ibid. à qua tamen pro nunc recedimus These are they that so magnifie the Fathers in shew but reiect them in deed both for Interpretations and Dogmata for the sence of places and points of Doctrine These Children will teach their Fathers to speake These Schoolemen will set Christ and his Apostles to Schoole surely these new Iesuites Decet vbique vt sermones nostros scripturis SanctoruÌ„ Petrum verbis attemperemus saith Vega les both in speaking and doing are farre vnlike the olde Christians But let vs learne to speake of that great Father Saint Augustine and of his great Father Saint Paul rather then of Tolet or Bellarmine or any other Cardinall or Iesuit 3 Yet further Saint Paul calles it not onely Sin but Deadly sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 StipendiuÌ„ peccati mors Pâ—o. 6. vers vlt. the Body of Death as hee speakes elsewhere generally of all sinne without distinction The wages of sinne is death All sinnes with him are mortall he knew not these veniall triuiall peccadilia little trifling sinnes not worthy to be called sinnes which Papists so mince and make nothing of but euen for these the least of all other he cryeth out as at deadly wounds of his soule O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of Death The distinction which the Romanists now teach neyther Paul knew nor the z See D. Field of the Church Booke 3. chap. 7. D. Norton Church many ages after neyther are themselues yet agreede vpon it a As they are cited by Azor. Instit moral part 1. lib. 4. cap. 8. § dicendum Vega the Iesuite and with him Durandus and Catetanus thinke all sinne to be against the Law b Bellarmin de amissione gratiae lâ—b 1. cap. 11. verbis vlt. passim in eo libro vbi Azorius haec habet Non sunt peccata venialâ—â— proprie contra legeÌ„ neque perfecte simpliciterque peccatâ— Bellarmine beates them down and teacheth that mortall sinne is against the Law and Veniall sinne only besides the law c Azorius ibid. Azorius beateth him downe and sayth Veniall is also against the Law And d Greg. de Val. De differentia veteris novae legis part 2 c. 2. § Denique ne intelligi quideÌ„ peccatuÌ„ potest quod non sit legis alicuius transgressio Valentianus confesseth that no man can conceiue of sinne but as a transgression of the Law Here is Iesuite against Iesuite like Cadmus his serpentine teeth euer as they spring vp one brother beates downe another e Ovid. Metamorph lib 3. fab 1. The truth is All sinne legally considered is mortall but Evangelically is veniall except the sinne against the Holy Ghost By his owne merit mortall by Christs mercy veniall Mortall is the naturall fleshly vnregenerate man for hee that beleeueth not is condemned already Iohn 3.18 For f Magist sent lib. 2 dist 25. g. non potest non peccare etiam damnabiliter hee can not but sinne damnably But Veniall to the Regenerate though still sinne Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus Quibus saith Austen remissus est reatus culpae peccati quamuis maneat actus g Aug Contra duas ep Pelagiani lib 1. cap 13. D. Morton Appeal lib 5. ca 22. sectioÌ„ 4. D. White Digress 38. D. Morton appeal lib 5 cap 11 sect 5 The distinction is not in the sinne but in the couenants and in the persons for in the Regenerate and by the Couenant of Grace it dissolueth not the league and loue betwixt God and Man and so is Veniall in others also is mortall and so is all sinne in all men by his owne nature In which regard S. Paul cals the least sinne here the body of Death And yet wee make not all sins equall as the Stoiks among the Philosophers and the Iouinians among the Heretikes Happily they may be h aeque peccata equally sinnes by their forme as breaches of the law and deseruing wrath though not i aequalia peccata equall sinnes in their matter as if all were hainous alike To be angry with thy brother without cause is a sin formally to reuile him Matth 5 22 a worse sin to kill him worst of all but the least deserueth iudgement that is death sayth k Maldonatus Iesuita Comment in Matt 5 21 22 Maldonate So among the Iewes were foure capitall punishments strangling heading stoning and burning Maldonat ibid in vers 22 in fine all deathes yet different in grieuousnesse and shame arguing the sinnes so punished to be all deadly and yet vnequall in the hainousnesse The Conclusion is euen for these sinnes the least of al other The irregular motions of corrupt nature euen without consent Saint Paule cryes out as at deadly sinnes O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of Death Vse 1 The consideration of this may first humble vs greatly If it humbled Abraham much to remember that hee was but dust and ashes l Gen 18 27 much more should it humble vs to know that wee are much worse lumps of sinne and corruption A grieuous thing for good Iob m Iob. 2.7.8 to be all ouerrunne with filthy ouzing sores and vlcers to sit scraping them with a potshard vpon the ashes Greg. Morals vpon Iob. sterquilinium super sterquilinio sitting like one dunghill vpon another no better then a liuing and a walking dunghill but we are much worse in respect of sin in our whole nature all corrupt leprous lazers like a cloth defiled with menstrous bloud which corruption if it breake not out into monstrous sins as it doth in many yet the being of it in vs should much abash vs and cause vs to walke before the Lord in feare and trembling As wee carry in our bodyes the seedes of mortality and the matter of all diseases tending to dissolution or the first death so in our soules and whole nature the seedes and matter of destruction or the second death and as our diseases grieue and humble vs so much more should our sinfull corruption as the first death terrifies so much more should the second affright vs. Vse 2 This should also make vs carefull and heedful to watch ouer and keepe down our inbred corruptions that they breake not out into actuall sinne by getting consent gaining delight and so comming to raigne in vs As when wee feele the pricking of an olde disease we are wary of our dyet of cold heat surfetting intemperancy or any thing that may increase it A hard matter it is to deny our selues to mortifie our flattring lusts to be at continuall warre with our owne pleasing nature but so we must be if wee will be Christians And the more familiar and pleasing this enemy is that was borne and bred and brought vp with vs and the fayrer her pretences tickling our eares to fauour
Hypothesis to the Thesis from Saint Paules particular to the generall of all Gods children we shall finde 1 The irregular motions of lust in Man to bee sinne 2 This sinne or those motions to remayne in the Regenerate 3 The Regenerate aboue other men to bee exceeding sensible of them 4 That the sight and feeling of them is the thing that specially grieues them 5 And lastly that this makes them earnestly seeke for comfort and deliuerance These are great points worthy our handling worthy your attention 1 For the first In the whole Discourse of this euill note two things First that it is a thing Inuoluntary vers 15. I allow not that which I doe for what I would doe that do I not but what I hate that doe I and verse 16. If then I do that which I would not I consent to the law that it is good and ver 18. to will is present with mee and 22. I delight in the law concerning the inner man Note secondly that still hee calles it Euill and Sinne and here The body of Death by a Metonomya Effecti the very matter and cause of death which Chap. 6.6 He calleth The body of Sinne. Now ioyne these two together that it is Inuoluntary and that it is Sinne and you rayse this Doctrine Doct. I The irregular motions of Lust though not yeeded vnto are Sinne. Reason I I meane all kind of lusts not onely libidinous desires but those also of Malice Pride Couetousnes Gluttony Ease Disobedience and such like They are all sinne The Reason is I. Because they disagree from the law of God which is Regula iusticitiae for what is sinne but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Iohn 3.4 an Irregularity discrepance and vnconformity to Gods Law Reason 2 Deut. 6 5. Mat. 22.37 2 Againe God reequires Loue with all the hart minde soule and strength that is with all the parts and faculties of body and soule and all the power of them therefore as to loue any thing besides him not for him is sinne so not to loue him withall thy power is a sinne the one turning aside from thy dutie the other comming short of thy duety both faulty both sinnes Reason 3 3 Againe this is not Innocency and cleannes from euill though without consent See S. August lib. 3. de peccatorum meritis remissione cap. 6. 7. Augustine was the first that wrote of Originall sinne teste Bellarmino lib. 1. de pec orig cap. 1. It is still corruption vncleannesse imperfection and is indeede the stirring and mouing of that corruption of Nature which in S. Augustines time began to be called Originall Sinne which is not onely Languor Naturae as many haue called it nor onely Carentia iustitiae debitae inesse according to that famous definition of Anselm a want of that righteousnesse which ought to be in man nor onely Difformitas as Doctor Stapleton cals it an vnconformity or diuers form different from the Image of God first imprinted vpon Man which yet is inough to make it sinne but deformitas which is more a deformity mishappe and corrupt forme For we shall finde here in S. Paules discourse of it not onely a Priuation of Originall Iustice or a Languor Naturae vnapt to doe good but further a Position of sinnefull corruption a stirring and rebelling of Lust prouoking to Euill For that languor it had beene enough to say I know that in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing verse â—8 but hee proceedeth and addeth verse 23. I see another law in my members warring against the Law of my minde and bringing me into captiuity vnto the Law of Sinne which is in my members Vnderstand we then that wee are all shapen in iniquity and in sinne hath our mother conceyued vs. Psal 51.5 For Adam sinning in person hath corrupted our whole nature so that together with our substance is mixed a matteâ— of corruption which in the framing and growing of our members groweth and is nourished by the naturall heate of our mothers a corruption in the body which in time will bring diseases and naturall death and a corruption cleauing to the soule which in time will bring foorth actuall sinnes and eternall death so that being conceyued and borne man wee are conceyued and borne sinnefull men Bern. meditat cap 2. initio according to that of S. Bernard Parentes ante fecerunt damnatum quam natum so are we all by Nature the children of wrath Eph. 2.3 This corruption is called The old man Rom. 6.6 and heere The Body of Death which wee must labour to mortifie crucifie and destroy for this without yeelding vnto is Originall sinne but with yeelding and delight groweth into Actuall sinne Hieron in cap. 5 Mathaei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hiâ—ron in cap. 1. Amos. Priâ—uÌ„ peccatum est cogitasse quae mala sunt secunduÌ„ cogitationibus adquicuisse peruersis tertius quod mente decreueris op re coÌ„plessâ— quartuÌ„ post peccatum non agere poenitentiam Saint Hierom distinguisheth betwixt Pathos and Propatheia passion and fore-passion Pathos is passion with consent Propatheia is a tickling of lust without consent both are sinnes though in seuerall degrees The same Father thus distinguisheth sinne The first sinne is to thinke euill things the second to rest vpon or yeeld to the euil thoughts the third to performe in deede what thou hast purposed in minde the fourth not to repent after thy sinne First therefore Saint Paul speakes of these motions as Inuoluntary without yeelding to them and against his mind as Saint Ambrose saith Nobis reluctantibus multa in nobis operatur peccatum Sinne worketh many things in vs while wee striue against it Secondly he cals it in plaine termes Sinne yea it is obserued by Chemnicius a worthy iudicious Diuine that in the 6. Chapter he calls it fiue times sin Chemnic'j examen part 1. de relliq pec orig pag. 224. Editionis 1590. in 8. Aug. coÌ„tra IulianuÌ„ lib. 5. cap. 3 Tolet in ep ad Rom. cap. 7 8. Bellarm. de amiss grat stat pecc lib. 5. cap. 10. in this 7. Chapter 6. times in the 8. thrice And Saint Augustine grounding on this place calles it plainely Sinne Coucupiscentia carnis aduersus quam bonus concupiscit Spiritus peccatum est poena peccati causa peccati The lust of the flesh against which the good Spirit lusteth is both sinne and the punishment of sinne and the cause of sinne Well may I then wonder at the Iesuites Cardinall Tolet Bellarmine and others that will needes confute both Saint Paules Greeke and Saint Augustines Latine and say they speake both vnproperly calling that Peccatum which is but fomes peccati the matter and tinder of sinne where Tolet yet confesseth plainely two thinges First that it is not onely Saint Austens word but his perpetuall doctrine and Secondly that the Papists now wholly depart from it Doctrina est frequentissima in Augustino Tolet.
Hieron aduers Pelag. lib. 2. Austen lib. de Cor. gra cap. 9. in sine Aug. de bapt Parv. cap. 39. Iudg. 3 1. what need we haue of Christ to keepe vs waking to shake off security and drowsinesse to gather our wits and forces together to stand vpon our guard to depend vpon God to call vpon him for ayde to flye and cleaue fast vnto him knowing that if his Grace doe not continually supporte vs we are not able to stand These are sayth S. Augustine the Nations left in Canaan which their Iosua our Iesus cast not out Quas dereliquit Dominus vt erudiret in eis Ierusalem which God left to teach and exercise his people withall and which if they grew carelesse should bee as prickes and goades in their sides and thornes in theyr eyes and that they should not thinke they were come yet to theyr finall rest but should still looke for a better Reason 2 2 Againe that Gods children may be examples of all holy vertues to others and thereby glorious to his name which were nothing if the obiect and matter whereon they worke were abolished where were Patience if there were no afflictions where Grace if no temptations where Mortification if no lusts to mortifie where Temperance Sobriety Purity if no opposition no motions to sinne where were the battell the victory the crowne if no aduersary to striue withall 3 Againe lest men should become religious only to be freed from this disquietnesse of the soule diseases of the body and other griefes and penalties of this life which were to make them molliores not meliores more tender to themselues then tendering their duties to seeke to build a Heauen vpon Earth without desire of a better But here God will haue vs still prouoked with these still militant and in the Combat to fight the Lords battels as against other enemies so against our owne lustes to striue for the victory to obtaine the Crowne to bee wayned from the loue of this world and long for the perfection glory of the world to come Vse 1 Since then this body of death is not yet dead in the best Regenerate My deare brother thou that art weake and doubtfull of thy state faint thou not bee not too much deiected and dismaied as if thou wert out of Gods fauour because thou feelest such motions in thee and haply thinkest that Gods beloued children are free from such temptations It is not so they bee the Symptoms and passions of the best men left still in them by the dispensation of Gods wisedome to good purpose That wee should not thinke them of higher nature then our selues Amb. apol David c. 2. but subiect to the like passions to which end they are sometimes suffered to fall and theyr falles recorded and as ill may wee spare the knowledge of theyr falles for consolation as the examples of their vertues for imitation S. Paul confesseth he felt these motions Gods blessed Saints on earth were neuer free from them It is obserued in S. Hierom which he bewrayes in many places of his works that his whole life was a continuall war with his own lusts This is not the difference betwixt the Regenerate and vnregenerate that the one is free from euil lusts the other feeles him but this The one labours to mortifie them Epiphanius heres 64. Sicut quando caprificus agit radices in muro leu aedificio quantum cunoue scindatur manet radix opus est murum destruere tunc reaedificabitur sine radice sic in corpore isto mortali fit in quo radix manet peccati concupiscentia nempe rebellis donec moriatur iterū reaedificetur per resurrectionem This Similitude is alledged and allowed by both sides by Tolet the Iesuite Tractat. 2. in loca Ep. ad Rom. cap. 7. And by D. Field that learned Protestant Lib. 3. of the church c. 26. the other giues the raigne vnto them If thou doest then mislike them labour to suppresse and mortifie them and so shew the power of Gods grace working in thee Thou art a happy man and in the case of Gods blessed children the greater thy temptations are the more noble is thy resistance the more exemplary thy life and vertues and the greater shall bee thy Crowne and glory S. Paul cryeth out to the Lord 2. Cor. 12.8 9. to be deliuered frō this pricke of the flesh this Messenger of Sathan sent to buffet him but the Lord answered My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in thy weakenesse Gods grace is sufficient to enable vs to represse them though it bee not his pleasure to free vs from them Vse 2 2 Presume not of thine owne righteousnesse as if it could satisfie Gods iustice stand betwixt thee and thy condemnation They that doe so I doubt are farre from true Regeneration which makes a man see into himselfe and finde many thinges to craue pardon for nothing wherein he may greatly glorie The meere Naturall and ciuill man who haue yet no true feeling of Religion may thinke highly of theyr owne righteousnesse as the Pharise did Luc 18. because he was no grosse extortioner but the true Regenerate man will finde imperfections enow in himselfe as S. Paul doth here and though hee dayly labour that his righteousnesse may exceed the Pharisees yet his opinion of it will alwayes come short of Aug. Lib 3. de Doctr. Christiana c. 23. speaking of Davids and other Saintes sins teacheth that no man can brag of his iustice or contemno others Cum videat tantorum virorum cavendas tempestates slenda naufragia theyrs He will learn to know that the law is straight and requireth totum hominem the whole man with all the parts and powers of body and soule to keepe totam legē the whole law with euery branch and particle thereof and that totaliter and toto vitae tempore his whole life throughout without omitting any minute or moment thereof for Iames. 2.10 Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all And as the Law is straite so the Curse is large Gal. 3 10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them And therefore with S. Paul he shall finde no perfection in himselfe to iustifie him Philip. 3.12 but rather sin to condemne him as here and consequently will be driuen out of himselfe to seeke for ayde euen to Iesus Christ who is made vnto vs Wisdome and righteousnesse and Sanctification and Redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 And euer when hee looketh aduisedly into himselfe hee wil be so farre from thinking himselfe iust that he will rather crie out of his imperfections with S. Paul heere O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Vse 3 3 Trust not to the superogatory merites of Gods Saints they are so vnable