A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian EthicsBaxter, Richard
Religion
A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian Ethics
Baxter, Richard
Casuistry; Christian sociology
_Tempt._ V. But, saith the tempter, they are but sins of omission, and
such are not reigning sins.
_Direct._ V. Sins of omission are always accompanied with some
positive, sensual affection to the creature, which diverteth the soul,
and causeth the omission. And so omission is no small part of the
reigning sin. The not using of reason and the will for God, and for
the mastering of sensuality, is much of the state of ungodliness in
man. Denying God the heart and life, is no small sin. God made you to
do good, and not only to do no harm: else a stone or corpse were as
good a christian as you; for they do less harm than you. If sin have a
negative voice in your religion, whether God shall be worshipped and
obeyed or not, it is your king: it may show its power as well by
commanding you not to pray, and not to consider, and not to read, as
in commanding you to be drunk or swear. The wicked are described by
omissions: such as "will not seek after God: God is not in all his
thoughts," Psal. x. 4. Such as "know not God, and call not on his
name," Jer. x. 25. That have "no truth, or mercy, or knowledge of
God," Hos. iv. 1. That "feed not, clothe not, visit not" Christ in his
members, Matt. xxv.; that hide their talents, Matt. xxv. Indeed, if
God have not your heart, the creature hath it; and so it is omission
and commission that go together in your reigning sin.
_Tempt._ VI. But, saith the tempter, they are but sins of ignorance,
and therefore they are not reigning sins: at least you are not certain
that they are sins.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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