A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 5 · Sermon 44
THE WAGES OF SINNE. THE XLIV. SERMON.
ROM. 6.21.
For the end of thoſe things is death.
Right Honourable, &c.
TO every thing there is a ſeaſon, aEccleſ. 3.1, 2, 3, 4.and a time to every purpoſe under heaven. A time to be borne, and a time to dye: a time to plant, and a time to plucke up that which is planted. A time to kill, and a time to heale: a time to breake downe, and a time to build up. A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourne, and a time to dance, &c. In which diſtribution of time, according to the ſeverall affaires of our life, all actions and accidents, all intents and events, all counſels and acts, all words and workes, all motions and ceſſations, buſineſſes and recreations, beginnings and endings, inchoations and perfections: yea, affections alſo, as joy and griefe, love and hatred, have ſome part and portion of time laid out for them; ſinne only is exempted, that is never in ſeaſon. As the Apoſtle ſpake to Simon bActs 8.21.Magus, Non eſt tibi pars, neque ſors: it hath neither part nor lot in this partition; and yet it intrudeth upon us, and uſurpeth upon either the whole or the greateſt part of our demiſed time. We heare of a time to build, and a time to pull downe: a time to ſpare, and a time to ſpend; but not in like manner a time to doe good, and a time to doe ill: a time to live godly, and a time to ſinne: a time well to imploy, and a time to miſpend: neither God nor Nature hath bequeathed any legacie of time to ſinne. Sinne ſhould have no exiſtence at all, and therefore no time: no eſtate, and therefore neither terme. Sinne is none of Gods creatures, nor the iſſue of nature: therefore hath no juſt claime or title to time, the beſt of Natures temporall goods; much leſſe to happy eternity, which is the purchaſe of the Sonne of God, to the price whereof Nature cannot come neere. Moreover, ſinne miſ-ſpendeth, ſpoyleth, maketh havocke of our time, abridgeth it, and often cutteth it off: and therefore deſerveth, that not a moment of time ſhould be given to it. Will you have yet more reaſons? ye have them in the Text, drawne from all the differences of time: ſin hath been unfruitfull, is ſhamefull, and will prove pernicious and deadly; therefore no portion or part of time is to be allowed to it, againſt which all times give in evidence. The time paſt brings in againſt it all ſorts of dammages and loſſes ſuſtained by it: (What fruit had yee?) The preſent time layeth open the ſhame & filthineſſe of ſinne: (Whereof yee are now aſhamed.) The future produceth the great and grievous penalties, which the ſinner by the breach of the eternall Law incurreth, (The end of thoſe things is death.)
A wiſe man holdeth intelligence with the time paſt by memory, with the preſent by prudent circumſpection, with the time to come by providence: by re-calling that which was, & fore-caſting what will be, he ordereth that which is; and therefore he cannot but be ſufficiently advertiſed of thoſe hainous and grievous imputations laid upon ſinne by the Spirit of God in my Text. It is altogether unfruitfull and unprofitable, good for nothing: What fruit had yee? It is ſhamefull and infamous, Whereof yee are now aſhamed. Nay, it is peſtilent and pernicious: For the end of thoſe things is death. If this forcible interrogatory of the Apoſtle, ſo full of ſpirit of perſwaſion, worke not in us newneſſe of life, and a deteſtation of our former ſinfull courſes, we are not only inſenſible of our profit, prodigall of our credit and reputation, but alſo altogether careleſſe of our life. Nihili est, ſaith thecPlaut. in Perſ. Certè nihili eſt qui nihil amat: quid ei homini opus eſt vitâ? Poet, qui nihil amat, he is of no account, who makes account of nothing: Non ſpirat, qui non aſpirat, he breathes not, who gaſpeth not after ſomething. What then is that ye deſire? How beſtow ye your affections? What object hath the command of your thoughts, and ſoveraignty over your wills and deſires? Is it gaine, wealth, and affluence of all things? flye then ſinne: for it is altogether unfruitfull and unprofitable. Is it glory, honour, and reputation? eſchue then vice: for it bringeth ſhame and infamy upon you and your poſterity. Is it long life? nay, with Melchizedek to have no end of your dayes? abandon all wicked courſes: for they have an end, and that end is death, and that death hath no end.
That ſinne is unfruitfull, not only formaliter, but alſo effectivè, not only negatively, by bringing forth no fruit, but alſo poſitively, by bringing forth evill & corrupt fruit, by making the ſoule of man barren of the fruits of righteouſneſſe, yea, and the earth alſo and trees barren of the fruit which they would otherwiſe have brought forth to our great joy and comfort; hath been the ſubject of our former diſcourſes, ſpent eſpecially in the proofe of theſe particulars: That ſinne eclipſeth the light of our underſtanding, diſordereth the deſires of the will, weakneth the faculties of the ſoule, diſtempereth the organs of our body, diſturbeth the peace of our conſcience, choaketh the motions of the ſpirit in us, killeth the fruits of grace, inthralleth the ſoule to the body, and the body and ſoule to Sathan; laſtly, depriveth us of the comfortable fruition of all temporall, and the fruition and poſſeſsions of all eternall bleſsings. All which laid together will make a weighty argument, bearing downe, and forcing our aſſent to this concluſion, That ſinne is ſterill and barren: and conſequently, that every ſinner is an unthrift, and in the end will prove bank-rupt, how gainfull a trade ſoever hee ſeeme to drive with Satan: for as Chriſt curſed the figge-tree in the Goſpell, ſo God curſeth all trees that beare the forbidden fruit of ſinne; and therefore the Apoſtle truly tearmeth the works of darkneſſe unfruitfull, ſaying,dEph. 5.11. Have no fellowſhip with the unfruitfull works of darkneſſe, but reprove them rather. The godly man whoſe delight is in the law of the Lord, is likenedePſal. 1.3, 4. to a tree planted by the rivers of waters, which bringeth forth fruit in due ſeaſon: but the wicked to chaffe which the winde ſcattereth abroad. For although they may ſometimes build palaces upon the ruines of the Church, and fill their houſes with the treaſures of wickedneſſe, and their coffers with the Mammon of unrighteouſneſſe, yet in the end they will appeare to bee no gainers, no nor ſavers neither by their trafficke with the Devill. For if they gain wealth, they loſe grace; if they gaine glaſſe, they loſe pearle; if they gaine earth, they loſe heaven; if they gaine an eſtate for tearme of yeares among ſinners, they loſe an eternall inheritance with the Saints in light; if they gaine a ſmall portion of the world, theyfMar. 8.36. loſe their whole ſoule: and what advantageth it a man to gaine the whole world, and to loſe his owne ſoule? Alas, what gainedgJoſh. 7.25. Achan by his Babyloniſh garment, and wedge of gold? nothing but a heape of ſtones wherewith hee was battered in pieces. What gained Gehezi h2 Kin. 5.27.by his great bribe? a leproſie, that cleaved to him and his posterity after him. What gainediJudg. 8.27. Zeba and Zalmunna by taking the houſes of God in their owne poſſeſſion? a fearfull and moſt ſhamefull end. What gainedk1 Kin. 22.31. 2 Kin. 9.33. Ahab and Jezabel by Naboths vineyard? the vine of Sodom, and the grapes of Gomorrah; it coſt them their lives and their kingdomes. What gainedlDan. 5.28. Balthaſar by the plate of the Temple? the diviſion of his crown betweene the Medes and Perſians. What gainedmAct. 5.5, 10. Ananias and Sapphira by their fraudulent keeping backe part of the price for which they ſold their poſſeſſions? a ſudden and moſt fearfull death. What gainednMat. 27.5. Judas by his thirty pieces of ſilver, which hee received to betray innocent blood? a halter to hang himſelfe. As Daniel ſaid to Nebuchadnezzar, oDan. 4.19.this dreame bee to the Kings enemies; ſo I will be bold to ſay, ſuch gaine as is made by commerce with Satan be to Gods enemies. Godlineſſe hath the promiſes of this life, and the life to come, ungodlineſſe of neither, but contrariwiſe threats of judgements in both; which ſometimes fall upon the eſtate of thoſe that are rich, and not in God; ſometimes upon their bodies, but alwayes upon their ſoules: either God ſuddenly bloweth them away from their great eſtates, or hee bloweth upon their eſtates and the fruits of their labours, and they ſubſcribe probatum eſt to the Latine proverbs: Malè part a malè dilabuntur; and De malè quaeſitis non gaudet tertius haeres: ill gotten goods proſper not. The officers whompSuet. in Vesp. Veſpaſian employed like ſpunges to ſucke in the blood of the ſubjects, he after they were full ſquiezed them till they were dry. And how often doe we ſee the great ſpoylers of others ſpoyled themſelves? and the ſecret underminers of other mens fortunes undermined themſelves? the cruelleſt exacters upon their tenants exacted upon by their ſuperiour Lords?
In the ſecond place I treated of the ſecond attribute or conſequent of ſin, ſhame; and by evidence of Scripture, and teſtimony of every ones conſcience proved that ſin ſhameth us three manner of waies:
1 Within our ſelves, making us ſeeme moſt vile, filthy, lothſome and odious to our ſelves.
2 In the world, ſtaining our credit, and branding us with a note of infamy.
3 At the tribunall of Chriſt, before God, Angels and men, when our conſciences, which now like a ſcrole of parchment lye folded together, ſhall bee opened and ſpread abroad, that all men may read what is written there. If the conſideration of the unfruitfulneſſe and ſhame of ſinne affect us not much, nor make any ſenſible alteration in our lives and converſations, behold yet ſtronger phyſicke which will worke with us if we be not dead already:
The end of thoſe things is death. Here are three bitter pills that are to bee taken by all them that ſurfeit in ſinfull pleaſures and worldly vanities, whether they bee luſts of the fleſh, or luſts of the eye, or appertaine to the pride of life.
1 Theſe things will have an end, The end.
2 The end of theſe things is fearfull, Death.
3 This death is the ſecond death, and hath no end.
I ſee, ſaith David, qPſal. 119.96that all things come to an end: but thy commandements are exceeding broad, yea ſo broad, that all wayes and courſes beſides the path of Gods lawes, come to a ſpeedy end, and very ſhort period. What the Hiſtorian obſerved concerning the race of men, Vita hominum brevit, principum brevior, pontificum breviſsima; that the life of man is ſhorter than of other creatures, of Princes than of other men, of Popes than of Princes; may be applied thus to our preſent purpoſe: The lives of men are but ſhort, their actions and endevours of a ſhorter date, but indirect and ſinfull courſes of the ſhorteſt duration of all. All the fruit that comes of them, like the fig-tree curſed by our Saviour, withers ſuddenly. Craſſus enjoyed not long the fruit of his covetouſneſſe, but was ſlain in war, and had melted gold poured into his mouth by the Parthians: Julius Caeſar enjoyed not long the fruit of his ambition, but was ſtabbed with twenty five wounds in the Senate: Heliogabalus enjoyed not long the fruit of his pleaſure, but was ſlaine and throwne into a jakes: Dionyſius enjoyed not long the fruit of his ſacriledge and tyrannie, but was conſtrained to change his ſcepter for a ferular, and teach Scholars for a ſmall ſtipend, to keepe him from ſtarving. If the proſperity of the wicked be an eye-ſore unto us, as it was ſometimes unto David, rPſal. 73.17, 18, 19.Let us enter into the ſanctuary of God, and wee ſhall ſee the end of theſe men; namely, that God doth ſet them in ſlippery places, and caſteth them downe to deſtruction. How are they brought into deſolation as in a moment? they are utterly conſumed with terrours. Achan ſpent not his wedge of gold, nor ware out his Babyloniſh garment, but was ſoone diſcovered, and ſtripped of all hee had, and came to a fearfull end. It was not long after Ahab and Jezabel purchaſed a vineyard at the deare rate of the blood of the owner, but they watered it with their owne blood. Belſhazzar had ſcarce concocted the wine in his ſtomacke, which hee carowſed in the bowles of the Sanctuary, before hee ſaw a hand writing his doome on the wall, and ſoone after felt the arme of Cyrus executing it upon him. Achitophel his policy tooke not long, for within a ſhort ſpace after he had animated the ſonne againſt the father, his counſell was rejected, and hee hanged himſelfe. The price of innocent blood was not long in Judas his hands before with the ſame hands hee fitted his owne halter. Titus exhibited to the people ſtately pageants, pompes, caroſels, and triumphant feſtivities for an hundred dayes; Aſuerus kept royall feaſts for halfe a yeere together: of both after the prefixed tearm was expired, nothing remained but infinite ſpoile of Gods creatures, and an exceſſive bill of charge. Hee that thriveth moſt by ſinfull courſes, and gurmandizeth all ſorts of pleaſures, and keepeth continuall holy-dayes a great part of his life; yet before hee goeth out of the light of this world, ſeeth an end of all his worldly happineſſe, and there remaines nothing unto him but a ſad remembrance, diſtempers in his body, wounds in his conſcience, and a fearfull account to bee given to his Lord and Maſter for thus laviſhing out his goods, and waſting his ſubſtance in riotous living. Pleaſures like bloſſomes ſoone fall, the garlands of honour are withered in a few yeeres, the treaſures of wickednes ſoon ruſt, all lewd and ſenſual, all baſe and covetous, all proud and ambitious, all falſe and deceitfull wayes have a ſhort period, and a downfall into a lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone.
ſIn ep. ad Rom. Servitutis culpae triplex eſt incommoditas, primo quia cum damno multo, ſecundo quia cum fructu nullo, tertiò quia cum fine malo.Gorrhan ſummeth up all briefly thus: There is a threefold inconvenience of ſinfull courſes; becauſe they who purſue them reape no fruit from them, ſuſtaine much loſſe by them, come to an evill end through them: for the
End. The end is taken
1 Either phyſically,
2 Or morally.
Either for the finall cauſe, or for the finall effect. Death is not the finall cauſe of ſin, but the finall effect: for no man ſinneth for death, but dieth for ſinne. Others diſtinguiſh of ends, which are,
1 Intermediate, as wealth, honour, or pleaſure.
2 Ultimate, as happineſſe.
Death, ſay they, is not the intermediate end, but profit or delight; but it is alwayes the ultimate end of ſinne unrepented of. A third ſort make a difference betweene the end,
1 Peccantis, of the ſinner, that is, the end which the ſinner intendeth.
2 Peccati, of ſinne, that is, the end to which ſinne tendeth: this diſtinction ſeemeth to mee coincident with the firſt.
Death, ſay they, is not the end of the ſinner, but of the ſinne; not the end which the ſinner propoundeth to himſelfe, but the end which his ſinne bringeth him unto. Withall they acutely obſerve, that the Apoſtle ſaith not, the end of thoſe men is death, but the end
Of thoſe things. By thoſe things hee underſtandeth the ſtate of the unregenerate, or thoſe ſinnes which were rife among the Romanes, and are reckoned up, chap. 1. which may bee reduced to three heads:
1 Impiety againſt God.
2 Iniquity againſt their neighbours.
3 Impurity againſt their owne body and ſoule, yea and againſt nature alſo.
1 Impiety; with this hee brandeth them (verſ. 21.)
2 Iniquity; with this hee chargeth them (verſ. 29.)
3 Impurity; with this hee ſhameth them (verſ. 24, 27.) Of thoſe things the end is
Death. The ſecond death, ſay ſome; for he that hath no part in the firſt reſurrection, hath his portion in the ſecond death. A double death, ſaith Saint Ambroſe, à morte enim ad mortem tranſitur, for a ſinner from one death paſſeth to another. Others more fully thus: The end of thoſe things is death,
1 Of your eſtate, by ruine of your fortunes.
2 Of your good name, by tainting your reputation.
3 Of your body, by ſeparation from the ſoule.
4 Of your ſoule, by ſeparation from God.
The moſt naturall interpretation, and moſt agreeable to this place, is, That by continuing in a ſinfull courſe all our life, wee incurre the ſentence, penalty and torment of eternall death: for that death is meant here which is oppoſed to eternall life, Verſe. 23. which can bee no other than eternall.
Yea, but is ſinne in generall ſo ſtrong a poyſon, that the leaſt quantity of it bringeth death, and that eternall? are all ſinnes mortall, that is, in their owne nature deſerving eternall death? It ſeemeth ſo, for hee ſpeaketh indefinitely, and without any limitation; and as before hee implyed all ſinne to bee unfruitfull and ſhamefull, ſo alſo now to bee deadly. What fruit had ye in thoſe things, that is, in any of thoſe things whereof ye are now aſhamed? Now it is certain that the regenerate are aſhamed of all ſins, therefore in like manner it followeth that the end of all ſinnes is death. For the Apoſtle here compareth the ſtate of ſinne and ſtate of grace in generall; and as hee exhorteth to all good workes, ſo hee endevoureth to beat downe all ſinne, as unfruitfull, ſhamefull, and deadly. See what will enſue hereupon; firſt, that there are no veniall ſinnes; ſecondly, no pardons for them in purgatory; thirdly, no fee for pardons. If all ſinnes are mortall, and, which all Papiſts will they nill they muſt confeſſe, no man is free from all ſinne; for,tJam. 3.…. in many things wee offend all, ſaith Saint James; and,u1 Joh. 1.10. if we ſay that we have no ſin wee deceive our ſelves, ſaith Saint John: what will become of their Romiſh doctrines concerning the poſſibility of fulfilling the law, the merit of congruity or condignity, and works of ſupererogation? Si nulla peccata venialia nulla venalia, if no ſinnes are veniall, then no ſale to bee made of ſinnes, no utterance of pardons, no uſe of the Church treaſury, no gold to bee got by the Monks new found Alchymy. Yee will ſay, this is but a flouriſh, let us therefore come to the ſharpe: Mitte hebetes gladios, pugnetur acutis. The ſpeech of Cornelius Celſus the Phyſitian is much commended by Bodine; Nec aegrotorum morbi, nec languentium vulnera dicendi luminibus curantur; Soft words cure no wounds: wee may ſay more truely, ſoft words give no wounds, and therefore are not for this ſervice of truth againſt errour and hereſie up in armes againſt her.*Hom. Il. foreign. Hector truely told Paris, that his golden harpe, and purfled haire, and beautifull painting, would ſtand him in no ſtead in thexSen. ep. 51. In primo deficit pulvere, ille unctus et nitidus. field: it is not the wrought ſcabbard, but the ſtrong blade; nor the bright colour, but the ſharpe edge of it, that helpeth in danger, and hurteth the enemy. In which regard I hold it fitteſt to handle ſchoole points ſcholaſtically, in tearmes rather ſignificant than elegant, and labour more for force of argument than ornaments of ſpeech. Firſt then, after their plaine method, I will explicate the ſtate of the queſtion; next, meet with the adverſaries objections; and laſt of all, produce arguments for the truth, and make them good againſt all contrary cavils, and frivolous exceptions.
Sins may bee tearmed veniall or mortall two manner of wayes:
1 Either comparatè, in compariſon of others:
2 Or ſimplicitèr, ſimply, and in themſelves: and that three manner of wayes: Either
1 Ex naturâſuâ, of their owne nature.
2 Ex gratiâ, by favour or indulgence.
3 Ex eventu, in the iſſue or event.
Wee deny not but that ſinnes may bee tearmed veniall comparatè, that is, more veniall than others; and if not deſerving favour and pardon, yet leſſe deſerving puniſhment than others. Secondly, veniall ex eventu or in the iſſue wee acknowledge all the ſinnes of the Elect to bee; and ſome ſinnes of the Reprobate alſo; or veniall ex gratiâ, that is, by Gods favour and clemency: all the queſtion is, whether any ſinne of the Elect or Reprobate bee veniall ex ſuâ naturâ, that is, ſuch as in its owne nature deſerveth not the puniſhment of death, but either no puniſhment at all, or at leaſt temporary onelyonly. The reformed Churches generally reſolve, that all ſinnes in their owne nature are mortall; theyBellar. de amiſ. grat. & ſtat. pec. c. 9. Qui dixerit, fatue, reus erit gehennae ignis: ex his tale conficitur argumentum, manifeſtum convitium facit reum gehennae ignis, non item ſubita iracundia, &c. Romaniſts will have very many to be veniall. Their allegations are chiefly theſe: the firſt out of Matthew 5.22. Whoſoever is angry with his brother without a cauſe, ſhall be in danger of the judgment: and whoſoever ſhall ſay to his brother Racha, ſhall bee in danger of the Councell: but whoſoever ſhall ſay, thou Foole, ſhall bee in danger of hell fire. Here, ſay they, wee may ſee that there are two puniſhments leſſe than hell fire, and that hee onelyonly is in danger of it, who breaketh out into that outrage, to raile at his brothet, and call him foole; not hee who is unadviſedly duplicate page duplicate page angry. Whereupon they inferre, that the laſt of the three ſinnes mentioned by our Saviour, is mortall, not the two former.
Their ſecond allegation is out ofzMat. 7.5. Moat out of thy brothers eye. Matth. 7. andaLuk. 6.41. Luk. 6. and 1 Cor. 3. and ſuch other texts of Scriptures, in which ſome ſinnes are compared to very light things, as tob1 Cor. 3.12. Hay and ſtubble. hay, to ſtubble, to a moat, to a*Mat. 5.26. The uttermoſt farthing. farthing. Surely, ſay they, they cannot bee grievous and weighty ſinnes, which are compared to ſuch light or vile things of no value.
Their third allegation is out of Saint James, cJam. 1.15.Sinne when it is finiſhed bringeth forth death: Marke, ſay they, not every ſinne, nor ſinne in every degree, but when it is come to its perfection bringeth forth death; whereby hee inſinuateth, that no ſinnes are mortall but thoſe which are conſummate, brought into act, and committed with full conſent of the will.
The fourth is out ofdMat. 12.36. Matth. 12. I ſay unto you, yee ſhall give an account for every idle word at the day of judgement. Hee ſaith not, wee ſhall bee condemned for every idle word, but onelyonly that wee ſhall bee called to anſwere for it, as wee ſhall be for all ſinnes.
Sol. 1 To the firſt allegation wee anſwere, That no doctrine of faith may bee grounded upon a meere parable, as the Schooles rightly determine; Theologia parabolica non eſt argumentativa. Now that which our Saviour here ſpeaketh of three ſeverall puniſhments, is ſpoken by alluſion to the proceedings in the Civill Courts in Judaea; and all that can bee gathered from thence is but this, That as there are differences of ſinnes, ſo there ſhall bee differences of puniſhments hereafter. Secondly, hell fire is no more properly taken for the torment of the damned, than the other two, the danger of the Councell, and of Judgement, which all confeſſe to bee taken figuratively and analogically. Thirdly, Maldonate the Jeſuite ingenuouſly confeſſeth, that by Councell and Judgement the eternall death of the ſoule is underſtood; yet with this difference, that a leſſe degree of torment in hell is underſtood by the word Judgement than Councell; and a leſſe by Councell than by gehenna ignis, that is, the fire in the valley of Hinnom.
Sol. 2 To the ſecond allegation wee anſwere, Firſt, that though ſome ſinnes in compariſon of others may bee ſaid light, and to have the like proportion to more grievous ſinnes, as a moat in the eye hath to a beame, a farthing to a pound; yet that no ſinne committed againſt God may bee ſimply tearmed light, but like the talent of lead mentioned Zech. 1.5. Whereupon SainteSuper Ezek. l. 2. Omne peccatum grave eſt. Gregory inferreth, Every ſinne is heavie and ponderous: and SaintfJer. Epitaph. Paulae. Ita levia peccata deflebat, ut graviſſimotum ſcelerum diceres ream. Et ep. 14. Neſcio an poſſemus leve aliquod peccatum dicere, quod in Dei contemptum admittitur. Jerome writeth of Paula, That ſhee ſo bewailed light ſinnes (that is, ſuch as are commonly ſo eſteemed) that a man would have thought her guilty of grievous crimes: and hee elſewhere yeeldeth a good reaſon for it; Becauſe, ſaith he, I know not how wee may ſay any thing is light, whereby the divine Majeſty is ſleighted. Secondly, admitting that ſome ſinnes are to bee accounted no bigger than moats, yet as a moat it it bee not taken out of the eye hindereth the ſight, ſo the leaſt ſinne hindereth grace, and if it bee not repented of, or pardoned for Chriſts ſake, is ſufficient to damne the ſoule of the ſinner. Thirdly, neither Chriſt by the farthing in the fifth of Matthew underſtandeth ſinne, nor the Apoſtle by hay and ſtubble leſſer or veniall ſinnes; but Chriſt by farthing underſtandeth the laſt payment of debt, Saint Paul light and vaine doctrines, which are to bee tryed by the fire of the Spirit. For in that place the Apoſtle by fire cannot meane the fire of Purgatory, becauſe gold and ſilver are tryed, that is, precious doctrines or good workes, by the fire Saint Paul there ſpeaketh of: whereas Purgatory fire is for mens perſons, to cleanſe and purge them from their leſſer ſinnes, as the Papiſts teach.
Sol. 3 To the third allegation we anſwer, That the Apoſtle is ſo farre from denying in that place that all ſinnes are mortall, that on the contrary he there ſheweth how all ſinnes become mortall, and in the end bring the ſinner to eternall death. What leſſer ſinne than luſt, or a deſire in the mind? yet this (as Saint James affirmeth) hath ſtrength enough to conceive ſinne, and ſinne when it is finiſhed to bring forth death.
Sol. 4 To the fourth allegation we anſwer, That the ſame phraſe is uſed concerning all kindes of ſinnes: yea, thoſe that are greateſt and moſt grievous; as we reade in Athanaſius Creed, All men ſhall riſe againe with their owne bodies, and give an account of their owne workes: and if their account be not the better, that dreadfull ſentence ſhall paſſe againſt them, Goe ye curſed into everlaſting fire.
Let us lay all theſe particulars together, and the totall ariſing out of them will be this, That though there be a great difference of ſinnes, whereof ſome are lighter, compared to a feſcu, or moate; others heavier, compared to a beame: ſome ſmaller, likened to gnats; others greater, togMat. 23.24. camels; ſome eaſier to account for, reſembled to mites or farthings; others with more difficulty, as talents: and in like manner, although there are divers degrees of puniſhments in hell fire, as there were divers degrees of civill puniſhments among the Jewes; yet that we are accountable for the leaſt ſinnes, and that the weakeſt deſire and ſuddeneſt motion to evill is concupiſcence, which if it be not killed in us by grace, will conceive ſinne, and that ſinne when it is conſummate will bring forth death. We need no more fightings the truth hath already gotten the victory by the weapons of her ſworne enemies, and Goliah is already ſlaine with his owne ſword; yet that yee may know how ſtrong the doctrine of our Church is, I will bring forth, and muſter ſome of her trained band.
Firſt, we have two uncontrollable teſtimonies out of the booke of Deuteronomy, hDeut. 27.26. & 30.19.Curſed is hee that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them: and, Behold, I have ſet before you this day life and good, death and evill, bleſsing and curſing. The former is cited by Saint Paul, to prove that all that hoped to be juſtified by the Law were under the curſe: for it is written, ſaith he,iGal. 3.10. Curſed is every man that confirmeth not all things that are written in the Law to doe them. Now there is no commandement which is not written in the booke of the Law, to which whoſoever kDeut. 4.2.addeth, is accurſed. To theſe plaine and evident paſſages of Scripture may bee adjoyned three like unto them, The lEzek. 18.4. Rom. 6.23. 1 Cor. 15.56.ſoule that ſinneth ſhall dye. The wages of ſinne is death: and, The ſting of death is ſinne. Theſe pregnant teſtimonies the Cardinall endeavoureth to elude with theſe and the like gloſſes; The ſoule that ſinneth, that is, mortally, ſhall dye: and the wages of ſinne, that is, of mortall ſinne, is death: and the ſting of death is ſinne, that is, deadly ſinne. With as good colour of reaſon in all Texts of Scriptures wherein we are deterred from ſinne, he might interpoſe this his gloſſe, and ſay, eſchue evill, that is, all deadly evill: flye ſinne, that is, mortall ſinne: and conſequently deny that veniall ſinnes are any where forbidden. But as when wee reade in the common or civill law theſe and the like titles, the puniſhment of felony, murder, treaſon, fimony, ſacriledge, we underſtand the law of all crimes of the ſame kind; ſo in like manner when the Apoſtle ſaith indefinitely, the wages of ſinne is death, we are to underſtand him of every ſin: for, Non eſt diſtinguendum ubi lex non diſtinguit, we muſt not diſtinguiſh where the law distinguiſheth not. For he that ſo doth, addeth to the law, or taketh from it, and thereby incurreth the curſe pronounced by the law-giver. And though other Texts of Scriptures might brooke the like reſtriction, yet not thoſe above alledged. For what is the meaning of this phraſe, Death is the wages of ſin; but that ſinne deſerveth death? which is all one as to ſay, that ſinne is mortall. Now adde hereunto Bellarmines gloſſe, The wages of ſinne, that is, mortall ſinne, is death: and, the ſoule that ſinneth, that is, that ſinneth mortally, ſhall dye; and the propoſitions will prove meere tautologies, as if the Prophet had ſaid, The ſoule that ſinneth a ſinne unto death ſhall dye; and the Apoſtle, ſinne that deſerveth death, deſerveth death. What is it to deprave the meaning of the Holy Ghoſt, if this be not? eſpecially conſidering, that the Prophet Ezekiel in the ſelfe ſame chapter, ver. 31. declareth his meaning to be of ſinne in generall, without any reſtriction or limitation: Caſt away from you all your tranſgreſsions, and make you a new heart, ſo iniquity ſhall not be your deſtruction. Here ye ſee no means to avoid death, but by caſting away all tranſgreſsions: for ſith the Law requirethmJam. 2.10. Whoſoever ſhall keep the whole Law, & yet offendeth in one point, is guilty of all. entire obedience, he that violateth any one commandement, is liable to the puniſhment of the breach of the whole Law. To ſmother this cleare light of truth, it is ſtrange to ſee what ſmoaky diſtinctions the adverſaries have deviſed of peccatum ſimpliciter and ſecundùm quid, and peccatum contra Legem and praeter Legem, ſinnes againſt the Law and beſides the Law: Veniall ſinnes, ſay they, are beſides the Law, not againſt the Law. Are not they beſides themſelves that ſo diſtinguiſh? For let them anſwer punctually, Doth the Law of God forbid thoſe they call veniall ſinnes, or not? If not, then are they no ſinnes, or the Law is not perfect, in that it meeteth not with all enormities and tranſgreſſions: If the Law forbiddeth them, then are they againſt the Law. For ſinne, ſaith Saint John, is the n1 John 3 4.tranſgreſsion of the Law. If then veniall eſcapes are ſinnes, they muſt needs be violations of the Law, and ſo not onelyonly praeter, beſides, but contra Legem, againſt it. The Law (as Chriſt expoundeth it) Matthew the fifth, forbiddeth a raſh word, a wanton looke, nay unadviſed paſſion; and what leſſer ſinnes can be thought than ſinnes of thought? therefore, ſaithoMoral. p. 1. l. 4. Azorius the Jeſuit, we must ſay that veniall ſinne is againſt the Law, as Cajetan, Durand, and Vega taught: we muſt ſay ſo, unleſſe we will reject the definition of ſinne given by Saint Auſtine, and generally received by the Schooles (dictum, factum, vel concupitum contra Legem aeternam, that ſinne is a thought, word, or deed againſt the eternall Law) unleſſe wee will contradict the ancient Fathers, by name, SaintpGreg. l. 8. in Job. In praeſenti mortem carnis patior, & tamen adhuc de futuro judicio graviorem morte deſtructionis tuae ſententiam pertimeſco, quantâlibet enim juſticiâ polleant, nequaquam ſibi ad innocentiam vel electi ſufficiunt, ſi in judicio diſtrictè judicentur. Gregory: In the morning if thou ſeeke mee, thou ſhalt not finde mee. Now I ſleep in duſt, that is, in this preſent I ſuffer the death of the fleſh, and yet in the future judgement I feare the ſentence of damnation, more grievous than death: for the Elect themſelves, how righteous ſoever they are, will not be found innocent, if God deale with them according to ſtrict juſtice: And SaintqEp. 14. Omne quod loquimur, aut de latâ, aut de anguttâ viâ eſt. ſi cum paucis ſubtilem quandam ſemitam invenimus ad vitam tendimus; ſi multorum comitamur viam, ſecundum Domini ſententiam imus ad mortem. Jerome, Whatſoever we doe, whatſoever we ſpeake, either belongs to the broad way or to the narrow; if with a few we find out a narrow path, we tend toward life: if we keep company with many in the great road, we goe to death. And in his ſecondrLib. 2. cont. Pel. c. 4. Quis noſtrûm poteſt huic vitio non ſubjacere? cum etiam pro otioſo verbo reddituri ſimus rationem in judicio, ſi ita, & ſermonis injuria, atque interdum jocus judicio, coucilioque, & gehennae ignibus delegantur, quid merebitur turpium rerum appetitio? booke againſt the Pelagians, where rehearſing the words of our Saviour, He that is unadviſedly angry with his brother, ſhall bee in danger of judgement, thus reflecteth upon himſelfe and his brethren: Which of us can be free from this vice? If unadviſed anger, and a contumelious word, and ſometimes a jest, bringeth a man in danger of judgement, councell, and hell fire, what doe impure deſires, and other more grievous ſinnes deſerve? And SaintſChryſ. com. in Mat. 5. Mirantur multi hominem qui fratrem levem aut fatuum appellaverit, ſempiternae morti condemnari, cum tertio quo que verbo alti alus id dicere ſoleamus. Chryſoſtome, who thus quavereth upon the ſame note: Many are ſtartled when they heare that he ſhall be condemned to eternall death, who calleth his brother giddy-braine or foole; ſith nothing is ſo common among us, wee hardly ſpeake three words in diſputing with any man, but we breake out into ſuch courſe language.
Yea, but ſome will ſay, What? is the nodding at a Sermon, the ſtealing a farthing, the breaking of a jeſt ſuch an hainous matter, that it deſerveth everlaſting torments of body and ſoule in Hell? I anſwer with SainttAug. l. 2. cont. Donat. Non afferamus ſtateras doloſas, ubi appendamus quod volumus, & quomodo volumus pro arbitrio noſtro, di centes hoc grave eſt, hoc leve, ſed afferamus ſtateram divinam de Scripturis ſanctis, tanquam de theſauris Domini, & in illâ quid ſit grave appendamus. Auſtine, in the eſtimation of ſinnes we ought not to bring out deceitfull weights of our owne, but out of the Scriptures, golden weights ſealed by God, and in them ſee what is light, and what is weighty. In theſe ſcales wee ſhall find the leaſt ſinne to be heavie enough to weigh down to the ground, yea, to Hell: for every offence committed againſt an infinite Majeſty, deſerveth an infinite puniſhment: every tranſgreſſion of the eternall Law, excludeth a man from eternall happineſſe, and deſerveth eternall death: Whoſoever ſhall breake one of the leaſt commandements, ſaith ouruMat. 5.19. Saviour, and teach men ſo, ſhall be leaſt in the Kingdome of heaven. Here Bellarmine wiſheth us to marke, that Chriſt ſaith not ſimply, hee that breaketh one of the leaſt commandements, but he that breaketh it and teacheth others to doe ſo. We mark it well, and that clauſe may ſerve to brand him and his fellow Prieſts and Jeſuits: for who teach men to break the leaſt commandements, if not they, whoſe doctrine is, that veniall ſinnes are not againſt the Law, nor ſimply and properly to be called ſinnes, but rather naevuli, aſpergines, and pulviſculi, that is, duſtings, or ſpertings, or ſmall ſpots, warts, or bliſters.
Yee all perceive how much this Text of Scripture maketh for us in our doctrine againſt Papiſts; but I feare it maketh as much againſt us in our lives. Doe we ſo live, as if we were perſwaded that the leaſt ſinnes, inaſmuch as they are committed againſt an infinite Majeſty, and are breaches of his eternall Law, are exceeding great, nay infinite? Could we drink iniquity as the beaſt doth water, if we thought it were deadly poyſon? Doe we make great account of ſmall ſinnes? nay doe we not rather make ſmall account of the greateſt? Who ever eſpyed an Adder thruſting his ſting at him, and ſtarted not backe? Natures inſenſible of paine, and ignorant of that danger, doe no leſſe. For if any venemous thing be applyed to any part of our body, the bloud, as if it took notice of its deadly enemy, flyeth back, & turneth it ſtreams another way: and ſhall not our conſcience, which hath knowledge and ſenſe of the venome of ſinne, be much more fearfull of it? It is no amplification of the malignant nature of ſinne, to compare it to a poyſon: it is rather a diminution. For no poyſon could ever yet be made ſo ſtrong, that the leaſt imaginary quantity thereof was deadly; the leaſt thought of ſinne, yea the ſinne of thought is ſo. Poyſons be they never ſo pernicious and deadly, are pernicious and hurtfull to that part onelyonly which of it ſelfe is mortall, I meane our bodies; but ſinne killeth that part that naturally cannot dye: it ſlayeth our immortall ſpirits. There are many forcible arguments to deterre us even from ſmall ſins, and to excite us to watch over them: as,
1. Quia difficiliùs caventur, becauſe it is a thing more difficult to avoid them than the greater. Many are choaked with ſmall bones of fiſhes, but few with greater; becauſe they are uſually felt in the mouth before they goe downe the throat. Solinus writeth of a kind of*Polihiſt. c. 8. Breviſſima apud Amyclas vipera eſt, ac propterea dum deſpectui eſt, faciliùs nocet. viper of a ſmall quantity, that doth much more hurt than the greater, becauſe the moſt part of men ſleighten it.
2. Quia difficiliùs curantur, becauſe the wound that is given by them is with more difficulty cured: as a pricke made with a bodkin, or a ſteeletto, if it be deep, is more dangerous than a wound given with a greater weapon; becauſe the fleſh preſently cloſeth up, and the bloud iſſuing not forth, runneth inwardly with greater abundance.
3. Quia ad majora viam muniunt, becauſe they are a preparation and diſpoſition to greater offences. As the wimble pierceth the wood, and maketh way for the auger; ſo the ſmaller ſinnes make a breach in the conſcience, and thereby a way to greater. The leaſt ſins are as the little theeves that creep in at the windowes, and open the doores to the greater, that rifle the houſe, and rob the ſoule of all her ſpirituall wealth: whence is that obſervation of SaintxLib. 9. mor. in Job. Si vitare parva negligimus, inſenſibiliter ſeducti majora etiam perpetramus. Gregory, If we ſticke not at ſmall ſinnes, ere we are aware we ſhall make no bones of the greateſt.
4. Quia parva peccata crebra ita nos praegravant, ut unum grande, becauſe ſmall ſinnes with their multitude and number as much hurt the ſoule, as great ſinnes with their weight. The Herrings, though a weake and contemptible kind of fiſh, yet by their number kill the greateſt Whale. What skilleth it (ſaith SaintyAug. ep. 108. Quid intereſt ad naufragium, an uno grandi fluctu navis operiatur, an paulatim ſubrepens aqua in ſentinam, & per negligentiam derelicta impleat navem, atque ſubmerguntur? Et ſerm. 10. de diverſ. Quid intereſt utrum te plumbum premat an arena? plumbum una maſſa eſt, arenae minuta grana ſunt: nonne vides de minutis guttis impleri flumina? minuta ſunt, ſed multa ſunt. Auſtine) whether a ſhip be over-whelmed with one great wave, or drowned by a leake in the bottome uneſpyed, in which the water entereth drop by drop? What eaſeth it a man to be preſſed to death with a heap of ſands, more than with a ſow of lead? Are not the greateſt rivers filled by drops? The ſinnes we ordinarily commit, minuta ſunt, ſed multa ſunt, they are ſmall, but they are many; and what they loſe in the quantity, they get in the number.
Theſe indeed are important conſiderations, yet (mee thinkes) there is more, nay there is all that can be ſaid in this clauſe of the Apoſtle, The end of thoſe things is death: the ſmaller ſinnes, as well as the greater, in their owne nature are mortall. It is a more fearfull thing, I confeſſe, to be plunged into the bottome of a headleſſe lake, than to ſinke a little under water: yet he that is held under water, how neere ſoever it be to the top, till his breath is gone, is as certainly drowned, as he that is found dead in the bottome. It is but a miſerable comfort to bee put in hope of an upper roome in Hell, and not to be thruſt into the loweſt dungeon. Wherefore, as yee tender the life of your bodies and ſoules, hearken to a word of exhortation: Taſte not the leaſt drop of the poyſon of ſinne; for though it put you not to ſo great torment, and be not ſo preſent death, yet deadly it is, and without repentance and ſaving grace will kill your ſoules. Deſtroy the Cockatrice in the ſhell, breake the ſmalleſt ſeeds of ſinne in your ſoule, as the Emmet biteth the ſeeds which ſhe layeth up for her ſelfe, that they may not grow againe in the earth. Parvulos Babylonis allidite ad petram, in quâ ſerpentis veſtigia non reperiuntur; Daſh the Babyloniſh babes againſt that rocke, into which no ſerpent can enter. I know not how it commeth to paſſe, that as in nature we ſee the Adamant, which nothing relenteth at the ſtroake of the hammer, is diſſolved with the warme bloud of a Goate; the Elephant, which no great beaſt dare encounter, is killed by a ſmall Mouſe creeping in at his truncke, and eating his braines; and the Lions in Meſopotamia are ſo peſtered with a kind of Gnat, flying into their eyes, that to be rid of the paine, they ſometimes teare them out with their clawes, and ſometimes drowne themſelves: ſo the ſtrongeſt Chriſtians are often over-taken with the leaſt temptations, and conquered with a reed, nay, with a bull-ruſh. To forbeare more examples; David was taken by a look only: Peter affrighted by the ſpeech of a Damſell: Alipius was overthrowne by a ſhout in the Theater. The breach of the Commandement in leſſe things, even becauſe they are leſſe, and ſo might more eaſily be avoided, maketh the diſobedience the greater; and all ſinne is the more dangerous, by how much the leſſe it is feared. Saint Auſtine maketh mention of certaine flies in Africa, ſo ſmall, that they can ſcarce be diſcerned from moates in the ayre: Quae tamen cum inſederint corpori acerbiſsimo fodiunt aculeo, which yet are armed with a moſt venemous ſting: thoſe little ſins that are ſo ſmall, that we can ſcarce diſcerne them to be ſinnes, are like thoſe Cynifes Saint Auſtine ſpeaketh of, they pricke the conſcience with a moſt venemous ſting. Now if the ſting of theſe ſmall Flies put the conſcience to ſuch paine, and affect it with ſuch anguiſh, who will be able to endure the teeth of the Adder, or the taile of the Scorpion? If whoſoever is angry with his brother without a cauſe, ſhall be in danger of the Judgement: and whoſoever ſhall ſay unto his brother, Racha, ſhall be in danger of the Councell: and whoſoever ſhall ſay, Thou foole, ſhall be in danger of hell fire; what puniſhment is he like to endure, who beareth malice in his heart againſt his brother, envieth his proſperity, undermineth his eſtate, woundeth his good name, nay ſpilleth his bloud? this is a crimſon ſinne, and mortall in a double ſenſe: not onelyonly becauſe it ſlayeth the ſoule, but alſo becauſe it killeth the body. If we ſhall give an account at the day of judgement for every idle word, what anſwer ſhall we make for irreligious and blaſphemous words? for calumnious and detractious ſpeeches? for uncharitable and unchriſtian cenſures? for falſe witneſſe? for oathes? for perjury? I am loth harder to rub on the ſores and galls of your conſciences, and leave them raw: therefore my concluſion ſhall be the application of a plaiſter unto them, which will certainly heale them. That which our Saviour after his reſurrection promiſed to thoſe that ſhould beleeve on his Name, that if they zMar. 16.18.dranke any deadly thing it ſhould not hurt them, was performed according to the letter to the Diſciples in the firſt ages; but in the ſpirituall ſenſe to all of us at this day. If we have drunke any deadly poyſon of ſinne, as who hath not? yet through repentance and faith in Chriſts bloud it ſhall not hurt us. The nature of poyſon is to work upon the bloud, and to venome that humour: but contrariwiſe, the bloud of our Saviour worketh upon the poyſon of ſinne, and killeth the venemous malignity thereof. Though the moſt veniall ſins in mens eſteeme are mortall in their owne nature, yet the moſt mortall are made veniall by grace. No ſin mortall but to the reprobate and infidell; no ſinne veniall but to the elect and faithfull: nay, no ſinne but mortall to the reprobate and infidell, no ſinne but veniall to the faithfull and penitent. Nothing deadly to Gods choſen, nay, not death it ſelfe. For the ſting thereof is plucked out by Chriſt: O death, a1 Cor. 15.57.where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be unto God, who hath given us victory through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. Thanks be unto thee, O bHieron. epit. Nepot Gratias tibi, Chriſte Salvator, nos tua agimus creatura, quòd tam potentem adverſarium dum occideris, occidiſti.Saviour, who haſt given death his deaths wound by thy death. Beloved Chriſtians, ſo many ſins as we have committed, ſo many deaths eternall wee have deſerved; from ſo many deaths Chriſt hath delivered us: and therefore ſo many lives, if we had them, we owe unto him, and ſhall we not willingly render him this one, for which hee will give us immortality, bliſſe, and glory in heaven with himſelfe? Cui, &c.