it out after death by works of' charity and repentnsec which they re- thsed to perform in this life; either they must pronounce the words of Christ as asvour/ng of heresy, or they will find themselves deceived. 11. But the evli is 8till worse when this distinction between mortal and venial sins is reduced to p,'act/ce. For in the decision of many' questions the answer is, It/s a ten/a/?/n. That is, though it be a sin, there is in it no danger of losing the fayour of God by committing the sin, but it may be done, and repeated a thousand times; and "all the venial sin8 in the world cannot do what one mortal sin can, that make God youl* enemy."* But since their doctors d/ffer endlessly in their decisions, the laity and the common clergy, who believe what is tom them by the confessors and nuthots whom they choose to follow, must be in infinite danger, because the whole body of practical divinity is perverted by the uncertain and endlessly varying distinctions made in the Church of Rome respecting sins as they are divided into mortal and venial. 12. The distinction referred to, as it represents sins as small, trans- gression will also be considered as of a corresponding magnitude. But this is one of the most deceitful delusions by which men are led into sin. The smaller the sin is, it is the less excusable, if it be done knowingly; for if it be small, it is more easily obeyed, and the more reasonably exacted. He that pursues his 8ins to obtain a kingdom, a vast estate, or the like, has something, not to warrant or render legiti- mate his crime, but to extenuate the offence by ma?rnifying the tempta- tion. But to lose the friendship of God for comparatively small offences or indulgences has no excuse, but loads the sinner with an aggravated condemnation. What excuse can be made for him who will not hoid his peace to please God ? What less can he do ? How can it be ex- pected that such a one would mortify his lusts, deny his ambition? part with his goods, lose an eye, cut off a hand, or give his life for Cod, when he will not lose the pleasure of speaking vainly, or indulging easily resisted appetites or passions ? If it be said that the person my be supposed to love God, bemuse he only commits such small sins which he thinks not against the love of God, and if he would not think so he would not do them. But this, in the place of excusing, only aggravate8 the sin, for it i? only turinrig the grace of God into wantonness. He that abuses the grace of God to licentiousness makes his sin to abound, because grace alx:qmd8. Because God is good, he takes leave to do evil. It is ceetain that peemms in this case possess 'all the dispositions of unrenewed sinners: and though their theory nmy teach them to avoid the greater sins, the/r dispmsitious will lead them to the commission of almost every descrip- tion of sin. And indeed, such is the general pra?/? among the mere- Mrs of the Church of Rome, as will appear from the three following 13. To distinguish a whole kind of sins as venial is ? certain way to make repentance and amendment of' life imperfect mad false. For when men, under the t?rors of (}od's law, are deterred from the/v sire, they may still retain strong u?achments to sin, as they do not yet p08- s088 love to God. Yet by this doctrine of distinguishing sins into
- Bolhr.,!ib.i, deAmbL(bit.,?oep. 13. 8e?.<mmnemt, fm qmmd/mTer-
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