The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 10
The one ought five hundred pence, Text. and the other fifty.
Their Caſe was not alike in regard of the ſumme owing to the Creditor, the one ought a greater ſum, the other a leſſe, whence obſerve we
Doct. All are not alike indebted to the Lord. Some are more indebted to him then others.
This appeares by that Parable, Luke 16.5. And by other expreſſe Scripture, Mat. 11.21. & 12.31. & 23.14, 15, 24.
Reaſ. All have not received from the Lord alike number of Pounds nor Talents. He hath not given to all alike ſtock to trade with. Luke 19.14. Mat. 25.14.
Againe,Aquin. 1.2. q. 82. Art. 4. Eſtius 2. Senten. Diſt. 33. Sect. 5. Pſal. 19 13. Mat. 12.31. & Chap 23.15. 2 Tim. 3.13. 2 Pet 2.20. all are not alike deepe in reſpect of Actuall Tranſgreſſions. For albeit Originall ſin be equally and alike extended unto all, nec ſuſcipit magis aut minus, it hath no degree nor parts in any child of Adam, more then other; yet actuall ſins committed by us are of a thouſand kinds, and every vice hath its latitude and degree; ſome are bound up in Folio, other ſome in Quarto, others in Octavo, and the ſins of ſome other in a Decim… ſext…, See 2 Kings 3.2. Ier. 3.11. Ezek. 23.11. Iohn 19.11.
We read of a Moate or Feſcue, and of a Beame which may be ſawen into many quarters, Mat. 7.3. of Gnats, and Camells, Mat. 23.24.
There are Funiculi Vanitatis, Cords of vanity, Iſa. 5.18. and there are Funes peecatorum, Ropes of ſin, Pro. 5.22. and Vinculum plauſtri, Cart-ropes or Waine-ropes, Iſa. 5.18. By which phraſes in holy Scripture it appeares, in Actuall Tranſgreſſion all are not alike deepe.
Vſe 1 To ſay then that no ſin is greater then another, is one of the groſſeſt errors that ever was; It was maintained by the Stoicks (as we may find in Tullies Paradoxes) againſt all ſenſe, feeling and opinion of mankind (as S. Auſtin ſheweth.) Iovinian ſided with them,Epiſt. 29. ad Hier. and was ſtrongly confuted by S. Hierom out of the Scripture, as S. Auſtin teſtifieth, and evidently appeareth in that ſecond Booke which S. Hierom wrote againſt Iovinian.
The Papiſts charge us with this error, (but moſt untruly) Their reaſon is, for that we refuſe their diſtinction of ſins Mortall and Veniall; what we hold and teach concerning Veniall ſinne, and wherein we and they differ in that point, we ſhall heare when we ſpeake of the mercy and compaſſion of this Creditor in the next verſe.
And yet (it cannot be denied) there are amongſt us, who ſeeme to incline this way. Reproove them for ſinning, they will anſwer you they are ſinners as others are, &c. as if there were no difference to be put betwixt ſinner and ſinner, debter and debter in reſpect of the ſcore. Theſe are ignorant and blinded by the god of this world, and in judgement they are given up to believe a lie.
Paritie of ſins we hold it to be an idle dreame; beſides what hath beene already ſaid, the diverſity of Sacrifices we read of in Scripture proves the inequality of offences, as Levit. 4.3. For the Priest, a young Bullocke without blemiſh muſt be offered: For the Magiſtrate a male Kid ſerv'd the turne, verſe 23. If an Ordinarie man offended, for him a Female, either Goate, or Lamb ſhould be accepted, verſe 28, 32.
2. Greater puniſhments both Criminall and Capitall were ordained for ſome, then others: He that ſteales a man muſt die, Exod. 21.16. But he that ſtoale an Oxe or Sheepe ſhould onelyonly reſtore fourefold, Exod. 12.1. He that killed a man unwillingly was to be protected, Exod. 21.13. But if he killed him willingly, the hornes of the Altar could not ſave him, verſe 14. So Adultery of common people was to be puniſhed with common death, Levit. 20.10. But if the Prieſts daughter played the Whore, ſhe muſt be burnt with fire, becauſe ſhe prophaned her Father, Levit. 21.9.
Paenae ſingulorum inaequales intentione, paenae omnium aequales duratione. Aquin.And as in this World ſo in another; ſome ſhall have ſoarer puniſhments then others, Heb. 10.29. Mat. 23.15. Luke 12.47, 48. and Revel. 22.12. God will reward every one according to his workes, which had beene ſuperfluous to ſay, were all ſins equa…l
Vſe 2 We have learned better, and accordingly we ſhould examine of what kind our ſins are, how much our debt is; and as we finde let us put downe in our Account.
To helpe us a little in this our ſearch, take this for a Generall rule, Iniuria patientis auget culpā facientis. Salvian. Pſal. 51.4.the more directly any ſin is done againſt God, the greater the ſin is to be accounted of, and the more the debt. Thus the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt is the greateſt ſin; becauſe he who committeth that ſin, ſinneth of malice, purpoſely to deſpight the Spirit of Grace. Hence it followes,
1. The ſins of the highest degree againſt the firſt Table are greater then the ſins of the higheſt degree againſt the ſecond Table. (For if we compare the loweſt of the firſt Table with the higheſt of the ſecond, it will not hold) Thus Samuell ſpeaketh of Witcheraft, and Idolatry as of the greateſt ſins, 1 Sam. 15.23. And our Saviour calls the firſt Table, the firſt and great Commandement, Mat. 22.38.
2. Thoſe ſins that are committed againſt the meanes which ſhould keepe us from ſin are greater then other, Mat. 11.24. So ſins againſt Knowledge are greater then thoſe that are committed out of ſimple ignorance, Luke 12.47. Iames 4.17. And as it is thus in the ſinnes of Omiſſion, ſo alſo in the ſinnes of Commiſſion, Acts 3.17. 1 Tim. 1.13. he found mercy, becauſe he did it ignorantly. So ſinnes againſt the Goſpell are greater then thoſe againſt the Law, for that they are committed againſt more light; This is the condemnation ſaith Chriſt, that light is come into the world, Iohn 3.19. To commit ſin in the cleare light of the Goſpell, is a reproach not much unlike that of Abſolom, He committed wickedneſſe in the ſight of the Sun A Tapor in the hand of a ghoſt makes it looke more ghaſtly. Thus the ſins of the Rogenerate are more heynous then the ſins of the Ʋnregenerate, for that God ſuffers more by them then by others, Deut. 32.6. Levit. 22.31, 32. 1 Tim. 6.1. Tit. 2.5. When Simeon and Levi had dealt ſo lewdly with the Sichemites, Iacob told them that they had made him to ſtinke in the ſight of the Inhabitants of the land, Gen. 34.30. He had no hand in their ſin, but did abhorre it, yet it is the faſhion of the world, for the ſin of one or two religious men, to open their mouth wide againſt Religion it ſelfe. In which reſpect, David prayeth God that none might be aſhamed becauſe of him, Pſal. 69.6.that they might not have the durt of his foule and ſcandalous ſins caſt in their faces; Indeed this was that the Prophet laid ſo heavily to Davids charge after his fall, By this deed thou haſt given great occaſion to the Enemies of God to blaſpheme, 2 Sam. 12.14.
3. Sins often committed are greater then thoſe but once committed by us, for that here is an abuſing of Gods Patience and Forbearance, Rom. 2.4, 5. Ier. 5.6. 2 Pet. 2.22. In Arithmetick a figure in the firſt place ſtands for it ſelfe, in the ſecond place it ſtands for ten, and in the third place for a hundred, and ſo higher. So here.
Thus learne we to judge of ſin; and be aſſured that thou who art a Chriſtian canſt not ſin ſo good cheape as may an Indian or Pagan. An Engliſhman cannot ſweare, lie, be drunk, commit whoredome, at ſo eaſie a rate as a Spaniard, or Italian; Places of much knowledge, are chargeable places to practiſe ſin in. We in this Land are more indebted to Gods mercy for the meanes of Grace affoorded then any other Nation under Heaven; and in reſpect of our unthankfullneſſe and unworthy walking more indebted to his Iuſtice.