As to Original sin, (the corruption of our natures) those of them who hold there is any such thing within us; yet declare that, if it be any sin at all, it is the least of all sins. Andradius employed by the Council of Trent to write, tells us, that their Divines so determine. ⟨p. 120⟩Bellarmine saith, (a)that amongst all sins it is the least voluntary, and on that account is less than any venial sin; and it must be little indeed, that is, less than any venial; for that, as another Cardinal (b)tells us, passeth for nothing. And that which hath so little, or nothing of sin in it, needs no repentance. So (c)Soto concludes, A man that hath no guilt but that of Original sin, hath no need of any Repentance. Thus they represent Original sin, as it is in them before Baptism: but after they are Baptized, they all agree that it is no sin at all. The Council of Trent hath determined it (and so it is now with them an Article of Faith) (d)That in Baptism, not only the guilt of Original sin is remitted, but what ever of it hath any thing of the true and proper nature of sin, is totally taken away; and they curse (e)those who hold that it is only pardoned or impaired, and not all the sin of it quite abolished by Baptism. 6They say they are become Innocent, Pure, Harmless, Spotless; without the least speck of Original sin; and so without any need of Repentance, upon that account, (g)They are so far from being actually obliged to repent of any natural corruption, that they cannot be obliged to it, God himself cannot bind any one to Repent of it. So that if there be in our natures any defectiveness, as to the Image of God, any averseness to God, and that which is good, any propenseness to evil; we are not to take notice of it, or grieve for it as a sin: for how ever the Apostle frequently calls it so, it is none; no more to be repented of, than ⟨p. 121⟩an innocent harmless thing. Thus Original sin is quite discharged from any concern in our Repentance.
As to Original sin, (the corruption of our natures) those of them who hold there is any such thing within us; yet declare that, if it be any sin at all, it is the least of all sins. Andradius employed by the Council of Trent to write, tells us, that their Divines so determine. ⟨p. 120⟩Bellarmine saith, (a)that amongst all sins it is the least voluntary, and on that account is less than any venial sin; and it must be little indeed, that is, less than any venial; for that, as another Cardinal (b)tells us, passeth for nothing. And that which hath so little, or nothing of sin in it, needs no repentance. So (c)Soto concludes, A man that hath no guilt but that of Original sin, hath no need of any Repentance. Thus they represent Original sin, as it is in them before Baptisme: but after they are Baptized, they all agree that it is no sin at all. The Council of Trent hath determined it (and so it is now with them an Article of Faith) (d)That in Baptisme, not only the guilt of Original sin is remitted, but what ever of it hath any thing of the true and proper nature of sin, is totally taken away; and they curse (e)those who hold that it is only pardoned or impaired, and not all the sin of it quite abolished by Baptisme. 6They say they are become Innocent, Pure, Harmless, Spotless; without the least speck of Original sin; and so without any need of Repentance, upon that account, (g)They are so far from being actually obliged to repent of any natural corruption, that they cannot be obliged to it, God himself cannot bind any one to Repent of it. So that if there be in our natures any defectiveness, as to the Image of God, any aversness to God, and that which is good, any propenseness to evil; we are not to take notice of it, or grieve for it as a sin: for how ever the Apostle frequently calls it so, it is none; no more to be repented of, than ⟨p. 121⟩an innocent harmeless thing. Thus Original sin is quite discharged from any concern in our Repentance.
- (a)After Aquinas 3. q. 1. art. 4. De amiss. grat. l. 1. c. 10. p. 226. Inter om•i• pe•cata minimum habet de voluntario & ideo minus grave est in ratione voluntarij qua• quodlibet venial.After Aquinas 3. q. 1. art. 4. De amiss. grat. l. 1. c. 10. p. 226. Inter om•i• pe•cata minimum habet de voluntario & ideo minus grave est in ratione voluntarij qua• quodlibet veniale.
- (b)Modicum pro nihilo habetur, Cajetan. Sum. v. fest. (& saepius alibi) secundu• quoque commune, est, modicum pro nihilo reputari, p. 310.
- (c)Haud tamen huic homini, ulla est paenitentia necessaria. De nat. & Grat. l. 2. c. 12. p. 92. Contritio cum sit dolor, voluntatis duritiem ex peccato contractam comminuens • proprie est de peccato Originali, Aqu•n. supplem. q. 2. art. 2. Sylvest. v. contritio; n. 4. Graft. l. 1. c. 4. n. 2.Haud tamen huic homini, ulla est paenitentia necessaria. De nat. & Grat. l. 2. c. 12. p. 92. Contritio cum sit dolor, voluntatis duritiem ex peccato contractam comminuens • proprie est de peccato Originali, Aqu•n. supplem. q. 2. art. 2. Sylvest. v. contritio; n. 4. Graff. l. 1. c. 4. n. 2.
- (d)In Baptismate—non modo remitti reatum originalis peccati, sed totum id auserri, quoad veram at propriam rationem peccati habet, Sess. •. c. 4.
- (e)Ibid. ca. 4.
- 6(f) Innocents, puri, immaculati, inno xij.(f) Innocentes, puri, immaculati, inno xij.
- (g)Tantum abest ob igari quempiam ad originalis culpae paenitentiam, ut neque poss. Soto ibid.
