all men." (See Article ix.) We inherit it
from Adam, our first parent. It is the dread consequence of the
Fall. Scripture proofs: Gen. viii. 21; Job xiv. 4; Ps. li. 5; Rom.
viii. 18; Ep. iv. 22; Ep. ii. 3; Gal. iii. 22; 1 Cor. xv. 22; Rom.
v. 12, 15, 17, 18, 19. The Church of England teaches that although
all _taint_ of original sin is not done away in baptism, yet it
holds that its _condemnation_ is remitted.

(2.) _Actual Sin_. Sin which we ourselves commit.

(3.) _Deadly Sin_. (See Article xvi.) The Church of Rome divides
sin into two classes: _mortal_ sin, that sin which is in its nature
gross, and is committed knowingly, wilfully, deliberately; and
_venial sin_, sins of ignorance, and negligence, and the like. We
also make a distinction between sins of greater or less enormity;
we admit that there is a difference of degree, but the Romanists
make a difference in their nature and kind, a distinction we cannot
admit. According to the Romans, no amount of venial sins would
ever make a mortal sin. We consider every sin to be in its nature
mortal or deadly, and deserving of God's wrath and condemnation
(James ii. 10, 11), and only hope to be saved through the
intercession of our "Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous, who is the propitiation for our sins."

(4.) _Sin against the Holy Ghost_. (See Article xvi.) What is the
nature of this terrible sin which "shall not be forgiven, neither
in this world nor in the world to come?" (Matt. xii. 31, 32.)

The Church clearly teaches in Article xvi. that wilful sin after
baptism is not, as some have taught, _the_ unforgivable sin, but
it seems rather to be "obstinate, resolute, and wilful impenitence,
after all the means of grace and with all the strivings of the
Spirit, under the Christian dispensation as distinguished from
the Jewish, and amid all the blessings and privileges of the Church
of Christ." (Harold Browne on the Thirty-nine Articles.) This, in
effect, is the teaching of St. Augustine, that the sin against the
Holy Ghost is a final and obdurate continuance in wickedness,
despite the calls of God to repentance, joined with a desperation
of the mercy of God. In Matt. xii. 31, 32, it would seem that the
unpardonable sin was committed by those who ascribed our Lord's
miracles to the power of Beelzebub.

SOCIETIES, CHURCH. It will be possible to mention a few only of
the _chief_ societies, &c., connected with the Church, in a work
like the present.