An Ample Declaration of the Christian DoctrineChapter 18. Of mortal and veniall sinne

Scholar. Declare vnto me now, what is actuall sinne, and how one is mortall and an other veniall.

Master. Actuall sinne is that which wee commit by our owne will, when wee are come to the vse of reason. As to steale, to kill, to sweare falsely, and such like things, contrarie to the law of God. And it is mortal sinne, when it depriueth vs of the grace of God, which is the life of the soule, & maketh one worthie of eternal death in hell. It is veniall sinne, when it displeaseth God, but not so much that it depriueth vs of his grace and meriteth punishment, but not eternall.

Scholar. How shall I know, whether the sin be mortal or venial?

Master. To know when a sinne is mortall, you must obserue two rules, one is, that the sinne be contrarie to the charitie or loue of God, or of our neighbour. The other, that it bee with full consent of the will. For when either of these two things is wanting, it is not mortall but veniall. And a sinne is then said to bee aagainst charitie, when it is against the lawe in a matter of weight, as when it is a sufficient offence to breake friendship: but when it is in a small matter, such as ordinarilie breaketh not friendship: It is not then against charitie: but is said, not to be according to charitie. And so such as commonly breaketh friendship is against the law, because it is against charitie, which is the end of the law, such as commonly breaketh not frendship, is not against the law, but not acording to the law, because it is not against charitie, but not according to charitie. Take an exāple to steale a great quantitie of money, is a mortal sinne: because it is against the law of God, being in a matter of weight, and in the iudgement of most men sufficient to breake frendship, and so is against charitie: but to steale a farthing, or a pinne, or a like thing, is not a mortall sinne, but a venial, because it is in a small matter: which although it be not according to charitie, yet it is not against charitie: because it is not a thing that in reason can breake frendship. In like manner we may say of being voluntarie. For when a thing is against the law, in a matter of weight, and fully, voluntarie, it is a mortall sinne: but if it be not fully voluntarie, as if one haue a thought, or a sodaine desire to steale, or to kill, or to blaspheme, and presently perceiueth his error, before he fully consent with his will, it is only a veniall sin. Therefore a man must stand vpon his gard, and presently as he is aware of an euil thought, or desire, he must driue it away, before they geue consent.