The Sinners Last Sentence, Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII. Ʋſe of Trial, whether we be guilty of theſe Omiſſions or no.
Ʋſe 2. THis Doctrine may be uſeful in the ſecond place by way of Examination or Trial. If Chriſt will condemn men at the Great Day for ſins of Omiſſion, then it concerns us to examine our ſelves, whether or no we are of the number of them that ſhall be condemned for them at that day. Reader, it will not be amiſs for thee to retire out of the crowd of the World into thy Chamber, and there to commune with thine own heart concerning thy preſent Condition, and how thou art like to fare for the future; nay, it is of infinite weight and concernment, and may be as much worth as thy Soul and eternal Salvation. How many prove Bankrupts, and are quite undone for this World, for want of a timely caſting up their accounts. If they had caſt up their accounts before, and perceived how far they had ran behind-hand, they might have retrenched their Expences, and adviſed and conſulted ſome way to have prevented their utter deſtruction; but they neglected to caſt up their accounts, till their accounts caſt them up, and it was too late to think of recalling what was paſt, or remedying what was amiſs. Thus many that are Profeſſors, or Chriſtians in title, deal with their own Souls, and defer the trial of their eſtates till it be too late to amend any thing amiſs. If they would now in their health and ſtrength ſearch and try their hearts and ways, if they found things ill, they would have advantages and opportunities through the help of Chriſt to make them better: They might ſeek the Lord while he would be found, and call upon him while he is near. They might ſue and ſeek to Chriſt for Eyeſalve, that they might ſee the things of their Peace; for Raiment to hide their Nakedneſs, that it might not appear to their everlaſting ſhame; and for Gold to enrich them for ever, to make them more worth than both Worlds: If upon a faithful trial, they found things well, it would rejoyce their hearts, encourage them in ways of holineſs, and confirm them againſt Satans Temptations to diſpair. But men generally neglect their Examinations, till God comes to examine them (as the Rulers commanded Paul to be examined) with ſcourgings and ſcorpions. They preſume all is well, hope the beſt, and would be ſorry any ſhould queſtion their eſtates, and thus perſiſt in their ſelf-deceits, till they come to appear before God, that the gate of Mercy be ſhut, and the golden Scepter of Grace be wholly withdrawn, and their eſtates become as deſperate as the eſtates of the Devils.
To urge this Uſe a little, Reader, conſider theſe two particulars:
1. Conſider of what weight it is, and how much depends upon this queſtion. Am I of the number of them that ſhall be condemned for ſins of Omiſſion or not? Or am I guilty of Omiſſions, ſo as to be baniſhed the preſence of Chriſt for them or not? I tell thee, thy eternal Joy or Sorrow, Happineſs or Miſery, Pleaſure or Pain depends on it. Do but read and conſider, and then ſay whether it be not of infinite weight; Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the World. For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat; thirſty, and ye gave me drink, &c. On the other ſide, Go 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. Friend, are not theſe weighty things that depend on the performance or neglect of theſe poſitive Precepts? Come ye bleſſed of my Father. Is not a coming (cloſe, near, intimate, familiar, into his very boſom and deareſt embraces,) to Chriſt a weighty thing? To come to Chriſt here is ſo weighty, that he came to men into this World to call them to him, Matth. 11.28. Matth. 9.13. But to come to Chriſt there in all his Robes, and Riches, and Royalty, in all his Beauty, and Glory, and Magnificence, will queſtionleſs be of more concern to the Soul. On the contrary, Depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Is there not weight, Reader, in theſe words? Doſt thou know what it is to bid Chriſt farewel, farewel for ever, to take an eternal leave of all good? Canſt thou bear the extremity of our Culinary fires for a day? Canſt thou dwell in everlaſting burnings, or abide unquenchable flames? Thou ſeeſt all this depends upon thy performing or neglect of the Divine poſitive Precepts. Doth it not concern thee in a matter of ſuch weight to be faithful in the trial of thy ſelf? Friend, are Life and Death? are eternal Life and eternal Death indifferent things, or things of ſmall moment? Are an eternal enjoyment of God, or an endleſs ſeparation from God mean or trivial things? Oh how infinitely do they exceed and over-ballance thy underſtanding! How ſhort muſt thou of neceſſity come of conceiving of theſe things according to their weight? Alas, Friend, what pitiful toys and trifles are Houſes, and Lands, and Friends, and Relations, and Honors, and Preferments, I, and Liberty, and this temporal Life, to an eternal happy Life.
2. Conſider all are guilty of Omiſſions, even the Good as well as the Bad, and therefore the more faithfulneſs, and prudence, and caution is requiſite, leſt we miſtake. If Saints and Sinners are both guilty of Omiſſions, how ſhall I know whether my Omiſſions are ſuch as will conſiſt with Salvation, unleſs I try and examine my ſelf. The good man being guilty of Omiſſions, may fear the dreadful Sentence of, Go ye curſed, &c. And the wicked man knowing that the beſt are guilty of many Omiſſions, as well as he may preſume upon the joyful Sentence, Come thou bleſſed of my Father, &c. How ſhall each be rectified in his miſtake, and ſatisfied in the truth, but by an impartial and through examination of himſelf? God hath given us a Teſt, which is the word of Truth, Eph. 1.13. whereby we may try our ſelves, and prevent all miſtakes. Where there is a poſſibility of a miſtake in a buſineſs of ſuch infinite weight, there is ſufficient ground for a ſerious trial; but where there is ſo great a probability of miſtaking, as a thing that is ſo eaſie and ordinary (becauſe all men are guilty too much of Omiſſions) there is a neceſſity of a faithful and impartial trial. There is that maketh himſelf rich, (in Temporals he is worth thouſands, in Spirituals he is rich towards God, and worth millions,) yet hath nothing, (Orig. yet nothing, in him or to him he is nothing, he hath nothing for all his brags,) there is that makes himſelf poor, (ſpeaks himſelf poor, would have others think him poor,) yet hath great riches, (Hebr. yet much ſubſtance; the man hath a great Eſtate, but is willing to conceal it. Merchants, who are worth thouſands, do not publiſh or boaſt of their Wares or Wealth about the City; thoſe poor Creatures do it, who carry all their worth on their Heads, or in their Arms.) Junius reads the words well, Est qui divitem ſe jactat quum deſint omnia, item qui pauperem ſe fingit cui ſubstantia ampla. There is that boaſts himſelf rich, to whom all things are wanting; and that feigns himſelf poor, yet hath large ſubſtance. There is that boaſts and brags himſelf rich in the fear and favour of God, and will tell you of his communion and converſes with the Divine Majeſty, of his love to, and delight in the Ways, and People, and Ordinances of God; when all theſe things are wanting to him, he hath nothing at all in reality of any of them. There is that fains himſelf poor, that diſſembles (as it were) his eſtate, that is a Beggar (as ſome read the word Poor here) in his own account, and would have all others judge him ſo too; he is ſo covetous after more, that he over-looks what he hath; and ſo greedy of further attainments, that he takes little notice of his preſent ſpiritual enjoyments. If you will believe him, he is a meer Beggar, hath not one bit of bread to eat, and if his Father (in whoſe houſe there is bread enough and to ſpare) do not pity and relieve his prodigal Child, he ſhall periſh for hunger; yet this man hath much ſubſtance, is a man of worth and wealth indeed. He is like a branch mightily laden with fruit, and an ear fully laden with corn, which the heavier they are laden, the more they bow down to the ground. A meer titular Chriſtian, like an empty Veſſel, may make a great ſound, but the full Veſſel, that contains the precious Liquor, is ſilent.
I come now to the marks whereby men may know their eſtates. And for that end I ſhall lay down ſeveral Propoſitions.
1. Propoſition. Thoſe that live in Commiſſions as well as Omiſſions, muſt certainly be condemned at the Great Day. Theſe bid open defiance to the Prohibitions, Precepts, and Penalty of the Law, and dare the Law to do its worſt. Either theſe muſt be condemned, or all ſhall be ſaved. But God is of an holier Nature than to dwell with ſuch Sinners. They may read their doom written under his own hand, and like the Law of the Medes and Perſians, That cannot be alter'd; 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Epheſ. 5.5. Rom. 8.5. To be carnally minded is death, verſ. 13. If ye live after the fleſh ye ſhall die.
2. Propoſition. They who are guilty of total external Omiſſions, are in a damnable Condition. This is written in broad Letters, that he who runs may read it. They who pray not are under wrath, and the effuſions of wrath, Jer. 10. ult. They who neglect to pay their external Allegiance to the true God, and deny him his outward Homage and Acknowledgment, ſhall be denied and diſowned by Chriſt, before his Father, and before his holy Angels. The Holy God doth all along ſpeak of theſe as Heathens, Pſal. 79.6. and Sinners with a witneſs, Pſal. 36.1, 2, 3. and threatneth that Chriſt ſhall come in flaming fire, to render Vengeance on them, 2 Theſſ. 2.7, 8, 9, 10. Thoſe who are guilty of theſe total Omiſſions, in regard of the matter of the Duties commanded them, are ungodly in the higheſt degree, (for ungodlineſs ſtrictly and properly ſpeaks the neglect of our Duties to God, and ſins againſt the firſt Table, as unrighteouſneſs the neglect of our Duties to our Neighbour, and our Tranſgreſſions againſt the Second Table,) and ſo none in the whole Scripture more obnoxious to wrath and ruine, Pſal. 73.12. Theſe are the Ungodly who proſper in the World, but mark how ſoon they periſh, verſ. 18. Thou casteſt them down to deſtruction, and utterly conſumeſt them with terrours; 2 Pet. 3.7. Jude, verſ. 4. & 15.
3. Propoſition. Thoſe who perform external Duties, and wholly neglect internal, or pleaſe themſelves in total inward Omiſſions, cannot be in a ſtate of Salvation. God will not be put off with the Body, without the Soul of Religion. Indeed, external Duties are but the Garments or Cloaths of Religion, wherein it appears, and whereby it is known to the World; the life and power of it conſiſts in internal Performances, or thoſe that are the motions and actions of the Underſtanding, and Will, and Affections, as in the Knowledg of God, his Being and Excellency, and the kindneſs he hath for, and the love he hath to Mankind in Jeſus Chriſt; as alſo in the chooſing him for our richeſt Treaſure, and ſupream Lord and Law-giver, and in loving him with all the heart, and Soul, and ſtrength, and deſiring his love above all the World, and delighting in his Favour, as the Souls felicity, and ſeeking to pleaſe him, rather than to command the Creation. A man without theſe is but the Picture of a Saint; he hath ſomewhat of the reſemblance, but nothing of the reality of a Chriſtian: He hath a form, but nothing of the power of godlineſs, (2 Tim. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, to 7.) and therefore is in a ſtate of perdition. The neglect of believing, repenting, loving the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, are all inward Omiſſions, (for theſe are acts proper and peculiar to the Soul) and condemned in Scripture with the moſt dreadful damnation, Mark 16.16. John 3. ult. Luke 13.3. 1 Cor. 16.22. If a man pray, and pray wholly without Faith, and without fervency, Jam. 1. Jam. 5. this is no way acceptable to God. All ſuch prayers are howlings and bablings, and of no ſweet ſound in Gods Ears, Hoſ. 7. Iſa. 1.15, 16, 17. Whatſoever a man doth either by way of hearing, or ſinging, or praying, or receiving, if there be not that dread of God, and love to his Name, and Faith in Chriſt, which are the eſſentials of theſe Duties, all is as nothing.
4. Propoſition. Thoſe who allow themſelves in partial Omiſſions, whether external or internal, are in no good Condition. By partial Omiſſions, I mean at ſometimes, as for prayer; a man, it may be, prays in his Cloſet or Family uſually, but if any worldly buſineſs intervene and calls for his company, he will as uſually attend on that, and wholly omit his Cloſet and Family-Duties for that Morning or Evening. Or for a man to pray, as ſome do only at the Evening, and not in the Morning; as if God were the God of the Night, and not of the Day; or as ſome others, who will pray only upon the Lords-Day, as if God had a right to them then, but not all the week after. Or when men perform ſome religious Duties, and not others, will pray, but not read Scripture daily; or pray, and read the Word, but not take notice of thoſe under their Roofs, to inſtruct, and admoniſh, and ſupport them, as occaſion is. Or ſome will perform their Duties which immediately concern God, but will not be charitable to the Poor, at leaſt not in ſuch a degree and meaſure as their Eſtates will bear, and as God expects. Theſe, and ſuch like, I underſtand by partial and external Omiſſions. What is meant by internal partial Omiſſion is next to be conſider'd. Partial internal Omiſſions, are, when men oftentimes, though not conſtantly, are negligent in the manner of performing their Duties; and though they be formal, and ſuperficial, and lazy, and ſlothful in the Worſhip of God; yet they take little or no notice thereof. Indeed, ſometimes they find ſome heat and warmth, and this pleaſeth them, but at other times they are cold and liveleſs in their Duties, and this doth not much diſpleaſe them. They can commonly pray as if they pray'd not, and read as if they read not, and wait on God without any ſuitable and conſiderable affections towards him, and not be diſturbed at it. Theſe ſudden heats at one time, and colds at another time, ſpeak (the Body out of order, and) the Soul not healthy. The next thing to be explain'd, is, what is meant by allowing themſelves in partial Omiſſions, and indeed the ſtreſs of the Propoſition depends on that. To allow themſelves in theſe partial Omiſſions notes theſe two things: To know theſe partial Omiſſions to be ſins, and yet to continue in them without any great diſturbance or trouble of Spirit. They muſt know that they are ſins, otherwiſe continuance in them will not argue a total want of Grace, or the predominant power of ſenſuality in the Soul. I doubt not, but in many dark places of this Nation, there may be thoſe who live in a total Omiſſion of ſome Duties, as praying with their Families, and a ſtrict ſanctification of the Sabbath; or who yet fear God in truth, and make great Conſcience of their Converſations. Theſe men neglect prayer, and devoting the Sabbath wholly to God, &c. becauſe they do not know them to be their Duties. And where a man deſires and endeavours to know his Maſters Will, and lives up to that Light God hath given him, he may upon a general repentance expect pardon through the blood of Chriſt for ſins of Ignorance. But thoſe who live under the clear and plain, and full diſcovery of the Goſpel, muſt know that theſe Omiſſions are ſins. Their Miniſters are not ſo ignorant, or unfaithful, as to leave them in the dark about ſuch neceſſary Duties. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is ſin, James 4. ult. The ſecond thing in this allowance, is, to continue in theſe Omiſſions, though we know them to be Sins, and to be little or nothing troubled for them. And, I ſay, thoſe who do ſo, are in no good Condition, they ſhall be condemned at the Great Day. And my reaſons are partly becauſe its proper to a wicked man to continue in ſins. A ſheep may fall into the Ditch and defile himſelf, but he haſtens out of it as ſoon as he can; but the Swine chooſeth a dirty place, walloweth all the day long in the mud and mire. A Saint may fall into ſin, but he haſteneth to recover himſelf by repentance. A Sinner lives in it day and night, Prov. 4.17. It's their Food in the day, and their refreſhment in the night: Their ſleep departeth from them, unleſs they cauſe ſome to fall. Hence we read, That ſin is their Way, or Work, or Converſation, Iſa. 55.7. Partly becauſe allowance of any ſin is inconſiſtent with Grace. Sin and Grace are contrary each to other; and therefore though they may be, and are in the ſame Subject, yet they are not, they cannot be there together, but as Enemies ſeeking the deſtruction one of another. The Fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt Fleſh; for theſe are contrary the one to the other. Fire and Water are not more contrary than Vice and Grace, ſo that he who ſuffers Vice without oppoſition, declares plainly that he hath no Grace, for theſe Enemies never meet but they fight. Therefore, Reader, examine thy ſelf, thou haſt laid down the Commiſſion of Evil, but haſt thou taken up every known Duty? Thy Reaſon will tell thee he is a bad Huſband who drains his ground, and then neither ſoweth nor planteth it. It's all one as if it had continued under water; as good be undrain'd, as unimproved when drain'd.