Article II. On Lax Conscience

49. • Lax conscience is said to be that which from a lighter reason judges that what is illicit is licit; or finds only venial sin where there is mortal: namely it is that which, without sufficient reason, bends judgment in favor of liberty either to avoiding the law, or to diminishing the gravity of fault.

How dangerous such a conscience is, as is readily clear to those who attend, since it casts souls into the broad way which leads to perdition.

It can be distinguished threefold, namely 1. lax conscience simply, which extends liberty more than is right; 2. cauterized conscience, which from a long habit of sinning weighs grave sins, indeed even most grave ones, as nothing ¹; 3. pharisaic conscience, which makes great things small, and conversely small things great. It takes its name from the Pharisees, who, while they swallowed camels, by eating with unwashed hands and by passing over empty traditions, judged themselves guilty of great sin.

¹ This happens also from that reprobate sense into which men of this kind, having a blinded heart, come.

50. • The things which generally pertain to lax conscience are comprised in these few words.

I. He sins gravely who, knowingly obeying a lax conscience, transgresses some law in a grave matter. And indeed ignorance of this kind, as voluntary, can easily be overcome; therefore it can in no way be excused from mortal sin on the pretext of ignorance.

II. Indeed he can sin more gravely even in a light matter, if his rashness impels him to acting with every dictate disregarded and contemned. Compare what we said above about doubtful conscience. Question 1, no. 43.

YOU WILL ASK. What are the causes, effects, and remedies of a lax conscience?

I answer to the first. The causes are omission of prayer, tepidity of soul, excessive solicitude for temporal things, and the habit of sinning, which takes away horror of sin; familiarity with vicious men; a soft life, which enervates the heart and turns it away from spiritual things.

I answer to the second. The effects are blindness of mind, hardness of heart, which is scarcely accustomed to be moved by any means, obduration in evil which induces the greatest danger of salvation, according to that saying of the Apostle, Rom. 2. 5: According to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath in the day of wrath.

I answer to the third. The following remedies among others can be proposed: humble and assiduous prayer; sacred exercises; pious meditation on the last things according to that saying, Eccli. 7. 40: Remember thy last things, and thou shalt not sin forever; frequent reading of pious books; daily examination of conscience; frequent recourse to the sacrament of Penance; flight from the evil, and conversation with the good.