SECT. XXXIV. Of Venial and Mortal Sins.

Quest. WHat doth Sin deserve?

A. Death; The soul that sin∣neth shall die, Ezek. 18.4.

Q. Yes indeed, for mortal sins; but there are ve∣nial sins which are of so small importance, that it would seem that they merited not to be punished with death.

A. The Word of God makes no such distinction, it shews us indeed that some Sins are more grievous than others, and that he who knoweth his Masters will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes; but it shews us likewise, that all Sins without exception are by nature worthy of death. Rom. 6.23. The wages of Sin is death. And our Saviour tells us. Matth. 12.36. That for every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judge∣ment: and Matth. 5.22. That he who call'd his Brother Fool, is worthy, or in danger of hell-fire; which are the sins that now are thought to be the most venial. But there is no sin venial before God, since thereby his infinite Majesty is offended, and his Law in∣fringed. Page  96 All sins are mortal to the impeni∣tent, and all are venial and pardonable to those that repent.

Q. It will seem notwithstanding, That S. John makes that distinction in his 1 Epist. 5.16. There is a sin unto death, and there is a sin not unto death.

A. By sin unto death, he doth not mean every sin that deserves death, but the blasphe∣my against the Holy Ghost, for he would not have us pray for him that sinneth this sin unto death. Now it is evident that we ought to pray for them that have committed mortal sins and sins worthy of death; but St. John would not have us to pray that God would pardon the sin against the Holy Ghost, because Jesus Christ tells us, Matth. 12.32. That it shall not be forgiven neither in this world, nor in the world to come.

Q. Why is this Sin never to be forgiven?

A. Not because it is too great for the infi∣nite Mercy of God to pardon, but because it is a Sin that the wicked never Repent of, but is always accompanied with hardness of heart even to the last.