Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

THE SECOND PART, OF THE difference of sinnes.

The Papists.

SOme sinnes are deadly or mortall, because all that doe them are worthie of [error 60] damnation: others bee veniall, that is to say, pardonable of their owne nature, Rhemist. Rom. 1.11.

Argum. Sinne when it is finished, bringeth foorth death, Iam. 1.15. Ergo, not all sinne, but that which is consummate and perfited is mortall, Rhemist. ibid.

The Protestants.

Ans. OVt of this place it is gathered, that there are degrees of sinne, and that the more heynous sinne is worthie of more grieuous death and condemnation: but that concupiscence, or other lesse sinnes deserue not death, it is not hence proued: seeing the Scripture saith, That the wages of all sinne is death, Rom. 6.23.

Argum. That no sinne is veniall or pardonable of it owne nature, but that the least deserueth death, if God should deale with vs, according to the exact rule of his iustice, it thus appeareth. First, if all sinnes are not mortall, Christ di∣ed not for all sinnes: for he by his death did satisfie onely for sinnes, that deser∣ued death: but Christ died for all sinnes, Iohn. 1.19. Secondly, all transgression of Gods lawe is sinne, and deserueth the curse of God, Galath. 3.10. But all sinne is the transgression of the lawe, 1. Iohn 3.4.

Augustine and other of the fathers doe vse this terme of veniall sinnes, but not in their sense, as though any sinne in it owne nature deserued pardon: but

by veniall sinnes, they vnderstand the lesser and smaller faultes, which are more easilie forgiuen at Gods hand, then the greater.

Sunt venialiae peccata, there are certaine veniall sinnes, without the which a man cannot liue, saith Augustine: Propter omnia peccata baptismus inuentus est, propter leuia oratio dominica: For all sinnes Baptisme is a remedy, and the Lords praier for the lesse: De sym∣bolo lib. 1.6.

By veniall sinnes he vnderstandeth the smaller sinnes, which are not pardonable in their owne nature, for then it were not necessarie to aske forgiuenes for them in the Lords praier: they would vanish away of them∣selues. Wherefore wee cannot receiue this popish distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes, as they vnderstand it: as the Scripture vseth to speake, wee doe not greatly mislike them; that is, by grace and mercie in Christ, all sinnes euen the greatest, are not onely pardonable, but pardoned vnto vs, Isay 1.18. But vnto the wicked and impenitent euery sinne is mortall; they shall euen by their idle words be condemned, Matth. 12.36.37.