2 12 SERMONS upon the S .E R M. XXVII. ry actual Sin : For in that we commit any thing againft the Law of God, we omit our Duty ; and the omitting of our Duty can hardly fall out, -but that iòmething is preferred before the Love of Gad; and that is a Commiffion. But yet there is a ground for the DiftinEtion BEcaufe when any thing is direaly and formally againft the Negative Precept and Prohibition, that's a Sin of Commiflìon : But when we direaly fin againft an Affirmative Precept, that's an Omiffion. An Inftauce we have in Eli, and his Sons : Eli's Sons defiled themfelves with the Women that affembkd at the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, 1 Sam. 2. 22. But Eli himfelf finned,. in that. he reflrained them not, 1 Sam. 3. 13. His Sin' was an Omf folt ; their Sin was a Commifon. Now,- that Sins of Omiffion may be great Sins, appeareth, I. Partly, by the Nature of them : For there is in them the generalNature of all Sin. '_Tis *.d., I lob: 3. 4. a Tranfgrefon of a Law, or a Difobedience to God; and fo, by confequence, a Contempt of his Authority. We cry out upon Pharaoh, when we hear him faying, Exod. 5. z. Who is the Lord, . that I fbauld obey his Voice ? And by Interpretation, we all fay fo : This Language is in every Sin we commit, and in every Duty we omit. Our Negligence. is not fimple Negligence, but downright Difobedience ; becaufe 'cis the Breach of an exprefs Precept and Charge, which God bath given us. Now, when we make no reckoning of it, we do in effea fay; Who is the Lord, that 1 fhould obey him ? There may be much Difobedience In a bare Omiffion : When Saul had not done what God bade him to do, lie telleth him ; That Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft, and Stubbornnefs as Iniquity and Idolatry, I Sam. 15. 23. Implying that Omiffion to be Stubbornnefs and.Rebellion, parallel to Idolatry andWitchcraft. 2. By the Caufes. In the General, Corrupt Nature ; But the Particular Caufes are, Firft, Idlenefs. They do not Pr up themfelves; Ifa. 64. 7. Secondly, Security ; 3er. 2. 31, 32. Thirdly, !Want of Love to God; Ifa. 43. 22. But thou haft not called upon me, 0 °f acob ; thou haft been weary of me, O Ifrael. Rev. 2. 4. Neverthelefs I bave famething againft thee, becaufe thou haft left thy Fir ft Love. And, Fourthly, Zeal for his Glory; Not floathFiel in bufinefs, but fervent in Spirit, fervina the Lord, Rom. 12. I I. Where:there is a Fervour, we cannot be idle and neglelf ful offbur Duty. 3. By the Efecis : And they are, (1.) Internal. There is a fad withering ; 1 Theff. 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit. Or, (2.) External. It bringeth on many Temporal judgments. God puts by Saul frombeing King, for a Sin of Omiffion : a Sam. 15. I1. It repenteth me for Petting up Saul to be l(ing ; for he bath not done the thing which I commanded him. -For this he puts by Eli's Houle from the Prieflhood : I Sam. 3. 13. I will judge his Houfe for ever, for the Iniquity which he knoweth ; becaufe his Sons made themfelves vile, and ,he reftrained them not. That Omiffion was not total ; for he reproved them, but did not punifh them. (3.) ,Eternal: Matt h. 25. 30. Call the unprofitable Servant into utter Darknefs. So, Matth. 7. 19. Every Tree that brinoeth not forth good Fruit, is hewn clown, and ca fl in- to the Fire. If it bringeth not forth Good Fruit, though not bad, or poyfonousFruit. For thefe Sins ChriFt condemneth the Wicked, in the Text. By all thefe Arguments it appeareth, tht Sins of Omiffion may be great Sins. But, II. That fame Sins of Omiffion are greater than others. All are not alike. As, r." a. The more neceJfary the Duties are: Heb. 2. 3. How (hall we efcape, if t 2 neg- leS fo great Salvation, &c? s Cor. 16. 22. If any Man love not the Lord fefus Chrift, let him be Anathema Maranatha. Thefe are Peccata contra Remedium, as others are 'contra 0 cium. By other Sins we make the Wound, by thefe we refufe the Plaifter. 2. If the Omeion-be total: Per. 1o. 25. Pour out thy Fury upon the Heathen that know thee not, and upon the Families that call not on thy Name ; Pfil. 14., 2. None feek- eth after Cod. , 3. If a Duty be feafonable ; the feeding the Hungry, &c. as Ver f 44. When fas' we thee an hungred, or athirft, or a Stranger, &c ? And I Yoh. 3.17. He that bat hothis 1
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=