The Sinners Last Sentence, Chapter 27
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 vitia quam cum virtute: Rather ſeemingly free from Vice, than really filled with Virtue. Or at beſt, as was reported of Cato, That he was homo virtuti ſimillimus, A man that looked like a virtuous perſon.
How many civil men preſume their perſons holy, becauſe they are not ſo filthy as thoſe who rake in Ditches and Kennels, and defile themſelves daily with ſcandalous Abominations; and they preſume their ſtates to be good, and themſelves in the way to Heaven, becauſe they are no Drunkards, no Swearers, no Adulterers, no Theeves, no Murderers; when for all this they ſhall be caſt to Hell, becauſe they are no Believers, no Penitents, no obedient Subjects to the King of Saints, Becauſe they know not God, and obey not the Goſpel, 2 Theſſ. 1.7, 8. Such men are farther diſtant from good than from evil. Ceaſing from evil is not enough, it's but one ſtep Heaven-ward; doing of good muſt accompany it, or it will be of ſmall moment.
I confeſs, when I behold a civil man, who is harmleſs in his Carriage, unblamable (in regard of ſcandal) in his publick Converſation, and courteous in his Behaviour to all; I cannot but reſpect him, and am ready to wiſh (as Athanaſius, that all the World of Atheiſts and prophane Wretches would turn Hypocrites) that all ſcandalous Sinners would turn Civilians, and come ſo far towards Holineſs; but yet I muſt ſay, that this is ſcarce half way to Chriſtianity. He is not half a Saint, who is but a negative Saint. The forbearance of groſs Corruptions is the eaſieſt and leaſt part of Religion, and therefore will not ſpeak any man in a ſtate of Salvation. The Tree that is barren, and without good fruit, is for the fire, as well as the Tree that brings forth evil fruit.
For men to think to excuſe themſelves that they do no hurt, wrong neither Man, Woman, or Child, and are not (as the Phariſee ſaid) as the Publicans, who generally were Oppreſſors, is but a vain fooliſh thing. The idle Servant might have ſaid, Lord, I did no harm with my Talent, I did not lay it out in Rioting and Drunkenneſs, or any way to thy diſhonour; I only hid it, and did not improve it, Matth. 25. yet this was enough to condemn him. Can we call ground good ground, for bearing no weeds, if it never bring forth good Corn? Or do we count that Servant a good Servant, who doth not wrong his Maſter in his Eſtate, by purloining or waſting it, if he live idle all day, and neglect the buſineſs his Maſter appoints him. Believe it, Reader, thou mayſt not be morally evil to the abomination of men, and yet not ſpiritually good to the acceptation of God. He keeps no Law of God, who minds only the negative part of it. A life free from enormity is too often accompanied with an heart full of iniquity. And that this negative Holineſs is inſufficient, will appear if we conſider,
1. That the Holy Ghoſt characterizeth a godly man both negatively and poſitively. The Scripture tells us, That a true Chriſtan minds both parts of the Law, its commanding part as well as its forbidding part. When the Holy Ghoſt ſpeaks of Davids goodneſs, he tells us, That he ſerved the Wills of God in his Generation, not only his forbidding-will, but alſo his commanding-will, Act. 13.36. When Job is commended as a godly man, he is ſaid to eſchew evil, there was his negative Holineſs; and to fear God, there was his poſitive Holineſs, Job 1.1. & 8. The Pſalmiſt deſcribes the happy man by his holineſs both ways.
1. By way of Negation, Bleſſed is the man that walketh not in the Counſel of the Ʋngodly, (i. e. that committeth not wickedneſs, which is the conſultation of the Ungodly,) nor ſtandeth in the way of Sinners, (i. e. that goeth not on with pleaſure in any courſe of prophaneneſs,) nor ſitteth in the Seat of the ſcornful, (i. e. that hardneth not not his heart againſt advice and admonition, &c.)
2. By way of Poſition, But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in that Law doth he meditate day and night. His affection to the Law, and his meditation in it are both poſitive; and without theſe the man could neither be holy nor happy. He might have been able to ſay, I have not walked in the Counſel of the Ʋngodly, nor ſtood in the way of Sinners, not ſate in the Seat of the ſcornful; and yet been a wicked and curſed man; for Negatives neither ſpeak nor make any man holy. It is a poſitive quality, that gives being, perfection, and denomination to Piety. Therefore Jehu is branded for a wicked man, notwithſtanding all his zeal againſt Baal, becauſe he took no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Iſrael, 1 King. 10.29, 30, 31. Philoſophers tell us, That motions are imperfect, and but in fieri, whilſt they are paſſing from the Terminus a quo, and are not perfect, or in facto eſſe, till the Terminus ad quem be attained. Whilſt a man is departing from evil, he is but an imperfect Chriſtian; when he comes to the doing of good, which is the end of the former, then he is a Chriſtian indeed.
2. The Law, which is the Rule of Religion, is Affirmative as well as Negative. Every man is ſo far perfect in his Calling, or in any Art, as he agrees with his Rule. And every man is ſo far religious (and no farther) as he agreeth with the Will of God revealed in his Word, which is the Rule of Religion; Gal. 6.16. As many as walk according to this Rule, peace be to them, &c. Now this Rule hath Poſitive as well as Negative Commands. Nay, all its Negative Commands have (as hath been ſhewn before) ſomewhat poſitive in them, and therefore negative holineſs cannot be ſufficient. He that makes not Conſcience of every part of Gods Will, makes Conſcience of no part of Gods Will. He that denieth ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, becauſe the Law, his Rule, forbids them, will alſo live righteouſly, ſoberly, and godly, becauſe the ſame Rule commands them, Tit. 2.11, 12. Indeed all true eſchewing of evil doth proceed out of love to good; ſo that he who doth not delight in good, and do it, cannot eſchew evil out of any good Principle. Obſerve the Rule, Epheſ. 4.23, 24. And be renewed in the Spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteouſneſs and true holineſs. Iſa. 1.15. But men love to be compleat in every thing, but that which deſerves exactneſs.
3. An Heathen may be negatively religious. A Cato, a Seneca, an Aristides, may be free from Intemperance, Bribery, Injuſtice, Uncleanneſs, and all groſs ſins; and can we think that Religion ſufficient for us which Heathens may attain to. Is there nothing revealed by the Sun-light of Scripture for us to do, which they were unable to ſee by the dim Ruſh-candle of Nature. The Holy Ghoſt acquaints us with the condition of the Heathen, Epheſ. 2.12. That they were without God, without Chriſt, ſtrangers to the Covenant of Promiſe, and aliens from the Commonwealth of Iſrael, and without hope in the World. In which words we have their dreadful eſtate, how far they are from any Saviour, and ſo from any hope of Salvation; which would not be, if their negative holineſs were ſufficient to make them happy.
Third Uſe of Information.3. If Chriſt will condemn men for ſins of Omiſſion at the Great Day, then it may inform us of the Juſtice and Righteouſneſs of Chriſt. It's ſaid of Chriſt, That he loveth Righteouſneſs, and hateth Iniquity, Pſal. 45. And again, That he ſhall judge the world in Righteouſneſs, Act. 17.31. Herein it appears:
1. Becauſe he ſpares no Sins. He condemneth thoſe that live in Omiſſions (little light ſins in the imaginations of men) as well as thoſe that live in Commiſſions. He ſends to Hell thoſe that do not relieve, as well as thoſe that rob his people. He poureth out his wrath upon them that do not viſit his Members in Priſon, as well as thoſe that caſt them into Priſon. Thoſe ſins that are Peccadilloes in the Worlds eye, have felt the heavy weight of his hand. The man that gather'd a few ſticks, was deſtroy'd with ſtones. Ʋzzah touch'd the Ark out of kindneſs, but God ſmote him with death for it. Moſes for omitting the Circumciſion of his Child, was like to have loſt his life. Aarons two Sons, Nadab and Abihu neglected (as is ſuppoſed by Expoſitors) to fetch fire from the Altar to burn their Sacrifices, and were deſtroy'd with fire from Heaven, Levit. 10. The impartiality of Chriſt is evident herein, that at the Great Day he will bid the Civil as well as the Scandalous Sinner depart from him into everlaſting fire.
2. Becauſe he ſpareth no Sinners. He ſaith to all thoſe on his left hand, whether Rich or Poor, Great or Small, High or Low, if guilty of theſe Omiſſions, Depart from me into everlaſting fire. He is no reſpecter of perſons, he ſpareth none for their greatneſs and ſtrength. His hand reacheth the talleſt Cedars, and plucks up the ſtrongeſt Oaks. Neither Power nor Majeſty can free or exempt perſons from his ſeverity. If Princes and Potentates will omit their Duty, they muſt expect to feel his Fury. Pharaoh, Jeroboam, Ahab, Ahaz, Rev. 6.15,Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, might neglect their Duties to men, and eſcape puniſhment from men, but could not neglect their Duties to God at ſo eaſie a rate. As all their ſins were within the view of his Omniſcience, ſo all their perſons were within the reach of his Vengeance, and that found them out to their coſt.
He ſpareth none for their nearneſs to him. He beholdeth them afar off that are very near to him, when they make bold with him. Judges on Earth may ſometimes (though ſinfully always) favour their Kindred in an unrighteous cauſe, but he judgeth otherwiſe. Though Coniah be to be as the ſignet on my right hand, I will pluck him thence, Jer. 22.24. Iſrael was the neareſt people to God of any people in the world, Pſal. 148. ult. with Deut. 4.7. and Moſes was the neareſt to God of any of the people of Iſrael, yet they were excluded his Reſt, for not believing his Word; and he was denied entrance into Canaan, for not ſanctifying Gods Name.
3. He judgeth all according to Law. This is another requiſite to ſuffice: He will not condemn any for their Omiſſions or Commiſſions, but according to Law. We count that Judge juſt indeed that keeps the Law, and will not upon any account ſwerve from that. Our Lord Jeſus, when he ſentenceth thoſe that neglect to feed the Hungry, and cloath the Naked, &c. to everlasting fire, proceedeth according to Law exactly. Theſe perſons (as hath been before proved) are under the Law of Works, and ſo muſt ſtand or fall for ever, as they obey or diſobey that Law. Now that Law condemneth for Omiſſions, and not doing our Duties, as well as for Commiſſions, and abounding in enormities. It ſaith, Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law, to do them, Gal. 3.13. Obſerve, the Law curſeth thoſe that omit, that continue not to do their Duties, as well as thoſe that do the contrary.
4. He will render to every man according to his Works. He may puniſh, and doth in this World leſs; but neither in the other nor in this more than our Inquities deſerve. All mens ſins are not equal, therefore all mens ſufferings ſhall not be equal. According to the degree of mens defilements, ſuch ſhall be the degree of their puniſhment. He diſtinguiſheth between ſins and ſins, between them that afflict his Children, and thoſe that relieve them not in their Afflictions; between thoſe that hale them to Priſons, and put them to death, and thoſe that viſit them not in priſon. He exacteth not of men more than is meet.
He will put a difference between Heathens, who have little means to know and worſhip him aright, and Jews, To whom were committed the Oracles of God, to whom pertained the Adoption, and the Covenant, and the giving of the Law, and the Promiſes. Theſe have greater Means and Mercies, and therefore greater Wrath and Severity. Tribulation and Anguiſh, Indignation and Wrath on the ſoul of every man that doth evil, on the Jew firſt, and alſo on the Gentiles, Rom. 3.2. Rom. 9.4. Rom. 2.7. You only have I known, therefore you will I puniſh of all the Families of the Earth for your Iniquities, Amos 3.2. He will diſtinguiſh between Jews and Chriſtians that live under the Goſpel. Omiſſions are more tollerable, and leſs puniſhable among Heathens than Jews, and among Jews before Chriſts coming, than thoſe Jews that lived under the Goſpel, and ſaw Chriſt's Miracles, and heard his Sermons, with thoſe Chriſtians that enjoy the Goſpel, Matth. 11.21, 22, 23. It will be more tollerable for Tyre and Sidon than for Corazin and Bethſaida, and for Sodom and Gomorrah than for Capernaum, becauſe theſe lived under greater Light and Helps, and yet continued in the neglect of Faith and Repentance.
He will not puniſh thoſe that omit their Duties ignorantly (when they are diligent to improve what advantages they have for knowledge) ſo ſeverely as he will thoſe who neglect their Duties knowingly. God expects a life anſwerable to that Light which he hath given us; and if we impriſon his Truth in unrighteouſneſs, we provoke him in the higheſt degree. He that knoweth his Maſters Will, and doth it not, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes. He that knoweth not his Maſters will, and doth it not, ſhall be beaten with few ſtripes. Both ſhall be beaten, but the former ſuffer more ſtripes than the latter. It's cold comfort, yet herein the Righteouſneſs of the Judge appeareth, that ſome who are guilty of Omiſſions ſhall have a cooler Hell than others; For he rendreth to every man according to his Works, Rom. 2.