and e5Vforál Works. SECT. XIX. Of Mortal Sin or what Sin will not fand with Saving grace. 283. But as to the queftion, Howgreat the sinmidi bewhich is ineon- ( fient with true love to God, or holinefi ? that belongeth to the Contro- verfie about Mortal andVenial Sin : where the difficulty is as great to one fide as another : fo great, that not only Pious Gerfon, but many another have confeffed it too hard for them well to folve. 284. In general, It is certain that all Sin is fo far Mortal as to deferve Death according to theLam ofNature and Innocency, and fo far as to make us needa pardon : Though not fo far as to be inconfiftentwith fpiritual lifeand ;unification, and right to Glory, and tomake damna- tion due tous according to theLamof Grace. And Proteftants confefs the diftin&ionof Mortal andVenial Sin, under the name of Wickednef, or Reigning Sin, and sin of Infirmity in this fence; that Mortal Sin is that which is inconfiftent with true Faith, Repentance, Love, Jufti- fication and right to life, and is never pardoned till the perfon be chan- ged by true converfion : But Venial sin or Infirmity is that which con- fifteth with all thefeaforefaid,and is prefently pardoned by theCovenant of Grace, upon the atlual or habitual Repentanceor hatred of it in the Sinners. 985. It is certain that the interruption of the All of Divine Love, will notprovea Sin tòbe Mortal. For though I deteft fuch conclufionsas the Janfenift gatherethfrom theJefuites Morals, that loving Godonce or twice in a man's life, or once a month, may fave him, yet it is certain that the love of God is notalways notably a&edby any : It is interrupted in our fleep, and in common ftudies and bufineffes which take up the whole man ; And therefore if a Sin (as finful ftudy) interrupt it, that willnot prove it a Mortal fin. 286. And it is certain that a finis not therefore Mortal becaufe it di- minifheth the Habit of Love. For that may be in thofe that (íi11 are the ;citified Children of God. 287. Thereare two Degrees ofMortality in Sin, asour Divinesat Dort domore than intimate (and thofeofBreme there) : Theone is, when fin putteth a man into the fameRate, as to theLove ofGod, whichhe or any otherwas in, in the next degree before true Juftification, or San&ifica- tionor Converfion: which is when the Habit ofDivine Love , and all other lavingGrace is fofar loft, as that Habitually the Creature is more loved than the creator : If anydo fall thusfar (which is the controverfie) then its granted that their Juftification, Adoptionand right to Heaven, is loft. But whileGod is habitually deareft to the Soul, andSin is habi- tually morehated than loved, there fin is habitually repented of ; And for mypart Ido not think that perfon is unjuftified, orfhould be damned if he fo dyed. 288. And I believe that this was the cafe of David and Peter : And its very improbable that theyloft the veryhabits of love to God, and hatred of Sin. 289. The other degree of Mortality, the laid Divines take to be Come heinous A& of Sin like David's or Peter's , which deftroyeth not the habit, but is fogreat, that the perfon, though helofe not hisfi,nda- mental IO Vid. LeBtaxkde Pece, Mort. &Ven. & z Difj. Vid. Rob. Baronin de Pactar Mort. &Ven. The belt I know on the Sub- Jett. Vid. Epifcopii Refp. ad æß.64. g. 18. pag.ig. Davenane do fuflie. APaali, cap. 35. Saith that Sin may be called Mortal in three degrees. r. Becaufe ie is never pardoned, as the Blaf- phony of the Holy Ghoft. a. Thofe which bring navum rectum mar- tin fed reraibilem upon repentance. And loch he maketh all fuch grofs Sin ailed as is mention. ed, t Cor. 6. andGalt. Pap;they that the Papitts call Mortal Sin. 3. The daily infirmities of the faithful, which in rigour oft lultice de] doned by Graee.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=