prayer would make them leave such sinning but indeed such sinning makes them leave of though possibly they did sometimes begin to seek God in a formal way praying Those in the 5. of James who oppressed the Labourers who condemned and killed the just gross Commissions had their Riches corrupted and Garments moth-eaten i. e. were guilty of Omissions would rather their wealth should waste with rust and their Rayments with moths than bestow any on the Poor Those in the 4. of Hos 1 2. who were guilty of Swearing and Lying and Killing and Stealing and Adultery omitted Truth and Mercy and the Knowledge of God 2. Sins of Commission I mean those gross Crimes do more openly dare God than Omissions do By Omissions we deny him but by such Commissions we dare him and defie him Such Sinners as it were bid God do his worst they fear him not They do at least implicitly mock at his Threatnings and deride his Reproofs and slight his Judgments that are executed on their Fellows before their own faces They speak in the Language of the Jews Isa 5.19 That say Let him make speed and hasten his work that we may see it and let the Counsel of the holy One of Israel draw nigh and come that we may know it These jear at Gods Judgments and mock at his Menaces they credit not his Comminations nor expect their Execution They look on the words of their Prophets as meer wind and the matter of their Prophesie as a meer mockery Let him make speed c. and the Counsel of the holy One of Israel draw nigh i. e. you have much and long told us that your holy One forsooth who cannot abide sin and who is of purer eyes then to behold Iniquity will execute his Judgments on us for our sins and that this is by Counsel established and cannot be reversed we would willingly see these Judgments so much talked of and do wish that they may hasten and not linger as they do for we neither believe you nor fear them But who were these who spake at this desperate rate truly those that lived in Commissions who brought forth wild Grapes Isa 5.4 who brought forth filthy naughty abominable fruit in stead of Grapes the Vineyard brought forth Thorns and Briars These were they who dared the Divine Justice as if they had been incarnate Devils 3. Gross sins of Commission are more directly contrary to the very light of Nature Indeed it is against the light of Nature not to feed the Hungry and cloath the Naked and help the Distressed but it 's much more against the light of Nature to oppress the Poor and Needy and slay the Widow and Fatherless Because natural light is much more disturbed by gross Commissions than by bare Neglects it appears that those are more against a natural Conscience than these We read that the natural light of the Heathen did discover the sinfulness of their Commission and condemn them for them Rom 1. 〈…〉 lt And that the Barbarians by the ligâ—â— of Nature could discover the evil of Murder and how Vengeance like a Blood-Hound did pursue the violent man to take and slay him Act. 28.4 Now that which so directly opposeth not only Scripture but Nature and that which a man will do as it were violence to his own Conscience that he may commit must unquestionably be dreadful and out of measure sinful As the Apostle saith To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin James 4.17 ult So say I to him that knoweth he should not do these evils and doth them to him they are sins i. e. a wickedness with a witness They have more of enmity against God and contempt of his Mind and have sadder marks of Divine Vengeance But what sins are more against knowledge than those that are not only committed in spight of Scripture but also of Nature it self No Vinegar so sharp as that which is made of the sharpest Wine He that knoweth his Masters Will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes He that knoweth his Masters Will is that he should forbear such sins and yet commits them shall be beaten with many stripes Luke 12. 4. Gross sins of Commission are more scandalous to men and bring more dishonour to God They give greater offence to men good men are grieved by them Lots righteous Soul was vexed with the unclean conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 David tells us Rivers of Tears ran down his eyes because the wicked broke Gods Law Psal 119.136 Jeremiah wept in secret for the sins of Israel Jer. 13.17 Wicked mens sins cause godly mens sorrow They need not disturb the Righteous by their Persecutions of them they do it sufficiently by their Transgressions against God As these gross sins grieve the good so they harden the bad Others are encouraged to dress themselves by such foul and false Glasses Jer. 23.14 Vile Sinners presume their states good though their lives be bad because they are no worse than such and such possibly who are learned and rich and therefore counted wise men and therefore whatever befals them they shall fare as well as others Alas how many walk more by Patterns than by Commands and so are led by following others to Hell And how deep will they be damned who draw others after them to Sin and Hell They who forsake the Law praise the wicked Prov. 28.4 i. e. commend them for their wickedness as they who keep the Law condemn them Gross Commission dishonour God most they cause others to speak ill of God and disgracefully of Religion Nathan tells David That by his Uncleanness and Murder He had caused the Enemies of God to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12. If a Child of God commit one such noisome act the wicked quickly take the scent and a Cry is raised among the whole Pack who with open mouth upon this pursue and blaspheme God and godliness By these particulars it appears that gross Commissions are sins of the greatest size and therefore must have the greatest severity If they are used as Bastards who met not Israel with bread and water how will God use them at last who meet his people with Bonds and Fetters with Fire and Fagot If Christ pronounce such a dreadful Sentence in the Text against the Comparative green Tree what shall become of the dry CHAP. XXVII Negative godliness is not enough Christs impartiality in Judgment IN the second place Second use of Information If Christ will condemn men at the Great Day for sins of Omission it may inform us that a negative Religion or negative Christianity is not enough Many please themselves that they are Gracious because they are not openly Vicious and that they are Pious because they are not scandalously Prophane but they mistake and deceive themselves It is good not to do evil but it is evil not to do good Negative Christians are as it was said of Galba Potius extra
Father well the old man of whom ye spake Gen. 43.27 David's heart was set on Absolom therefore when the Messenger return'd from the Battel he doth in the first place and in a special manner enquire after him Is the young man Absolom safe 2 Sam. 18. Thus Christ being so infinitely taken with Charity cannot but make a great enquiry after it at the Great Day It is fruit that will then abound to the Saints account Phil. 4.17 And such Seed that they who sow it liberally shall reap it liberally 2 Cor. 9.6 CHAP. XVII Three particulars about the Text. I Come now somewhat closer to the Reason of the Sentence For I was hungry and ye gave me no meat c. Here we must understand 1. Observ That the omission of inward Charity is included in this of outward and will be as dangerous if not more at the Great Day The subject of it the Soul is much more noble than the Body therefore to suffer a Soul to perish through our neglect of giving it spiritual Alms is a greater sin than to suffer the outward man to perish for want of bodily Alms. Again the end of spiritual Alms is higher than of bodily the eternal Salvation of the Soul 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your Faith the eternal salvation of your Souls Both sorts of Charity are comprehended into these two verses Visito Poto Cibo Redimo Tego Colligo Condo Consule Castiga Solare Remitte Fer Ora. 2. Observ That other Works beside Works of Charity and other Omissions beside the Omission of this Duty will be mentioned at that Day and men shall be judged according to them Indeed all our Works will be then accounted for But you will say What time will this take up I answer It seems probable that the day of Judgment may last longer than most imagine The Holy Ghost tells us That God will bring every Work into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Eccles 12. ult If every Work then more than acts of Charity and if every Work good or bad open or secret then the day of Judgment must be a long day The Apostle speaks the same as to the matter of Judgment with the wise man We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 There are two of our eminent English Divines now with God who have left their Judgment herein upon Record One tells us I humbly conceive That the day of Judgment shall not be past over in an instant but shall be of long continuance Mr. Strong in a Serm. on 2 Cor. 5.10 p. 26. For if Christ should judge only as God he could dispatch it in an instant but his judging us men will be after the manner of men that the Creature may understand admire and approve what is done The other saith Mr. Shepherds sound Convert p. 88. It must take up some large quantity of time to manifest all the secret sins of men and therefore it may be made evident both from Scripture and Reason that this Day of Christs Kingly Office in judging the world shall last happily longer than the day of Christs private Administration now in governing the World Austin tells us Austin De Civit. Dei lib. 20. cap. 1. Per quot dies hoc judicium extendatur incertum est Scripturarum more diem poni solere pro tempore nemo nescit 3. Observ Christ doth not say Ye took my Meat from me or wrong'd me of my Raiment or persecuted me and cast me into Prison But I was hungry and ye gave me no meat naked and ye cloathed me not in prison and ye visited me not He doth not say I was hungry and naked and sick and instead of relieving ye derided me and by your taunts and jears added Affliction to the afflicted or ye despised and condemned me as they James 2.6 But I was hungry and ye gave me no meat c. It was a bare omission of a necessary Duty for which they are sentenced to Hell It 's not robbing but not relieving not oppressing them with violence but not supplying their necessities which Christ here condemneth them for These words consider'd thus relatively as the reason of Christs severe Sentence will afford us this Doctrine which I chiefly intend CHAP. XVIII That sins of Omission are dangerous and damnable Doctrine THat sins of Omission are dangerous and damnable or Christ will sentence men at the Great Day to eternal punishment of loss and sense for not feeding the Hungry and cloathing the Naked Observe how naturally the Doctrine floweth from the Text Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels For I was hungry and ye gave me no meat thirsty and ye gave me no drink c. The sin mentioned is a bare omission and the Sentence clearly speaks the punishment Hence I gather That sins of Omission are damnable Christ will sentence men to Hell for them Saul's not slaying Agag an omission lost him the Kingdom 1 Sam. 15.20 26. The Moabites and Ammonites were excluded the Sanctuary of God an high and special Priviledge to the tenth Generation for an omission for not meeting Israel with bread and water in the Wilderness Deut. 33.4 But it 's as clear these sins bring eternal as well as temporal pains and punishment The slothful Servant is sentenced and sent into utter darkness where is weeping and gnashing of teeth for a bare omission for not improving his Talent Matth. 25.24 to 31. The Servant did not waste his Talent by Riotousness as the Prodigal did for he tells his Lord v. 25. Lo here is thine only omit to improve it through idleness But he who wanted hands to work had fetters provided for hands and feet And he who would not work by the light is rewarded with utter darkness Again we have a clear and full proof of the Doctrine in Matth. 3.10 And now also the Ax is laid to the root of the Trees therefore every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire In the verse we have three parts considerable 1. the Sin and that is a bare omission the not bringing forth good fruit Our Saviour speaks the same in Matth. 7.19 He doth not say Every Tree that bringeth forth evil fruit is hewn down that bringeth forth Drunkenness or Robbery or Uncleanness or unsavory Communication c. is cast into the fire But every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit The sin is only a neglect of positive holiness 2. The severity of the punishment is hewn down and cast into the fire The hewing down is the fitting and preparing the Sinner for the fire as the Tree cut down is prepared for burning This is done by their provoking God to leave them to impenitency under the ministry of the Word The Word is compared to a Sword Ephes 6.17 A two-edged Sword Rev. 1.16 And it will cut and hack and
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
ever and this farthest utmost endless departure of the Creature from God who is the only Life and Heaven of him will be a Death and Hell with a witness God will be God at that Day in the account of the worst of men though he be their laughing-stock and sinning-stock at this day Though these ungodly ones sit aloft here in the Courts of men and who but they Yet the Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment Psal 1.5 At the Great Day when they shall be judged 1. They shall be ashamed they shall not stand i. e. not hold up their heads with joy but hang down their heads with shame Dan. 12. Some shall arise to shame and confusion of face 2. The Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment i. e. they shall not be justified When they shall be tried for their Lives and Deaths for their endless unchangeable states they shall be cast and condemned When all Adams Posterity shall make their personal appearance before the God of the Spirits of all Flesh to receive their eternal doom and when the Judge of Quick and Dead cloathed with his Majestick Robes of Glory accompanied with an illustrious train of Angels shall sit down on the Judgment Seat he shall pronounce a Sentence of Condemnation on all ungodly Ones If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquity O Lord who should stand Psal 130.3 i. e. If thou Lord should observe exactly the best mans heart and life and accordingly deal with him not one man could be justified Who shall stand i. e. righteous at thy Bar. 3. The Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment i. e. they shall not conquer when they shall be impleaded and accused by the Devil and the Law at that day An Army foil'd is said not to stand before their Enemies And again An Army beaten is said to fall before their Adversaries Dan. 11.25 And the Conquerors are said to stand Ephes 6.13 The Devil will bring his large Bills of Indictments into the Court against the Ungodly for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5.8 A Court-Adversary and the Law will second the Devil and joyn with him in his Accusations the Sinners Conscience will joyn with both and assent to the truth of their Indictments The Ungodly will have no Advocate to plead for him Christ that sometimes offer'd him that kindness will now plead against him and so he must needs fall and be conquer'd by his Enemies CHAP. XXX Sinners Conviction at the Day of Judgment The purity of Christs Religion above all others Sixth Use of Information 6. IF Christ will say to them on the left hand Depart from me For I was Hungry and ye gave me no meat Or if Christ will condemn men for sins of Omission at the Great Dy It informs us That Christ will be rational in his most severe proceedings even to the Conviction of the Sinners own Conscience I draw this from the Coherence of the verses Christ first pronounceth the Sentence vers 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire And then vers 42. he gives the reason For I was hungry and ye gave me no meat c. which though at first they seem to question yet at last they are muzled and put to silence Jude tells us of solemn Condemnation and solemn Conviction of these ungodly Ones as the chief businesse of that Day Behold he cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgment on all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly Sinners have spoken against him Jude 14 15. Execution by an Hysteron Proteron is put before Conviction yet one great work of that Great Day is to convince these ungodly Ones and the severity of the Process is against the Ungodly This Conviction implyeth 1. A reflection of Conscience upon all their past and former sins Conscience as a Glass shall represent to the Sinner all his lusts which he hath loved above his Soul and Saviour in all their ugly features and loathsome colours The Books at that day will be opened Rev. 20.12 i. e. The Book of Gods Remembrance Mal. 3. and the Book of Conscience Sins are not gone as soon as done God records them in his Book of Remembrance and Conscience will review them all in that Day of Vengeance Though it could not be heard by the Sinner in this World for the noise of his carnal delights and cry of his worldly delights yet when it sets his sins in order before his eyes in their monstrous frightful shapes it will thunder in his Ears as Reuben to his Brethren Did not I tell you of this and say Do not sin and thou wouldst not hear therefore all this Wrath and Fury and Flames and Darkness and Chains are come upon thee 2. This Conviction implyeth a silencing the Sinner that he will have nothing to say either against God or for himself A man that is convinced hath his mouth stop'd When the Spirit convinceth the World of sin the World hath not a word to say against the Sin and Guilt which the Law chargeth on it Every mouth is stoped and all the World is guilty before God How often is the poor Creature self-convinced and self-condemned here but soon after the sick qualms go off his stomach and he is revived with the Cordials of sinful shifts and excuses wherewith he deludes himself and presumes he may also deceive God but at the Great Day as his Convictions will be more killing so they will be more lasting The man will be dumb and speechless when Christ shall say Why didst thou deny to relieve my Servants in their wants Why didst thou slight my Blood neglect my Worship grieve my Spirit and omit to obey my positive Laws Matth. 22.3 4 5. The very Heathen who shall be imprison'd in the dark dungeon of Hell for imprisoning the Truth and holding it in unrighteousness will not have a motion in their Breasts of accusing God for false Imprisonment How certainly then and how fully will the Consciences of Christians who lived under the Gospel justifie God when he shall condemn them for not believing and not repenting upon the Messages he sent to them of pardon and life 7. If Christ will condemn men at the Great Day for sins of Omission It may inform us of the excellency of the Christian Religion above all other Religions The excellency of any Religion consisteth in the purity of its Precepts and strictness of its Commands now no Religion is so holy in its Commands and so exact in its Laws as the Christian Religion Moral Duties are advanced by it to their highest perfection and moral Vices are debased by it to their lowest degradation The Commandment of the Lord is pure Psal 19. Thy Word is very pure Christ will condemn men to Hell at the last Day for Omissions as well as Commissions for neglect of known Duties as well as
to the Text. THough the Wise God is pleased now and then to keep a Peti-Sessions at this day and to execute Vengeance on some Sinners lest men should question his Providence and but on some lest they should question his Patience Yet the Great Assize when Justice shall have a solemn publick and general Triumph will be the last Day This World is the Theatre whereon Mercy is acting its part every moment if Justice peep out a little as the Sun out of a Cloud it is quickly recall'd and hidden again it will not appear in its full beauty and glory and brightness till all Nations appear in the other World Here all things come alike to all there is one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked to the Clean and to the Vnclean to him that sweareth and to him that feareth an Oath Eccles 9.2 The Sun of Prosperity shineth and the Showers of Adversity fall on both promiscuously If there be any difference for the better it is commonly on the worser side Psal 73.3 to the 8. vers But there when the last Trump shall sound the living be changed the dead raised and all shall appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ when the Saints shall be called honoured acquitted and rewarded when the Sinner shall be arraigned accused condemned and executed when the Judge shall say to the Saints on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World And to the Sinners on his left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Then men will see and say Verily there is a reward for the Righteous Surely there is a God that judgeth in the World Then men shall return and discern a difference between the Righteous and the Wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not In relation to this great and general Judgment we may consider 1. The Efficient or Judge vers 31. The Son of man shall come in his glory with all his holy Angels and shall sit on the Throne of his Glory He that was judged by man shall be Judge of men 2. The Subject or Persons to be judged all the World vers 32. And before him shall be gathered all Nations The Congregation of the whole World together shall follow upon the sound of the Trumpet In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall sound the dead indefinitely shall be raised 1 Cor. 15.52 Some understand the sound of the Trumpet Metaphorically for the Virtue and Power of Christ whereby he shall cite and cause all the World to appear before him Others take it literally and properly as God appeared on Mount Sinai when he gave the Law with the long and loud sound of a Trumpet Exod. 19.19 So he will appear at the great Day with the sound of a Trump when he comes to reckon with men for the breach of the Law Matth. 24.31 And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet The Jews gathered their solemn Assemblies together with the sound of a Trumpet And God will gather the greatest assembly of men that ever was with the sound of a Trumpet Adam shall then see all his Children to the hundredth and thousandth and hundred thousand Generation 3. The Form or Proceeding at that day from vers 32. to the end 4. The Event or Execution of the Sentence vers 1. And these shall go into everlasting punishment as Hamans face was covered when the Sentence was given and presently led forth to Execution and the Righteous into life eternal About the Form or Process of this Day wherein the Text lieth these four particulars are observable 1. The separation of Persons 2. The setting them in their places 3. The manifestation of persons and things 4. The pronunciation of the Sentence 1. The separation of Persons Now the Tares and Wheat grow together but then they shall be parted asunder vers 32. And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard separateth his sheep from the goats Here they mingle together in the same House and Family and Society but there the Devils Herd of Goats shall be by themselves and Christs Flock by themselves The Wicked shall be gathered together and he shall bind them in bundles Matth. 13.41 and the Godly gathered together The Sinner shall have his desire not to be troubled with Admonitions or Singularity of the Precise and the Saint shall have his Prayer not to be vexed with the filthy Conversation of the Prophane Psal 26.4 5 6 7. I have not sate with vain persons neither will I go in with Dissemblers I have hated the Congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the Wicked c. 2. The setting them in their places Now the vilest men are exalted and the most virtuous debased but then it shall be otherwise And then he shall set the Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on his left vers 33. Here the Godly are set in low places on foot-stools the Wicked in high places on Thrones But there the Godly shall be honoured and the Wicked disgraced The right hand is a place of the greatest honour To sit at a Kings right hand is the highest Seat next him To sit on King Solomon's right hand was the honour he gave his Mother 1 King 2.19 To sit at the right hand of God is peculiar to Christ whom he hath honoured and exalted above Principalities and Powers To which of the Angels said he at any time sit thou on my right hand Ephes 20.21 Heb. 1.13 And to sit on the right hand of Christ will be the honour of his Spouse his Queen At thy right hand was the Queen in Gold of Ophir Psal 45.9 They who are now placed at the left hand of earthly Princes will then be placed at the right hand of the King of Kings of the blessed and glorious Potentate and they who are now placed at Kings right hands will be placed at Christs left hand 3. The manifestation of Persons and things 1. Of Persons 1. Of Men. All men shall then be pellucid and transparent as Christal We must all appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth a clear and a permanent manifestation Such a clear manifestation of men that every one may see into them what they are and what they have been and such a permanent manifestation as will last for ever according to the Greek Scholiast on 1 Tim. 3.18 Good men shall then be manifested their Principles their Practices their Designs and Purposes and their uprightness in all to their glory and praise They who are now accused of Hypocrisie and Obstinacy and Pride and Peevishness because they could not swim with the stream nor run with others
scorned and mocked for their purity and preciseness in the presence of Christ in the Arms and embraces of Christ in a state of full Happiness and perfect Satisfaction while they themselves are shut out and denied entrance Luk. 13.25 28. The fire of Hell will give them light enough to see as well as heat enough to feel themselves infinitely miserable 5. It will greatly add to their torment and anguish to consider that they were sometime near the enjoyment of this blissful presence of Christ Pardon and Peace and Love and Life and the endless fruition of the blessed Jesus were tendered to them were nigh them were at the very door of their hearts They were solemnly commanded lovingly invited severely threatned sweetly allured and pathetically perswaded to accept of Christ and Grace yea and Heaven and Happiness and eternal Life yea and their hearts began to relent and to close with the intreaties of the Gospel They were almost perswaded to be Christians indeed There was but a little a very little between them and Christ The bargain was driven so far that Christ was got into their consciences they bore witness for him and warn'd them if they loved their Lives their Souls to accept of him while he would accept of them yea Christ was got into their Judgments they gave their Verdict on his side as one infinitely more amiable and elegible than the World or Flesh nay he had possibly got into their Affections they delighted to hear of his great Love to poor Sinners and of the great things he purchased for them with his own blood and yet though they were so near they came short and like Ephraim play'd the part of unwise Sons and stay'd in the place of the breaking forth of Children O how like a Dagger will it pierce the heart of them that live under the Gospel and neglect the great Salvation offer'd to them when they come to be banished the presence of Christ and to see others who made Religion their business on Earth bathing their Souls in Rivers of Pleasures drawing water with joy out of the Well of Salvation eating of the Tree of Life that groweth in the midst of Paradise and hous'd in the Arms of their dearest Saviour and shall reflect and consider with themselves all those Joys and Pleasures all those Dainties and Delicacies all those Robes and Riches and Glories and Felicities which they enjoy in the presence of Christ might have been mine they were freely and frequently and affectionately offered to me I had the refusal of them nay I had a good mind to them I was not far from the Kingdom of Heaven There was but a little between me and them they were at the very door of my heart and stood knocking there for admission and desired only hearty acceptance but like a Fool I dallied with them and defer'd them as if hereafter had been time enough and so have lost them for ever 6. It will much augment their anguish and misery to consider who it is that passeth so severe a doom upon them This dreadful Sentence is pronounced by Love and Grace and Goodness it self He that sometimes call'd them to him so sweetly so affectionately now casts them from him so sharply so furiously He who sometimes cry'd to them Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and wept over them O that thou hadst known even thou in this thy day the things of thy peace He that formerly invited intreated besought them to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 and shew'd them his heart-blood the price of their Pardon and Life and stretch'd out his Arms to imbrace their returning Souls will now in wrath and rage and flames and fury bid them be gone from him and his Curse go along with them And if Love prove their Enemy surely Wrath will not be their Friend And if Mercy be thus against them surely Justice will not be for them Ah how sorely will it gall the Sinner to consider This dreadful doom is denounced against me not by an Enemy or one that hated me but by a Friend and Father by one that loved me and took my nature on him and suffered therein the Laws Curse to render me capable of escaping these Torments which I now suffer and partaking of those Pleasures which yonder blessed Souls enjoy CHAP. VII Containing the folly of Sinners and the vast difference between them and the Godly at the Great day 3. IT informeth us that every wicked man is out of his wits surely the man is mad who exchangeth his Soul and Saviour and God and all for a little worldly profit or fleshly pleasure yea that parts with true and durable Riches for shadowy and fading Treasure that loseth heavenly and eternal Joys for earthly and transitory Pleasures No man can love sin but he hates himself nor part with his Duty but he parts with his Felicity And surely such a man who hates himself and forsakes his Happiness is a mad man Well might the Holy Ghost speak the Prodigal out of his wits when he was out of his way and wandring from his Father's house How mad was he to forsake Bread for Husks all the world is but Husks dry coorse empty Fare to the Dainties of the Gospel Bread in a Fathers house for Husks among Swine yea and plenty of Bread enough and to spare for a few Husks that could not fill their Bellies If one Soul be more worth than a whole World surely one Saviour one God is more worth than a thousand Souls than a million of Worlds How mad then is he that parts with this Soul this Saviour this God for a little a very little of this World yea for this little of the World for a very little time If all the delights of the Flesh and all the Pleasures of Sin and all the profits of the World cannot ballance the partial enjoyment of God in his Ordinances for one hour How unable will they be to compensate the loss of full Communion with God for ever O how infinitely doth Christ out-weigh what ever the flesh or world can offer in exchange for him 4. It informeth how contrary the portion of the Godly and the Wicked is at the day of Judgment At this day they fare often alike they fall under the same favourable and frowning Providences they have the same Comforts and the same Crosses If any difference for the better 't is usually on the Sinners side The vilest men are exalted and the proud prosper But at that day there will be a difference indeed for the better on the Saints side That day will be terrible to the Wicked a day of wrath a day of the perdition of ungodly men Rom. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.7 To the Godly a day of Redemption a time of refreshing a day of Light and Gladness and a good day Luk. 21.28 Act. 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshment shall come from
to a poor Creature there is no Condition so bad but might have been worse both for its intention and duration But now in the other World the wicked have Judgment without a mite of Mercy and Misery without any Ease either in regard of degree or intermission All good banished from them and all evil inflicted on them Ex. If the wicked shall be thus punished with the loss of Christ and the pains of Hell fire it exhorts us to flee from the wrath to come Ah who would fry one hour in flames for a Kingdom How dreadful is the hearing of fire fire in the night How doth the very sound of it fright men and women Ah then what will the feeling of it be in utter darkness in that black long night of eternity Sinner when thou art tempted to sin consider whether the satisfaction of thy Lust will make thee amends for and ballance the loss of God and thy suffering the flames of Hell Alas how little is the pleasure of Sin but how terrible how intollerable is the pain of it What wise man would be rack'd a day for a moments delight much less suffer the wrath of an infinite God for the dreggy pleasures of a Beast Dost thou think thou canst bear it art thou able to endure it Canst thou suffer the pain of our fire if not how wilt thou endure the pain of that fire which the breath of a God kindleth and keepeth burning which tortures the Soul as well as the Body and which was prepared of God for the afflicting and punishing his Creatures O Friend flie to Christ if thou wouldst flee from the wrath to come 1 Thess 1. ult He is the only skreen between thee and the fire of Hell Flie from sin if thou wouldst flie from Hell fire Flie the Cause and thou fliest the Effect Take away Sin and you take away Hell Whatsoever thou sowest now thou shalt reap hereafter Gal. 6.7 Sow Lust and reap the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone for ever Sow Holiness and reap Happiness They who sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption but they who sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6.8 CHAP. XIII The eternity of the Sinners misery in the other World with the grand Reason of it I Come now to the eternity of the Sinners punishment in that word Everlasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is refer'd to God and then is used for that which is eternal à parte ante or that never had a beginning Sometimes it 's refer'd to the rational Creature and then signifieth an eternity a parte post or that which never hath an end The word comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Age because what is everlasting endureth through all Ages and Generations and infinitely beyond them The Doctrine which I shall draw from this property of ungodly mens punishment shall be this Doct. 3. That the punishment of the wicked in the other World will be everlasting It will not only be extream in regard of its intention but also eternal in regard of its duration Their privative punishment will be eternal They shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord 2 Thess 1.7 8. And so will their positive punishment be Jude vers 7. Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them are set forth suffering the vengeance of the eternal fire And Christ tells us There the worm never dieth and the fire never goeth out Matth. 18. And again it 's called the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone for ever It were no small ease to the damned if they had hopes of any end of their misery though after as many millions of millions of years as have been moments since the Creation and as are Creatures small and great in both worlds but it may not be it cannot be after all these years they are not to remain one moment the less in Hell I shall only give the Reasons of it and proceed to the Use There are several Reasons given why the Sinners temporal fault should have an eternal punishment 1. Some tell us He refused eternal Life and therefore it 's but reason he should be punished with eternal death They had eternal pains and eternal pleasures set before them and they chose eternal pains In choosing the way they chose the end they chose the way of the Flesh the way of their own Hearts and so consequentially they chose Hell to which that way led Now if a man hath but his own choice whom can he blame but himself If a man have what he desireth and loveth if it be ill with him he must thank himself He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul all that hate me love death Prov. 8. ult Jer. 4.17 18. 2. Others tell us That if they should live here for ever they would sin for ever therefore God taking the will for the deed punisheth them for ever They die eternally for sin who would have lived eternally in sin Vellet sine fine vivere ut posset sine fine peccare Greg. Man would live here for ever if he had his will that he might sin for ever Scotus and Aquinas tell us Peccant in aeterno suo puniuntur in aeterno Dei They sin in their eternity and God punisheth them in his eternity If God would give them an eternal abode on Earth they would imploy it in disobeying and dishonouring him eternally And because they would sin for ever therefore they shall suffer for ever Jer. 8.5 The Children of Israel are slidden back with a perpetual back-sliding they hold fast deceit and refuse to return How loath are they to forsake their Lusts 1. They hold them fast As a Fountain sendeth forth water so doth the Sinner send forth wickedness Jer. 6.7 Now a Fountain sendeth forth water freely without constraint and constantly without cessation What any thing doth naturally it doth easily and unweariedly The Sun shines naturally and he shines without any pains or tiresomeness The Fountain sends forth water naturally and doth it with ease and constancy So the Sinner sins naturally and doth it delightfully and unweariedly When the Body and its members the instruments of sin are tired and worn out and unable to execute the lusts of the flesh the body of sin is still fresh and vigorous in plotting and conspiring evil and in embracing and cherishing evil motions whence it appears that man sinning naturally would if he lived sin eternally and thence say they He is tormented for ever But 3. The principal Reason of the eternity of the Sinners misery and indeed the only reason in my Judgment with due respect to others is the infinite demerit of sin as committed against an infinite Majesty Because the Sinner is not capable of bearing a punishment infinite in intension therefore he must have it infinite in duration I doubt not but if the Sinner were able to bear the infinite stroak of Divine
hand whom I appointed to utter destruction thy life shall go for his life Eli was a good man and as much in Gods Favour but by not reproving his Sons he so far incurred Gods anger that he lost his two wicked Fondlings in a day and the Priest-hood for ever 1 Sam. 3.12 13 c. Moses was God's special Friend and Favorite And the Lord spake to Moses face to face as a man speaketh to his Friend Exod. 33.11 And the Lord said to Moses thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by Name Yet when this Moses is guilty of an Omission that he doth not believe God nor sanctifie his Name in the eyes of the Children of Israel he is excluded the temporal Canaan Numb 20.12 Though Moses was taken up to the Mount to converse with God forty days together when Aaron and all the people must stay below though Moses was honour'd to see the Commands written with God's own Hand though Moses was taken into a Rock while God passed before him that he might hear his Name The Lord the Lord God gracious c. proclaimed and see his back parts though God was pleased to confer with Moses as one Friend with another yet when this Moses comes to be guilty of such an Omission he is denied liberty to enter into the Land flowing with Milk and Honey Nay though this Moses begs so hard I pray thee let me go over and see the good Land beyond Jordan that goodly Mountain and Lebanon Yet God was so provoked by his Omission that though he had heard him once and again for greater things on the behalf of others Exod. 33.11 to 15. Numb 14.10 He would not hear him in this small Request for himself But his wrath was kindled and he would not hear me and said let it suffice thee speak no more unto me of this matter Deut. 3.25 26. Nay how angry was Christ with the man who had not a Wedding-Garment at his Supper how severe is his Sentence how dreadful his Doom And when the King came in to see the Guests he saw there a man which had not a Wedding-Garment Though but one in a Crowd Christ spied him 1. Here is his Transgression We do not read that the man slighted the Invitation and denied to come as they in vers 5. nor that he intreated his Servants spitefully and slew them as those vers 6. We do not read that the man came to the Feast in a drunken-fit or reproached and abused either the Master or Guests but only omitted to bring with him a Wedding-Garment which some say is Charity others Obedience he was a Professor but without godly practices but I suppose is meant Christ and the Graces of the Spirit which are compared to a Garment Rom. 13. Col. 3. Ephes 4.23 24. And that ye be renewed in the Spirit of your Minds And that ye put on the new man 2. Here is the mans self-conviction vers 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was muzled The same word is used of muzling the mouth of a Beast whereby its unable to open it to eat 1 Cor. 9.9 His conscience was that which put a muzle on his mouth being convinced that he might and ought to have procured a Garment before he had gone to the Feast They who have a form and no power of Godliness who make a shew without any substance of Religion will be speechless when Christ shall come to reckon with them 3. Here is his Condemnation vers 13. Bind him hand and foot When Malefactors are cast in Law either by their own Confession or the Evidence of others the Gaoler puts new Fetters and Shackles on them to secure their Persons against Sentence and Execution lest they should make an escape Bind him hand and foot Make sure of him The Sinner shall have no power of resisting or possibility of flying from Divine severity And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ejicite cast him forth Cast him out as a vile loathsome abominable wretch unfit for company whom I hate to behold Into utter darkness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prison a Dungeon where there is no light a condition most remote from joy and comfort such darkness as hath a blackness joyn'd to it Jude vers 13. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth weeping for the extremity of their own pain and gnashing of teeth out of envy at others happiness CHAP. XXIII The danger of sins of Omission in their destructiveness to man and our proneness to over-look them 3. THe danger of Sins of Omission will appear by their destructiveness to men The more wrong and injury any Sin doth us the more danger is in it Now what hath been already spoken doth abundantly evince this If Omissions are so great sins that they most directly cross the mind of the Law and make way for all Sins of Commission and exceedingly grieve the Spirit of God they must needs be dangerous and destructive to men If God himself blame them so sharply threaten them so severely and punish them so grievously who are guilty of such sins then these Sins must be very injurious to us But it will further appear if you consider that they cause 1. The Judgments of God on men in regard of their Bodies or external Comforts He punisheth many with extream penury for not being diligent in their particular Callings Their idleness which is a sin of Omission cloaths them with rags Prov. 23.21 Again The idle Soul shall suffer hunger Prov. 19.15 How doth experience prove the truth of this Many begin the World as we say with considerable Estates who in a few years for lack of care and industry in their Imploys have wasted all The idle man may call the Prodigal Brother Besides these Sins of Omission are punished with a temporal destruction The Lord having saved the people out of the Land of Egypt afterwards destroyed them that believed not Jude vers 5. Israel was God's own people his peculiar treasure Exod. 19.5 a people nigh unto him Psal 148. ult incomparable for this Deut. 4.7 and other Priviledges Rom. 9.4 Yet when guitly of this Omission God would not spare them but destroy'd them No Priviledges can exempt from punishment God may forsake his Tabernacle at Shiloth deliver his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemies hand if they will not believe him if they will not obey him Psal 78.60 61. 2. A judicial tradition to spiritual Judgments Of all Judgments none in this World are so dreadful as those that are spiritual bodily Judgments touch the Flesh but these the Spirit When God would speak and wreak his anger against a person or people to the utmost he doth it this way by giving them up to their own wickedness When he would strike Ephraim under the fifth Rib and kill him at a blow it is by this Judgment Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Hos 4.17 He is given to Idolatry let him take his fill of it
judgment of many that a Princes Negative Voice is a greater part and mark of his Royalty than any Affirmative Command of his for a King may have Power to Command that which he hath no Power to forbid As he may and should enjoyn his Subjects to Worship the true God according to his revealed Will but he hath no Power to forbid them Thus in Sins of Omission for a man to live without Prayer without the love and fear of God without delight in him and communion with him without care of and watchfulness over his own heart and life may be a greater sign of the reign of Sin and thereby of an unregenerate state than the commission of some gross actual Transgressions It is apparent that this man is under the power of Lust as a Servant to it Tit. 3.3 And under the dominion of the Devil carried captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 And an unregenerate unsanctified person because he lives in Disobedience to these positive Laws of God Whereas he that is born of God sinneth not 1 Joh. 3.9 with his whole will there is not a free voluntary chearful submission of his Will to the quiet undisturbed dominion of Sin And he that is born of God hath a tender regard to the whole Law I have esteemed thy Precepts concerning all things to be right therefore I hate every false way Psal 119.128 He hath respect to Affirmative as well as Negative Precepts He hath an equal uniform regard to all the Law to that part which commands the doing good as well as that part which forbids the doing evil Therefore the man that lives in Sins of Omission is not born of God and therefore uncapable by the Gospel of Heaven and so justly for this cause sentenced to Hell CHAP. XXV Farther Reasons why Christ at the Great Day will condemn men for sins of Omission 3. CHrist will condemn men at the Reason 3 Great Day for sins of Omission because those that live in such Sins have no interest in himself There is no way to escape Hell but by the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thess 1. ult Jesus that delivereth from the wrath to come There is no way to attain Heaven but by Christ I give to them eternal life and they shall never perish Joh. 10.28 As Salvation is God's Gift Rom. 6. ult so it 's Christs Purchase There is no Name under Heaven whereby men may be saved but by the Name of Christ Act. 4.12 So that all who are without Christ not interested in him must of necessity perish He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5.12 Those that are without Christ are unpardoned All their sins are imputed to them Ephes 4. ult Rom. 3.25 And where-ever sin is imputed it condemneth Ezek. 18.3 Those that are not interested in Christ are Children of the Devil Joh. 8.44 and Children of wrath Ephes 2.2 3. And such Children must be with their Father the Devil and under wrath for ever Now those that live in Sins of Omission have no interest in Christ Our interest in Christ and so in Life is by Faith That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Ephes 3.17 Gal. 2.20 I live by Faith in the Son of God It is Faith that causeth the Union between Christ and the Soul and joyns them together by virtue of which Union the Christian hath communion with Christ in his Merits and Righteousness that his Life and Death and Burial are the Christians are by God imputed to him as if performed in his own person Hence it 's said That the Christian lives with Christ is crucified with Christ and buried with Christ Rom. 6.4 And the Christian is said to be the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. ult By this Union with Christ which is the fruit of Faith the Christian is made a Son of God Gal. 3.26 and so an Heir of God and Joynt-Heir with Christ Rom. 8.17 As a Woman by marriage being united and made one with a Man hath communion with him in his Relations Honours and Estate So the Christian by Faith made one with Christ hath communion with him in his Relations Go tell my Brethren I go to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Joh. 20.17 In his Estate Christ is Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 and the Believer is a Joynt-Heir with him as is before proved Christ was the First-born among many Brethren and so the Inheritance did belong to him Col. 1.18 Believers are a Congregation of first-born and so the right of the Inheritance is theirs Heb. 12.23 But such as live in sins of Omission are without Faith and therefore without Christ and therefore must be without Heaven for ever Faith is a sanctifying as well as a justifying Grace Act. 26.18 And to give them an Inheritance among them that are sanctified through Faith in Christ and therefore will not suffer the Soul to live in any sin Faith will not suffer a man to live in the want of love to God in so great an Omission for when Faith certifieth the Soul of Gods love to it this kindleth in the Soul flames of love to God 1 Joh. 4.19 When Faith brings much fewel the fire of love will be great Faith will not suffer a man to live without Repentance The eye of Faith which beholds a Christ crucified for sin affects the heart with sorrow for and indignation against those sins that crucified him Zach. 12.10 They shall see him whom they have pierced and mourn Faith will not suffer a man to live without delight in Christ and rejoycing in the God of all Consolation Faith seeth so much good certainly laid up in the Covenant and Promises for the Soul that it fills the Soul with joy in the hope and expectation of the enjoyment of them Whom having not seen we love and in whom believing though now we see him not we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.7 8. Faith will not suffer a man to live without waiting quietly on God Faith will not limit the Holy One of Israel but patiently stay Gods time for the mercies the Soul wanteth Faith knoweth his Bonds are good his Debts are in sure Hands The God that cannot lye hath promised Tit. 1.2 and therefore is not hasty to call them in He that believeth will not make haste Isa 28.16 Faith will not suffer a man to live without prayer He that knows his own wants and necessities how great and urgent they are and also where he may quickly have liberal Supplies and bountiful Relief will not long be kept from that Door You may sooner and easier put off a Beggar ready to starve who must needs perish if Charity do not help him and perswade him never to ask Alms more as keep a Believer from his daily waiting at Heavens Temple to ask spiritual Alms. An Unbeliever hath little hope to speed and therefore little heart to
Omission for not visiting the Sick and Imprisoned and not relieving the Hungry and Naked Then it may inform us That nothing short of practical godliness will speak a mans estate safe at this Day or fore-speak his estate to be comfortable at that day The want of this is the cause of these mens condemnation They might forbear injuring the Saints they might speak them fair bid them Be ye fed Be ye cloathed They might wish them well they might honour and respect them as Herod did the Baptist for their sanctity and righteousness yet because they were void of this practical godliness they gave them not wherewith to be fed and cloathed they are banished the presence of Christ and adjudged to the Curses and Company of Devils 1. A great Profession will not do without this practical godliness Some soar high in their Professions of and pretences to greater strictness and degrees of Grace and Holiness than others who alas fall foully often on Earth and always into Hell for lack of this practical godliness As some great Tradesmen who living wholly upon their Credit with others without any stock of their own quickly break and miscarry A Profession is but as the leaves of a Tree a sign of fruit not the fruit it self There is a vast difference between leaves and fruit Some think that Christ had not cursed the Fig-Tree if it had been without leaves as well as without fruit But when by its leaves it professed to have fruit Vide Robinson 1. part 132 and invited him to it in expectation thereof and disappointed him he presently claps a Curse on it that withers it at the very roots The Pharisees were great Professors made broad their Philacteries where-ever they went would be known for persons extraordinarily pious and religious yet how wicked was their state Matth. 5.20 Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall never enter into the Kingdom of God and how woful is their Condition Woe to you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites ye live in Omissions ye neglect the great things of the Law Judgment Mercy and Faith Matth. 23.23 2. Great Gifts and Parts will not do without this A man may have choice natural Abilities rare acquired Accomplishments yea common Gifts of the Spirit of God and yet for want of this practical godliness be damned What amiable words come out of Balaams mouth he speaks like a Saint yea like an Angel how often have I heard his Prophesies with great admiration and affection his Tongue hath melted my heart and yet he had no good works for all his many good words and his lack of practical godliness ruin'd him What special endowments had they who preached in the Name of Christ and in his Name cast out Devils and in his Name did many marvailous works and yet were cast to Devils for being Workers of Iniquity as all are who are void of this practical godliness Matth. 7.21 23. What excellent Gifts doth the Apostle suppose a man to have the gift of Prophesing of understanding all Mysteries and all Knowledge and of all Faith so as to remove Mountains and yet if he have not Charity he is nothing c. 1 Cor. 13.2 3. If he love not his Brother and express it not to his power by spiritual and bodily Charity which is part of practical godliness he is nothing in Gods Eye what ever he may be in the eyes of men 3. Great Priviledges with seeming performances without this practical godliness will not do They who had Tabernacle Temple Ark Covenant Promises for want of this were destoy'd The Ark could not preserve them Afterwards when they nelected practical godliness the Temple could not protect them He bids the Jews go and see what he did to his place at Shiloh for their Iniquities He made them monuments of his Fury who had been patterns of his Pity when they neglected this practical godliness How meanly doth God discourse of seeming Obedience to his own Institutions when this is neglected Though they had his own Divine stamp on them and were signs of the sweetest Sacrifice and the most acceptable Service imaginable and he had often taken delight in them yet when they left off to do well observe his Language about them To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifice to me saith the Lord bring no more vain Oblations Incense is an abomination to me Your new Moons and your appointed Feasts my Soul hateth I cannot bear them What strange expressions are here of his own Institutions But what 's the reason Truly the lack of this vers 17. Learn to do well seek Judgment relieve the Oppressed Judge the Fatherless Plead for the Widow Isa 1.11 to 18. And how peremptorily doth he beat men off from trusting in their Priviledges as of no advantage without this practical godliness Think not saith the Baptist to say within your selves We have Abraham to our Father this was a great Priviledge for with him and his Seed was the Covenant made and to them were Circumcision and the Pass-over the Seals of it given but what counsel doth he give them truly to mind practical godliness Bring forth fruit meet for Repentance i. e. for all the great priviledge in which you take so much pride and upon which you lay so much stress yet you can never flee from the wrath to come unless you bring forth good fruit fruit meet for repentance such fruit as will speak your hearts to be changed such fruit as is suitable to a renewed nature This and this alone is practical godliness The Coherence in that Matth. 3.8 9 10. deserves our Observation And John saith unto the Pharisees O Generation of Vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come bring forth therefore fruit meet for repentance And think not to say within your selves We have Abraham to our Father For I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up Children to Abraham Do not think that God is bound to and must save you because ye are Abrahams Seed for God can of stones make Sons of Abraham And now also the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree therefore every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire CHAP. XXIX The Condition of men only Civil is unsafe and sad 5. IF Christ will condemn men at the Great Day for sins of Omission for not relieving the Poor and Afflicted It may inform us That the condition of men meerly civil and negatively religious will be woful at that day Why Because Christ will command them to depart from him into everlasting fire Ah how dreadful will it be to take an eternal Farewel of the Lord of Life the God of all Grace the Well of Salvation and to enter into a state of Death and Wrath and that for ever If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the Sinner and Vngodly appear 1 Pet. 3. By Sinner I
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
knowledge make way for the sin against the Holy Ghost Matth. 12.32 Heb. 6.4 5 6. Sins against the Gospel are greater than sins against the Law Those sins are against the natural Law the moral and the Law of Faith Rom. 3.27 and are committed in the face of the Sun as they are against the clearest Light so they are against the sweetest Love and therefore the more sinful A Taper in the hand of a Ghost makes it look the more gastly This is the condemnation Joh. 3.19 Sins repeated and reiterated are much greater than sins once committed Hereby the habit of Sin is strengthened frequent acts root the habits Hereby the long-suffering of God is abused for the more patient he is the more he is provoked Rom. 2.4 As in Numbers one in the first place stands but for a single one in the second place ten in the third place for an hundred the fourth place for a thousand so here each Repetition is a great aggravation Prov. 29.1 He that being often reproved hardneth his heart shall be see the grievousness of his punishment not afflicted but destroyed the quickness of it speedily and the irrecoverableness of it and that without remedy It 's one thing to fall into the water another thing to lie there 't is the latter that drowns men The Sins of the people of God are greater respectively than the Sins of others therefore they are said only to do evil as if all the World beside were innocent Jer. 32. The Children of Israel and the Children of Judah have only done evil before me Deut. 32.6 1. As these Sins are committed against the greatest Obligations on Gods part against the electing calling pardoning adopting saving-love each of these is an aggravation of Sin God accents Israels Sin from his special kindness Hos 11.1 Although I was an Husband to them 2. As they are committed against the most solemn ingagements on our part Every of Gods people doth expresly before God Angels and Men promise and covenant to be the Lords wholly universally and eternally the Lords The Israelites avouched God to be theirs And David swore that he would be Gods obedient Servant Psal 119. I have sworn and I will perform that I will keep thy righteous Judgments And it 's no mean Sin to be guilty of Perjury God aggravates the Sin of his people by this They all like men have transgressed the Covenant 3. As these Sins are committed against the greatest helps to Obedience An enlightned Mind a renewed Will sanctified Affections an awakned Conscience and a principle of Life or new Nature are all opposed and resisted by their Disobedience This cut the heart of David that God made him to know Wisdom secretly Psal 51.6 4. As the Sins of these men cause God to be more blasphemed and dishonoured than the Sins of others Levit. 22.31 Nathan tells David By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.14 Indeed these by falling into sin after their Repentance seem to repent of their Repentance and to lick up their Vomit Sins of Omission may be greater in respect of the person committing them a Believer in regard of the means the Offender enjoyeth The Word of the Divine Grace in regard of the matter he omits the Duties of the Gospel and in many other respects than Sins of Commissions in others who have not such circumstances It is very evident and cannot be denied that Sins are unequal for though Original Sin as the Logicians say of Substantia be not capable of magis minus of intension or remission of aggravation or diminution yet actual sins are like qualities and quantities which receive more or less addition or substraction and have their Latitude and Degrees For this cause under the Law there were diversity of Sacrifices for diversity of Sin Levit. 4. 2. I answer that no sins are little simply Though there is a difference of sins consider'd comparatively and so sins may be said to be little if compared with those that are more hainous yet no sins absolutely consider'd are little The least Sin resembleth the Earth which though but a point to the Heavens yet is a vast immeasurable Body in it self 1. Because all sins are against a great and infinite Majesty Reader it 's the excellency of the Person whose Authority is contemned and Commands violated and whose Name is dishonoured by sin that gives sin its name speaks its hainous Nature and is the highest aggravation of it Numb 32.23 and this is done in all Sins Friend till thou canst hear of a little God contemned abused disgraced and resisted by Sin speak no more of little sins in excuse for thy allowance of them Zach. 1.5 2. Because the price paid to make satisfaction for all sins of what size or sort soever was a great price It is the blood the precious blood of the Son of God Liv. 5.17 18. and that only that can wash away the least Sin 1 Joh. 1.7 Aaron must offer Sacrifice for pollution in a mans dream that he never thought of possibly but in sleep And for the Sins which the Jews committed ignorantly not understanding them to be any offence to God and in answer to those Types our Redeemer is said to die for the ignorance the errors of the people Reader till that thou canst tell of a Sin so little that somewhat less than the death of him who was God will satisfie for it call no Sin little 3. Because no little punishment is the due and desert of every Sin The wages of Sin is Death and Hell and infinite Wrath of an Almighty God and therefore it s the wages of every Sin Rom. 6. ult A quatenus ad omne valet consequentia Because fire as fire burns therefore every fire burns because Sin as Sin damneth therefore every Sin damneth So that all Sins bring greater intollerable eternal Sufferings Endless banishment from the blissful presence of God and Christ everlasting burnings amongst Devils and damned Ones is the desert of every Sin Reader when thou canst tell of a little Fire and little Torments in Hell and little horrors and terrors of Soul there to be the fruit of Sin Call not any of thy sins little Another thing Reader I would advertise thee of No Sin is little to him who thinks it so Sins may be said to be mortal or venial 1. In respect of their own Nature and so no Sins are venial but the least is mortal 2. In respect of the Divine Favour 3. In regard of the Issue In the two last respects all the sins of such as believe and repent are venial not in the Popish sense so as to be in their own nature no transgressions but praeter-transgressions of the Divine Law and not properly sins but analogically but they are venial as God for Christ's sake doth forgive them Either those Sins which they term venial are forbidden by the Law of God or not if not they
matter Truly the less the matter is the greater is the malice that will offend and provoke God for it How great is the unkindness to stand with God for a trifle How little dost thou esteem thy God the God of all Consolation how little dost value his Love and Grace and Favour and endless fruition to part with all for little or nothing The less Reader the thing is for or about which thou sinnest the greater is thy Sin Believe it that by which thou wouldst excuse thy sin doth increase it It hath been formerly said If a man will break his faith it should be for a Kingdom for something of worth yet this Sinner were a loser though by breaking his Faith he could gain the whole Earth what then is that man who will lye and forswear himself for a peny Though no man should presume upon Sin because its present profit will be great yet there is more unkindness more folly and more sinfulness in sinning for a little Some like Eagles will not stoop at flies scorn to sin for a small matter others as Ants will be busie about the least dust will break the Law for a very little the former are bad the latter worse 6. The less they are the more they call for thy care and caution for they are the harder to be cured As a wound made with a Bodkin if deep is hardlier cured than a wound with a Sword because the Orifice is so small and presently almost closeth up and so the wound bleedeth inwardly often to the death of the Patient It 's much more difficult for the Mariner to avoid Quick-sands that are hurried hither and thither then known Rocks though Sands are small things and Rocks are great vast bodies Besides our proneness to despise and slight them causeth our more frequent falling into them as also our lying longer in them without repentance 7. Small Sins are not expiated without infinite satisfaction and must they then be dallied with there is more malignity in the least sin than the whole Creation can expel and more Venome than Men Angels can antidote against Friend consider it thou sayst they are little sins therefore I may live in them Did Christ die for them and wilt thou live in them Dost thou not know what prodigious drops of sweat what clods of blood what strong cries and groans and prayers the least Sins cost thy Redeemer Dost thou not know that their weight was so heavy as little and light as thou fanciest them to be that they pressed and bruised his blessed Body that they oppressed and amazed his blessed Soul yea that they made him who is valour and courage it self obedience and dutifulness it self love and pity it self to shrink and draw back and pray against his Duty to his Father and his own Mercy to fallen man and decline the very end and errand for which he came into the world Reader think of it As Austin saith what matters it whether a Ship be overwhelmed with one great Wave or sunk by a small Cranny in the bottom whereat the water enters drop by drop And else-where what easeth it a man to be pressed to death with an heap of small sand more than with a sow of lead or to be strangled with a pack-thread rather than with an halter Reader I would not have thee think any of thy sins little It 's unbecoming a Christian to entertain such a thought of his sins nay it greatens his sin for him to presume it is little As we should not lessen the Mercies of God but always think them great and too great for us and our selves less than the very least of them so we should never lessen our sins but judge the least of them great and the lightest of them heavy and every of them too great and too heavy for us to bear and upon these accounts loath and leave them Friend think of what I have said of little sins and certainly thou wilt be of another mind than to allow of them because they are little and rather reject them because they are sins Is there any thing that God hates but sin and must that be the Object of his hatred Is there any thing that offends God or grieves his Spirit but sin and will nothing delight and please thee but what provokes and displeaseth him 4. I answer that Omissions are not little sins I have already largely proved that in some respects and as they may be circumstantiated they may be much greater sins than sins of Commission Reader consider what is written in the danger of sins of Omission before the Uses and then judge whether they are little sins or no. Are they little sins which do most oppose the Mind and Will of God which make way for whole herds of Sins of Commission and which do exceedingly grieve the good Spirit of God Are those little sins which God complains of so frequently threatneth so severely and punisheth with such dreadful Judgments on their Bodies on their Souls in this World on both eternally in the other World without any remedy But Friend consider farther 1. Can that sin be little which denieth God the highest Honour and greatest Homage and chiefest Respect which the Creature oweth to him What is that which is the choicest Jewel in the Crown of his Glory whence do the greatest Revenews of his Honour flow Are not our highest esteem our hottest love or strongest trust and our most reverential awe of his sacred Majesty the best and the most we can give him and can the omission of these be a little sin The forbearance of Commissions is but the skirt and garment and out-side of that Obedience which we owe to God it is the giving up our hearts and souls to him in our most enlarged desires after him and spiritual delights in him and superlative valuation of him which he requireth of us and principally looks after Micah 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Surely if any sin be little it 's that which incroacheth least upon the honour of God not that which injures so greatly his Royal Prerogative He that robs his Soveraign of some petty goods cannot be so great a Transgressor as he who would rob him of his Crown and Kingdom 2. Is that a little sin which provoketh God to inflict the greatest punishment Either we must believe that God punisheth men more or less according to the nature of their offences whether greater or lesser or else we must accuse him of injustice The Apostle undertakes to prove him righteous because he renders to every man according to his works Rom. 2.5 6. If so where he inflicts the greatest Judgment there must be the greatest sin Now all Divines conclude the punishment of loss which they say is for our Omissions to be far greater than the punishment of sense which is for