A Christian instruction, conteyning the law and the Gospell. Also a summarie of the principall poyntes of the Christian fayth and religion, and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same. Done in certayne dialogues in french, by M. Peter Viret, sometime minister of the Word of God at Nymes in Prouince. Translated by I.S. Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions.

Of those whiche sinne more through ig∣norance than through malice.

M.

I Am satisfyed wyth the examples that thou haste alreadie alledged of those which sinne more of malice than of ignorance, Giue me now examples of the others whiche offend more of ignorance than of malice.

P.

Séeing we haue spokē of phariseys, thou haste an euident exam∣ple of S. Paule, if thou do cōsider whē he was a pharisey and a persecuter, before y^t he was conuerted to the Gospell.

M.

I know wel that he was then a greate per∣secuter of the Christians.

Pet.

Hée dothe playnly confesse it himselfe. But he did not persecute them with so euill a con∣science as the Scribes and Phariseis did persecute Christ and his apostles For he did more of ignorance than of malice, as he himselfe dothe witnesse.

M.

But was

there also no malice in him?

P.

As I doe not cléerely exempt from ignorance those which offend more of malice thā of igno∣rance, euen in like sort do I not exempt cléerely from malice those which offende more of ignorāce thā of malice.

M.

Thou meanest then that bothe sorts haue both ignoraunce and malice in them, and that there is no difference betwéene them, but only in the muchnesse or litlenesse of the ignoraunce and malice of eyther sorte.

P.

Thou moughtest well vnderstande it by that which I haue sayd: And therfore we say, that they whiche offende more of ig∣norance than of malice, offende by zeale without knowledge, and the others whi∣che fight against the knowledge whiche they haue, do sinne and fight more open∣ly against their owne conscience, and in very déede oftentimes go so far, that they sinne agaynst the holie Ghost, the which as Iesus Christe wilnesseth, shall neuer be pardoned of God, bicause that he figh∣teth openly against the grace and the gif∣tes of the holie Ghost, without the whi∣che no man may euer obtaine pardone.

M.

I woulde gladly that thou diddest ex∣pounde

vnto me some thing more fami∣liarly what this sinne of the holy Ghost is: for there be verye fewe that are fully resolued therin.

P.

I woulde shewe thée myne opinion, but the matter would be too long for this present, wherfore let vs folow our purpose which we haue begon.

Notes

• Act. 8. a. 9. a 1. Tim. 1. c
• 1. Tim. 1. c
• Rom. 10. ••
• Matth. 12. ••