Now these Sins of Omission are evidences of a mans want of Regeneration. Nay, there is much more evil in a state of Sin, than in an act of Sin; which state of Sin consisteth most in Sins of Omission. For this was the great evil and misery of the Ephesians by nature, Eph. 2.12. That they were without God, i. e. were without any inward regard of him, or outward Obedience to him. Sound Conversion and saving Repentance make clear work, as the Flood drowned all out of the Ark, Noah's Friends as well as others. So Repentance ⟨p. 179⟩destroys all sins, even sins of Omission as well as Commission. It loves none, it allows of none. Restraining Grace will probably refuse the way of Disobedience, but renewing Grace will close the way of Obedience. Those that are in a wicked and unregenerate state, are characterized in Scripture from their sins of Omission. The wicked through the pride of his heart will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts, Psal. 10.4. The Lord hath a controversy with the Land, because there is no Mercy, nor Truth, nor Knowledge of God in the Land, Hos. 4.1. Nay, the reign of Sin (which ever speaks an unconverted and unregenerate estate) is as visible, if not more in Omissions than in Commissions. As there is as high an act of Authority, and Sovereignty, and Princely Power in a Negative Voice, or denying such and such things to be done as in a positive Law, enjoining such and such things to be done. So the omission of what is good, or refusing to do what God commands, may speak Sin reigning in the Soul, as well as doing, or commanding to be done what God hath forbidden. ⟨p. 180⟩It is indeed the judgment of many, that a Princes Negative Voice is a greater part and mark of his Royalty, than any Affirmative Command of his; for a King may have Power to Command, that which he hath no Power to forbid. As he may and should enjoin his Subjects to Worship the true God, according to his revealed Will; but he hath no Power to forbid them. Thus in Sins of Omission, for a man to live without Prayer, without the love and fear of God, without delight in him, and communion with him, without care of, and watchfulness over his own heart and life, may be a greater sign of the reign of Sin, and thereby of an unregenerate state, than the commission of some gross actual Transgressions.
Now these Sins of Omission are evidences of a mans want of Regeneration. Nay, there is much more evil in a state of Sin, than in an act of Sin; which state of Sin consisteth most in Sins of Omission. For this was the great evil and misery of the Ephesians by nature, Eph. 2.12. That they were without God, i. e. were without any inward regard of him, or outward Obedience to him. Sound Conversion and saving Repentance make clear work, as the Flood drown'd all out of the Ark, Noahs Friends as well as others. So Repentance ⟨p. 179⟩destroys all sins, even sins of Omission as well as Commission. It loves none, it allows of none. Restraining Grace will probably refuse the way of Disobedience, but renewing Grace will close the way of Obedience. Those that are in a wicked and unregenerate state, are characterized in Scripture from their sins of Omission. The wicked through the pride of his heart will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts, Psal. 10.4. The Lord hath a controversie with the Land, because there is no Mercy, nor Truth, nor Knowledge of God in the Land, Hos. 4.1. Nay, the reign of Sin (which ever speaks an unconverted and unregerate estate) is as visible, if not more in Omissions than in Commissions. As there is as high an act of Authority, and Soveraignty, and Princely Power in a Negative Voice, or denying such and such things to be done as in a positive Law, enjoyning such and such things to be done. So the omission of what is good, or refusing to do what God commands, may speak Sin reigning in the Soul, as well as doing, or commanding to be done what God hath forbidden. ⟨p. 180⟩It is indeed the judgment of many, that a Princes Negative Voice is a greater part and mark of his Royalty, than any Affirmative Command of his; for a King may have Power to Command, that which he hath no Power to forbid. As he may and should enjoyn his Subjects to Worship the true God, according to his revealed Will; but he hath no Power to forbid them. Thus in Sins of Omission, for a man to live without Prayer, without the love and fear of God, without delight in him, and communion with him, without care of, and watchfulness over his own heart and life, may be a greater sign of the reign of Sin, and thereby of an unregenerate state, than the commission of some gross actual Transgressions.
