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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11363	A treatise of Paradise. And the principall contents thereof especially of the greatnesse, situation, beautie, and other properties of that place: of the trees of life, good and euill; of the serpent, cherubin, fiery sword, mans creation, immortalitie, propagation, stature, age, knowledge, temptation, fall, and exclusion out of Paradise; and consequently of his and our originall sin: with many other difficulties touching these points. Collected out of the holy Scriptures, ancient fathers, and other both ancient and moderne writers.	Salkeld, John, 1576-1660.	1617 (1617)	STC 21622; ESTC S116515	126,315	368

is common to all the blessed Spirits and Saints of heauen to euery one according to their degree of glory correspondent vnto the measure of their faith heard here in earth or while they were in the way to this supernaturall blessednesse CHAP. VIII Whether there was euer any such tree in Paradise as the tree of life or rather that which is written of it in the Scripture is onely to be vnderstood spiritually or figuratiuely AS now in this deluge of miseries which haue ouerflowne the world there be many which in outward shew and words pretend so much spirit that they leaue nothing for the inward but acts of carnalitie so there wanted not these kindes of monsters in former ages who though they were neuer so farre plunged in the depth of hell as ours be yet were they not farre inferiour in the fictitious morallizing of Scripture or rather wresting from the true sense the word of God such were Origines and his fellowes Allegorici so tearmed because they wrested the Scripture beyond all truth and sense only to a spiritual and allegorical sense especially those places which speake of Paradise and the tree of life some thinking it to bee our Sauiour Christ or word of God incarnate others the sole attribute of the eternall wisdome of God some againe our euerlasting happinesse in the kingdome of heauen according to that of S. Iohn Reu cha 2. vers 2. To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of my God that is as Eugobinus in his Cosmopoeia holdeth not our essentiall blessednesse in the sight of God as the former opinion is but a proprietie necessarily annexed thereunto to wit immortalitie which God had promised to Adam and his posteritie if they had persisted in their first state of innocencie wherein Adam was first created Here be many fictitious propositions ill grounded and which of themselues are sufficient to ouerthrow themselues the truth and the common opinion as well of Schoole Diuines as of Expositours of the holy Scriptures and Fathers is that as the historie of the tree of life and the rest of Paradise may well be interpreted in an Allegoricall sense without any contradiction to the true meaning of the historie so to vnderstand it only thus excluding the historie is a manifest iniurie done to the Scripture So S. Austine in his 13. booke of the city of God chap. 21. saith that we may vnderstand by Paradise the blessed life of the Saints of God likewise by the foure riuers of Paradise the foure cardinall vertues prudence fortitude temperance iustice by the trees all profitable Arts and disciplines by the fruit of the tree the good workes of the godly by the tree of life wisdome the mother of all goodnesse finally by the tree of knowledge of good and euill the experience of the commandement transgressed These things likewise may be vnderstood of the Church as prophesies proper vnto her future estate So that by Paradise wee may vnderstand the Church according to that which wee reade of her in the Canticles Moreouer by the foure flouds the foure Gospels by the fruitfull trees the Saints whose fruits bee their workes by the tree of life the Saint of Saints Christ our Sauiour lastly by the tree of the knowledge of good and euill our owne morall and ciuill actions not the supernaturall in which wee are more passiue then actiue These and the like of Origenes and others of the Fathers are questionlesse most excellent Allegories yet not such as may be taken for sole verities excluding the plaine historie of Moses and literall sense which is the second part of my assertion deduced also out of S. Austine in the place aboue alleaged where he concludeth thus Haec siquae alia These and the like may be spiritually applied vnto Paradise so that the truth of the historie be faithfully kept and no iniurie offered to the word of God for if once we giue a sole and generall passage to this kinde of Allegoricall exposition wee shall soone bee brought to many fond definitions in matters of faith CHAP. IX Why the tree of life was so called and whether it had truly the propertie of making a man immortall AS it is truly said of the bread of life the Sacrament I meane of the Lords Supper that it doth not concurre physically with any real influence vnto the grace of God inherent in our soules in this life or to the eternitie of blessednesse in the life to come but that it is only a signe of the one and a pawne and pledge of the other to wit of grace in this life of an eternall poies of glory in the other so many holding the tree of life to be a figure or type of the bread of life haue with proportion held of them both to wit that neither of them were physicall and reall causes of their effects but onely morall Hence it is that Eugubinus aboue alleaged in his Cosmopoeia thinketh that it was called the tree of life non effectiuè quòd vitam faceret immortalem not because it did really cause or should haue caused immortalitie in man sed significatiue tantùm because it should haue beene a signe and token only of immortalitie if he had not transgressed the commandement of his Creator a probable opinion certainly or which cannot easily bee refuted for although all almost Writers and Fathers both of the Greeke and Latine Church doe agree that the effect of this fruit was immortalitie yet in the manner how they doe not agree So therefore if wee agree of the thing it is not materiall how wee hold of the manner of concourse As in like manner wee doubt not to say of the bread of life the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that certainly it containeth the cause of life Christ but how it containeth him who can expresse This exceedeth the naturall capacitie of Angels the other of the type also the reach of man Agreeing therefore about the things why should wee so contend to expresse the manner which in no wise can be expressed because it is not expressed in the booke of life and therefore cannot be necessary to eternall life Neuerthelesse if I may coniecture in things so hidden I deeme the contrary much more probable to wit that this tree of life was not onely a type or token of immortalitie but that really it was a cause sufficient to haue produced immortalitie my reason or rather congruence because no concludent reason can be giuen in this point is because it was the most perfect figure as the Fathers affirme of that most excellent tree which for all eternitie is planted in the celestiall Paradise to wit of Christ who saith of himselfe Apoc. 2. cap. Vincenti dabo edere to him that ouercommeth to wit himselfe I will giue to eat what will he giue himselfe to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of the

reasonable the reasonable to the spirit the spirit to God And as no disorder in nature could proceede from the author of nature so no disorder in the acts of nature could haue beene found in the course of nature and this though euen in the very estate of innocencie there had beene generation of mankinde as now it is as now I meane in the substance of the act not in the manner of raigning and raging lust And this certainely was Gods intent in the creating of our first fathers male and female because if it had not been for generations sake they might haue beene both created males because all things at their first creation were created in their greatest perfection if therefore the man bee more perfect then the woman why should they not both haue been created male if it had not beene for their multiplication by the ordinarie course of generation especially seeing God blessed them with these words which signifie no lesse increase or as the Hebrue hath fructifie and multiply especially seeing as the Philosopher saith generation is the most naturall action of life Aristotiles lib. 2. de anima lib. 4. meteor yea then euery thing is in his perfect estate when it is powerfull to bring forth another like to it selfe CHAP. XXXIX Whether there should haue beene more men or women in the state of innocencie or rather an equalitie of both sexes and how there could haue beene any women seeing they are said to proceed out of the defect of nature AS touching the first point I thinke it most probable that there should haue beene more men then women if so be that wee had persisted in the state of innocencie my reason is because nature then being in a full perfection would for the most part haue produced the most perfect which questionlesse is the male for the most part I say not alwaies because the female also was necessary for the naturall propagation of mankinde Againe it was necessarie for the most part not altogether necessarie but only most perfect and therefore most agreeable to that most perfect estate As touching the second point of the multiplication of the female sexe and how that could be connaturall and agreable to that perfect estate of paradise seeing it belongeth to the perfection of nature to bring forth the most perfect and consequently male not female as which is rather a declining from perfection and argueth some weaknes in nature or imperfection in the Parents Aristotelis de generatione animalium lib. 4 cap. 2. 6. yea as Aristotle saith is praeter intentionem agentis and therefore seemeth rather a monstrous act of generation then a perfect issue or patterne of the Parents or nature And least this may seeme improbable euen nature herselfe as the Philosopher writeth giueth sufficient tokens and signes of this seeing that the female sex is begotten rather in tender and old age then in the flourishing and vigorous time of mans age for as naturall heat hath not attained vnto his perfection in the one so hath it lost his former vigour in the other It is also ordinarily seene that the moistest and most feeble bodies doe beget females by reason of the want of naturall heate Furthermore the same philosopher saith that the female kinde being of their owne nature feeble and cold are to be deemed as a defect errour default or declination of nature Neuerthelesse I answer briefely because this matter more belongeth to Philosophy then to Diuinitie that the production of the female doth not proceede only or rather not alwaies of the defect of nature but oftentimes also of the more remisse manner of concurse of the power of generation as also of the imagination thereto inclining and other like naturall defects whence it is that though the generation of the female be in vs a signe of lesse vigor of nature yet was it not so in Adam but rather it proceeded of the afore-said causes of the imaginatiue apprehension or particular disposition of the author of nature for the multiplication of mankinde CHAP. XL. Of the prerogatiues and excellent gifts with which Adam was endued in the state of innocencie and first as touching his knowledge and naturall wisdome of naturall things IT is the common opinion of the Fathers and other Diuines that Adam had infused into his soule a most perfect knowledge of all naturall obiects according to that of the Preacher the 17. chapter where thus hee describeth the creation of man together with the prerogatiues wherewith he was first endued vers 3. Ecclesiasticus cap. 17. v. 3.4 5.6.7 8 9.10.11 He endued them with strength by themselues and made them according to his image and put the feare of man vpon all flesh and gaue them dominion ouer beasts and fowles They receiued the vse of the fiue operations of the Lord and in the sixt place he imparted them vnderstanding and in the seuenth speech an interpreter of the cogitations thereof Counsell and a tongue and eyes eares and a heart gaue he them to vnderstand Withall hee filled them with the knowledge of vnderstanding and shewed them good and euill Hee set his eye vpon their hearts that he might shew them the greatnesse of his workes He gaue them to glory in his maruellous acts for euer that they might declare his works with vnderstanding Besides this hee gaue them knowledge and the law of life for an heritage And hence it was that Adam perfectly vnderstanding the nature of other inferiour creatures gaue each of them their names according to their natures for so saith the text Gen. 2.19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed euery beast of the field and euery fowle of the aire and brought them vnto Adam to see what he would call them and whatsoeuer Adam called euery liuing creature that was the name thereof and Adam gaue names to all cattle and to the fowles of the aire and to euery beast in the field Now if Adam gaue to each liuing creature his name according to his nature as questionlesse he did it can be no lesse certaine but that he had a perfect notice if not comprehension of their natures according to which hee had giuen them their names But now the difficulitie is how this is to bee vnderstood that God brought the beasts and fowles vnto man whether only by an intellectuall representation bringing them or representing them as obiects of his minde and cogitation as Caietan holdeth or corporally truly and really in their owne nature essence and being and if thus by what meanes whether by naturall instinct guiding them to performe this will of the author of nature or that God himselfe immediately by himselfe or by the ministerie of his Angels did present them before Adam Though I finde no constant resolution of this point either in the Scripture Fathers or reason neuerthelesse that which seemeth to me most probable is that as euery liuing creature hath his naturall peculiar and proper instinct vnto

euill euen of their owne nature it would follow I say that God were the author of sinne seeing he is the author of nature Therefore as S. Austine saith of the Angell so I of man Diabolus natura est Angelus sed quod natura est Dei opus est quod verò diabolus est vitio suo est vtendo male naturae suae bono opera verò eius mala quae vitia dicuntur actus sunt non res The Deuill by nature is an Angel and this is Gods worke but that hee is a Deuill commeth of his owne sinne by the euill vse of his good nature so that his euill workes which are called vices are the actions of his nature not nature it selfe or his Angelicall substance After the same manner God of his infinite goodnes created man good in substance in nature excellent in his powers perfect and in essence of all inferiour creatures the most eminent but he by his will abusing Gods gifts depraued his powers and depriued his nature of these supernaturall gifts which were made connaturall vnto his first creation not that either his nature became formally sinne or that his sinne was transformed in substance and nature least that he who is the author of nature should also be iudged the author of sinne but that man freely subiecting himselfe vnto the breach of Gods commandement voluntarily depriued himselfe of those supernaturall graces which according to the former decree of God were due vnto his happy estate of innocencie Insomuch that all the goodnes beauty and graces which before were connaturall vnto him were bestowed by God and all the euill which was preternaturall vnto him and accidentary vnto his nature was deriued from himselfe according to that of the Prophet Hosea chap. 13. vers 9. Thy perdition is of thy selfe but in me is thy helpe Hence it is most euident that our nature depraued with sinne must needs be distinguished from that sinne which depraueth nature as the man infected with any maladie or sicknesse is distinguished from the qualitie or maladie infecting the man CHAP. LIII In which diuers other opinions of many Diuines touching the essence of originall sinne are declared and refuted Lombard 2. dist 33. LOmbard the master of the sentences Driedo Ariminensis Parisiensis and Altisiodorensis Greg. 2 dist 30. q. 2. art Gabr q. 2. ar 1. 2. Hen quod l. 2. q. 11. Guliel Paris tract de vitijs peccatis cap 2. 4. Altisiod lib. 2. tract 27. cap. 1. 2. Driedo lib. 1. de gratia libero arbitrio p. 3 confider 4. Holcottus q. de imputabilitato peccati ad primū principale with diuers other schole Diuines are of opinion that the essence of originall sinne consisteth in morbida quadam qualitate in a certaine infectious qualitie not of the body but of the soule deriued from the corruption of the carnall appetite yea S. Austine may seeme to allude vnto this in his first booke de nuptijs concupiscentijs cap. 25 where he saith that originall sinne doth not remaine substantially in vs as a body or spirit but that it is a certaine affection of an ill qualitie as a disease or languishing and in his 13 chap. hee calleth it morbidum affectum a sickly qualitie affection or disposition though more spirituall then corporall Againe in his sixt booke against Iulian chap. 7. hee explicateth himselfe more plainely oppugning others in this wise some Philosophers said that it was the vitious part of the minde by which the minde or any part of it becommeth vitious that so all being healed the whole substance may be conserued so as it seemeth the Philosophers by a figuratiue kind of speach called that vitious part of the minde libidinem lust in which the vice which is called lust is inherent after the manner that those who are contained in the house are called the house Ambrosius in cap. 7. ad Romano● M●gister sent lib. 2. distinct 31. cap. 8. S. Ambrose likewise seemeth to bee of the same opinion in the 7. chap. of the epistle of S. Paul to the Romanes where propounding this question how sinne doth dwell in the flesh seeing it is not any substance but the priuation of goodnes he answereth ecce primi hominis corpus corruptū est per peccatū c. Behold saith this Father the body of the first man was corrupted by sinne and the corruption by reason of the offence remaineth in the body retaining the force of Gods sentence denounced against Adam by whose fellowship and society the soule is spotted with sinne But certainely if wee duely ponder the aforesaid places we shall easily find that neither Austine nor any other of the Fathers is of this opinion wherefore the meaning of S. Austine in the places aboue alleadged is that concupiscence is not any substance or part of substance but rather a qualitie or affection or effect of an ill qualitie and therefore it is most fitly compared to a disease not because it is distinguished from the sensitiue appetite but because it is the very appetite and power it selfe now depraued which is a qualitie and as the Diuines tearme it affectio morbida a sickly corrupt or infected affection or inclination First because it doth preuent or ouersway reason which ought to bee the gouernesse and rule ouer all humane actions Secondly because it is depriued of originall iustice which in our first Parents was a power aboue nature yet connaturalized if I may so tearme it vnto their nature as well for their direction in matter of nature as for their helpe and furtherance in actions of grace insomuch that while their wills were ruled by reason they were alwaies subiect to their Creator and likewise directed in all things belonging both to nature and grace True it is as St. Austin doth often repeat that the soule is corrupted by the flesh as the liquour by the corrupt and vncleane vessell not because that there was any such quality as the forementioned deriued into the soule by the sinne of Adam but rather because the soule is infused into the body which descended of the defiled seede of Adam and therefore doth contract this sinne by which it is truly said to be polluted And according to this interpretation wee are also to vnderstand that which the Master of the Sentences aboue alleadged doth falsely cite out of St. Ambrose being rather the words of the ordinary glosse vpon that of Rom. chap. 7. But that sinne which dwelleth in me for the Author of the glosse addeth vnto the rest of Ambrose his word cuius consortio anima maculatur peccato by whose society the soule is defiled with sinne which by no wise can bee vnderstood by reason of any infectious quality deriued from the body and thence transfused into the soule but accordingly as hath beene partly explicated already and shall bee heereafter more declared And this may be further demonstrated euen by reason for first either this morbida qualitas this