b. The peccata actualia in relation to conscience.
The old division of the actual sins into peccata contra conscientiam a. veram, b. erroneam, c. probabilem, d. dubiam looks mechanical at first glance, but corresponds to the practical need. He who acts against conscientiam rectam, that is, against his rightly reported conscience, sins most grievously. He acts as an αντοκατάκριτος (Tit. 3:10) and approaches the state where erring will enter and there is danger of committing the sin against the Holy Spirit.1649) He who has an erring conscience (conscientiam erroneam), who, for example, thinks he must call upon the saints, is in the evil position of sinning both in the case of not acting and in the case of acting. If he acts according to his erring conscience, he sins because he does something that God has forbidden. If he does not act according to his conscience, he also sins because he refrains from doing what he nevertheless considers commanded by God in his captive conscience.1650) That is why it is of such great importance to remove erring consciences by teaching them from God's Word. — To the somewhat strange expression "sins against the probable conscience" (conscientia probabilis or also opinativa, a better translation is probably "probable conscience") Hollaz adds by way of explanation:1651) Contra conscientiam probabilem peccat, qui viam tutiorem negligit. One may not think the expression conscientia probabilis beautiful, but the thing it is meant to denote is correct and important. We do not act conscientiously, but recklessly, that is, sinfully, if we do not take the trouble to think about
1649) Cf. on the danger in doctrinal disputes above, p. 101; also p. 423 f. in the section "The Use of Scripture to Decide Doctrinal Disputes".
1650) Cf. Baier-Walther II, 269: Conscientia erronea , . . non obligat, sed ligat. … Ligare vero est aliquem constringere, ut quis non licite possit procedere tali conscientia permanente, ita ut peccetur, si contra eam agatur, et peccetur etiam, si iuxta eius praescriptum agatur. [Google] (Quoted from Ad. Osianders Colleg, Theol.-system., P. V, Loc. 14, p. 288 sq.).
1651) Examen, P.. II, cap. IV, De peccatis actualibus, qu. II.
678 ><w:t xml:space="preserve">Actual Sin. [English ed. 566-7]
which of several possible or suggested ways of acting is the best and safest. This is applied both in the natural and in the ecclesiastical sphere. Christians are so concerned to do the best in the things that are left to their consideration and election that they call upon God in prayer to let them know and choose what is the safest and best. — As for the doubting conscience (conscientia dubia), Christians clearly see from Romans 14 that they must abstain from action when their conscience is doubtful.1652)