Reims Against Rome, Propositions · Proposition 30
XXX. Propoſition. That ſome ſinnes are in their owne nature veniall, and doe not deſerue eternall puniſhment.
TO cleere this point, and to make their errour euident to all, obſerue what they hold to be veniall ſinnes.
Firſt, all thoſe ſinnes and negligences, into which through weakeneſſe, vponupon eueryevery little occaſion, men eueryevery houre do fall.
Secondly, all the ill motions of the heart, being without full deliberation and conſent; as the ſudden paſſions of the minde, concupiſcence, anger, deſire of reuenge, and ſuch like, ſo, vaine and idle thoughts.
Thirdly, ſuch words, as ſudden and violent paſſion, without precedent deliberation and intent, forceth: as in a rage and fury to ſweare and curſe. So cholericke anſwers for trifles, rayling and reproachfull termes. To theſe adde exceſſiue prating, idle talking, ſcurrilous and filthy ſpeaking, ribald ſongs, officious lying, without damage to a mans neighbour, vaine boaſting, preferring his owne wit, ſtrength and beauty before others.
Fourthly, ſuch ſinnes as a man committeth againſt his owne good; as to ſpend his time idly, gouerne his eſtate badly, waſtfully conſuming his goods, louing to play at Cards, and Dice, and to goe to Playes; to exceede in apparell, eating and drinking, with delight of his belly.
Fifthly, ſinnes towards others; as children diſobeying Parents, when it is of negligence and ſenſualitie. To ſteale trifles, and things of little value.
Sixtly, ſuch ſinnes as bee outward to-moue delight, as painting the face: or for paſtime; as ſcoffing and obſcene ieſts and geſtures in Playes, and ſuch like in ſport.
Seuenthly, ſuch ſinnes as are againſt pietie and deuotion; as not to ſanctifie well the Sabbath day; to faſt, pray, giuegive almes, and to goe to the Church for vaine-glory, to confeſſe ſinnes negligently, and many other beſides: all theſe they count veniall ſinnes.
Heere may we ſee plainely how it comes to paſſe, that vaine people louelove ſo much that vaine licentious Religion, runne to it, and continue in it: and the reaſons are,
Firſt, for that they make ſuch euils as theſe, and many other moe, yea, ſome kinde of ſoule ſecret euils, veniall, or no ſinnes at all; not ſimply ſinnes, but imperfectly and onelyonly ſinnes in ſome ſort.
Secondly, becauſe they hold and teach, that theſe are not iniurious to God, are pardonable without repentance, not deſerue hell, not in ſtrictneſſe of neceſſitie to bee confeſſed to a Prieſt, neither can God in iuſtice puniſh them, more then with a temporall puniſhment.
Thirdly, becauſe that as they teach, God doth eaſily pardon and forgiue theſe, and the remedies preſcribed, are for the moſt part very eaſie, which be theſe; the giuing of Almes, knocking vponupon our breſt with ſome remorſe, going into a Church, receiuing holy water with a deuout motion, the Biſhops bleſſing, croſſing of ones ſelfe, bearing with other folkes defects, and froward dealings towards vsus, confeſſing our ſinnes in generall, hearing of Maſſe deuoutly, and to be patient in aduerſitie and troubles.
Theſe things are taught, ſome by one ſort, ſome by another ſort of their learned men: See Ʋaux his Engliſh Catechiſme: alſo the mirrour to confeſſe well, and D. Whites Way, digreſſ. 38. Doctor White, his Orthodox way, cap. 1. obſ. 2. ſect. 3. pag. 28. in quarto, who doe produce the Authors which teach theſe.
To hold that there are any ſuch ſinnes as theſe, or any ſinnes at all, veniall in their owne nature, and not deſeruing damnation, is the very nurſery of fleſhly libertie, and the high-way to deſtruction.
Confuted by their owne Bible.
Firſt, it telleth vsus, that death is the ſtipend of ſinne, (not excepting any) Rom. 6. 21, 23. and pronounceth that the ſoule that ſhall ſinne, the ſame ſhall dye, Ezek. 18. 20. and that hee is curſed that abideth not in the words of this Law, and fulfilleth them not, Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. making him that offendeth in one, to be guiltie of all, Iam. 2. 10. and by it alſo wee learne that deaths ſting is ſinne, 1. Cor. 15. 56. And therefore, whatſoeuer is ſinne, that ſame is mortall. If it bee ſinne, it is the ſting of death: and, if deaths ſting, then is it mortall. For death doth euer ſting deadly.
Secondly, it threatneth death and hell for ſuch ſinnes as they count veniall; offences ſeeming very little: as in anger to call one foole, is in danger of hell fire, Matth. 5. 23. and for filthineſſe, fooliſh talke, or ſcurrilitie, commeth the anger of God, Epheſ. 5. 4. 6. yea we are told, that for eueryevery idle word men ſhall ſpeake, they ſhall render an account in the Day of Iudgement, and that, as guilty of death, Matth. 12. 36. And though our Aduerſaries doe hold it a veniall ſinne, for a man not to husband well his owne eſtate, liuing careleſſely and idle; yet Chriſt held it a ſinne worthy damnation, Matth. 25. 26, 27, 30. To bee a bragger, to be deceitfull, to breake a mans couenant, to bee without knowledge, though they ranke not theſe among hainous crimes, yet deſerue they death, as we learne by their Bible, Rom. 1. 32.
Thirdly, it telleth vsus, that, for ſeeming ſmall offences, many hauehave beene fearefully puniſhed; as Lots wife, for looking backe, to hauehave beene turned into a Statue of Salt, Gen. 19. 26. For gathering ſticks on the Sabbath day, God commanded to ſtone a man to death, Numb. 15. 35. and one for blaſpheming vponupon paſſion, when he was ſtriuing with another, Leuit. 24. 10, 14. Some of Aarons ſonnes, for offering ſtrange fire, were burnt to death with fire from heauen, Leuit. 10. 1, 5. Vzzah, of a good intent, but touching the Arke, was ſtriken dead of God, 2. Sam. 6. 7. The Bethſhemites, for but looking into the Arke, were ſmitten dead, to the number of aboue fifty thouſand, 1. Sam. 6. 19. The Iſraelites ſlaine in the Wilderneſſe, 1. Cor. 10. For vnaduiſedly ſpeaking; yea, when it came from a vexed and exaſperated ſpirit, was Moſes puniſhed, Pſal. 105. 32, 33. he was not permitted to goe into Canaan, which was a type of Heauen, but hee muſt dye before, euen Moſes. Now, whatſoeuer ſinne vnderunder the Law God puniſhed with death, or commanded to be puniſhed by death; the ſame, without remiſſion, deſerued eternall death. For the firſt time that death is mentioned, it is to bee vnderſtood of death temporall and eternall, due to all, had not there beene a Mediatour betweene God and vsus, Gen. 2. 17.
Fourthly, it teacheth, that Originall ſinne (which is leſſe then any actuall ſinne, whether in thought, word, or deed) is puniſhed with death, Rom. 5. 12. Now, if the reward of this ſinne be death, then ſurely much more any other flowing from thence, (though it ſeeme to man neuer ſo ſmall an offence) deſerueth death, as the very conſent of the minde to other euill doers, among which boaſters are reckoned, is worthy of death, Rom. 1. 32. yea, and Commeſſations, which we tranſlate Reuellings, wherein too many much delight, is a ſinne, which keepes the doers thereof that they cannot obtaine the Kingdome of God, Gal. 5. 21.
Fifthly, ſinnes of ignorance vnderunder the law, Leuit. 4. 2, 13, 27. had ſacrifices appointed to make an atonement to God for them. Now, all ſacrifices for ſinne, ſhewed that a man deſerued death for eueryevery ſuch ſinne. Now, if ſinnes of ignorance deſerue death, what may all men think of ſuch ſins, as Papiſts call veniall, before-mentioned, plainely forbidden by the Word of God?
Sixtly, to commit adulterie, is a mortall ſinne: but their Bible telleth vsus, that for one to ſee a woman to luſt after her, hath alalready committed adulterie with her in his heart, Matth. 5. 28. And can any ſinne ſeeme leſſe then concupiſcence of the heart, ſuddenly ariſing by the obiect to the ſight? And yet Papiſts make wanton dalliances no ſinne, or as none in their account.
Seuenthly, it ſheweth, that it is Chriſts bloud, that cleanſeth from all ſinne, 1. Ioh. 1. Now, if eueryevery ſinne needs cleanſing by his bloud, then eueryevery ſinne in its owne nature is mortall, in that it cannot be cleanſed, but by his death.
Contraried by Antiquitie.
Auſtin. in Enchirid. cap. 79. ſpeaking of ſinnes which might ſeeme ſmall, ſaith, They might bee thought very light, but that in the Scriptures they are demonſtrated greater then wee doe imagine. But that the truth ſpeakes it, who would thinke (ſaith hee) that for a man to call his Brother foole, is guiltie of hell-fire?
The ancient Fathers earneſtly exhort to beware of counting any ſinnes light or ſmall.
Baſil. qu. Contract. qu. 4. No ſinne is to bee accounted as ſmall: for that (ſaith hee) it is the ſting of death. See for this, Auſtin. Epiſt. 108. and in Ioh. 11. 13. Chryſoſt. on Gal. 1.
Ierome in Epiſt. ad Caelantiam: It is very ſafe to beware of ſmall ſinnes, as if they were great, &c. Neither doe I know, ſaith he, whether we may call any ſinne ſmall, ſeeing it is committed with a kinde of contempt of God. And he is moſt prudent, who reſpects not ſo much the quantitie of the thing commanded, as the dignitie of the Commander.
See Maſter Perkins his Demonſt. of his Probl. of veniall ſin; and therein many teſtimonies of the Ancients.
Gainſaid by their owne men.
Almaine, out of Gerſon Moral. Tract. 3. cap. 20. concludeth, that no ſinne is veniall of it ſelfe; but onelyonly through the mercy of God.
Azorius inſtit. Moral. part. 1. lib. 4. cap. 8. doth maintaine againſt Bellarmine, that veniall ſinnes are againſt the Law. Now, that which is againſt the Law, is deadly. Of this opinion is Fiſher, Biſhop of Rocheſter, and diuers others. See the Authors in Doctor Whites Way, digreſ. 38. pag. 247. and Biſhop Mortons. Proteſt. Appeal. pag. 646.
To paſſe ouer the oppoſitions of one againſt another, they all call them ſinnes. Now, eueryevery ſinne is the tranſgreſſion of the Law, 1. Ioh. 3. 4. By which we come to the knowledge of ſinne, Rom. 3. 26. and 7. 7. And if there were no Law, there were no tranſgreſſion, Rom. 4. 15. Therefore in confeſſing veniall ſinnes to be ſinnes, they make them tranſgreſſions of the Law, and then the Law worketh wrath, Rom. 4. 15. and ſo neceſſarily through veniall ſinnes, they are vnderunder wrath, and ſo ſinne mortally, euen to condemnation, except God in Chriſt pardon them, and that they doe heartily repent, pray for pardon, and ſeeke with God reconciliation by Chriſt.
Scriptures obiected anſwered.
Matth. 5. 25. Whoſoeuer is angry with his brother without cauſe, is in danger of Iudgement: And whoſoeuer ſhall ſay vntounto his Brother, Racha, ſhall be in danger of Councill: and whoſoeuer ſhall ſay, Thou Foole, ſhall be guilty of Hell-fire.
Anſw. This place proueth not any ſinnes to be veniall, and not mortall in their owne nature. For firſt, this ſhould be againſt the ſcope of Chriſts ſpeech, in confuting the Phariſes miſ-vnderſtanding the Law, and here in particular, the ſixt commandement. They ſtucke to the Letter; Chriſt here extendeth the breach of this Law, to thoughts, and words; ſo making a man by cauſeleſſe anger, and railing words, to be before God guiltie of murder. Is this then to make ſinne veniall? or are not rather thoſe, which they conceit to bee veniall, by Chriſt here made mortall, if to be guilty of bloud before God, be mortall? Secondly, here is no difference made of ſinnes in their nature; but onelyonly here is ſhewed the degrees of ſinning, and that one offence is greater then another. For faine would I know of them, how they can diſtinguiſh theſe in nature, that anger and calling one Racha, ſhould be veniall; and to call one Foole, to bee mortall? Thirdly, the puniſhments here expreſſed, diſtinguiſh not the nature of the ſinnes, but ſhew the degrees of puniſhments, according as men ſinne. For as God in mercy will reward mens well-doings with degrees of glory; ſo in iuſtice will he in hell, the damned with degrees of puniſhment, Matth. 10. 15. Fourthly, whereas our Aduerſaries make Iudgement, and Councill, temporall puniſhments for veniall ſinnes, and hell fire for mortall ſinnes, taking aduantage by the tranſlation of the word Gehenna:
Firſt, it is cleere, that puniſhments doe not alter the nature of ſinnes; but being duely executed, doe ſhew onelyonly the degrees of ſinne, to be greater, or leſſer, and ſo are they accordingly puniſhed. Secondly, Papiſts themſelues hold vnaduiſed anger, and words euen tending to blaſphemie, comming of ſudden and vnaduiſed anger, as the word Racha, and Foole doe here, to be veniall ſinnes. Therefore they erre in diſtinguiſhing the ſinnes thus into veniall; and mortall, which they themſelues account to be veniall. Thirdly, the puniſhments here mentioned, are ſuch as either concerne the ciuill Magiſtrate, to inflict temporally here; or ſuch meant, as God will inflict eternally in another world; but theſe are not puniſhable by the Magiſtrate in theſe caſes: for we finde not in Scripture any Law of Moſes, for Magiſtrates to call men into iudgement for vnaduiſed anger; or to a Councill, or to burne men for calling one Racha, or Foole, proceeding no further. Therefore the puniſhments are meant, ſuch as God will inflict eternally in the life to come. If ſo, then I anſwer: Fourthly, that Iudgement, Councill, and hell fire, are the degrees of Gods puniſhment vponupon the wicked in hell. Fifthly and laſtly, whereas by the tranſlation, hell fire is giuen to the third, and not to the other two, they would by the other vnderſtand onelyonly temporall puniſhments, and by this, eternall; they are greatly deceiued, or would deceiue, or do both. Firſt, for that theſe kinds of ſinnes here expreſſed, will not admit this diſtinction, there being no ſuch great difference betweene the ſinnes, as that the former ſhould deſerue but onelyonly temporal puniſhments in this world, or (as they dreame) in Purgatory, and the other eternall in hell. Secondly, becauſe the words in all the puniſhments, are firſt to be conceiued and taken, according to the proceeding after the accuſtomed forme of ciuill iudgements among the Iewes: for ſome puniſhment was inflicted, according to the ſentence of the loweſt Court, here vnderſtood by iudgement, like to our petty Seſſions; Some, according to the ſentence of a higher Court, their Sanhedrin conſiſting of three and twenty Elders, like to our Quarter Seſſions; and ſome, according to the ſentence of the higheſt Court, the great Councill at Ieruſalem conſiſting of ſeuentie Elders, like to our great Aſſizes, whoſe ſentence was inflicted vponupon the preſumptuous and greateſt offendors, Deut. 17. 12. worthy of the place named Gehenna, which was alſo called Topheth, in the valley of the children of Hinnom, in the Suburbs of Ieruſalem, where Idolaters made their children to paſſe thorow the fire, to the Idol Molech, 2. King. 23. 10. 2. Chron. 28. 3. Ier. 7. 31, 32. which places Ioſias defiled with filth, in deteſtation thereof, and became to be for ſuch execrable Idolatry, moſt accurſed, and ſo deteſtable, as that for ſuch as were worthy the greateſt torments, Topheth was ſaid to bee prepared, Eſai. 30. 33. Whereupon it came to be at length taken for Hell fire, the place of the damned, as here, in Matth. 5. 29, 30. and 10. 28. and 18. 9. and 23. 25, 33. Iam. 3. 6. but here firſt taken properly, as the other two are before, and then applyed vntounto Gods inflicting puniſhment: as if it had been ſaid, As you Iewes here in your countrey doe make difference of offences, and ſo hauehave differing degrees of puniſhing with death, according to your ſeuerall Courts: So after this life, God accordingly in Hell hath degrees of puniſhment, for differing ſinnes, which here men doe commit. Thus ſtandeth the ſimilitude: Elſe it were abſurd, as Papiſts make it to be, partly of temporall, and partly of eternall puniſhment: for as there bee three degrees of ſinne; bad, worſe, and worſt of all; and three degrees of puniſhment with death, by hanging, ſtoning, and burning, firſt, by iudgement, which is great: then by Councill, which is greater; and laſtly, by higheſt Court, as with Gehenna, the greateſt of all: ſo is it with God in puniſhing the wicked, with ſeuerall degrees of puniſhments after death.
Matth. 23. 24. Blinde guides that ſtraine at a Gnat, and ſwallow a Cammell. Here is ſinne compared, one to a Gnat, and another to a Cammell: ſo in Luk. 6. 41. one to a moate, and another to a beame.
Anſw. The places ſhew that all ſinnes are not equall, but ſome farre greater then other-ſome; which we beleeue & teach. But they proue not, that therefore ſome onelyonly deſerue eternall death; and the other only temporall and not eternall. For all ſin, bee it as a Gnat, or a moate, deſerues in it owne nature death eternall, as well as the ſinne which is as a Cammell, or as a Beame, as before is proued.
Luk. 12. 59. Thou ſhalt not goe out thence, till thou haſt paid the very laſt mite. This mite is veniall ſinne, ſay they.
Anſw. 1. The place is allegorically interpreted; and therefore from the bare words is no ſound proofe. Secondly, the abſurditie, and falſhood of ſuch an expoſition, is before confuted out of Matth. 5. 25, 26. where it is alledged for Purgatorie, in which place onelyonly veniall ſinnes are payed for, compared to farthings, and mites. But what is this laſt mite a mite of? Is it of a ſumme which conſiſts all of mites? or elſe of other moneys, and of greater ſummes? To affirme it a ſumme of all mites, were but an idle dreame: and, if it conſiſts of greater ſummes, then is the party caſt into priſon for theſe alſo. Then the Allegorie vrged to maintaine Purgatorie, makes it a place to ſatisfie both for mortall and veniall ſinnes, which our Aduerſaries deny.
1. Cor. 3. 12. Where, by Wood, Hay, and Stubble, are meant veniall ſinnes.
Anſw. 1. It hath beene alledged before for Purgatorie, and there anſwered at full. But here yet further I anſwer: Secondly, that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh here of vnwholſome, and vnprofitable Doctrines. And are theſe veniall ſinnes? Is errour in Doctrine, not a ſinne in its owne nature? Is it not worthy of death, to miſ-lead by impure preaching, and to breed errours in mens minds? He is curſed with Amen, that makes the blind goe outDeut. 27. 18. of their way.
Iam. 7. 14. EueryEvery one is tempted of his owne concupiſcence, drawne, and enticed: then when luſt hath conceiued, it bringeth forth ſinne; and ſinne when it is finiſhed, bringeth forth death. Where they make ſome motions, no ſinnes; ſome ſinnes, but not deadly; and other-ſome, deadly.
Anſw. Here is no diſtinction of ſinnes in their natures; but a genealogie of ſinne, from the mother concupiſcence, and the deſerued reward thereof in the end, which is death. Here is no veniall ſinne. For firſt, death is due to the mother, lust; which luſt is ſinne, Rom. 7. and worthy of death, Rom. 5. Secondly, he ſpeakes here of ſinne ſingularly, the fruit of luſt, conceiued, brought forth, and ripened; as of one and the ſame ſinne growing to the full height, and not of diuers kinds of ſinnes, differing in nature. Thirdly, when Iames ſaith, that luſt brings forth ſinne, it is not by calling the fruit thereof ſinne, to cleere luſt from being ſinne: for Saint Paul calleth it ſinne, Rom. 7. and what is it that naturally brings forth ſinne, that in it ſelfe is not ſinne? but it is to diſtinguiſh naturall corruption, from actuall tranſgreſſion. Fourthly, death is put in the laſt place for ſinne conſummate, and not that luſt is not worthy of death, nor the ſinne which floweth thence; but to ſhew whereto our owne corrupt nature drawne and entiſed, will at length bring vsus by ſinning euen vntounto death, if it bee not mortified. And therefore this text is nothing for the proofe of their vntrue diſtinction of veniall, and mortall ſinnes.
Prou. 24. 16. A iuſt man falleth ſeuentimes, and riſeth vp againe. Ergo, Men may commit ſinnes veniall, and yet remaine iuſt.
Anſw. Here is no proofe, that theſe falls or ſinnes are not mortall in themſelues. For that a iuſt man ſinning, remaineth iuſt, is not from the nature of the ſinnes, which he doth fall into: but from the ſtate of adoption, and Gods mercy which giueth him grace to repent (which is here to bee vnderſtood by his riſing againe) God accepting of him in Chriſt, through whom he is accounted iuſt, and in whom all his ſinnes are veniall.