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 the hidden sinnes that are in the con∣science and vvicked vvil of man and hovv that concupiscence is a sinne vvorthy of damnation in the sight of God, and hovv greatly it doth dis∣please him, and for vvhat cause.

T.

IT séemeth to me that this matter of workes hath bene sufficiently, fully, and familiarly entreated of: where∣fore let vs procéede to the rest.

D.

If that which hath bene sayd of workes be well vnderstoode, the reste shalbe easie inough vnto vs: for wee may by the very same meane, iudge of the wil, & of the affectiōs,

according to which God doth iudge of the worke. If then thou be stirred vp to euill, by any wicked affection, & thy will doth consent and agrée therevnto, in such sorte that there wanteth nothing but the onely meane to execute it: Behold the wicked∣nesse is already accōplished before God, thou knowest by that which hath bene al¦ready spoken, how God will iudge. If on the contrary; there be any resistance in thee, & that thy spirite & thy wil in no case will agrée to that cōcupiscence which cō∣tinually doth procure thee, but dee resist and repulse it as farre from them as they may, it is certaine that the iniquitie is not so great: albeit that such a concupis∣cēce, what resistance soeuer there be, can not be without sinne, by reason of the corrupted and wicked spring frō whence it procéedeth. For that is a sure testimo∣nie, that there is much poison and corru∣ption there, where such fruite doth budde forth: although that it finde hinderances which will not permitte and suffer their buddes and fruites to come to their ripe∣nesse. Now such a corruption can not be but very displeasant to God, considering

that it doth procéede from his aduersarie, and that it is contrary to his holy maie∣stie: as wée sée it proued and euident in litle children: yea euen in those whiche are not onely not in age to put any euill acte in execution, but also haue not discre∣tion to iudge neither of good nor euill,* 1.1 wée see how death hath power ouer them, and taketh them out of the worlde: which he could not do except that there were sinne in them. For seyng that sinne did begette death, and that it is a frute of his curse, it is a thing certaine, that there where sinne doth not raigne, death also can haue no power, as S. Paule doth very well conclude.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 5.