Collection of Discourses, Part 11 · Subpart 10
10 OF SINNE.
1 ONly the doctrine of the church ſheweth entirely the nature, cauſes, and effects of ſinne.
2 Sinne is whatſoeuer diſagreeth with the lawe of God; that is, any defect, or inclination, or actiō againſt the law of God, offending God, and making the offender guiltie of temporall puniſhmēt and eternal, except remiſſion be granted for our meadiator the ſonne of God.
3 Every ſinne is either actuall or originall.Diſt▪
4 Originall ſinne is the guilt of all mankinde for the fall of our firſt parentes, and a privation of the knowledge and will of God in our minds, and of our inclination to obey God in will and hart, with an inclinatiō in both to reſiſt the law of God, following the fall of our firſt parents, and derived from them to al poſterity ſo corrupting our whole nature, that for this corruption we are all guilty of Gods everlaſting wrath, and can doe nothing acceptable to God, except remiſſion be granted for the ſonne of God our mediator, & renuing of nature by the holy ſpirit.
5 Actuall ſinne is every action in minde, will, or heart, or in externall partes and members erring from God, or a leaving of thoſe things vndone, which the law of God commandeth to be done.
6 Every ſinne is either raigning or not raigning in vsus; Diſtinct. 2.which ſome call mortall or veniall.
7 Sinne raigning is that, againſt which the ſinner doth not reſiſt by the grace of the holy ſpirit, renuing him to eternall life, therefore he is endaungered to eternall death, except he repent and obteine remiſſion by Chriſt.
8 Sinne not raigning is that againſt which the ſinner doth reſiſt by grace of the holy ſpirit renuing him vntounto eternall life, and therefore he is not eudangered to eternal death, becauſe he repenteth and obteineth remiſſion by Chriſt.
9 Everie ſinne in its own nature is mortal, Diſtinct. 3.that is, deſerueth eternal death, but it is made venial, that is, it doth not bring eternall death in the regenerate, by reaſon of grace for Chriſtes ſake.
10. Everie ſinne is either againſt conſcience,Diſtinct. 4. or not againſt conſcience.
11. Sinne againſt conſcience is, when hee which knoweth the will of God, of ſet purpoſe doth againſt it.
12. Sinne not againſt conſcience is that which is cō mitted by one ether not knowing the wil of god, or elſe is acknowledged by the ſinner to be a ſin, and is bewailled, yet cānot perfectly be avoided in this life, as originall ſinne, and manie ſinnes of ignorance and infirmitie.
13. Every ſin is either vnpardonable & againſt the holy Ghoſt,Diſtinct. 5. or pardonable & not againſt the holy Ghoſt.
14 Sin vnpardonable, or againſt the holy Ghoſt is an oppugning or caſting away of Gods truth of ſet purpoſe, after the mind by teſtimony of the holy Ghoſt is inſtructed & confirmed in the truth, which ſin they that cōmit, are puniſhed by God with blindnes, ſo that they neuer repēt, & conſequently neuer obtaine pardon.
15. Sins pardōable or not againſt the holy Ghoſt, are al other ſins, wherof ſome repēt and ſome doe not.
16. Al that are elected by God vntounto eternall life are ſo vpheald by him, that they neuer ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt.
17. There doe abide ſome reliques of ſinne in all the regenerate, as long as they are in this life, firſt original ſinne, ſecondlie manie actual ſinnes of ignorance, omiſſion, and infirmitie, which notwithſtanding they acknowledge, and bewaile, & reſiſt them: and therfore they retaine a good conſcience, & remiſſion of ſinnes: thirdly ſome runne oftē times into errors croſſing the verie groūds, or into ſins againſt conſcience, for which they looſe their good conſcience, and conſolation, and gifts of the holy Ghoſt, and ſhould be damned, if they did perſeuere therein to their liues end: they periſh not in them becauſe they repent in this life.
18. There is a threefold difference wherby ſinners regenerate differ from the wicked:The difference betweene ſinners regenerate and not regenerate. firſt a perpetual purpoſe which God hath to ſaue them: ſecondely certaine and ſure repentance at the laſt: thirdely ſome beginning of faith & cōverſiō ever in their ſinnes, which at ſome times is greater, & of more force, and ſo wraſtleth againſt ſin, that they ſlip not into errors againſt the groundes, nor into ſins againſt conſcience: at other times leſſer & more feeble, & is for a time ouercome by temptations, yet preuaileth ſo far; that they never quite revol… frō God, which were once truely conuerted. And therfore ſin in the regenerat, is either to be termed only not raining, or els if errors againſt the foūdatiō or ſins againſt cōſcience may be called raining ſins, as ſome tearme thē, this raigne of ſin muſt needes be diligently diſtinguiſhed in thoſe that be regenerated, and thoſe that be not, as that God is in deed grievouſly angry even with the regenerate when they ſinne, yet ever with a purpoſe of amē ding and ſaving them, and that in them all waies remaineth ſome ſparkle of faith and converſion, & ſome hatred of ſinne which is an enemy there vntounto, ſo that they do not ſimply without any reſiſtance giuegive over themſelues vntounto ſin, & delight therein, as do the wicked which ſinne without any reſiſtance, and with all their hearts.
19 Every ſinne is either a ſinne of it ſelfe and in its owne nature,Diſtinct. 6. or els by accident.
20 Sinnes of themſelues or in their owne kinde and nature, are all ſuch as are forbidden by the law of God.
21 Sinnes by accident are ſuch actions of men not regenerate, as are indeede commanded by God, yet diſpleaſe him, for many defects and ſins cō curring in the wicked: or actions indifferēt which are done with ſcandal.
22 God is the cauſe of no ſinne;The cauſe of ſinne. but the wil of divels and men, of their own accord turning themſelues from God, is the efficient cauſe of al ſinnes: the efficient cauſe of originall ſinne in men, is the fall of our firſt parents: but originall ſin is the precedent cauſe of all actuall ſinnes, which followed vponupon the firſt fall.
23 The effectes of ſinne are puniſhments temporal and eternal:The effects …f ſinne. and becauſe God puniſheth ſins with ſinnes, therefore ſinnes following are effectes of ſinnes precedent.
24 But although all ſinnes deſerue eternal damnation, yet all ſinnes are not equall: but as there are degrees of puniſhments, ſo alſo there are degrees of ſinnes in Gods iudgement.