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Chapter 5: Of Christian Justice

1. What thinges doe belong to Christian Iustice.

ALL such thinges maie bee reduced vnto two pointes,1 which are comprehended in these wordes.2 Decline thou from euil, & doe good: as also ESAY teacheth:3 Cease yee to doe peruersely, and learne to doe well. This is that which4 S. PAVL admonisheth, that the olde man with his actes must be put off, & the new man must bee put on, in Iustice and Holinesse of trueth. The first consisteth in knowing & eschuing sinnes, for they are vnto mortall men the greatest euills that can be. And the latter standeth in the desire & pursute of thinges that be good.

But to the intent that wee may performe5 both these offices appertaining to Iustice; Gods grace hath beene by IESVS CHRIST purchased and promised vnto vs, and is euer most necessarie. By meanes of which, both preuenting vs,6 and cooperating with vs: that effecte is wrought in vs which S. IHON affirmeth:7 He that doth Iustice is iust: euen as he also is iust. Moreouer he addeth: He that committeth sinne, is of the Deuill.

2. What is sinne?

SInne (as witnesseth S. AVGVSTINE)8 is a will to retaine or obtaine that which Iustice prohibiteth, and from which it is in mans power to abstaine. And in an other place he teacheth, that, sinne 9 is, whatsoeuer is spoken, donne or desired contrary to the lawe of God. And Saint AMBROSE: What is sinne 10 saith he, but the transgression of Gods lawe, and the disobaying of the heauenly precepts.

3. How many kinde of sinnes be there?

THree,11 Originall, Mortall, and Veniall.

The first we call Originall, which12 being transfused, by ADAM the first Father of mankinde; and contracted by vs in our very conception:13 is taken away by Baptisme in Christ.

Whereof, S. PAVL speaketh in this manner:14 By one man sinne entered into this worlde, & by sinne death: and so vnto all men death did passe, in which all sinned. And againe, speaking vnto the Baptised, to the intent that he might shewe, that the force of Christian Baptisme did extend to the purging of this sinne also; he plainly testifieth: You 15 are washed, you are sanctified, you are iustified in the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, and in the spirite of our God.

But Mortall sinne; is that actuall sinne (as they call it) which taketh away spiritual life, and bringeth the death of the soule of him that sinneth: which death, separateth a man from God and his16 kingdome, & maketh him worthie of euerlasting punishment. Whereupon it is written; The 17 stipend of sinne, death. 18 Iniustice, is the procurement of death: and the vngodly haue inuited her, with handes and wordes.

Finally, a veniall sinne is certes actuall, but it is such a sinne as doth not make a man the enimy of God, & whereof, pardon is easily obtained by the faithfull at Gods hande. Of this hath S. IHON saide:19 If wee shall say that we haue no sinne, we seduce our selues, and the trueth is not in vs. And S. IAMES confesseth plainely:20 In many thinges we offende all. And if wee beleeue the wise man: The 21 Iust man falleth seauen times a day, and risethe againe

Now, it is manifest that one sinne is more22 grieuous than another: & it is agreable both to humane & diuine Iustice also, that a greater punishment23 is due to the greater sin. And for that cause hath Christ put this difference, betweene the faulte and the punishement of one that sinneth wittingly, & of another that sinneth vnwittingly:24 That seruant, saith he, that knewe the will of his Lorde, and prepared not himselfe, & did not according to his wil: shal be beaten with many stripes. But hee that knewe not, and did thinges worthie of stripes: shall be beaten with fewe. And in another place, speaking of the sinne of Anger, and the degrees thereof, he hath giuen this sentence:25 Whosoeuer is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of iudgement: and whosoeuer shall say to his brother Raca: shall be in danger of a Councell: and whosoeuer shal say thou foole: shall be giltie of the hell of fire. Where, as26 S. GREGORY saith, According to the degrees of the faulte, encreaseth the order of the sentence: whilest Anger without voice; is bound to iudgement, wherin the case is discussed: Anger in voice; is designed to a Councel, wher the sentence is determined: Anger in voice and word, is adiudged to hell fire: wher finally the sentence is executed

274 Why is sinne to be eschewed?

FIrst, because God hath commaunded none to doe wickedly, and hath giuen no man space to sinne, but 28 hateth all those that worke iniquitie.

As the Scripture expresly testifieth. Neithr is any thing more odious & hatefull to God, who29 otherwise loueth all thinges that are, and prosecuteth nothing with hatred & punishment, but only sin, which truly neither in30 heauen, nor in earth, hee suffreth to escape vnpunished.

Moreouer, sinne,31 (that we maie see howe execrable & abominable a thing it is:) was the32 cause that Christ our Lorde, who otherwise committed no33 sinne him-selfe, did vndertake the CROSSE, & suffer a most bitter death. For;34 Hee was wounded for our iniquities, he was worne out for our wickednesse: our Lorde laide vpon him the iniquitie of vs all: He 35 is the propitiation for our sinnes: and not for ours only, but also for the whole worldes.

And therefore, certes, hee hath washed36 vs from our sinnes in his bloud, that as many as euer are buried with him by Baptisme37 into death, they being38 dead to sinne, may liue to Iustice & alwaies walke by his grace in39 newnesse of life. But they that after grace receiued in the Baptisme of Christ, will voluntarilye sinne againe: they sinne against Christ, they persecute Christ, they crucifie Christ again, & shalbe punished by Christ the iust Iudge, no lesse then the wicked Heathens. For so S. PAVL teacheth:40 If we sinne willingly, after the knowledge of the truthe receiued, now there is not lefte an host for sinnes, but a certaine terrible expectation of iudgemente. Of which persons the Apostle S. PETER hath also saide:41 It was better for them not to know the way of Iustice, then after the knowledge to turne backe from that holy commandement which was deliuered vnto them. Wherefore he that stan deth, 42 let him loke that he doe not fall, for in falling the latter thinges are become worse then the former. Moreouer,43 they which committe sinne and iniquitie are enemies to their owne soule; if we beleeue the Angell RAPHAEL.44 For a man by malice killeth his own soule. 45 The soule which shall sinne, she shall die. And nothing certes is more vnhappie then that death, by which a man is foreuer separated from the company of all the Saintes, from the ioye of the Angels and all heauenly Inhabitants, & finally from that so soueraigne & eternall46 good, in the knowledge & fruition whereof, consisteth certes the whole welfare and perfite blessednesse of a man.

Besides all this, such is the nature and malignitie of sinne, that it doth not only draw men euen those that be Iust,47 from God, & from the grace and glory of God: but doth moreouer inthrall them to most extreame and euerlasting euils both of body and soule: & not only in this life48 but also in the life to come, it maketh them most vnhappy: insomuch as being brought into the power of the Deuils, they are deliuered vp to most greiuous torments & all maner of euils for euermore. Wherefore, are those examples to be noted, which euery where in holy writte are mentioned, concerning the reprehension and punishment of sinners: as of49 CAIN,50 PHARAO,51 NABVCHODONOSOR, the52 SODOMITES,53 EGYPTIANS,54 ISRAELITS and others, whose wickednesse, the iust God hath persecuted in most marueilouse and horrible manner. Those sentences also are to be obserued, which teach that the mischeuous pestilence of sinne is to be eschewed & detested. As:55 he that committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne; Hatefull vnto God 56 is the wicked man and his wickednesse. Sinne 57 maketh people miserable. 58 Flie from sinne as from the face of an adder. 59 Thou art a God that willeth not iniquitie, neither shal the maliciouse dwel neere vnto thee, neither shal the vniust abide in thy sight. 60 He that shall sinne in one thing, shal lose many good thinges. 61 All the daies of thy life haue thou God in minde, and take heede that thou doe not at any time consent vnto sinne, and ouerpasse the precepts of our God. These thinges doe tend to this end, that a man may knowe God a most iust reuenger of sinne: and knowing him may feare him: and fearing him may haue regarde to his owne saluation: and by regarding; may escape the horrible paines of sinners. For, 62 many are the scourges of a sinner.

5. What way leadeth vnto sinne?

BY three63 degrees espeaciallie, we doe fall into sinne: by Suggestion, Delectation, & Consent.

By Suggestion certes of the enemie: whilest an euill cogitation, or tentation either by the worlde, the fleshe, or the diuell is thrust into vs: and by our owne delectation; when that pleaseth too much the minde, which an euil tentation suggesteth: and finally, with our owne consent also; whenas the will being allured; consenteth deliberately to the sin it selfe: by which consent, the sinne is nowe64 consummate, so that it doth not only make a man vnclean and vniust, and slea him spiritually: but also maketh him gilty of hel before God although it be not alwaies accomplished in acte. And therfore not in vaine is it saide:65 that in suggestion is the seede, in delectation the nutriment, in consent the perfection of sinne.

And if we doe exactly consider, which are wonte to be the degrees of sinne: wee shall finde, that first,66 of suggestion, there ariseth cogitation; of cogitation, affection; of affection, delight; of delight, consent; of consent, worke; of worke, custome; of custome, despaire; of despaire, defending of sinne; of defending, boasting; of boasting, damnation. This is that long and horrible cheine of sinnes: these be the67 ropes and fetters, wherewith a man being bounde, Satan doth miserablie cast him downe hedlong heere into all manner of mischiefe, and at the last in to the bottomlesse pit of Hell. And therefore is it verye requisite, to discerne and obserue verye dilligentlye these degrees and branches of sinnes, that we be not thereby deceiued & endaungered.

6. How are sinnes easilie auoided?

FIrst certes, if we doe foresee the euils and dangers which doe follow after sinne: then if we doe presently stoppe,68 and mightily resiste their euill entrances and suggestions, by which we are easily solicited to sinne: last of all, if we doe endeuour to Practise the vertues,69 contrary to these sinnes: Christ in all these thinges assisting vs.

Wherefore the Ecclesiasticus giueth warning:70 Do thou not goe after thy concupiscences; and from thy owne will, see thou turne away: if thou doest graunt vnto thy soule her concupiscences; she will cause the to be a ioye to thy enemies: And heereupon it is also pronounced by a diuine oracle:71 Shalt thou not if thou doe well, receiue well? but if euill; thy sinne shall presently be in the gates, but vnder thee shalbe the appetite thereof and thou shalt haue dominion ouer it.

72And here, that spirituall armour taketh place, wherewith S. PAVL will haue the souldiers of Christ to be garded, against sinne and all the deceipts of the deuill, that they may striue againe sinne, resist in the euill day, and extinguish all the dartes of the most wicked one.

Footnotes

  1. Aug. ser. 19. de temp. Chrys in Ps. 4. & ho. 16. in epist. ad Ephes. Prosp. sent. 98. ex. Aug. ↩

  2. Psal. 36, 27. & 33, 15 1. Pet. 3, 10.11. Tob. 4, 13. ↩

  3. Esa. 1, 16 Eccli. 3, 32. Ro. 12, 10. ↩

  4. Col. 3, 8. Eph. 4, 16.17.18.19.20 ↩

  5. Bern. ser. 1. de Pentec. ↩

  6. Aug. de grat & lib. arbit, ca 9. 15. & 16. Iten in Ench. c. 32. Hier lib. 2. in Iouin. cap 2. Conc. Trid. sess. 6. can. 2. ↩

    1. Io. 3, 8.
    ↩

  8. Lib. de duab. anim. c. 11. & l 1. retract. c. 15 & 13. lib de Gen. ad lit. imperf. c. 1. ↩

  9. Lib. 22. cont. Faust. ca. 27. lib. 1. contr. 2. ep. Pelag. c. 13. ↩

  10. Lib. de Paradiso. c. 8. Aug. lib. 2 de consens. Euang. c. 4. Bed. in ca. 3. ep. 1 Ioan. ↩

  11. Aug. in Ench. c 64. ↩

  12. Trid. conc. ses. 5. ↩

  13. Ps. 50, 7. ↩

  14. Ro. 5, 12. ↩

    1. Cor. 6, 11.
    ↩
    1. Cor. 6, 9. Gal. 5, 19 Apoc. 21, 8.
    ↩

  17. Ro. 6, 23 ↩

  18. Sap. 1, 16. ↩

  19. 1 Io. 1, 6. Aug. lib. 3. cont. 2. ep. Pelag. c. 3. ↩

  20. Iac. 3, 2. ↩

  21. Pro. 24, 16. Eccles. 7, 21. ↩

  22. Io. 19, 12. ↩

  23. Aug. lib. 21. ciu. c. 16. & ser. 18. de verb. Apost. cap. 4. ↩

  24. Luc. 12, 47. ↩

  25. Mat. 5, 23. ↩

  26. Greg. 21. moral. c. 5. Aug. li. 1. de ser. Dom. in monte. c. 9. ↩

  27. Eccle. 15, 21 ↩

  28. Psal. 5, 7. Eccli. 12, 3. Sap. 14, 9. Pro. 15, 8.9. Exod. 23, 7. ↩

  29. Sap. 11, 25. ↩

  30. Esa. 14, 11.12. 2. Pet. 2, 4, 5.6.7. ↩

  31. Leu. 26, 14 15. Deut. 28, 15 16. ↩

  32. Bern. ser. 3. de nat. do. ↩

    1. Pet. 2, 21.
    ↩

  34. Esa. 53, 5 ↩

    1. Io. 2, 2
    ↩

  36. Apoc. 1, 5 ↩

  37. Ro. 6, 2. ↩

    1. Pet. 2, 13.
    ↩

  39. Ro. 6, 4. ↩

  40. Heb. 10, 26. ↩

    1. Pet. 2, 21.
    ↩
    1. Cor. 10, 12. Luc. 11, 26. Mat. 12, 45.
    ↩

  43. Tob. 12, 10. ↩

  44. Sap. 16, 14. ↩

  45. Ezech. 18, 4. Iac. 1, 15. Psal. 33, 22. Ro. 6, 23. ↩

  46. Mat. 7, 23. & 25, 11 Luc. 13, 27. Psal. 6, 9. Chrys. ho. 24. in Mat. & 48. ad pop. Iten ep. 5. ad Theod laps. ↩

  47. Ezec 18, 24.33, 12. ↩

  48. Iudit. 5, 18. Ezod. 32, 33 Num. 14, 28. Eccli. 21, 4. Psal. 10, 6. Luc. 16, 22.23. ↩

  49. Gen. 4, 11.12. ↩

  50. Exod. 14, 27. ↩

  51. Dan 4, 22 ↩

  52. Gen. 19, 24. Ezech. 16, 49. ↩

  53. Exod. 7, 8.9.10.12.14. ↩

  54. Deut. 23, 22. Num. 16, 26. ↩

  55. Io. 8, 34. ↩

  56. Sap. 14, 9 ↩

  57. Pro. 14, 34. ↩

  58. Eccli. 21, 2. ↩

  59. Ps. 5, 5.6. ↩

  60. Eccles. 9, 18. ↩

  61. Tob. 4, 6.7. vid. Chris. hom. 8. ad pop. Antio. 17. in Gen. 51. & 37. in Io. 28. in ep. ad Ro. 41. in Act. & ho. de Iona. Proph. Bas. ho. in Ps. 33. Aug. propos 42. ex ep. ad Roman. ↩

  62. Psal. 31, 10. ↩

  63. Aug. lib. de ser. do. in monte. c. 12. & l. 12. de Trin. c. 12. Greg. ho. 16. in Euang. & l. 4. mor. cap 27. ↩

  64. Iac. 1, 14 & ibid. Beda Tob. 4, 6. Ro. 6, 12. Mar. 5, 23. ↩

  65. Greg. ad interrog. 11. Augustini Cantuar. ↩

  66. vide Greg. l. 4. mor. c. 27. & Isid. l. 2. de sum. bo. c. 23 ↩

  67. Pro. 5, 22 Psal. 118, 61. 2. reg. 11, 6. vide Aug. l. 8. conf. c. 5. Greg. l. 25. mor. c. 12. ↩

  68. Psal. 136, 9. Iac. 4, 7. 1. Pet. 5, 8. Ber. ser. 5. de quadrag. & 29. ex paruis & 49. in cant ↩

  69. Ro. 12, per totum. Eph. 4, per totum. Phil. 4, 5.8. ↩

  70. Eccli. 18, 30. ↩

  71. Gen, 4, 7. ↩

  72. Eph. 6, 11 Heb. 12, 3. ↩

Chapter 18 of 36