102 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeR. XXVII.
Fourtlilij, Observe, first, the wicked are described by sins of omis- sion ; as ver. 42, 43. Tliose that have not visited, not clothed, not fed, not harboured ; these shall go into everlasting punishment. But the righteous, by their faithfulness in good works, or acts of self-denying obedience, shall go into life eternal.
1. The wicked by their omission of necessary duties. Because we think omissions no sins, or light sins, I shall take this occasion to show the heinousness of them. Sins are commonly distinguished into — (1.) Sins of omission ; and (2.) Sins of commission.
[1.] A sin of commission is when we do those things which we ought not to do.
[2.] A sin of omission is when we leave undone those things which we ought to do. But when we look more narrowly into these things, we shall find both in every actual sin ; for in that we commit any- thing against the law of God, we omit our duty ; and the omitting of our duty can hardly fall out but that something is preferred before the love of God ; and that is a commission. But yet there is a ground for the distinction ; because when anything is directly and formally against the negative precept and prohibition, that is a sin of commis- sion ; but when we directly sin against an affirmative precept, that is an omission. An instance we have in Eli and his sons. Eli's sons ' defiled themselves with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,' 1 Sam. ii. 22 ; but Eli himself sinned in that 'he restrained them not,' 1 Sam. iii. 13. His sin was an omission ; their sin was a commission. Now, that sins of commission may be great sins, appeareth —
(1.) Partly by the nature of them ; for there is in them the general nature of all sin. It is avojjuLa, 1 John iii. 4, a transgression of a law, or a disobedience to God ; and so, by consequence, a contemj^t of his authority. We cry out upon Pharaoh when we hear him saying, Exod. V. 2, ' Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice ? ' And by interpretation we all say so. This language is in every sin we commit, and in every duty we omit. Our negligence is not simple negligence, but downright disobedience ; because it is the breach of an express precept and charge which God hath given us. Now when we make no reckoning of it, we do in effect say, ' Who is the the Lord, that I should obey him ? ' There may be much disobedience in a bare omission. When Saul had not done what God bade him to do, he telleth him, ' That rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness as iniquity and idolatry,' 1 Sam. xv. 23 ; implying that omission to be stubbornness and rebellion, parallel to idolatry and witchcraft.
(2.) By the causes. In the general, corrupt nature ; but the parti- cular causes are —
(1st.) Idleness. They do not stir up themselves, Isa. Ixiv. 7.
(2dly.) Security, Jer. ii. 31, 32.
(3dly.) Want of love to God : Isa. xliii. 22, ' But thou hast not called upon me, 0 Jacob ; thou hast been weary of me, 0 Israel ; ' Rev. ii. 4, ' Nevertheless I have something against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.' And —
(4thly.) Zeal for his glory : ' Not slothful in business, but fervent
VeR. 46.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. 1 03
in spirit, serving the Lord,' Eom. xii. 11. Where there is a fervour, we cannot be idle and neglectful of our duty.
(3.) By the effects ; and they are —
(1st.) Internal. There is a sad withering: 1 Thes. v. 19, ' Quench not the Spirit.' Or —
(2d.) External. It bringeth on many temporal judgments. God puts by Saul from being king for a sin of omission : 1 Sam. xv. 11, ' It repenteth me for setting up Saul to be king ; for he hath not done the thing which I commanded him.' For this he puts by Eli's house from the priesthood : 1 Sam. iii. 13, 'I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth ; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.' That omission was not total ; for he rejiroved them, but did not punish them.
(3d.) Eternal : Mat. xxv. 30, ' Cast the unprofitable servant into utter darkness.' So Mat. vii. 19, 'Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire ; ' if it bringeth not forth good fruit, though not bad or poisonous fruit. For these sins Christ coudemneth the wicked in the text. By all these argu- ments it appeareth that sins of omission may be great sins. But —
2. That some sins of omission are greater than others. All are not alike. As —
[1.] The more necessary the duties are : Heb. ii. 3, ' How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ? ' &c. ; 1 Cor. xvi. 22, ' If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha.' These are peccata contra remcdium, as others are contra officium. By other sins we make the wound ; by these we refuse the plaster.