"In weighing our sins," says Augustine, "let us not use a deceitful
balance, weighing at our own discretion what we will, and how we will,
calling this heavy and that light: but let us use the divine balance of
the Holy Scriptures, as taken from the treasury of the Lord, and by it
weigh every offence, nay, not weigh, but rather recognise what has been
already weighed by the Lord," (August. De Bapt. cont. Donatist. Lib. 2
chap. 6.) And what saith the Scripture? Certainly when Paul says, that
"the wages of sin is death," (Rom. 6: 23,) he shows that he knew nothing
of this vile distinction. As we are but too prone to hypocrisy, there
was very little occasion for this sop to soothe our torpid consciences.
- John Calvin (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.8.58)
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