Rhemes against Rome: or, The remoouing of the gagg of the new Gospell, and rightly placing it in the mouthes of the Romists, by the Rhemists in their English translation of the Scriptures. Which counter-gagg is heere fitted by the industrious hand of Richard Bernard ...

XXX. Proposition. That some sinnes are in their owne nature veniall, and doe not deserue eternall punishment.

TO cleere this point, and to make their errour euident to all, obserue what they hold to be veniall sinnes.

First, all those sinnes and negligences, into which through weakenesse, vpon euery little occasion, men euery houre do fall.

Secondly, all the ill motions of the heart, being without full deliberation and consent; as the sudden passions of the minde, concupiscence, anger, desire of reuenge, and such like, so, vaine and idle thoughts.

Thirdly, such words, as sudden and violent passion, without precedent deliberation and intent, forceth: as in a rage and fury to sweare and curse. So cholericke answers for trifles, rayling and reproachfull termes. To these adde excessiue prating, idle talking, scurrilous and filthy speaking, ribald songs, officious lying, without damage to a mans neighbour, vaine boasting, preferring his owne wit, strength and beauty before others.

Fourthly, such sinnes as a man committeth against his owne good; as to spend his time idly, gouerne his estate badly, wast∣fully consuming his goods, louing to play at Cards, and Dice, and to goe to Playes; to exceede in apparell, eating and drin∣king, with delight of his belly.

Fifthly, sinnes towards others; as children disobeying Pa∣rents, when it is of negligence and sensualitie. To steale trifles, and things of little value.

Sixtly, such sinnes as bee outward to-moue delight, as pain∣ting the face: or for pastime; as scoffing and obscene iests and gestures in Playes, and such like in sport.

Seuenthly, such sinnes as are against pietie and deuotion; as not to sanctifie well the Sabbath day; to fast, pray, giue almes, and to goe to the Church for vaine-glory, to confesse sinnes negligently, and many other besides: all these they count ve∣niall sinnes.

Heere may we see plainely how it comes to passe, that vaine people loue so much that vaine licentious Religion, runne to it, and continue in it: and the reasons are,

First, for that they make such euils as these, and many other moe, yea, some kinde of soule secret euils, veniall, or no sinnes at all; not simply sinnes, but imperfectly and onely sinnes in some sort.

Secondly, because they hold and teach, that these are not in∣iurious to God, are pardonable without repentance, not deserue hell, not in strictnesse of necessitie to bee confessed to a Priest,

neither can God in iustice punish them, more then with a tem∣porall punishment.

Thirdly, because that as they teach, God doth easily pardon and forgiue these, and the remedies prescribed, are for the most part very easie, which be these; the giuing of Almes, knocking vpon our brest with some remorse, going into a Church, re∣ceiuing holy water with a deuout motion, the Bishops blessing, crossing of ones selfe, bearing with other folkes de∣fects, and froward dealings towards vs, confessing our sinnes in generall, hearing of Masse deuoutly, and to be patient in aduer∣sitie and troubles.

These things are taught, some by one sort, some by another sort of their learned men: See Ʋaux his English Catechisme: also the mirrour to confesse well, and D. Whites Way, digress. 38. Doctor White, his Orthodox way, cap. 1. obs. 2. sect. 3. pag. 28. in quarto, who doe produce the Authors which teach these.

To hold that there are any such sinnes as these, or any sinnes at all, veniall in their owne nature, and not deseruing damnation, is the very nursery of fleshly libertie, and the high-way to de∣struction.

Confuted by their owne Bible.

First, it telleth vs, that death is the stipend of sinne, (not ex∣cepting any) Rom. 6. 21, 23. and pronounceth that the soule that shall sinne, the same shall dye, Ezek. 18. 20. and that hee is cursed that abideth not in the words of this Law, and fulfilleth them not, Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. making him that offendeth in one, to be guiltie of all, Iam. 2. 10. and by it also wee learne that deaths sting is sinne, 1. Cor. 15. 56. And therefore, whatso∣euer is sinne, that same is mortall. If it bee sinne, it is the sting of death: and, if deaths sting, then is it mortall. For death doth euer sting deadly.

Secondly, it threatneth death and hell for such sinnes as they count veniall; offences seeming very little: as in anger to call one foole, is in danger of hell fire, Matth. 5. 23. and for filthinesse, foolish talke, or scurrilitie, commeth the anger of God,

Ephes. 5. 4. 6. yea we are told, that for euery idle word men shall speake, they shall render an account in the Day of Iudgement, and that, as guilty of death, Matth. 12. 36. And though our Ad∣uersaries doe hold it a veniall sinne, for a man not to husband well his owne estate, liuing carelessely and idle; yet Christ held it a sinne worthy damnation, Matth. 25. 26, 27, 30. To bee a bragger, to be deceitfull, to breake a mans couenant, to bee without knowledge, though they ranke not these among hai∣nous crimes, yet deserue they death, as we learne by their Bible, Rom. 1. 32.

Thirdly, it telleth vs, that, for seeming small offences, many haue beene fearefully punished; as Lots wife, for looking backe, to haue beene turned into a Statue of Salt, Gen. 19. 26. For gathering sticks on the Sabbath day, God commanded to stone a man to death, Numb. 15. 35. and one for blaspheming vpon passion, when he was striuing with another, Leuit. 24. 10, 14. Some of Aarons sonnes, for offering strange fire, were burnt to death with fire from heauen, Leuit. 10. 1, 5. Vzzah, of a good in∣tent, but touching the Arke, was striken dead of God, 2. Sam. 6. 7. The Bethshemites, for but looking into the Arke, were smitten dead, to the number of aboue fifty thousand, 1. Sam. 6. 19. The Israelites slaine in the Wildernesse, 1. Cor. 10. For vnaduisedly speaking; yea, when it came from a vexed and ex∣asperated spirit, was Moses punished, Psal. 105. 32, 33. he was not permitted to goe into Canaan, which was a type of Hea∣uen, but hee must dye before, euen Moses. Now, whatsoeuer sinne vnder the Law God punished with death, or commanded to be punished by death; the same, without remission, deser∣ued eternall death. For the first time that death is mentioned, it is to bee vnderstood of death temporall and eternall, due to all, had not there beene a Mediatour betweene God and vs, Gen. 2. 17.

Fourthly, it teacheth, that Originall sinne (which is lesse then any actuall sinne, whether in thought, word, or deed) is punished with death, Rom. 5. 12. Now, if the reward of this sinne be death, then surely much more any other flowing from thence, (though it seeme to man neuer so small an offence) de∣serueth

death, as the very consent of the minde to other euill doers, among which boasters are reckoned, is worthy of death, Rom. 1. 32. yea, and Commessations, which we translate Reuel∣lings, wherein too many much delight, is a sinne, which keepes the doers thereof that they cannot obtaine the Kingdome of God, Gal. 5. 21.

Fifthly, sinnes of ignorance vnder the law, Leuit. 4. 2, 13, 27. had sacrifices appointed to make an atonement to God for them. Now, all sacrifices for sinne, shewed that a man deserued death for euery such sinne. Now, if sinnes of ignorance deserue death, what may all men think of such sins, as Papists call veniall, before-mentioned, plainely forbidden by the Word of God?

Sixtly, to commit adulterie, is a mortall sinne: but their Bible telleth vs, that for one to see a woman to lust after her, hath al∣already committed adulterie with her in his heart, Matth. 5. 28. And can any sinne seeme lesse then concupiscence of the heart, suddenly arising by the obiect to the sight? And yet Papists make wanton dalliances no sinne, or as none in their account.

Seuenthly, it sheweth, that it is Christs bloud, that cleanseth from all sinne, 1. Ioh. 1. Now, if euery sinne needs cleansing by his bloud, then euery sinne in its owne nature is mortall, in that it cannot be cleansed, but by his death.

Contraried by Antiquitie.

Austin. in Enchirid. cap. 79. speaking of sinnes which might seeme small, saith, They might bee thought very light, but that in the Scriptures they are demonstrated greater then wee doe imagine. But that the truth speakes it, who would thinke (saith hee) that for a man to call his Brother foole, is guiltie of hell-fire?

The ancient Fathers earnestly exhort to beware of counting any sinnes light or small.

Basil. qu. Contract. qu. 4. No sinne is to bee accounted as small: for that (saith hee) it is the sting of death. See for this, Austin. Epist. 108. and in Ioh. 11. 13. Chrysost. on Gal. 1.

Ierome in Epist. ad Caelantiam: It is very safe to beware of

small sinnes, as if they were great, &c. Neither doe I know, saith he, whether we may call any sinne small, seeing it is com∣mitted with a kinde of contempt of God. And he is most pru∣dent, who respects not so much the quantitie of the thing com∣manded, as the dignitie of the Commander.

See Master Perkins his Demonst. of his Probl. of veniall sin; and therein many testimonies of the Ancients.

Gainsaid by their owne men.

Almaine, out of Gerson Moral. Tract. 3. cap. 20. concludeth, that no sinne is veniall of it selfe; but onely through the mercy of God.

Azorius instit. Moral. part. 1. lib. 4. cap. 8. doth maintaine against Bellarmine, that veniall sinnes are against the Law. Now, that which is against the Law, is deadly. Of this opinion is Fi∣sher, Bishop of Rochester, and diuers others. See the Authors in Doctor Whites Way, digres. 38. pag. 247. and Bishop Mor∣tons. Protest. Appeal. pag. 646.

To passe ouer the oppositions of one against another, they all call them sinnes. Now, euery sinne is the transgression of the Law, 1. Ioh. 3. 4. By which we come to the knowledge of sinne, Rom. 3. 26. and 7. 7. And if there were no Law, there were no transgression, Rom. 4. 15. Therefore in confessing veni∣all sinnes to be sinnes, they make them transgressions of the Law, and then the Law worketh wrath, Rom. 4. 15. and so ne∣cessarily through veniall sinnes, they are vnder wrath, and so sinne mortally, euen to condemnation, except God in Christ pardon them, and that they doe heartily repent, pray for par∣don, and seeke with God reconciliation by Christ.

Scriptures obiected answered.

Matth. 5. 25. Whosoeuer is angry with his brother without cause, is in danger of Iudgement: And whosoeuer shall say vnto his Bro∣ther, Racha, shall be in danger of Councill: and whosoeuer shall say, Thou Foole, shall be guilty of Hell-fire.

Answ. This place proueth not any sinnes to be veniall, and not mortall in their owne nature. For first, this should be against the scope of Christs speech, in confuting the Pharises mis-vn∣derstanding the Law, and here in particular, the sixt comman∣dement. They stucke to the Letter; Christ here extendeth the breach of this Law, to thoughts, and words; so making a man by causelesse anger, and railing words, to be before God guiltie of murder. Is this then to make sinne veniall? or are not rather those, which they conceit to bee veniall, by Christ here made mortall, if to be guilty of bloud before God, be mortall? Se∣condly, here is no difference made of sinnes in their nature; but onely here is shewed the degrees of sinning, and that one of∣fence is greater then another. For faine would I know of them, how they can distinguish these in nature, that anger and calling one Racha, should be veniall; and to call one Foole, to bee mor∣tall? Thirdly, the punishments here expressed, distinguish not the nature of the sinnes, but shew the degrees of punish∣ments, according as men sinne. For as God in mercy will re∣ward mens well-doings with degrees of glory; so in iustice will he in hell, the damned with degrees of punishment, Matth. 10. 15. Fourthly, whereas our Aduersaries make Iudgement, and Councill, temporall punishments for veniall sinnes, and hell fire for mortall sinnes, taking aduantage by the translation of the word Gehenna:

First, it is cleere, that punishments doe not alter the nature of sinnes; but being duely executed, doe shew onely the de∣grees of sinne, to be greater, or lesser, and so are they according∣ly punished. Secondly, Papists themselues hold vnaduised an∣ger, and words euen tending to blasphemie, comming of sud∣den and vnaduised anger, as the word Racha, and Foole doe here, to be veniall sinnes. Therefore they erre in distinguishing the sinnes thus into veniall; and mortall, which they themselues account to be veniall. Thirdly, the punishments here mentio∣ned, are such as either concerne the ciuill Magistrate, to inflict temporally here; or such meant, as God will inflict eternally in another world; but these are not punishable by the Magistrate in these cases: for we finde not in Scripture any Law of Moses,

for Magistrates to call men into iudgement for vnaduised an∣ger; or to a Councill, or to burne men for calling one Racha, or Foole, proceeding no further. Therefore the punishments are meant, such as God will inflict eternally in the life to come. If so, then I answer: Fourthly, that Iudgement, Councill, and hell fire, are the degrees of Gods punishment vpon the wicked in hell. Fifthly and lastly, whereas by the translation, hell fire is giuen to the third, and not to the other two, they would by the other vnderstand onely temporall punishments, and by this, e∣ternall; they are greatly deceiued, or would deceiue, or do both. First, for that these kinds of sinnes here expressed, will not admit this distinction, there being no such great difference betweene the sinnes, as that the former should deserue but onely tempo∣ral punishments in this world, or (as they dreame) in Purgatory, and the other eternall in hell. Secondly, because the words in all the punishments, are first to be conceiued and taken, accor∣ding to the proceeding after the accustomed forme of ciuill iudgements among the Iewes: for some punishment was in∣flicted, according to the sentence of the lowest Court, here vn∣derstood by iudgement, like to our petty Sessions; Some, ac∣cording to the sentence of a higher Court, their Sanhedrin consisting of three and twenty Elders, like to our Quarter Ses∣sions; and some, according to the sentence of the highest Court, the great Councill at Ierusalem consisting of seuentie Elders, like to our great Assizes, whose sentence was inflicted vpon the presumptuous and greatest offendors, Deut. 17. 12. worthy of the place named Gehenna, which was also called To∣pheth, in the valley of the children of Hinnom, in the Suburbs of Ierusalem, where Idolaters made their children to passe thorow the fire, to the Idol Molech, 2. King. 23. 10. 2. Chron. 28. 3. Ier. 7. 31, 32. which places Iosias defiled with filth, in detestation thereof, and became to be for such execrable Idolatry, most ac∣cursed, and so detestable, as that for such as were worthy the greatest torments, Topheth was said to bee prepared, Esai. 30. 33. Whereupon it came to be at length taken for Hell fire, the place of the damned, as here, in Matth. 5. 29, 30. and 10. 28. and 18. 9. and 23. 25, 33. Iam. 3. 6. but here first taken pro∣perly,

as the other two are before, and then applyed vnto Gods inflicting punishment: as if it had been said, As you Iewes here in your countrey doe make difference of offences, and so haue differing degrees of punishing with death, according to your seuerall Courts: So after this life, God accordingly in Hell hath degrees of punishment, for differing sinnes, which here men doe commit. Thus standeth the similitude: Else it were absurd, as Papists make it to be, partly of temporall, and partly of eter∣nall punishment: for as there bee three degrees of sinne; bad, worse, and worst of all; and three degrees of punishment with death, by hanging, stoning, and burning, first, by iudgement, which is great: then by Councill, which is greater; and lastly, by highest Court, as with Gehenna, the greatest of all: so is it with God in punishing the wicked, with seuerall degrees of punishments after death.

Matth. 23. 24. Blinde guides that straine at a Gnat, and swal∣low a Cammell. Here is sinne compared, one to a Gnat, and an∣other to a Cammell: so in Luk. 6. 41. one to a moate, and an∣other to a beame.

Answ. The places shew that all sinnes are not equall, but some farre greater then other-some; which we beleeue & teach. But they proue not, that therefore some onely deserue eternall death; and the other only temporall and not eternall. For all sin, bee it as a Gnat, or a moate, deserues in it owne nature death eternall, as well as the sinne which is as a Cammell, or as a Beame, as before is proued.

Luk. 12. 59. Thou shalt not goe out thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite. This mite is veniall sinne, say they.

Answ. 1. The place is allegorically interpreted; and there∣fore from the bare words is no sound proofe. Secondly, the ab∣surditie, and falshood of such an exposition, is before confuted out of Matth. 5. 25, 26. where it is alledged for Purgatorie, in which place onely veniall sinnes are payed for, compared to farthings, and mites. But what is this last mite a mite of? Is it of a summe which consists all of mites? or else of other moneys, and of greater summes? To affirme it a summe of all mites, were but an idle dreame: and, if it consists of greater summes,

then is the party cast into prison for these also. Then the Alle∣gorie vrged to maintaine Purgatorie, makes it a place to satis∣fie both for mortall and veniall sinnes, which our Aduersaries deny.

1. Cor. 3. 12. Where, by Wood, Hay, and Stubble, are meant veniall sinnes.

Answ. 1. It hath beene alledged before for Purgatorie, and there answered at full. But here yet further I answer: Secondly, that the Apostle speaketh here of vnwholsome, and vnprofita∣ble Doctrines. And are these veniall sinnes? Is errour in Do∣ctrine, not a sinne in its owne nature? Is it not worthy of death, to mis-lead by impure preaching, and to breed errours in mens minds? He is cursed with Amen, that makes the blind goe out* 1.1 of their way.

Iam. 7. 14. Euery one is tempted of his owne concupiscence, drawne, and enticed: then when lust hath conceiued, it bringeth forth sinne; and sinne when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Where they make some motions, no sinnes; some sinnes, but not dead∣ly; and other-some, deadly.

Answ. Here is no distinction of sinnes in their natures; but a genealogie of sinne, from the mother concupiscence, and the deserued reward thereof in the end, which is death. Here is no veniall sinne. For first, death is due to the mother, lust; which lust is sinne, Rom. 7. and worthy of death, Rom. 5. Secondly, he speakes here of sinne singularly, the fruit of lust, conceiued, brought forth, and ripened; as of one and the same sinne grow∣ing to the full height, and not of diuers kinds of sinnes, diffe∣ring in nature. Thirdly, when Iames saith, that lust brings forth sinne, it is not by calling the fruit thereof sinne, to cleere lust from being sinne: for Saint Paul calleth it sinne, Rom. 7. and what is it that naturally brings forth sinne, that in it selfe is not sinne? but it is to distinguish naturall corruption, from actuall transgression. Fourthly, death is put in the last place for sinne consummate, and not that lust is not worthy of death, nor the sinne which floweth thence; but to shew whereto our owne corrupt nature drawne and entised, will at length bring vs by sinning euen vnto death, if it bee not mortified. And therefore

this text is nothing for the proofe of their vntrue distinction of veniall, and mortall sinnes.

Prou. 24. 16. A iust man falleth seuentimes, and riseth vp againe. Ergo, Men may commit sinnes veniall, and yet re∣maine iust.

Answ. Here is no proofe, that these falls or sinnes are not mortall in themselues. For that a iust man sinning, remaineth iust, is not from the nature of the sinnes, which he doth fall into: but from the state of adoption, and Gods mercy which giueth him grace to repent (which is here to bee vnderstood by his ri∣sing againe) God accepting of him in Christ, through whom he is accounted iust, and in whom all his sinnes are veniall.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Deut. 27. 18.