from thy motions and inspirations of grace O giue me yet grace to ouercome theses desires and since they proceede of my corrupte nature o let me finde the more helpe to conquer them and the more mercy to pardon them DAVID IN THE FORMER VERSE ACcuseth not his parentes nor is the Acte of mariage of it selfe any sinne Sect. 2. 1. DAuid here doth not accuse his Father Iesse as if he had begotteÌ„ him in adultery for it is certein he was lawfully borne much lesse in that respecte therfore excuse his owne faulte with Bersabee as if it were naturall for Bastardes to become Adultereâ—s Nor doth he meane any Actuall sinne which his parentes mighte paraduenture haue coÌ„mitted in his generation for their actuall sinne doth neither infecte nor perteyneth to the childe 2. But as there is a Conception of humane seede in the action of carnall copulation so there is a Conception of humane nature in the substance of that which is engendred In the firste as in their owne action the parentes many times doo offend yet not in that but in the second doo we contracte participate our originall corruption as being of the substance of humane nature which is deriued vnto vs by our parentes from Adam 3. In the firste euen maryed couples may offend throughe inordinate luste thoughe paraduenture by the Priuiledges which are called the Goods of matrimony that may be but veniall in them which in others is criminall And yet their luste and other circunstances may be so disordenate that in their copulations they allso doo committe somtimes euen mortall faultes for a man may offend and be vnchaste with his owne wife as well as become dronke with his owne wyne 4. Not that the Acte of matrimony is of it selfe euill sinnefull But as it is sinne to eate or drinke imtemperately or to eate when or what we are forbidden so maryed couples doo offend in the vse of matrimony being immoderate in excesse or in times or places prohibited or in the manner immodest or vnnaturall 5. Otherwise matrimony being an office of nature and a Sacrament of the churche the due accomplishment therof is not a sinne for as it is naturall it intendeth prolem to haue children and it keepeth fidem obseruing the faithfull title and promise giuen of eche to others body Beside which among Catholique Christians this Sacrament giueth grace and betokens the loue and vnion betwene Christe and his churche 6. And these three proles fides Sacramentum Progeny fidelity the Sacrament are called Bona matrimonij the Goods or benefites of matrimony To the first is referred not only the generation but allso the good education of children The second is not meante to be theological faithe but vertuous fidelity as it is a parte of Iustice in obseruing true loue loyalty and in yeilding mutuall dutyes assistance ech to other and so for performance of all these perteyning both to progeny and fidelity is required vsuall cohabitatioÌ„ excepte when some vrgent or greater cause doo necessarily enforce any absence The third which is the sacrament if the partyes hinder it not by indisposition giueth grace of vnion when the contracte is lawfully made by expresse wordes of the present or by apparent signes of consent by which grace their mindes are extraordinarily knit vnited in honest and discrete loue And as our Sauiour Christes loue to his churche is inseparable so the sacramentality of mariage grounded herevpon causeth this bond of mariage Among Christians to be so indiuisible that thoughe in some cases they may be separated from bed and boarde or from cohabitation yet the mariage at the firste or afterwardes hauing bene once lawfull they can neuer be so disioyned that either parte may mary agayne whiles the other doth liue 7. These three foresaid Goods or benefites of matrimony doo cause the copulation of man wife not only not to be sinne but to be a good action of vertue when it procedeth either from intention of progeny or hath purpose yeilding mutuall fidelity yea it is an action of sanctity or holynes when it respecteth the sacramentality depending on the great mistery of holy loue betwene Christe and his churche 8. Wherfore no Catholiques euer termed lawfull mariage duely vsed to be vncleanes pollution carnall filthynes as Caluin others doo sclander vs herein as they vse to doo allso almost in all other pointes but they either reprehend vnlawfull mariages or true mariages vnlawfully vsed Or as S. Ierome writeth against Iouinian the carnall acte betwene maryed Couples may in some sense be called vncleanes as it is said in the Apocalipse These are they who were not polluted with women for they are virgins eyther in coÌ„parison of pure virginity for thoughe in the acte of mariage it is possible they may kepe one perfection of chastity yet they doo herein euer loose the higher perfection of vndefiled virginity so maryed partyes may be called coÌ„paratiuely defiled with women Or else their carnall delighte in copulation may be called fleshly pollution eyther as caused of the remnants of our carnall concupiscence and of that same naturall rebellious disobedience of our flesh against our reason or because for the moste parte by many maryed people it is often vsed excessiuely or disornately neither referred to progeny fidelity nor to any other honest end without some of which intentions it is sinne at least veniall and so why may it not somtime be called or named according as it is most commonly practised not expressing or so strictely naming the lawfull vse but so insinuating the vnlawfull and vsuall abuse For we knowe that the moderate and ordinate vse is so farre from being sinne that S. Paul commandeth maryed couples to yeild ech to other mutuall beneuolence and all Catholique Doctors so accompte it a worke meritorious as an acte of vertue and of religion orderly as holy religious vertuous meritorious And so speaketh S. Augustin therof when it is intended 1. as an Acte of justice or 2. of obedience or 3. of charity directed eyther firste to procreation of children to be broughte vp in the seruice of God or secondly to the performance of promised fidelity for auoyding fornication or thirdly for rendring ech to other mutuall loue and duty And when their modest delightes how intensiue soeuer in nature are directed to all or to any of the forementioned purposes as they are vertuous and cannot be condemned so on the contrary when they are soughte for luste and without any of the former respectes then how feeble soeuer nature be they cannot be excused 9. This I haue said to shew that neither Dauid complayneth of any actuall sinne committed by his parents in his generation nor that the lawfull orderly vse of matrimony hath of it selfe any sinne Not if it had the particuler faultes of our parents could not be ascribed to their children WHY OVR MOTHER IS MENTIONED TO BE Accessary to our originall
my willing seruice to intertayn these paper leaues into your Patronage to fauour them your selfe to further them with others and if by them any good redound to any soules my desire is that God may haue the glory you the thankes and that I may sometime be remembred in your deuout prayers assuring your Honour as I am bound neuer to omit you in my poore supplications And so I beseech our Lord Iesus to keep you and all yours for his owne precious merites and by the intercession of our blessed Lady and of all holy Sayntes and in particuler of S. Valentine Priest and Martyr on whose festiuall day I wrote this from Valliadolide the 14. of February 1612. Your Honours bounden Seruant in our Lord IESVS Iames Waddesworth THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOR TO HIS FAVORABLE READER AND TO ALL HIS LOVING FRIENDES IN NORFOLKE SVFFOLKE LONDON NORWICH CAMBRIDGE OR ELSEWHERE SOEVER COVRTEOVS Reader or friendes of good affection whether you shall vouchsafe to read any of this Treatise for good will vnto the Author or for other expectation of the matter I do most hartily desire that laying aside all curiosity you will read it with the same intention with which it was written viz to bewayle sinne to forsake errour to seeke pardon and to giue thankes to Allmighty God for his grace offered or obteyned through our lord IESVS 2. And to these intentes I haue chosen first to exercise my pen in some poyntes of deuotion before I should be challenged with any disputes of controuersy neither coulde I finde in my opinion for my selfe and for all those former purposes any fitter Theme then the seauen penitentiall Psalmes which doo affoarde most plentifull matter whereupon to frame such meditations For as S. Gregory saith of the Psalter that it is a trianguler musicall instrument of ten stringes whereupon the Harper striketh in the lower narrow End from whence it yeildeth his melodious sounde in the vpper parte which is broader So all Psalmes in generall and in especiall the penitentiall Psalmes doo firste cause our trianguled hartes to be contracted and stroken at the roote with sorowe and contriâ—ioÌ„ for sinne against the ten commandementes and afterwarde to be dilated broader enlarged vpwarde in the sweet sound of comforte to our selues and of prayse to Almighty God for our pardon for his mercy according whervnto euery one of these seauen Psalmes hath his beginning full of lamentation but towardes his end it is enlarged with prayse of consolation 3. I desired to write vpon all the 7. Penitentialls and to publish them all at once but hauing bene hitherto only able to finish the firste 4. of them partly for wante of firme health partly by occasion of more necessary busynes and furthermore perceuing the volume would be greater then I supposed and laste of all because I am now called away to another kinde of treatise therfore I thought it good in the meane while to publish what I had finished vpon the psalme Miserere as one desirous first to wash away the pollution of my particuler sinne before I would come to handle the pure mysteryes of our Catholique doctrine 4. And so our worthy Countryman Cardinall Poole vsed to say that one cause of so much heresy in these latter times was in too busy disputing about our faith before we tooke any care to reforme our life wherfore he wished all them who were ready to read S. Pauls Epistles to beginne firste to read to practise their latter chapters which are euer morally teaching vertues before they enter into disputes about their former Chapters which for the most part are doctrinall about matters of knowledge for it is vnlike they will be freed from peruerse errors who do continue their liues in obstinate vices such men may talke of opinions in religion but seldome shall you see any fruites of their religion more then opinion and table-talke 5. Some desire to know only because they would be able to talke or discourse this is vanity Some delight in knowing how to discourse or talke because they desire to be knowne and this is vayne glory Some labour to knowe much because knowledge hath delighte not intending therby any other fruite of their labour and this is curiosity Only their knowledge sauours of christian piety whose intention is therby to serue God and to profit men first sauing their owne soules and next to helpe others according to their ability 6. And surely as our knowledge wanteth wisdome when we direct others to euerlasting happynes suffering our selues to be lead vnto eternall misery for especially in regard of our soules ist hoc est sapere sibi sapere this is wisdome to be wise for our selues so yet neuer was any thus wise in his knowledge who firste did not learne humility with his wisdome For as naturally knowledge doth puffe vp in pride so spiritually we must endeuour to keep it vnder and in good order by humility Or indeed it is but humane wisdome knowledge of thinges without vs which maketh vs swell in our opinion of knowledge wheras if we woulde by the light of diuine wisdome view the defectes and faultes of our owne inward bosome and looke vpward with reuerence to the high Majesty of God himselfe then would our wisdome be profitable to our selues as well as to others and then will our knowledge increase our humility 7. Wherfore S. Thomas of Aquine speaking of Humility saith it is a vertue which maketh a man willing to submitte himselfe vnto God for God and vnto man for the same God and that this humility is founded vpon the knowledge of God and of our selues viz of our nothing and his infinite incomprehensibility of our basenes and his majesty of our pouerty and his Riches of our weakenes his omnipotency of our ignorance and his wisdome And therfore an humble man doth renounce himselfe acknowledging his owne faultes and imperfections and with reuerent confidence trusteth in our Lordes Goodnes And thus if we empty our owne vessells of windy pride and putrifyed sinne doubtles our Lord will fill them as the widowes vessell with his oyle of grace for if Achab was pardoned who was but feignedly humbled how much shall we haue forgiuenes with S. Mary Magdalen if with syncere humility we lye weeping and prostrate at our Sauiours feet 8. Such must be our humility and then will our knowledge be practicall as well as speculatiue and benefiting our selues as much as others wheras betwene speculation and practise there is as much difference as betwene studying the nature of gold and possessing the substance of gold It is true both are good yet shoulde they not be separated no more then our vnderstanding from our will For practicall knowledge doth mooue and order the will but speculation only doth informe the vnderstanding And therfore was Ananias to teach S. Paul by practicall instructions euen after he had seene a great light in the waye for still he
innermost or fayrest garment or like deadly poyson in my vsuall drinking cuppe It is not enoughe with one water to take away the moste or the worste but rynse rubbe washe the cuppe agayne agayne with nettles with salte with ashes water after water let vs be sure there be neither sauour nor danger of poyson lefte behinde It is true that in our contrition Gods absolution all the guilte of all sinne is totally forgiuen yet our healed conscience which was wounded as a burnte childe is afrayde of any fire as hauing weake stomackes if we spye the least remaynder of our former filthynes or taste the smallest sauour of our wonted poyson O let vs crye not for distruste but for better security amplius laua me washe me yet more 2. Allso when we doo bewayle any greater crime let vs withall wash the spotres of any lesser faultes yet more euen our smallest offences which being many amounte vnto much yet more not only from all the guilte and eternall punishment but allso from purgatory or any payne temporall yet more both inwardly from sinfull thoughtes as well as outwardly from bad wordes or deedes yet more then others for I haue offended more then others yet more not only by these cerimoniall figures and externall signes but allso by the true precious bloud of our perfect redeemer 3. I haue sinned against God against men against my selfe against other creatures therfore o lord miserere dele laua munda haue mercy on faultes against thee blotte out accusatioÌ„s of men wash away the spottes of mine owne soule and cleanse my abuses corruptions of thy creatures O was he my soule which thou diddest make pure in my creation O cleanse my body which thou diddest sanctifye by thy incarnation O blotte out my faultes against the lawe which condemneth haue mercy according to thy grace giuen by the gospell which acquitteth And all these yet more as very filthy clothes must be boyled bucked in sharpe lee washed rubbed wringed beaten shaken bleached for as Seneca said they who are accustomed to sinne non tantâ—m inquinati sed infecti sunt they are not only defiled but infected which is more hardly cleansed 4. There is 1. a washing of Baptisme 2. of repentance 3. of martyrdome of the firste Zachary prophecyed there shal be a founte eyn open to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitantes of Ierusalem for the washing of a sinner sinne this water of Baptisme I haue bene abhominably polluted O wash me yet more in the second water of repentance which is Naamans Iordan interpreted a descending or a riuer of iudgement signifying our humility or judgement of our selues Or if it be thy blessed will O God washe me in the thirde water yet more by martyrdome that I may be somewhat like those in the Apocalyps who washed their ctoles in the bloud of the lambe 5. And thoughe we doo somewhat towardes these purifications yet more must be done by our lorde Iesus the beginninge proceding finihing must be his grace working our will consenting our obedient diligence must be answerable to his caâ—ling guiding inspirations the inwarde spiâ—ite grace is his the outwarde labour must be ours Ouer besides all which we can doo yet more he must wash vs other wise as Ieremy said If thou wash thee with Niter and multiply vnto thy selfe the herbe Borith yet thou arte dâ—filed in thy iniquity before me the Septuagint call it the herbe Toan which S. Ierome saith is the Fullers herbe and the Chaldey paraphraste interpretes it Soape so that thoughe we washe with water yet more our lord must cleanse vs with his soape All our owne Niter and Borith our penances voluntary or our vnuoluntary afflictions are to small purpose of themselues alone yet more o lord giue them vertue and accepte them in the merites and passion of our Sauiour without whom all our actions are nothing worthe vnto saluation 6. And yet we may not be idle christians laying all vpon the shoulders of Christe for thoughe he be able yet he will not beare all such be all carnall libertines Caluinistes such others who will no fasting dayes no whipping of themselues no hayre clothes no harde beddes no pilgrimages no stricte exercise of religion no corporall penances whiles they be in healthe thoughe they be able to endure them without hurte for in case of apparent or very probable damage to our necessary healthe they are rather forbidden then imposed But these without sicknes or other cause will neither faste nor absteyne from flesh no not in lent nor scarse vpon Good fridaye they will performe no stricte obedience to the publique orders decrees of the Churche but when how it please themselues and this they call their christian liberty wherin not withstanding Christe practised the contrary in all thinges he obeyed the lawe thoughe he were not bound these are bound yet will not obey He himselfe hath commanded that whosoeuer obeyeth not the churche should be accompted as a heatheÌ„ and did he himselfe liue in any such liberty his whole life was rather full of bodily labor wante in fasting watching prayers in many greifes tormentes much vnrest O holy Iesu we must come after thee in some such sorte if we will come vnto thee as we oughte we truste not in our bodely workes alone without thee but we worke them in thy loue after thy exaÌ„ple to suffer with thee that we may be glorifyed with thee We confesse and rejoyce because thy merites are alone all sufficient but we know that thou wilte not haue vs partakers of those merites by such liberty but by obedient labor Is the disciple more at liberty then the maister he wroughte for vs till he sweat droppes of water bloud shall we stand idle or at liberty to doo nothing but beleuee yes we will beleeue for that is our foundation yet more we will worke be obedient to his churche in euery religious action For of theÌ„ he hath said he that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me WE MVST DAILY PROCEDE IN ZEALE against all sinne and in particuler against the sensualities of the fleshe Sect. 7. 1. MAny men when they are sicke and growe neare to their death doo begin to eate greedily so shoulde a good christian more huÌ„ger for righteousnes when his death is more neare and in his spirituall hunger and deuotion pray and desire Amplius yet more Or as he that hath bene sicke and beginnes to amend if he be perfectly cured he will bee exceding hungry otherwise it is a signe that all bad humors are not expelled or digested So if we waxe negligent in our reasonable penances or spirituall exercises we haue cause to feare that all sinne is not well purged or mortifyed wherfore in any such queazynes or lazynes let vs returne to say with Dauid Amplius yet more O lord
sinne rather then our Father wheras indeed it comes more from Adam then from either Sect. 3. 1. NExte let vs coÌ„sider why he rather mentioneth his mother in this case of originall sinne and not his father especially seing all our Deuines affirme that althoughe Eua had sinned yet if Adam had remayned innocent originall sinne should not haue bene deriued vnto their posterity Because they say Adam alone as a publique person and generall father of all mankind did represent the persons of all his successors and for them as well as for himselfe did receiue originall iustice by the losse wherof he broughte vs all as being partes of him as our natural head into this detriment of originall sinne Wherfore in the same respecte allso thoughe Cayn or any other sinner had first sinned Adam being still vprighte yet their sinne should only haue deformed themselues and not haue perteyned to vs because we are comprehended in none as our generall father saue only in Adam 2. Further it is alledged in fauor of the woman that she concurreth but passiuely vnto generation as only giuing the materiall parte of conceptione not inducing the actiue forme which procedeth from the man who therfore by phylosophers and physicians is accompted the principall partye and cheifer cause of generation And yet here about originall sinne the mother is named only and not the father because at the time of our quickening when first in deede we doo contracte originall sinne then we are in her wombe then she kepeth and norisheth vs and not the father and so she is said to conceiue vs in sinne not mentioning the father 3. And thoughe Eua coulde not be Author of original sinne to all her posterity as is afore sayd yet our nexte parentes both man and woman being alwayes the instrumentes and successiue conueyors of originall sinne by descendence from Adam I say our parentes and auncestors are conueyors and instrumentes not causes or Authors ' for only Adam is so to be accompted And seing the mother is the materiall instrumente and conduyte which is more euident to our sense then the formall theâ—fore is she allso named rather then the father 4. Allso I said that in deede and really we doo only contracte originall sinne at the time when we are quickened and receiue life in our mothers wombe for thoughe at the instante of the very first conception those informed and mixed seedes may be said improperly in debito to haue an obligacion to be afterward subiect to originall sinne when it comes to be a liuing humane creature yet properly and truly in effecto the childe is not infected with originall sinne vntill it come to haue the soule infused and vnited to the body which is not till the quickening and hauing no soule it is not a perfecte humane creature but only little more then a masse of flesh which without soule cannot be said to be really capable of any sinne 5. Wherfore at that time being in the mothers wombe and allso hauing bene there norished vntill that time and so maynteyned afterwarde vntill the Birthe the mother is rather named then the father And so here the hebrew worde Hama doth signifye to giue heate which naturall heaâ—e of the mothers wombe cherishing the infante some read it thus with sinnes my mother gaue me heate and S. Augustin readeth it In sinnes my mother norished me and S. Ierome In sinnes my mother broughte me forthe 4. And allso as S. Thomas distinguisheth twoo birthes Nasci in vtero and nasci ex vtero to be borne in the wombe when the soule is infused and we become reaâ—onable creatures And to be borne out of the wombe when we firste come into this lighte So there is a twofolde conception as hath bene said first of humane seede which is at the very first generation and secondly a conception of humane nature when at the quickening we receiue our soule This second conception and the first Birthe in vtero are all one and because then properly we are first in deede capable of originall sinne therfore we may be so sayd eyther to be borne of our mother in originall sinne viz in the first birthe or to be conceiued of her in originall sinne viz in the second conception But at any of these Birthes or conceptions we are rather said to be conceiued or borne of our mother then of our father because to conceiue or beare children they are termes and propertyes perteyning to our mothers and cannot be said or aptely affirmed of our fathers WHAT ORIGINALL SINNE IS AND how it is deriued vnto vs allso how it is accompted a guilty faulte in children 1. NOw let vs see what Originall sinne is in his owne nature what effect it hath in vs. In his owne nature Originall sinne is a priuation or wante of Originall iustice which iustice God haue vnto Adam and he oughte to haue preserued in our nature In vs the effect of originall sinne is a corrupte disposition and deformitie of our nature proceeding from the losse of originall iustice by wante wherof there ariseth in vs that same fewell of sinne concupiscence deriued vnto vs from the publique disobedience of Adam by ordinarie humane generation It is a corrupte disposition as is sicknes It is a deformity for all sinne spotteth blemisheth It perteynes more to our nature then to our person for it is alike common to all The formall cause is the priuatiue losse of originall iustice Adams publique faulte as being our generall Father was the efficient cause And the instrumentall is humane generation which is ordinary not with priuiledge as was the conception of our Blessed lady nor extraordinary miraculous as the incarnacion of our Sauiour 2. This corrupte disposition of our nature according to Hugo de sancto Victore some others we contracte from our birthe By ignorance in our minde and By concupiscence in our flesh Not denying but there is concupiscence allso in the minde which blindeth our vnderstanding which concupiscence of the minde is moste cheifly a sinne and that concupiscence which is in our flesh is both a sinne punishment For so deuines say that Originall sinne is in vs both a faulte and a punishment his faulte consistes in the losse of originall iustice and by wante of that iustice in the deformity of our nature his penalty consistes in that concupiscence or fomes peccati which foloweth that former losse is an harbenger of succeding actuall sinne which fomes is in Infantes concupiscibilitie and in them of riper age is called concupiscence 3. Nexte let vs see How this originall corruption is our owne sonne deriued vnto vs from Adam without faulte of our other auncestors or parentes generation In respecte of which difficultyes S. Augustin aduiseth them who cannot comprehend it as being secrete yet not to reprehend it as vniuste rather let such content themselues to know and vse the remediâ— then to repyne or cauill because they vnderstand
not how they came into this misery As one falling into a Well where was so much water as serued to saue him from bruysing to death yet not so much as suffized to styfle him from speache being found and asked with wonder how he came to fall into such a place he answered I pray seeke meanes how to helpe me out and stand not marueiling how I fell in Neuertheles among learned deuines euen this difficulty is vnfolded against Pelagius Faber Erasmus Zuinglius the Anabaptistes 4. First S. Paul saith Sicut per vnum hominem as by one man sinne entred into the worlde and by sinne death afterward In whom all haue sinned and againe By the disobedience of one man many are made sinners Therfore it appeares that children being subject to death are subject to this sinne But infantes haue no actuall sinne therfore he must needes meane sinne originall And this he saith comes by one maâ— and by Adam in whom all are By him as our generall father in whose publique disobedience we are all partakers as the children of a Traytor are taynted and the body of a towne corporate are subject to the actes of their head gouernors 5. And so to that obiection How can it be sinne in infants who neuer had vse of will to giue consent It is answered That originall sinne is on our behalfe iâ— some sorte voluntary in Adam in whose Wille person all our persons and wills were included for he was our Head a publique person representing all mankind our first roote wherof all the branches must sauour and our Generall father in whom we are all so comprised that what he did it was allso our deede As among men the fathers facte often redoundeth to the benifite or prejudice of his sonne and as vnto lawes are not requisite the expeesse consent of euery man in the cuntry but only of those parlament men who as publique persons doo represent all the common wealthe But with God none are punished absolutely for others faultes but euery one for his owne And therfore the Councell of Trent hath defined of original sinne that it is cuiusque proprium in which respecte euery infante is punished therein for his owne faulte whose punishment as it bringeth no sensible payne because it hath exilem rationem voluntarij only a consent included in the publique will of Adam yet it wanteth the blessed fruition of glory propter latissimum foeditatem mali because it is so generall a deformity or spotte of our corrupte nature spread ouer all our powers of body soule with which blemishes no creature may appeare in the glorious presence of allmighty God before whom there can remayne nothing vncleane 6. Infantes then being subject to this punishment for originall sinne it must needes be properly their owne sinne and not for their fathers faulte For as Ezechiel saith The soule which sinneth shall dye the sonne shall not beare the iniquity of his father nor shall the father beare the iniquity of the sonne Nor is that contrary hereunto which is in the firste commandement Visiting the sinnes of the fathers on the children vnto the thirde and fourthe generation in them that hate me for the auncyent and present wryters doo generally vnderstand this visitation to be when the children doo imitate or participate the sinnes of theyr predecessors and so visitare is visum iterare to visite is to come and see the same sinnes Or admitte it be to visite 1. to chastize and punish yet he threatens it only to the 3. and 4. generation in them which hate him meaning if these generations doo hate him as their fathers did for a generation which shoulde loue God shall not be punished for their faultes who before did hate him At least not in eternall punishments Wherfore eternall losse of glory being an eternall punishment laid vpon Infantes dying in originall sinne doubtles they vndergoe it for their owne and not for any parents faulte 7. And thoughe I graunted that somtime temporally in this worlde God punished the children in regarde of the parentes offences so far forthe as the damage of the children may be a greife or a penalty to the parentes yet I verily thinke saluo semper meliori judicio praesertim sâ—nctae matris Ecclesiae that euen such their temporall punishment are not alone for their parentes faultes but that the children themselues haue allso deserued the same And then both at once the parentes are punished by the calamityes of their children as being partes of themselues and the children likewise suffer such temporall punishments justly for their owne originall guyltynes or offences actuall ORIGINALL SINNE COMES FROM Adam alone as Principall and how bad parentes haue good children c. Sect. 4. 1. WHerfore I say Originall sinne and his punishments are deriued only from Adam as principall vnto vs as Accessaryes with whom as our Generall head all mankinde maketh but one body And no Infantes are herein punished for their other mediate or imediate next parentes offences For S. Paul saith By one man sinne entred into the worlde which the Mileuitan Councell saith is originall sinne contracted by generation from Adam 2. And therfore diuerse Auncyent Fathers wrote against those Heretiques who woulde conclude that the Acte of mariage was of it selfe euill because the children begotten were borne in originall sinne which they suppose falsely to be deriued from the copulation of the parentes as the next causes as well of the Accidentall sinne as of the reall substance of the infantes wheras in truthe distinguishing betwene the one the other they shoulde haue referred the cause of that sinne vnto Adam alone as doth S Paul saying By one man and should haue ascribed only the substance of the soule body to God the parentes For suppose the Parents be odious Adulterers or doo sinne much in other circumstances of generation yet as allmighty God doth concurre cooperate to the naturall worke of conception creating ininfusing soules euen in children vnlawfully begotten where he forbiddes abhorres the morall dishonesty So likewise the parents doo participate in the naturall propagation without communicating this originall corruption Euen as stolne corne being sowen in forbidden grounde doth neuertheles growe as other corne doth by the helpe of God nature of the earthe and yet herein neither doth our lorde consent to the thefte nor is it a bad action to sowe corne but to steale it or to sowe it contrary to commandement where he should not 3. And thoughe the infante that is borne offend not actually nor the parents who beget the body nor our lorde who creates the soule yet we are borne polluted with originall sinne not as the proper effecte of mariage or generation but as an ordinary accident vsually following the conception of our humane nature in respecte we are the posterity members of Adam our head By whom only sinne entred vpon all mankind And herehence is the reason
why parentes iustifyed in state of grace doo neuertheles beget children subiecte to sinne originall corruption as much as others not so much becauâ—e generation is an acte of our carnall man iustification is an effecte in our spirituall man for the wholeman is iustifyed but especially because we and euery creature generamus nobis similes in specie magis quà m in indiuiduo we doo procreate our of-spring ech creature like himselfe rather like in speciall kinde of nature then in particuler propertyes of person as of men to proceede mankind c. For as the progeny was neuer like the parent in euery personall respect so when they are a like in many such particulers yet it is rather accidentally contingent then essentially necessary And so we see foolish or lame parents haue sound or discreete children and contratiwise As then parents doo not necessarily communicate to children their personall propertyes no not of nature much lesse of grace so to be in state of grace a iustifyed man is a personall property and therfore mo more maruell to haue children vnregenerate borne of iuste parentes then to see a childe borne vncircumcised of a circumcised lew or to see a cleansed wheat corne bring forthe an eare of wheate which againe hath fazells chaffe HOW ORIGINALL SINNE IS DERIVED from Adam by meanes of our parents and yet we haue not our soules from them ex traduce Sect. 5. 1. ANd allthoughe Originall sinne be a corruption of our nature rather then an personall faulte yet it is not any parte of our nature as proceding from nature positiuely but only a priuation or defecte folowing nature and proceding from Adams freewill and infecting our will as partes branches of Adam Wherfore it is properly a sinne because it had consent of will thervnto which we cannot say of other naturall defectes as to be borne deafe dumbe blinde lame or disfigured because these are no way referred to any consent of will Allso infantes neither haue thoughtes wordes nor deedes against the eternall law of God and yet they haue this originall sinne which is not conteyned in that description for that description is vnderstood of actuall sinne only But originall sinne consistes not in any action for it is only a gultines a spotte or blemish noâ— any actuall transgression 2. As for that Argument of the Pelagians which so much pressed S. Augustin about the traduction of our soule it is thus propounded and answered Sinne say they hath his seate in the soule not in the flesh But the soule is created not deriued from Adam nor our parents therfore neither is this originall sinne deriued from the one or from the other by generation but foloweth by imitation Firste it is answered in generall that it cannot be by imitation because neither can children imitate their parents so soone as they are borne and yet euen then most agree they are guilty of originall sinne Nor is this sinne any action and therfore no imitation for to imitate is to doo somewhat but it is called sinne originall not actuall and is accompted a guilte of our nature not a facte of our person 3. Next about the proposition As all deuines agree that the soule is the seate of sinne so yet if the soule may herin be depraued by the flesh as some thinke then may originall sinne be transfused into the soule by generation of the body These men say the flesh must needes be the meanes of coÌ„ueying this sinne vnto the soule as vnto his seate for if the soule should be created alone and not be ioyned to the body it should in that case be free from this infection And it seemes iuste that as Adams flesh was firste corrupted by his soule which firste admitted sinne so now the soule shoulde be firste corrupted by the flesh still deriuing sinne and so originall sinne is both a corruption of penality subiecting vs to all misery and a corruption of viciosity inclyning vs to all sinne 1. by rebellion against the spirite 2. by drawing the soule downeward 3. because the soule of it selfe is not able to gouerne all our appetites without diuine grace 4. Thus therfore say they that the flesh doth depraue the soule being vnited vnto it as a wounde in the body maketh the soule grieue but if you cutte the flesh wanting life it feeles no payne So the flesh hath not sinne in it selfe as in his seate no more then wyne hath in it selfe dronkennes and yet maketh others dronke and so the body is able to infecte to worke vpon the soule 1. not by predominance as one elemeÌ„t or mixte body vpon another 2 nor by influence as the heauens vpon these inferior bodyes 3. nor by deuine power as the fyre vpon dammed spirites but. 4. by Sympathy of vnited correspondence as in a phrensy or lunacy such a distemper or quality of the body makes the minde to be madde or foolish And so the corrupte distemper of our flesh doth disorder our soule whit sinfullnes which sinfull disteÌ„per is not actually but dispositiuely in the seede of the parent or flesh of the infante nor is it in the flesh vntill it come to be ioyned to the soule which is only the full finall seate of sinne 5. And note that all this may be true in respecte of that radicall concupiscence which is as it were the positiue materiall parte of originall sinne but the formall true nature of originall sinne consisting priuatiuely in the waÌ„te of originall iustice this priuation is not caused nor conueyed vnto the soule by the flesh Nor by that carnall luste which more or lesse is in the naturall generation of all men For if by supernaturall priuiledge any parents should engendre without all luste yet the childe shoulde be infected with originall sinne or if luste were the cause therof â—hen according to the excesse of luste in the parents shoulde originall sinne be more or lesse in the children Wherfore thoughe S. Augustin doo often say that it is not generation but luste which doth deriue this sinne he only intendes to shew that the sole acte of generation is not the only cause of originall sinne for euen in paradise there shoulde haue bene the acte of generation and yet therin shoulde haue bene no sinne But by luste may be meante the propagation of our corrupte nature of which corruption luste is a certein signe effecte wherfore when he saith originall sinne is deriued by luste he meaneth that this corrupte propagation of our nature wherof luste is a signe is the meanes to deriue originall sinne 6. And so when S. Augustin saith of the body and the soule that the one is corrupted in the other as in an Vncleane vessell eyther it may be true by way of morall comparison in regarde of that concupiscence radicall as is afore said which in some is the materiall positiue parte of originall sinne hauing his materiall seate in the flesh by this dispositiuely
the soule may be infected in the body Or it must be vnderstooâ— of the complete coÌ„iunction of the soule with the flesh which is seminally deriued from Adam at which time of their conioyned vnion we firste become perfect humane creatures and so then not before we are corrupted when the soule body are conioyned for then firste are we perfect humane creatures capable of sinne and then are we firste complete sonnes members of Adam And so then is originall sinne contracted and the soule seemeth as is were to be polluted in the body as in an vncleane vessell not that any actuall infection of sinne was in the flesh before the soule was infused which corruption should streight redounde out of the nature of the flesh into the soule so soone as euer it was infused nor when the soule was created a parte by it selfe in the body for in the body it is created that then alâ—â—ighty God created it with originall sinne cleauing to it I say that neither of these can be for the body alone or soule alone is not a complete perfect man nor so capable of sinne and therfore till they be ioyned they are not Adams posterity nor so infected with originall sinne which for better memory sake vnderstanding agayne I say is then firste fastened on vs so soone as we become perfect humane creatures deriued from Adam and so are considered as partes progeny of him by whom alone originall sinne is entred vpon all mankinde 7. And so lastly it is answered to the Pelagians assumption and inference Vidz The soule is not deriued from Adam nor therfore originall sinne which is in the soule That originall sinne in the soule is not considered to belong thervnto whither we falsely suppose the soule to be traduced from Adam or whither we beleeue it truly to be created of God but only in respecte that the soule being ioyned to the body then makes a complete creature who is a parte or member of Adam and so only capable subiect to this originall sinne Allso furthermore consider that to the end that sinne should be deriued from Adam it is not necessary that the soule allso be deriued from him but it is enoughe if the complete reasonable creature wherof the soule is a parte be in descent a member of Adam And obserue that generation is not finished in the production of the forme or soule alone nor of the matter or body alone but in the complete coniunction vnion of both together wherfore he may be said to be the next cause of generation who is the next cause of this coniunction But our parentes doo so dispose affoarde the materiall parte which is the seede or body that the soule which is the forme must in order of nature necessarily followe come to be conioyned thervnto in which sense a man is said to beget a man and so thoughe he be not Author of the soule yet he is called father of the whole creature because he is in nature the next cause of this vnion coniunction of the soule with the body Thus therfore I conclude that we deriue originall sinne from Adam only as being our generarll father alone for thoughe our other auncestors parents be the instrumentall causes or as conduytes the conâ—eyors hereof yet only Adam is the cheife cause founteyne from whom we doo deriue this originall corruption but not from him nor them as Authors of our soules saue only from him as the roote by our parents as the branches all we doo participate of this bitter fruite OVR SAVIOVR AND OVR B. LADY WERE exempted from Originall sinne Sect 6. 1. NEuertheles from this generall rule are exâ—epted our Sauiour Christ his holy mother Vnto our L. Iesus originall sinne did neither perteyne in facto nor in debito Vnto the blessed Virgin in debito as duâ— but not in deede in facto Vnto all vs it belongeth both in deede and as our due As the vndefiled virgin was a member a daughther of Adam seminally deriuâ—d so was Original sinne due to her nature as a parte of him And besides there is a conception of seede to frame the body when the childe is firste of all engendred and a conception of of complete nature when the soule coming to that body it is so first quickened â—rom the first engendring till the perfect quickening originall sinne is in preparatiue possibility due to that body which is in framing because it descendes semiâ—ally frâ—m Adam But it cannot take possession in facte vntill the soule be ioyned the whole creature perfectly quickened for where there is no soule there can be no sinne 2. In the firste conception Originall sinne was due to our blessed lady according to naturall possibility But in the very instant of the second conception and before the complete vnion of the soule by supernaturall grace it was kepte from my possession in facte she was extraordinarily preuented preserued in all cleare purity Some few others haue bin cleared and purifyed from originall sinne after their perfect quickening before their birthe But our blessed lady before both so that she was no sooner a liuing creature but she was of God the father a sanctifyed daughter for so it behooued to haue an immaculate mother of God the sonne and of God the holy ghoste a perfecte pure vndefiled spouse 3. This is the most pious probable opinion thoughe it be not decreed as a poynt of faithe no may the contrary be called heretically false Neither can I see what inconuenience can folowe of this pious opinion that as our L. Iesus alone was free from all possibility and possession of originall sinne so our holy virgin was free from all possession but not from all possibility therof He was so in the very nature of his generation because conceiued by the holy ghost She only by miraculous vertue of grace altering the course of nature She was indebted by nature to be a childe of wrathe but an especiall priuiledge of grace payed that debte and preuented her attachment 4. And so neuertheles she had neede and was indeede redeemed of her sonne both from that debte which she owed and allso from all those sinnes euills wherinto without this priuiledge she should haue fallen So when Dauid said Thou hast taken out my soule from the lowest hell Saint Augustin interpreteth those wordes not as if Dauids soule euer had bene in the lowest hell but he was so freed that he should neuer come thither And it is more for the physitian to preuent a sickenes wherto I am certeinly subiect then to heale me afterwarde when I haue bene sicke And so our Sauiour redeemed his mother from sinne which naturally she should haue contracted and may be estemed a more worthy redemption then if by sinne she had bene once polluted And yet she suffered bodily death and some other humane miseryes rather as perteyning to her abouesaid debte
doth more respecte the intention of the minde then the worke of the hande In that lawe were more earthly temporall promises then heauenly and euerlasting but in ours there are more eternall spirituall promises then corporall transitory In both lawes there are indeede both eternall temporall promises and both doo require obedience of harte of hande for loue for feare for vnder both lawes there are some perfect men some imperfect But vnder the lawe of Christe there is more perfection so more loue then feare yet some feare more promises eternall then temporall and yet some temporall these temporall promises this feare in the lawe of Christe are for the imperfecte And on the other side for those which were perfect in the lawe of Moyses some did obey for loue with a good harte and for such it had some promises spirituall but these were fewer much inferior vnto them of the Gospell SOME OTHER DIFFERENCES BETWENE the Lawe the Gospell Sect. 2. 1. BVT the principall difference is that Moyses lawe did not iustifye ex opere operato nor did the sacrifices ceremonyes therof conteyne grace in themselues For the mysterye of our Sauiours incarnation passioÌ„ not being really accoÌ„plished they could not really conteyne vertue of that which yet was not only ex opere operantis if the partyes offering were in state of grace had faith in the expected Messias then did those sacrifices iustifye not as conferring grace of themselues causally but only as signes accidentally It is true the sacramentes of our lawe in like sorte require faith deuotion but moreouer in themselues they are more then signes and doo conteyne confer grace not corporally abiding in them for so can nothing meerely spirituall be conteyned in a bodily substance But instrumentally really remayning in them and so virtually intended to passe be conueyed by them For our sacraments effect grace cheifly as instrumentall causes and that as instrumentes mediate separate such as is a staffe not as an instrument coniuncte immediate such as a hande And so the principall efficient cause of grace is God himselfe the humanity of our Sauiour Christe as an instrument coniuncte and as separate instrumentes and causes of grace are our sacramentes both satisfactions for sinne and meritorious of fauour 2. Wherfore thoughe the sacrifices of the olde lawe iustifyed as signes testifying the faith obedieÌ„ce of the offerer yet this was only ex opere operâ—Ì„tis by the obedience faith of the partyes applying the merites of our Sauiour Christe by that faith as only by an inwarde acte of the minde in the offerer which inward action of faith thoughe alwayes it be necessary yet furthermore we haue the vertue of our Sauiours passion applyed vnto vs allso by the outwarde vse of externall sacraments which is a priuiledge of more fauor a prerogatiue of more grace 3. And thus is the lawe of Christe more perfect more abundant in grace then was the law of Moyses for what the Leuiticall law did but promise signifye our EuaÌ„gelicall law doth exhite performe as S. Augustin said significando causat gratiaÌ„ in signifying doth allso cause grace in vs. Wherfore thoughe the lawe of the gospell propound more temporall afflictions and lesse store of worldly prosperity yet doth it affoarde a more speedy passage to heauen so much greater rewarde of eternall glory thirs was generally for a more carnall sensuall people more imperfect but ours is especially for men more perfect more spirituall which as it requires more perfection so it doth enable vs with more grace and so it is a much easyer yoke because it doth endue vs with farre greater strengthe 4. If you consider them both by the bare outward letter yet as S. Augustin said the lawe had the gospell hiddenlie inuolued and the gospell hath the lawe plainlie reuealed the lawe did foreshew our Sauiour as one a farre of dimly sene and the gospell doth manifest him clearly as one present And in respecte of their commandements admonitions other instructions let them be alike in this poynte of their letter that in both of theÌ„ the letter doth kill because when the letter of the lawe or gospells commandement is not fulfilled it is accidentally or improperly said to be the occasion of sinne so to kill yet seing it is the spirite which giueth life and considering that the lawe of Moyses was a dead lawe working wrathe requiring obedience not enabling to obey and considering that in the lawe of Christe beside the outward letter commandements writteÌ„ in paper there is allso abundaÌ„ce of grace inwardly shed into all good Christians hartes not only prescribing what we are to doo but assisting vs euer in the doing this is an excellent difference and a confortable encoragement 5. Wherfore S. Augustin said In the olde testament the lawe was established outwardlie by which vniust men shoulde be terrifyed but in the new it is inwardlie giuen by which they mighte be iustifyed And so the lawe was made by Moyses but grace truthe was giuen by Iesus Christe and therfore the Apostle saith their lawe was giuen in tables of stone but ours is written in the fleshye tables of our hartes and calleth their lawes a ministration of death condemnation but ours he nameth a ministratioÌ„ of the spirite of iustice because with ours we receiue inwarde grace helping to be saued but theirs had only the outward letter which accused 6. In this respecte Dauid mighte say that our lorde would not be delighted with the sacrifices of Moyses lawe althoughe he had so strictely commaÌ„ded them he exacteth them and yet refuseth them they were commanded therby to shew the faith obedience of the Offerers and yet he refused them in regarde of any value in the sacrifice it selfe they were exacted because of that which they did signifye but he did not regarde them for any worthe or vertue in themselues As when the Poste or other messenger bringes vs a letter whose cariage must coste vs deare Sir here is a letter for you pay me for the portage If we desire firste to read it he will say no if he suspecte we will returne it him vnpayde for he knowes we care not for the bulke of the letter but for the meaning of the wordes and that the paper of it selfe is nothing nere worthe the price which he demandes so the sacrifices of the olde lawe were required for signification of the Messias and were accepted according to the faith of the offerers not for any value which of it selfe was in the bloud of beastes or in the swetenes of fruites 7. Thus S. Ierome and others note of Abel that our Lorde more respected the person offering then the sacrifice offered And so S. Augustin obserueth in Abel 3. primarye vertues vidz he was the firste preist the firste virgin
bound of necessity to iterate or repeate my repentance for the same sinnes And wise men doo giue it for good counsell not to recall to our minde such passed sinnes as perteyning to delightes of our flesh or to the honors or Riches of the worlde were so pleasing vnto vs that their remembrance thoughe with pretence of remorse may mooue vs in thoughte agayne to delighte somewhat in them as soone as in deede to be contrite for them Except it be at such times when either we feele our selues in feruent deuotion or finde in our selues such abundant mortification that we neede not feare their enticement Other wise that which is delectable to our nature without speciall grace will easily drawe vs to encline to his desire 11. I said we are not bound of necessity to repeate our Contrition for the same sinnes yet when without the said danger we haue opportunity doubtles it is very conuenient somtimes to renew to repeate our contrition and so to endeauour to make it sure good least peraduenture before times it haue bene insufficient Especially at the time of our death we haue neede to repeate it and as much as we can to make all sure yea S. Augustin vsed to say thoughe his conscience accused him of no crime vnrepented yet it is very conuenient at our death to haue CoÌ„trition for whatsoeuer offences of our life and accordingly that holy Father in his sicknes before his death caused the 7. penitentiall psalmes to be set by his Bed-side in great letters that he mighte often repeate them as he did with many teares And in this I speake of generall Contrition actually to be repeated as often as conueniently we can doo it I doo not speake of the often repetition of the selfe same generall confessions which hauing bene made with diligence deuotion once twice or thrice at most in our life time as graue learned discrete men doo auouche it is abundantly sufficient for as it is requisite on our partes to vse our true diligence so it is as necessary in regarde of God allmightyes great goodnes to haue good trust much confidence in his loue mercy fatherly affection towardes vs beleeuing credibly that all is forgiuen vs most fauorably for our gracious God is not like a crafty copesman or a cauilling lawyer ready to spye euery friuolous nullity to take aduantage vpon the smallest ouersighte no no we may oughte to be assured that our Lorde is more ready to forgiue then we to aske pardon wherfore hauing done our endeuour we may comfortably relye vpon his gracious fauour 12. Yet our repentance thoughe Actually it neede not be outwardly repeated more thou once neuertheles it must euer habitually be continued inwardly during our life that is we must neuer committe any thing contrary to the inwarde habite of repentance nor may our sinnes passed at any time afterwarde agayne please vs rather they must alwayes greiue displease vs at least habitually inwardly And these are the propertyes of true contrition THE EXCELLENCYES OF CONTRITION and how in some sorte it may be compared with martyrdome Sect. 7. 1. IT is good to knowe what be the qualityes of contrition but the practise of them is much better It is true the greife sorowe of a contrite harte is vnpleasing bitter in the taste but it will be afterwarde holsome comfortable as wormewood is to the stomacke for sweete meates doo sooner cause corruption obstructions when medicines which are bitter doo open purge the body And of sinnes in the soule Dauid saith There are the dolors of a woman in childebirthe which haue payne in their trauell as they had pleasure in their conception so for the delighte of our sinnes committed we must feele some greife when they are repented and this greife thoughe it be bitter as Aloes yet it is the best medicine against the gnawing wormes of our conscience and as of yron is bred a ruste of clothe a mothe of timber a worme which consume the substances wherof they were engendred and as against poyson are made tryacles and Antidotaryes of other poysons so is sinne consumed by sorowe for sinne and against the punishment of wickednes the punishment of penance is a soueraigne remedye 2. Only hereof we must haue a care that our sorowe for sinne be sincere If thou tell me thy body is wounded shew me thy flesh bleeding or bruised if thou tell me thy harte is contrite let me see thy teares or thoughe men preceiue it not yet at least God allmighty must see thy sorowe In proyning of the vine if it distill any droppes it is a signe it will be fruitfull but if thy repentance be without teares at least of contrition surely thy amendement will be very barren 3. Wherfore Ieremy said be thou gyrded with hayrecloth that is mortifye the appetites of thy flesh and be thou sprinkled with ashes that is refrayne the motions of â—â—y proud mind And cause vnto thy selfe a bitter playnte as the lamentation of an only â—hilde not of an eldest or dearest childe for so is insinuated that more children remayne but eyther as a parent lamenting his only childe or as an only childe mouring for his parents whose greifes must be greatest because they alone must take all the greife And so not much vnlike when by our sinne we loose the fauour of good because we can haue no more Gods we must lament our losse of him as the losse of all for without him we are nothing nor can haue any thinge And eyther we must by our sorowfull repentance regayne his fauour or for euer perish in his displeasure 4. But moste happy we are if we neglecte not our possibility because as Solinus writeth of a founteyn in Epyrus which not only quencheth a burning torche but kindleth it agayne being quenched so by our teares of contrition we may at one instante both quenche the flames of hellfyre due vnto vs and inflame our selues agayne in the fauour and loue of God which we had loste and was justly taken from vs. For the exercise of contrition and daily mortification are so notable in their efficacye and in their dignitye that Dauid here calleth such an afflicted spirite a sacrifice to God and our holy mother the Churche in the hymne of Virgins being allso martyrs hath these wordes Haec tua virge duplici beata sorte dum gestit fragilem domare corporis sexuÌ„ domuit cruentum corpore saeclum Vnde nec mortem nec amica mortis saeua poenarum genera pauescens c. This thy virgin bessed in a double sorte whiles she endeuours to mortifie the frayle sexe of her body she ouercame the cruel worlde together with her body wherfore neither fearing deathe nor any sauage kindes of tortures which are the freindes of death c. Beholde here twoo causes why she is blessed 1. for mortification of her flesh 2. for conquering of the worlde And