The Sinners Last Sentence, Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII. A Caution againſt ſins of Omiſſion, in regard of the matter of Duties.
Ex. IF Chriſt will condemn men at the Great Day for ſins of Omiſſion: It may exhort us to mind the doing of Good, as well as the forbearing of Evil, to be as watchful againſt ſins of Omiſſion as well as againſt ſins of Commiſſion, and make Conſcience of Affirmative as well as Negative Commands. Do not think it ſufficient to forbear what is Evil, unleſs alſo thou doſt what is Good. It's good not to be evil in doing what the Law forbids, but it's evil alſo not to be good in doing what the Law enjoyns. The Miniſter is not a good Miniſter, becauſe he doth not ſeduce, or miſlead, or deceive his people, by falſe Doctrine, or ſcandalous living, if he do not teach them the right ways of the Lord, and be not inſtant with them in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, to Know, and Adore, and Honour their Maker and Redeemer. A good Shepheard muſt look to good Paſtures for his Sheep, as well as defend them from Lions and Wolves. Paul proves his Integrity by this, That he kept nothing back that was profitable for his people, but taught them publickly, and from houſe to houſe, and that he declared unto them the whole Counſel of God, Act. 20.21, 22, 27. The Magiſtrate is not a good Magiſtrate, who can only ſay that he never oppreſſed or perſecuted the Innocent. He muſt be able to ſay with Job, that he relieved them in their Neceſſities, and redreſſed them in their Grievances: I delivered the Poor that cryed, and the Fatherleſs, and him that had none to help. I was eyes to the Blind, and feet to the Lame. I brake the jaws of the Wicked, and pluckt the ſpoil out of his Teeth, Job 29.12, 15, 17. The Chriſtian is not a good Chriſtian, that can only tell us that he is an harmleſs man, he doth no miſchief, he wrongs none in thought, word, or deed. The barren Tree brings forth no bad fruit, yet it's cut down for the fire. He is an evil man that neglects what is good, as well as he that follows what is evil.
Ezek. 18.31.Therefore, Reader, Ceaſe to do evil, (but let not that ſuffice) learn to do well, Iſa. 1. Remember to watch againſt what is evil; But alſo to do good, and to diſtribute, forget not: for with ſuch Sacrifice God is well pleaſed, Heb. 13.16. To do good, and to pray in thy Cloſet and Family, and to read the Scriptures, and to inſtruct thy Children and Servants, and to ſanctifie the Lords-Day, and to viſit the Fatherleſs and Widows in their Afflictions;2 Cor. 7.1. forget not, for with ſuch Sacrifice God is well pleaſed. Forſake the fooliſh, (this is well, but not enough, and) walk in the way of Ʋnderſtanding.
The Law of God muſt be kept tenderly, as the very apple of our eyes, Prov. 7.2. The ſmalleſt duſt will offend the eye, and the ſmalleſt Omiſſion will offend the Law. If thy Conſcience be diſpenſatory, it is unholy. Friend, thou haſt largely heard how far ſhort a Negative Religion will bring thee of Heaven, and canſt thou content thy ſelf a moment therewith? Nay, thou haſt heard that for all that thou ſhalt be ſent to Hell, and wilt thou reſt one day or night therein? O Friend, be wiſe in time, and mind poſitive godlineſs, whilſt thou haſt opportunity.
In theſe days of the Goſpel, God is quick and ſpeedy, ſharp and ſevere with men that are barren and unfruitful. Behold now, ſaith the Baptiſt, the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree. Behold, Conſider, now at this time, when the Redeemer is coming, whoſe way I am preparing; Now the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree, Matth. 3.10. He is now laying aſide his Basket, and taking up the Ax; yea, he lays his Ax at the root of the Tree, as one taking aim where to ſtrike, and how to fell the Tree with the greateſt advantage; therefore it concerns thee to be fruitful. Again, the Apoſtle tells us, That former times of groſs darkneſs were over-lookt by God, but now ſaith he, Now his Son is come into the World, and he reveals his Mercy and our Duty ſo fully and clearly; Now he commands men every where to repent, Act. 17.29, 30. Now he exhorts fruits meet for Repentance, or he will not wink at your Diſobedience, but judge you to Hell flames. And believe it, the Valley of Viſion will prove the heavieſt burden, and the higheſt means will caſt thy Soul into the loweſt miſery. Opportunities of doing good to our own and others Souls, are choice Mercies. They are Talents that muſt one day be reckoned for: Therefore ſaith the bleſſed Redeemer in the juſtification of Mary about the Oyntment; Me ye have not always; the poor ye have always, and may do them good when ye will; but me ye have not always. Mary did well to improve the ſeaſon ſhe had in her hand, as knowing if once loſt, it was loſt for ever.
The Apoſtle Paul upon this account adviſeth the Galathians, While ye have time, do good to all, Gal. 6.10. Nothing more ſads and dulls the heart, when one comes to die, ſaith a Divine now with God, than his neglect of ſuch opportunities which God's Providence,Eſſex herſe, p. 19. or his own Place, have put into his hands of doing or receiving good. Nor is there a ſharper Corroſive than the reflection upon thoſe days and times that have paſſed over him, Male aliud nihil agentem. Ah how ſad and uncomfortable will it be for thy time to be gone, when thy work is not done! when thy Sun is ſetting, and the ſhadows of the Evening are ſtretching themſelves upon thee, for Conſcience to give thee this ſalute, Thy day is paſſed, thy time is waſted, the buſineſs of life is neglected, and now thine Errors can never, never be amended. Ah what a dreadful hour will a dying-hour be to thee, when Conſcience ſhall plead againſt thee with Whips, and Scorpions, and Flames, and not the deareſt Friend or Relation thou haſt be admitted to plead for thee, or be able to comfort thee! But if the day of death will be ſo uncomfortable, how terrible will the Day of Judgment be? Then it is that the Saint ſhall reap the benefit of all the good he hath done, and the Sinner ſhall reap the miſchief of all the good he hath omitted, or left undone. Then the idle Servant that did not trade with his Talent, will be found an evil Servant, and as ſuch condemned to the Worm that never dieth, and the Fire that never goeth out, Mat. 25. Then the unfruitful Factor will be found an unfaithful Factor, and as ſuch diſown'd and condemned by his Lord.
Reader, believe it, though thou mayſt live by a Negative Religion, yet thou canſt not die by it, much leſs ſtand before the Judgment-Seat of Chriſt with it. It's true, even ſuch a Religion is of high price with men, but if alone it's abomination in the ſight of God. Reader, let me reaſon the caſe with thee; In other things all are for fruitfulneſs in what is good: The Huſbandman would have his ground fruitful in good Corn, as well as empty of weeds. He would have his Cattel labour, and do him ſervice, and thinks it not enough that they are in the ſtable or fields and do him no hurt. The Maſter would have his Servant induſtrious in his Shop or Field, or ſome way or other about his buſineſs, and is not pleaſed to ſee him ſit ſtill all day, and forbear to purloin his Goods, or fight with his fellow Servants. The Father who ſends his Child to School, would have him learn the Languages, and profit daily therein, and without this will not be ſatisfied to hear that his Child ſits ſtill all day at School, learns no Oaths or Blaſphemies, calls no Names, abuſes none of his Companions. And, Reader, why ſhould God be contented with thy harmleſneſs, when thou art barren and unprofitable? Hath not God as much right to thee as thou haſt to thy Ground or Cattel? and art not thou as much bound to God as thy Servant or Child is bound to thee? and why then ſhouldſt thou think to put God off with that in thy ſelf, which thou wilt not be put off with in thy ground, or Cattel, or Servant, or Child? Beſides, I muſt tell thee thou art not harmleſs, if thou doſt no good, though thou liveſt not in the Commiſſion of groſs Evils. The Tree in the Garden that brings not forth good fruit is hurtful, though it bring not forth evil fruit, partly becauſe it cumbers the ground, and takes up room to no purpoſe; partly becauſe it draws the moiſture of the earth to it, and ſo hinders the thriving of thoſe Trees that are near it, who, but for them, would be more fruitful. So if thou neglecteſt what is good, though thou doſt no open ſcandalous evil, thou art miſchievous and hurtful in the place where thou liveſt. Thou takeſt up the room of a Member that might be ſerviceable to God and his Country. If thou wert gone, there might be one in thy Houſe, Place, Lodging, kept and maintain'd by the Great Houſe-keeper of the World, with the ſame Mercies with which thou liveſt, that ſhould adorn the Goſpel, glorifie the Name of God, and edifie the Souls of others; and doſt thou no harm then by hindring ſuch a one? Is not the Drone hurtful, which idleth all the day, and lives upon the Bees labour, and forceth them ſometimes to want, becauſe of her Theft? Is not the Wem in the Body hurtful, when it ſerves to no uſe; yet ſucks away the nouriſhment from other parts of the Body. Doth not that Factor wrong the Maſter who imploys him, if he let his ſtock lie ſtill, though he do not waſte it in Riotouſneſs, and Drunkenneſs, and Filthineſs, when the Maſter might have had one in his place who would have traded with it; and (probably) have improved it to his great advantage? Did ever any Merchant truſt a Servant with a ſtock to lie by him? Nay, is Nature it ſelf content with the removal of what is oppreſſive? doth it not long and breath after what is perfective? Is not the preſence of malum, what is evil, a burden? So the abſence of bonum, what is good, occaſion of complaint? There is ingrafted within us not only Bados, a depth of diſtaſt againſt feared Evils; but alſo Hiatus, large deſires after known Good. As Nature, much more doth Religion call men off what is bad, and provoke men to what is right, and juſt, and good.
Reader, let me come up a little cloſer to thee; What is it that I am adviſing thee to? Is it any thing that is evil? If it be, reject and renounce it. Is it not to be good, and to do good? I will tell thee what I would deſire of thee, and then do thou judge whether I adviſe thee as a Friend, or whether my Counſel be worth hearkning to or no?
1. Take heed of external Omiſſions. If thou haſt been faulty herein, I would adviſe thee every day to mind Prayer, Scripture, watchfulneſs over thy Heart, Tongue, and Actions, diligence in thy Calling, faithfulneſs in thy Relations, and to do good to others as thou haſt opportunity. Hereby thou wilt acknowledge thy dependance on, and ſubſiſtance by the bleſſed God, to whom thou art bound by millions of Obligations: Hereby thou wilt procure his Protection of thy Perſon, Proviſion for thy Family, and Benediction on thy Calling, and all thine Undertakings. And is this ill Counſel, to direct thee to the way how to procure his Favour which can ſweeten the bittereſt Condition, and turn the moſt loathſome Priſon into a lovely Palace, and an Hell of miſery into an Heaven of Mercy? Friend, do I adviſe thee for thy hurt, when I adviſe thee daily to walk and converſe with the bleſſed and glorious God? Is not his Law worth obſerving, his Glory worth advancing, and his Service worth minding, and his Love worth accepting, when he can make thee miſerable or happy with a word, in an inſtant; when thou and all thou haſt are in his hand every moment, to be diſpoſed of for Good or Evil, altogether at his Pleaſure, when he can with the breath of his Noſtrils, with the blaſt of his Lips, with a glance of his Eye, ſend thee to Hell, where the Worm never dieth, and the Fire never goeth out? Friend, conſider it, Is it not good advice to wiſh thee to ſue and ſeek to him, to pray to and pleaſe him, upon whom thine unchangeable Felicity or Miſery dependeth, and who ſhall judge thee to thine everlaſting ſtate of Life or Death? Is it not good to have the King thy Friend? how many Pleaſures may he do thee? and how many Favours may he beſtow on thee? But how much better is it to have the King of Kings thy Friend? What Pleaſure is there which he cannot do thee? what Favour which he cannot beſtow on thee? He can give thee Earth, Heaven, Riches, Honours, Pleaſures, Life, Health, Food, Raiment, Friends, Relations, his Day, his Word, his Ordinances, his Love, his Image, his Peace, his Joy, his Spirit, his Son, Himſelf, every Good, any Good, all Good. O how bleſſed is he that hath this God! But, Reader, wouldſt thou have all theſe without ſo much as aſking for them? We ſay, they are poor Favours that are not worth aſking. Sure I am, theſe Mercies are of more value than thine Underſtanding can conceive; and therefore muſt deſerve more Prayers, and Tears, and Groans for them than thou art capable of giving. Do not any day, upon any pretence, omit to offer up thy Morning and Evening Sacrifices. Remember, ſo often as thou neglecteſt Morning-Prayer, ſo often thou art all the day naked, deſtitute of thy ſpiritual Guard, and expoſed to all manner of Evils and Enemies, and doſt fore-ſpeak thy ſelf an evil Day; and ſo often as thou omitteſt Evening-Prayer, thou preſumeſt upon ſleep, and reſt, and ſafety, without God's leave, and fore-ſpeakeſt thy ſelf an evil Night? What did Thomas loſe by one Omiſſion. Jeſus appeared the firſt day of the week to his Diſciples, but Thomas, ſaith the Text, was not there, Joh. 20.24. But what is the iſſue of this Omiſſion? truly, by his neglecting this opportunity of confirming his Faith, he falls into a deſperate fit of Unbelief. When the Apoſtles told him, That they had ſeen the Lord, He preſently anſwers, Except I ſhall ſee in his hands the print of the Nails, and put my finger into the print of the Nails, and thruſt my hand into his ſide, I will not believe, Joh. 20.24, 25. Ah what had become of Thomas, if infinite Majeſty had not ſtooped to recover him!
2. Take heed of internal Omiſſions. In the next place I adviſe thee to look ſeriouſly to the manner of thy performances, to be ſure that thou worſhip God with thy Heart and Affections. This is the chief, and ſubſtance, and heart of thy Performances, according to which they ſhall be accepted or not. In all thy Addreſſes draw nigh to God with an humble Faith and Confidence, as to a Father, ready, able, and willing to ſupply all thy wants, and anſwer all thy Doubts, and to grant all thy Prayers and Deſires; as alſo with a chearful reverence and awfulneſs, as to a God infinite in his Being, and in all his Perfections, between whom and thee a poor worm there is an infinite diſtance. In every Duty, Let thy Faith in Chriſt, thy Love to God, and thy Repentance from dead Works be exerciſed. Hereby thy Duties will be more comfortable to thy ſelf. Men that perform Duties in a round, out of cuſtom, or for faſhionſake, have no pleaſure therein, are backward to them, untoward at them, and careleſs after them. They come to them with trouble, as to that to which their hearts have a reluctancy, and go from them with joy, as from that which was burdenſome and tedious to them. But when men pray with a ſenſe of their wants, and beg mercy, with hope in the blood of Chriſt, and have their love and joy acted in their Duties, how ſweetly do they come off? nay, how pleaſant are they in the very performance of them? Communion with God in them brings peace and comfort indeed. Now, Reader, do I adviſe thee to thy hurt, when I adviſe thee to the life of a Saint, to the life of an Angel; to a life of love, and joy, and delight in the Father of Mercies, and God of all Conſolations? Is not this Life the Suburbs, the Earneſt, the Firſt-fruits of the life of the Bleſſed, of the life of thoſe heavenly Courtiers, who bathe themſelves without intermiſſion in Springs of Joy, and in Rivers of Pleaſures? And by this care of thine about the manner of performing thy Duties, they will be the more acceptable to God. He commands the Heart, Prov. 23.26. delights in truth in the inward parts, Pſal. 51. and is nigh to them that call upon him in truth, Pſal. 34. How pleaſing would it be to thee to know thy prayers and readings to be pleaſing to God; Jer. 30.21. And I will cauſe him to draw near and to approach unto me: (i. e. with welcome and acceptance,) for who is this that engageth his heart to approach unto me? If thou bring thy Heart to a Duty, God will bring his Ear to hear thee.
In the proſecution of this Uſe, I ſhall, firſt, lay down ſome Arguments or Motives to inforce it.
2. Lay down the cauſe of theſe Omiſſions, which are ſo frequent among us.
3. Preſcribe ſomewhat for the Cure and Remedy thereof.