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Orthodox Confession
St Peter Mogila, tr. Lodvel, 1762
Part 3, 5. Questions 41–50
Question 41
What is wilful Gainsaying or Perverseness which any one committeth against a manifest Truth?
Answer.
A Person is guilty of this Perverseness, or Contradiction against certain and manifest Truth, when, notwithstanding he well and fully knows what is good, yet obstinately opposes it both in his Words and Actions, though contrary to his Conscience, that he may go on in Sin with the less Restraint. Of such Sinners the Scripture speaketh thus (Rom. i. 18), The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men, who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness. They wander in a like Error who slander the good Works of their Neighbour, denying that they be of God; as the Pharisees and Jews formerly abused our Saviour when they beheld him cast out impure Spirits with his Word and do many Miracles. Like unto these are they who envy others the Grace bestowed on them by God, and likewise those who forbear to teach the Articles of the Christian Faith unto those who are ignorant of it merely out of Malice and Evil-mindedness. Which Dreadful Evil do Thou, O Christ, our King, Entirely Root out of every Catholic and Orthodox Christian’s Heart! A like Estimation is to be had of these who attribute true Piety and other good Deeds, which are the Fruits of the Holy Ghost, unto Hypocrisy. They also are led astray by the same Error who put off the Faith of Christ; as it is said (Matth. x. 32), Whosoever shall confess me before Men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven; but whosoever shall deny me before Man, him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven.
Question 42
What are those Sins which do most usually and frequently bring down the divine Vengeance on this World?
Answer.
These following; namely, Wilful and designed Murder; of which the Scripture speaketh (Gen. iv. 10), The Voice of thy Brother’s Blood crieth unto me from the Ground. Also the Sin of Sodomy; as the Lord saith (Gen. xviii. 20), Because the Cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is great, and because their Sin is very grievous; therefore I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the Cry of it which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. Likewise Oppression of the Orphan and the Widow, and the defrauding the Labourer of his Hire. Concerning which thus the Prophet Malachi speaketh (chap. iii. 5), I will come near you to Judgment, and I will be a swift Witness against the Sorcerers, and against the Adulterers, and against the False-swearers, and against those that oppress the Hireling in his Wages, the Widow and the Fatherless, and that turn aside the Stranger from his Right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of Hosts. To this may be added those who neglect their Duty to their Parents, and become ungrateful unto them: As saith the Scripture (Exod. xxi. 15), He that smiteth his Father or his Mother shall surely be put to Death. And (ver. 17), He that curseth his Father or Mother shall surely be put to Death.
Question 43
What is venial Sin or Sin not mortal?
Answer.
Sin not mortal, or, as it is called by some, venial Sin, is that which no Man that is born, except Christ and the Virgin Mary, can be without. However, this Degree of Sin doth not deprive us of the Grace of God, nor devote us unto eternal Death. Of this Kind of Sin the Scripture thus teacheth us (John i. 8), If we say that we have no Sin we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. Not any particular Sin, indeed, can be described by this Name, but, in general, whatever are not reckoned in the Number of mortal Sins may be referred to this Class of venial Sins. Nevertheless these Sins are not to be disregarded and suffered to pass unamended; but we ought daily, in our Beds, and in the Night Season, to call them to Mind, and bewail and lament before God for them, as well as for our other Offences: According to the holy Psalmist (Psal. iv. 5), Stand in Awe, and sin not; commune with your own Heart in your Chamber, and be still. And again (Psal. vi. 6), I am weary of my groaning; every Night wash I my Bed and water my Couch with my Tears. For these, therefore, is Pardon also to be sought, through the Intercession of the holy Godbearing Virgin and the Choir of the Saints; for how hateful even these smaller Offences are in the Sight of God is manifest from Scripture (Prov. xv. 26), Wicked Thoughts are an Abomination to the Lord. And without they be cleansed away by sincere Repentance, they open the Way to mortal Sins, chill and weaken the Piety of Man, and render him slothful and negligent of the Commands of God.
Question 44
May not a Person by some Means become a Partaker of another’s Guilt?
Answer.
We become Partakers of another’s Guilt when we entice any one to Sin, especially if the Person be one that wholly depends upon our Advice and Assistance, and puts all his Confidence and Trust in us. Such are those spiritual Fathers who permit a Man to lead a wicked Life contrary to the divine Commands and the Traditions of the Church. Such, also, are those Masters who cause their Servants to sin, Husbands their Wives, Parents their Children, or Teachers their Scholars, by immediate Persuasion, or permitting them the Liberty of Living, and so, too, of sinning as they think fit. All these, and all like unto these, shall render a strict Account unto God in the Day of Judgment of those who are committed unto their Care; wherefore St. Paul thus admonisheth his own Timothy (1 Tim. v. 22), Lay Hands suddenly on no Man, neither be Partaker of other Men’s Sins; keep thyself pure.
Question 45
By what other Means may we become Partakers of the Sins of others?
Answer.
When any one giveth Occasion unto others of sinning, whether it be inviting them to sin by Scandal, by consenting, by indecent Language, by commending of Vice or decrying of Virtue. Among these are deservedly reckoned those who designedly excite others to Anger, those who do not strive against Vice and Wickedness with all their Might, and those who do not, according to their Station, reprehend and admonish. All these become involved in the other’s Guilt.
Question 46
Having now sufficiently discoursed concerning Virtues and Vices, I desire thou wouldst treat concerning the Commandments of God?
Answer.
The Commandments of God are ten in Number, and in them are many others contained.
Question 47
But are not the Precepts of the old Law long since fulfilled?
Answer.
The Precepts of the Old Testament which were concerning Ceremonies and Mysteries, and were to foreshow the Works of Christ, these all are passed away as a Shadow at the Approach of the Body; nor are they any longer binding or to be observed by Christians. But those Commands which enjoin the Observation of Charity and our Duty towards God and our Neighbour are not only to be observed by Christians, but to be observed also more carefully and perfectly by them than they were by the Israelites under the old Law. For as God hath bestowed on us greater and more excellent Gifts than on them, and especially as we have received that most incomparable Grace of the Holy Spirit, through our Lord Jesus Christ, so ought our Actions to excel those of the Jews: As it is said (Matth. v. 20), Unless your Righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no Case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Likewise (verse 21), Ye have heard that it was said by them of old Time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the Judgment; But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his Brother without a Cause shall be in danger of the Judgment; and whosoever shall say to his Brother, Raka! shall be in danger of the Council; but whosoever shall say, Thou Fool! shall be in danger of Hell Fire. In the same Place much more is also said of the rest; wherefore all the Commandments relating to the Love of God and of our Neighbour are carefully to be observed, for on these two hang all the Law and the Prophets: As the Lord hath said (Matth. xxii. 37), Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind. This is the first and great Commandment; the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.
Question 48
Since Christ confirmed only two Commandments, I pray thee how can there be ten?
Answer.
These are the two general and principal Commandments, on which all the rest are founded, and for this Reason: these ten Commandments are divided into two Tables, in the first of which those are contained which enjoin the love of God, in the last those which teach us in what Manner we are to love our Neighbour. Therefore in these two Christ hath confirmed and established the whole ten; and concerning this Law he hath pronounced thus (Luke xvi. 17), It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass than one Tittle of the Law to fail.
Question 49
What is the first Commandment of the first Table?
Answer.
This is the first Commandment of the first Table, or Codicil (Exod. xx. 2), I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, and out of the House of Bondage: Thou shalt have none other God but me.
Question 50
How is this Commandment to be understood?
Answer.
In this first Commandment God reveals himself unto Man that he may be known by him, for unto this End gave he an understanding Heart unto Man, that he might discern and acknowledge him for his Lord and his Creator, and praise and glorify him. Accordingly he doth not introduce his Laws by saying, I am God, the Creator of the World; but, I am thy God, who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt; it being more familiar and affecting to the Jews that he should introduce his Commandments with a Reason for their obeying them that was taken from a signal and memorable Transaction wherein they were most affectingly interested, and which, as yet, continued before their Eyes, and whereby they would the more manifestly and apparently see the great Bounty and Goodness of God towards Men, and thereby be excited to praise him with the greater Readiness, and acknowledge him to be the one only true God. He hath elsewhere testified concerning himself (Isa. xlv. 12), I have made the Earth, and created Man upon it; I, even my Hands, have stretched out the Heaven, and all their Hosts have I commanded. Also a little before (ver. 5), I am the Lord, and there is none else; there is no God besides me. Now, we Christians are bound to a more exact Observance of this Precept than the Jews were; forasmuch as our Lord God hath bestowed on us a more ample and excellent Liberty: According to the Apostle (Coloss. i. 13), Who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have Redemption through his Blood, even the Forgiveness of Sins. In the second Part of this Command the Israelites are forbidden to adore and worship any other God but only the true God. By this Precept, then, the inward Worship of God, and that which proceedeth out of the Heart itself, is commanded; and that because God seeth the Heart and searcheth out the most hidden Things of Men’s Minds.