Ver. 26, 2 7. xxvth. Chapter or St. MATTHEW. 117 lieb. 6. 12. 1 hat ye bé notjloathfiel ; but Followers of them, ;mho through Faith and Pa-. trence have inherited the Promifes. There are in there Scriptures two words, oupnep and Ned,; Dull, Stupid, Backward. . They are both bad ; but this latter is worft, be -. caufe of the Matter about whirls 'tis convèrfant. The one in our Particular, the other in our General Calling. To be negligent in our ordinary Callings is bad ; but much more in the great Affairs of our Souls : 'Tis not only an evil 7hing, but an evil Sin. Of this principally. (a.) Becaufe total Om :jons, againft Knowledge and Confcience, efpecially of ne -. ceffary Duties, are very great Sins. That Omi /ons are Sins as well as Sins of Com- mion, appearerh from the Nature of theLaw ; which conlìlfs of a Precept, and Pro- hibition : It enforceth Good, as well as ferbidderh what is Evil. PraL`34. 14. De -. part front Evil, and. do Good. In the Government of Man; the Law ufèth both there ; the Bridle, and the Spur ; inciting him to that which is Good, and reftraining him from that which is Evil.. You deny God his due, when you with-hold from Him that Service, Love and Worfhip which He requireth : Which is a great Evil in his Creatures, which are made by Him, and fed and maintained by Him.. You wrong Him, when you deprive Him of your Service, for whofè Life you were made. There- fore, Sins of Omelon are Sins. Now, of all Omiffions, Omiffrons of the moft pe- celfary Duties are moft culpable ; want' of Love to God, Fear of God, Faith in God,' are greater Evils,' than not Prayiìng at frith a time, Hearing of the Word, or Labouring in our Callings at Poch a time. The Life of Religion lieth in the one, more than in the other ; and they are more indilpenfibly required. The Scripture pronounceth an heavy Doom upon thefé kind of DefeEts : 1 Cor. 16. 22. 1f any Man love not the Lord 7efees Christ, let him be accurfed. Among there, Sins contra Remedium, are more baneful than Peccata contra Offtcium. Heb. z., 3. How [hail see efcape, if we negledt fo great Salvation ? Efpecially, when Total. To omit an A& of Love to God, or to fail in Point of Faith, in a particular Cafe or Exigence; is a great Evil ; but to be wholly carders and mindlefs, of the Favour of God, or to fèek after it in a very over- , ly fleight manner, is worft of all. Rom. 3. it. There i none that underftandeth, that feeketh after God. They do not malee it their Bufinefs to remember God, or their Du- ty to Him ; or their Study to pleafe Him : They think of Him fèldom, or very neglectfully worfhip Him, or malee mention Of Him very coldly, ferve Him care- Idly, or by the bye. This Iheweth, that Men are naughty, wicked, and . in a curled Efate : Efpecially, when they are convinced of better ; that God deferveth more ferious Regard at their hands, and Chrift to be more dear and precious to them,' and their Converfes with Him more delightful : The Religion they prefers, doth p'ainly call for more at their hands ; and their Confciences are clamorous, and the Spirit of God importunate with them. To omit a Duty againft Knowledge, is as great a Sin, as to. commit Evil againft Knowledge. lam. 4. 17. Therefire, to him that knoweth to do' Good and loth it not ,` to him it is Sin. The clofer the Application by ferious Conviaions, thong Motions and Impulfes to do better, the greater their Sin For this argueth a flat Difobedhence and Contempt of God, and: -a Grieving of his Spirit, Ephef4. 3o. To give Him the Repulfe, when He would fain enter, and take Poffeffion of our Hearts ! Now, put all thefè things together, and you will foon find, that a'SloathfulSer- vant is a very :kicked, naughty Servant. Satin eft Mali opium nihil feciffe Boni. They are not only evil Servants, that teach Falftties ; but they alfò, that do not pro- mote the Kingdom of Chrift to their Power : Not only they that do no Hurt, but they that do no Good. Match. 3.20. Every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit, is hewn down, and raft into the Fire. Not only the Poyfonous, but the Barren Tree. (z.) The Motives that draw no to this Idtenefs and Sloath, are paltry, bare, and filch as offer great Wrong to'Gq¡, Alas ! what have we to hinder us in God's Service, but a little worldly Profit, IWfure, or Honour ? Now, what a grofs Sin'is it, to love the World above God ; or to negleEf Chri ft, that died for thee, meerly to pleafe the Fle(h, and to feele its Eafe and Contentment ! Probatio union fine coniumelia alterino procedere non poteft. Heb. 12. r 5. Left any Root of Bitternefs fprínging up, trouble you ; and thereby many be defiled. If there were forne better or more confiderable thing iii the Cafe, the Fault were the lela, and' our= Negligence might the more be éxcufed But this is a grofs Sin,, to defpife God for poor cdttemptible Vanities. Tite World counts Prophanenefs by another Meafure than'eheScripture You count Adulterers,and Drunk- ards, and S,vearers prophane ; but the Scripture counteth them prophane, that have not
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