Aphorisms of Christian Religion, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of Sinne.
I. APHORISME.
SInne is the aIohn. 3.4.difference or diſcrepance between the actiō or nature of man, & the law of God. And therefore by the law commeth the bRom 3.20 and 7.7.knowledge of ſinne, that is by comparing mans life and nature with the law of God, as when the ſpots of our faces are knowen, by conſidering the face in a glaſſe.
II.
Sinne is either, that firſt, or that which bred of the firſt.
III.
The firſt ſinne is that fall aGene. 3. Rom. 5.or diſobedience of our firſt parents in Paradiſe, tranſgreſſing Gods commaundement concerning that one forbidden fruit.
IIII.
The ſinne which bred of the firſt, is either originall or actuall.
V.
Originall ſin is that which is inherent … our nature from our firſt aPſal. 51.7. Ephe. 2.3.conception: … wit, the bRom. 5.12.apoſtaſie of all the naturall …onnes of Adam in his loynes, & the corruption of nature that folowed: which the Apoſtle calleth the ſinne cRom. 7.20which dwelleth … vsus.
VI.
This corruption doth moſt infect the …nderſtanding and the will.
VII.
The vnderſtanding or minde is ſo dark…ed, that albeit in earthly things, and things pertaining to ciuill life, it doth diſcerne often very much:a1. Cor. 2.14 Iohn. 1.5.18. c. 6.44. c. 9.39 Math. 16.17. Act. 26.18. Rom. 1.21.22 23. yet in heauenly matters, that is, in thoſe things which cō …erne the pure worſhip of God and the euerlaſting ſaluation of our ſoules, it is … altogether blind.
VIII.
The will is ſo aGen. 6.5. chap 8.21. Rom. 8.7.corrupted, that albeit a man wiſh well vntounto himſelfe: yet hath he no deſire to thoſe things which concerne the worſhip of God, and his owne ſaluation for euer: but is moſt ſtrongly bent to will and deſire the contrary.
IX.
Originall ſinne in reſpect of the corruption of nature, either aRom. 6.12raigneth, as appeareth in moſt of the vnregenerate: or raigneth not, but is reſiſted: and this reſiſtance is either by the onelyonly light of bRom. 2.14.natural reaſon, as in the vnregenerate, which are called continent: or by the working alſo of the cRom. 8 2.10.11.holy Ghoſt, as in the regenerate.
X.
Of originall ſinne, becauſe of naturall corruption iſſueth ſinne actuall: which conſiſteth in action, as in thought, word, or deed.
XI.
Actuall ſinne may be diſtinguiſhed many wayes. For firſt it is a ſinne either of commiſſion or omiſſion. A ſinne of cō miſſion is, when any thing is committed, which is in the law forbidden, as murder, adulterie, theft. A ſinne of omiſſion is, when any thing is omitted, which in the law is commaunded to be done, as when a man doth not giuegive due honour to his parents.
XII.
Secondly, an actuall ſinne is commit…ed or omitted either in ſoule or ſpirite …nely, or both in body a1. Cor. 7.3.5. and 2. Cor. 7.1.and ſoule.
XIII.
Thirdly actuall ſinnes, ſome are committed againſt God, ſome againſt the neighbour, ſome againſt our owne ſelues.
XIIII.
Fourthly, actuall ſinne is either a not-voluntarie, or voluntary. The not voluntarie, as euill aMat. 15 19.thoughts, and bRom. 7 7. and 8. Mat. 5.22 28.luſts which ſteale vponupon vsus againſt our will. The voluntary is, when the will is delighted with wicked luſts, or at the leaſt wiſe fauoureth them. Whereupon againe it foloweth that a voluntary ſin is either a full ſinne, or a broken. A full ſinne, is when a man with cIohn. 8.34.full purpoſe, and with all his might ruſheth to cōmit things, whereunto wicked luſtes driue him. A broken ſinne I call that, when a man is dRom. 7.15 &c.caried by his euill concupiſcēce to conſent to do that which he doth not approue. Againe a voluntary ſinne may be diſtinguiſhed into ſinne vnaduiſed,*Raſh or vnaduiſed. and deliberate. Sinne vnaduiſed is, when the e1. Sam. 25.13.will doth vnaduiſedly and ſuddenly conſent and giuegive place to euill luſtes. Sinne deliberate is, when the will doth not haſtely conſent to euill affections, but with f2. Sam. 11.deliberation going before.
XV.
Fiftly, actuall ſinne is either ſecret or *Or open.knowen. Againe, a ſecret ſinne is either vnknowen to him which committeth aPſal. 19.13it, & to others alſo with him: or to b1. Tim. 5.24others it is ſecret, but knowen to himſelf. A knowē ſin is either knowen to him which cōmitteth it: or knowen alſo to others with him.
XVI.
Sixtly, an actuall ſin is either aMat. 12.31remiſſible or irremiſſible. Remiſſible is that which hath repentāce with it: irremiſſible which wanteth it; & of this kind there is but one, that ſin which is called the blaſphemie againſt the holy bIbid.Ghoſt: which is, whē a mā of deuiliſh malice doth contradict the veritie of the celeſtiall doctrine, againſt the teſtimonie of Gods ſpirite, which conuinceth him in his cōſcience therof: & yet further proceedeth in a deadly hatred & perſecution of the profeſſors of the truth, and this kind of ſinne Chriſt obiected againſt …he Phariſies. And Iohn called this ſinne, a …nne vntounto c1. Ioh. 5.16.death, and warneth that we …ay not for him which committeth the ſame. The reaſon whereof Paul rendreth … the Epiſtle to the Hebrues, in that …e ſaith; it is dHeb. 6.4.impoſſible for ſuch to be …enued by repentance: for the iuſt iudgement of God is againſt ſuch, who will not …e mocked, neither will he ſuffer eGal. 6.7.his ſpirite, which is the ſpirite of truth, to be charged with a lye.
XVII.
And if we admit the old diſtinction in this ſenſe, where ſin is diſtinguiſhed into veniall and mortall, it may well be admitted. But not otherwiſe, as when they call that veniall which meriteth pardon, becauſe it is but ſmall and light: and that mortall which meriteth death, becauſe it is great. For eueryevery ſinne of his owne nature, euen the leaſt, aRom. 6.4. laſt.meriteth death: and not onelyonly temporall death, but euen b1. Iob. 5.16eternal. Cōtrarily all they obtaine pardō which do repent and beleeue in Chriſt, albeit they hauehave committed moſt greeuous ſinnes.
XVIII.
Again a ſinne pardonable is either the leſſer ſinne, or the greater. And both are conſidered or iudged either by the principall antecedent working cauſe, (which the Greekes call foreign,) or by the maner of doing, or by the obiect or matter wherein the ſinne is committed. In reſpect of the cauſe, the ſinne is the leſſer which is committed of ignorance, as Paules perſecution; or of infirmitie as the fall of Peter: but the greater, which is committed againſt the conſcience, as Dauids murder and adulterie: or of malice, as Semeis reprochfull and rayling ſpeaches. In reſpect of the manner of doing, his ſinne is leſſe, which offereth adultery by perſwaſion, as Dauid with Bethſhabe, then his ſinne, which offereth violence, as that vncleanneſſe committed with Dina by Sichem,Iudg. 19. and with the Leuites wife by the men of Gibeah. In reſpect of the obiect, the ſtealing of a peny is a leſſer ſinne then of an hundred or a thouſand crownes. Againe it is a leſſer ſinne to ſteale a beaſt, then to ſteale a man, which ſinne they call *Stealing either free mē or ſlaues and keeping them cloſe in bonds.Pla…ium in the Latin toung. And it is the leſ…er ſinne to ſpeake an idle word: but the greater to ſpeake any blaſpemie, or any thing hurtfull to our neighbour.
XIX.
It appeareth by theſe diſtinctions, that ſinnes are vnequall, contrary to the Stoiks Paradoxe: & this alſo may be vnderſtood by the aMat. 12.15vnequalitie of puniſhments.
XX.
And thus farre of the kindes and degrees of ſinne: The authour of ſinne firſt is the aGene. 3.6. &c. Ioh. 8.44. 1. Iohn. 3 8.deuill deceiuing our firſt parentes, next after him our firſt bGene. 3.6.parentes themſelues, in that they gaue place to the deuils lyes.
XXI.
The effect or puniſhement of ſinne, is aRom. 8. v. laſt.death both of body and of ſoule, both temporall and eternall, and all kindes of bGen. 3.6. &c.griefes and miſeries.