retired recesses of the Soul They reach all the privy thoughts They pierce even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and discern the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 They reach to all our Actions to those that seem smallest and of less concernment as well as to those that are greater and of more concernment They reach to the manner nay circumstance of Actions The Divine Law takes notice of all the circumstances of sins as aggravations of sin As 1. From the time of Gods patience towards the Sinner These three years I came seeking fruit Luke 13. 2. The place where the sin was committed The Sons of Eli lay with the Women that assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 1 Sam. 2.22 3. From the season of committing the Sin Isa 58.3 4. Behold in the day of your Fast ye find pleasure and exact all your labour c. 4. From the Condition of the person that sins He that eats bread with me lifts up his heels against mee Joh. 13.18 A familiar Friend proves a treacherous Enemy So Joh. 3.10 Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things 5. From the means the person enjoys You only have I known therefore you will I punish for your Iniquities Amos 4. Rom. 2.7 6. From the manner of committing the Sin So they spread Absalom a Tent on the top of the house and Absalom went in to his Fathers Concubins in the sight of all Israel 2 Sam. 16.22 Impudency in sin doth highly increase it Were they ashamed when they committed all these Abominations No they were not ashamed But how far are other Religions from observing much more from condemning men for such sinful circumstances CHAP. XXXI The holiest have cause of humiliation 8. IF Christ will condemn men at the Great Day for sins of Omission I was hungry and ye gave me no meat c. Then it may inform us That the best have abundant cause of humiliation for the best have in them abundant matter of Condemnation O how many are our Omissions every day every hour and by reason of them we are obnoxious to Hell flames Good Bishop Vsher who for Piety and Learning was honoured through the Christian World though he was early converted and feared the Lord in his Youth though he was eminently industrious in private in his Family in chatechising and instructing and praying often every day with and for them that were committed to his Charge Though he was a constant Preacher and that with Judgment and Affection Though he was singularly famous for his many worthy pieces which he wrote in Latin and English yet after all this diligence and labour when he came to die Usher's Life the last words almost which he was heard to speak were Lord in special forgive my Sins of Omission Sins of Omission will at death lie heavier on our hearts than we think for in life If such a laborious person found cause of bewailing his Omissions surely much more cause have Loyterers as we are Omissions are fruits of Original Corruption as well as Commissions It 's from that dead stock that we are so defective in bringing forth good fruit Paul layeth his Omissions at this door Rom. 7.17 to 23. In my flesh is no good When I would do good evil is present with me c. Now whatsoever is the Child of such a monstrous Parent is loathsome and calls on us for sorrow and self-abhorrency Holy Job did but suspect his Children to be guilty of Omissions of not sanctifying the Name of God in their Hearts according to their Duties at their Feasts and Meetings And he riseth early and offereth Sacrifice according to the number of them all Job 1.4 5. He goeth to God and begs Pardon for them and the blessing of God upon every one of them It may be saith he my Sons have sinned and cursed and not blessed God so Calvin reads it God in their hearts Thus did Job continually Now if Job upon a supposition that his Sons might be guilty of Omissions was so constant in his addresses to God on their behalf by way of humiliation acknowledging their Iniquity and beseeching his Mercy What cause have we on the behalf of our own Souls who know that we often offend God
against the first and second Table but that is not all we should live righteously soberly and godly righteously towards men soberly in relation to our selves godly in the Duties that concern God in this present evil world The Gospel allows of Omissions no more than the Law and is so far from indulging men in sin because it hath mercy for the penitent Sinner that it addeth stronger Obligations to Obedience and threatneth more severe condemnation to the Disobedient 2 Cor. 5.15 16. Heb. 10. Again the Promises which have in their bowels all the good of Heaven and Earth all the blessings of this Life and a better which are as much worth as both worlds 1 Tim. 4.8 which are exceeding great in their quantity and precious in their quality 2 Pet. 1.4 and the peculiar portion of Gods own Children Heb. 6.17 who are the only Heirs of them and all others strangers to them and therefore miserable and in an hopeless and desperate Condition These Promises are so far from excusing or exempting from these positive Duties that they engage us the more firmly to them 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore dearly beloved these Promises that God will be our Father and we shall be his Children c. Chap. 6. vers 18. let us cleanse our selves from all pollutions of Flesh and Spirit but this is not all and perfect holiness in the fear of God The Promises do not only bind to Purity but also to Proficiency therein till we come to perfection And perfect holiness in the fear of God The Covenant of Grace which is a Mine of unsearchable Riches a Book wherein every leaf nay every line speaks Love and Life which contains more mercy in it even the boundless God than Heaven and Earth are able to contain this requires positive as well as negative holiness Deut. 26.17 nay it engageth for both Ezek. 36.25 From all your Idols and from all your filthiness will I cleanse you But more than this 26 27 verses I will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh I will put my Spirit into you and ye shall keep my Commandments and do them So that all these Priviledges are to no purpose if we be not provoked by them to do good and perform the Duties which are the Conditions of them Reader think of it why should God give thee Precepts to direct thee about the matter and manner of performing thy Duties and Promises to encourage thee to diligence and faithfulness therein if thou mayst live in the Omission of them Surely such infinite cost calls for some great care and conscienciousness in thy Conversation Might not God by virtue of his Dominion over thee as grand Proprietor of the Universe have required this at thine hands but when he is so gracious as to sue to thee and to allure thee and seek to draw thee by such Cords of love wilt thou stand out and deny him O blush for shame that thou hast neglected so long the wooings and beseechings and intreaties of such a glorious Gospel and such precious Promises and such an inestimable Covenant The greater the Charge God is at with thee the greater should be the Service thou dost him Where the ground is well dunged and dressed and watered and manured a greater Crop is expected by the Husbandman I must tell thee Friend that thou wilt one day find That to whom much is given of him much will be required Luke 12.48 and that God expects Returns answerable to thy Receipts Do not imagine as some vainly have done that the bare enjoyment of these Priviledges will save thee I must tell thee and that from Gods own mouth they will be so far from it that they will make Hell fire the hotter for thee and much deepen thine eternal condemnation Matth. 11.21 22 23. Jer. 7.3 4. Amend your ways and yours doings and trust not in lying words saying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these Such Priviledges without positive holiness do but usher men to an hotter Hell CHAP. XXXVI Arguments against Omissions We profess our selves Gods Servants and all our Religion will come to nothing without positive holiness 5. COnsider you are the professed Servants of God and will you not do your Masters business You are baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost you own your Baptism by your attendance on God though but sometimes in publick Ordinances You wear the Livery of Christ before the World and if any ask you what you are you say a Christian or whose you are you say you belong to Jesus Christ And Friend will you pretend to be Gods Servant and neglect his business This is but to put a mock and cheat upon him like him in the Gospel who when he was bid go work in the Vineyard said I go but went not If I be a Master where is your fear Mal. 1.7 If God be your Master where is your fear of displeasing him either by neglecting what he enjoyns or doing what he forbids True Servants are not at their own but at their Masters pleasure and disposal as the Centurions Souldiers when the Master saith Go they go when he saith Come they come when he saith Do this they do it Matth. 8.9 The Redeemer himself when he took upon him the form of a Servant and became so to his Father Phil. 2.7 Isa 53.10 did not what he himself would I came not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me Joh. 6.38 And as the Father gave me Commandment so do I Joh. 14.31 And to shew his faithfulness in that relation when he came to die he tells his Father I have glorified thee on the Earth and finished the work thou hast given me to do Joh. 17. Nay the very irrational and inanimate Creatures are the Servants of God and as such do him positive service The Psalmist speaks of the Heavens and the Earth with the Creatures therein All are thy Servants at thy beck and bidding at thy call and command Psal 119.91 If thou speak to the Sun it riseth not if thou speak again it will stand still if thou speak a third time it will move faster or slower which thou pleasest If thou commandest the Stars they will fight in their courses against thine Enemies and serve thee faithfully after their manner as their Lord of Hosts Nay those Creatures which seem most stubborn and rebellious being Gods Servants are pliable to his pleasure Fire and Hail and stormy Winds fulfil his Word Psal 148.8 Reader what dost thou think of these examples thou seest the Highest the Heir of all things when he became his Servant did his Will and Work for thee fulfil'd all righteousnes and went about doing good Act. 10. And thou seest the lowest Beings Gods Servants do not only forbear doing evil but after their manner analogically they do good and positively serve God and wilt thou content thy self with
thou mayst for shame or fear forbear it a while yet as two Lovers parted by their Parents contrive and conspire how to meet together and do find some opportunity or other concurring with their desires so thou wilt find some time to give thy old beloved Lusts a visit and as close and fond embraces as ever There is a necessity of being renewed in the Spirit of thy Mind if thou wouldst not be conformable to the World in sin and folly Rom. 12.2 Formerly thou hast lookt on Holiness as a mean contemptible thing as a foolish ridiculous thing as a fruitless unprofitable thing Joh. 7.48 49. 1 Cor. 2.14 Job 21.15 Mal. 3. and thereupon hast turn'd thy back upon it If thou art still of the same Opinion thou will be still of thine old ungodly Conversation Till thy Mind be enlightned to see the beauty of Holiness the excellency of Obedience the equity of the Divine Precepts the Right and Title that God hath to thy Person and Service thou wilt never perform Duties to any purpose Till thou art turn'd from Darkness to Light thou canst never be turned from Satan to God Acts 26.18 They must be renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created them who would put on the new man which is after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.24 This illumination is requisite in order to the second thing there must be a change in the Judgment before there can be any in Affections 2. Get thy Heart changed about Sin and Obedience If there be not a loathing in thee of Sin and a love in thee to Holiness thou wilt not much or long forsake the one or follow after the other By nature thou lovest Sin as thy Meat and Drink Prov. 4.17 as thy Dainties Psal 141. as thy Members Col. 3.5 as thy right Hand and right Eye Matth. 18. as thy self Matth. 16.24 Now whilst this love continueth thou canst never leave sin As the Dog may forbear the meat on the Table whilst the Servants eye is on him for fear of the Cudgel But when he can come at it alone and scape he will fall to it greedily If from a Conviction of the great evil of Sin thy Heart be not brought to abhor it though some qualm of Conscience or sharp Providence may make thee desist from it at present yet when these Distempers as thou countest them are gone thy Stomach will come and as one recovered of an Ague thou wilt fall too more greedily and feed on it more largely than ever By Nature thy heart is set against Obedience Thy Voice is I will not have this man to Rule over me The Voice of thy Heart which was the Voice of their Lips for they spoke plain English As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord we will not do it Jer. 44.16 Both the King and his Laws are odious to thee and how then shall they be obey'd If thy Heart continue thus bent against Holiness dost thou think thou canst mind it All thy shews and shadows and flourishes and profession and privilegdes and purposes and promises will signifie nothing for Holiness or against Sin till thou canst say with David I hate every false way but thy Law do I love Psal 119. He is hardly separated from his Master be he God or Satan who is bound and fastened to him with the heart-strings of love And the Devil shall find it a tough task to rob Christ of that Servant who takes pleasure and delight in his work Therefore Reader thy judgment must be alter'd that thou mayst judge of Sin and Holiness aright and thereby thy heart be brought out of love with Sin and in love with Holiness and then the work of Piety will go on pleasantly and thou wilt chearfully obey the Divine Commands His Statutes will be thy Songs whilst thou art in this house of thy Pilgrimage Psal 119. O how readily wilt thou set about thy business when the Laws of God are the joy of thy heart Psal 119.111 And thy delight is in his Law Psal 1. when thou hast a nature in thee that inclines and inableth and ingageth thee to godliness when thou canst savour and relish Duties and Ordinances and tast them more pleasant to thy Soul than ever the greatest Dainties have been to thy Body If thou wouldst be truly and positively holy thou seest Reader a necessity of Conversion without it thou canst no more act holily than a dead man can move or a stone walk or the Tyde of it self turn backward when in its full strength and career What then wilt thou do For I must confess withall that this regenerating Work which is a resurrection from the Dead and a new Creation is altogether beyond thy power Thou canst as soon stop the Sun in its course and Seal up the influence of the Stars as convert thy self But to encourage thee know that there is help to be had God hath proclaimed himself the Author of it James 1.18 Of his own will begat he us and his Word and Ministers the Instruments of it by the word of Truth so Acts 26.18 1 Cor. 4.15 So that thy work must be to wait on God in his Word and to beg hard of him that he would be found of thee in his own way Alas how shouldst thou fill Heaven and Earth night and day with thy Cries and Groans and Tears and Prayers when thou considerest except thou livest to God and walkest after the Spirit thou art lost for ever and without a new Heart and new Spirit thou canst not live or walk so and none but God can do this for thee O Friend fall down on thy knees before him acknowledge thy unworthiness urge God with his Promise I will give you a new heart and a new Spirit will I put into you and I will take away your hearts of stone and give unto you hearts of Flesh And I will put my Spirit into you and cause you to walk in my ways c. Ezek. 38.26 27. God cannot deny his own hand-writing he will make good what he hath spoken Look up to Jesus Christ to plead for thee who died to purchase Holiness and delights to see that paid which he hath bought and hath God engaged to him That he shall see the travail of his Soul to his satisfaction Isa 53.10 and persevere in so doing knowing thou shalt reap in time if thou faintest not CHAP. XLII Another cause of sins of Omission Ignorance with the cure of it labouring after knowledge 2. ANother cause of sins of Omission is Ignorance They who know not their Masters Will can never do it Let Papists say That Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion the Word of God and our own experience do loudly speak the contrary Ephes 4.18 They are estranged from the life of God i. e. a life of Holiness a life in Heaven through the ignorance that is in them because of the