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Orthodox Confession
St Peter Mogila, tr. Lodvel, 1762
Part 3, 2. Questions 11–20
Question 11
Wherein doth Christian Prudence consist?
Answer.
Christian Prudence is an earnest and upright Will, arising from Forethought and a diligent Circumspection, that none of our Actions or Thoughts offend God or our Neighbour. Of this kind of Prudence the Lord thus teacheth us (Matth. x. 16), Be ye wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves. Which St. Paul thus more fully expoundeth (Eph. v. 15), See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as Fools, but as wise, redeeming the Time, because the Days are Evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the Will of the Lord is. This Christian Prudence is founded in Plainness and perfect Simplicity of Heart, in all Honesty and Uprightness, and in all Wariness, that the Enemy of our Souls do not beguile us with Indiscretion; nor any others who may desire to give us Hindrance and Disturbance.
Question 12
What is Justice?
Answer.
Justice is that Virtue which renders to every one that which belongeth unto him and is his Due; which observeth to do that which is his Duty, without respect to Persons; and this not only in one’s Business and Dealings, but also in what relates to another’s Distinction and Dignity. Christian Justice not only returns Good for Evil, but also permitteth not to wish Evil to another, although deserved from us: According to the Apostle’s doctrine (Rom. xii. 17), Recompense to no Man Evil for Evil. Provide things honest in the Sight of all Men. And the Apostle, speaking directly of Justice itself, saith thus (Rom. xiii. 7), Render therefore to all their Dues, Tribute to whom Tribute is due, Custom to whom Custom, Fear to whom Fear, Honour to whom Honour. Owe no Man anything, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law.
Question 13
Do, then, Magistrates and Judges sin against Justice when they punish the Guilty for their Crimes?
Answer.
No; for there is no Power but of God; as St. Paul teacheth (Rom. xiii. 3), Rulers are not a Terror to good Works, but unto the Evil: Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power? Do that which is Good, and thou shalt have Praise of the same. For he is the Minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is Evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the Sword in vain; for he is the Minister of God to execute Wrath upon him that doeth Evil.
Question 14
What is Temperance?
Answer.
Temperance is the Moderation in Eating, Drinking, and Clothing which any one observeth; likewise it is that whereby one prudently chooseth that which is fit and becoming him in all his Words and Actions; as the Apostle says to the Romans (Rom. xiii. 13), Let us walk honestly as in the Day; not in Rioting and Drunkenness, not in Chambering and Wantonness, not in Strife and Envying. In like Manner (1 Cor. xiv. 40), Let all things be done Decently and in Order.
Question 15
What is Fortitude?
Answer.
Fortitude, that is, considered as a Christian Virtue, is a firm Strength of Mind, whereby any one withstands all the Storms of Temptation, which, for Christ’s sake, he endureth from visible and invisible Enemies; which Constancy of Mind St. Paul describeth (Rom. viii. 35), Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ? Shall Tribulation, or Distress, or Persecution, or Famine, or Nakedness, or Peril, or Sword? And a little after, at the 38th Verse, For I am persuaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things present, nor Things to come: Nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature, shall be able to separate us from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. But of this Class of Virtues we have already discoursed in the former Part, when we treated of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and other Virtues.
Question 16
What is Sin?
Answer.
Sin hath not any Existence in itself, as it is not a Being created by God: wherefore we cannot explain what it is; only thus far we can describe it, That it is a certain unrestrained and unruly Will of Man, out of the Devil; or it may be described as in Holy Scripture (1 John iii. 4), Sin is a Transgression of the Law: That is, Sin is a Transgression of the Divine Law; which Transgression is some Contrariety, opposing the Will of God, proceeding from the Understanding and the proper and deliberate Will of the Sinner. From this Contrariety ariseth Death, and all the divine Wrath; as saith the Scripture (James i. 15), Then when Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin; and Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth Death.
Question 17
How many Kinds of Sin be there?
Answer.
According to the Scripture, some Sins be unto Death, and some not unto Death. There be, therefore, mortal Sins, and those that are not so.
Question 18
What is mortal Sin?
Answer.
Mortal Sin is, when the perverse Will of Man doeth a thing manifestly forbidden by the divine Law; or, on the other hand, omitted to do, with the whole Heart and Desire, that which is commanded of God, whereby Charity towards God and our Neighbour is broken.
This Will of Man excludeth from the Grace of God, and killeth him who fulfilleth it in his Works. For which Reason their Degree of Sin is said to be mortal; according to the Apostle (Rom. vi. 23), The Wages of Sin is Death. A base consenting, whereby any one determines or purposes to commit a Sin, giveth indeed a grievous Wound unto the Soul, but doth not entirely kill it.
Question 19
Into how many Parts is mortal Sin divided?
Answer.
One Kind of mortal Sin is original, the other voluntary.
Question 20
What is Original Sin?
Answer.
Original Sin is the Transgression of that Law of God which was given to Adam, the Father of all Men, in these Words (Gen. ii. 17), Of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil thou shalt not eat; for in the Day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. This original Sin spreadeth over all human Nature; forasmuch as we were all then contained in Adam. Wherefore by one Adam Sin hath passed into us all. And we are conceived and born with this Blemish, as the Scripture teacheth us (Rom. v. 12), By one Man Sin entered into the World, and Death by Sin; and so Death passed upon all Men, for that all have sinned. This hereditary Sin cannot be rooted out or abolished by any Repentance whatever, but only by the Grace of God, through the Work of Redemption, wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ, in taking upon him our Flesh and pouring out his precious Blood. And this is done in the Mystery of holy Baptism; and whosoever is not a Partaker thereof, such an one remains unabsolved from his Sin, and continueth in his Guilt, and is liable to the eternal Punishment of the divine Wrath: As it is said (John iii. 5), Verily, verily, I say unto you, that except a Man be born of Water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.