Thess 3.11 12. and our Lord Jesus Christ perfect what is lacking in my faith direct my way unto him make me to increase and abound in love towards all men and establish my heart unblameable in holiness before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints IV. THe God of peace Heb. 13.20 21. that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant make me perfect in every good work to do his will working in me what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen A Penitentiall Prayer I. OEternal God most merciful Father who hast revealed thy self to Mankinde in Christ Jesus full of pity and compassion merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin be pleased to effect these thy admirable mercies upon thy servant whom thou hast made to put thy trust in thee I know O God that I am vile and polluted in thy sight but I must come into thy presence or I die Thou canst not behold any unclean thing and yet unless thou lookest upon me who am nothing but uncleanness I shall perish miserably and eternally O look upon me with a gracious eye cleanse my Soul with the blood of the holy Lamb that being purified in that holy stream my sins may lose their own foulness and become white as snow Then shall the leprous man be admitted to thy Sanctuary and stand before the Throne of Grace humble and full of sorrow for my fault and full of hope of thy mercy and pardon through Jesus Christ II. O My God thou wert reconciled to Mankinde by thy own graciousness and glorious goodness even when thou didst finde out so mysterious wayes of Redemption for us by sending Jesus Christ then thou didst love us and that holy Lamb did from the beginning of the world lie before thee as sacrific'd and bleeding and in the fulness of time he came to actuate and exhibite what thy goodness had design'd and wrought in the Counsels of Eternity But now O gracious Father let me also be reconciled to thee for we continued enemies to thee though thou lovedst us let me no longer stand at distance from thee but run unto thee bowing my will and submitting my understanding and mortifying my affections and resigning all my powers and faculties to thy holy Laws that thou mayest take delight to pardon and to sanctifie to assist thy servant with thy grace till by so excellent conduct and so unspeakable mercy I shall arrive to the state of glory III. O Blessed Saviour Jesus thou hast made thy self a blessed Peace-offering for sins thou hast procured and revealed to us this Covenant of Repentance and remission of sins and by the infinite mercies of the Father and the death and intercession of the Son we stand fair and hopeful in the eye of the Divine Compassion and we have hopes of being saved O be pleased to work thy own work in us The grace and admission to Repentance is thy own glorious production thou hast obtained it for us with a mighty puchase but then be pleas'd also to take me in to partake actually of this glorious mercy Give to thy servant a perfect hatred of sin a great displeasure at my own folly for ever having provoked thee to anger a perpetual watchfulness against it an effective resolution against all its tempting instances a prevailing strife and a glorious victory that the body of sin being destroyed I may never any more serve any of its baser interests but that by a diligent labour and a constant care I may approve my self to thee my God mindful of thy Covenant a servant of thy Will a lover of thy Glory that being thy Minister in a holy service I may be thy Son by adoption and participation of the glories of the Lord Jesus O let me never lie down in sin nor rise in shame but be partaker both of the Death and the Resurrection of our Lord that my imperfect and unworthy services may by passing into the holiness of thy Kingdome be such as thy servant desires they should and fit to be presented unto thee in the perfect holiness of Eternity through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen CHAP. III. Of the distinction of sins Mortal and Venial in what sense to be admitted and how the smallest sins are to be repented of and expiated §. 1. MEn have not been satisfied with devising infinite retirements and disguises of their follies to hide them from the world but finding themselves open and discerned by God have endeavoured to discover means of escaping from that Eye from which nothing can escape but innocence and from which nothing can be hid but under the cover of mercy For besides that we expound the Divine Laws to our own purposes of ease and ambition we give to our sins gentle censures and adorn them with good words and refuse to load them with their proper characters and punishments and at last are come to that state of things that since we cannot allow to our selves a liberty of doing every sin we have distinguished the Question of sins into several orders and have taken one half to our selves For we have found rest to our fancies in the permissions of one whole kinde having distinguished sins into Mortal and Venial in their own nature that is sins which may and sins which may not be done without danger so that all the difference is that some sins must be taken heed of but others there are and they the most in number and the most frequent in their instances and returns which we have leave to commit without being affrighted with the fearful noises of damnation by which doctrine iniquity and confidence have much increased and grown upon the ruines and declension of the Spirit And this one Article hath almost an infinite influence to the disparagement of Religion in the determination of Cases of Conscience For supposing the distinction to be believed experience and certain reason will evince that it is impossible to prescribe proper limits and measures to the several kindes and between the least Mortal and the greatest Venial sin no man is able with certainty to distinguish and therefore as we see it daily happen and in every page written by the Casuists men call what they please Venial take what measures of them they like appoint what expiation of them they fancy and consequently give what allowance they list to those whom they please to mislead For in innumerable Cases of Conscience it is oftner inquired whether a thing be Venial or Mortal then whether it be lawful or not lawful and as Purgatory is to Hell so Venial is to Sin a thing which men fear not because the main stake they think to be secured for if they may have Heaven at last they care not
agree not while we are in the way we shall be cast into the eternal prison and shall not depart thence till we have paid the uttermost farthing that is even for our smallest sins if they be unremitted men shall pay in hell their horrible Symbol of damnation And this is confessed on all hands a Aquinas 1 2.◠quaest 87. art 5. that they who fall into hell pay their sorrows there even for all But it is pretended that this is onely by accident b Bellar. de amiss gra lib. 1. c. 14. §. Extusad not by the first intention of the Divine justice because it happens that they are subjected in such persons who for other sins not for these goe to hell Well! yet let it be considered whether or no do not the smallest unremitted sins in crease the torments of hell in their proportion If they doe not then they are not at all punished in hell for if without them the perishing soul is equally punished then for them there is no punishment at all But if they doe increase the pains as it is certain they doe then to them properly and for their own malignity and demerit a portion of eternal pains is assigned Now if God punishes them in hell then they deserv'd hell if they be damnable in their event then they were so in their merit for God never punishes any sin more then it deserves though he often does less But to say that this is by accident that is for their conjunction with mortal sins is confuted infinitely because God punishes them with degrees of evil proper to them and for their own demerit There is no other accident by which these come to be smarted for in hell but because they were not repented of for by that accident they become Mortal as by the contrary accident to wit if the sinner repents worthily not onely the smallest but the greatest also become Venial The impenitent payes for all all together But if the man be a worthy penitent if he continues and abides in Gods love he will finde a mercy according to his circumstances by the measures of Gods graciousness and his own repentance so that by accident they may be pardoned but if that accident does not happen if the man be not penitent the sins shall be punished directly and for their own natural demerit The summe is this If a man repents truly of the greater sins he also repents of the smallest for it cannot be a true repentance which refuses to repent of any so that if it happens that for the smallest he doe smart in hell it is because he did not repent truly of any greatest nor smallest But if it happens that the man did not commit any of the greater sins and yet did indulge to himself a licence to doe the smallest even for those which he cals the smallest he may perish and what he is pleased to call little Serm. 1. de coenâ Dom. Serm. 1. de convers Pauli God may call great Cum his peccatis neminem salvandum said S. Bernard with these even the smallest sins actually remaining upon him unrepented of in general or particular no man can be saved §. 4. The former doctrine reduc'd to practice I Have been the more earnest in this article not onely because the Doctrine which I have all this while opposed makes all the whole doctrine of moral Theology to be inartificial and in many degrees useless false and imprudent but because of the immediate influence it hath to encourage evil lives of men For 1. To distinguish a whole kinde of sins is a certain way to mak repentance and amendment of life imperfect and false For when men by fears and terrible considerations are scar'd from their sins as most repentances begin with fear they still retain some portions of affection to their sin some lookings back and phantastick entertainments which if they be not par'd off by repentance we love not God with all our hearts and yet by this doctrine of distinguishing sins into Mortal and Venial in their whole kinde and nature men are taught to arrest their repentances and have leave not to proceed further for they who say sins are Venial in their own nature if they understand the consequences of their own doctrine do not require repentance to make them so or to obtain a pardon which they need not 2. As by this means our repentances are made imperfect so is a relapse extremely ready for while such a leaven is left it is ten to one but it may sowre the whole mass S. Gregory said well Lib. 10. Moral c. 14. Si curare parva negligimus insensibiliter seducti audentèr etiam majora perpetramus we are too apt to return to our old crimes whose reliques we are permitted to keep and kiss 3. But it is worse yet For the distinction of sins Mortal and Venial in their nature is such a separation of sin from sin as is rather a dispensation or leave to commit one sort of them the expiation of which is so easy the pardon so certain the remedy so ready the observation and exaction of them so inconsiderable For there being so many ways of making great sins little and little sins none at all found out by the folly of men and the craft of the Devil a great portion of Gods right and the duty we owe to him is by way of compromise and agreement left as a portion to carelesness and folly and why may not a man rejoyce in those trifling sins for which he hath security he shall never be damned As for the device of Purgatory indeed if there were any such thing it were enough to scare any one from committing any sins much more little ones But I have conversed with many of that perswasion and yet never observed any to whom it was a terror to speak of Purgatory but would talk of it as an antidote or security against hell but not as a formidable story to affright them from their sins but to warrant their venial sins and their imperfect repentance for their mortal sins And indeed let it be considered If venial sins be such as the Romane DD. describe them that they neither destroy nor lessen charity or the grace of God that they onely hinder the fervency of an act which sleep or business or any thing that is most innocent may doe that they are not against the law but besides it as walking and riding standing and sitting are that they are not properly sins that all the venial sins in the world cannot amount to one mortal sin but as time differs from eternity as finite from infinite so doe all the Venial sins in the world put together from one Mortal act that for all them a man is never the less beloved and loves God nothing the less I say if venial sins be such as the Roman Writers affirm they are how can it be imagined to be agreeable to Gods goodness to inflict
answered 272 51 Objections against the repentance of Clinicks 281 57. 277 56. 284 64 Heathens newly baptised if they die immediately need not repentance 284 64 The objection concerning the thief on the Cross answered 288 289 Testimonies of the Ancients against death bed repentance 292 66 The manner of repentance in habitual sinners who begin repentance betimes 305 1 The manner of repentance which habitual sins must be cured by in them who return not till old age 317 12 The usage of sinners who repent not till their death-bed 325 25 Considerations shewing how dangerous it is to delay repentance 325 25 Considerations to be opposed against the despair of penitent Clinicks 329 29 What hopes penitent Clinicks have taken out of the writings of the Fathers of the Church 330 30 The manner how the ancient Church treated penitent Clinicks 3â—7 5 The particular acts and parts of repentance that are fittest for a dying man 339 32 The penitent in the opinion of the Jewish Doctors preferred above the just and innocent 530 5 The practice of the Primitive Fathers about penitent Clinicks 539 the practice of the ancient Fathers excluding from repentance murderers adulterers and idolaters 540 Penitential sorrow is rather in the understanding then the affections 586 12 penitential sorrow is not to be estimated by the measures of sense 588 15 590 17 a double solemne imposition of hands in repentance 633 as our repentance is so is our pardon 649 a man must not judge of his repentance by his tears nor by any one manner of expression 658 1 He that suspects his repentance should use that suspicion as a means to improve his repentance 660 Meditations that will dispose the heart to repentance ibid. No man can be said truly to have grieved for sins which at any time after he remembers with pleasure 662 7 the repentance of Clinicks 667 13 sorrow for sin is but a sign or instrument of repentance 668 14 Restitution considered as a part of repentance 656 84 Romans 7.14 exp 261 40 6.7 exp 266 44 7.7 exp 311 5 5.12 exp 363 7 5.13 14. exp 365 11 7.23 exp 400 50 455 8 7.15 19. exp 454 6 456 9 S. Aug. restrained the words of the Apostle R m 7.15 to the matter of desires and concupiscence and excluded all evil actions from the meaning of that text 463 17 reasons against the interpretation of that Father 465 18 7.9 exp 468 23 8.7 exp 478 29 7.22 23. exp 480 29 5.10 exp 576 77 Revelation 19.9 exp 284 62 Religion if it be seated onely in the understanding not accepted to salvation 476 28 S SAcrament Church of God used to deny the Sacrament to no dying penitent that desired it 330 29 Of confeshon to a Minister in preparation to the Sacrament 678 25 1 Sam 2.25 exp 561 51 Satisfaction what it signified in the sense of the Ancients 644 72 606 34 645 the Ancients did not beleeve satisfactions simply necessary to the procuring of pardon from God 651 78 Sins are not equal 104 5 How they are made greater or less ibid. No sin is ven al 110 9 the smallest sins are destructive of our friendship with God 111 12 the Doctors of the Roman Church doe not rightly define venial sins ibid. the smallest is against charity 123 24 and is turning from God 125 26 the smaller the sin the less excusable if done with observation 127 27 Venial sins distinguished into such as are venial by the imperfection of the agent by the smalness of the matter or venial in the whole kinde 128 28 that no sins are venial in their nature or whole kinde 129 31 sins differ in degree but not in their essential order to punishment 132 33 No sins are venial but by repentance 134 34 The absurdity of the Romane doctrines concerning venial sins 138 39 the inconveniences following from the doctrine of venial sins 137 35 c. Among the ancients the distinction of sins into mortal and venial means not a distinction of kinde but degree 142 44 some sins destroy not holiness 144 45 the distinction of sins into mortal and venial cannot have influence on us to any good purposes 145 46 What sins are venial cannot be known to us 147 47 we should have judged some sins venial if it had not been otherwise revealed in Scripture 148 48 sins that we account in their nature venial may by their multitude become damnable 152 52 the means of expiating venial sins appointed by some Romane Doctors 157 57 Whether every single deliberate act of sin put the sinner out of Gods favour 182 22 single acts of sin without a habit give a denomination 185 25 sins are damnable that cannot be habitual 184 24 single acts of mortal sin displease God and are forbidden but are not a state of death 188 29 what repentance single acts of sin require 198 43 how a single act of sin sometimes is habitual 202 49 sin often in Scripture used for the punishment of sin 368 15 leaving of fin the best sign of hatred of it 603 7 How sin can be consistent with the regenerate estate 485 33 he that leaves a sin out of fear may be accepted 491 the violence of a temptation doth not in the whole excuse sin 511 58 Of the pardon of sins after Baptism 532 7 some sins styled unpardonable but in a limited sense 542 21 God punishes not one sin with another 682 One sin may cause or procure another ibid. Sin Original cap 6 362 whether we from Adam derive Original ignorance 373 22 Adams sin made us not heirs of damnation 375 22 nor makes us necessarily vicious 383 37 Adams sin did not corrupt our nature by a physical efficiency 383 39 nor because we were in the loyns of Adam 384 40 nor because of the will and decree of God 386 41 the principles by which sin pollutes the manners of men 413 66 Sins of Infirmity cap. 7 per tot That which some men call a state of infirmity is a state of sin and death 473 25 Sinner how every sinner is Gods enemy 81.11 God is ready to forgive all and the greatest sinners 530. Sorrow as a fruit of repentance 647 Rules concerning sorrow that is a part of repentance 663 A caution to those that minister comfort to such as are afflicted with immoderate sorrow for their sins 665 10 sorrow for sin is but a sign or instrument of repentance 668 14 cautions concerning the measures of this sorrow 686 30 penitential sorrow is rather in the understanding then the affections 586 12 Scripture the manner of it is to include the consequents in the antecedents 284 62 Spirit the rule of the spirit in us 481 to have received the spirit is not an inseparable propriety of the regenerate 493 39 what the spirit of God doth in us 494 the regenerate man hath not onely received the spirit of God but is wholly led by him 498 42 Supererogation what it is 49 17 T TEars A man by them must not judge of his repentance nor by any other one way of expression 658 1 Temptation every temptation to sin if overcome increases not the reward 234 7 No man is tempted of God 437 10 the violence of a temptation doth not in the whole excuse sin 511 58 Thief on the Cross why his repentance was accepted 289 65 1 Timoth. 5.22 exp 548 31 Titus 3.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exp 477 28 V VErtue The difference of vertue is in relation to their objects 206 56 Theology findeth a medium between vertue and vice 268 47 Vnderstanding Religion if it be seated onely in the understanding not accepted to salvation 476 28 Voluntary whether disobedience that is voluntary in the cause but not in the effect is to be punished 388 43 389 390 unwilingness unto sin no sign of regeneration 486 W WIll Of Freewill 418 a mans will hath no infirmity 512 60 the will is not moved necessarily by the understanding ibid. Works covenant of works when it began 1. reasons shewing the justice of that dispensation of Gods beginning his entercourse with man by the covenant of works 6. the Law of works imposed on Adam only 39 1 Y YOung Sins of infirmity not accounted to young men as to others 510 57 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 178 14 The End
what I intend hath in it more of piety then their negative can have of certainty That which is strain'd and held too hard will soonest break He that stoops to the authority yet twists the article with truth preserves both with modesty and Religion One thing more I fear will trouble some persons who will be apt to say to me as Avitus of Vienna did to Faustus of Rhegium Hic quantum ad frontem pertinet quasi abstinentissimam vitam professus non secretam crucem sed publicam vanitatem c. That upon pretence of great severity as if I were exact or could be I urge others to so great strictness which will rather produce despair then holiness Though I have in its proper place taken care concerning this and all the way intend to rescue men from the just causes and inlets to despair that is not to make them doe that against which by preaching a holy life I have prepar'd the best defensative yet this I shall say here particularly That I think this objection is but a meer excuse which some men would make lest they should beleeve it necessary to live well For to speak truth men are not very apt to despair they have ten thousand ways to flatter themselves and they will hope in despight of all arguments to the contrary In all the Scripture there is but one example of a despairing man and that was Judas who did so not upon the stock of any fierce propositions preach'd to him but upon the load of his foul sin and the pusillanimity of his spirit But they are not to be numbred who live in sin and yet sibi suaviter benedicunt think themselves in a good condition and all them that rely upon those false principles which I have reckoned in this preface and confuted in the Book are examples of it But it were well if men would distinguish the sin of despair from the misery of despair Where God hath given us no warrant to hope there to despair is no sin it may be a punishment and to hope also may be presumption I shall end with the most charitable advice I can give to any of my erring Brethren Let no man be so vain as to use all the wit and arts all the shifts and devices of the world that he may behold to enjoy the pleasure of his sin since it may bring him into that condition that it will be disputed whether he shall despair or no. Our duty is to make our calling and election sure which certainly cannot be done but by a timely and effective repentance But they that will be confident in their health are sometimes pusillanimous in their sickness presumptuous in sin and despairing in the day of their calamity De Repub â— Cognitio de incorrupto Dei judicio in multis dormit sed excitari solet circa mortem said Plato For though men give false sentences of the Divine judgements when their temptations are high and their sin is pleasant yet about the time of their death their understanding and notices are awakened and they see what they would not see before and what they cannot now avoid Thus I have given account of the design of this Book to you Most Reverend Fathers and Religious Brethren of this Church and to your judgement I submit what I have here discoursed of as knowing that the chiefest part of the Ecclesiastical office is conversant about Repentance and the whole Government of the Primitive Church was almost wholly imployed in ministring to the orders and restitution and reconciliation of penitents and therefore you are not onely by your ability but by your imployment and experiences the most competent Judges and the aptest promoters of those truths by which repentance is made most perfect and unreprovable By your Prayers and your Authority and your Wisdome I hope it will be more and more effected that the strictnesses of a holy life be thought necessary and that repentance may be no more that trifling litle piece of duty to which the errors of the late Schools of learning and the desires of men to be deceiv'd in this article have reduc'd it I have done thus much of my part toward it and I humbly desire it may be accepted by God by you and by all good men Jer Taylor The CONTENTS of the Chapters and Sections contained in this Book CHAP. I. The Foundation and Necessity of Repentance Pag. 1. Sect. 1 Of the indispensable necessity of Repentance in remedy to the unavoidable transgressing the Covenant of Works ibid. Sect. 2 Of the possibility or impossibility of keeping the Precepts of the Gospel 8 Sect. 3 How Repentance and the Precept of Perfection Evangelicall can stand together 26 Sect. 4 The former Doctrine reduc'd to practise 39 CHAP. II. Sect. 1. Of the nature and definition of Repentance and what parts of duty are signified by it in holy Scriptures p. 63. Sect. 2 Of Repentance in generall or Conversion 73 Sect. 3 Descriptions of Repentance taken from the holy Scriptures 85 CHAP. III. Sect. 1. Of the distinction of sins Mortal and Venial in what sense to be admitted and how the smallest sins are to be repented of and expiated p. 101 Sect. 2 Of the difference of sins and their measures 104 Sect. 3 That all sins are punishable as God please even with the pains of Hell p. 111 Sect. 4 The former Doctrine reduc'd to practise 137 Sect. 5 141 Sect. 6 What Repentance is necessary for the smaller or more Venial sins 155 CHAP. IV. Sect. 1. Of Actual single sins and what Repentance is proper to them p. 169 Sect. 2 Whether every single act of these sins puts a man out of Gods favour 182 Sect. 3 What Repentance is necessary for single acts of sin 197 CHAP. V. Of Habitual sins and their manner of eradication or cure and their proper instruments of pardon p. 211 Sect. 1 The state of the Question p. 211 Sect. 2 Every man is bound to repent of his sin as soon as he hath committed it 217 Sect. 3 A sinful habit hath in it proper evils and a proper guiltiness of its own besides all that which came directly by the single actions 228 Sect. 4 Sinful habits do require a distinct manner of Repentance and have no promise to be pardon'd but by the introduction of the contrary 256 Sect. 5 Consideration of the Objections against the former Doctrine 272 Sect. 6 The former Doctrine reduc'd to practise 305 CHAP. VI. Sect. 1. Of Concupiscence and Original sin and whether or no or how far we are bound to repent of it p. 361 Sect. 2 Consideration of the objections against the former doctrine 392 Sect. 3 How God punishes the Fathers sin upon the Children 403 Sect. 4 Of the causes of the Universal wickedness of Mankinde 411 Sect. 5 Of liberty of Election remaining after Adams fall 418 Sect. 6 The practical Question 424 Sect. 7 Advices relating to the matter of Original sin 427 CHAP. VII
what comes between And as many men of the Roman perswasion will rather choose Purgatory then suffer here an inconsiderable penance or do those little services which themselves think will prevent it so they choose venial sins and hug the pleasures of trifles warming themselves at phantastick fires and dancing in the light of the glo-worms and they love them so well that rather then quit those little things they will suffer the intolerable pains of a temporary Hell for so they believe which is the testimony of a great evil and a mighty danger for it gives testimony that little sins can be beloved passionately and therefore can minister such a delight as is thought a price great enough to pay for the sufferance of temporal evils and Purgatory it self But the evil is worse yet when it is reduc'd to practise For in the decision of very many questions the answer is It is a venial sin that is though it be a sin yet there is in it no danger of losing the favour of God by that but you may do it and you may do it again a thousand thousand times and all the venial sins of the world put together can never do what one mortal sin can that is make God to be your enemy Lib. 1. de amiss gratiae cap. 13. §. alterum est So Bellarmine expresly affirms But because there are many Doctors who write Cases of Conscience and there is no measure to limit the parts of this distinction for that which is not at all cannot be measured the Doctors differ infinitely in their sentences some calling that Mortal which others call Venial as you may see in the little Summaries of Navar and Emanuel Sà the poor souls of the Laity and the vulgar Clergy who believe what is told them by the Authors or Confessors they choose to follow must needs be in infinite danger and the whole body of Practical Divinity in which the life of Religion and of all our hopes depends shall be rendred dangerous and uncertain and their confidence shall betray them unto death To bring relief to this state of evil and to establish aright the proper grounds and measures of Repentance I shall first account concerning the difference of sins and by what measures they are so differenc'd 2. That all sins are of their own nature punishable as God please even with the highest expressions of his anger 3. By what Repentance they are cur'd and pardon'd respectively §. 2. Of the difference of sins and their measures 1. SIns are not equal but greater or less in their principle as well as in their event It was one of the errours of Jovinian which he learned from the Schools of the Stoicks that all sins are alike grievous Nam dicunt esse pares res Horat. Serm. l. 1. Sat. 3. Furta latrociniis magnis parva minantur Falce recisuros simili se si sibi regnum Permittant homines For they supposed an absolute irresistible Fate to be the cause of all things and therefore what was equally necessary was equally culpable that is not at all and where men have no power of choice or which is all one that it be necessary that they choose what they do there can be no such thing as Laws or sins against them To which they adding that all evils are indifferent and the event of things be it good or bad had no influence upon the felicity or infelicity of man they could neither be differenc'd by their cause nor by their effect the first being necessary and the latter indifferent * Against this I shall not need to oppose many Arguments for though this follows most certainly from their doctrine who teach an irresistible Decree of God to be the cause of all things actions yet they that own the doctrine disavow the consequent and in that are good Christians but ill Logicians But the Article is sufficiently cleared by the words of our B. Lord in the case of Judas whose sin as Christ told to Pilate was the greater because he had not power over him but by special concession Mat. 23.24 Luk. 6.41 in the case of the servant that knows his Masters will and does it not in the several condemnations of the degrees and expressions of anger in the instances of Racha and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Ira festuca est odium verò trabs Aug. Thou vain man or Thou fool by this comparing some sins to gnats and some to Camels and in proportion to these there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Luke many stripes a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. James a greater condemnation * Ira festuca est odium verò trabs Aug. Thus to rob a Church is a greater sin then to rob a Thief To strike a Father is a higher impiety then to resist a Tutor To oppress a Widow is clamorous and calls aloud for vengeance when a less repentance wil vote down the whispering murmurs of a trifling injury done to a fortune that is not sensible of smaller diminutions Nec vincit ratio tantundem ut peccet idémque Qui teneros caules alieni fregerit horti Vt qui nocturnus Divûm sacra legerit He is a greater criminal that steals the Chalice from a Church then he that takes a few Coleworts or robs a garden of Cucumers But this distinction and difference is by something that is extrinsecal to the action the greatness of the mischief or the dignity of the person according to that Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se Crimen habet quanto major qui peccat habetur 2. But this when it is reduc'd to its proper cause is because such greater sins are complicated they are commonly two or three sins wrapt together as the unchastity of a Priest is uncleanness and scandal too Adultery is worse then Fornication because it is unchastity and injustice and by the fearful consequents of it is mischievous and uncharitable Et quas Euphrates quas mihi misit Orontes Me capiant Nolo furta pudica thori So Sacrilege is theft and impiety And Apicius killing himself when he suppos'd his estate would not maintain his luxury was not onely a self-murtherer but a gluttonous person in his death Nil est Apici tibi gulosius factum Lib. 3.22 Epign Mart. So that the greatness of sins is in most instances by extension and accumulation that as he is a greater sinner who sins often in the same instance then he that sins seldome so is he who sins such sins as are complicated and intangled like the twinings of combining Serpents And this appears to be so because if we take single sins as uncleanness and theft no man can tell which is the greater sin neither can they be differenc'd but by something that is besides the nature of the action it self A thought of theft and an unclean thought have nothing by which they can excel each other but when you clothe them
prevail'd upon and master'd all his strengths The instance is great whatsoever it be that God hath chosen for our obedience To abstain from the fruit of a tree not to gather sticks or dew after a certain hour not to touch the Curtains of the Ark not to uncover our fathers shame all is one as to God for there is nothing in all our duty that can adde any moments to his felicity but by what he please he is to try our obedience Let no man therefore despise a sin or be bold to plead for it as Lot for Zoar Is it not a little one For no man can say it is little if God hath chosen the Commandement which the sin trangresses as an instrument of his glorification and our felicity Disobedience is the formality of sin and since the instance or the matter of sin is all one to God so also is the disobedience The result of this consideration is this 1. That no man should indulge to himself the smallest sin because it is equally against God as the greatest and though accidentally it may come not to be so exacted yet of it self it may and God is just if he does 2. There is no sin but if God enters into judgement with us he may justly sentence us for it to the portion of accursed Spirits For if for any then for all there being as to him no difference But these things are to be proved in the following Section §. 3. That all sins are punishable as God please even with the pains of Hell 1. IN the aggravation of sins the injured person is as considerable as any other circumstance He that smites a Prince he that fires a Temple he that rails upon the Bible he that pollutes the Sacraments makes every sin to be a load and therefore since every sin is against God it ought not to be called little unless God himself should be little esteemed And since men usually give this account that God punishes a transient sin with an immortal pain because though the action is finite yet it was against an infinite God we may upon the same ground esteem it just that even for the smallest sin God in the rigour of his justice can exact the biggest calamity For an act of Murther or a whole year of Adultery hath no nearer proportion to an eternity of pains then one sinful thought hath for greater or less are no approaches towards infinite for between them both and what is infinite the distance is equally infinite 2. In the distinction of sins Mortal and Venial the Doctors of the Roman Church define Venial sins to be such which can consist with the love of God which never destroy or lessen it * Venialia peccata ex consensu omnium Theologorum neque tollunt neque minuunt habitum charitatis sed solum actum fervorem ejus impediunt Bellarm. de amiss grat c. 13. § alterum est in the very definition supposing that thing which is most of all in question and the ground of the definition is nothing but the analogy and proportion of the entercourses and usages of men who for a small offence do not neglect or cast away the endearments of an old friend * Idem ib. cap. 11. §. Quartum argum of which when I have given account I suppose the greatest difficulty of the question is removed Against this therefore I oppose this proposition The smallest sins are destructive of our friendship with God For although Gods mercies are infinite and glorious and he forgives millions to us that grudge to remit the trifles of our brother and therefore whatsoever we can suppose a man will forgive to his friend that and much more infinitely more may we expect from the treasures of his goodness and mercy yet our present consideration is not what we can expect from Gods mercy but what is the just demerit of our sins not what he will forgive but what he may justly exact not what are the measures of pardon but what are the accounts of his justice for though we have hopes upon other reckonings yet upon the account even of our smallest sins we have nothing but fear and sadder expectations For we are not to account the measures and rules of our friendship with God by the easiness and ignorance by the necessities and usual compliances of men For 1. Certain it is that in the usual accounts of men some things are permitted which are not so in the accounts of God All sorts of ignorance use to lessen a fault amongst men but before God some sorts of ignorance do aggravate such as is the voluntary and malicious which is the worst sort of vincible Not that men do not esteem him vicious and unworthy who enquires not for fear he should know but because men oftentimes are not competent judges whether they do or no. 2. Because men know not by what purpose their neighbours action is directed and therefore reckon onely by the next and most apparent cause not by the secret and most operative and effective 3. Because by the laws of Charity we are bound to think the best to expound things fairly to take up things by the easier handle there being left for us no other security of not being confounded by mutual censures judgements and inflictions but by being restrained on the surer side of Charity on which the errors of men are not judged criminal and mischievous as on the other side they are But God knows the hearts of men their little obliquities and intricate turnings every propensity and secret purpose what malice is ingredient and what error is invincible and how much is fit to be pitied and therefore what may justly be exacted For there are three several wayes of judgement according to the several capacities of the Judges * First the laws of men judge onely by the event or material action and meddle not at all with the purpose but where it is open'd by an active sign He that gives me a thousand pounds to upbraid my poverty or with a purpose to feed my crimes is not punishable by law but he is that takes from me a thousand shillings though secretly he means to give it to my needy brother Because as in the estimation of men nothing is valuable but what does them good or hurt so neither can their Laws and Tribunals receive testimony of any thing but what is seen or felt And thus it is also in the measures of sins To break order in a day of battel is but a disorder and so it is to break order at S. Georges show at a training or in a Procession and yet that is punished with death this with a Cudgel the aptness to mischief and the evil consequent being in humane Judicatories the onely measures of judgement Men feel the effects and the Laws do judge accordingly 2. In the private judgements of men mercy must interpose and it can oftner then in the publick because in the private
was called by them quasi pellicatus that inticing which is proper to uncleanness So Cicero in A. Gellius Lib. 13. c. 19. Nemo ita manifesto peccatu tenebatur ut cum impudens fuisset in facto tum impudentior videretur si negaret Thus the indistinction of words mingles all their significations in the same common notion and formality They were not sins at all if they were not against a Law and if they be they cannot be of their own nature venial but must be liable to that punishment which was threatned in the Law whereof that action is a transgression 2. The Law of God never threatens the justice of God never inflicts punishment but upon transgressors of his Laws the smallest offences are not only threatned but may be punished with death therefore they are transgressions of the Divine Law So S. Basil argues Nullum peccatum contemnendum ut parvum quando D. Paulus de omni peccato generatim pronunciaverat stimulum mortis esse peccatum The sting of death is sin that is death is the evil consequent of sin and comes in the tail of it of every sin and therefore no sin must be despised as if it were little Now if every little sin hath this sting also as it is on all hands agreed that it hath it follows that every little transgression is perfectly and intirely against a Commandement And indeed it is not sense to say any thing can in any sense be a sin and that it should not in the same sense be against a Commandement For although the particular instance be not named in the Law yet every instance of that matter must be meant It was an extreme folly in Bellarmine to affirm De amiss grat cap. 11. §. Assumptio probatur Peceatum veniale ex parvitate materiae est quidem perfectè voluntarium sed non perfectè contra legem Lex enim non prohibet furtum unius oboli in specie sed prohibet furtum in genere That a sin that is venial by the smalness of the matter is not perfectly against the Law because the Law forbids theft indeed in the general but does not in particular forbid the stealing of a half-peny for upon the same reason it is not perfectly against the Law to steal three pound nineteen shillings three pence because the Law in general onely forbids theft but does not in particular forbid the stealing of that sum * But what is besides the Law and not against it cannot be a sin and therefore to fancy any sin to be onely besides the Law is a contradiction so to walk to ride to eat flesh or herbs to wear a long or a short garment are said to be besides the Law but therefore they are permitted and indifferent Indifferent I say in respect of that Law which relates to that particular matter and indifferent in all senses unless there be some collateral Law which may prohibit it indirectly So for a Judge to be a Coachman for a Priest to be a Fidler or Inne-keeper are not directly unlawful but indirectly they are as being against decency and publick honesty or reputation or being inconvenient in order to that end whither their calling is design'd To this sense are those words of S. Paul All things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient That is some things which directly are lawful by an indirect obligation may become unfit to be done but otherwise Licitum est quod nullâ lege prohibetur saith the Law If no Law forbids it then it is lawful and to abstain from what is lawful though it may have a worthiness in it more then ordinary yet to use our liberty is at no hand a sin The issue then is this either we are forbidden to doe a venial sin or we are not If we are not forbidden then it is as lawful to doe a venial sin as to marry or eat flesh If we are forbidden then every such action is directly against Gods Law and consequently finable at the will of the supreme Judge and if he please punishable with a supreme anger Aâ—d to this purpose there is an excellent observation in S. Austin Lib. 3. Quaest super Levit. q. 20. Peccatum delictum si nihil differrent inter se si unius rei duo nomina essent non curaret Scriptura tam diligentèr unum esse utriusque sacrificium There are several names in Scripture to signify our wandrings and to represent the several degrees of sin but carefully it is provided for that they should be expiated with the same sacrifice which proves that certainly they are prevarications of the same Law offences of the same God provocations of the same anger and heiâ—s of the same death and even for small offences a Sacrifice was appointed lest men should neglect what they think God regarded not 3. Every sin even the smallest is against Charity which is the end of the Commandement For every sin or evil of transgression is far worse then all the evils of punishment with which mankinde is afflicted in this world and it is a less evil that all mankinde should be destroyed then that God should be displeased in the least instance that is imaginable Now if we esteem the loss of our life or our estate the wounding our head or the extinction of an eye to be great evils to us and him that does any thing of this to us to be our enemy or to be injurious we are to remember that God hates every sin worse then we can hate pain or beggery And if a nice and a tender conscience the spirit of every excellent person does extremely hate all that can provoke God to anger or to jealousy it must be certain that God hates every such thing with an hatred infinitely greater so great that no understanding can perceive the vastness of it and immensity For by how much every one is better by so much the more he hates every sin and the soul of a righteous man is vexed and afflicted with the inrodes of his unavoidable calamities the armies of Egypt the lice and flies his insinuating creeping infirmities Now if it be holiness in him to hate these little sins it is an imitation of God for what is in us by derivation is in God essentially therefore that which angers a good man and ought so to do displeases God and consequently is against charity or the love of God For it is but a vain dream to imagine that because just men such who are in the state of grace and of the love of God do commit smaller offences therefore they are not against the love of God for every degree of cold does abate something of the heat in any hot body but yet because it cannot destroy it all cold and heat may be consistent in the same subject but no man can therefore say they are not contraries and would not destroy each other if they were not hindred by something else
and phantastick images 5. But if we reduce this Question a little nearer to practise and clothe it with circumstances we shall finde this account to be sadder then is usually suppos'd But before I instance in the particulars I shall premise this distinction of venial sins which is necessary not onely for the conducting of this Question but our Consciences also in this whole Article The Roman Schools say that sins are Venial either by the imperfection of the agent as when a thing is done ignorantly or by surprise or inadvertency or 2. A sin is Venial by the smalness of the matter as if a man steals a farthing or eats a little too greedily at his meal or lies in bed half an hour longer then would become him or 3. A sin say they is Venial in its whole kinde that is such which God cannot by the nature of the thing punish with the highest punishment such as are idle words and the like Now first I suppose that the two latter will be found to be both one For either God hath not forbidden idleness or falsness or he hath made no restraint at all upon words but left us at liberty to talk as we please for if he hath in this case made a law then idle words either cannot pretend to an excuse or it must be for the smalness of the matter or else it must fall in with the first and be excused because they cannot alwayes be attended to Now concerning the first sort of venial sins it is not a kinde of sins but a manner of making all sins venial that is apt for pardon for by the imperfection of the agent or the act all great sins in their matter may become little in their malice and guilt Now these are those which Divines call sins of infirmity and of them I shall give an account in a distinct Chapter under that title Concerning the second i. e. sins venial for the smalness of the matter I know none such For if the matter be a particular that God hath expresly commanded or forbidden respectively it is not little but all one to him as that which we call the greatest But if the particular be wholly relating to our neighbour the smalness of the matter does not absolutely make the sin venial for amongst us nothing is absolutely great or absolutely little but in comparison with something else and if a vile person had robb'd the poor woman that offered two mites to the treasury of the Temple he had undone her a farthing there was all her substance so that the smalness of the matter is not directly an excuse If a man had robb'd a rich man of a farthing he had not indeed done him so great a mischief but how if the rich man was not willing to part with his farthing but would be angry at the injury is it not a sin because the theft was small No man questions but it is It follows therefore that the smalness of the matter cannot make a sin venial but where there is a leave expresly given or justly presumed and if it be so in a great matter it is as little a sin as if the matter were small that is none at all But now concerning the third which the Roman Schools dream of sins venial in their own nature and in their whole kinde that is it which I have been disputing against all this while and shall now further conclude against by arguments more practical and moral For if we consider what are those particulars which these men call venial sins in their whole kinde and nature we shall finde that Christ and they give measures differing from each other The Catalogues of them I will take from the Fathers not that they ever thought these things to be in their nature venial for they that think so of them are strangers to their writings and to this purpose Bellarmine hath not brought one testimony pertinent and home to the question but because they reckon such Catalogues of venial sins which demonstrate that they do mean sins made venial by accident by mens infirmity by Gods grace by pardon by repentance and not such which are so in their own nature But the thing it self will be its own proof S. Austin reckons Vanas cachinnationes in escis aviditatem Lib 50. homil hom 50.7 Serm. 244. de temp Enchir. c 78. immoderatiorem appetitum in vendendis emendis rebus charitatis vilitatis vota perversa usum matrimonii ad libidinem judicia apud infideles agitare Dicere fratri Fatue Vain laughter greediness in meat an immoderate or ungovern'd appetite perverse desires of dearness and cheapness in buying and selling commodities the use of marriage to lustfulness and inordination Dial. 2. adv Pelag. the use of marriage to lustfulness and inordination to go to law before the unbelievers to call our brother Fool. S. Hierome reckons jestings anger and injurious words Caesarius Arelatensis the Bishop reckons Homil. 8. 13. excess in eating and drinking idle words importune silence to exasperate an importunate begger to omit the fasts of the Church sleepiness or immoderate sleeping the use of a wife to lustfulness to omit the visitation of the sick and of prisoners and to neglect to reconcile them that are at variance too much severity or harshnes to our family or too great indulgence flattery talkings in the Church poor men to eat too much when they are brought rarely to a good table forswearings unwary perjury slander or reproaches rash judgment hatred sudden anger envy evil concupiscence filthy thoughts the lust of the eyes the voluptuousness of the ears or the itch of hearing the speaking filthy words and indeed he reckons almost all the common sins of mankinde De Prae. cept dispens c. 14. S. Bernard reckons stultiloquium vaniloquium otiose dicta facta cogitata talking vainly talking like a fool idle or vain thoughts words and deeds These are the usual Catalogues and if any be reckoned they must be these for many times some of these are least consented to most involuntary most ready less avoidable of the highest effect of an eternal return incurable in the whole and therefore plead the most probably and are the soonest likely to prevail for pardon but yet they cannot pretend to need no pardon or to fear no damnation For our blessed Saviour sayes it of him that speaks an angry word that he shall be guilty of hell fire Now since we finde such as these reckon'd in the Catalogue of venial sins and S. Austin in particular calls that venial to which our blessed Saviour threatned hell fire it is certain he must not mean that it is in its own nature venial but damnable as any other but it is venial that is prepared for pardon upon other contingencies and causes of which I shall afterwards give account In the mean time I consider 6. When God appointed in the Law expiatory Sacrifices for sins although there
was enough to signifie that there is difference in the degrees of sin yet because they were eodem sanguine eluenda and without shedding of blood there was no remission they were reckon'd in the same accounts of death and the Divine anger And it is manifest that by the severities and curse of the Law no sin could escape For cursed is he that continues not in every thing written in the law to do them The Law was a Covenant of Works and exact measures There were no venial sins by vertue of that Covenant for there was no remission and without the death of Christ we could not be eased of this state of danger Since therefore that any sin is venial or pardonable is onely owing to the grace of God to the death of Christ and this death pardons all upon the condition of Faith and Repentance and pardons none without it it follows that though sins differ in degree yet they differ not in their natural and essential order to death The man that commits any sin dies if he repents not and he that does repent timely and effectually dies for none The wages of sin is death of sin indefinitely and therefore of all sin and all death for there is no more distinction of sin then death onely when death is threatned indefinitely that death is to be understood which is properly and specifically threatned in that Covenant where the death is named as death temporal in the Law death eternal under the Gospel And thus it appears in a very material instance relating to this question for when our blessed Saviour had threatned the degrees of anger he did it by apportioning several pains hereafter of one sort to the several degrees of the same sin here which he expresses by the several inflictions passed upon Criminals by the Houses of Judgement among the Jews Mat. 5.22 Now it is observable that to the least of these sins Christ assigns a punishment just proportionable to that which the gloss of the Pharisees and the Law it self did to them that committed Murther which was capital He shall be guilty of judgement so we reade it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it is in the Greek He shall be guilty in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in the Court of Judgement the Assembly of the twenty three Elders and there his punishment was death but the gentlest manner of it the decapitation or smiting him through with the sword and therefore the least punishment hereafter answering to death here can mean no less then death hereafter †Ita interpretantur hunc locum Barradius Maldonatus Estius ad hunc locum apud vetustiores eadem sententia praevaluit Haec enim erat mens Strabi Fuldensis qui glossam ordinariam compilavit Hugonis Cardinalis * And so also was the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that cals Racha shall be guilty that is shall be used as one that stands guilty in the Sanhedrim or Councel meaning that he is to die too but with a severer execution by stoning to death this was the greatest punishment by the houses of judgement for Crucifixion was the Roman manner These two already signify hell in a less degree but as certainly and evidently as the third For though we read Hell-fire in the third sentence onely yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no otherwise signifies Hell then the other two by analogy and proportionable representment The cause of the mistake is this When Christ was pleased to adde yet a further degree of punishment in hell to a further degree of anger and reproach the Jews having no greater then that of stoning by the judgement of the Sanhedrim or Councel he would borrow his expression from that which they and their Fathers too well understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a barbarous custome of the Phoenicians of burning children alive in the valley of Hinnom which in succession of time the Hellenists called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not much unlike the Hebrew word and because by our blessed Lord it was used to signify or represent the greatest pains of hell that were spoken of in that gradation the Christians took the word and made it to be its appellative and to signify the state or place of the damned just as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the garden of Eden is called Paradise But it was no more intended that this should signify Hell then that any of the other two should The word it self never did so before but that and the other two were taken as being the most fearful things amongst them here to represent the degrees of the most intolerable state hereafter just as damnation is called death the second death that because we fear the first as the worst of present evils we may be affrighted with the apprehensions of the latter From this authority it follows that as in the Law no sins were venial but by repentance and sacrifice so neither in the Gospel are they nor in their own nature not by the more holy Covenant of the Gospel but by repentance and mortification For the Gospel hath with greater severity laid restraint upon these minutes and little particles of action and passion and therefore if in the law every transgression was exacted we cannot reasonably think that the least parts of duty which the Gospel superadded with a new and severer caution as great and greater then that by which the law exacted the greatest Commandements can be broken with indemnity or without the highest danger The law exacted all its smallest minutes and therefore so does the Gospel as being a Covenant of greater holiness But as in the law for the smaller transgressions there was an assignment of expiatory rites so is there in the Gospel of a ready repentance and a prepared mercy 7. Lastly those sins which men in health are bound to avoid those sins for which Christ did shed his most precious bloud those sins which a dying man is bound to ask pardon for though he hopes not or desires not to escape temporal death certain it is that those sins are in their nature and in the Oeconomy or dispensation of the Divine threatnings damnable For what can the dying man fear but death eternal and if he be bound to repent and ask pardon even for the smallest sins which he can remember in order to what pardon can that repentance be but of the eternal pain to which every sin by its own demerit naturally descends If he must repent and ask pardon when he hopes not or desires not the temporal it is certain he must repent onely that he may obtain the eternal And they that will think otherwise will also finde themselves deceiv'd in this * For if the damned souls in hell are punish'd for all their sins then the unpardon'd venial sins are there also smarted for But so it is and so we are taught in the doctrine of our great Master If we
upon such sinners who onely have venial sins unsatisfied for such horrible pains which they dream of in Purgatory as are during their abode equal to the intolerable pains of hell for that which breaks none of his laws which angers him not which is not against him or his love which is incident to his dearest servants Pro peccato magno paulum supplicii sat is est patri But if fathers take such severe amends of their children for that which is not properly sin there is nothing left by which we can boast of a fathers kindness In this case there is no remission for if it be not just in God to punish such sins in hel because they are consistent with the state of the love of God and yet they are punished in Purgatory that is as much as they can be punished then God does remit to his children nothing for their loves sake but deals with them as severely as for his justice he can in the matter of venial sins indeed if he uses mercy to them at all it is in remitting their mortal sins but in their venial sins he uses none at all Now if things were thus on both sides it is strange men are not more afraid of their venial sins and that they are not more terrible in their description which are so sad in their event and that their punishment should be so great when their malice is so none at all and it is strangest of all that if men did believe such horrible effects to be the consequent of venial sins they should esteem them little and inconsiderable and warn men of them with so little caution But to take this wonder off though they affright men with Purgatory at the end yet they make the bugbear nothing by their easy remedies and preventions in the way Venial sins may be taken off according to their doctrine at as cheap a rate as they may be committed but of this I shall give a fuller account in the 6. § of this Chapter In the mean time to believe Purgatory serves the ends of the Roman Clergy and to have so much easiness and leave in venial sins serves the ends of their Laity but as truth is disserv'd in the former so is piety and the severities of a holy life very much slackned by the latter But as care is taken that their doctrine doe not destroy charity or good life by loosness and indulgence so care must be taken that ours doe not destroy hope and discountenance the endevours of pious people for if the smallest sins be so highly punishable who can hope ever to escape the intolerable state of damnation And if God can be eternally angry for those things which we account small sins then no man is a servant or a friend of God no man is in the state of the Divine favour for no man is without these sins for they are such Quae non possit homo quisquam evitare cavendo a man by all his industry cannot wholly avoid Now because the Scripture pronounces some persons just and righteous as David and Josiah Zechary and Elizabeth who yet could not be innocent and pure from small offences either these little things are in their own nature venial or the godly have leave to doe that which is punished in the ungodly or some other way must be found out how that which is in its own nature damnable can stand with the state of grace and upon what causes sins which of themselves are not so may come to be venial that is more apt and ready to be pardoned and in the next dispositions to receive a mercy §. 5. 1. NO just person does or can indulge to himself the keeping of any sin whatsoever for all sins are accounted of by God according to our affections and if a man loves any it becomes his poison Every sin is damnable when it is chosen deliberately either by express act or by interpretation that is when it is chosen regularly or frequently He that loves to cast over in his minde the pleasures of his past sin he that entertains all those instances of sin which he thinks not to be damnable this man hath given himself up to be a servant to a trifle a lover of little and phantastick pleasures Nothing of this can stand with the state of grace No man can love sin and love God at the same time and to think it to be an excuse to say the sin is little is as if an adulteress should hope for pardon of her offended Lord because the man whom she dotes upon is an inconsiderable person 2. In sins we must distinguish the formality from the material part The formality of sin is disobedience to God and turning from him to the Creature by love and adhesion The material part is the action it self The first can never happen without our will but the latter may by surprise and indeliberation and imperfection of condition For in this life our understanding is weak our attention trifling our advertency interrupted our diversions many our divisions of spirit irresistible our knowledge little our dulness frequent our mistakes many our fears potent and betrayers of our reason and at any one of these doors sin may enter in its material part while the will is unactive or the understanding dull or the affections busie or the spirit otherwise imployed or the faculties wearied or reason abused Therefore if you enquire for venial sins they must be in this throng of imperfections but they never go higher Let no man therefore say I have a desire to please my self in some little things for if he desires it he may not do it that very desire makes that it cannot be venial but as damnable as any in its proportion 3. If any man about to do an action of sin enquires whether it be a venial sin or no to that man at that time that sin cannot be venial for whatsoever a man considers and acts he also chooses and loves in some proportion and therefore turns from God to the sin and that is against the love of God in its degree destructive or diminutive of the state of grace Besides this such a person in this enquiry asks leave to sin against God and gives a testimony that he would sin more if he durst But in the same degree in which the choice is lessened in the same degree the material part of the sin receives also diminution 4. It is remarkable that amongst the Ancients this distinction of sins into Mortal and Venial or to use their own words Graviora Leviora or Peccata 〈◊〉 Crimina does not mean a distinction of kinde but of degrees They call them mortal sins which shall never or very hardly be pardon'd not at all but upon very hard terms So Pacianus De modo criminum edisserens nequis existimet omnibus omnino peccatis summum discrimen impositum In Paraen sedulóque requirens quae sint peccata quae crimina
serve in one then in another but all that is needful must be used in all but there is no difference in our choice that can be considerable for we must never choose either and therefore beforehand to compare them together whereof neither is to be preferred before the other is to lay a snare for our selves and make us apt to one by undervaluing it and calling it less then others that affright us more Indeed when the sin is done to measure it may be of use as I shall shew but to do it beforehand hath danger in it of being tempted and more then a danger of being deceived For our hearts deceive us our purposes are complicated and we know not which end is principally intended nor by what argument amongst many we were finally determin'd or which is the prevailing ingredient nor are we competent Judges of our own strengths and we can do more then we think we can and we remember not that the temptation which prevails was sought for by our selves nor can we separate necessity from choice our consent from our being betrayed nor tell whether our fort is given up because we would do so or because we could not help it Who can tell whether he could not stand one assault more and if he had whether or no the temptation would not have left him The wayes of consent are not alwayes direct and if they be crooked we see them not And after all this if we were able yet we are not willing to judge right with truth and with severity something for our selves something for excuse something for pride a little for vanity and a little in hypocrisie but a great deal for peace and quiet that the rest of the minde may not be disturbed that we may live and die in peace and in a good opinion of our selves These indeed are evil measures but such by which we usually make judgement of our actions and are therefore likely to call great sins little and little sins none at all ** 2. That any sins are venial being onely because of the state of grace and Repentance under which they are admitted what condition a man is in even for the smallest sins he can no more know then he can tell that all his other sins are pardon'd that his Repentance is accepted that nothing of Gods anger is reserved that he is pleased for all that there is no Judgement behinde hanging over his head to strike him for that wherein he was most negligent Now although some men have great and just confidences that they are actually in Gods favour yet all good men have not so For there are coverings sometimes put over the spirits of the best men and there are intermedial and doubtful states of men as I shall represent in the Chapter of Actuall sins there are also ebbings and flowings of sin and pardon and therefore none but God onely knows how long this state of veniality and pardon will last and therefore as no man can pronounce concerning any kinde of sins that they are in themselves venial so neither can he know concerning his own or any mans particular state that any such sins are pardon'd or Venial to him He that lives a good life will finde it so in its own case and in the event of things and that 's all which can be said as to his particular and it is well it is so ne studium proficiendi ad omnia peccata cavenda pigrescat as S. Austin well observed If it were otherwise and that sins in their own nature by venial and not venial are distinguished and separate in their natures from each other and that some of them are of so easie remedy and inconsiderable a guilt they would never become earnest to avoid all 3. There are some sins which indeed seem venial and were they not sentenc'd in Scripture with severe words would pass for trifles but in Scripturis demonstrantur opinione graviora as S. Enchirid. 79. Austin notes they are by the word of God declared to be greater then they are thought to be and we have reason to judge so concerning many instances in which men are too easy and cruelly kinde unto themselves S. Paul said I had not known concupiscence to be a sin if the law had not said Thou shalt not lust and we use to call them scrupulous and phantastick persons who make much adoe about a careless word and call themselves to severe account for every thought and are troubled for every morsel they eat when it can be disputed whether it might not better have been spared Who could have guessed that calling my enemy Fool should be so great a matter but because we are told that it is so told by him that shall be our Judge who shall call us to account for every idle word we may well think that the measures which men usually make by their customes and false principles and their own necessities lest they by themselves should be condemned are weak and fallacious and therefore whatsoever can be of truth in the difference of sins may become a danger to them who desire to distinguish them but can bring no advantages to the interests of piety and a holy life 4. We onely account those sins great which are unusual which rush violently against the conscience because men have not been acquainted with them Peccata sola inusitata exhorrescimus August ubi suprà usitata verò diligimus But those which they act every day they suppose them to be small quotidianae incursiones the unavoidable acts of every day and by degrees our spirit is reconciled to them conversing with them as with a tame wolf who by custom hath forgotten the circumstances of his barbarous nature but is a wolf still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Synesius cals them the little customes of sinning men think ought to be dissembled This was so of old Hom. 16. Caesarius Bishop of Arles complain'd of it in his time Verè dico Fratres c. I say truly to you Brethren this thing according to the Law and Commandement of our Lord never was lawful neither is it nor shall it ever be but as if it were worse it a peccata ista in consuetudinem missa sunt tanti sunt qui illa faciunt ut jam quasi ex licito fieri credantur these sins are so usual and common that men now begin to think them lawful And indeed who can doe a sin every day and think it great and highly damnable If he thinks so it will be very uneasy for him to keep it but if he will keep it he will also endevour to get some protection or excuse for it something to warrant or something to undervalue it and at last it shall be accounted venial and by some means or other reconcileable with the hopes of heaven He that is used to oppress the poor every day thinks he is a charitable man if he lets them goe away with any thing he
in my Ministery saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what then he is not hereby justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because some sins might adhere to him he not knowing that they were sins Ab occult is meis munda me Domine was an excellent Prayer of David Cleanse me O Lord from my secret faults Hoc dicit nequid fortè per ignorantiam deliquisset saith S Hierome he prayed so lest peradventure he should have sinned ignorantly But of this I shall give a further account in describing the measures of sins of infirmity For the present although this resolution against all is ineffective as to a perfect immunity from small offences yet it is accepted as really done because it is done as it can possibly 5. Let no man relie upon the Catalogues which are sometimes given and think that such things which the Doctors have call'd Venial sins may with more facility be admitted and with smaller portions of care be regarded or with a slighter repentance washed off For besides that some have called perjuries anger envy injurious words by lighter names and titles of a little reproof and having lived in wicked times were betray'd into easier sentences of those sins which they saw all mankind almost to practise which was the case of some of the Doctors who lived in the time of those Wars which broke the Roman Empire besides this I say venial sins can rather be * See chap. 7. of sins of infirmity described then enumerated For none are so in their nature but all that are so are so by accident and according as sins tend to excuse so they put on their degrees of veniality No sin is absolutely venial but in comparison with others Neither is any sin at all times and to all persons alike venial And therefore let no man venture upon it upon any mistaken confidence They that think sins are venial in their own nature cannot agree which are venial and which are not and therefore nothing is in this case so certain as that all that doctrine which does in any sense represent sins as harmless or tame Serpents is infinitely dangerous and there is no safety but by striving against all beforehand and repenting of all as there is need I summe up this question and these advices with the saying of Josephus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is as damnable to indulge leave to our selves to sin little sins as great ones A man may be choaked with a raisin as well as with great morsels of flesh and a small leak in a ship if it be neglected will as certainly sink her as if she sprung a plank Death is the wages of all and damnation is the portion of the impenitent whatever was the instance of their sin Though there are degrees of punishment yet there is no difference of state as to this particular and therefore we are tied to repent of all and to dash the little Babylonians against the stones against the Rock that was smitten for us For by the blood of Jesus and the tears of Repentance and the watchfulness of a diligent careful person many of them shall be prevented and all shall be pardoned A Psalm to be frequently used in our Repentance for our daily sins BOw down thine ear O Lord hear me for I am poor and needy Rejoyce the soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy Name Shall mortal man be more just then God shall a man be more pure then his Maker Behold he put no trust in his Servants and his Angels he charged with folly How much less on them that dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust which are crushed before the moth Doth not their excellency which is in them go away They die even without wisdome The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple Moreover by them is thy servant warned and in keeping of them there is great reward Who can understand his errours Cleanse thou me from my secret faults keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression O ye sons of men how long will ye turn my glory into shame how long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself The Lord will hear when I call unto him Out of the deep have I called unto thee O Lord Lord hear my voice O let thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint If thou Lord wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss O Lord who may abide it But there is mercy with thee therefore shalt thou be feared Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep the door of my lips Take from me the way of lying and cause thou me to make much of thy law The Lord is full of compassion and mercy long-suffering and of great goodness He will not alway be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for ever Yea like as a Father pitieth his own children even so is the Lord mercifull unto them that fear him For he knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that we are but dust Praise the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits which forgiveth all thy sin and healeth all thine infirmities Glory be to the Father c. The PRAYER O Eternal God whose perfections are infinite whose mercies are glorious whose justice is severe whose eyes are pure whose judgements are wise be pleased to look upon the infirmities of thy servant and consider my weakness My spirit is willing but my flesh is weak I desire to please thee but in my endevours I fail so often so foolishly so unreasonably that I extremely displease my self and I have too great reason to fear that thou also art displeased with thy servant O my God I know my duty I resolve to doe it I know my dangers I stand upon my guard against them but when they come near I begin to be pleased and delighted in the little images of death and am seised upon by folly even when with greatest severity I decree against it Blessed Jesus pity me and have mercy upon my infirmities II. O Dear God I humbly beg to be relieved by a mighty grace for I bear a body of sin and death about me sin creeps upon me in every thing that I doe or suffer When I doe well I am apt to be proud when I doe amiss I am sometimes too confident sometimes affrighted If I see others doe amiss I either neglect them or grow too angry and in the very mortification of my anger I
signification but have a latitude and increment and a various sense but seldome signifie in the absolute supreme sense sins of infirmity such I mean which in any sense can properly be called sins must in some sense or other be repented of and they are unpardonable without repentance that is without such a repentance as does disallow them and contend against them But these are also pardonable without repentance by some degrees of pardon that is God pities our sins of ignorance and winks at them and upon the only account of his own pity does bring such persons to better notices of things And they are pardonable without repentance if by repentance we mean an absolute dereliction of them for we shall never be able to leave them quite and therefore either they shall never be pardoned or else they are pardoned without such a repentance as signifies dereliction or intire mastery over them 2. But sins which are wilfully and knowingly committed as theft adultery murder are unpardonable without repentance that is without such a repentance as forsakes them actually and intirely and produces such acts of grace as are proper for their expiation but yet even these sins require not such a repentance as sins against the holy Ghost do These must have a greater sorrow and a greater shame and a more severe amends and a more passionate lasting prayer and a bigger fear and a more publick amends and a sharper infliction greater excellency of grace then is necessary in lesser sins But in this difference of sins it is usual to promise pardon to the less and not to the greater when the meaning is that the smaller sins are onely pardon'd upon easier terms an example of this we have in Clemens Alexandrinus Vid. etiam Caesar Arelat hom 42. quaedam ad hanc rem spectantia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sins committed before Baptism are pardon'd but sins after it must be purged that is by a severe repentance which the others needed not and yet without repentance baptism would nothing avail vicious persons So we say concerning those sins which we have forgotten they may be pardon'd without repentance meaning without a special repentance but yet not without a general Thus we finde it in the Imperial Law that they that had fallen into heresie or strange superstitions they were to be pardon'd if they did repent but if they did relapse they should not be pardon'd but they mean L. 4. Cod. Theod. ne sacrum baptisma iteretur venia eâdem modo praestari non potest so Gratian Valens and Valentinian expressed it So that by denying pardon they onely mean that it shall be harder with such persons their pardon shall not be so easily obtained but as they repeat their sins so their punishment shall increase and at last if no warning will serve it shall destroy them For it is remarkable that in Scripture Pardonable and Vnpardonable signifies no more then Mortal and Venial in the writings of the Church of which I have given accounts in its proper place But when a sin is declared deadly or killing and damnation threatned to such persons we are not therefore if we have committed any such to lie down under the load and die but with the more earnestness depart from it lest that which is of a killing damning nature prove so to us in the event For the sin of Adultery is a damning sin and Murther is a killing sin and the sin against the Holy Ghost is worse and they are all Vnpardonable that is condemning they are such in their cause or in themselves but if they prove so to us in the event or effect it is because we will not repent 1 Cor. 11.27 He that eateth drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself that 's as high an expression as any and yet there are several degrees and kindes of eating and drinking unworthily and some are more unpardonable then others but yet the Corinthians who did eat unworthily some of them coming to the holy Supper drunk and others schismatically were by S. Paul admitted to repentance Some sins are like deadly potions they kill the man unless he speedily take an Antidote or unless by strength of nature he work out the poison and overcome it and others are like a desperate disease or a deadly wound the Iliacal passions the Physicians give him over it is a Miserere mei Deus of which though men despair yet some have been cured Thus also in the capital and great sins many of them are such which the Church will not absolve or dare not promise cure Non est in medico semper relevetur ut aeger Interdum doctâ plus valet arte malum But then these persons are sent to God and are bid to hope for favour from thence and may finde it But others there are whom the Church will not meddle withall and sends them to God and God will not absolve them that is they shall be pardon'd neither by God nor the Church neither in this world nor in the world to come But the reason is not because their sin is in all its periods of an unpardonable nature but because they have persisted in it too long and God in the secret Oeconomy of his mercies hath shut the everlasting doors the olive doors of mercy shall not be open'd to them And this is the case of too many miserable persons They who repent timely and holily are not in this number whatsoever sins they be which they have committed But this is the case of them whom God hath given over to a reprobate minde and of them who sin against Gods holy Spirit when their sin is grown to its full measure So we finde it express'd in the Proverbs Turn ye at my reproof Pro. 1.23 26 28. I will pour out my Spirit unto you and then it follows Because I have called and ye refused I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh But this is not in all the periods of our refusing to hear God calling by his Spirit but when the sin of the Amalekites is full then it is unpardonable not in the thing but to that man at that time And besides all the promises this is highly verified in the words of our blessed Saviour taken out of the Prophet Isaiah where it is affirmed that when people are so obstinate and wilfully blinde Mat. 12.15 that God then leaves to give them clearer testimony and a mighty grace lest they should hear and see and understand it follows and should be converted and I should heal them plainly telling us that if even then they should repent God could not but forgive them and therefore because he hath now no love left to them by reason of their former obstinacy yet where ever you can suppose Repentance there you may more then suppose a pardon But if a man cannot or will not repent then it is another consideration In the mean
called Christians but be so for not to be called but to be so brings us to felicity that is since the life of a Christian is the life of Repentance whose work it is for ever to contend against sin for ever to strive to please God a dying to sin a living to Christ he that thinks his Repentance can have another definition or is compleated in any other or in fewer parts must be of another Religion then is taught by Christ and his holy Apostles This is the Faith of the Son of God this is that state of excellent things which he purchased with his blood and as there is no other Name under heaven so there is no other Faith no other Repentance whereby we can be saved Upon this Article it is usual to discourse of Sorrow and Contrition of Confession of sins of making amends of self-affliction and some other particulars but because they are not parts but actions fruits and significations of Repentance I have reserved them for their proper place Now I am to apply this general Doctrine to particular states of sin and sinners in the following Chapters §. 3. Descriptions of Repentance taken from the holy Scriptures ¶ WHen heaven is shut up 1 Kings 8.35 36. and there is no rain because they have sinned against thee if they pray towards this place and confess thy name and turn from their sin when thou afflictest them * Then hear thou in heaven and forgive the sin of thy servants and of thy people Israel that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk and give rain upon thy land which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance ¶ And the Redeemer shall come to Zion Isa 59.20 21. and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord. * As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Again when I say unto the wicked Ezek. 33.14 15 16. Thou shalt surely die if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawfull and right * If the wicked restore the pledge give again that he had rebbed walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity he shall even live he shall not die * None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him he hath done that which is lawful and right he shall surely live Knowing this Rom. 6.6 11 12 13 18 19. that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin * Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. * Let not sin therefore reign in your mortall body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof * Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God * Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness * I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness Wherefore my brethren Rom. 7.4 5 6. ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God * For when we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death * But now we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in the newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter And that Rom. 13.11 12 13. knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer then when we believed * The night is farre spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light * Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying * But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh 2 Cor. 7.1 10 11. and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God * For godly sorrow worketh Repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death * For behold this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge in all things ye have approved your selves to be clear in this matter For the love of Christ constraineth us 2 Cor. 5.15 17. because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead * Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new That ye put off Ephes 4.22 23 24. concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts * And be renewed in the spirit of your minde * And that ye put on that new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Let no man deceive you with vain words Eph. 5.6 7 8 9 10 11 15 16 17. for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience * Be not ye therefore partakers with them * For ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord walk as children of light * For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth * Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord * And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them * See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise * Redeeming the time because the dayes are evil * Wherefore be ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is If ye then be risen with Christ Col 31 2 3 5 8 9 10. seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God * Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth * For ye are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God * Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the
with the dress of active circumstances they grow greater or less respectively because then two or three sins are put together and get a new name 3. There is but one way more by which sins can get or lose degrees and that is the different proportions of our affections This indeed relates to God more immediately and by him alone is judg'd but the former being invested with material circumstances can be judg'd by men But all that God reserves for his own portion of the Sacrifice is the Heart that is our love and choice and therefore the degrees of love or hatred is that measure by which God makes differing judgements of them For by this it is that little sins become great and great sins become little If a Jew had maliciously touch'd a dead body in the dayes of Easter it had been a greater crime then if in the violence of his temptation he had unwillingly will'd to commit an act of fornication He that delights in little thefts because they are breaches of Gods Law or burns a Prayer book because he hates Religion is a greater criminal then he that falls into a material heresie by an invincible or less discerned deception Secure but to God your affections and he will secure your innocence or pardon for men live or die by their own measures If a man spits in the face of a Priest to defie Religion or shaves the beard of an Embassador to disgrace the Prince as it hapned to Davids Messengers his sin is greater then if he kill'd the Priest in his own just defence or shot the Embassador through the heart when he intended to strike a Lion For every negligence every disobedience being against Charity or the love of God by interpretation this superaddition of direct malice is open enmity against him and therefore is more severely condemned by him who sees every thought and degrees of passion and affection For the increase of malice does aggravate the sin just as the complication of material instances Every degree of malice being as distinct and commensurate a sin as any one external instance that hath a name and therefore many degrees of malice combine and grow greater as many sins conjoyn'd in one action they differ onely in Nature not in Morality just as a great number and a great weight So that in effect all sins are differenc'd by complication onely that is either of the external or the internal instances 4. Though the negligence or the malice be naturally equal yet sometimes by accident the sins may be unequal not onely in the account of men but also before God too but it is upon the account of both the former It is when the material effect being different upon men God hath with greater caution secur'd such interests So that by interpretation the negligence is greater because the care was with greater earnestness commanded or else because in such cases the sin is complicated for such sins which do most mischief have besides their proper malignity the evil of uncharitableness or hating our brother In some cases God requires one hand and in others both Now he that puts but one of his fingers to each of them his negligence is in nature the same but not in value because where more is required the defect was greater If a man be equally careless of the life of his Neighbours Son and his Neighbours Cock although the will or attendance to the action be naturally equal that is none at all yet morally and in the divine account they differ because the proportions of duty and obligation were different and therefore more ought to have been put upon the one then upon the other just as he is equally clothed that wears a single garment in Summer and Winter but he is not equally warm unless he that wears a silk Mantle when the Dog-star rages claps on Furres when the cold North-star changes the waters into rocks 5. Single sins done with equal affection or disaffection do not differ in degrees as they relate to God but in themselves are equally prevarications of the Divine Commandement Nihil invenies rectius recto non magis quà m verius vero quà m temperato temperatius omnis in modo est virtus modus certa mensura est Constantia non habet quò proredat non magis quà m fiducia aut veritas aut fides Sen. Ep. 67. As he tells a lie that says the Moon is foursquare as great as he that says there were but three Apostles or that Christ was not the Son of Man and as every lie is an equal sin against truth so every sin is an equal disobedience and recession from the Rule But some lies are more against Charity or Justice or Religion then others are and so are greater by complication but against truth they are all equally oppos'd and so are all sins contrary to the Commandement And in this sense is that saying of S. Basil In regul brevior Primò enim scire illud convenit differentiam minorum majorum nusquam in Novo Testamento reperiri Siquidem una est eadem sententia adversus quaelibet peccata cum Dominus dixerit Qui facit peccatum servus est peccati item Sermo quem loquutus sum vobis ille judicabit eum in Novissimo die Johannes vociferans dicat Qui contumax est in filium non videbit vitam aeternam sed ira Dei manet super eum cum contumacia non in discrimine peccatorum sed in violatione praecepti positam habeat futuri supplicii denunciationem The difference of great and little sins is no where to be found in the New Testament One and the same sentence is against all sins our Lord saying He that doth sin is the servant of sin and the word that I have spoken that shall judge you in the last day and John crieth out saying He that is disobedient to the Son shall not see eternal life but the wrath of God abideth on him for this contumacy or disobedience does not consist in the difference of sins but in the violation of the Divine Law and for that it is threatned with eternal pain But besides these Arguments from Scripture he addes an excellent Reason Prorsus autem si id nobis permittitur ut in peccatis hoc magnum illud exiguum appellemus invicto argumento concluditur magnum unicuique esse illud à quo quisque superatur contráque exiguum quod unusquisque ipse superat Vt in athletis qui vicit fortis est qui autem victus est imbecillior eo unde victus est quisque ille sit If it be permitted that men shall call this sin great and that sin little they will conclude that to be great which was too strong for them and that to be little which they can master As among Champions he is the strongest that gets the victory And then upon this account no sin is Venial that a man commits because that is it which hath
nequis existimet propter innumera delicta quorum fraudibus nullus immunis est me omne hominum genus indiscretâ poenitendi lege constringere The highest danger is not in every sin offences and crimes must be distinguished carefully for the same severe impositions are not indifferently to be laid upon Criminals and those whose guilt is in such instances from which no man is free Wherefore covetousness may be redeem'd with liberality slander with satisfaction morosity with cheerfulness sharpness with gentle usages lightness with gravity perversness or peevishness with honesty and fair carriage But what shall the despiser of God do what shall the Murtherer do what remedy shall the Adulterer * Fornicator promiscuè Saepius usurpantur fornicatio adulterium have Ista sunt capitalia Fratres ista mortalia These are the deadly sins these are capital crimes meaning that these were to be taken off by the severities of Ecclesiastical or publick Repentance of which I am afterwards to give account and would cost more to be cleansed To a good man and meliorum operum compensatione as Pacianus affirms by the compensation of good works that is of the actions of the contrary graces they are venial they are cured For by venial they mean such which with less difficulty and hazard may be pardon'd such as was S. Pauls blasphemy and persecuting the Church for that was venial that is apt for pardon because he did it ignorantly in unbelief and such are those sins saith Caesarius which are usual in the world though of their own nature very horrible as forswearing our selves slander reproach and the like yet because they are extremely common they are such to which if a continual pardon were not offered Gods numbers would be infinitely lessen'd In this sense every sin is venial excepting the three Capitals reckoned in Tertullian Idolatry Murther and Adultery every thing but the sin against the Holy Ghost and its branches reckoned in Pacianus every thing but the seven deadly sins in others Now according to the degree and malignity of the sin or its abatement by any lessening circumstance or intervening consideration so it puts on its degrees of veniality or being pardonoble Every sin hath some degree of being venial till it arriv'd at the unpardonable state and then none was But every sin that had many degrees of Venial had also some degrees of Damnable So that to enquire what venial sins can stand with the state of grace is to ask how long a man may sin before he shall be damn'd how long will God still forbear him how long he will continue to give him leave to repent For a sin is venial upon no other account but of Repentance If Venial be taken for pardonable it is true that many circumstances make it so more or less that is whatever makes the sin greater or less makes it more or less venial and of these I shall give account in the chapter of sins of Infirmity But if by Venial we mean actually pardon'd or not exacted Nothing makes a sin venial but Repentance and that makes every sin to be so Therefore 5. Some sins are admitted by holy persons and yet they still continue holy not that any of these sins is permitted to them nor that God cannot as justly exact them of his servants as of his enemies nor that in the Covenant of the Gospel they are not imputable nor that their being in Gods favour hides them for God is most impatient of any remaining evil in his children But the onely reasonable account of it is because the state of grace is a state of Repentance these sins are those which as Pacianus expresses it contrariis emendata proficiunt they can be helped by contrary actions and the good man does perpetually watch against them he opposes a good against every every evil that is in effect he uses them just as he uses the greatest that ever he committed Thus the good man when he reproves a sinning person over-acts his anger and is transported to undecency though it be for God Some are over zealous some are phantastick and too apt to opinion which in little degrees of inordination are not so soon discernible A good man may be over-joyed or too much pleas'd with his recreation or be too passionate at the death of a childe or in a sudden anger go beyond the evenness of a wise Christian and yet be a good man still and a friend of God his son and his servant but then these things happen in despite of all his care and observation and when he does espy any of these obliquities he is troubled at it and seeks to amend it and therefore these things are venial that is pitied and excused because they are unavoidable but avoided as much as they well can all things considered and God does not exact them of him because the good man exacts them of himself * These being the Rules of Doctrine we are to practise accordingly To which adde the following measures 6. This difference in sins of Mortal and Venial that is greater and less is not to be considered by us but by God alone and cannot have influence upon us to any good purposes For 1. We do not alwayes know by what particular measures they are lessened In general we know some proportions of them but when we come to particulars we may easily be deceived but can very hardly be exact S. Austin said the same thing Quae sint levia Enchirid cap. 78. quae gravia peccata non humano sed Divino sunt pensanda judicio God onely not man can tell which sins are great and which little For since we see them equally forbidden we must with equal care avoid them all Indeed if the case should be so put that we must either commit Sacrilege or tell a spiteful lie kill a man or speak unclean words then it might be of use to us to consider which is the greater which is less that of evils we might choose the less but this ease can never be for no man is ever brought to that necessity that he must choose one sin for he can choose to die before he shall do either and that 's the worst that he can be put to And therefore though right reason and experience and some general lines of Religion mark out some actions as criminal and leave others under a general and indefinite condemnation yet it is in order to repentance and amends when such things are done not to greater caution directly of avoiding them in the dayes of temptation for of two infinites in the same kinde one cannot be bigger then the other We are tied with the biggest care to avoid every sin and bigger then the biggest we finde not This onely For the avoiding of the greatest sins there are more arguments from without and sometimes more instruments and ministeries of caution and prevention are to be used then in lesser sins but it is because fewer will
could have taken from them But he is not troubled in conscience for detaining the wages of the hireling with deferring to doe justice with little arts of exaction and lessening their provisions For since nothing is great or little but in comparison with something else he accounts his sin small because he commits greater and he that can suffer the greatest burden shrinks not under a lighter weight and upon this account it is impossible but such men must be deceiv'd and die 7. Let no man think that his venial or smaller sins shall be pardoned for the smalness of their matter and in a distinct account for a man is not quit of the smallest but by being also quit of the greatest for God does not pardon any sin to him that remains his enemy and therefore unless the man be a good man and in the state of grace he cannot hope that his venial sins can be in any sense indulg'd they increase the burden of the other and are like little stones laid upon a shoulder already crushed with an unequal load Either God pardons the greatest or the least stand uncancell'd 8. Although God never pardons the smallest without the greatest yet he somtimes retains the smallest of them whos 's greatest he hath pardon'd The reason is because although a man be in the state of grace and of the Divine favour and God will not destroy his servants for every calamity of theirs yet he will not suffer any thing that is amiss in them A Father never pardons the small offences of his son who is in rebellion against him those little offences can not pretend to pardon till he be reconciled to his Father but if he be yet his Father may chastise his little misdemeanors or reserve some of his displeasure so far as may minister to discipline not to destruction and therefore if a son have escaped his Fathers anger and final displeasure let him remember that though his Father is not willing to dis-inherit him yet he will be ready to chastise him And we see it by the whole dispensation of God that the righteous are punished and afflictions begin at the House of God and God is so impatient even of little evils in them that to make them pure he will draw them through the fire and there are some who are sav'd yet so as by fire And certainly those sins ought not to be neglected or esteemed little which provoke God to anger even against his servants We finde this instanc'd in the case of the Corinthians who used undecent circumstances and unhandsome usages of the blessed Sacrament even for this God severely reprov'd them 1 Cor. 11.30 for this cause many are weak and sick and some are fallen asleep which is an expression used in Scripture to signify them that die in the Lord and is not used to signify the death of them that perish from the presence of the Lord. These persons died in the state of grace and repentance but yet died in their sin chastised for their lesser sins but so that their souls were sav'd This is that which Clemens Alexandrinus affirms of sins committed after our illumination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stromat 4. These sins must be purged with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the chastisement of sons The result of this consideration is that which S. Peter advises that we pass the time of our sojourning here in fear for no man ought to walk confidently who knows that even the most laudable life hath in it evil enough to be smarted for with a severe calamity 9. The most trifling actions the daily incursions of sins though of the least malignity yet if they be neglected combine and knit together till by their multitude they grow insupportable This caution I learn from Caesarius Arelatensis Hom. 13. Et hoc considerate Fratres quia etiamsi capitalia crimina non subreperent ipsa minuta peccata quae quod pejus est aut non attendimus aut certè pro nihilo computamus si simul omnia congregentur nescio quae bonorum operum abundantia illis praeponderare sufficiat Although capital sins invade you not yet if your minutes your small sins which either we doe not consider at all or value not at all be combin'd or gathered into one heap I know not what multitude of good works will suffice to weigh them down For little sins are like the sand and when they become a heap are heavy as lead S. August epist 108. ad Seleu. lib. 50. homil 42. and a leaking ship may as certainly perish with the little inlets of water as with a mighty wave for of many drops a river is made and therefore ipsa minuta vel levia non contemnantur Illa enim quae humanae fragilitati quamvis parva tamen crebra subrepunt quasi collecta contra nos fuerint ita nos gravabunt sicut unum aliquod grande peccatum * Idem tract 1. in ep Johan Levia multa saciunt unum grande Let not little sins be despised for even those smallest things which creep upon us by our natural weakness yet when they are gathered together against us stand on an heap and like an army of flies can destroy us as well as any one deadly enemy Quae quamvis singula non lethali vulnere ferire sentiantur Lib 50. hom hom 50. c. 8. sicut homicidium adulterium vel caetera hujusmodi tamen omnia simul congregata velut scabies quo plura sunt necant nostrum decus ita exterminant ut à filio sponsi speciosi formâ prae filiis hominum castissimis amplexibus separent nisi medicamento quotidianae poenitentiae dissecentur Indeed we doe not feel every one of them strike so home and deadly as murder and adultery does yet when they are united they are like a scab they kill with their multitude and so destroy our internall beauty that they separate us from the purest embraces of the Bridegroom unless they be scattered with the medicine of a daily repentance For he that does these little sins often and repents not of them nor strives against them either loves them directly or by interpretation 10. Let no man when he is tempted to a sin goe then to take measures of it because it being his own case he is an unequal and incompetent Judge His temptation is his prejudice and his bribe and it is ten to one but he will suck in the poyson by his making himself believe that the potion is not deadly Examine not the particular measures unless the sin be indeed by its disreputation great then examine as much as you please provided you goe not about to lessen it It is enough it is a sin condemned by the laws of God and that death and damnation are its wages 11. When the mischief is done then you may in the first dayes of your shame and sorrow for it with more safety take its measures For immediately after
acting sin does to most men appear in all its ugliness and deformity and if in the dayes of your temptation you did lessen the measure of your sin yet in the days of your sorrow doe not shorten the measures of repentance Every sin is deadly enough and no repentance or godly sorrow can be too great for that which hath deserved the eternal wrath of God 12. I end these advices with the meditation of S. Hierom. Si ira sermonis injuria atque interdum jocus judicio concilióque atque Gehenne ignibus delegatur quid merebitur turpium rerum appetitio avaritia quae est radix omnium malorum If anger and injurious words and sometimes a foolish jest is sentenc'd to capital and supreme punishments what punishment shall the lustful and the covetous have And what will be the event of all our souls who reckon these injurious or angry words of calling Fool or Sot amongst the smallest and those which are indeed less we doe not observe at all For who is there amongst us almost who cals himself to an account for trifling words loose laughter the smallest beginnings of intemperance careless spending too great portions of our time in trifling visits and courtships balls revellings phantastick dressings sleepiness idleness and useless conversation neglecting our times of prayer frequently or causlesly slighting religion and religious persons siding with factions indifferently forgetting our former obligations upon trifling regards vain thoughts wandrings and weariness at our devotion love of praise laying little plots and snares to be commended high opinion of our selves resolutions to excuse all and never to confess an error going to Church for vain purposes itching ears love of flattery and thousands more The very kinds of them put together are a heap and therefore the so frequent and almost infinite repetition of the acts of all those are as Davids expression is without hyperbole more then the hairs upon our head they are like the number of the sands upon the Sea shore for multitude §. 6. What repentance is necessary for the smaller or more Venial sins 1. UPon supposition of the premises since these smaller sins are of the same nature and the same guilt and the same enmity against God and consign'd to the same evil portion that other sins are they are to be wash'd off with the same repentance also as others Christs bloud is the lavatory and Faith and Repentance are the two hands that wash our souls white from the greatest and the least stains and since they are by the impenitent to be paid for in the same fearful prisons of darkness by the same remedies and instruments the intolerable sentence can only be prevented The same ingredients but a less quantity possibly may make the medicine Caesarius Bishop of Arles who spake many excellent things in this article says that for these smaller sins a private repentance is proportionable Hom. 1. Si levia fortasse sunt delicta v.g. si homo vel in sermone vel in aliquâ reprehensibili voluntate si in oculo peccavit aut corde verborum cogitationum maculae quotidianâ oratione curandae privatâ compunctione terendae sunt The sins of the eye and the sins of the heart and the offences of the tongue are to be cured by secret contrition and compunction and a daily prayer But S. Cyprian commends many whose conscience being of a tender complexion they would even for the thoughts of their heart doe publick penance His words are these multos timoratae conscientiae De lapsis quamvis nullo sacrificii aut libelli facinore constricti â—ssent quoniam tamen de hoc vel cogitaverunt hoc ipsum apud Sacerdotes Dei dolentèr simplicitèr confitentes exomologesin conscientiae fecisse animi sui pondus exposuisse salutarem medelam parvis licet modicis vulneribus exquirentes Because they had but thought of complying with idolaters they sadly and ingenuously came to the Ministers of holy things Gods Priests confessing the secret turpitude of their conscience laying aside the weight that pressed their spirit and seeking remedy even for their smallest wounds Vide S. Aug. lib. 83. q. 26. Caesar Arelat hom 1. And indeed we finde that among the Ancients there was no other difference in assignation of repentance to the several degrees of sin but onely by publike and private Capital sins they would have submitted to publick judgement but the lesser evils to be mourn'd for in private of this I shall give account in the Chapter of Ecclesiastical repentance In the mean time their general rule was That because the lesser sins came in by a daily incursion therefore they were to be cut off by a daily repentance which because it was daily could not be so intense and signally punitive as the sharper repentances for the seldome returning sins yet as the sins were daily but of less malice so their repentance must be daily but of less affliction Lib. 50. hom h. 50. c. 8. Medicamento quotidianae pâ—â—â—itertiae dissecentur That was S. Austins rule Those evils that happen every day must be cried out against every day 2. Every action of repentance every good work done for the love of God and in the state of grace and design'd and particularly applied to the intercision of the smailest unavoidable sins is through the efficacy of Christs death and in the vertue of repentance operative towards the expiation or pardon of them For a man cannot doe all the particulars of repentance for every sin but out of the general hatred of sin picks out some special instances and apportions them to his special sins as to acts of uncleanness he opposes acts of severity to intemperance he opposes fasting But then as he rests not here but goes on to the consummation of Repentance in his whole life so it must be in the more venial sins A less instance of express anger is graciously accepted if it be done in the state of grace and in the vertue of Repentance but then the pardon is to be compleated in the pursuance and integrity of that grace in the Summes total For no man can say that so much sorrow or such a degree of Repentance is enough to any sin he hath done and yet a man cannot apportion to every sin large portions of special sorrow it must therefore be done all his life time and the little portions must be made up by the whole grace and state of Repentance One instance is enough particularly to express the anger or to apply the grace of Repentance to any single sin which is not among the Capitals but no one instance is enough to extinguish it For sin is not pardon'd in an instant as I shall afterwards discourse neither is the remedy of a natural and a just proportion to the sin * Ecclesia Romana alia excogitavit facilè quorum non nulla declinant aperte nimis ad superstitionem Confiteor tundo conspergor
conteror oro Signor edo dono per haec venialia pondo Therefore when many of the ancient Doctors apply to venial sins special remedies by way of expiation or deprecation such as are beating the breast saying the Lords Prayer Alms communicating confessing and some others the doctrine of such remedies is not true if it be understood that those particulars are just physically or meritoriously proportion'd to the sin No one of these alone is a cure or expiation of the past sin but every one of these in the vertue of Repentance is effective to its part of the work that is he that repents and forsakes them as he can shall be accepted though the expression of his Repentance be applied to his fault but in one or more of these single instances because all good works done in the Faith of Christ have an efficacy towards the extinction of those sins which cannot be avoided by any moral diligence there is no other thing on our parts which can be done and if that which is unavoidable were also irremediable our condition would be intolerable and desperate To the sense of this advice we have the words of S. Gregory Si quis ergo peccata sua tecta esse desiderat Deo ea per vocem confessionis ostendat c. If any man desires to have his sins covered let him first open them to God in confession but there are some sins which so long as we live in this world can hurdly or indeed not at all be wholly avoided by perfect men For holy men have something in this life which they ought to cover for it is altogether impossible that they should never sin in word or thought Therefore the men of God do study to cover the faults of their eyes or tongue with good deeds they study to over-power the number of their idle words with the weight of good works But how can it be that the faults of good men should be covered when all things are naked to the eyes of God but onely because that which is covered is put under something is brought over it Our sins are covered when we bring over them the cover of good works But Caesarius the Bishop is more punctual and descends to particulars For having given this general rule Illa parva vel quotidiana peccata bonis operibus redimere non desistant Let them not cease to redeem or expiate their daily and small faults with good works he addes But I desire more fully to insinuate to you with what works small sins are taken off So often as we visit the sick go in Charity to them that are in prison reconcile variances keep the fasts of the Church wash the feet of strangers repair to the vigils and watches of the Church give alms to passing beggers forgive our enemies when they ask pardon istis enim operibus his similibus minuta peccata quotidiè redimuntur with these and the like works the minute or smaller sins are daily redeemed or taken off 3. There is in Prayer a particular efficacy and it is of proper use and application in the case of the more venial and unavoidable sins rather this then any other alone especially being helped by Charity that is alms and forgiveness Because the greatest number of venial sins comes in as I shall * Chap of sins of infirmity afterwards demonstrate upon the stock of ignorance or which is all one imperfect notices and acts of understanding and therefore have not any thing in the natural parts and instances of Repentance so fit to expiate or to cure them But because they are beyond humane cure they are to be cured by the Divine Grace and this is to be obtained by Prayer And this S. Clement advis'd in his Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lift up your eyes to God Almighty praying him to be merciful to you if you have unwillingly fallen into errour And to the same purpose are the words of S. Austin De Symb. ad Catech. lib 1. c. 6. lib. 50. Homil. 28. Propter levia sine quibus esse non possumus oratio inventae for those lighter sins without which we cannot be Prayer is invented as a remedy 4. Perpetually watch and perpetually resolve against them as against any never indulging to thy self leave to proceed in one Let this care be constant and indefatigable and leave the success to God For in this there is a great difference between Capitall or Deadly and the more venial sins For he that repents of great sins does so resolve against them that he ought really to believe that he shall never return to them again No drunkard is truly to be esteem'd a penitent but he that in consideration of himself his purpose his reasons and all his circumstances is by the grace of God confident that he shall never be drunk again The reason is plain For if he thinks that for all his resolution and repentance the case may happen or will return in which he shall be tempted above his strength that is above the efficacy of his resolution then he hath not resolved against the sin in all its forms or instances but he hath left some roots of bitterness which may spring up and defile him he hath left some weak places some parts unfortified and does secretly purpose to give up his fort if he be assaulted by some sort of enemies He is not resolved to resist the importunity of a friend or a prevailing person a Prince his Landlord or his Master that for the present he thinks impossible and therefore owes his spiritual life to chance or to the mercies of his enemy who may have it for asking But if he thinks it possible to resist any temptation and resolves to do it if it be possible the natural consequent of that is that he thinks he shall never fall again into it But if beforehand he thinks he shall relapse he is then but an imperfect resolver but a half-fac'd penitent * But this is not so in the case of smaller sins coming by ignorance or surprise by inadvertency and imperfect notices by the unavoidable weakness and imperfect condition of mankinde For he who in these resolves the strongest knows that he shall not be innocent but that he shall feel his weakness in the same or in other instances and that this shall be his condition as long as he lives that he shall alwayes need to pray Forgive me my trespasses and even his not knowing concerning all actions and all words and all thoughts whether they be sins or no is a certain betraying him into a necessity of doing something for the pardon of which Christ died for the preventing of which a mighty care is necessary in the suffering of which he ought to be humbled and for the pardon of which he ought for ever to pray And therefore S. Chrysostome upon those words of S. Paul I am conscious in nothing that is I do not know of any failing
this be expounded to be a permission to commit single acts Gal. 5.21 S. Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians affixes the same penalty to the actions as to the habits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5.21 they that doe such things that is the actions of those sins are damnable and exclusive from heaven as verily as the habits And however in moral accounts or in Aristotles Ethicks a man is not called by the name of a single action yet in all laws both of God and man he is He that steals once is a thief in the Courts of God and the King and one act of adultery makes a man an adulterer so that by this measure they that are such and they that doe such things means the same and the effect of both is exclusion from the Kingdome of heaven 4. Single actions in Scripture are called works of darkness deeds of the body works of the flesh Ephes 8. Rom. 8.13 and though they do not reign yet if they enter they disturb the rest and possession of the spirit of grace and therefore are in their several measures against the holiness of the Gospel of Christ All sins are single in their acting and a sinful habit differs from a sinful act but as many differ from one or as a year from an hour a vicious habit is but one sin continued or repeated for as a sin grows from little to great so it passes from act to habit a sin is greater because it is complicated externally or internally no other way in the world it is made up of more kinds or more degrees of choice and when two or three crimes are mixt in one action then the sin is loud and clamorous and if these still grow more numerous and not interrupted and disjoyned by a speedy repentance then it becomes a habit As the continuation of an instant or its perpetual fluxe makes time and proper succession so does the reacting or the continuing in any one or more sins make a habitual sinner So that in this Question the answer for one will serve for the other where ever the habit is forbidden there also the act is criminal and against God damnable by the laws of God and actually damning without repentance Between sins great and little actual and habitual there is no difference of nature or formality but onely of degrees 5. And therefore the words that represent the state of sin are used indifferently both for acts and habits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to doe single acts and by aggravation onely can signify an habitual sinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that commits sin is of the Devil so S. 1 Joh. 3.8 John by which although he means especially him that commits sin frequently or habitually for where there is greater reason there is the stronger affirmative yet that he must also mean it of single sins is evident not onely by the nature of the thing some single acts in some instances being as mischievous and malicious as a habit in others but by the words of our blessed Saviour that the Devil is the Father of lies and therefore every one that tels a lie is of the Devil eátenus To which adde also the words of S. John explicating his whole design in these and all his other words These things I write unto you that ye might not sin that is that ye might not doe sinful actions for it cannot be supposed that he did not as verily intend to prevent every sin as any sin or that he would onely have men to beware of habitual sins and not of actual single sins without which caution he could never have prevented the habitual To doe sin is to do one or to do many and are both forbidden under the same danger The same manner of expression in a differing matter hath a different signification To doe sin is to doe any one act of it but to doe righteousness is to doe it habitually He that doeth sin that is one act of sin is of the Devil But he that doth righteousness viz. habitually he onely is righteous The reason of the difference is this because one sin can destroy a man but one act of vertue cannot make him alive As a phial is broken though but a piece of its lip be cut away but it is not whole unless it be intire and unbroken in every part Dionys de Divin Nomin Bonum ex integrâ causâ malum ex qualibet particulari And therefore since he that does righteousness in S. Johns phrase is righteous and yet no man is righteous for doing one act of righteousness it follows that by doing righteousness he must mean doing it habitually But because one blow can kill a man or wound him desperately therefore when S. John speaks of doing sin he means doing any sin any way or in any degree of act or habit For this is that we are commanded by the Spirit of Christ we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walk exactly not having spot or wrinkle Eph. 5.15.27 or any thing of that nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy and unblameable so must the Church be that is so must be all the faithful or the men and women of the Christian Church for the Church is nothing but a congregation or collective body of believing persons Christ therefore intending to represent the Church to God without spot or wrinkle or fault Caesar Arelat hom 16. intends that all his servants should be so For let no man deceive himself Omnis homo qui post baptismum mortalia crimina commiserit hoc est homicidium adulterium furtum falsum testimonium vel reliqua crimina perpetravit unde per legem mundanam mori poterat si poenitentiam non egerit eleemosynam justam non fecerit nunquam habebit vitam aeternam sed cum Diabolo descendet ad inferna Every man who after his baptism hath committed mortal or killing sins that is to say murder adultery theft false witness or any other crimes which are capital by humane laws if he does not repent if he does not give just measures of alms he shall not have eternal life but with the Devil he shall descend into hell This is the sad sentence against all single acts of sin in the capital or greater instances But upon this account who can be justified who can hope for heaven since even the most righteous man that is sinneth and by single acts of unworthiness interrupts his course of piety and pollutes his spirit If a single act of these great or mortal sins can stand with the state of grace then not acts of these but habits are forbidden and these onely shut a man from heaven But if one single act destroys the state of grace and puts a man out of Gods favour then no man abides in it long and what shall be at the end of these things To this I answer that single acts are continually forbidden and in every period of their
provokes God to anger but that anger can be as soon rescinded as the act is past if it remains not by something that is habitual Indeed he is called a thief or an adulterer that does one action of those crimes because his consent in such things is great enough to equal a habit in lesser things The effect is notorious the prohibition severe the dangers infinite the reasons of them evident they are peccata vastantia conscientiam quae uno actu perimunt as S. Austin says they kill with one blow and therefore God exacts them highly and men call the criminal by the name of the vice But the action gives denomination but in some cases but the habit in all No man lives without sin and in the state of regeneration our infirmities still press upon us and make our hands shake and our foot to stumble and sometimes the enemy makes an inroad and is presently beaten out again and though the good man resolves against all and contends against all Pauca tamon suberunt priscae vestigia fraudis there will be something for him to be humbled at somthing to contest against to keep him watchful and upon his guard But if he be ebriosus or petulans if he be a drunkard or wanton an extortioner or covetous that is if he have a habit of any sin whatsoever then he is not the son of God but an heir of death and hell That therefore which in all cases denominates a man such both before God and before men when the actions do not that must needs have in it a proper malignity of its own and that 's the habit 4. This we may also see evidently in the matter of smaller sins the trifles of our life which though they be often repeated yet if they be kept asunder by the intercision of the actions of repentance doe not discompose our state of grace but if they be habitual they doe though it may be the single instances by some accident being hindred do not so often return and this is confess'd on all hands But then the consequent of this is that the very being habitual is a special irregularity 5. This also appears by the nature and malignity of the greater sins A vicious habit is a principle of evil naturally and directly And therefore as the capital sins are worse then others because they are an impure root and apt to produce accursed fruits as covetousness is the root of all evil and pride and envy and idolatry so is every habit the mother of evil not accidentally and by chance but by its proper efficacy and natural germination and therefore is worse then single actions 6. If natural concupiscence hath in it the nature of sin and needs a laver of regeneration and the blood of Christ to wash it off much more shall our habitual and acquir'd concupiscence For this is much worse procur'd by our own act introduc'd by our consent brought upon us by the wrath of God which we have deserv'd springing from the baseness of our own manners the consequent of our voluntary disobedience So that if it were unreasonable that our natural concupiscence should be charged upon us as criminal as being involuntary yet for the same reason it is most reasonable that our habitual sins our superinduc'd concupiscence should be imputed to us as criminal because it is voluntary in its cause which is in us and is voluntary in the effect that is it is delighted in seated in the will But however this argument ought to prevail upon all that admit the article of original sin as it is usually taught in Schools Churches For upon the denial of it Pelagius also introduc'd this opinion against which I am now disputing And lest concupiscence might be reckon'd a sin he affirm'd that no habitude no disposition nothing but an act could be a sin But on the other side lest concupiscence should be accounted no sin Lib. de peccat Grig cap. 6. 13. S. Austin disputes earnestly largely affirming and proving that a sinful habit is a special sinfulness distinct from that of evil actions malus thesaurus cordis the evil treasure of the heart out of which proceeds all mischief and a continual defluxion of impurities 7. And therefore as God severely forbids every single action of sin so with greater caution he provides that we be not guilty of a sinful habit Rom. 6.13 20. Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies we must not be servants of sin not sold under sin that sin have no dominion over us That is not onely that we doe not repeat the actions of sin but that we be not enslaved to it under the power of it of such a lost liberty that we cannot resist the temptation For he that is so is guilty before God although no temptation comes Such are they whom S. Peter notes that cannot cease from sin And indeed we cannot but confess the reasonableness of this For all men hate such persons whose minds are habitually averse from them who watch for opportunities to do them evil offices who lose none that are offered who seek for more who delight in our displeasure who oftentimes effect what they maliciously will Saul was Davids enemy even when he was asleep For the evil will and the contradicting minde and the spiteful heart are worse then the crooked or injurious hand And as grace is a principle of good so is this of evil and therefore as the one denominates the subject gracious so the other sinful both of them inherent that given by God this introduc'd by our own unworthiness * He that sins in a single act does an injury to God but he that does it habitually he that cannot do otherwise is his essential enemy The first is like an offending servant who deserves to be thrown away but in a vicious habit there is an antipathy The Man is Gods enemy as a Wolf to the Lamb as the Hyaena to the Dog He that commits a single sin hath stain'd his skin and thrown dirt upon it but an habitual sinner is an Ethiop Jer. 13.23 and must be flayed alive before his blackness will disappear 8. A man is called just or unjust by reason of his disposition to and preparation for an act and therefore much more for the habit Paratum est cor meum Deus O God my heart is ready my heart is ready and S. John had the reward of Martyrdome because he was ready to die for his Lord though he was not permitted and S. Austin affirms De bono conjugat c. 21. that the continency of Abraham was as certainly crown'd as the continence of John it being as acceptable to God to have a chaste spirit as a virgin body that is habitual continence being as pleasing as actual Thus a man may be a Persecutor or a Murtherer if he have a heart ready to do it and if a lustful soul be an Adulteress because the desire is
be the immediate natural disposition to pardon All this is the gift of God a grace obtain'd by our holy Redeemer the price of his bloud but in this the case is all one as it is in the greatest innocence of the best of men which if it be not allowed by incorporation into Christ and sanctified by faith wants its proper title to heaven and so it is with Repentance For nature cannot teach us this lesson much less make it acceptable For it depending wholly upon Gods graciousness and free forgiveness can be taught onely by him by whom it is effectual and this is conveyed to us by our blessed Lord according to that saying Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ 2. Although a habit cannot be the meritorious cause of pardoning the contrary habit yet to him that hath contracted a vicious habit it is necessary in order to his pardon that he root out that habit and obtain the contrary in some degrees of prevalency so that the scales be turned on that side where is the interest of vertue and this depends upon the evidence of the former proposition If to be an habitual sinner be more then to be guilty of those actual sins by which the habit was contracted then as it is necessary to rescind the act of sin by an act of contrition and repentance so also it is as necessary that the habit be retracted by a habit that every wound may have its balsam and every broken bone be bound up and redintegrate 3. But in the case of habitual sins the argument is more pressing For if the act which is past and remains not yet must be reversed by its contrary much rather must that be taken off which does remain which actually tempts us by which we are in a state exactly contrary to the state of grace For some seldome acts of sin and in trifling instances may stand with the state of holiness and be incident to a good man but no vicious habit can neither in a small matter nor in a great this is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a destroyer and therefore as it hath a particular obliquity so it must have a special repentance a repentance proper to it that is as an act rescinds an act so must a habit be oppos'd to a habit a single act of contrition to a single sin and therefore it must be more no less then a lasting and an habitual contrition to obtain pardon for the habit And although a habit can meritoriously remit a habit no more then an act can do an act they being both equal as to that particular yet they are also dispositions equally at least on this hand necessary for the obtaining pardon of their respective contraries 4. It is confessed on all sides that every single sin which we remember must be repented of by an act of repentance that must particularly touch that sin if we distinctly remember it it must distinctly be revok'd by a nolition a sorrow and moral revocation of it Since therefore every habit is contracted by many single actions every one of which if they were sinful must some way or other be rescinded by its contrary the rescission of those will also introduce a contrary habit and so the question will be evinc'd upon that account For if we shall think one act of sorrow can abolish many foul acts of sin we but deceive our selves we must have many for one as I have already made to appear a multitude of sighs and prayers against every foul action that we remember and then the consequent is plain that upon this reckoning when a habit is contracted the actions which were its principle cannot be rescinded but by such Repentances which will extinguish not onely the formality but the material and natural effect of that cursed production at least in very many degrees 5. A habit oppos'd to a habit hath greater effect then an act oppos'd to an act and therefore is not onely equally requisite but the more proper remedy and instance of repentance For an act of it self cannot naturally extinguish the guilt nor meritoriously obtain its pardon but neither can it destroy its natural being which was not permanent and therefore not to be wrought upon by an after act But to oppose a habit to a habit can equally in the merits of Christ be the disposition to a pardon as an act can for an act and is certainly much better then any one act can be because it includes many single acts of the same nature and it is all of them and their permanent effect and change wrought by them besides So that it is certainly the better and the surer way But now the Question is not whether it be the better way but whether it be necessary and will not the lesser way suffice To this therefore I answer that since no man can be acceptable to God as long as sin reigns in his mortal body and since either sin must reign or the Spirit of Christ must reign for a man cannot be a Neuter in this war it is necessary that sins kingdome be destroyed and broken and that Christ rule in our hearts that is it is necessary that the first and the old habits be taken off and new ones introduc'd For although the moral revocation of a single act may be a sufficient disposition to its pardon because the act was transient and unless there be a habit or something of it nothing remains yet the moral revocation of a sinful habit cannot be sufficient because there is impressed upon the soul a viciousness and contrariety to God which must be taken off or there can be no reconciliation For let it be but considered that a vicious habit is a remanent aversation from God an evil heart the evil treasure of the heart a carnall mindedness an union and principle of sins and then let it be answered whether a man who is in this state can be a friend of God or reconcil'd to him in his Son who lives in a state so contrary to his holy Spirit of Grace The guilt cannot be taken off without destroying its nature since the nature it self is a viciousness and corruption 6. Either it is necessary to extirpate and break the habit or else a man may be pardon'd while he is in love with sin For every vicious habit being radicated in the will and being a strong love inclination and adhesion to sin unless the natural being of this habit be taken off the enmity against God remains For it being a quality permanent and inherent and its nature being an aptness and easiness a desire to sin and longing after it to retract this by a moral retractation and not by a natural also is but hypocrisie for no man can say truly I hate the sin I have committed so long as the love to sin is inherent in his will and then if God should pardon such a person it would be to justifie a sinner remaining such which God equally
magazine of habits by equivalency and is formally the state of grace And upon these accounts if old men will repent and doe what they can do and are enabled in that state they have no cause to be afflicted with too great fears concerning the instances of their habits or the sins of their youth Concerning persons that are seis'd upon by a lingring sickness I have nothing peculiar to say save this onely That their case is in something better then that of old men in some things worse It is better because they have in many periods of their sickness more hopes of returning to health and long life then old men have of returning to strength and youth and a protracted age and therefore their repentance if it be hearty hath in it also more degrees of being voluntary and relative to a good life But in this their case is worse An old man that is healthful is better seated in the station of penitents and because he can choose contraries is the more acceptable if he chooses well But the sick man though living long in that disadvantage cannot be indifferent in so many instances as the other may and in this case it is remarkable what S. Austin said Si autem vis agere poenitentiam quando jam peccare non potes peccata te dimiserunt non tu illa To abstain from sin when a man cannot sin is to be forsaken by sin not to forsake it At the best it is bad enough But I doubt not but if they doe what they can doe there is mercy for them which they shall finde in the day of recompences Obj. 7. But how shall any man know whether he have perform'd his repentance as he ought For if it be necessary that he get the habits of vertue and extirpate the habits of vice that is if by habits God do and we are to make judgements of our repentance who can be certain that his sins are pardon'd and himself reconcil'd to God and that he shall be sav'd The reasons of his doubts and fears are these 1. Because it is a long time before a habit can be lost and the contrary obtain'd 2. Because while one habit lessens another may undiscernibly increase and it may be a degree of covetousness may expel a degree of prodigality 3. Because a habit may be lurking secretly and for want of opportunity of acting in that instance not betray it self or be discover'd or attempted to be cur'd For he that was not tempted in that kinde where he sinn'd formerly may for ought he knows say that he hath not sinn'd onely because he was not tempted but if that be all the habit may be resident and kill him secretly These things must be accounted for 1. But to him that inquires whether it be light or darkness in what regions his inheritance is design'd and whether his Repentance is sufficient I must give rather a reproof then an answer or at least such an answer as will tell there is no need of an answer For indeed it is not good inquiring into measures and little portions of grace * Love God with all thy heart and all thy strength do it heartily and do it alwayes If the thing be brought to pass clearly and discernibly the pardon is certain and not orious But if it be in a middle state between ebbe and floud so is our pardon too and if in that undiscerned state it be in the thing certain that thou art on the winning and prevailing side if really thou doest belong unto God he will take care both of thy intermediall comfort and final interest * But when people are too inquisitive after comfort it is a signe their duty is imperfect In the same proportion also it is not well when we enquire after a sign for our state of grace and holiness If the habit be compleat and intire it is as discernible as light and we may as well enquire for a sign to know when we are hungry and thirsty when you can walk or play on the lute The thing it self is its best indication 2. But if men will quarrel at any truth because it supposes some men to be in such a case that they do not know certainly what will become of them in the event of things I know not how it can be help'd I am sure they that complain here that is the Roman Doctors are very fierce Preachers of the certainty of salvation or of our knowledge of it But be they who they will since all this uncertainty proceeds not from the doctrine but from the evil state of things into which habitual sinners have put themselves there will be the less care taken for an answer But certainly it seems strange that men who have liv'd basely and viciously all their dayes who are respited from an eternal Hell by the miracles of mercy concerning whom it is a wonderful thing that they had not really perished long before that these men returning at the last should complain of hard usage because it cannot be told to them as confidently as to new baptized Innocents that they are certain of their salvation as S. Peter and S. Paul * But however both they and better men then they must be content with those glorious measures of the Divine mercy which are described and upon any terms be glad to be pardon'd and to hope and fear to mourn and to be afflicted to be humbled and to tremble and then to work out their salvation with fear and trembling 3. But then to advance one step further there may be a certainty where is no evidence that is the thing may be certain in it self though not known to the man and there are degrees of hope concerning the final event of our souls For suppose it cannot be told to the habitual sinner that his habits of sin are overcome and that the Spirit rules in all the regions of his soul yet is he sure that his vicious habits do prevail is he sure that sin does reign in his mortal body If he be then let him not be angry with this doctrine for it is as bad with him as any doctrine can affirm But if he be not sure that sin reigns then can he not hope that the Spirit does rule and if so then also he may hope that his sins are pardon'd and that he shall be sav'd And if he look for greater certainty then that of a holy and a humble hope he must stay till he have a revelation it cannot be had from the certainty of any proposition in Scripture applicable to his case and person 4. If a habit be long before it be master'd if a part of it may consist with its contrary if a habit may lurk secretly and undiscernibly all these things are aggravations of the danger of an habitual sinner and are very true and great engagements of his watchfulness and fear his caution and observance But then nor these nor any thing else can evacuate the former
mankinde exactly answering to the All that have life by Christ which are onely the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those many that believe and are adopted into the Covenant of believers by this indeed it is perceiveable that this was not a natural title or derivation of an inherent corruption from Adam for that must have included All absolutely and universally But that which I here dwell and relie upon is this Sin is often in Scripture us'd for the punishment of sin and they that suffer are called sinners though they be innocent So it is in this case By Adams disobedience many were made sinners that is the sin of Adam pass'd upon them and sate upon their heads with evil effect like that of Bathsheba I and my son shall be accounted sinners 1 Kings 1.21 that is evil will befall us we shall be used like sinners like Traytors and Usurpers So This shall be the sin of Egypt Zech. 14.19 said the Prophet This shall be the punishment so we reade it And Cain complaining of the greatness of his punishment said Mine iniquity is greater then I can bear * And to put it past all doubt not onely punishment is called sin in Scripture but even he that bears it Him that knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 God hath made sin that we might be the righteousness of God in him and the Prophet Isaiah speaking of Christ saith Posuit peccatum animam suam Isa 53.10 He hath made his soul a sin that is Heb. 9.28 obnoxious to the punishment of sin Thus it is said that Christ shall appear the second time without sin that is without the punishment of sin unto salvation for of sin formally or materially he was at first as innocent as at the second time that is pure in both And if Christ who bare our burthen became sin for us in the midst of his purest innocence that we also are by Adam made sinners that is suffer evil by occasion of his demerit infers not that we have any formal guilt or enmity against God upon that account Facti peccatores in S. Paul by Adam we are made sinners answers both in the story and in the expression to Christus factus peccatum pro nobis Christ was made sin for us that is was expos'd to the evil that is consequent to sin viz. to its punishment For the further explication of which it is observable that the word sinner and sin in Scripture is us'd for any person that hath a fault or a legal impurity a debt a vitiosity defect or imperfection For the Hebrews use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for any obligation which is contracted by the Law without our fault Thus a Nazarite who had touch'd a dead body was tied to offer a sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for sin and the reason is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he had sinn'd concerning the dead body and yet it was nothing but a legal impurity nothing moral And the offering that was made by the leprous or the menstruous or the diseased inprofluvio seminis is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an offering for sin and yet it might be innocent all the way Thus in the Epistle to the Hebrews it is said that our blessed Lord who is compared to the High-Priest among the Jews did offer first for his own sins Heb. 7.27 by which word it is certain that no sin properly could be meant for Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he knew no sin but it means the state of his infirmity the condition of his mortal body which he took for us and our sins and is a state of misery and of distance from heaven for flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of Heaven whither Christ was not to go till by offering himself he had unclothed himself of that imperfect vesture as they that were legally impure might not go to the Temple before their offering Rom. 6.10 and therefore when by death he quit himself of this condition it is said he died unto sin Parallel to this is that of S. Paul in the fifth Chapter to the Hebrews where the state of infirmity is expresly called sin Ver. 2.3 The High-Priest is himself also compassed with infirmity and by reason hereof he ought as for the people so also for himself to offer for sins This is also more expresly by S. Rom. 8.3 Paul called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the likeness of the sin of the flesh and thus Concupiscence or the first motions and inclinations to sin is called sin and said to have the nature of sin that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the likeness it may be the material part of sin or something by which sin is commonly known And thus Origen observes that an oblation was to be offered even for new born children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they were not clean from sin But this being an unusual expression among the Hebrews bears its sense upon the palm of the hand and signifies onely the legal impurity in which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the new born babes and their Mothers were involv'd Even Christ himself who had no Original sin was subject to this purification So we reade in S. Luke Luke 2.22 and when the days of her purification were accomplish'd but in most books and particular in the Kings MS. it is read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dayes of their purification But the things of this nature being called offerings for sins and the expression usual among the Jews I doubt not but hath given occasion to the Christian Writers to fancy other things then were intended Having now explicated those words of S. Paul which by being misunderstood have caused strange devices in this Article we may now without prejudice examine what really was the effect of Adams sin and what evil descended upon his posterity Adams sin was punish'd by an expulsion out of Paradise in which was a Tree appointed to be the cure of diseases and a conservatory of life There was no more told as done but this and its proper consequents He came into a land less blessed a land which bore thistles and briars easily and fruits with difficulty so that he was forc'd to sweat hard for his bread and this also I cannot say did descend but must needs be the condition of his children who were left to live so and in the same place just as when young Anthony had seis'd upon Marcus Cicero's land the Son also lost what he never had And thus death came in not by any new sentence or change of nature for man was created mortal and if Adam had not sinned he should have been immortal by grace that is by the use of the Tree of life and now being driven from the place where the Tree grew was left in his own natural constitution that is to be sick and die without that remedy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Cyril adv Anthrop He was mortal of himself and we are mortal from him Dial. adv Tryph. Peccando Adam posteros morti subjecit universos huic delicto obnoxios reddit said Justin Martyr Adam by his sin made all his posterity liable to the sin and subjected them to death One explicates the other Lib. 3. Ep. 8. and therefore S. Cyprian calls Original sin Malum domesticum contagium mortis antiquae primâ nativitate contractum His sin infected us with death and this infection we derive in our birth that is we are born mortal Adams sin was imputed to us unto a natural death in him we are sinners as in him we die But this sin is not real and inherent but imputed onely to such a degree So S. Cypriam affirms most expresly .... infans recens natus nihil peccavit nisi quòd secundum Adam carnalitèr natus contagium mortis antiquae primâ nativitate contraxit An infant hath not sinn'd save onely that being carnally born of Adam in his first birth he hath contracted the contagion of the old death This evil which is the condition of all our natures viz. to die was to some a punishment but to others not so It was a punishment to all that sinn'd both before Moses and since upon the first it fell as a consequent of Gods anger upon Adam as I before discours'd upon the latter it fell as a consequent of that anger which was threatned in Moses law But to those who sinned not at all as Infants and Innocents it was meerly a condition of their nature and no more a punishment then to be a childe is It was a punishment of Adams sin because by his sin humane Nature became disrob'd of their preternatural immortality and therefore upon that account they die but as it related to the persons it was not a punishment not an evil afflicted for their sin or any guiltiness of their own properly so called We finde nothing else in Scripture express'd to be the effect of Adams sin and beyond this without authority we must not go Other things are said but I finde no warrant for them in that sense they are usually suppos'd and some of them in no sense at all The particulars commonly reckoned are that from Adam we derive an Original ignorance a proneness to sin a natural malice a fomes or nest of sin imprinted and plac'd in our souls a loss of our wills liberty and nothing is left but a liberty to sin which liberty upon the summe of affairs is expounded to be a necessity to sin and the effect of all is we are born heirs of damnation Concerning Original or Natural ignorance it is true we derive it from our Parents I mean we are born with it but I do not know that any man thinks that if Adam had not sinn'd that sin Cain should have been wise as soon as his Navel had been cut Neither can we guess at what degree of knowledge Adam had before his fall Certainly if he had had so great a knowledge it is not likely he would so cheaply have sold himself and all his hopes out of a greedy appetite to get some knowledge But concerning his posterity indeed it is true a childe cannot speak at first nor understand and if as Plato said all our knowledge is nothing but memory it is no wonder a child is born without knowledge But so it is in the wisest men in the world they also when they see or hear a thing first think it strange and could not know it till they saw or heard it Now this state of ignorance we derive from Adam as we do our Nature which is a state of ignorance and all manner of imperfection but whether it was not imperfect and apt to fall into forbidden instances even before his fall we may best guess at by the event for if he had not had a rebellious appetite and an inclination to forbidden things by what could he have been tempted and how could it have come to pass that he should sin Indeed this Nature was made worse by sin and became devested of whatsoever it had extraordinary and was left naked and meer and therefore it is not onely an Original imperfection which we inherit but in the sense now explicated it is also an Original corruption And this is all As natural death by his sin became a curse so our natural imperfection became natural corruption and that is Original sin Death and imperfection we derive from Adam but both were natural to us but by him they became actual and penal and by him they became worse as by every evil act every principle of evil is improv'd And in this sense this Article is affirmed by all the Doctors of the ancient Church We are miserable really sinners in account or effect that properly this improperly and are faln into so sad a state of things which we also every day make worse that we did need a Saviour to redeem us from it For in Original sin we are to consider the principle and the effects The principle is the actual sin of Adam This being to certain purposes by Gods absolute dominion imputed to us hath brought upon us a necessity of dying and all the affections of mortality which although they were natural yet would by grace have been hindred Another evil there is upon us and that is Concupiscence this also is natural but it was actual before the fall it was in Adam and tempted him This also from him is derived to us and is by many causes made worse by him and by our selves And this is the whole state of Original sin so far as is fairly warrantable But for the other particulars the case is wholly differing The sin of Adam neither made us 1. Heirs of damnation Nor 2. Naturally and necessarily vicious 1. It could not make us Heirs of damnation This I shall the less need to insist upon because of it self it seems so horrid to impute to the goodness and justice of God to be author of so great a calamity to Innocents that S. Austins followers have generally left him in that point and have descended to this lesser proportion that Original sin damns onely to the eternal loss of the sight of Gods glorious face But to this I say these things 1. That there are many Divine which beleeve this alone to be the worm that never dies and the fire that never goeth out that is in effect this and the anguish for this is all the hell of the damned And unless infants remain infants in the resurrection too which no man that I know affirms or unless they be sensless and inapprehensive it is not to be imagined but that all that know they are by way of punishment depriv'd of the glorious face of God must needs have a horrible anguish of soul to eternal ages And this argument besides the reasonableness of the thing Lib. 6. in Julian c. 4. hath
be tied to any particular repentance relative to this sin the answer will not be difficult I remember a pretty device of Hierome of Florence a famous Preacher not long since who used this argument to prove the blessed Virgin Mary to be free from Original sin Because it is more likely if the blessed Virgin had been put to her choice she would rather have desired of God to have kept her free from venial actual sin then from Original Since therefore God hath granted her the greater and that she never sinn'd actually it is to be presum'd God did not deny to her the smaller favour and therefore she was free from Original Upon this many a pretty story hath been made and rare arguments fram'd and sierce contestations whether it be more agreeable to the piety and prudence of the Virgin Mother to desire immunity from Original sin that is deadly or from a venial actual sin that is not deadly This indeed is voluntary and the other is not but the other deprives us of grace and this does not God was more offended by that but we offend him more by this The dispute can never be ended upon their accounts but this Gordian knot I have now untied as Alexander did by destroying it and cutting it all in pieces But to return to the Question S. Austin was indeed a fierce Patron of this device and one of the chief inventers and finishers of it and his sense of it is declared in his Book De peccatorum medicinâ Cap. 3. homil 50. where he endevours largely to prove that all our life time we are bound to mourn for the inconveniences and evil consequents deriv'd from Original sin I dare say every man is sufficiently displeased that he is liable to sickness weariness displeasure melancholy sorrow folly imperfection and death dying with groans and horrid spasms and convulsions In what sense these are the effects of Adams sin and though of themselves natural yet also upon his account made penal I have already declar'd and need no more to dispute my purpose being onely to establish such truths as are in order to practice and a holy life to the duties of repentance and amendment But our share of Adams sin either being in us no sin at all or else not to be avoided or amended it cannot be the matter of repentance Neminem autem rectè it a loqui poenitere sese quòd natus sit aut poenitere quòd mortalis sit aut quòd ex offenso fortè vulnerató que corpore dolorem sentiat Li. 17. c. 1. said A. Gellius A man is not properly said to repent that he was born or that he shall die or that he feels pain when his leg is hurt he gives this reason Quando istiusmodi rerum nec consilium sit nostrum nec arbitrium As these are besides our choyce so they cannot fall into our deliberation and therefore as they cannot be chosen so neither refused and therefore not repented of for that supposes both that they were chosen once and now refused * As Adam was not bound to repent of the sins of all his posterity so neither are we tied to repent of his sins Neither did I ever see in any ancient Office or forms of prayer publick or private any prayer of humiliation prescrib'd for original sin They might deprecate the evil consequents but never confess themselves guilty of the formal sin Adde to this Original sin is remitted in Baptism by the consent of those Schools of learning who teach this article and therefore is not reserv'd for any other repentance and that which came without our own consent is also to be taken off without it That which came by the imputation of a sin may also be taken off by the imputation of righteousness that is as it came without sin so it must also goe away without trouble But yet because the Question may not render the practice insecure I adde these Rules by way of advice and caution §. 7. Advices relating to the matter of Original sin 1. IT is very requisite that we should understand the state of our own infirmity the weakness of the flesh the temptations and diversions of the spirit that by understanding our present state we may prevent the evils of carelesness and security * Our evils are the imperfections and sorrows inherent in or appendant to our bodies our souls our spirits * In our bodies we finde weakness and imperfection sometimes crookedness sometimes monstrosity filthiness and weariness infinite numbers of diseases and an uncertain cure great pain and restless night hunger and thirst daily necessities ridiculous gestures madness from passions distempers and disorders great labour to provide meat and drink and oftentimes a loathing when we have them if we use them they breed sicknesses if we use them not we die and there is such a certain healthlesness in many things to all and in all things to some men and at some times that to supply a need is to bring a danger and if we eat like beasts onely of one thing our souls are quickly weary if we eat variety we are sick and intemperate and our bodies are inlets to sin and a stage of temptation If we cherish them they undoe us if we doe not cherish them they die we suffer illusion in our dreams and absurd fancies when we are waking our life is soon done and yet very tedious it is too long and too short darkness and light are both troublesome and those things which are pleasant are often unwholsome wholesome Sweet smels make the head ake and those smels which are medicinal in some diseases are intolerable to the sense The pleasures of our body are bigger in expectation then in the possession and yet while they are expected they torment us with the delay and when they are enjoyed they are as if they were not they abuse us with their vanity and vex us with their volatile and fugitive nature Our pains are very frequent alone and very often mingled with pleasures to spoil them and he that feels one sharp pain feels not all the pleasures of the world if they were in his power to have them We live a precarious life begging help of every thing and needing the repairs of every day and being beholding to beasts and birds to plants and trees to dirt and stones to the very excrements of beasts and that which dogs and horses throw forth Our motion is slow and dull heavy and uneasy we cannot move but we are quickly tired and for every days labour we need a whole night to recruit our lost strengths we live like a lamp unless new materials be perpetually poured in we live no longer then a fly and our motion is not otherwise then a clock we must be pull'd up once or twice in twenty four hours and unless we be in the shadow of death for six or eight hours every night we shall be scarce in the shadows of life the other
with weeping and on my eie-lids is the shadow of death Not for any injustice in my hand also my prayer is pure Wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God I am delivered through Jesus Christ our Lord. But now being made free from sin 6.22 and become servants of God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life For the wages of sin is death But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies V. 12,14 that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace The PRAYER O Almighty God great Father of Men and Angels thou art the preserver of men and the great lover of souls thou didst make every thing perfect in its kinde and all that thou didst make was very good onely we miserable creatures sons of Adam have suffered the falling Angels to infect us with their leprosie of pride and so we entred into their evil portion having corrupted our way before thee and are covered with thy rod and dwell in a cloud of thy displeasure behold me the meanest of thy servants humbled before thee sensible of my sad condition weak and miserable sinful and ignorant full of need wanting thee in all things and neither able to escape death without a Saviour nor to live a life of holiness without thy Spirit O be pleas'd to give me a portion in the new birth break off the bands and fetters of my sin cure my evil inclinations correct my indispositions and natural averseness from the severities of Religion let me live by the measures of thy law not by the evil example and disguises of the world Renew a right spirit within me and cast me not away from thy presence lest I should retire to the works of darkness and enter into those horrible regions where the light of thy countenance never shineth II. I Am ashamed O Lord I am ashamed that I have dishonoured so excellent a Creation Thou didst make us upright and create us in innocence And when thou didst see us unable to stand in thy sight and that we could never endure to be judged by the Covenant of works thou didst renew thy mercies to us in the new Covenant of Jesus Christ and now we have no excuse nothing to plead for our selves much less against thee but thou art holy and pure and just and merciful Make me to be like thee holy as thou art holy merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful obedient as our holy Saviour Jesus meek and charitable temperate and chaste humble and patient according to that holy example that my sins may be pardoned by his death and my spirit renewed by his Spirit that passing from sin to grace from ignorance to the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ I may pass from death to life from sorrow to joy from earth to heaven from the present state of misery and imperfection to the glorious inheritance prepar'd for the Saints and Sons of light the children of the new birth the brethren of our Lord and Brother our Judge and our Advocate our Blessed Saviour and Redeemer JESVS Amen A Prayer to be said by a Matron in behalf of her husband and family that a blessing may descend upon their posterity I. O Eternal God our most merciful Lord and gracious Father thou art my guide the light of mine eyes the joy of my heart the author of my hope and the object of my love and worshippings thou relievest all my needs and determin'st all my doubts and art an eternal fountain of blessing open and running over to all thirsty and weary souls that come and cry to thee for mercy and refreshment Have mercy upon thy servant and relieve my fears and sorrows and the great necessities of my family for thou alone O Lord canst doe it II. FIt and adorn every one of us with a holy and a religious spirit and give a double portion to thy servant my dear husband Give him a wise heart a prudent severe and indulgent care over the children which thou hast given us His heart is in thy hand and the events of all things are in thy disposition Make it a great part of his care to promote the spiritual and eternal interest of his children not to neglect their temporal relations and necessities but to provide states of life for them in which with fair advantages they may live chearfully serve thee diligently promote the interest of the Christian family in all their capacities that they may be alwayes blessed and alwayes innocent devout and pious and may be graciously accepted by thee to pardon and grace and glory through Jesus Christ Amen III. BLess O God my sons with excellent understandings love of holy and noble things sweet dispositions innocent deportment diligent souls chaste healthful and temperate bodies holy and religious spirits that they may live to thy glory and be useful in their capacities to the servants of God and all their neighbours and the Relatives of their conversation Bless my daughters with a humble and a modest carriage and excellent meekness a great love of holy things a severe chastity a constant holy and passionate Religion O my God never suffer them to fall into folly and the sad effects of a wanton loose and indiscreet spirit possess their fancies with holy affections be thou the covering of their eyes and the great object of their hopes and all their desires Blessed Lord thou disposest all things sweetly by thy providence thou guidest them excellently by thy wisdome thou unitest all circumstances and changes wonderfully by thy power and by thy power makest all things work for the good of thy servants Be pleased so to dispose my daughters that if thou shouldst call them to the state of a married life they may not dishonour their family nor grieve their parents nor displease thee but that thou wilt so dispose of their persons and the accidents and circumstances of that state that it may be a state of holiness to the Lord and blessing to thy servants And until thy wisdome shall know it fit to bring things so to pass let them live with all purity spending their time religiously and usefully O most blessed Lord enable their dear father with proportionable abilities and opportunities of doing his duty and charities toward them and them with great obedience and duty toward him and all of us with a love toward thee above all things in the world that our portion may be in love and in thy blessings through Jesus Christ our dearest Lord and most gracious Redeemer IV. O My God pardon thy servant pity my infirmities hear the passionate desires of thy humble servant in thee alone is my trust my heart and all my wishes are towards thee Thou hast
punire conscientiam munire non poterant Itaque quae antè palà m fiebant clam fieri coeperunt circumscribi etiam jura For all the threatnings of the Law they were wicked still though not scandalous vile in private and wary in publick they did circumscribe their laws and thought themselves bound onely to the letter and obliged by nothing but the penalty which if they escaped they reckoned themselves innocent Thus far the law instructed them and made them afraid But for the first they grew the more greedy to doe what now they were forbidden to desire The prohibition of the law being like a damme to the waters the desire swels the higher for being check'd and the wisdome of Romulus in not casting up a bank against parricide had this effect that until the end of the second Punick war which was almost DC years there was no example of one that kill'd his Father Lucius Ostius was the first And it is certain that the Easterlings neither were nor had they reason to be fond of Circumcision it was part of that load which was complain'd of by the Apostles in behalf of the Jewish Nation which neither they nor their Fathers could bear and yet as soon as Christ took off the yoke and that it was forbidden to his Disciples the Jews were as fond of it as of their pleasures and fifteen Bishops of Jerusalem in immediate succession were all circumcised and no arguments no authority could hinder them And for their fear it onely produc'd caution and sneaking from the face of men and both together set them on work to corrupt the spirit of the law by expositions too much according to the letter so that by this means their natural desires their lustings and concupiscence were not cured For as Lactantius brought in the Heathen complaining so does S. Paul bring in the Jew That which I doe I allow not Rom. 7.25 19. for what I would that I doe not but what I hate that I doe I say this is the state of a man under the law a man who is not regenerate and made free by the Spirit of Christ that is a man who abides in the infirmities of nature of which the law of nature warn'd him first and the superinduc'd law of God warn'd him more but there was not in these Covenants or Laws sufficient either to endure or to secure obedience they did not minister strength enough to conquer sin to overthrow its power to destroy the kingdome and reign of sin this was reserv'd for the great day of triumph it was the glory of the Gospel the power of Christ the strength of the Spirit which alone was able to doe it and by this with its appendages that is the pardon of sin and a victory over it a conquest by the prevailing and rule of the Spirit by this alone the Gospel is the most excellent above all the covenants and states and institutions of the world But then the Christian must not complain thus if he be advanced into the secrets of the kingdome if he be a Christian in any thing beyond the name he cannot say that sin gives him laws that it reigns in his mortal body that he is led captive by Satan at his will that he sins against his will frequently and habitually and cannot help it But so it is men doe thus complain and which is worse they make this to be their excuse and their incouragement If they have sinn'd foully they say It is true V. 15. but it is not I but sin that dwelleth in me For that which I doe I allow not for what I would that doe I not and what I hate that doe I. And if they be tempted to a sin they cannot be disswaded from it or incouraged to a noble and pertinacious resistance because they have this in excuse ready V. 18. To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I finde not For the good which I would I doe not but the evil which I would not that I doe That is it is my infirmity give me leave to doe it I am the childe of God for all my sin for I doe it with an unwilling willingness I shall doe this always and shall never be quit of this tyranny of sin It was thus with S. Paul himself and I ought not to hope to be otherwise then he and a person more free from sin We finde in the life of Andronicus written by Nicetas Choniates the same pretence made in excuse for sin they could not help it and we finde it so in our daily experience and the thing it self warranted by many Interpreters of Scripture who suppose that S. Paul in the seventh Chapter to the Romanes from the fourteenth verse to the end describes his own state of infirmity and disability or which is all one the state of a regenerate man that it is no other but an ineffective striving and strugling against sin a contention in which he is most commonly worsted and that this striving is all that he can shew of holiness to be a testimony of his regeneration §. 2. HOw necessary it is to free the words of S. Paul from so dangerous a sense we may easily believe if we consider that to suppose a man who is regenerate by the Spirit of Christ to be still a slave under sin and within its power and that he fain would but cannot help it is very injurious to the power of Christ and the mightiness of the spirit of grace when all its effect is onely said to be that it strives but can doe nothing that is sin abounds more then grace and the man that is redeemed by Christ is still unredeem'd and a captive under sin and Satan this is not onely an incouragement of evil life 1 Joh. 4.4 but a reproach and scorn cast upon the holy Spirit It is verbum dictum contra Spiritum sanctum a word spoken against the holy Ghost Serm. 43. 45. de tempore And as S. Austin cals it it is tuba hostis non nostra unde ille incitetur non unde vincatur the Devils trumpet to encourage him in his war against poor mankinde but by this means he shall never be overcome And therefore he gives us caution of it for speaking of these words The good which I would that do I not but the evil that I would not that I doe advises thus Lectio Divina quae de Apostoli Pauli epistolâ recitata est quotiescunque legitur timendum est ne malè intellecta det hominibus quaerentibus occasionem When ever these words of S. Paul are read we must fear lest the misunderstanding of them should minister an occasion of sin to them that seek it For men are prone to sin and scarce restrain themselves When therefore they hear the Apostle saying I doe not the good which I would but I doe the evil which I hate they do evil and as it were
as in the unregenerate there might be some good such as are good desires knowledge of good and evil single actions of vertue beginnings and dispositions to grace acknowledging of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ some lightnings and flashes of the holy Ghost a knowing of the way of righteousness but sanctifying saving good does not dwell that is doth not abide with them and rule so in the regenerate there is sin but because it does not dwell there they are under the Empire of the Spirit and in Christs Kingdome Gal. 2.20 or as Saint Paul expresses it Christ liveth in them and that cannot be unless sin be crucified and dead in them The summe of which is thus in S. Pauls words Rom. 6.11 12 14. Reckon your selves indeed to be dead unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof For sin shall not have dominion over you because we are not under the law but under grace 7. Lastly the man whom S. Paul describes is carnal but the regenerate is never called carnal in the Scripture Ro 7.14 but is spiritual oppos'd to carnal A man not onely in pure naturals but ever plac'd under the law is called Carnal that is until he be redeemed by the Spirit of Christ he cannot be called spiritual but is yet in the flesh Now that the regenerate cannot be the carnal man is plain in the words of S. Paul Rom. 8.7 The carnal minde is enmity against God and they that are in the flesh cannot please God To which he addes But ye are not in the flesh V. 8. but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you But the Spirit of God does dwell in all the servants of God in all the regenerate V. 9. For if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Now as these are in Scripture distinguished in their appellatives and in their character so also in their operations They that are carnal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 5. according to the flesh do minde or relish the things of the flesh They that are after the Spirit do minde the things of the Spirit And they that are Christs Gal. 5.24 have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Now they that have crucified the flesh cannot in any sense of Scripture or Religion be called Carnal That there is something of carnality in the regenerate is too true because our regeneration and spirituality in this life is imperfect But when carnal and spiritual are oppos'd in Scripture and the Question is Whether of these two is to be attributed to the servants and sons of God to the Regenerate it is certain by the analogy of the thing and the perpetual manner of speaking in Scripture that by this word Carnal the Spirit of God never means the sons of God or the spiritual that is the Regenerate Rom. 8. The sons of God are led by the Spirit of God therefore not by the flesh which they have crucified Whatsoever is essential to regeneration to new birth to the being the sons of God all that is in the regenerate for they cannot be that thing of which they want an essential part as a thing cannot be a body unless it be divisible nor a living creature if it have not life Therefore regeneration is perfect in respect of its essentials or necessary parts of constitution But in the degrees there is imperfection and therefore the abatement is made by the intermixture of carnality For it is in our new and spiritual birth as in our natural The childe is a man in all essential parts but he is as a beast in some of his operations he hath all the faculties of a man but not the strengths of a man but grows to it by the progression and encrease of every day So is the spiritual man regenerate in his minde his will his affections and therefore when carnal and spiritual are oppos'd in their whole nature and definitions the spiritual man is not the carnal though he still retain some of the weaknesses of the flesh against which he contends every day To this purpose are those words of S. Leo. De resuâ— Dom. Quamvis spe salvi facti sumus corruptionem adhuc carnémque mortalem gestamus rectè tamen dicimur in carne non esse si carnales nobis non dominentur affectus meritò ejus deponimus nuncupationem cujus non sequimur voluntatem We are not to be called Carnal though we bear about us flesh and its infirmities yet if carnal affections doe not rule over us well are we to quit the name when we doe not obey the thing Now if any man shall contend that a man may be called Carnal if the flesh strives against the Spirit though sin does not rule I shall not draw the Saw of Contention with him but onely say that it is not usually so in Scripture and in this place of which we now dispute the sense and use it is not so for by Carnal S. Paul means such a person upon whom sin reigns I am carnal V. 14. sold under sin therefore this person is not the spiritual not the regenerate or the son of God 1 Cor. 3.1 2â—3 S. Paul uses the word Carnal in a comparative locution for babes and infants or unskilful persons in the Religion but then this carnality he proves to be in them wholly by their inordinate walking by their strifes and contentions by their being Schismaticks and therefore he reproves them which he had no reason to doe if himself also had been carnal in that sense which he reproves The Conclusion from all these premises is I suppose sufficiently demonstrated that S. Paul does not in the seventh Chapter to the Romans describe the state of himself really or of a regenerate person neither is this state of doing sin frequently though against our will a state of unavoidable infirmity but a state of death and unregeneration §. 3. St. Austin did for ever reject that interpretation and indeed so did the whole Primitive Church but yet he having once expounded this Chapter of the unregenerate or a man under the law not redeemed by the Spirit of Christ from his vain conversation he retracted this Exposition Ver. 15. 19. and constru'd those words in question thus Non ergo quod vult agit Apostolus quia vult non concupiscere Serm. 43. 45. de temp tamen concupiscit ideo non quod vult agit The Apostle does not doe what he would because he would fain not desire but yet because he desires he does what he would not Did that desire lead him captive to fornication God forbid He did strive but was not mastered but because he would not have had that concupiscence left against which he should contend therefore he said What I would
The natural evils of mans life 427 4 Luke 15 7. expl 531 5 and 11.41 expl 654 82 Lukewarmness how it comes to be a sin 268 47 M MAlefactors condemn'd by the Customes of Spain are allowed respite till their Confessor supposes them competently prepared 281 56 Mark 12.34 exp 475.26 and 12.32 exp 551 41 Matthew 5.19 exp 115 18 5.22 132 34 Mercy Gods mercy and justice reconciled about his exacting of the law 120 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how they differ 64 65 Morall the difference between the moral regenerate and profane man in committing sin 483 31 579 1 Mortification is a precept not a counsel 265 44 the method of mortifying vicious habits 314 10 11 N NAture what the phrase by nature means 399 18 In a natural estate we cannot hope for heaven 436 10 Novatians their doctrine opposed 533 8 A great objection of theirs proposed 544 24 answered 545 26 O ORiginall sin whether we derive from Adam original and natural ignorance 373 22 Adams sin made us not heirs of damnation 375 22 NOr makes us necessarily vicious 383 37 Adams sin did not corrupt our nature by a physical efficiency 383 39 Nor because we were in the loyns of Adam 384 40 Nor because of the will and decree of God 386 41 Objections out of Scripture against this doctrine answered 392 45. Vide Sin P PArdon severall degrees of pardon of sin 284 63 As repentance is so is our pardon 649 Mistakes about pardon and salvation 499 44 Some sins called unpardonable in a limited sense 542 21 What is our state of pardon in this life 571 66 In what manner and to what purposes the Church pardoneth penitents by the hand of a Priest 625 51 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifies 119 21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it sign fies 119 22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what they signifie 551 37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 171 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 172 5 Passions their violence excuseth not under the title of sins of Infirmity 508 54 Make it the great business of thy life to subdue thy passions 516 65 Perfection perfection of degrees and perfection of state 27 28 29 How perfection is consistent with repentance Cap. 1. sect 3. per tot Wherein perfection of state consisteth 329 44 Perfection in genere actus 30 45 what it is 44 13 Penances or corporal austerities 680 26 A rule for the measure of them 685 30 Which are best and rather to be chosen 685 29 Fasting prayer and alms are the best penances 685 29 They are not to be accounted simply necessary or a direct service of God 680 26 Philippians 2.12 13. eâ—p 274 55 Psalm 51.5 exp 394 47 Prayer of prayer as a fruit or act of repentance 652 80 It is one of the best penances 684 29 Priest what is the power of Priests in order to pardoning sin 625 51 Of the forms of absolution 627 53 absolution of sins by the Priest can be no more then declarative 634 58 Confession to a Priest is no part of contrition 615 The benefit of confessing to a Priest 616 43 Auricular confession to a Priest whence it descended 615 Of confessing to a Priest or Minister 678 24 Proverb a proverb contrary to truth is a great prejudice to a mans understanding 523 78 avoid all proverbs by which evil life is encouraged ibid. Prophane the difference in committing sin between the prophane moral and regenerate man 483 31 Punishment God punishes not one sin with another 682 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the use of the word 398 48 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what the word signifies 401 51 Questions Whether the practice of the Primitive Fathers denying Ecclesiastical repentance to Idolaters Murderers and Adulterers and them onely be warrantable 540 20 Whether we derive from Adam original and natural ignorance 373 22 Whether attrition with absolution pardoneth sin 638 Whether it be possible to keep the Law 17 Whether perfection be consistent with repentance Cap. 1. Sect. 3. per tot Whether sinful habits require a distinct manner of repentance 256 272 Whether every single deliberate act of sin put the sinner out of Gods favour Cap. 4. Sect. 2. per totum Whether disobedience that is voluntary in the cause but not in the effect is to be punished 388 43 490 489 R REgenerate the state of unregenerate men 472 Between the regenerate and a wicked person there is a middle state 474 26 An unregenerate man may be convinced of and clearly instructed in his duty and approve the Law 476 28 an unregenerate man may with his will delight in goodness and delight in it earnestly 478 29 The contention between the flesh and the conscience no sign of regeneration but onely the contention between the flesh and the spirit 480 29 the difference between the regenerate profane and moral man in their sinning 483 31 whence come so frequent sins in regenerate persons 484 32 How sin can be consistent with the regenerate estate 485 33 Unwillingness to sin no sign of regeneration 486 An unregenerate person may not onely desire to doe moral good things but even spiritual also 488 35. The difference between a regenerate and unregenerate man 490 35 An unregenerate man may leave many sins not onely for temporal interest but of reverence of the Divine Law 492 An unregenerate man may doe many good things for heaven and yet never come there 492 38 An unregenerate man may have received the Spirit of God and yet be in a state of distance from God 493 39 It is not the propriety of the regenerate to feel a contention within him concerning doing good or evil 497 41 The regenerate man hath not onely received the Spirit of God but is wholly led by him 498 42 Repentance the covenant of repentance when it began 4. How repentance and perfection Evangelical are consistent Cap. 1. Sect. 3. per tot That proposition rejected that every sinner must in his repentance pass under the terrors of the Law 41 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how they differ 64 65 it is a whole change of state and life 66 4 its parts 71 9 the difference between the repentance preach'd to the Jews and the Gentiles 77 5 6 7 It may be called conversion 80 10 Repentance onely makes sins venial 134 34 What repentance single acts of sin require 198 43 A general repentance when sufficient 201 47 Some acts of sin require more then a moral revocation or opposing a contrary act of vertue in repentance 202 50 That proposition proved to be false that no man is ordinarily bound to repent instantly of his sin 215 7 The danger of deferring repentance 218 2 Deferring repentance differs but by accident from final impenitence 226 9 Repentance of sinful habits to be performed in a distinct manner 256 31 Seven objections against that proposition