A62053:571
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.
Chapter 44: Another cause of Omissions, is vain excuses men have, that Omissions are little sins, w…
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.
2. Is that a little sin which provoketh God to inflict the greatest punishment: Either we must believe that God punisheth men more or less, according to the nature of their offences, whether greater or lesser, or else we must accuse him of injustice. The Apostle undertakes to prove him righteous, because he renders to every man according to his works, Rom. 2.5, 6. If so, where he inflicts the greatest Judgment, there must be the greatest sin. Now all Divines conclude, the punishment of loss, which they say is for our Omissions, to be far greater than the punishment of sense, which is for our Commissions. It's the general assertion, That departing from God, and all good for ever, will vex and torture the Soul, more than the flames of Hell ⟨p. 442⟩can pain and torment the Body. Therefore it is observable, that our Saviour sometimes speaks as if all the misery of the damned were privative, and did consist in their banishment from him. Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me ye workers of Iniquity, Matth. 7.23. This is all. Poena damni poenalior est quam poena sensus, Chris. As the Sinner hath neglected to do good. They have left off to be wise, and to do good. So he shall be banished from all good, and that for ever. The Omission of good was his Sin, and the amission of good shall be his punishment. As he delighted not in blessing, so it shall be far from him. Ah how far will that be from the poor Creature, which shall never never come to him. Friend, If the pain of loss be greater than that of sense, (for which cause in Scriptures, and Fathers, Hell-torments are called damnation,) and this pain of loss be the punishment of thy Omissions, then it must needs follow, that Omissions are greater Sins than Commissions, and for that cause more severely plagued by God. The presence ⟨p. 443⟩of God is the Heaven of Heaven, Psal. 16. ult. In thy presence is fullness of joy; and the loss of God is the Hell of Hell. They shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,