of knowledge of good and euill especially seeing he fore-knew his fall THe answer is easie to wit that by the tryall of his obedience in this one commandment hee might subiect the whole man vnto himselfe in all things and that man by the breach or keeping of the said commandement might know by wofull experience as he truely did in his wofull fall the difference betweene good and euill so that whereas before hee knew it onely by contemplation now he should find it by a lamentable experience yea in this his sinne was the greater in that the obiect of his obedience was so facile and the commandement so easie to be kept Aug. li. 14. de ciu Dei cap. 15. For as S. Austine saith like as the obedience of Abraham is highly extolled because the slaying of his sonne with his owne hands was of such difficultie euen so the disobedience of Adam in Paradise was the more hainous by how much the precept which he had imposed was the more facile to haue beene fulfilled Againe as the obedience of the second Adam was so much the more admirable because hee was obedient euen vnto death so the disobedience of the first Adam was the more detestable by which he became disobedient euen vnto death for where the punishment of the disobedience is great and the thing commanded easie who can expresse how great an euill it is not to obey and how great an iniurie to so great a power especially threatning so great punishments Now as touching the second point I answer that therefore God as absolute in his will science and power would create Adam and giue him the aforesaid precept which hee knew neuerthelesse hee would so presently violate to the end that his vnhappy fall might bee an occasion of our most happy Redeemer for as the Schooles commonly hold if Adam had not sinned the Sonne of God had not beene incarnated so that as Gregory saith in regard of this it was a happy fall which deserued or rather required to haue such a Redeemer O foelix culpa quae talem ac tantum habere meruit Redemptorem in which I know not whether I should more admire the goodnesse of God in the creation and restauration of man or the ingratitude of man towards God in and after both his creation redemption and infinite offences and falles but that as it is the nature of that infinite goodnesse to effectuate the greatest good of the greatest euill so is it no lesse consequent to mans naturall propension and of himselfe as it were an infinite of euill of the greatest good to worke the greatest euill a thing not easily beleeued if our daily and wofull experience did not so manifestly proue it for as God by our greatest and originall euill did worke our greatest and originall good and this onely out of his infinite goodnesse the incarnation I meane of his eternall Sonne so man out of his infinite malice did by occasion of this so infinite a benefit worke the most wicked outrage that could bee imagined against his benefactour by seeking his dishonour and death who so abased himselfe to giue him life so that I know not whether I should more admire God shedding his bloud for man or man spilling the bloud of God mans ingratitude towards God or Gods infinite bountie towards man And hence it is that as faith teacheth vs this euill and sinne of Adam was foreseene and permitted of God so is it no lesse a blasphemous heresie to auerre that this or any other sinne is wrought by God wrought I meane by his particular command or concourse not by his vniuersall which is due vnto all entitie and being yet in some sense neither due vnto this of sinne as which in it selfe hath neither entitie nor being but rather if wee speake formally is a priuation of all rectitude goodnesse and being CHAP. XXXII What death that was which God threatned to inflict vpon Adam for his transgression AS it is certaine that the mortalitie of Adam and consequently of all mankinde did proceed of sinne so it hath no small difficultie to declare what instant death that was which God so instantly threatned should follow mans sinne for so saith the text Gen. 2. the 17. verse In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death What day is this what death is this seeing that he neither first sinned the last day of his life nor yet died the first day of his sinne true it is that as death was due at his last day for his first sinne so was it not inflicted in the first houre for his first dayes sinne Was this death peraduenture the priuation of grace by which his soule supernaturally liued for as the body liueth by the soule so Adams soule liued by grace consequently as the body is said to die by the absence of the soule so the soule spiritually by the priuation of grace but yet though this be true yet it cannot bee the sole meaning of the aforesaid words so that then no other death should haue beene due vnto man but only the death of the soule the separation from God who as he had sinned both in body and soule was iustly to be punished in body and soule which the effect afterward shewed that God had before accordingly decreed so that the sentence of his death as it was executed both in body and soule so it is to bee vnderstood to haue beene decreed as well in regard of the body as of the soule because the corporall death is a necessary consequent of the spirituall now then the spirituall being inflicted in the very instant of mans sinne how chanced it that the corporall also did not befall him in the day of his sinne especially seeing that though God threatned not death in the instant of his sinne for the instant of his sinne yet at least God saith that man shall die in the day of his sinne Is it peraduenture threatned and not truly decreed or if really decreed how is it not absolutely performed God threatned his death in the day of his eating Adam eateth and yet liueth long after his eating Could Adam change the decree of God or could God decree that hee meant not to performe Hee performed not therefore he decreed not if he decreed not how then was it said In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die the death not of the soule only for that was instantly but of the body principally seeing that is said to be in tempore in the day not in instanti or momentarily Was it a threat only as wee reade of the Niniuites but they changed their minde they repented their sinne therfore as the sentence was conditionall the condition being changed the sentence of God though eternall is said to be reuoked not changed in act but immuted in obiect the act being immutable the obiect mutable according to the decree of the immutable act But here in this of Adam the cause is altered God
doe most blasphemously accuse the wisdom of God as touching the fore-said commandement of abstaining from the tree of good and euill for saith he doubtles when God did giue this law vnto our first fathers hee thought that they would obey it which seeing they did not God as Manes obiecteth was deceiued Secondly he accuseth God of vniust wrath and indignation in that he condemned man for so small a matter as the eating of an apple Finally he accuseth him of ignorance mutabilitie and contradiction to himselfe in that ignoring his future compassion towards man hee did frustrate the law which hee himselfe had made yea and contradicted the sentence of death as rashly pronounced by himselfe against Adam Here we may see how as Tertullian saith God of his infinite goodnes and mercy suffereth himselfe to bee dishonoured in his other infinite attributes and dietie but that it may bee apparent that these blasphemies haue not any ground euen in naturall reason we answer that though all things and consequently the disobedience of Adam was perfectly fore-knowne by God Almighty yet neuerthelesse it was conformable to reason that Adam being a reasonable creature should haue this law of obedience prescribed vnto him so conformable to reason first for to manifest the absolute power dominion and authoritie of God the Creator ouer his creature and the due subiection of the creature towards his Creator Secondly this law of obedience was most profitable vnto man though foreknowne that it was to be violated by man most profitable I say it was both in regard of the manifestation of Gods iustice and mercy as also for the exercise and tryall of the good and bad righteous and vnrighteous a necessarie obiect of the afore-said attributes Now if this law should therefore haue beene omitted because God fore-knew the transgression thereof by the same reason or rather no reason no other law should haue beene prescribed vnto man seeing there is no law either of nature or grace which God in his fore-knowledge did not foresee would be often-times violated by man Furthermore as touching the blasphemie against the wrath of God I answer that it is not to be attributed to God as signifying any passion or mutation in the immutable or impassible God but that this shadow of change or shew of mutabilitie is attributed vnto him who in his nature is altogether immutable because hee seeing the wickednesse of man he worketh those effects which in vs bee euident tokens and signes of mutabilitie and change Nay secondly I adde that after Adam had transgressed the commandement of God God pronounced against him the afore-said sentence of death more moued by mercy then of any anger or wrath which wee may euidently see in that hee did not die the same day of his transgression according as the sentence which God pronounced against him seemed to threaten so that whether wee respect the sentence giuen before Adams disobedience or the execution of the same after his sinne we may admire the infinite mercy of the Almighty in both both in regard of Adam and his posteritie as also in regard of the sentence threatned to be inflicted so immediatly after their sinne so that euen in his iustice wee may magnifie his mercy and say with the Psalmist misericordia eius super omnia opera eius that his mercy aboundeth in all his workes yea and is aboue all his works because as the Diuines say remunerat vltra condignum punit citra condignum he rewardeth our workes farre beyond their worth which is none at all vnlesse it bee in Christ and punisheth our sinnes much lesse then they deserue To the other blasphemie which Manes vseth against the Almighty God in accusing him of repentance and mutabilitie I answer that we must first suppose what it is to repent or to be sorry for any thing which wee haue done For repentance or sorrow supposeth ignorance in vs of future euents yea of such as are noxious or hurtfull to those who are affected with the afore-said passion both which are farre vnfitting the all-seeing science and omnipotent power of God who did not remit the rigour of this sentence moued by sorrow or repentance as it happeneth in vs but rather as we haue said before by his infinite mercy and clemencie to the end that his infinite goodnesse and mercy might bee the more manifest vnto vs. In like manner wee may say that when any sinner doth turne from his former being in sinne God Almightie in some sort may bee said to remit the rigour of his sentence pronounced against him and this not by reason of any ignorance or mutable repenting himselfe of the former fact or threatning as Manes blasphemously obiecteth but rather hee remitteth out of his infinite clemencie the sentence of damnation which conditionally hee had decreed to wit if the sinner had not repented himselfe of his sinne an example of which wee finde in the commination of doome and vtter destruction threatned not absolutely but conditionally against the Niuiuites Ionae 3. that they should vtterly bee destroied within forty dayes 4. Reg. 20. likewise against Ezechias that hee should die for his sinnes whom neuerthelesse God pardoned vpon their repentance and the like also wee finde in others most hainous offenders against whom God hauing denounced his wrath neuerthelesse pardoned vpon their sorrow contristation and humiliation Now as touching the lie which this hereticke obiecteth against God in that hee threatned death vnto man in the day of his transgression which neuerthelesse was not inflicted I answer that as man is composed of body and spirit so likewise the death threatned against him was both corporall and spirituall which both were in some sort inflicted euen in the very instant of his transgression the spirituall in the separation of his spirit from God and his grace wherein consisted his spirituall and supernaturall life the corporall in the perturbation of his affections and powers both spirituall and corporall which was a kinde of beginning of a neuer dying death beginning in this life and which according to the present iustice of God if it had beene executed was to haue beene consummated in the other life or rather eternall death if so be that this first lapse and fall had not been remitted not of mans merit but by Gods mercy CHAP. LXVI The obiections of Theodorus and Nestorius THeodorus Bishop of Laodicea and Nestorius Patriarke of Constantinople with diuers others of the Greeke Church were of opinion that sinne was not the occasion of death but that man should haue died though hee had not sinned because mortalitie is consequent to nature as immortalitie proceedeth only of grace How then is it possible vnlesse God can contradict and denie himselfe or that one of the diuine decrees can be opposite to another that God should first decree the immortalitie of man then presently vpon his transgression the obiect being changed God also should be changed in his decree for either God fore-knew
mans fall and his perseuerance in grace for so small a space or hee fore-knew it not if not how was hee God if hee fore-knew it how is hee so presently changed and consequently also no God Againe if we were depriued of the gift of immortalitie bestowed vpon Adam and in him vpon all his posteritie how may it stand with the iustice of God and much more with his infinite mercy that wee should be punished for Adams iniustice the innocent for the guiltie the iust for the vniust Yea how standeth this euen with the word of God and his complaint by Ezechiel chapter 18. verse 2. where God complaineth of this as it seemeth blasphemie of his people What meane you that you vse this prouerbe concerning the land of Israel saying The fathers haue eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge which is as much as to say our fore-fathers haue sinned and wee are punished for their sinnes How may this stand with the iustice of God seeing God himselfe taxeth this as vniust and as vniustly obiected against him in the third verse of the same chapter where contesting against mans vnrighteousnesse hee protesteth and proueth his owne righteousnesse and iust dealing insinuating thereby yea detesting the contrary as iniustice verse 3. As I liue saith the Lord yee shall not haue occasion any more to vse this prouerbe in Israel to wit that the fathers haue eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge that is that their fathers haue sinned and they were punished against which hee contesteth and that by an oath euen by himselfe in the latter end of the fourth verse The soule that sinneth it shall die that is all that sinne shall die and none shall die but those which sinne hee giueth the reason in the beginning of the verse and that with an ecce behold because he would haue all to acknowledge his iustice with man and how hee vseth equalitie with all men the father as the sonne and the sonne as the father euery one according to his deeds in Christ because all are equally his who saith Behold all soules are mine as the soule of the father so also the soule of the sonne is mine the soule that sinneth it shall die as who would say and none else shall die but who sinneth which may bee proued by the opposite iustice and is exemplified euen by the Prophet as that none shall bee rewarded for anothers righteousnesse so none shall bee punished for anothers vnrighteousnesse for so the Prophet prosecuteth in the fift verse But if a man bee iust and doe that which is lawfull and right and hath not eaten vpon the mountaines neither lift vp his eyes vnto idols of the house of Israel neither hath defiled his neighbours wife neither hath come neere a menstruous woman and hath not oppressed any but hath restored to the debter his pledge hath spoiled none by violence hath giuen his bread to the hungrie and hath couered the naked with a garment he that hath not giuen forth vpon vsurie neither hath taken any increase that hath withdrawne his hand from iniquitie hath executed true iudgement betweene man and man hath walked in my statutes and kept my iudgements to deale truly he is iust he shall surely liue saith the Lord God How then can it bee true that Adams posteritie should bee punished for his sinne or depriued of immortalitie which God had decreed vnto them for Adams transgression Or otherwise how can that bee true which the same Prophet prosecuteth in the twentieth verse The soule that sinneth it shall die the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father neither shall the father beare the iniquitie of the sonne the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall bee vpon him Where hee prosecuteth throughout all the chapter prouing and approuing the iustice of God together with the reproofe of mans vnrighteousnesse and iniustice especially from the 29. verse to the end where hee propoundeth and answereth the obiections of his people Yet saith the house of Israel the way of the Lord is not equall O house of Israel are not my wayes equall are not your wayes vnequall Therefore I will iudge you O house of Israel euery one according to his wayes saith the Lord God repent and turne your selues from all your transgression so iniquitie shall not bee your ruine cast away from you all your transgressions whereby you haue transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will you die O house of Israel for I haue no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God wherefore turne your selues and liue Now then if God haue no pleasure in the death of a sinner how hath hee pleasure in his mortalitie hauing created him immortall or how hath hee not pleasure in his death whom for so small a matter as the eating of an apple or some other such like fruit hee depriueth of immortalitie yea contradicteth his owne decree for the fulfilling of the aforesaid reuenge of sinne Againe though wee grant that Adam died for his sinne and iniustice why should wee not likewise say that Noe Melchisedech Abraham and others of the Patriarkes and Prophets were restored vnto immortalitie for their iustice and righteousnesse Wee know that God is alwayes more prone to shew his mercy then to execute his iustice how then may it bee said that here he so withdraweth his mercy and extendeth his iustice Hee often pardoneth the wicked for the godly mens sake and neuer punisheth the iust for the wickeds sinne from whence then is this his crueltie and vniust dealing against those which neuer committed any iniustice Moreouer the sonne of God was incarnate for Adams sinne we ought to bee thankfull euen to the deuill to our selues and to sinne it selfe as occasion of so great good as was the restoring of mankinde to a more blessed estate Lastly if Adams sinne was cause of his death why did not the deuils also die seeing they sinned much more grieuously If you say they died spiritually in that they were depriued of the grace of God why might not the like death suffice also for Adams sinne the death I meane of the soule his body remaining as it was created not subiect to death How did God iustly execute his iustice inflicting a greater punishment vpon Adam for a smaller offence then vpon the deuils for a greater depriuing them only of their spirituall life but Adam both of spirituall and corporall These are the arguments of these heretickes against the iust punishment which God did inflict vpon our first father for his first offence of disobedience by which they would conclude that whether Adam had sinned or remained in his former righteousnesse whether hee had eaten of the forbidden fruit or abstained from it hee had neuerthelesse beene subiect to death because hee was created of his owne nature mortall which nature neither the eating of the
that he did not only giue vnto him what was necessary or conuenient for his naturall estate there but also added other most extraordinarie meanes and helpes both naturall and supernaturall conuenient and necessarie for both his estates of nature and grace such was this of the tree of life which as some well note according to the originall text was called the tree or wood not of life onely in the singular but in the plurall of liues because it was so to lengthen the life of euery man that euery singular and particular mans life might well seame the life not of one onely man but of many Whereby we may first admire the power of Almighty God secondly his goodnesse towards man his power in the creating of such a fruite his goodnesse in bestowing it vpon him whom he knew was in so short a time after to be so vngratefull for that and many other most excellent as well naturall as supernaturall gifts The second reason why it is tearmed the tree of liues is because as a man hath three liues virtually if not really distinct the sensitiue vegetatiue and rationall so this fruite of the tree of liues should haue had vertue to fortified all three in which also we may note the wisedome of God but more againe his mercy his wisedome in that hee knew to produce incorruption at least way for many yeares if not eternall as many hold by a continuall repairing of nature by the eating of the said apple but more againe I say may we admire his mercy and bountie by which he sought meanes to eternize him whom he knew by his fall was to bee his owne death yea the death of his most deare and eternall sonne which was the true tree of life prefigured by this tree of life or liues so also called because it was not to giue or prolong the life of Adam only but also the liues of his posteritie vntill such time as it should please their Maker to translate them from that earthly beatitude vnto a more perfect and supernaturall estate Man 17. where as Saint Austine saith they were to possesse in a more perfect measure and that through all eternity ioy without sorrow rest without labour honour without feare wealth without damage health without sicknesse aboundance without care life with all security immortalitie without corruption all happinesse with no miserie at all Where all perfection is in the highest degree and all imperfections remote where sight is face vnto face where perfect knowledge and nothing vnreuealed of which humane nature can be capable where Gods soueraigne goodnesse raigneth super omnia aboue al things and the light enlightening is glorified of the Saints where the present maiestie of the Almightie is perpetually beholden and the minde of the beholders eternally filled with this fruit of life Fourthly it was called the tree of life or liues because it did after a double manner sustaine and renew the life of man first in restoring our naturall moisture by which wee liue which consumeth euery day more and more by our naturall heat which was a proprietie common also to all other fruits of Paradise Secondly in that which was proper to this tree only and for which it was particularly tearmed the tree of life because it was of such qualities and excellent proprieties that being eaten it did renew our humidum radicale our naturall humiditie and moisture whereby wee should haue liued with the like or equall puritie and perfection which had beene in man at his first creation yea it should haue so fortified our naturall heat that although it did naturally suffer some detriment and losse by continuall action yet should it haue beene so strengthned by that fruit of life that it could neuer haue decaied or perished and consequently man could neuer die corporally in that happy estate vnlesse hee had first killed himselfe spiritually by being partaker of the forbidden fruit insomuch that the disobedience of one brought in by concupiscence was the cause of all our misery and mortalitie that so God of his meere goodnesse through his infinite wisedome might thereby take occasion of shewing his mercy vpon those who after Adams fall were nothing but miserie and by the obedience of his dearest Sonne might repaire and redeeme the disobedience of vs most accursed caitifes so that wee participating of the fruit of the tree of life communicated vnto vs in the sacred communion by vertue of that tree of life prefigured in this Paradise might thereby be reuiued from a temporall death to an eternitie of blessednesse and perpetuitie of a most blessed life yea so by occasion of our first sinne gaine more then euer we had obtained if we had not sinned seeing hereby we obtained that fruit of life to be prepared for vs vpon the tree of the crosse yea and thence communicated vnto vs in the sacred communion and bread of life which doubtlesse wee should not haue obtained at leastway after that manner and measure if wee had not transgressed Or at leastway Christ prefigured in this tree of life should not haue appeared passible as one of vs if wee by our sinne had not needed his passion Wherefore we being astonished at so great mercy shewne vnto vs in so infinite miserie and that so lamentable a losse should be an occasion of so ioyfull and infinite gaine we may well exclaime with Gregory the great O foelix culpa quae talem tantum habere meruit Redemptorem O happy fall and happy vnhappinesse which was occasion of so great happinesse Lastly the aforesaid tree was worthily called the tree of life or liues because it did not only preserue our naturall being by the repairing of our naturall forces but also did so renew them by a supernaturall vertue proceeding thence that thereby we might haue liued a life free from all kinde of feares of death or of any griefes vexations or torments now necessarily annexed to both deaths corporall and spirituall temporall and eternall now I say annexed to both deaths vnlesse wee haue applied vnto vs the vertue of another tree of life by whole life all things being haue their being and by whose influence all things liuing haue their life Hence it is that the former was a most perfect patterne or representation of the latter but the latter a more perfect forme then could bee fully represented by the former or by any other possible Neuerthelesse the tree of life was created in the terrestriall Paradise to the end that it might be a type and in some sort represent that which should be fully represented or seene in the celestiall kingdome by the eternall light of glory according to the diuine oracle In lumine tuo videbimus lumen in thy light wee shall see light that is by and through thy light of glory which is a supernaturall habit infused into our vnderstandings wee shall see the glorious light of thy essence not comprehensiuely which is impossible but most perfectly and essentially which
eternall God not carnally as carnall men dreame but spiritually in the bread of life as hee himselfe doth affirme of himselfe As therefore he who is the tree of life or rather the author of life or to speake more properly life it selfe euen as he is in the Sacrament of life doth heere truly in this miserable life produce in vs the life of grace as a present pawne of our future glory so it seemeth most probable that the other tree of life as a most perfect figure of this planted in the terrene Paradise had the like inherent vertue for to perpetuate or at least to prolong the liues of Adam and his posteritie as long as they were to liue in that terrene Paradise But whether this fruit of the tree of life was sufficient to perpetuate our life or only to prolong it for some determinate time Abulensis super Genes c. 13. quaest 175. Scotus li. 2. sent dist 19 quaest 1. Aquinas 1 p. q. 9.7 art 4 Caiet ibid. many dispute probably for both opinions Tostatus vpon the 13. chapter of Genesis q. 175. is most peremptorie for this perpetuitie Scotus Thomas Caietan and Durand for a very long time but not for eternitie because that is the naturall measure of nature this the supernaturall of him who is aboue all nature Secondly seeing the power of the tree of life was a naturall power and cause the effect could not bee supernaturall for though effects be often inferiour to their causes yet neuer the causes vnto the effects the reason because no cause can giue that which it hath not neither any effect haue any excellencie or perfection not proceeding from the cause wherefore if the tree of life was as without question it was a naturall tree as the Laurell Cypresse and other trees be it could not haue as connaturall the supernaturall effect of making eternall the life of man Moreouer it is a principle euen in naturall philosophie that omne agens physicum in agendo patitur debilitatur that euery naturall cause doth suffer some detriment euen in and by his owne action consequently therefore though our naturall heat and vigour might bee very long conserued by the vertue of this excellent fruit yet at length it should haue failed and thence finally mortalitie should haue followed as a necessary effect of so forcible a cause Lastly it is not likely that God who is the author and first rule of nature doth produce any thing frustrate in nature seeing therefore the fall of man was patent vnto him euen from all eternitie to what end should he prouide an eternall cause for a temporary effect But if this argument had any force it should force also our aduersaries to the like if not a greater inconuenience for who doubteth but that God knew also the little time that man was to persist in his grace and yet neuerthelesse he gaue him that fruit which was sufficient for the preseruation of his life for many a yeere as our aduersaries hold why then might hee not likewise for all eternitie is it because of the impossibilitie at non impossibile Deo omne verbum to God nothing is impossible which doth not imply contradiction but what contradiction is in this is it that here naturall philosophie is contradicted omne agens in agendo patitur debilitatur euery agent doth decay euen by his owne action but seeing the author of nature is aboue nature why might hee not here worke that which is aboue nature or though in the compasse of nature yet beyond our naturall capacitie which is so small that wee scarcely or very imperfectly vnderstand things of farre inferiour degree yea such as are within our selues why therefore shall wee deny vnto God that which we doe not vnderstand in our selues My resolution therefore is that of Abulensis Propterea dictam esse arborem vitae quòd fructus eius vim haberet seruandi hominem à morte in omne tempus faciendi eum immortalem that this tree was therefore called the tree of life because it had vertue to perpetuate our naturall life and the vnion of the body and soule for euer if we had not lost the supernaturall grace which was the vnion of our soules with God but seeing wee wilfully separated our selues from our supernaturall life it was most iust that wee should also be depriued of the naturall hence therefore is that which Paul so often preacheth mortem in mundum intrasse propter peccatum that death entred into the world by the doore of sinne which doore if we had debarred to sinne the grace of God should haue beene a perpetual vnion betweene God and vs and the tree of life should haue caused the like betweene our bodies and soules and this of his owne nature eternally though de facto wee needed it but only temporally both supposing our fall as likewise not supposing any at all for if we had not fallen or sinned in our first father wee should certainly after some number of yeeres haue been translated from that terrene Paradise which was our first though temporary habitation vnto a more excellent and perpetuall in the kingdome of heauen and this should haue heene without any assault of death because we had alwaies liued in God who as hee would then haue preserued vs by his grace from the corruption of sinne would also haue preserued vs from this corruption which was only the effect of sinne according to that of the Apostle The wages of sinne is death the wager being the deuill our soules are bought and sold sold away for nothing sinne being nothing but a priuation of being but bought againe by the death of the most precious of mortall liues which in no wise should haue beene necessary if wee had not beene lost or fallen from our first grace and innocencie But as that poeticall fiction of the Nectar and Ambrosia seemed to Aristotle of small ground so this for the like reason may seeme to bee as fabulous for as Aristotle argueth against the former either the Gods vsed this Ambrosia and Nectar for pleasure only or also for necessitie if only for pleasure how then could Ambrosia and Nectar be any necessary cause of their immortalitie againe if for necessitie certainly the Gods then had not beene immortall by nature and consequently no Gods seeing that that which hath need of any thing for his preseruation must necessarily be mortall After the same manner we may argue against this fruit of this tree of life which is said to be sufficient to cause an eternitie of life à parte post as the Philosophers speake for if our immortalitie was onely to be from the tree of life then questionlesse without it wee had beene mortall and subiect to death contrary to that of the Apostle Stipendium peccati mors the wages of sinne is death for whether wee had sinned or persisted in our primatiue grace all had beene one wee should naturally haue tasted of death if wee
threatneth the sinne is committed why then is not the sentence presently executed In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die the death Iustinus the Martyr Iustinus in dialogo cum Triphone Iren. lib. 5. aduersus haereticos in this more acute then Catholike answereth that euen the very same day that Adam was depriued of the spirituall life of his soule he was no lesse also of the other of his body for though he died not the same day according to the naturall reuolution of the heauen yet seeing that a thousand yeeres as Dauid and Peter speake are but as one day in regard of Gods eternitie Adams death being within the compasse of the thousand yeeres may well be said according to Gods and the Scriptures phrase to haue died euen the same day that he was created But seeing true histories doe seldome admit any such subtilities I rather incline to the interpretation of Ierome and S. Austine who vnderstand that sentence of death not of death then instantly inflicted but of the necessitie of death then forthwith contracted Ierome therefore commendeth Symmacus who for that which our translation hath morieris thou shalt die translateth mortalis eris thou shalt become mortall so that whereas hee had beene created to an eternitie of life now he is made subiect to the penaltie of death or as our interpretation seemeth to insinuate euen to death it selfe seeing that euen from thenceforth hee began to be mortall who by grace before was altogether immortall So that as according to true Philosophie wee may say that the alteration of qualities or the dispositions vnto generation are in some sort generation so likewise by this phrase of Scripture that Adam should die in the day of his sinne we may well vnderstand that he began to die dispositiuè by way of disposition in the day of his sinne seeing sinne was the immediate disposition or cause of his mortalitie and death sinne I say being the cause of his mortalitie his mortalitie consequently prepared forthwith the way vnto death For so it is said in the second booke of the Kings We all die and slide away as water for though at the present while we liue we be not iointly dead yet because wee slide away towards death as the flouds towards the Ocean wee are all said to die instantly because our life euen from the first instant thereof is nothing else but a swift sliding towards death yea our temporall life as Gregory the great well noteth compared to the eternall is rather to be called a present death then a continued life seeing that our continuall corruption and declining towards death may rather be tearmed a long or continuall death then euen a very momentarie life CHAP. XXXIII Of the creation of the woman and to what end she was created AS it is most certaine that the principal end of the creation of Adam was to serue loue honour and obey his Lord and maker so the same likewise was the womans principal end Againe as Adams secondary end was to bee the father of mankinde so was it also Eues to be the mother of all and to bee a comfort and helpe vnto her husband Gen. 2. vers 18. It is not good that man should be alone I will make him an helper meet for him good neither in regard of God of man nor of the world of God for his seruice of man for his helpe of the world for procreation for though this was not absolutely necessary neither in regard of God man or the world yet supposing the decree of God that hee would be preserued by the beautifull disposition and order of this world it was not only most conuenient but in some sort necessary that he should make man a helper and a helper meet for him for though hee could otherwise haue disposed of things by immediate creation yet was it more agreeable to the nature of things and for the sweeter disposition of the course of nature that mankinde should rather be multiplied by naturall course of generation then by supernaturall power and immediate creation Hence peraduenture it may be inferred that seeing God saith it is not good that the man should be himselfe alone that consequently it must be euill if hee bee alone and therefore as by this sentence lawfull matrimonie is confirmed so virginitie by the contrary consequence is condemned for whatsoeuer is opposite to that which is good must necessarily bee condemned as bad as which is nothing else but the priuation of good To this I answer as our Sauiour did to the Sadduces in their obiection touching mariage Matth. the 22.29 verse Yee are deceiued not knowing the Scriptures for as Christ is not against Moses neither the new Testament contrary to the old neither the greater perfection to the lesse so neither is virginitie contrary to matrimonie both are laudable both in their degree excellent but virginitie more laudable more excellent most admirable as by which wee rather imitate the angelicall state and perfection then follow our owne depraued nature and corruption This is the definition of Paul not any humane inuention for thus doth Paul determine this controuersie the 1. to the Corinthians ch 7. vers 25. Now concerning virgins I haue no command of the Lord but I giue mine aduice as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull Loe here virginitie is not commanded but commended not exacted by force but commended through grace neither counselled to all because it cannot be performed of all counselled therefore onely to some and those but few seeing few can attaine to this perfection 1. Cor. c 7. vers 27. My counsell therefore is that of Saint Paul Art thou bound vnto a wife seeke not to be loosed lest loosing the knot which God hath knit thou loose thy selfe Art thou loosed from a wife seeke not a wife here Paul counselleth hee commandeth not neither is his counsell extended to all seeing all cannot be capable of this counsell not onely by nature because this is not any gift of nature but also euen by a lesser measure of grace for though the Sunne of iustice doth shine ouer the iust and vniust and send downe the dew of his grace vnto all yet not with equalitie vnto all but according vnto his good pleasure and will Wherefore as S. Paul prosecuteth If thou takest a wife thou sinnest not and if a Virgin marie she sinneth not verse 37. He that standeth firme in his heart that he hath not neede but hath power ouer his owne will and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keepe his virgin he doth well so then hee that giueth her to mariage doth well but he that giueth her not to mariage doth better the wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liueth but if her husband be dead she is at libertie to marie with whom she will only in the Lord but she is more blessed if she abide in my iudgement and I thinke
proceeding from Adams and giue humble and hearty thankes for the infinite mercies receiued by Christ CHAP. LI. Of the Cherubin and sword which were put at the entrance of Paradise THe Originists doe vnderstand this allegorically so that by this kinde of custodie is meant nothing else but the particular prouidence of God by which our first parents were depriued of all hope of returning to Paradise Others thinke that by the Cherubin and fiery sword is mystically vnderstood a twofold impediment or means by which we be now debarred from the celestiall Paradise the first inuisible of the inuisible spirits and deuils according to that of Paul to the Ephesians the last chapter verse 12. For we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers and against the gouernours of this world the Princes of darknesse against spirituall wickednesses which are in high places The second impediment as these Authors say mystically signified by the fiery sword is the perpetuall fight of flesh and bloud in our spirituall battell as well in prosperitie as aduersitie according to our Sauiours words Matth. 11. chap. 12. verse The kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force and that of Iob Militia est vita hominis super terram Or rather as other doe interpret we may vnderstand by these lets of accesse to Paradise three principall hinderances of accesse to the celestiall Paradise by the Cherubin which is interpreted the fulnesse of science wisdome and knowledge may be vnderstood too much curiositie of science and spirituall pride oftentimes contained therein much repugnant to the simplicitie and puritie of Christian faith By the fiery sword may bee vnderstood as some Authors doe allegorize all enflaming lusts and vices proceeding from the sensitiue appetite the which as it is twofold concupiscible and irascible so is it signified by the fire and sword or fiery sword the which being voluble or as it were wheeling about and alwayes in a perpetuall motion doth plainly expresse the perpetuall inconstancie volubilitie and motion of humane matters Aquinas and Tertullian thinke Aquinas 2. 2 ae quaest 165. ar vlt. that by the Cherubin and fierie sword is vnderstood the place and situation of Paradise vnder the aequinoctiall line or Torrida Zona the firest Climate of the world But certainely the heat of this place is naturall vnto it and proceeding from the neerenesse of the Sunne as the Mathematicians doe demonstrate and therefore could not bee occasioned by the sinne of man much lesse proceede thereof as a naturall effect of sin which in it selfe hath no reall being but is rather the priuation of goodnesse according to its formall essence and being Lyra. in Genesim Lyranus thinketh that by the Cherubin and fiery sword is vnderstood a mighty and flaming fire issuing out of the mountaine of Paradise defending and compassing it round about in the manner of a wall Ambros of in Psalm 118. Ambrose vpon the Psalme 118. thinketh the fore-sayd flaming sword to be the fire of Purgatory by which the soules that depart our of the world not altogether purified are cleansed before their entrance into Heauen But to omit the controuersie of Purgatory this cannot bee seeing that the sword and Cherubin were placed at the entrance of Paradise as is manifest in the Text lest Adam should enter into Paradise and participate of the tree of life for so saith the Text Gen. 3 ver 24. Thus he cast out man and at the East side of the garden of Eden he set the Cherubins and the blade of a sword shaken to keepe the way of the tree of life That therefore which seemeth most probable in this poynt is that the words of the aforesayd text are to be vnderstood literally of a true Angelicall custody of Paradise and fiery swords the first against the infernall spirits the second for to terrifie man The Diuels were repelled and kept from this place of Paradise lest they should deceiue man by the tree of life promising him thereby a perpetuity of life such as he should haue enioyed if he had not falne man also was banished out of the same place not onely by the iust iudgment of Almighty God executed vpon him for his disobedience but also by a fatherly diuine prouidence and tender loue towards mankinde lest eating of the forbidden fruit which was of immortality a sufficient cause I meane to make him immortall he should liue an immortall life in this vale of misery and so become miserably immortall and immortally miserable CHAP. LII What was the cause why Adam and his posteritie were banished out of Paradise wherein two auncient errours are refuted as touching originall sinne TVrrianus in his Epistle to the Bishop of Towres alledgeth as an ancient opinion of diuers Doctors that originall sinne was that which the soule had coÌ„mitted before it was infused into the body which opinion seemeth first to haue beene taken from Origenes who held that the soules of men being first created altogether in heauen were cast downe thence into this vale of misery and ioyned vnto these materiall and grosse substances of our bodies in punishment of their sinne committed in heauen before their vnion to their bodies But this is euidently convinced as false out of many places of Scripture for if originall sinne was contracted in heauen how was it contracted by Adam in Paradise and if we did all contract it by one how did wee all contract it in our selues by our selues according to that of Paul Rom. 5. chap. vers 12. By one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned vers 16. Neither is the gift so as that which entred in by one that sinned for the fault came of one offence vnto condemnation but the gift is of many offences to iustification vers 18 19. As by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the iustifying of one the benefit abounded toward all men to the iustification of life Where wee may manifestly see contraposed death and life iustice and iniustice condemnation and iustification these as proceeding from the obedience of Christ those as flowing from the disobedience of Adam The second opinion in this point is that our originall sinne doth not consist in any qualitie or accident inherent in the substance of our bodies or soules or in any priuation of any excellencie or good qualitie which wee ought to haue retained in our soules but euen in the substance of our corporall and spirituall nature the reason is for whatsoeuer is not conformable to the law of God is sinne but all our nature is corrupt and auerse from the law of God therefore the whole nature of man both body and soule being thus corrupt and become abominable in the sight of God is sinne But thus it would follow as S. Austin well vrgeth against the Manichâ—es who held some things to be
true that which the Poët saith that labour blunteth the arrowes of Cupid so doth it no lesse other darts of the deuill But hence peraduenture some patron of idlenes may inferre that labour was contrary to that blessed state of Paradise as which required all quiet rest and content no rather I say that it was consequent or necessarily pertaining to that blessed state seeing that labour was not any toile or paine but rather a pleasure and a voluntary effect of his well disposed minde as it is now likewise to men not so ill affected quorum otium as Seneca said maximum negotium so as S. Austine saith l. 8. de Gen ad lit cap. 8. non esset laboris afflictio sed voluntatis exhilaratio cùm ea quae Deus creauerat humani generis adiutorium laetius seraciúque provenirent that it should not be a toile or affliction of the body but a recreation and reioycing of the will and minde CHAP. XXIX Whether the precept of not eating of the tree of knowledge of good and euill was giuen aswell to Eue as to Adam and how that was THe difficultie of this question proceedeth of the diuers readings of the precept because some with Greg. l. 35. moral cap. 10. do read it according to the Greeke in the plurall the Hebrue Caldaean with the vulgar Latin and English are in the singular Gen. 21.16 and the Lord God commanded the man saying thou shalt eat freely of euery tree of the garden but of the tree of knowledge of good euill thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Whereby wee see that this commandement was directed to the man only not to the woman seeing shee as yet was not created as is apparent out of the 18 verse the 21 22 23 where the creation of Eue is described Neuerthelesse it is manifest that the same commandment was extended to Eue also for so shee answered the serpent according to the vulgar edition de ligno quod est in medio paradysi praecepit nobis deus ne comederemus but of the tree which is in the midst of Paradise God commanded vs wee should not eat wherfore though this precept was principally giuen to Adam yet was it also to be obserued of Eue for as they were conioyned in nature so were they not to be separated in regard of their precept and grace But why then may some say was the name onely of Adam expressed I answer with Rupertus lib. 2. de Trinitate operibus eius c. 32. because the precept was principally giuen vnto him as vpon whose obedience or breach his and his posterities happinesse did solely depend not vpon Eues CHAP. XXX Why God commanded Adam that he should not eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill TErtullian in the beginning of his booke against the Iewes saith that this commandement was giuen to Adam as the first principall foundation and ground from whence all other lawes were deriued and in which all the ten Commandments be virtually included so that as Adam was the first beginning of mankinde so this was the first ground of all other lawes But though this cannot be reiected as an improbable speculation yet certainely it is not so firmely grounded in the sacred text as Tertullian imagined The reasons therefore in my opinion why God so strictly prohibited the eating of the aforesaid fruit was first that thereby as God had declared vnto vs his power ouer vs so wee should shew our obedience towards him not that as S. Austine noteth God hath neede of our seruice Augustin l. 8. de Gen. ad literam cap. 11. but that wee haue neede of his power protection rule and dominion ouer vs according to that of the Psalmist who speaking in the person of God saith constitue super eos legislatorem vt sciant gentes quoniam homines sunt Constitute a ruler ouer them as the vulgare translateth that the heathen may know that they are but men so that as it is a token of vassalage and subiection to receiue lawes so is it of power dominion and authority to command constitute ordaine and set downe lawes to bee obserued Yea secondly God gaue this law vnto man that thereby he might exercise his obedience towards God a vertue as necessary to man as acceptable in the sight of God Aug. lib. 8. de Gen ad literā cap. 8. and therefore as S. Austine well noteth God gaue not this law in any obiect of it selfe otherwise euill or of its owne nature good to the end that the vertue of his obedience might be the more illustrious because it deriueth not his excellencie from the materiall obiect but from the formall the sole subiection to Almighty God It may seeme peraduenture not improbable to some that the law of nature which God had infused into the nature of man might haue sufficed to lay open try and manifest mans obedience towards God to what end then should the second law of abstayning from the tree of the knowledge of good and euill be added as a second tryall of that which otherwise might sufficiently bee manifest by the law of nature and obedience therevnto I answer that the law of nature would not haue beene a sufficient tryall of Adams obedience because it is not altogether manifest by the law of nature that God is sole and supreme Lord ouer all mankinde for some doe imagine that the law of nature is a propertie onely due vnto a reasonable creature as euery species or kinde of liuing creatures hath their particular propertie agreeing to their nature Againe some are of opinion that those things which are contained in the law of nature are to be imbraced or reiected in as much as they agree or disagree with naturall reason not as they are commanded or forbidden by God as supernaturall agent So that although it be prescribed by God vnto all men yet doth it not sufficiently manifest his most ample absolute power ouer all mankinde seeing that by this law there is not any thing commanded or forbidden but onely that which is according to humane reason either good or euill of its owne nature Wherefore Gods absolute dominion and extent of his diuine power were not sufficiently knowne onely by this law of nature but onely as it is agreeable to the instinct of nature the which as it was but onely in things within the spheare of nature could not possible shew the extent of the absolute power of God in things both with in the compasse of nature and aboue nature Hence Gregorie well noteth Lib. 33 moralium cap. 10. that the forbidden fruit was not euill of its owne nature but was forbidden to the end that man being created vpright by nature might increase in righteousnes by the subiection of his nature and perfection of his obedience to the author of nature CHAP. XXXI Why God commanded Adam that he should not touch the tree
thereby to punish him not only in himselfe but euen in his instrument by which hee had committed that hainous offence against his God like as he who breaketh the instrument in hatred of the Musitian who plaied vpon it So likewise in the 20. chapter of Leuiticus God commanded that the beast shall be stoned to death with which any man hath offended thereby to signifie how great the offence is in the sight of God who doth punish it not onely in the principall actor thereof but euen in his instrument thereby to signifie vnto vs how hatefull sinne is seeing often hee doth punish it in his vnreasonable and insensible creatures who are not capable of the sinne it selfe Againe he cursed the serpent for Satans sake as he did the earth for Adams sinne yea and that which is most dreadfull he drowned the world with an vniuersall deluge not sparing the beasts for their owners sinnes The like also we finde in Princes and other Potentates of this world who take vengeance of the innocent for the nocents sake of the sonnes for their fathers offences of their subiects for their Princes outrages So the Poet not as a Poet saith Quic quid delirant Reges plectuntur Achiui The Chastillians bloud in France spilt at the massacre was long after required of the Guisâ—an race The Thracians did beat their wiues because their forefathers had killed Orpheus And Agathocles wasted the Iland Corsyra because in ancient times it gaue entertainment to Vlysses But now the difficultie may be about these words aboue alleaged Vpon thy belly shalt thou goe and shalt eat dust all the dayes of thy life For if it were a serpent before euen the very name doth signifie that it crept vpon its belly if then it was the serpents nature how was it a curse or if a curse how was it his naturall propertie I answer with Ephren and Barcephas in his booke of Paradise that creeping rather proceeded of Gods curse then of the serpents nature who as we reade of other serpents went vpon his feet yea more vpright then any other serpent but as Lucifer his principall mouer became by his sinne a most vgly deuill of a most beautifull Angell so the serpent who was the instrument of Lucifer in this action became a most filthy venomous and detestable creeping beast or worme of a beautifull and vpright going creature Neuerthelesse as I haue already before insinuated the curse pronounced against the serpent is principally to bee vnderstood against the principall author of the temptation and mouer of the serpent to wit the deuill according to the opinion of S. Austine Beda Rupertus Hugo de sancto Victore Caietan and many others so that the deuill as hath beene touched already is called a serpent for his subtiltie and craft in deceiuing of mankinde Againe he is said to be cursed amongst all the beasts of the earth because he is condemned to eternall punishment and whatsoeuer is said to be obscene filthy and abominable in any whatsoeuer beast or other most filthy creature that spiritually is found in the deuill in a higher degree and more detestable measure hee goeth likewise vpon his breast and belly because he tempteth principally in pride and lecherie and therefore most fit to tempt attempt and ouercome the woman as most inclinable to these kinde of vices he especially I say tempteth in pride signified by the breast in lust by the belly Or finally hee goeth vpon his breast which is the seat of the irascible power anger and wrath and vpon his belly because this is the fountaine of all filthy lust and concupiscences CHAP. L. Whether Adam was cast out of Paradise the same day that he was created Moses Barcephas supra citatus Philoxinus oratione de arbore vitae Ephren coÌ„ment in Gen. Sabugensis oratione de passione Domini Irenaeus Cyriiâ—us Diodorus Tharsensis SOme thinke that Adam was created the first houre of the sixt artificiall day without the compasse of Paradise and was brought in thither at the third houre afterwards about the sixt houre he eat of the forbidden fruit and finally about the ninth being reprehended by God he was cast out about Sunne setting The reason of this opinion is taken from the words of the serpent vnto Eue Why did God command you that you should not eat of euery tree of Paradise by which words wee may inferre that Adam and Eue had not eaten any thing till that time and consequently that they were but newly brought into Paradise yea that they were created but a little before Neuerthelesse I thinke it more probable Basil homil de Paradiso Damascen l. 2. de fide Orthodexa cap. 10. August li. 11. de gen ad lit cap. 21. l. 20 de ciuitate Dei cap 26. Gregorius lib. 4. dial cap. 1. Tostatus Abulensis super 13. ca pâ—t Gen. Ioseph lib. 1. antiquitat that our first parents persisted more then one day in Paradise and that this was done by the particular prouidence of God to the end that they might the better perceiue the miserie into which they fell by sinne by the knowledge and experience which they had of their former felicitie in Paradise And this is the opinion of S. Basil Damascene Austine Gregory Abulensis and Iosephus Yea it seemeth most probable that our first parents were not one only day in Paradise for otherwise the serpent would not haue asked them why they did not eat of euery tree of Paradise for then it might easily be answered because their necessitie did not require it as yet Wherefore though many haue defined the time of their abode in Paradise to haue beene so many yeeres as our Sauiour liued in this mortall life others fortie dayes according to the time of our Sauiours fast yet if it be lawfull to coniecture in this matter so doubtfull and vncertaine I would thinke that they were only eight dayes in Paradise because this was sufficient for the experience of that happy estate so that as our Sauiour was conceiued as many thinke on the Friday and died on the same day so likewise as some coniecture was the fall of Adam the cause of his death the same day so that Adams fall his creation and redemption was by the particular prouidence of Almighty God wrought as some contemplate vpon one and the same day The which though it be no conuincing reason neither sufficiently grounded in the sacred text yet can it not be denied but that it hath some congruitie and conueniencie in reason that the wound and the remedie should bee in one and the same day appointed to be by God who from eternitie foreseeth the end together with the meanes and decreeth of the end together with the meanes to the end that the common course of time and remembrance of the day might put vs in minde both of our miserable fall by Adam and our more happie redemption by Christ that so wee might continually bewaile our sinnes
originall commeth only by Adams sinne and transgression and thereby is transfused and passed into vs. Wherefore God speaking not of the former but of the latter Ezechiel chap. 18. saith The soule that hath sinned shall die the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father neither the father the sonnes iniquitie the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be vpon him and the impietie of the wicked vpon him On the contrary side originall sinne being the sinne of nature requireth only the free libertie of the first and principall head of nature because his will is reputed as the vniuersall will of all whence it is that wee must not thinke that when the childe is first conceiued and the soule first infused into the body that then I say it may bee deemed to sinne but rather that then it is conceiued in sinne so Dauid saith that he was conceiued in sinne not that he sinned in his conception For though both insinuate a true sinne in vs yet the one that is originall sinne is thereby signified to be deriued from Adam vnto vs yea also to be inherent in vs the other that is actuall sinne is from our selues and of our selues whence it is that the person of Adam was first infected with this originall contagion and then his nature but in vs contrariwise first the nature is infected then the person depraued These things presupposed my first conclusion is that it is a point of catholike faith that all those who descend of the seede of Adam by ordinary meanes are infected with this generall maladie of originall sinne Wherefore God threatneth Gen. 13. that he whose flesh is not circumcised shall be blotted out of the booke of God Aug. lib. 3 de peccato originali cap. 30. 35. li. â— dâ— nupt ijs â— concupiscentijs cap. 17 because hee hath made frustrate his couenant out of which testimonie S. Austine thus argueth against the Pelagians The infants did not frustrate this couenant made with God by any actuall sinne seeing they could not commit any actually therefore they contracted originally by originall sinne deriued from Adam The second testimonie which proueth this point is out of the 51. Psalme where Dauid saith Behold I am conceiued in iniquities and my mother conceiued mee in sinne Out of which place almost all the Greeke and Latine Fathers doe inferre the foresaid conclusion especially Origenes Basil and Chrysostome who in his 3. booke in Leuiticum cap. 12. noteth that Dauid doth not by these words accuse any sinne of his mothers but that he calleth nature his mother signifying thereby that the filth and impuritie of Adams sinne hath descended vpon all his posteritie Yea this is also the exposition of Eutimius Hilarius Ruffinus Innocentius tertius Beda Gregory Ambrose and Hierome who also alleage for the same conclusion Eccles cap. 4. a heauie yoake vpon the sonnes of Adam from the day of their birth vnto the day of their death which place S. Austine thus explicateth Quid est graue iugum nisi peccatum What is this heauie yoake but sinne And why is it called a yoake but because it proceedeth from two the male and the female of the good and of the bad and because it is a yoake in both the sexes therefore it is said to bee a heauie yoake vpon the children of Adam therefore in that he said vpon the sonnes of Adam he made no difference of ages no distinction of sexes and by the comparing of sinne vnto a yoake hee made all men equall Christ only excepted who was not borne as others were of corruption and sinne Many of the Fathers August lib. 6 contra Donatistas cap. 12. lib. 1 de piccatorum me ritis remissione cap. 17. 20. 29. 30. lib. 2. cap. 27. and principally S. Austine doth deduce this our conclusion out of the 3. of Iohn where our Sauiour saith that vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and of the holy Ghost hee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen out of which place though Bellarmine with most of the Doctors of the church of Rome doe inferre an absolute necessitie of baptisme by reason of the generall exception made by our Sauiour that vnlesse a man be borne of water he cannot be saued yet neuerthelesse this is not so to bee vnderstood of the materiall water but of the grace of God purging and cleansing vs as water doth as a reuerend Author of this age doth wel expound Attersol in his 2 book of the sacrament of baptisme chap. 5. which interpretation may be gathered by conference of a like place Matth. 3. vers 11. hee shall baptise with the holy Ghost and with fire that is by the spirit of God which is as it were fire lightning our hearts with the knowledge of God enflaming them with his loue and purging them from all euill affections So when wee are said to bee borne againe by water and the spirit he meaneth by the spirit shewing forth in vs the force power and propertie of water as if he should say we are borne of water which is the spirit as Iohn 7.38.39 and 4.21 Againe if it were meant of water in baptisme it must bee vnderstood according to a like sentence Iohn 6.53 Vnlesse you eat the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you which must bee vnderstood of such as are of yeeres according to the exposition of Innocentius 3. Decret Gregor lib. 3. tit 42. cap. 3 Lumbardus lib 4. sent distinct 4. and Peter Lumbard the master of the sentences But to leaue the confirmation of this point as touching the saluation of infants vnbaptised S. Chrysostome Theodoretus S. Austine with many other Doctors doe euidently deduce the foresaid conclusion out of the 5. to the Romans Rom. 5. where Paul saith that by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death passed vnto all men in which all haue sinned Irencus l. 5. cap. 17. 19. Athan. de iâ—carnatione verbi Bâ—siâ— super Psalmos 32. 50. Concilium MilevitanuÌ„ Araustâ—anum Jâ—stinus Martir Greg Nazian oratione 42. in sanctum Pascha oratione 38 in Christi nattuttate Chrysâ—stomus de Adamo Eua. Cyrillus Alexandrinus lib. 1. in Gen. Theodoretus in Psalmum 50. Damascenus lib 2 fâ—leâ— Orthodoxae Origines super epistolam ad Romanos c. 6. Cyprian epistola 59. Hilarius Pictariensis ad Psalmum 18. Ambros l. de Tobia c. 9. ad Psal 48. l. 1. de poenitentia c. 2. Hierom ad cap. 42. Zech Fulgentius de gratia Jesu Chrsti cap. 31. Bernard seria 4. hebdomadae paenosae de passione Domini Yea this is plainely the opinion of the Milevitan and Arausican Councels of Iustine Martyr Ireneus Athanasius Cirillus Nazianzen Chrysostome Cirillus Alexandrinus Theodoretus Damascenus Origenes Cyprianus Hilarius Pictaviensis Ambrose Ierome Fulgentius Bernard and many others Now it remained that I should haue answered to all and euery of the