Sins of omission
Again, how many sins of omission are they chargeable with? We know the words of the apostle. To him that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. But do they not know 1,000 instances in which they might have done good, to enemies, to strangers, to their brothers, whether for their bodies or their souls, and they did not do it? How many omissions have they been guilty of in their duty toward God? How many opportunities of receiving the Lord's Supper, of hearing his word, of public or private prayer, have they neglected? Even that holy man, Archbishop Usher, after all his labors for God, had great reason to cry out, almost with his dying breath, Lord, forgive me my sins of omission.
1771 text
14. Again. How many sins of omission are they chargeable with? We know the words of the apostle, To him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin. But do they not know a thousand instances, wherein they might have done good, to enemies, to strangers, to their brethren, either with regard to their bodies or their souls, and they did it not? How many omissions have they been guilty of, in their duty toward God? How many opportunities of communicating, of hearing his word, of public or private prayer have they neglected? So great reason had even that holy man archbishop Usher, after all his labours for God, to cry out, almost, with his dying breath, “Lord, forgive me my sins of omission.”
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 14 in the 1771 Works. Mark 1:15. Dated at Londonderry, 24 April 1767.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.