or nature which she inherited from Adam then any way belonging to any sinne in herselfe Or else thoughe grace had preuented destroyed all sinne in her soule yet it had not extinguished nor was conuenient to destroye the ordinary naturall qualityes of her body firste because enduring those she merited so much more in heauen secondly that it mightâ— appeare to the worlde she was a true humane creature of whose pure flesh our Sauiour tooke our true humane nature 5. If Originall sinne had polluted and possessed her she had bene during that time abhominable vnto God for such sinne and in bondage thervnto and so by it vnto Satan But was it meete that at any time she should be said to be odious to our lorde or that the diuell or sinne shoulde haue her subiect in their captiuity or defiled in pollution who was to be the mother of God himselfe Secondly if it were in our pouer would we not choose to be borne of the most vertuous vnspotted parents that we coulde And was it not in the power of God thus to prepare preserue his mother froÌ„ originall sinne if it were in his power doubteles he had will to doo it because out of question he caried extraordinary loue vnto her for thoughe primarily she merited not to be his mother but of his sole mercy he did chuse her not another yet hauing made this election he may be said afterward by his owne law of honoring parentes bound in dutifull loue to giue her all the honor merite possible wherof a pure creature mighte he capable Wherfore S. Bonauenture concludeth that in deede our lord could haue made for vs amore comely beautifull worlde but it is probable he could not make for himself a more excellent mother Thirdly it was inconuenient in regarde of himselfe that any blemish of originall sinne should defile her soule for the honor or dishonor of the parent redoundeth to the childe and so it had bene a diminution of his owne honor to haue bene the sonne of an impure mother 6. Fourthly S. Ihon Baptist was sanctified in his mothers wombe at the very voyce of her who had our Sauiour in her wombe is not she herselfe more worthy of a greater priuiledge in the same kind vidz the mother of God sooner then the messenger Fifthly S. Andrew the Apostle auowched and after him Theodoret that she excelled the cherubim and Seraphim in purity But how was this if she had originall sinne or how is she aboue the Angells in dignity and glory if she were inferior in purity and grace or is it meete that any meere creature should be more excellent or aboue the mother of God 7. Sixtly S. Augustin saith he would euer haue her excepted when he treated of sinne And as he judged it absurde to suppose that her flesh was eaten of wormes or corrupted in rottennes which had norished and giuen substance to the manhood of Christe and therfore he auowed and beleued her boody to be assumpted into heauen immediatly after her death according to her story and the tradition of the churche So me thinkes it is more inconuenient we should yeild him to be borne of flesh which at my time had bene subject to sinne for sinne is much more base then the wormes and pollution of soule is farre worse then any corruption of body Seauenthly I am sure if it were in the handes of any good ChristiaÌ„ to grante her this preheminence he woulde not deteyne it why then should he deny to beleeue it in his harte when it is permitted and commended as a probable and most pious opinion and when he woulde giue it her if he were able Eightly this pure conception of our blessed Lady hath bene manifested by diuerse reuelations to S. Brigitte which are amongest those that be approued And to Elpinus a Reuerend English Abbot the verity therof confirmed by S. Anselmus Archbish. of Canterbury and after his soleÌ„nization in England of the Feast of her pure conception it was firste permitted and since receiued in all Catholique cuntryes Thus doth the Catholique churche honor her And this hath bene permitted by seuerall Counâ—ells And resteth commended by sundry Popes Wherfore let vs confesse that as the first Adam was made of earthe before it was cursed with thornes or weedes so our Lord Iesus the second Adam tooke flesh of her flesh which was blessed and neuer cursed with any nettles of concupiscence or thornes of originall sinne 8. O holy Virgin more pure then the heauens They are moste cleare and yet but a generall habitation for Sayntes there to see God Thou werte a speciall tabernacle both to enterteyne God himselfe and to affoarde him parte of thy substance O how coulde that be at any time vncleane where he dwelled how could that be euer touched with sinne which he assumed The diligent Bees wil not harbour in an vncleane hiue but doth annoynte them with sweete moystures before they make their hony The cleanly Ermyne will rather be killed by the Huntesmen then to saue his life enter into any place which is filthy Much lesse will the pure wisdome of God dwell in a body subject to sinne as said wise Solomon wherfore he allso saith in the Canticles many Doctors applye it to our blessed Ladie Thou arte all fayre O my loe and in thee there is no spotte And therfore with the Catholique Churche let vs say in her seruice O holy and immaculate virginity I know not with what prayses to extolle thee because whom the heauens coulde not conteyne thou diddest maynteyne in thy bosome Blessed arte thou among women and blessed be the fruite of thy wombe Because whom the heauens coulde not conteyne thou diddest maynteyne in thy bosome O happy and sacred Virgin Mary O most worthy of all honor pray for the laity entreate for the clergy make request for all deuoute womankinde O let all sortes finde thy certeyn succor whosoeuer doo celebrat thy sacred Conception 8. O founteyn sealed vp for the water oflife let thy intercession helpe to quench in vs all coales of concupiscence O Garden of paradise well guarded to keepe the tree of life let thy prayers preserue vs from too much liberty of our senses and all loosenes of life O brightest glasse of Chrystall without any spotte obteyne for vs all clearenes of harte and body freed from all foule thoughtes or other fleshly pollution 9. O swetest rose of the valley fayrest Lily of the mounteyn o precious balme of Gilead and comely Cypres of Sion thy wonderfull beauty of face and rare comelynes of person were euer accompanyed with such modesty of countenance and sobriety of behauior and besides so blessed with an extraordinary grace that thy beauty neuer allured but abashed thy comelynes did not entise but amaze nor could any harbour an vnchaste thoughte whiles he behelde thy Virgins eye O let thy gracious eyes of chastity so looke downe vpon vs in
fauour and for vs so looke vp to thy Sonne in prayer that we may be always vertuously sober in our actions religiously ciuill in our speeches in our very thoughtes pure and chaste in all our conuersation All which we earnestly entreate for the all sufficient merites mercyes of our Sauiour thy Sonne and by the immaculate purity of thy conception THE MOST GRACIOVS AND WONDERfull remedyes of our originall sinne Sect. 7. 1. THus was our blessed Lady preuented with grace But how shall we be made cleane who are conceiued by such vncleane seede excepte only as Iob answered By thee alone o Lorde whose grace saith S. Paul doth superabounde our sinne For sinne came by man but grace is of more power as proceeding from God Sinne did not take away from vs all good nor bring vpon vs all euill But grace doth deliuer vs from all the euill wherinto we mighte fall and is sufficient to giue vs all the good we can desire Adams sinne brought a curse only to his descendentes and to the earthe But by the merites of Christe all creatures except the diuells who hate him eyther haue or may haue parte of his blessing For by him not only all mankind is redeemed but the good Angells are confirmed in their grace and euen these senceles creatures shal be renued in their nature 2. And in the saluation of our soule there is more force in Gods grace then in mans sinne for it is easie and we are prone to fall or to dye in sinne but we are lumpish heauie and it is exceeding harde to be raysed vp to life of grace wherfore grace is the stronger and the more worthy and therfore we are the more indebted considering how weake we are and how vnworthy And it is maruelous to consider the proportion betwene our sinfull misery and our gracious remedie As against originall sinne is appointed Baptisme to regenerate vs in grace from that wherin we were generated by nature that as infantes are defyled by meanes of Adams corruption without their owne facte so they are washed by meanes of Christes redemption without their owne helpe Children are spotted before they be aware of it and they are cleansed before they knowe of it In their conception vnwitting and in their baptisme ignorante We are raysed by others before we haue reason to aske helpe as by others we were caste downe before we had sense of our fall Or if some be of yeares of discretion before they be baptyzed as infidels conuerted or if christians after Baptisme become sinners and come agayne to repentance in the firste sorte the grace of baptisme takes away all sinne originall and actuall and all punishment eternall and temporall in both sortes there is first a iustification without foregoing merites quae fit in hominâ— which of God alone is effected in man and then a second iustification quam facit homo in which man doth his parte and hath following good workes In wâ—ich second iustice it is reason we follow Gods grace to performe some satisfaction and to obteynes merites as we had runne after our concupiscence to incurre guiltynes and suffer punishments 3. All our merites and all our good are deriued from God but our first iustice in our first conuersion doth so come from him alone that we are not so much guilty by Adam of originall sinne without our owne faulte as Christ alone doth iustifye vs from all sinne without our owne merite O greatnes O goodnes of grace more powerfull and more abundant then sinne O swete IESVS who doost in wisdome so answer iustice with mercy that neither doo we wante any fauour nor is the lawe vnsatisfyed in all rigor and euery pointe balanced with conuenient counterpeyse Sinners in Adam iuste in Châ—iste In our selues actually and really wicked throughe Christe truly and inherently iuste We were inthralled by our sinfull liues he redeemed vs by his holy death By his passion and sufferinges he satisfyed for our punishments and our good workes haue merite by the vertue of his actions 4. But to insiâ—te especially in his comparison with Adam His crosse stood vpon Adams graue there beginning life where death began By a tree we perished and we were ransomed on a tree He repayred his churche his beloued spouse by the water and bloud which issued out of his side dying as Eua the wife of Adam was taken out of his side sleeping and by that water he clenseth our spottes of sinne and by that bloud he purchased to vs the beauty of grace By occasion of a woman came a generall curse and a greater blessing by meanes of a woman wherfore Adam called the firste Eua. and we salute the second quite turning the same letters into Aue. The first man Adam loste all by ambitions pride because being but a man he aspired to be as God and the second man IESVS restored all by obedient humility who being in deed God yet descended to become a man ALL THE GVILTE OF ORIGINALL SINNE is quite forgiuen in Baptisme and the first motions of concupiscence are not sinne vntill we delighte or consent vnto them Sect. 8. 1. ANd althoughe our Sauiour in Baptisme haue cleared vs from all Guilte of originall sinne yet not during this life from all temporall punishment therof as not from Death hunger sicknes nor from all ignorance or motions of concupiscence And althoughe he hath freed vs from all punishment destroying our soule yet not from all punishment which may encrease our merite as they say sustulit omnem paenam destruentem non omnem paenam promonentem and so he hath lefte in vs these infirmityes of our motions in concupiscence of hunger sicknes and death to be as skarres and markes of our soare and woundes which are healed 1. to the intent that seing and remembring our hurte our helpe we should remayne thankefull and not forgetfull 2. to humble vs by consideration of these infirmityes who else would be proud 3. to exercise vs in diligence of mortification and in vigilance of prayers lest we should be negligent and careles 4. to affoard vs occasion of more merite and so to crowne vs with more glory 2. Or we may lay that he hath freede vs from all effectes and personall punishmetns of originall sinne which so perteyned to our persons that they would condemne our particuler soules but not from all naturall defectes which necessarily belong to our generall nature wherby we remayne in the estate of all mankinde for as a wise phisicyan he hath sufficiently cured euery mans particuler soule not quite changing his generall nature abundantly prouiding and in better sorte for our corrupte nature to be helped and preserued by grace rather then to extinguish this nature and to create another For he will saue the same which had offended which is greater mercy to vs and more power wisdome in himselfe And is it not more to preserue a vessell of glasse then of yron 3. I said he hath lefte vs
subiect to the motions of concupiscence which are not properly sinne but only the remnantes and effectes of originall sinne and inclinations alone to actuall sinne For Baptisme doth alltogether so abolish originall sinne that nothing therof remayneth in vs which hath still the true nature of sinne Otherwise how are we cleansed by his washing as S. Paul saith And hath reconciled vs to exhibite vs immaculate And to be renati borne agayne by water the holy ghoste therby to be as free from originall sinne quasi modo geniti euen as new borne infantes are cleane from actuall sinne 4. And in circumcision the foreskin was not imputatiuely but really cut away In Iordan Naamans leprosy was quite taken away And S. Gregory saith That he who auoucheâ—h that sinnes are not altogether released in Baptisme let him say that the Egiptians were not indeede truly drowned in the red sea And S. Paul proueth that as in Adam all dye so in Christe all shall be reuiued viz truly verely really not so alone estemed or reputed And that we are buryed together with Christe by Baptisme in his death S. Augustin inferreth expressely That as in him was fulfilled a true death so in vs a true remission of sinnes and as in him a true resurrection so in vs a true iustification But the death of Christe and resurrection were true euery way not true in regarde of somewhat and in another respecte false Therfore allso the remission of sinnes is a true death of sinne not in respect of the Guilte only but in regarde of all thinges which haue respect of sinne 5. Not taken away in the Guilte alone as heretiques auouch and remayning in the Acte for how can the Acte of sinne be separated from the Guilte in this concupiscence Nay they themselues must needes confesse it hath still some Guilte whiles they say it is still true sinne for how can true sinne remayne wâ—thout some Guilte Or if we be free only from the dominion not free from all blemish or consideration of true sinne thoughe it be said this blemish is not imputed vnto vs yet if there remayne true sinne then are we not in deede free but in opinion And if that blemish or spotte remayning be true sinne then according to their owne doctrine it is a true mortall sinne for they admitte none veniall But to remayne in true mortall sinne and yet not to be in fauor of God is impossible for the same person to be in state of grace â—nd of saluation and in mortall sinne and so in state of damnation all at the same instante is as possible as to ioyne light and darknes Christe Beliall 6. But Protestants finding in our weake natures after Baptisme certein motions of concupiscence vnto sinne they deceiue themselues supposing these to be in deede sinne Some of ignorance because they distinguish not betwene the prouenes or inclinations of concupiscence and betwene the Acte of concupiscence for the firste is most especially perteyning to originall sinne thoughe after baptisme it is no sinne but only the effecte of originall sinne And the second which is an Actuall motion vnto sinne perteynes rather to Actuall sinne then to originall to which if there be added consent or full delighte then it is a complete actuall sinne otherwise no sinne These men therfore are deceiued in accompting that originall sinne which perteyneth to actuall But some others doo accompte the very firste pronenes or concupiscibility without any acte or consent to be of it seâ—fe sinne because it seemes the roote of sinne Wherin they doo manifestly admitte that defecte and ignominy of the vertue of our lordes grace in Baptisme which S· Augustin was so carefull not to admitte viz that in baptisme originall sinne only is razed of not vtterly rooted out 7. And in this poynte whether the first motions of our concupiscence be sinne Caluin himselfe is driuen to confesse the Ancyent Doctors to be against him His wordes are these Neyther is it needfull to labour in serching what the Ancyent doo thinke herein when therabout one Augustin may suffice who faithfully and with great diligence hath collected all their judgements and a little after he addes Yet betwene him and vs there is this difference That he in deede dare not call the mâ—lady of concupiscence a sinne but being content to decipher it by the name of Infirmity he teacheth it then finally to become sinne when eyther action or consent is added therunto Which is the same and no other then that which S. Iames said Concupiscence when it hath conceiued bringeth forthe sinnâ— and sinne when it is complete bringeth death Vpon which wordes S. Gregory and our venerable Countryman Bede maketh three daughters or effectes of concupiscence 1. suggestion when any vnlawfull thoughte doth sodeinly present it selfe to our minde whervnto if we doo not consent but resiste it doth not bringe forthe sinne but a crowne of life 2. Delectation when we doo not perfectly resiste the first motion or suggestion but in a mixte sorte we are somewhat delighted therin althoughe not with a full but with an imperfect consent then hath sinne conceiued venially not mortally But in the 3. if we proceede to a deliberate full consent althoughe it be only in thoughte yet then is it a complete sinne either veniall or mortall according as the matter of sinne wherunto we haue consented is veniall or mortalll As it is a mortall deadly sinne to see a woman and with full consent of thoughte deliberately to lust after her this is a complete sinne bringing forthe death thoughe it neuer come to action because as our Sauiour saith he hath allready committed adultery in his harte and as he hath fully in thoughte consented and either purpoâ—ed or deliberately desired to put his thoughte in execution so if he had meanes he woulde in deede practise it in Action 8. As for those Textes in the 6. and 7. chapters to the Romanes thoughe concupiscence be there diuerse times called sinne Eyther he meaneth concupiscence actuall which hath some delighte or consent Or else if he vnderstand the first motions which are the remnantes of originall sinne yet he calleth them sinne improperly and so these are termed sinne because they are following effectes and remnantes of originall sinne Not that either of these after baptisme are in themselues sinne excepte we doo consent vnto them In like sorte S. Paul was soulde vnder sinne where S. Chrysostome saith he speaketh in the person of wicked men not absolutely of himselfe Or as S. Augustin interpreteth him against the Pelagians He was soulde vnder the sinne of Adam but now is redeemed throughe Christe our lord And so he complayneth of some remnantes of that bondage that he had still the sensâ— of concupiscence but did not consent and therfore addeth what he did that he did not approoue it viz not allowe of those motions which he did feeâ—e And so he performed the euill which he hated vbi facere
purpose neuer to sinne any more and to fly all occasions of offending thee And to confesse and fulfill the pennance which shal be enioyned me for the same And for loue of thee I do freely pardon all my enemies And do offer my life wordes and workes in satisfaction for my sinnes Wherefore I most humbly intreate thee trusting in thy infinite goodnes and mercy that by the merits of thy most pretious bloud and passion thou wouldest pardon me and giue me grace to amend my life and to perseuere therin vntill death Amen A PRAYER OF THE AVTHOVR TO OVR BLESSED LADY O Most pious Virgin Mary Mother of God I desire thâ—e by the great loue thou bearest to thy deare Sonne my Lord Sauiour Iesus-Christ That thou wouldest vouchsafe to obtaine for me true sorrow for my sinnes a perfect keeping of all my Senses an humble ResignatioÌ„ of my selfe the exercise all those vertues wherewith thou didst so highly please thy diuine Sonne I also most humbly request thee to direct my wayes in those pathes which may be most agreable to the will of thy Sonne profitable for the saluation of my Soule Amen sweet Iesus THE FIFTITH PSALME WHICH IS THE FOVRTH PENITENTIALL The title In finem Psalmus Dauid cum venit ad eum Nathan propheta quando intrauit ad Bersabee Vnto the end A Psalme of Dauid When the Prophet Nathan came vnto him after he had entred vnto Bersabee MEDITATION I. OF THE OCCASION AND NVMBER OF this Psalme by Dauids example to beware of lust Section 1. THE historie and occasion of this Psalme is related at large in the booke of the Kinges the summe wherof is rehearsed by the Prophet Nathan in a Parable and complaint vnto Dauid saying 1. In this city ô Dauid there dwelte two neighbors a poore man a rich the riche man had flockes of sheepe and goates the poore man had only one sheep which he dearly loued There came strangers to the rich mans house for whose entertaynmeÌ„t he makes no prouision out of his owne flockes but takes away the poore mans only sheepe what punishment ô king is due to such an iniurye Dauid answers in iuste anger this man deserues to dye The prophet replyes thou art this man ô Dauid who hauing many yet tookest away the wife of Vrias to giue content to thy strange luste haste suffred him to be slayne for closer hyding of thy faulte The king conuinced acknowledgeth his offence as then presently he cryed peccaui so afterwarde to continue and stirre vp more contrition he endites this Psalme Miserere 2. Some interpreters haue obserued that this psalme is according to the latin accompte the fiftyth in number which in Moyses law was the number of the Iubiley yeare when inheritances returned to the heyres slaues were made free pawnes were released and a solemne feast of ioye was publiquely celebrated and so the hebrew worde Iobel signifieth a beginning as indeede he that repeates this psalme in true repentance as he must begin a new life so he shal be freed from the slauery of sinne Satan restored to the birth-righte of the kingdome of heauen receiue againe the grace and vertues which he had forfeyted after his sorrowe feare he shall in the great feast of a good conscience be much comforted with a perpetuall Iubiley 3. And as the Iewes in the 50. day after their departure out of Egipte receiued the lawe the Apostles receyued the holy ghoste in the day of Pentecâ—ste which is 50. dayes after the resurrection so if by the lawe we acknowledge our faultes by the giftes of the holy spirite we shal receiue comfortes and to such our Lord saith by the prophet I will restore vnto you the yeares which were deuoured by the locuste the caterpiller the ruste the cankerworme Verefying it also in this psalme of Iubiley which penitently pronounced will recompence all the hurtes of our soule bitten eaten by those 4. passions of the minde ioye sorrowe hope feare as with caterpiller cankerworme locuste and ruste Or the caterpiller is deuouring gluttony luste is a cankerworme creeping on his belly the locuste hauing bad wynges no feete is pride which will stand on no ground yet cannot well flye in the ayre but downe the winde of flaterye and may not couetousnes be termed ruste which fasteneth vpoÌ„ metalls and freteth it selfe with superfluous care Thoughe these gnawe the conscience and consumme the soule yet if we be so happy as to come to the Iubiley of this 50. psalme said vsed in sincere contrition we shall haue restored vnto vs all the yeares losse of time deuoured by such ruste locuste cankerwormes caterpillers And therfore the Churche doth principally vse this psalme both because of those restoratiue excellencyes as also for the memorable example and peculier penitence of the Author and for the generall aptnes of the wordes and matter well befitting any sorte of sinner 4. Some propound this example of Dauid as a blocke wherat to stumble which shoulde be their staffe wherby to arise It is true indeede he lamenteth in this psalme 3. or 4. notorious sinnes 1. his iniurious and needles thefte which Nathan obiected 2. his adultery with Bersabee which his idle pleasure occasioned 3. his seueral subtiltyes wherwith he soughte to couer his guiltynes 4. his vnkind slaughter of Vrias who was so innocent But as S. Augustin saith Let not the fall of the greater be the delighte of the lesser rather let the fall of the greater be the feare of the lesser they who haue not yet fallen let them heare this to the end they may arise As for his soule who aduentureth to committe such thinges as these because Dauid so offended he is much more wicked and sinneth more abominably then Dauid he sinned of concupiscence thou of malice Let vs rather imitate his holynes not followe his wickednes shoulde we fall with him O my soule and not ryse with him shoulde we loue that in Dauid which he hated in himselfe Doost thou looke vpon the booke of God to embolden thy selfe to sinne against God Doost thou note one error in an excellent picture and learne to paynte that blemish rather then all his other comely portraiture wilte thou learne sophistry to forsake logique wilt thou read Index expurgatorius to professe all the doubtes falsehoods which it mentions to be amended not to be mainteyned then feed as well vpon the garbage of fowles vpon the gall of beastes cast away their carkasses 5. Dauid after a full dinner and an easie sleep fittes idle in his prospecte and takes delighte to feed his eye with gazing about there his ranging idle lookes were as a quicke spye to marke a beautifull woman his harte streighte desired to enioye what he sawe his will procured to obteyne what he affected While Saul persecuted him and he lurked in caues he neither
then our harte searching our entralls prouing our reynes to thee we refer this iudgment and fearing our selues to bee far the worse we humbly sincerely craue more penitence more pity O IESV giue me strength in satisfaction to beare what thou wilte impose and then impose coorrectioÌ„ what our wilte O sweet Sauiour thou knowest how absolutely herein I doo resigne my will O continue me this grace and teach me more in true penaÌ„ce still to begge for more mercy I haue dishonored thee scandalized men for I was a publique preacher of the protestantes false Doctrine wherin peraduenture by my meanes some haue bene seduced many hardened others offended I haue profaned thy sacred churches somtime dedicated to thy catholique seruice and for mine owne body soule which should haue bene thy spirituall temples o how haue they bene polluted by errors which I supposed to be truthes by presumption of knowledge when I was in ignorance by some vices which I reputed vertues by many faultes which I neglected 4. If to affirme this as I doo penitently be my shame let it be O God as I desire thy glory If the worlde the diuells mine owne conscience doo accuse me O Father of mercy I confesse all wherof any of these can justly impeache me and allso whatsoeuer else thou doost know more in me then I haue coÌ„fessed or can call to minde in transgressions against thy deuine majesty in offences against my neighbors in many sinnes against my selfe O wretched and vile sinner that I am what should such a sinner doo whither shall I go shoulde I despayre No for that one sinne were greater then all these What though my sinnes haue bene many bad according to my religion my profession worse wherby like the prodigall sonne I was a Swynehearde a protestante minister feeding my selfe others with the huskes of heresy Et non satiabar in which I coulde neuer taste of true comforte nor obteyne peace vnto my conscience therfore with him I will Arise go to my heauenly Father I am resolued To arise from sinne Sectaryes To go vnto God our Father by meanes of the Catholique churche our mother and with this perpetuall purpose I doo say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee I am not worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruantes 5. Amongest Protestantes against malice I might wel plead ciuill honesty morall integrity wherin I liued among them without reprehension but in comparison of thy Catholique seruantes Sayntes O God before thy heauenly purest eyes I dare not present my former best innocence here I renounce any plea of passed integrity I disclayme my wonted profession I lament detest my errors my sinnes Thou knowest O lord I haue acknowledged them vnto my Ghostly Father in confession I beseech thee to confirme his absolution and as I doo entreate so I doo truste that thou wilte vnbinde in heauen what he hath vnbound on earthe O forgiue them for Iesus sake and so keepe me euer hereafter in thy loue grace that I may rather chuse miseryes disgraces reproches tormentes ten thousand deathes then at my time to retourne to the like sinnes errors or to my former estate And thou o blessed Virgin the mother of our only Sauiour and all the Angells and Sayntes of heauen O praye for me that during my life I may say this psalme with Dauid in true contrition And so throughe our Lord Iesus obteyning mercy at laste I may with him and all you be admitted into glory MEDIT. II. Miserere mei Deus secundum magnam misericordiam tuam Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitatem meam Amplius laua me ab iniquitate mea à peccato meo munda me Haue mercy on me O God according to thy great mercy and according to the multitude of thy miserations blotte out mine iniquity Washe me yet more from my iniquity cleanse me from my Sinne. A SHORTE DIVISION AND EXPLIcation of all these wordes Sect. 1. S. Ambrose saith Dauid sinned which Kinges are wonte but he performed penance he wepte he mourned which Kinges are not wonte he confessed his faulte he craued pardon prâ—strate on the ground he bewayled his wretchednes he fasted he prayed he hath published for euer a testimony of his confession priuate men are ashamed to doo this a King is not ashamed to confesse c O come my soule let not Dauid thus condemne vs nor S. Ambrose thus accuse vs rather because we haue ouertaken ouergone Dauid in sinning let vs be stayed by S. Ambrose to followe such a king in repenting Let vs consider our owne misery and our Lordes mercy not mercy without misery least we presume nor misery without mercy least we despayre Many thinke not how wretched they are by sinne in their hartes and therfore they sighe not with miserere in their mouthes but we are readyer to talke or thinke of our worthynes theÌ„ of our sinfulnes especially we will sooner compare our selues with other men in wisedome in knowledge in authority riches or such like with the proude pharisy then with the huÌ„ble publican acknowledge our ignoraÌ„ce our faultes and our infirmityes but what auayle such comparisons we shall be judged by that which we are in our selues not by what we seeme to be in respecte of others a dwarfe is not à gyante thoughe he stande on the toppe of a steeple or on a mounteyn a stately towre is not a lowe Cottage thoughe it be placed in the bottome of a valley consider o my soule what thou arte in the vale of misery not what thou maist seeme on a mounte of vanity let one depthe call vpon another out of the depthe of our sinfull misery o God we call vpon the depthe of profounde mercy 2. A deepe wounde must haue a large tente abondance of soares must haue many playsters o graunte vs great mercy for our deepe woundes and multitude of miserations for our innumerable botches let them seeke for smaller mercy whose faultes procede of meaner ignorance but my sinnes o lord haue neede of a strong warriour to redeeme me and of a skilfull phisition to heale me All sinners descend from IerusaleÌ„ to Ierico from the highest vertues to the basest vices they fall among theeues divells tentations delightes I allso among these was dangerously wounded in naturall facultyes spoyled generally of spirituall graces o gracious Samaritan miserere take pity on me passe not by me vnregarded O let the greatnes of thy mercy heale my naturall woundes and by the multitude of thy miserations repayre my spirituall losses come nere me come to me o compassionate Samaritan powre in wyne of compunction to cleanse my filthynes make me feele my misery powre in oyle of absolution to heale my soarenes by thy mercy o great phisitian here shew the
efficacy of thy generall medicin which is great mercy declare the variety of thy manifolde skill in multitude of miserations Thou arte miserator misericors pitifull in great mercy mercifull in multitude of pity in great mercy hauing the inwarde bowells of compassion and in multitude of pity shewing the outward actions fruites of commiseration I crye with that distressed man in the gospell if thou wilte thou canst make me whole thou canste by the greatnes of thy mercy thou wilte for the multitude of thy miserations Haue mercy on me O God according to thy great mercy and according to thy miserations blotte out my iniquity wash me yet more from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sinne 3. Miserere Shew mercy on me by blotting out the iniquity of my harte miserere by washing away the wickednes of my lippes miserere by cleansing all the sinnes of my handes By desire of blotting of washing of clensing I acknowledge my sinnes to be vgly and ill fauored to the eye to be filthy in the touche to be lothsome to the smel o cleanse this lothsomenes washe this filthynes blotte out this vglynes Beside these my sinnes are great in quantity many in number and diuerse in kinde o therfore let my great sinnes finde great mercy let my many sinnes haue multitude of miserations and being of sundry sortes I haue neede to be seuerally washed from my iniquity and clensed from my sinne from iniquity of commission and from sinnes of omission THE MISERABLE EFFECTS OF SINNE are declared according to the Scholmen and some shorte petitions for mercy are made against their misery Sect. 2. 1. THe misery of sinne in generall is lamentable therfore let vs all cry miserere but my sinnes in particuler are abominable wherfore I must say miserere mei haue mercye on mee He must be allmighty who can be able to helpe our generall and lamentable misery and to succour me from my abhominable sinnes he must be one most merrcifull but who is so mighty in power and so mercifull in fauor excepte it be only thou O Lorde who arte the Creator of the worlde and the Redeemer of mankinde wherfore vnto thee I directe my prayer haue mercy vpon mee O God 2. All sinne is a separation of the soule from God as therfore the soule being separated from our body we are corporally dead so when by sinne we are separated from God then we are dead in soule Mortall sinne consistes in auersion from God doth separate vs totally veniall sinne doth also separate thoughe but in parte yet by remissenes it loseneth the feruor of our affection In mortall sinne we are dead therfore miserere haue mercye on a dead man in venial sinne we are as in a sound or a sicke fleepe therfore miserere haue mercy on a weake faynte man In mortall sinne we receiue a wounde which doth kill vs therfore miserere as on a man mortally wounded in veniall sinne we receiue a wounde which doth blemish vs therefore miserere as on a man with many spottes deformed yea so diuerse are the spottes of veniall sinnes that thoughe by Gods grace we can euer avoyde any one or all at someteine yet not euer at all times all veniall faultes and of this kinde it is said the iust man offendeth seauen times a day naming a certeyn number for an vncerteyne because more or lesse in many thinges we offend all therfore in our penance for them we must purpose in generall to diminishe them all to absteyne as much as we can from euery one in particuler thoughe we cannot from all in vniuersall and in our prayers against them we haue neede to say miserere o be mercifull to theses frailtyes blemishes of our life that in the merites bloud of our Lord Iesus we may haue all spottes at our death washed of our faces all teares wiped from our eyes 3. Whersoeuer there is misery there is neede of mercy but there is misery in all sinne 1. by Corruption of nature 2. by Deformity of the soule 3. by Guiltynes of punishment In nature we had 1. the essence or substance of our Being 2. An Inclination to vertue 3. the gifte of originall iuctice Our substance indeede and our Being is not corrupted nor diminished but our vertuous disposition is by sinne diminished and we haue quite loste our Originall justice And thoughe all our Vertuous inclination be not so quite rooted out but that there remayne in vs certyen seedes of morality yet according to our custome practise of sinne more or lesse we doo lay caste so many impedimentes as great stones vpon this roote that thoughe it retayne his nature hidden in the grounde yet as ouerburdened with sinne his sprowtes are so suppressed that seldome hardely it can bringe forthe true fruite of vertue vntill throughe Gods grace we remoue these hinderances The deformity of the soule is caused by the blottes spottes of sinne as spottes are blemishes of some comelynes so in the soule there is a double beauty blemished by sinne One is the clearenes of naturall reasō another is the brightnes of supernaturall light of wisdome grace but euer by sinne we doo blemish eyther one or both of these which spotte as the shadowe of a body keepeth off the lighte and as seuerall bodyes giue seuerall shadowes so seuerall blottes procede of seuerall sinnes as long as any body of sinne is betwene vs these lightes so long we shall be folowed with these shadowes spottes vntill we be illuminated by the brightenes of Gods mercy grace for thoughe the action of sinne cease wherby we did separate our selues from Gods lighte yet the blemish doth remayne which maketh the shadowe And as he who is departed into darkenes from a brighte place is not presently in lighte agayne so soone as he ceaseth to go but he must come backe or else remayne in the darke so before we can returne to the lighte which we loste it is not enoughe to cease from sinne so stand still but we must haue in our Will a contrary motion to that which before we had to come into the lighte of grace to proceede in the pathe of goodnes And these are our miserable deformityes 4. The misery of our guiltynes vnto punishment must needes folowe where the faulte is gone before for as when nature findes his contrary it labors to suppresse it so because sinne is opposite to order it should not be suffered Wherfore our will being subject to three orderly gouernors when it transgresseth against any of them it may be punished by them It is firste subject to our owne reason secondly to humane gouernement and thirdly to the order of Gods authority and accordingly when we offend against these orders of our reason of humane or of deuine lawes we are to be punished by the remorse and byting of our owne conscience
by mans penaltyes and by our Lordes chastisements yea such is the misery of sinne that one sinne is the punishment of another and many times of it selfe though not directly by it selfe yet by accident indirectly first because when by former sinne we caste from vs Gods grace giuen or offred he then leaueth vs to our owne corrupte weakenes to Sathan the worldes forcible tentations whose continual batteryes whiles without grace we cannot resiste we doo afterwardes justly fall captiues vnto many sinnes who by some former faulte did rejecte his grace so vnkindly 2. there are some sinnes which are punishments both offormer faultes of themselues not only in their effectes as prodigality hath for his followers wante and robberye but allso in their very actions some are a payne vnto themselues eyther inwardely as enuy anger doo vexe their owne maysters or outwardly when men doo passe much labor perill or coste to effecte some sinnes As Plutarche saith men adjudged to be crucifyed or to other tormentes were forced first to beare their owne crosses or such other instruments of theyr owne execution so sinners by sinne it selfe doo here begin their owne payne damnation and so they confessed who the wiseman saith were in hell lassati sumus in via iniquitatis we were tyred wearyed in our way of iniquity 5. Wherfore among so many miseryes should we not often crye miserere haue mercy in respecte of sinnes punishing themselues one another by outward toyle danger losse by inward feare remorse vexation by depriuing vs of Gods grace leauing vs to our owne concupiscence miserere for we are guilty out of order against God against men against our owne conscience miserere to bring backe our Will eâ—ring in darkenes to cleare our Vnderstanding shadowed with blemishes to repayre our giftes of grace decayed by frailtyes miserere haue mercy by reuiuing the seedes of vertue remoouing the hindrances customes of Vice miserere restoring vs to justice which we lost forfeyted inclyning encreasing vs in holynes which we forsooke diminished and finally miserere preseruing vs in substance of soule body from sufferance of payne vnto fruition of glory for in all these viz by corruption of nature by deformity of soule by guyltines of punishment we are all miserable therfore in all these o blessed Iesu miserere haue mercy OTHER WRETCHED EFFECTES OF sinne are declared out of the Scriptures Doctors by which we are warned from them Sect. 3. SAlomon saith that sinne maketh people to be miserable and S. Augustin defyneth sinne to be Deedes wordes or desires which be against the eternall lawe of God which are made mortall sinne when we adde vnto any of these a full consent of our will with auersion or forsaking of God Consider then o my soule in what estate thou arte when thou abydest in sinne If in our lorde be all happynes and to be in fauour with him be our felicity o how great wretchednes is it to forâ—ake his loue to fall into his hate But Esay said our sinnes deuide betwene him vs and both Salomon Dauid affirme that he hateth all who worke iniquity wherfore S. Chrysostome said I judge it to be harder more intolerable then a thousand hell fyres to be hated of Christe to heare him say I knowe you not it were better to endure a thousand thumderboltes then to see his face of mildenes to be turned from vs or enraged against vs for the eye which vseth to be fauorable when it becometh fierce is most terrible 2. Alas o lorde we haue forsaken thy infinite goodnes we haue loste thy inestimable fauour wherfore to free vs from thy hate restore vs to thy happynes miserere haue mercy Haue mercy not only for the good which by sinne we doo loose but allso in respecte of the euill which for it we doo suffer because many are the whippes of a sinner for sinne the earthe was cursed to bring forthe thornes the woman cursed to beare children in payne and man was cursed to eate his bread with labour Vpon sinners our lorde rayneth snares fire brimstone and the spirites of tempestet are in the portion of his cuppe his very prayers are turned into sinne and his table is a snare vnto him all wickednes is as a sharpe two edged sworde 3. But if we be neither mooued with loue of goodnes nor with feare of wrathe I knowe not whither we be more miserable who must suffer the punishment or blockish who will not see to auoyde the faulte yet let vs consider the nature of sinne which is contrary to our nature we were created doo desire to enioy liberty but sinne maketh vs slaues and the wiseman saith Euery sinner is bounde in the fetters of his owne sinnes We naturally abhorre hell the diuell deathe but sinne caused the very angells offending to be throwne downe from heauen to be reserued in the chaynes of hell S. Augustin saith that euery sinner selles his â—oule to the diuel taking for his price the sweetnes of some temporall delighte nay S. Chrysostome calleth euery sinner a certeyn willing diuell a self-willed madnes And as for death which we so much feare the scripture saith that they which committe sinne doo kill theyr owne soules we knowe it were horrible to murder our Father but to murder thy selfe it is more damnable wherfore as the wiseman sayd take mercy on thine owne soule pleasing God which then we doo when penitently we say vnto him miserere haue mercy 4. What shoulde I say of sinne tormenting the conscience offending the communion of Sayntes among men it is a discredite among Christians it causeth excoÌ„munication and S. Basil doth write that as smoke driueth bees from their hiues and loth some smells driue pigeons from their houses so from the custody of our persons â—l sauoring sinnes driue away our holy Angells And is not euery inordinate minde a penalty to it selfe as S. Augustin auoucheth for couetousnes gripes pride swells enuy consumes concupiscence inflames luxury stingeth gluttony stinketh dronkennes besotteth sclander scratcheth ambition vndermyneth it selfe iniuryes gette hatred discorde teareth anger burneth lighte heades are neuer quiet idlenes is wearisome lazynes combreth hipocrysie deceiueth his owne harte flatterye giues himselfe the lye in his owne throate O miserable sinnes which make men so wretched which seldome come alone without seauen worse diuells folowing them which make our present prayers not purposing amendment to be rejected which cause all our good deedes paste not to be regarded which are so hardly cured because they are not so easily as we thinke repented In time therfore o lord with the first worde of this psalme against all these for-meÌ„tioned miseryes we humbly hartily crye miserere haue mercy OF THE NAME AND NATVRE OF GOD who he his vvhat we are and how vnspeakably we are beholding vnto his great goodnes Sect. 4. 1.
O God who canst not be deceiued for thou arte wisedome nor corrupted for thou arte justice nor ouercome for thou arte allmighty nor escaped for thou arte euery where present O God who by thy omnipotence as thou arte able to punish the careles with terror so thou arte able to cure the sorowfull with fauor O God whose property is to haue mercy in whom there is no difference betwene thy mercy thy essence and as the Churche prayeth who doost manifest thy omnipotency in pity aboue all and in showing mercy Miserere mei Deus O God shew towardes mee thy omnipotent mercy O God whose name is shorte but thy majesty is great not like men who haue an ell of great names not an inche of good nature or a vayne preface of Titles longer then the whole booke of their true vertues But thy excellent goodnes is vespeakable O God and we name thee to signifye whom we meane in our shallowe capacity not to expresse what thou arte in thy infinite majesty Wherfore thoughe I be miserable yet thou arte powerfull pitifull to releiue me for thou arte God and thoughe I be wicked yet thou as God art infinitely gracious abundantly mercifull to forgiue me 2. Miserere mei haue mercy on mee not haue mercy on Dauid as in another psalme O Lord remember Dauid nor dare I say haue mercy on thy seruante for I haue broken thy commandements nor haue mercy on the king for as my name and person is now odious so to mention my dignity were to aggrauate my offence O foule sinne which makes me ashamed of mine owne name yet I will pointe to my wretched substance thoughe I dare not declare my guilty person for the respecte of the partye doth often much encrease the offence Haue mercy on mee I acknowledge my faulte I denye it not with Cayn I caste it not vpon another as Eue I excuse it not as Saul nor with Iudas do I confesse and yet despayre but as I condemne my selfe for my sinnes so I trust in thy goodnes for thy mercy miserere mei haue mercy on mee On mee who ioyned and coupled so many sinnes in one fardell about fullfilling my desire and pleasure On mee who consented to the motions of luste who corrupted messengers to further it who abused another mans wife to fullfill it who deuised practises to conceale it and would haue had my bastarde misbegotten to be reputed as another mans heyre legitimate On mee who added murder to adultery who repayed iniuryes for requitall of seruice On mee who thus wronged a man altogether innocent with him procured diuerse others to be slayne who were allso harmeles On mee who caused him by fraude to cary letters like Bellerophon contriuing the manner of his owne death On mee who receiued the tydinges of his murder with gladnes and presently with delighte maryed his widowe On mee who long lay sleeping in these sinnes without remorse and if I had not bene rebuked by thy prophet paraduenture of my selfe I had neuer repented On mee whom thou diddest deliuer from the malice of Saul and yet I my selfe wroughte mischeife against Vrias On mee who was aduanced from a shepheard to a kinge yet towardes mee Nabal was not so vnthankefull as by this offence I haue bene against thee ingratefull Finally thou werte wonte to powre thy spiritte of prophecy on mee in which I vsed to sing psalmes vnto thee but beholde I haue expelled thy spirite which was my trusty comforter and I haue enterteyned the spirite of luste a trecherous stranger I haue changed the ioye of the spirite into the delighte of the flesh I haue forsaken my psalmes and prayers of deuotion I haue lefte my good-workes and carefull exercise of religion O haue mercy On mee who began with much feruor to sequester all my thoughtes from the worlde like a religious man but since I haue giuen place to some coldenes of desires and bene content to passe along like another worldly man On mee therfore O God miserere mei haue mercy on mee 3. According to thy great mercy according to the multitude of thy miserations Thou O God diddest so loue the worlde that thou gauest thy only sonne being God equall to thy selfe to take our flesh and to taste of our misery for the redemption of vs men O great mercy O multitude of miserations we of our selues are thy desperate enemyes yet as S. Peter said According to thy great mercy thou haste regenerated vs vnto the hope throughe Christe of an inheritance incorruptible In thee therfore O blessed Iesus is conteyned this great mercy by thee we receiue this multitude of miserations It were not so much for a man to abase himselfe to become a toade as it was for thee being God to become man this was great mercy but it was a multitude of miserations to endure our miseryes to suffer tormentes and to vndergoe death for distressed enimies herein saith S. Paul God doth commend his charity vnto vs seeing when we were yet sinners Christ dyed for vs. 4. It is mercy to giue vs food rayment it is more mercy to continue vs life it was yet more to create vs being nothing and it was greater mercy to affoarde vs the vse of all his creatures both in necessity for which we owe him thankes and in delighte which requireth prayse Before we were we merited nothing but if now God still shew mercy after we haue shewed our selues vnthankfull to such a Lord is not this great mercy to giue his soone to redeeme a rebellious seruant nay to redeeme his enemye out of bondage is it not a multitude of miserations To see water run downe the hill it is no marueill nor being powred on euen playne grounde to see it run on euery side euery way but it were a wonder to see a riuer run vp a monteyn So to giue rewarde vnto deserte it is our Lordes naturall iustice to bestowe benefites on them who haue neither done good nor hurte it is his euerflowing goodnes but to doo so well vnto vs who haue demerited so ill against him what can I call it but his miraculous great mercy nay that is not enoughe it hath in it an infinite multitude of miserations It was admirable humility for God to become man it was patience without a paterne being man to suffer so much of men for men but to performe all this for men who worse then beastes were become his reuolted enemyes this was great mercie in this was multitude of miserations 5. It is mercie to forgiue our offences they are miserations to releiue our necessityes both great and with multitudes in all kind of continued and discreet quantityes vnmeasurable mercyes because so great and innumerable miserations because so many And not alone seuerally a magnitude of great mercie and a multitude of many miserations but allso intermiâ—te great multitudes of many mercyes and many magnitudes of great miserations
into like misery no such mercy is in our Lorde vpon any of these considerations for he is neither subiect to humane affection nor to feare nor any way in hazarde of changeable infelicity 2. And among men thoughe charity be the greatest of all vertues because it vnites ioynes vs as inferiors to God our beste highest Superior yet in God who is aboue all creatures vpon which he powreth out all the godnes they haue receiues nothing from any other to himselfe in him mercy is the greatest of all vertues to him therfore the Churche saith it is proper more then to any herein his omnipotency most to be manifested For thoughe the vertues attributes of God be in himselfe equall yet in their effectes operations towardes his creatures one may appeare more or lesse then another so here S. Augustin saith that mercy miserations be all one S. Bernarde calls miserations the daughters of mercy which are diuerse in sundry streames yet all one water of the same founteyn as in a garden-water potte the water within is all one in substance with those many spinning streames yssuing out of those seuerall holes 3. Aristotle said that no place of the worlde is alltogether empty eyther of ayre or some what else yet he could not tell wherof it was full so well as Dauid who said All the worlde is full of the mercy of our Lord. Another philosopher being asked what was greatest of all answered Locus place is greatest for place which conteyneth all is greater then those thinges which are conteyned but Dauid would haue said it is our Lordes mercy which is aboue all his workes so all places giues place as inferior to his mercy takes place within it as lesser then his mercy In heauen his mercye shynes in glory on earthe he raynes mercy both on the iuste iniuste his mercy is in purgatory where sowles are purifyed prepared for heauen yea euen in hell there is some parte of his mercy for as he rewardes his Angells Sayntes much aboue their merites so punisheth the diuells the damned both lesse then their demerites and not so much as he is able 4. These are thy mercyes O God which none can deny but we humbly desire releife pardon according to thy great mercy to blotte out our iniquity in the multitude of thy miserations thy justice o lord reacheth vnto the heighte of mounteynes thy truthe vnto the clowdes thy great mercye to the heauens and the multitude of thy miserations is aboue all thy workes O let vs taste of these mercyes sent downe from thee to vs and deriued by vs to others that we may learne to be mercifull as thou arte mercifull And so in thy day of iustice iudgment if we haue bene mercifull we shall obteyne mercy when it shall not be so much recounted that Abel was murdred for his good sacrifice that Noah tooke care to saue the olde world that Abrahā was faithfull that Moses deliuered the lawe that Elias went vp to heauē in a charyot that S. Peter was crucified with his head downeward that S. Paul was beheaded that S. Laurence was broyled or S. Edmonde our English king a martyr shotte full of arrowes as it shall be there demāded what workes of mercy euery one hath performed especially in feeding the hungry clothing the naked or visiting the sicke imprisoned O teach vs to be mercifull in such smal matters that we may find great mercy at thy handes and in euery one of thy fingers multitude of miserations Great mercy o God because thou arte great and it fittes thee not to giue little great mercy because our necessityes haue neede of great supplyes our offences are great our punishments deserue to be great therfore what can we aske lesse then great mercy 5. And according to the multitude of thy miserations blotte out my iniquity O thou who doost forgiue very often euen seauenty times seuen times we are many offenders and are guilty of exceeding many sinnes in many thinges offending all euery day many times a day o shew the multitude of thy miserations vpon such multitudes of offences of times of persons pardoning so many sinners for so many crimes so many times repeated O blotte them out as thou hast said by the Prophet Esay that thou arte he who blotteth out our iniquityes for thine owne sake And Ieremy saith our sinnes are grauen in a harde Adamante stone with an yron pen who can blotte out such a recorde euen thou only o mighty redeemer who by thy handes nayled to the crosse wert blotting out all handewrytinges against vs O raze and blotte out we entreate thee all the sinnes accusations which Satan writes against vs O blotte them out not to be read and scrape them out as blottes not to be seene for otherwise they will blotte our names out of thé booke of the liuing Del◠put out or take away from thy sighte or vewe all spottes from our soule all memory from thy booke all byting wormes from our conscience all sinnefull appetites from our affections all vnlawfull consent from our desires O blotte out all malice or frailty from our will and out of our vnderstanding all error blindnes In the vertue of thy precious bloud and by the sacramēt of extreme Vnctiō we beseech thee blotte out at our death all the sinnefull delightes of our eyes all the follyes of our eares all vanityes of our smelling all the iniquityes of our tōgue all the voluptuousnes of our touche or of our taste all vnserchable or secret sinne of our hartes all the idlenes or wickednes of our handes all the forwardnes of our feete to committe euill all the slackenes or crookednes of our wayes vnto good O Iesu helpe vs by wyping out our blottes now to cleāse our soules euer by great mercy to forgiue our sinnes OF THE GREAT CARE VVE MVST VSE to purge all sinne and that we our selues must doo herin some diligence not standing idle to leaue all vnto Christe Sect. 6. 1. WAsh me yet more from mine iniquity cleanse me from my sinne O lorde I haue so much offended that me thinkes I cannot well enoughe expresse my guiltynes nor enoughe begge remedye nor can I tell when I haue enoughe repented Amplius laua me wash me yet more both from the filthynes and allso the stinkingnes of all wickednes wash me from iniquity which is filthy and cleanse me from sinne which stinketh from sinne against God from iniquity eyther against my neighbor or against my selfe yet more both from the heynousnes of that which is paste that I be perfectly cured and least I should fall agayne from the dangerousnes of that which may come Let not the prophet complayne against me saying O how vile arte thou become iterating thy wayes all sinne in my soule is like lothsome stinking durte on my
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
se dixit c. where he said He performed not by the affection of consent and fullfilling action but in the very motion of concupiscence calling that a Deede which was but an vnwilling motion of a thoughte And sâ— the lawe non concupisces bindeth against actuall desires with consent not against the first motions remayning as effectes of originall corruption and so concupiscere est post concuspiscentias ire and those first motions are fomes peccati the fewell of sinne and without consent no way indeede sinne no more then wood is fiâ—e vntill it be kâ—nled And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. the wisdome or sensuality of the flesh is enemy to God by which sensuality he allso meaneth actuall sinne and not originall And so generally for the moste parte when any Ancyent Doctor calleth concupiscence indefiniâ—â—â—â— sinne they speake of actuall concupiscence with consent Or doo so terme the effectes of originall sinne after baptisme not because they are absolutely sinne but because they are remnants of sinne and doo allure vnto sinne 9. If it be said that all is sinne which agreeth not to the lawe of God or is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is true taking sinne in a generall sense for viâ—ium a defect as there be vitia naturae vel artis defectes of nature or of arte viz to be blind lame c and such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sinne we may calle our naturall concuâ—iscence which of it selfe without conâ—ent is no more sinne speaking properly strictly then to be hungry or thirsty against our will Or no more then dreames of murder vnchaste imaginations of men asleepe wherof they gaue no faulty occasion being awake And thoughe such dreames doo not agree eâ—actly with the lawe of God yet who will strictly properly call them sinnes They agree not with the lawe in their substance materially but formally in their intention they are not against the lawe As a woman raviâ—hed or forced against her will without any consent the Action materially agreeth not with the lawe exactly and yet therin who can accompte her guilty of sinne 10. Finally we cannot say the first motions of coÌ„cupiscence are sinne because we oughte to abhorre them because God doth hate them for all is not sinne which deserueth to be hated Because euill of punishment may be hated as well as euil of Guiâ—te and whatsoeuer allureth to sinne may be hated thoughe it selfe be not sinne And so we abhorre the first motâ—ons of concupiscence as occasions not indeede as sinnes And allmighty God hateth all euill euen of punishment and so he detesteth Death and is said not to haue made death not as the first Author sed vt peccati vlâ—or but as the iust punisheâ— of sinne by death He hateth all euill of punishment or of guilte in respecte of the evill it selfe not in respecte of the occasioÌ„ of good which he draweth out of the evill And so of our worldly aflictions saith S. Augustin Vvho would suffer miseryes or difficultyes Thou doost coÌ„mand vs o lord to endure them not to loue them none doo loue what they suffer thoughe to suffer they doo loue for thoughe he ioye in suffring yet he had rather he had nothing to suffer In like sorte we may not desire concupiscence not because it is sinne except we consent but because it induceth to sinne and is troblesome greiuous c. neyther ought the iudgment of God to displease vs who woulde haue it to remayne for an Agony and exercise of vertue and tolde his Apostle My Grace is sufficieÌ„t vnto thee for his strenghte is perfited in our weakenes THE CONCLVSION OF THE FORMER DEclarations about Originall sinne with some shorte admonitions to mortifie his force Sect. 9. 1. THus I haue said somewhat of sundry questions about Originalle sinne wherin if I be tedious to some yet to others I know it will seeme to shorte I confesse it is a matter more lamentable then disputable for all wherfore in our meditation vpon this corruption let vs mourne with Dauid That in iniquityes we were conceiued and our mothers broughte vs forthe in sinnes 2. For thoughe Baptisme doo cleanse vs yet some sorowful remembrance therof is good to humbâ—e vs. Baptisme takes away omnem labem all the guilte all the spottes and nature of sinne paste non omnem somitem not aâ—l the fewell and inclination vnto sinne to come Wherfore come o my soule in our present conforte let vs prayse our Redeemer who had purifyed and washed all the vncleannes of our Birthe and in our folowing diligence by the helpe of his grace let vs be carefull to mortefy and kepe vnder all corruptions of our life O my soule be thou watchefull ouer my body I will not say kill my flesh because it is a parte of my selfe and I may not hate it yet remember it was a meanes in our conception by which the purity was stayned I say when thou werte infused it did blemish that lustre and integrity which now thou shouldest haue if thou werte not in his corrupte prison thoughe it defiled not the cleannes and purity of thy nature which thou first haddest by creation and which we may recouer and better by the grace of Christe if we keepe our flesh in due mortification Let vs make gaynes by our losse and winne more reward by our paynes O blessed be our Redeemer Iesus who hath giuen vs this possibility Let vs resiste and suppresse the motions of our concupiscence that we may aduance and increase the vigor of our spirite Nay o my soule thou arte bound to doo no lesse for if in Adam his soule had not first consented to her owne fond affections and desires the body had bene yet still in obedience therfore as the rebellion of the flesh was first occasioned on thy parte so to pay for this faulte the disquietnes of continuall concupiscences must be endured by thy mourning patience and ouercome by thy mortifying diligence 3. Be thou watchfull ouer thy discerning reason least ignorance make falsehood truthe be heedfull to thy irascible corage least impatience driue a way that which is good and be carefull about thy concupiscible choyse least sensuality follow that which is bad Wheras contrarily our concupiscibility should only embrace good our irascibility should only hate bad and our reason should only be fixed on truthe But alas we are witty and apte for errors therfore labour to be discrete we are headdy subject to passions therfore endeuour to be moderate we are headlong prone to pleasures therfore striue to be temperate 4. O my soule these are our frailtyes our reason dimme our passions strong and sottishnes in our desires neither is it marueil for we are conceiued in sinnes conceiued in iniquityes In our carnall generation the vse of reason is suspended the heat of luste is enflamed and pleasure is soughte in vncleannes O 〈◊〉 better remedyes then in the merites and examples of our Redeemer
healing holy poole by the fourthe yron gate for satisfying or escaping temporall punishments in this life you must needes haue either the key of penall good workes or of Indulgences which vpon some good consideration may commute these penances And lastly for them who dye before they haue satisfyed sufficiently for all their temporall punishments these to be altogether clensed in the vertue of that poolâ— must passe it by the boate fiery gate of purgatory which they passe the more spedily hauing the helpe of holy masses indulgences or prayers offred by others in their behalfe 4. This poole I say is the precious founteyn of our Sauiours bloud vnto which all thâ—se gates and keyes doo directe and without which all these can doo nothing But as oâ—â— lord Iesus is only the foundation of all our redemption and yet we vse the hâ—lpe of his sacramentes to communicate vnto vs the benefite of his merites which we doo confesse they doo communicate without any derogation or dishonor to our Sauiour himselfe So good workes and purgatory and those Sacramentalls of holy water c. they doo wish helpe vs in the vertue only of his precious bloud not diminishing but applying the maruelous fruite therof which by so manifolde diuerse meanes is ready at hand to profite vs. 5. A weake body apte to faynte or sounde had need of many helpes to holde or recall life among the rest it is vsed to sprinkle colde water in the face â—hervpoÌ„ Plautus said Sparsisti aquaÌ„ iam redijt animus thou hast tolde me so good tydinges that being ready to sâ—unde for feare now thou hast sprinkled water vpon me I am come agayne to life O blessed Iesu my sinnes and my doubtes had so reuolued turmoyled my conscience that vntill I bleeued thy catholique truthe which thou louest and vntill thou diddest manifest vnto me the secrets of thy mysteries hidden in the wisdome of thy catholique churche I was euer doubtfull fearfull and often ready to sounde at the bare name of death But now thou haste sprinkled water in my face by the precious hysope of thee my Sauiour I may say with Iacob when he heard of his sonne Iosephes wellfare my spirite is reuiued for now my doubtes are dissolued my sinnes are absolued my feare is expelled and my harte is setled in courage O proceede deare Sauiour to giue yet more ioye and gladnes to my hearing that my humbled bones may reioye and that thy promise by Ezechâ—el may be fullfiled to powre 〈…〉 cleane water by which we shal be clensed from all our iniquitâ—es for as S. Paul collecteth if the bloud of goates sprinkled did sanctâ—fâ—e the polluted how much more the bloud of Christe which shall cleanse our conscience from dead workes and thus I hope o lorde thou wilte sprinkle me with hysope and I shall be cleansed THE WONDERFVLL EFFICACYE OF OVR Sauiours bloud and of the signe of the Crosse which was be sprinkled therewith Sect. 3. 1. O most precious and miraculous bloud which doost not spotte steyne vs as any other bloud vseth to doo Thou doost rather cleanse vs wâ—sh vs and make vs white aboue snowe As the Sayntes washed their stoles and whited theÌ„ in the bloud of the lambe not their persons only but allso their garments And as in Dyars arte out of one the same Dyefatte they will make diuerse colors according to the disposition or aptenes of the color put into it as white will become blew yelowe will become greene blew will become red only blacke will take no color but come out rather more blacke So a fowle blacke deadly sinner not repenting truly thoughe he beleeue our Sauiors passion or neuer so often frequent the sacramentes so long as he continues still in his fowle sinne his blacke soule will take no other color rather for his abuse he comes away worser and of such the prophet asked can a blackmore change his skinne But a true penitent or he that is in state of grace according to the preparation of his harte and his deuoute disposition in which he applyes to himselfe the bloud of our Sauior so he euer receiues therefrom a perfiter color Wherfore S. Augustin speakes vnto the catholique church in these wordes O happy and heauenly mother among thy flowres neither wante lilyes nor Roses let euery one indeuour to attayne the colors which he can eyther by virginity a crowne of white lillyes or by martyrdome a crowne of purple Roses In the contemplation of our hopes we may haue a fresh greene or in the burning of charity a perfect flame color in one word all the beautifull colours in the world may be obtayned by this one admirable Tincture or Dye of our Sauiours bloud therfore herein o lord sprinkle me with hysope and I shal be cleansed in beauty 2. Many herbes beastes fishes other creatures haue wonderfull effectes of nature But the vertues of all gathered into one are not so strange nor so stronge as this one effecte of our Sauiours bloud To cleanse and make white the polluted blacke soule of a contrite sinner Not the herbe Guila which S. Ambrose saith the Turtles vse about then nestes to driue away by his smell the hungry wolnes from deuouring her yong ones Not the leaues of the plane tree by which the storke driues away from her neste the owles or nighte Battes least they touching her egges should make then rotten Not the Panâ—her which by his sweete smelling skinne drawes other beastes to him then deuours then and yet he himselfe so soone as he sees the Hyaena he runnes to lye downe at his feete and by him is torne in peeces Not the little fish Remora that sticking to a shippe vnder sayle presently hinders her course Nor the Torpedo which from the hooke by the Anglestringe the Rodde so benummes the fishers hande that he cannot drawe him out of the water Not the Indâ—an haematites which so stoppes the course of bloud that whiles it toucheth any parte of your body thoughe you receiue neuer so many woundes yet not one will bleed Not these nor a thousand more strange propertyes of all creatures can be comparable to the admirable effectes of one drop of his bloud who was the Creator of all these the Redeemer of the whole worlde 3. Saint Peters shadowe did worke miracles but it was in vertue of this bloud What miracles may the shadowe of the bloud it selfe doo wherfore now a figure or shadowe of this bloud since it was really shed for vs can be no lesse forcible then those figures which did but signifye it should be shed afterward As this Type of hysope sprinkling the bloud of legall sacrifices what vertues had it May not therfore now the sprinkeling of holy water in a better memory haue more efficacy 4. As for the signe of the crosse which touched was besprinkled with his bloud what miraâ—les what force
but rather doo begge for almes althoughe we be so weake so sicke in bodily healthe that we can neither faste nor vse any corporall mortification no nor be able to speake or name Iesus yet if we doo but sighe for his mercy for his loue aboue all thinges else and if for that respecte aboue all we doo but wish for pardon of our sinnes detesting them with an afflicted spirite because we haue offended so gracious a lorde and with a contrite harâ—e for the fowlenes of our faultes if we doo but conceiue an humble thoughte with a hopefull desire acknowledging our owne vnworthynes crauing his forgiueness certeinly such a sacrifice of such a spirite O God thou wilte neuer refuse it A DESCRIPTION OF CONTRITION AND Attrition and their seuerall propertyes Sect. 5. 1. COntrition is a parte of penance hauing a willing sorowe of minde for our sinnes committed which now we doo detest more then all other hatefull thinges because it is an offense against God whom nowe we doo loue aboue all the worlde and hauing an hope of pardon throughe Christe we doo fully purpose for euer to absteyne from sinnes and to confesse and to satisfye so farre forthe as we are bounde or shall be able This is the description of perfecte Contrition formed with complete charity But Attrition which is imperfecte and somewhat vnformed Is a sorowe of minde detesting sinne committed though not alone and aboue all for the loue of God and hath a purpose with hope of pardon euer to absteyne as least from mortall sinne and to confesse and to satisfye as shal be requisite This Attrition of it selfe alone is not sufficient to obteyne pardon vntill there be added and adioined some sacrament vnto it by which it obteyneth effectuall remission 2. And vnderstande 1. that there is a sorowe which is a greife only because of punishment or for shame without any respecte of God 2. in parte for these and in parte because God is offended yet so that he woulde not sorowe if he had no feare of shame or punishment 3 both for these and because God is offended and so that he woulde sorowe for hauing offended God thoughe those other were not But neuertheles he doth not detest sinne more then any hatefull thinge nor loue God aboue all in this worlde 4 Is without these a perfect contrition grounded vpon a sorowe detesting sinne more then any other hatefull thinge because we loue God perfectly aboue all the worlde The firste is of naturall sense the second is of a seruile minde the thirde is attrition of an imperfect filiall feare the fourthe is perfecte complete contrition 3. Any sorowe may be profitable and is good when it doth include at least virtually some respect of greife because God is offended And thoughe our sorowe or feare at firste be but naturall or seruile yet may it proceede to be initiall making imperfectly an entrance and at laste come to be filiall in perfection Out of these some differences are collected about Contrition Attrition As firste that some Contrition doth fully pardon all sinne both all the guilte all the punishment thoughe the partye shoulde dye before he coulde come to Confession or any other sacrament if he did desire them and vse his true diligence to obteyne them wheras other Contrition in the like case doth remitte all the guilte payne eternall but not all temporall punishment But the best Attrition is not sufficient without some sacrament adioined to absolue vs from the guilte of sinne 4. Allso there is a grosser attrition which proceedeth more from the feare of shame or punishment then because God is offended wheras the best Attrition is more for the offence of God then for any punishment or shame Allso there is a difference betwixte remisse Contrition the best Attrition because any contrition detesteth sinne aboue any thing detestable being founded vpon the loue of God aboue all wheras euen the best attrition thoughe it principally loue God hate sinne for it selfe yet noâ— aboue all But the absolute loue of perfecte contrition differeth allso from remisse contrition not for that it is sorow only because allmighty God is offended without any respecte vnto shame or punishment but because the one doth exceed the other in intention AN AMPLE DECLARATION PLIANLY SETting forthe the former description of Contrition Sect. 6. 1. NExt let vs consider all the partes of the forme description as they stande in order Firste contrition is a parte of penance against the Lutherans who make Terrors caused by the lawe and faith fastened on the gospell to be the two partes of repentance And against Caluin who rejecting the Lutherans faithâ— doth no lesse improperly make the death of the olde man and the life of the new man to be the only partes of penance But these poyntes of feare faith mortification and regeneration are only either preparations and dispositions leading vnto repentance as be feare faithe or they are necessary effectes folowing repentance as are mortification regeneration And so all the Textes of scripture requiring these poyntes doo only prooue that they are requisite and doo concurre with repentance according as the Councell of Trent declareth denying neuertheles that they are not properly materiall partes of penance which in truthe are contrition confession and satisfaction 2. Hauing a willing sorowe of the minde Not naturall only or compelled but principally a willing sorowe and that of the minde rather then of the body and in the minde rather in the intellectuall parte of the will then in the sensitiue parte not excluding the sensible sorowe of the will or of the body which being added doo giue it conueniency but only for necessity requiring an estimatiue or appreciatiue inwarde sorowe more then any outward intensiue vehement greife For there may appeare or a man may feele in himselfe a more vehement and intensiue sorowe for the losse of his Father his sonne his wife his freind or his estate then he can peraduenture finde in himselfe for all his sinnes yet it is sufficient that in the election of his will he doo sorowe for sinne as much as he can and doo esteme and prise the horror of his offences at a higher rate in generall then all the disasters and discontentes of this worlde so that if it were nowe in his choyse he would rather endure any torment and death or loose all the worlde then deliberately to committe a mortall sinne If he haue this estimatiue or appreciatiue sorowe in the reasonable parte of his will althoughe it breake not out into the sensible parte I say it is sufficient nay in some men many tinnes I may say that such an hidden close greife is euen intensiuely more vehement and greater then outward sensible sorowe Yet neuertheles if we can come to sorowe of sense in teares sobbes c. it is very profitable and conuenient althoughe not absolutely necessary 3. This sorowe must be
for our sinnes committed Eyther personally and particulerly for our owne sinnes or as we are partes and members one of another for generall or participated sinnes of our family country or coÌ„mon wealth wherin we liue though this contrition of others sinnes be not properly contrition Which now we doo detest more then all other hatefull thinges because they are offences against God whom now we doo loue aboue all the worlde Where note that it is not necessary to make a particuler comparison betwene our hate of sinne and our loue of God whether we detest sinne more then present death or hell or the diuell c. nor whether we doo loue God aboue our kinge our Father our freind or any other such or such particuler which we doo loue or abhorre moste in this worlde Rather it is vnto necessary discretion causing doubtes feares and vnprofitable scruples by considering such particuler comparisons for it is abundantly sufficient that in my contrition I am fully resolued in generall rather to suffer or to loose any thinge then to haue committed or agayne to committe any mortall sinâ—e 4. And such sorowe is requisite for deadly offences but for veniall faultes a smaller kind of discipline is competent generally abhorring them and desiring with endeuour to auoyde and to be free from them Allso for the auoyding and preuenting of them and to be absolued from them in guilte and in all punishment we are much holpen and benefited by the vse of knocking our breastes by holy water holy bread agnus dei medalls graynes c. hallowed by the prayers of the churche in vertue of the bloud and merites of our Sauiour Christe And by these or by any other meanes either against veniall or mortall sinnes the more our deuotion and contrition is encreased thoughe we may seme to haue allready repentance competent yet the more we adde with humility the more comforte and merite we shall finde the more certeinly we shall haue all pardoned and we shall be the more plentifully rewarded 5. Neither may we too lighty suppose that euery sorowe or sighe or knocking of the breast and saying miserere or any such other signes of repentance are sufficient contrition or attrition excepte they haue the inwarde propertyes before described Rather S. Augustin doubted of their saluation who only in time of great dangers or after their sicknes doo beginne to repent not doubting but if their contrition were true then their pardon would be certeyn but he feares their vndoubted saluation because he doubtes their falâ—e repentance who in such times are much more like to be sory alone for feare of punishment like Antiochus then for any true hatred of sinne or loue of God aboue all And such he saith are versi turned only by feare from sinne not conuersi for loue conuerted vnto God And this many times doth appeare when such partyes being recouered or deliuered from their feare and their perills they soone after returne agayne to their former sinnes Wherfore it is true indeede that the churche granteth her Rytes christian buriall vnto all such as professing themselues Catholiques doo vse but any outwarde signe of remorse leauing their hartes to the tryall of God not warranting their repentance to be good but in charity rather chusing to absolue an hundred thousand false penitentes then by seuerity to reteyne bound any one soule truly contrite 6. Vnto the foresaid contrite sorowe must be adioyned an hope of pardon throughâ— Christ with a full purpose for euer to absteyne from sinne to confesse to satisfye So farre forthe as we are bounde or shall be able For if it should euidently appeare that we doo wante any of these we cannot be absolued otherwise not so appearing it may be supposed that either virtually or actually we haue them and that is sufficient 7. As for as the sinnes for which Contrition is required it neede not be of euery particuler sinne in number to haue a seuerall Acte of contrition but of all which we can remember according to their number or according to their kinde we must detest them all be sorye for them either in one Acte of contrition or in more as coÌ„ueniently we can for example sake In calling to minde that I haue sworne 500. times or spoken falsely or vaynegloriously 1000. times more or lesse as neere as I can coniecture I may in one Acte of contrition be sory for them all at once And so I must proceede to remember to be contrite for as many kindes or numbers as I can call to minde for no man is bound to more then he is able neither in contrition confessioÌ„ nor satisfactioÌ„ And therfore in case of speedy or sodeyn death one generall true Acte of contrition is sufficient for all our sinnes at once considered in grosse as offences of God And so it is in case we cannot well call to minde their seuerall numbers nor their distincte kindes 8. As for the times when euery one must be contrite vnder payne of a new particuler sinne they are set downe to be these 1. whensoeuer we find our selues in euident danger of corporall death 2. whensoeuer by occasion of sinne not repented we see our selues in euident danger of spirituall death that is to say like to fall further into more damnable sinne 3. In any publique greuous Calamity of the people or Common welthe which doth require our particuler prayers and humiliation vnto God allmighty for his mercy In all these cases we are bound to be contrite I say vnder payne of a new particuler sinne of omission vidz against the commandemeÌ„t of repentance Not that it is lawfull for any to remayne in mortall sinne vntill some of these times doo happen no not a minute of an howre for by the Commandement against which the sinne is committed we are euer presently bounde to repentance althoughe I say not vnder payne of a particuler new sinne of vnrepentance beside the former vntill we come to some of these times And then if we omitte repentance it is a new particuler sinne beside the offence wherof before we remayned guilty 9. Lastly our purpose of amendement must be sincere and the performance must be effected according to our power for if I seeme to be contrite or doo confesse and yet deteyne another mans goods being able to restore them or if I reserue any splene of hatred or malice against my neighbor not striuing nor desiring to driue it or put it out from me or if I doo not auoyde as much as I can all such dangerous occasions as I haue found or may euidently preceiue doo vsually put me in great hazard of consenting or committing some mortall sinne In all these cases if I be not carefull to remedye or preuent them surely my purpose is not sufficient therfore I am not in such cases truly penitent 20. But now when I haue once entirely vndergone the sacrament of penance I am no more
so in these wordes are compared penance with martyrdome and conquering the worlde with subduing of the fleshe And hereupon is inferred that whosoeuer labours to mortifie himselfe in contrition doth therewithall prepare himselfe for martyrdome for they that afflicte their hartes with penance for the loue of God the same will despise the worlde and endure any tormentes of Tyrantes for the same loue of God And so if martyrdome be an acceptable sacrifice vnto God mortification allso such an afflicted spirite may well be termed a sacrifice because it is a continuall liuing martyrdome 5. Nay in one respect a true contrite harte daily continued is eyther equall or may be preferred before an ordinary martyrdome for as Seneca said melius est femel scindi quam semper premi it is better to haue the head strooke of all at one sharpe blowe then to haue it hackled or harshly cutte of with a handsawe And so S. Martin Bishop of Turyn esteemed the prolonging of his life a greater labour then suffring of death saying vnto God almighty in a prayer made on his death bed Domine si adhuc populo tuo sum necessarius noÌ„ reâ—uso laborem O lord if yet I be necessary for thy people I doo not refuse the labour In respecte of which wordes the churche saith in his following Anthymne that he was a man Nec labore victum nec morte vincendum neither ouercome by labour nor by death to be ouercome In the Breuiary the reason is added For he neither feared to dye nor refused to liue In which wordes we see that what S. Martin called labour these wordes doo name life therfore doo inferre that he would not be conquered by the paynes of death because he was so constant in the labours of life For thoughe death be fearfull to nature yet in truthe it is an end of sinne and of misery wheras the prolonging of a penitent and contrite life is the continuance of a lingring martyrdome which out of doubte hath a wonderfull great merite For as in our excessiue vse of phisicke for feare of sicknes or death well said Martial Hic rogo non furor est ne moriare mori Is it not a folly to dye for feare of death according as we say he liues miserably who liues medicinally that is not in regarde of temperate dyet or discrete physicke but in respecte of vntimely or immoderate medicines or of too nice a care to kepe vs from euery winde that blowes Or as indeede a crazed weake sickely body had better be dead at once then linger in payne and to be in hazarde and feare of euery ayre and of euery meate for euery small matter may soone distemper him so it is easyer for our frayle dispositions by death to be quitte from our infâ—rmityes and sinnes then for a contrite harte to liue in danger of so many tentations euer striuing against disordinate delightes auoyding the pleasures which other men seeke brideling his appetites measuring and weighing all his desires marking and composing the very motions and gestures of his feete handes and eyes neuer putting in effecte nor consenting to any thoughte which firste is not examined by the rule of a good conscience Such a contribulated spirite is a sacrifice to God as well as martyrdome not troubled with superfluous scrupulosity but contribulated with religious vigilancy This liuing contribulation is a liuely sacrifice of great merite 6. And as Seneca said he is worthy of prayse quem non piget mori cum lubet viuere vnto whom it is not yrkesome to dye when he may haue ioye in his life for it is small commendacion to desire to dye only because we are vexed with our life so it is a matter of merite to be content to liue in labour danger contrition when by our death we mighte haue ease ioye and content So S. Paul desired to be dissolued to be with Christe in regarde of the gayne which cometh by death and yet was content to liue in labour for the profite and seruice of Gods Churche And such is euery man saith S. Augustin who thâ—s submitteth his desires of death or of life non solùm patienter moritur sed potius viuit patienter delectabiliter moritur He doth not only dye with patience but rather with patience he liues dyes with delighte his patience and his labour prolonged doo encrease his merite and his delighte differred shal be encreased when he cometh to cease from his labour of a religious life patiently continued is a kind of liuing martyrdome constantly endured and the martyrdome of an humble contrite harte our lorde will not refuse but will accompte such a troubled spirite an acceptable sacrifice O Iesu grante me such a contrite harte in compunction such an humbled minde in confession and such a troubled spirite in satisfaction that so my spirite may be contribulated that is troubled togeather with my body in corporall penance against carnall delightes that so my minde may be humbled by the playne confession of my mouthe against proud vayne glorious wordes and finally that so my harte may be contrite in sorowe against vnlawfull pleasing thoughtes for such sorowe is a sacrifice to God and such a contrite and humbled â—arte O lorde thou wilte not despise MEDITATION XI Benignèfac Domine in bona voluntate tua Sion vt aedificentur muri Ierusalem Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae oblationes holocausta tunc imponent super Altare tuum vitulos Deale kindly O lord in thy good will towardes Sion that the walls of Ierusalem may be builded Then wilte thou receiue the sacrifice of iustice oblations and whole burnte offeringes then they shall offer calues vpon thine altar A SERIOVS LAMENTATION FOR SION Ierusalem that they may not be layed desolate by externall persecution nor by internall discorde Sect. 1. 1. IT is verily a thinge most worthy iuste that a sinner pardoned shoulde lifte vp his harte to giue thankes vnto God and we are not only to praye giue thankes for our selues alone but as the Churche vseth in the masse after all our particuler petitions to adde a generall Collecte for the vniuersall estate of our Countrye and of all christendome according as Dauid here hauing entreated for himselfe doth now allso remember Sion and Ierusalem and so we must praye both for the Catholique Churche of Sion and for the Common wealthe of Ierusalem 2. And first for Sion as the mother of our soules and nexte for Ierusalem as the nurse of our bodyes and therfore Dauid here firste desireth our lordes good will towardes Sion that so we may haue afterwardes foundation for the walls of Ierusalem for whatsoeuer Atheistes or worldly politicians doo pretend yet the cheife strenghte of a common wealthe doth especially consiste in the florishing of religion neither can the walls of Ierusalem be well fortifyed excepte they be founded in the gracious good will of our lorde towardes Sion they
as in thy presence holy and consecrated to thy seruice and shal be accepted in our lord Iesus in whom alone all our sacrifices of soule body and Goods are of a most excellent sweete sauour gratefull in him who is only our Sauiour our cheife preist our best sacrifice and our principall highe Altar 3. O most gracious God! how kindly haste thou dealte with Sion when thou diddest send thy deare some from heauen to descend vnto the earthe and into the nature of man to saue vs men who are but earthe What thinge can be more kinde and gracious then for the sonne of God to take vpon him the shape of a willfull slaue to be subiect to the cruelty of deathe and to the shame of the crosse to redeeme vs by shedding of his bloud by his innocency to repayre our trecheryes by his iustice to satisfye for our sinnes to pull vs backe from the mouthe of hell gaping for vs to giue vs entrance to the gates of heauen which were shutâ—e against vs. To enlighten his churche with the clearenes of his truthe in the middest of errors to preserue it by his power against the stormes of persecution to feede it with his owne body to washe it with his bloud to cherish it with all his sacraments to directe it in generall by his holy spirite and to comforte euery particuler with the swetnes of his loue with the hartynes of his grace and with the abundance of his mercy O kinde dealing of extraordinary good will O diuine loue aboue measure O wonderfull worke without any example or paterne a worke of heauenly charity without any foregoing merite and in one worde O God a worke of thy good will 4. This is the building of the walls of Ierusalem Babell walls are builded of bricke and founded vpon sande whiles worldly men either trusting to their riches or fixed on their carnall pleasures are proud or careles but as Augustus said he found the walls of Rome made of bricke and lefte them of marble so by our mortification of the flesh and renunciation of the worlde with the helpe of our Lorde we may change bricke into marble the walls of Babel into the walls of Ierusalem and a foundation vpon sande into a foundation vâ—on a Rocke So said Esay The brickes are fallen but we will builde with square stone they haue cutte downe the wilde figge trees but we will turne them into Cedars And this they doo who turne delicacy into seuerity liberty into limites the lawe of the flesh into the lawe of the spirite the olde man into the new and Adam into Christe O happy walls which haue such a head corner stone to combine them and such a rocke to vpholde them these walls haue strenghte and comelynes strenghte vpon their rocke and by their Corner stone comelynes or by their vnited charity strenghte comelynes by their decent sanctity and of such saith the psalme strenghte and comelynes are his garmentes not in vertues alone comely yet weake against tentations but stronge against all impugnations and comely in all vertuous ornamentes 5. If IerusaleÌ„ which is the militant church here belowe be thus peopled and builded what glory shall we see in the churche triumphante which is Ierusalem aboue the mother of vs all a free citye and the highest Imperiall seate not so much as touched with any corruption or sinne nor can any misery or sorowe approache that place where no enemy can enter in nor any citizen shall desire to go out a city of all peace and prosperity whose streetes are paued with the purest golde c. in whose building is no noyce of hammer axe or sawe no more then was in Salomons temple for all our soules must be apted purged squared and fitted before we come there Dauid a warriour may make preparation but only peaceable Salomon can accomplishe the building we may in this life gather together many merites by fighting and resistance of tentations and vices but only in the peace of our lord Iesus shall we be accomplished and made perfecte WHAT A SACRIFICE IS AND THAT THE holy Masse is our peculiar Sacrifice of the new Testament Sect. 4. 1. WHerfore that we may be prepared for Ierusalem aboue we beseech the o lorde for IerusaleÌ„ here on earthe to repayre the olde wasted decayes to builde on forwarde the new Bullwarkes and walls For when or wheresoeuer Ierusalem florisheth in peace Then wilte thou accepte the Sacrifice of iustice not of sinne of constante vertuous Catholiques not of Heretiques Schismatiques nor any vicious persons 2. Allso this sacrifice of iustice is referred by S. Ambrose and others to the sacrament of the Altar which is offered and receiued in the holy masse in which religious seruice of God we doo offer vnto him a sacrifice for the liuing and the dead and we doo receiue vnto our selues a sacrament of iustice conteyning and conferring righteousnes grace 3. And the masse is not improperly or in generall only called a sacrifice as almes and euery good worke may be so termed nor is it alone an inwarde spirituall sacrifice but it is an externall sacrifice properly so called and yet more a peculiar sacrifice instituted of our Sauiour Christe himselfe in his laste supper and ordered and adorned afterwarde by the Apostles their successors as appeareth by the Canonâ— of the Apostles by the masse of S. Iames S. Marke S. Basil S. Chrysostome and S. Ambrose Yea it may be colected out of the Actes of the Apostles where it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiles they were liturgizing For we knowe that masses are called in Greeke liturgyes as be the liturgyes of S. Iames S. Chrysostome c. And the vulgar translation is ministrantibus illis Domino whiles they were ministring vnto our lorde which generall wordes doo somtime signifye the particuler action of sacrificing as in the olde Testament is found and Erasmus doth expressely interprete them sacrificantibus illis whiles they were sacrificing althoughe it be friuolous which he addeth that their sacrificing was preaching for neither the sense of the Texte nor the nature of the worde can beare it and were it not absurde to say they were sacrificing that is preaching to God 4. As for the vse of the Masse as a sacrifice in the primitiue times it may appeare by Ignatius who liued in our Sauiours time sawe him on earthe writing to the Smyrnians It was not lawfull then without a Bishop to offer sacrifice nor to celebrate Masse And the same Author writing ad-Trallianos ad Neronem saith when S. Peter celebrated Masse Saynt Clement and Anaclete were his deacons helping him therin And that Timothy Linus were Deacons vnto S. Paul when he celebrated Masse 5. And the same S. Clement Romanus in his 3. Epistle de officio Sacerdot and Anaclete in his Epistle ad omnes Orientales And Dyonisius Areopagita in his ecclesiasticall Hierarchy doo all
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