Sin the Plague of Plagues, Part 13
3. Not in Deed-ſinsCaution againſt Deed-ſins.
The third thing I am to dehort from, and caution againſt, is living in the practice of any ſin; yet before I directly ſpeak thereunto, I crave leave to ſay ſome things about and againſt ſins of omiſſion, a thing too ſeldom treated or taken notice of, though ſcarce any guilt more common.
I ſhall therefore dehort
1. From ſins of Omiſſion.
2. From ſins of Commiſſion
1. Take heed of ſins of Omiſſion; Of ſins of Omiſſion.it is a ſin to omit what good is commanded, as well (or ill) as to commit what evil is forbidden, not to do what we ought, as to do what we ought not. We are not only to eſchew evil, but to do good alſo, 1 Pet. 3.11. and I the rather inſiſt a little hereon, becauſe many are more apt and prone to omit Duties, to be neglectful of doing good, then to commit (eſpecially) groſs and palpable evils; and withal, to look upon it as a leſs evil, if any at all, there being ſo many (though but trifling) excuſes ready for it, as you may ſee, Luke 14.18, 19, 20. I beſeech you therefore to conſider theſe things.
1. That good, and ſome of the beſt of men have been guilty hereof, and have ſuffered hereby; to inſtance but in two: the firſt is Jacob, who was exceeding tender of telling a lye, though 'twere to get a bleſſing, Gen. 27.11, 12. but this Jacob was ſo forgetful of, and did ſo long neglect and omit to pay his vow, which he made at Bethel, that God minds him of it, Gen. 35.1. and for the omiſſion whereof, its ſuppo…ed, that the afflictions mentioned in the former Chapter did befal him. The other Inſtance is Hezekiah, a good man and a good King, who returned not to the Lord according to the benefit he had received, nor did anſwer the end of it, but was guilty of not being humble or thankful enough, though he ſung a Song of Praiſe (and it ſeems, annually) unto God: and therefore wrath was upon him, 2 Chron. 32 25. with Iſa. 38.20. Alas, how apt are good men to neglect Duties, and eſpecially returning ones, even them of praiſe; and for theſe things ſake the wrath of God comes on his own Children, as for groſs ſins, it comes upon the children of diſobedience, Eph. 5.5, 6. How dear did it coſt the Spouſe her not opening to her Be…oved, Cant. 5.6, 7.
2. Yet generally, and for the moſt part, 'tis a great affliction to good and godly men to be forced to omit, and to be conſtrained to be abſent from Duties, though the omiſſion of them (at ſuch a time, and in ſuch a caſe) be no ſin of theirs, as in time of ſickneſs, or in caſe of flight: how doth David mourn while in the wilderneſs (being perſecuted and driven there) how doth be lament his abſence from the Aſſemblies of them that kept Holy-day, Pſal. 42.1-4. Though God in caſes of ſuch neceſſity diſpenſe with his Sabbath, and conſequently his inſtituted Worſhip on that day; yet holy men lament this neceſſity, and mourn that they are reſtrained from bearing a part with others, and forced to do that which elſe were not lawful to do on a Sabbath-day: and 'tis on this account (not to exclude others) that (as I conceive) our Saviour bid the Diſciples pray, that their flight might not be on the Sabbath-day, Mat. 24.20. For the uſual Ordinances of the day could not be enjoy'd, nor the ordinary Duties of the day practiſed and performed. But,
3. As it ſhould be an affliction to be in a neceſſity, ſo 'tis a ſin to be willing to omit a Duty. 'Tis an affliction not to have an head or hand, but a ſin not to have an heart for Duty. As 'tis a ſin to will evil, ſo 'tis a ſin not to will good; but to be willing not to do good, is more a ſin: too many perſons are glad of diverſions (as Schoolboys are when they have no mind to their books) any thing ſhall ſerve to put off a Duty. When the fleſh was weak, and the ſpirit willing, Chriſt himſelf excuſed them, Mat. 26.41. but if the ſpirit be unwilling, 'tis no excuſe, though the fleſh be never ſo weak. 'Twas ſome comfort to St. Paul, that though to do he had not power, yet to will was preſent with him, Rom. 7.18. but not to will, though we have no power, and much more not to will when we have power, is a ſin. The reaſon why the wicked bad God depart from them, was, becauſe they had no mind nor deſire to be acquainted with his ways, Job 21.14. ſo Rom. 1.28. they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, or to pay acknowledgments to him, they had no mind nor will, nor liſt to do it; and this is ſin, as well as the other ſins wherewith they are charged.
4. One omiſſion makes way for another; he that under pretence of unfitneſs to Duty puts it off, makes himſelf fit for nothing more then to omit again (qui non eſt hodie, eras minùs aptus erit) he prepares and fits himſelf to be unfit for, and to omit Duty: much and too long faſting takes away and deadens our appetite; he that omits one, is like to omit another, and ſo another, till he omit all, and give up his very profeſſion, and when that's gone, the mans Religion dies, and he becomes twice dead. Omiſſions make way for commiſſions (as it did in our firſt Parents) and 'twill be worth our while to obſerve a few Texts that ſpeak of ſluggards (from whence ſins of omiſſion generally ariſe) Eccl. 10.18: by much ſlothfulneſs the building decays, and through idleneſs of the hands, the houſe drops through: it not only lyes open to wind and weather, but at laſt falls down, the repairs being neglected and omitted. Our bodies are called the Temples of God, of which our ſouls are (as I may ſay) the Holy of Holies, or as we call it, the Chancel, and 'tis through ſloth that this glorious Fabrick decays ſo much, Prov. 18.9. he that is ſlothful in his work, is brother to him that is a great waſter, he is a man that will come to nothing, and be worſe then nought very ſhortly and ſpeedily; for he is a Prodigal, a ſpend-thrift, he ſpends more then he gets, and more then was given him; true, and 'tis as true, that his brother, the ſlothful man, will not hold out much longer then he: for, Prov. 20.4. the ſluggard will not plow by reaſon of the cold, therefore ſhall he beg in harveſt, and have nothing. A Prodigal comes to nothing, and ſo doth the Sluggard. Love is a laborious thing, we read of the labour of love, 1 Theſ. 1.3. and love never grieves to be obedient, 1 Joh. 5. Now idleneſs argues a defect and want of love; for when the Angel of Epheſus left his firſt love he left alſo his firſt works, Rev. 2.4, 5. When love grows cold, practice becomes dead. Prov. 26.13, 14, 15. the ſlothful man ſaith, there is a Lyon in the way; ask him, why do not you ariſe and walk with God? why do not you go forth and ſerve God? Oh, ſaith he, there is a Lyon in the way, there is danger in it; when this is but his conceit, as 'tis verſ. 16. as the door turneth upon the hinges, ſo doth the ſlothful upon his bed; how is that? why, firſt one way, then another, he cannot reſt on his bed of idleneſs, and yet is loth to riſe, and therefore turns him to this and t'other ſide: and if after much ado, and many a yawn he get up, then he hides his hand in his boſom ('tis cold weather) and he is grieved to bring it twice to his mouth, though it be to feed himſelf: This is the guiſe of idle and ſl…thful people, yea, Profeſſors; we are to do what we do with our might, and how can that be, while our hand is in our boſom? for ſhame take it out, for as he that having put his hand to the plow looks back, ſo he that puts not his hand to the plow, will be found unfit for the Work and Kingdom of God, he ſhall beg in harveſt, but have nothing. In the great day of recompenſe, theſe ſlothful ones will learn to pray and beg, ſaying, Lord, Lord, open to us, but they ſhall have nothing, viz. of that which they beg, no door opened to let them into the Houſe of God, where is bread enough.
I remember I ſaid, that ſins of omiſſion made way for ſins of commiſſion, and 'tis but too true: Johs friends hearing ſuch unſaint-like language from him as curſing, concluded that he omitted praying; thou reſtraineſt prayer from God, Job 15.4. When men neglect Duty, they do uſually fall into ſin: to carry on this by the ſtory of the ſlothful, ſee Prov. 24.30. I went by the field of the ſlothful; and what did he obſerve? Lo it was all grown over with thorns, nettles covered the face thereof, and the ſtonewall was broken down; alas, Eden becomes a wilderneſs, and Paradiſe a deſart, the poor ſoul is under the curſe, it brings forth grieving thorns and pricking bryars, and ſtinging nettles, and is again nigh unto more curſing for bringing this forth, Heb. 6.8. Sin comes on by degrees, it ſeems modeſt at firſt, do but omit, then it grows bold, and bids thee commit, and ſo from omiſſion to commiſſion, till at laſt the man become a man of ſin, and a ſon of perdition, vir perditus, an hopeleſs, deſperate, loſt, and undone man. Yet again, to ſhew the worſt of it, which follows hereupon, ſuch perſons are frequently given up, as Rom. 1.21. their firſt ſin was not gloriſying God as God, and then not being thankful, they became vain, being vain, they were darkned, thence they became fools, and ſo on to abominable Idolatries, and at laſt it came to this, that God gave them up, verſ. 24. Oh, the danger of ſins of omiſſion, one makes way for another, and thence they proceed to commiſſion, till they be given up and curſed!
5. The more knowledge of any Duty we have, the more clear 'tis, and the more we are convinced of it, the more is the omiſſion of tha… Duty aggravated; the clearer the light is, th… greater the ſin of not receiving it, this is the condemnation, Joh. 3.19. If Chriſt had not come, their ſin had not been ſo great; but now not to believe, is to be without excuſe, Joh. 15.22. & 24. If God had not told us what we ought to do, we might have made excuſe, and ſaid, Had we known better, we would have done better; but God hath ſhewn thee, O man, what is good, Micah. 6.8. and that not only by his Works, but by his Word; and if the knowledge of him by them only aggravated their ſin as it did, Rom. 1.21. how greatly will their ſin be aggravated that neglect ſo great Salvation, which at firſt was preacht by the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and afterward confirmed by them that heard him, God bearing them witneſs with ſigns and wonders, divers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghoſt, as 'tis, Heb. 2.3, 4. To him that knows to do good, and doth it not, to him it is ſin, a great ſin, an hainous ſin, ſin with a witneſs. It may be ſin to another that knows not to do good, but not ſo great a ſin as 'tis to him that knows; and therefore he that knew not his maſters will was beaten but with a few ſtripes, but he that knew it, and did it not, was beaten with many, Luke 12.47, 48. The Jews had wont to abate one of the forty ſtripes which the Law allowed, and that to St. Paul (as much as they hated him) for of them twice he received forty ſtripes ſave one, 2 Cor. 11.24. But he that knows his maſters will, and doth it not, nor prepares himſe…f, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes, with the full number, without abatement or mitigation, the total ſum of the Law ſhall be inflicted on him.
6. Sins of omiſſion (if in the view of others) are evil examples, as ſins of commiſſion are; a man may do a great deal of hurt by not doing good: we are commanded to let our good works ſhine before others, Mat. 5.16. and to be examples of faith and charity unto others, to be preſidents of good works, Titus 3.8. for ſo the word ſignifies in that place. The world is led by the eye as much, if not more then by the ear, and are as much prevailed with by examples as they are by precepts; and are (on the other hand) very inclinable to think, that they may do what others (eſpecially their betters) do; if rich men give but little, others (that are not ſo rich, and yet able to give) think they may be excuſed, if they give nothing to the poor. If the parents neglect prayer, the children ſcarce think it their duty to pray: As 'tis an excellent thing to be an examplary Chriſtian, it ſhews that Religion is practicable, and tolls men on: 'tis a dull Jade that will not follow and ſtrive to keep pace, when another mettled horſe leads the way: So 'tis ſad to be an examplary ſinner; for ſuch an one hath more ſins to anſwer for then his own, even them of other men, that were committed by his example. 'Tis a common plea, ſuch learned and knowing men do ſo and ſo, and why may not I? Oh follow not a multitude (how mighty & wiſe ſoever) to do evil; let us therefore provoke one another to love and good works by our example; let us not only ſhew, but lead the way.
7. Conſider this, ſins of omiſſion are ſins which God hath ſeverely judged men for in this world, and for which he will judge men in the great day. 'Tis obſervable how ſevere God hath been to them that have omitted what he commanded them to do, though they have pretended to do it for Gods-ſake; an inſtance whereof we have in Saul, 1 Sam. 15. God ſent Saul to deſtroy Amaleck root and branch, King and people, from head to foot, from Throne to threſhold, not to leave one perſon alive; man, woman, infant, and ſuckling, all muſt dye; oxen and ſheep, &c. none muſt eſcape. But Saul ſpared Agag, and the beſt of the ſheep and oxen, &c. and would not utterly deſtroy them; whereupon it follows, that the Lord repented of having ſet up Saul to be King, verſ. 11. and though it were pretended to be done for a Sacrifice to God, verſ. 15. & 22. yet 'tis charged upon him as rebellion and witchcraft, verſ. 23. and his not obeying the voice of the Lord, is called a doing evil in his ſight, verſ 19. ſo that he who omits a good, commits an evil; the omiſſion of good is the commiſſion of evil, and judged accordingly. Oh, how dear did this ſin of omiſſion coſt Saul; Another inſtance is,
That of Eli (which is remarkable) who is charged with honouring his ſons before God, 1 Sam. 2.29. how ſo? Eli was a good old man, and can it be thought that he preferr'd his ſons before God? what ſhould the meaning of this be? ſee Chap. 3.13. and there 'tis cleared up; for ſaith God, I will judge his houſe for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth, becauſe his ſons made themſelves vile, and he reſtrained them not: he did not give them ſo much as a ſowre look, or as the Hebrew reads it, he frowned not upon them. And yet let me tell you, Eli went ſo far, that had his children had any ingenuity, or any reſpect to the rebukes of a Prieſt and Father, one would have thought he had ſaid enough, for Chap. 2.23. &c. the old man very gravely takes them up with this expoſtulation, Why do you do ſuch things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people, nay, my ſont, for it is no good report which I hear, ye make the Lords people to tranſgreſs; if one man ſin againſt another, the Judge ſhall judge him, but if a man ſins againſt the Lord, who ſhall intreat for him? thus he layes their ſin and danger before them pretty roundly, and yet, ſaith God, he reſtrained them not, there was an omiſſion and neglect of more ſevere diſcipline; and this omiſſion coſt him dear, as dear almoſt as the ſins of commiſſion did coſt his ſons, which was not to be purged with Sacrifice, verſ. 14.
Another inſtance, is that concerning the Ammonites and Moabites (who were a baſtard brood) and therefore like Baſtards, they were not to enter into the Congregation of the Lord, till the tenth generation, Deut. 23.2, 3, 4. and the reaſon is taken, 1. From a ſin of omiſſion, becauſe they met not Iſrael with bread and water, when they came out of Egypt. 'Tis a dreadful thing to be excommunicated from, and a dreadful thing not to be admitted into the Congregation of the Lord; and you ſee that a ſin of omiſſion may keep men out for a long time. But,
2 God will judge men for ſins of omiſſion in the great and terrible day of his righteous Judgment: not only the wicked, but the ſlothful ſervant will be judged, and the ſlothful will be judged wicked, as we have it from the mouth of Truth it ſelf, Mat. 25.26. thou wicked and ſlothful ſervant, wicked becauſe ſlothful; he was no waſter, but brother to him (as was lately noted) becauſe ſlothful; for omitting the improvement of his talent, he was called and judged a wicked and ſlothful ſervant, and his puniſhment was (beſide the loſs of his talent) to be caſt into utter darkneſs, where there is weeping and gnaſhing of teeth: he had not turned the grace of God into wantonneſs, yet for being unprofitable, he is ſent to Hell. And again, verſ. 41. he ſhall ſay to them on his left hand, depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire, for your ſins of omiſſion, becauſe when I was hungry and thirſty, ye (like the Ammonites and Moabites newly mentioned, ye brought me no bread and water) ye gave me no meat and drink. Some are apt to juſtifie themſelves thus, we never did any man hurt, we have wronged and oppreſſed no man; I, but God will condemn them that have not done ſuch evils, becauſe they have not done good: Oh, think of theſe things, and beware of ſins of omiſſion. And,