A62053:274
The sinners last sentence to eternal punishment, for sins of omission
The sinners last sentence to eternal punishment, for sins of omission wherein is discovered, the nature, causes, and cure of those sins / by Geo. Swinnock.
London: printed for Geo. Swinnock, 1675
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. They are most against the mind and will of God. Those sins are the greatest, which most cross the Will of the Law-giver; ⟨p. 144⟩For sin is a transgression of the Law, or Mind, of God. And every one knoweth that the Mind of God is more in the Precept, or Affirmative part of the Law, than in the Prohibition, or Negative part of it. The Precept or performance of the Duty commanded is the main thing, the Prohibition is, as it were, accidental, in order to our Obedience to the Precept;1 therefore sins of Omission being against the substance and principal part of the Command, and so most directly against that which is the special Mind of the Law-giver, must needs be the greatest Sins. It is more good to do good, than not to do evil. Omissions are not to be esteemed bare Negations or Privations, but as breaches of a positive Law, wherein the mind of God is most discovered. Now how great a Sin, and how dangerous is it to cross the Mind of God? surely it's bad thwarting him that can cast Body and Soul into Hell;2 I say unto you, saith Christ, fear him, Matth. 10.28.
1. They are most against the mind and will of God. Those sins are the greatest, which most cross the Will of the Law-giver; ⟨p. 144⟩For sin is a transgression of the Law, or Mind, of God. And every one knoweth that the Mind of God is more in the Precept, or Affirmative part of the Law, than in the Prohibition, or Negative part of it. The Precept or performance of the Duty commanded is the main thing, the Prohibition is, as it were, accidental, in order to our Obedience to the Precept;1 therefore sins of Omission being against the substance and principal part of the Command, and so most directly against that which is the special Mind of the Law-giver, must needs be the greatest Sins. It is more good to do good, than not to do evil. Omissions are not to be esteemed bare Negations or Privations, but as breaches of a positive Law, wherein the mind of God is most discover'd. Now how great a Sin, and how dangerous is it to cross the Mind of God? surely it's bad thwarting him that can cast Body and Soul into Hell;