Catholic Theology Plain Pure Peaceable, Section 21
SECT. XXI. The ſolution of all the former difficulties, in part.
305. Of all theſe difficulties, I have no better ſolution (beſides what is aforeſaid) than as followeth. 1. That a Diſpoſitive Inclination of the Will to God and actual Holineſs, is like to the Inclinatio naturalis ad bonum & foelicitatem, ſaving that it is not ours ab origine in our lapſed ſtate, and that it is more moveable and ſeparable from the Soul; And ſo is quiddam naturae though not quaedam natura, called, The Divine and new nature in us; and is to the Soul what Health is to the man; And is the great Moral Principle within us; and is acceptable to God as being the Rectitude of his noble creature, *As to the Papiſts continual calumnies, that we call men juſt, whoſe continued wickedneſs is but hid and not imputed, and without inherent juſtice, we abhor both their confuſion and their calumny, and diſtinctly give them this ſhort account. 1. We hold a conditional univerſal pardon of all. 2. But no actual pardon of the deſtructive puniſhment, nor non-impuration of Sin, till men are truly converted from a wicked heart and life to the love of God, by Faith and Repentance. 3. And then all Sin inconſiſtent with the prevalent love of God, and a holy, juſt, and ſober life is mortified and ceaſeth. 4. But ſuch infirmities as you call Venial Sins continue, and all our Goodneſs is culpably imperfect. 5. Though the deſtructive puniſhment be pardoned, the Reatus culpae in ſe continueth for ever: that is, It is an everlaſting truth that we once ſinned. 6. Our pardon and our Renovation are freely given us by Grace for the ſake of the ſatisfaction, merits, and interceſſion of Chriſt, whoſe perfect Righteouſneſſe fulfilled that Law that man had broken. 7. In which ſenſe his perfect Righteouſneſs is ſaid by Proteſtants to be Imputed to us becauſe he did it and ſuffered for us, in the perſon of a Mediator; and ſo it was the Meritorious cauſe of all our Juſtification, Grace and Glory. And what hath any Papiſt or other wrangler againſt any of this? Ye…, we reject their looſe Doctrine that ſay as Pot. aſ. Joſeph. Theol. Spec. l. 4. c. 10. p. 511. [De potentia abſoluta Gratia habitualis poteſt ſimul eſſe i… eode… ſubjecto (meaning in a predominant degree) cum peccato mortali ſive actuali ſive habituali: For as I ſaid before againſt Okam and Scotus on that point, they are incon…iſtent contraries, as life and not-living, light and darkneſs; and their proofs of the contrary are frivolous. See Scot. in 4. d. 16. Aliac. in 1. 99. Greg. Armin. in 1. d. 17. q. 1. …. 2. Gabr. ibid. Rad… 2. p. Cont. 19. Suarez. in 3. p. To. 4. Diſp. 9. Sect. 3. n. 8. all for this opinion. And againſt it Aureol: in 1. d. 1…. Ruard. a. Sect. 5. That a man cannot be juſt ſine Juſtitia inhaerente por potentiam Dei abſolutam: Pet. de Lor…a ſaith. in 2. 2. q. 24. a. 12. d. 22. as the Proteſtants do, that Peocatum Mortal… actuale (meaning ſome one act of a heinous Sin) may conſiſt with Grace and the Habit of Charity, but not the Habit of ſuch a Sin (that is in predominancy). See Malderus opinion, 1. 2. q. 113. a. 2. & 8. p. 574, &c. who ſaith, that D…us remit…endo offerſam delet peccati maculam] and that [Macula is but the privation of Grace quatenus facit hominem D…o gratum] that is, of Acceptability or Lovelineſs: And accordingly he expoundeth the nature of Remiſſion of Sin, as I ſaid before. And Brianſon in 4. q. 8. fol. 115. C. D. diligently enquiring what it is that remaineth after the Sin committed, can find nothing but 1. The Habit or privation of a good habit. 2. And the Guilt which he calleth Reatum culpae, quae eſt q…dam obligatio ad poenam debitam illi culpae. Illa (n) obligatio eſt qu…dam Relatio realis, non fundata ſuper actum culpae, ſed ſuper eſſentiam a…im… non niſi ut culpae actualis eſt praevia; which is juſt the Proteſtant opinion, who ſay that the Guilt is done away by forgiveneſs, and the Habit by Renovation, calling one Juſtification, and the other Sanctification: But we better diſtinguiſh Reatum c…ſpae in ſ…, & Reatum p…ae ſ…u culpae ut ad poenam: One is the Reality of my being a Sinner, or one that did Sin. (This is never done away). The other is the obligation to puniſhment for that Sin. This is remitted.and virtually containing all good actions; and being the operation of the Spirit, by which he is ſaid to dwell in believers.
306. 2. That this Rectitude or Holy Nature is firſt and radically active, in our Complacency or Diſplicency, Love or Hatred; And that what a man Habitually loveth, that his Will is habitually inclined to: And againſt that which he habitually hateth.
307. 3. That yet in acting, this inclination worketh freely, and always is ſpecified by the conduct of the Intellect, which muſt tell us what is Good and Evil, Amiable and Hateful.
308. 4. That Love and Hatred being practical Habits, do ever engage the will in ſuch Practical Reſolutions, as are anſwerable to their nature and degree.
309. 5. That no Reſolution will prove Holy Love and Inclination, but that which is fixed as proceeding from a fixed principle, which is like a new Nature in us.
310. 6. That this Reſolution is firſt de fine: The Soul loving God and its own felicity in his eternal Love and Glory, is firſt firmly Reſolved to adhere to God, and that felicity, and to proſecute it to the laſt, in all neceſſary means.
311. 7. That next the Soul firmly reſolved of the uſe of means in general, is reſolved alſo to chooſe and cleave to Jeſus Chriſt, as the Head and Summary of all means, (as the Phyſician is as to Phyſick.) And …o reſolveth to adhere to all the Eſſentials of Godlineſs and Chriſtianity.
312. 8. That all this is done by the Intellects diſcerning of thoſe ſolid Reaſons, which prove to us the excellency, neceſſity and poſſibility of all the foreſaid ends and objects. And he that knoweth not fixing and …olding Reaſons for his Reſolutions, cannot be expected to have fixed Reſolutions.
313. 9. That theſe general Inclinations, Love, and Reſolutions for God, for Means in general, for Christ and all the Eſſentials of Godlineſs and Chriſtianity, are constant in the Godly; and virtually contain a Love of and Reſolution for every known duty, and againſt every known Sin; but not actually: And theſe continue to ſhew themſelves in adhering practically to theſe Objects, and in the Practice of a Godly Life.
314. 10. That therefore Sin as Sin is hateful to every true Chriſtian, and Godlineſs as ſuch lovely: And that in reſpect of this radical general Habit, every true Chriſtians love to God and Good is more than his averſeneſs, and his hatred to Sin more than his love or Inclination to the created Good for which it is loved (For no man loveth Sin as Evil).
315. 11. That the Inferior ſort of Means and Good, appear not always in their worth or neceſſity to the believer: Beſides his Ignorance the remnants of Concupiſcence may pervert his Judgment ſo far as to doubt of ſome means whether they are abſolutely neceſſary, or at leaſt, mihi hic & nunc. And this failing of the Intellect may embolden the Will to ſome degrees of negligence, even of known duties. And ſo we may doubt of ſome Sins whether they are Sins, and of others whether they are ſo great as to be inconſiſtent with Gods love and our Salvation; and by that failing of the Intellect to be emboldened to commit them, while yet we adhere to God and holineſs in the main as ſuch. And ſo ſmall Sins are ofter committed, and with leſs reluctancy than greater, becauſe we think that their badneſs and danger is not ſo great. And though at other times we be more ſenſible of both, yet in the time of Temptation that apprehenſion may be altered: For the mind of a Godly man is more mutable about the Means than about the End, and about the ſmaller ſort of Means and Sins, than about the greater. And when the opinion changeth not, yet the practical judgment may change; or when it is not turned, it may be ſuſpended: Or truth may be apprehended with leſs quickening lively feeling; and then it will not ſufficiently work: As a loud call doth ſuſcitate us to action, when a negligent whiſper is neglected. And upon ſome of theſe accounts known ſins when ſmall may more ſtand with Grace and be ofter committed, and more dully repented of, than greater.
316. 12. And as we muſt diſtinguiſh of Sins as more or leſs dreadful and dangerous, and of duty as more or leſs neceſſary, at leaſt in our apprehenſion; ſo alſo of Sins which are more or leſs within the power of a willing mind to leave them. Some Sins are ſuch, as that the forſaking of them requireth little more than a willing mind. As to forſake lewd Company, Taverns, Play-houſes, Harlots, Drunkenneſs, Theft, Oppreſſion, Perſecution, Perjury, Deceit, &c. Meer will, though inſtigated by lust, committeth them; And a will that is but truly bent againſt them, may eaſily (as to power) caſt them off. Whoever committeth them, doth it becauſe he will do it. And to live in the frequent committing of theſe, is a greater ſign of want of Holy habits, or Grace, than of others. For there are other Sins which beſides willingneſs require great power, and care, and labour to forſake them: As to keep a juſt order in our Thoughts; to keep them from vain objects; to keep our tongues from accuſtomed vain words, to reſtrain ſtrong paſſions upon great provocations; eſpecially to forſake Sins of privation and omiſsion; ſuch as are unbelief as mixed with a weak Faith, and fears mixed with hopes and coldneſs of deſire and prayer, and ſluggiſhneſs of labour and endeavour, &c. A man may be truly willing to be ſtronger in all Grace, and to do all duty better, and to forſake all ſuch Sins as theſe, when yet through the meer weakneſs of his Graces or Spiritual life, he cannot ſo exactly watch, nor ſo diligently labour, nor ſo patiently hold out, as the caſe requireth. Though it be not a Phyſical, but a Moral power which he wanteth, and that culpably; yet ſuch Sins may more conſiſt with true Grace than the former; and therefore are called …s of Infirmity.
317. 13. When Ignorance of Truth, Duty, or Sin, cometh from an …willingneſs to know it, or an unwillingneſs to uſe the known means … help us to the knowledge of it, the neglect of ſuch an unknown …ruth or Duty, and the committing of ſuch an unknown Sin, is to be …dged of according to the meaſure of the foreſaid willingneſs, or …nwillingneſs.
318. 14. For he is not ſincerely willing to know a Truth, to do a …uty, to forſake a Sin, who is not willing to uſe the known neceſſary …eaus appointed for theſe ends. For he vilifieth God and Holineſs who …inketh them not worthy the ſeeking by ſuch means. To ſay, would love God and pleaſe him and be ſaved, if I could do it …ith a wiſh or without theſe means, is no ſaving deſire.
119. 15. And to deſire to be delivered from Sin, and to hate it … Sin, and yet to love it for the pleaſure ſo much more, as that the …tereſt of God and Heaven in us, is not ſtrong enough to make us ha…tually willing both to leave it, and to avoid the temptations, and …ſe the pleaſure, but men had rather keep it than leave it on theſe …rms; this is no ſincere repentance, nor ſign of a holy heart or life.
320. 16. Even the Habit of a particular leſſer Sin (as of jeaſting, …le words, idle thoughts, &c.) may be ſtronger than the contrary par…cular habit, (I think) and thereby a man may habitually and actually live …d die in the Sin; and yet that habit not prevail againſt the radical …bit of Holineſs, of Faith, Hope, Love, and Obedience in the …ain.
321. 17. A preſent full Reſolution againſt Sins that are Great and of …ie deſertion to a willing mind, is eſſential to Repentance; as is alſo a …eſent Reſolution for great and neceſſary Duties, and to forſake ſome …aller Sins, though it be neceſſary neceſſitate praecepti, I think is not …ſential to ſaving Converſion and Repentance, and neceſſary neceſſitate …edii to Salvation.
322. 18. He that committeth a Groſs ſin, (that is, a Sin evidently …reat, and in the power of a willing mind to forbear) ſo often as …oth ſhew that habitually he more loveth it than hateth it, and had …ther keep it than leave it, doth ſhew thereby that all his profeſſed …epentance for it is unſound, and his heart unſanctified, and that he …ath yet no actual pardon from God.
323. Therefore thoſe among the Papiſts who abſolve ſuch from their …ns, who commit Fornication or Drunkenneſs once a month (at leaſt) …r once in many months, or often, and come between and ſay, I Repent, …o but delude them. For the nature of thoſe Sins is ſuch, that he that … converted to an habitual hatred of them more than he hath a love …o them, cannot return to them ſo oft: And he that doth not ſo hate …hem doth not truly repent. And even their Hildebrand (Greg. 7.) … a Council at Rome expreſly ſaith, that [neither falſe Baptiſm, nor falſe …a feigned and unſound) Repentance do put away Sin.
324. 19. The chief tryal of a man's Holineſs and Repentance is by …he main ſcope and buſineſs of his life, eſpecially in the poſitive part, …nd next in the oppoſitive: when a man is conſcious that God, and Ho…ineſs, and Heaven, are his great end, which are dearer to him and more …owerful with him than all things ſenſible, and the intereſt of the fleſh, …nd when he can and doth deliberately forſake all, when they ſtand in …ppoſition to or competition with God and Glory, and ſo as to the courſe of his life, doth live by Faith, and not by ſenſe, this is the true evidence of true Converſion; and no Sins are damning which conſiſt with this.
325. 20. But becauſe the truth of this muſt be diſcerned, not only by preſent Senſe and Reſolution, but by practice to prove that Reſolution true, therefore no man can be certain of the ſincerity of his own heart, and reſolutions and repentance, but by the practice of willing univerſal obedience, forſaking groſs and wilful Sinning, performing … ceſſary duty, ſtriving to overcome infirmities, and heartily deſiring perfect Holineſs, upon terms of Mortification, Self-denyal and dilig… uſe of means.
326. Therefore much ſinning will at leaſt breed much doubtfulneſs and uncertainty of Juſtification and Salvation, and till it be forſaken no ſuch certainty will be had.