when the storme is passed the vowe is forgotten the Saynt is beguiled or they are soone weary of well dooing they must needes go backe to the flespottes of Egipte Non disceÌ„dunt à peccatis sed recedunt non desinunt sed relaxant these go not awaie from sinne they doo but go aside they do not cease but slacken their iniquityes Their time of amendement is but like a parenthesis in a speache being only inâ—erposed as in the by after which he presently followeth his former discourse â—r as a mad mery company at table full of wyne and good cheare and more full of immoderate mirthe laughter swearing scoffing and telling of lew de tales vntill peraduenture some body amongest them at the end of their meale at leastwise for custome say a grace and then all putting off their hattes euery one for shame if he haue any beginnes to set himselfe for a more sober countenance except some like a Puritan holde his hatte before his eyes to dissemble and couer his continued laughter But so soone as the grace is ended as men paste grace they presently returne to their vnruly reuell Such are they who faste a daye and become gluttons a whole weeke who are abstinent in lent and all the yeare after luxurious who are demure at sermons lasciuious in chambers who in his prayers turnes vp the white of his eye and presently in his dealing woulde teare out his neighbors harte who is sober or continent for a few dayes about Easter or any other time to come to the blessed Sacrament but ere long after he returnes to his quaffing potte or to his cursed harlotte Or whosoeuer else beginnes to be a penitent and before his end growes weary and faynte From all these faylers the grace of the sacramentes is subtracted the giftes of the holy spirite are taken away and deseruedly they are caste out from the face of our lord MEDITATION VIII Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui spiritu principali confirma me Docebo iniquos vias tuas impij ad te conuertentur Restore vnto me the ioye of thy saluation with thy principall spirite confirme me I shall teach thy wayes vnto the wicked the vngodly will be conuerted vnto thee IESVS IS THE IOYE OF OVR SALVATlON which a sorowfull soule desireth to be restored and a confortable soule prayeth to be continued Sect. 1. 1. VEspasian the Emperor was called deliciae hominum Delighte of men because he gaue such curteous answers to all that neuer any went from him diâ—contented But with much more truthe and reason doo we call lord Iesus the Ioye of our Saluation of whom neuer any asked hartily pardon and conforte who wâ—nt away denyed or greiued He came to heale the sicke to â—eeke the loste not to condemne but to saue the wor de that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should haue life euerlasting wâ—o hath w ished vs from our sinnes in his owâ—e bloud who dyed for our offences and roâ—e agayne for our juâ—tificâ—tion who verily did beare our infirmityes and our sorowes he did vndergoe who was wounded for our iniquityes afflicted for our wickednes and by his tortures we are hâ—aled Allmighty God not sparing his only sonne and he being God equall to his Father not refâ—sing to become man and to dye for vs not his freindes nor his seruantes but his enemâ—es and slaues vnto the Diuell redeeming vs from hell and damnation to be equalâ— with Angells and heyres with himselfe of eternall glory Wherfore o my soule I will glory in our lorde and I will rejoyce in God my Iesus for in all these pointes recited He is the Ioye of my Saluation 2. Lighte is pleasing and confortable dâ—â—kenes is irkesome and odious of lighte comes deâ—ighte but blacknes followes desperation He that neuer before saw lighte yet loues the sunne at first sighte But blind Tobias who had seene daye sittes musing with himselfe o what a Ioye would it be to recouer mine eyes who now sitte in darkenes and see no lighte of heauen Holy Dauid had seene much lighte of heauen for euen now he said The doubtefull and hidden thinges of thy wisedome thou hast manifested vnto me The wisdome of God we knowe is the Sonne of God And was there or is there any thing more doubtfull in nature then God to become man or more hidden to reason then for him so to redeeme the worlde by suffering on the crosse wherfore these hidden doubtfull secretes are called a stumbling blocke to the Iewes as thinges ignominious shamefull are estemed folly by the Gentiles as matters impossible and â—idiculous for to flesh and bloud without faith they are doubtfull hidden Vnto Dauid as a Prophet these doubtes and secrets were in some sorte reuealed he knew the Messias should procede of his linage and aboue all he expected whiles he was in Gods fauour to be partaker of the Benefites of his redemption but hauing fallen into sinne he perceiued himselfe to be gone out of the ioye of lighte into the horror of darkenes and not to haue any parte of saluation in those gracious promises Therfore desirous of his former estate he doth aptely praye Restore vnto me the Ioye of thy saluation and fearfull any more to susteyne 2 like losse he carefully addeth And with thy principall spirite confirme me vid least â— fall agayne 3. O mercifull God how long haue we sitte in darkenes and in the shadowe of deathâ— vntill by thy bowells of meâ—cy thy morning starre from aboue hath visited our hartes in the Ioye of saluation and enlightened our mindes to guide our feete into the way of peace To come from hellishe darkenes to lighte from aboue is Ioye of heauen To be taken out of the shadowe of death into the way of peace is saluation of Iesus O swete Sauiour by thy bowels of mercy we beseech thee to visite vs in this Ioye and to enlighten vs in this saluation then shall thy seruante departe in peace when myne eyes doo beholde thy saluation 4. Saluation and Ioye are well joyned for euen the future hope of saluation hath present possession of ioye for who doth firmely hope to be saued he doth cherfully rejoyce in his hope But S. Iâ—rome translating this Ioye of saluation to be Ioye of Iesus he doth include much more for in Iesus are conteyned all the infinite theasures of the Deity and of our felicity vnto Iesus is committed all power in heauen and in earthe Iesus is the brightnes of eternall lighte Iesus is the figure and substance of his Father Iesus is the hope of Israell and of the nations Iesus is kinge of kinges and lorde oâ— lordes Iesus is Prince of peace Iesus is the wisdome of his Father Iesus is beautifull aboue the sonnes of men Iesus is the glorious sunne of justice Iesus is the way truthe and life Iesus is the water and founteyn of life Iesus hath the wordes of life Iesus is the bread of
remayned blind in respect of Ananias practicall experience For speculatiue knowledge alone is but as the lighte of the moone which shyneth feebly but this knowledge made practicall is glorious as the sunne which hath both heate and brightnes by heate to giue vs motion with his brightnes to shew vs light how to walke and to lead a good christian life and vnto both these together we may referre that of Dauid Lux orta est iusto rectis corde laetitia a light is arisen vnto the just and vnto the righte in harte ioyfullnes for speculation giueth lighte practise causeth joyfullnes whereof we must make one coniunction both to be just in speculatiue brightnes of lighte and to be righte in harte by practicall heate of ioyfullnes 9. And further more this practicall knowledge must be exercised in our selues for wante of which practise S. Augustin complayned thus I haue wandred O God seeking thee without who wert within And so doo all men wander out of themselues when euery one particulerly doth not consider his owne inwarde estate of soule what and who he is by whom created and to what end for want of which serious considerations not marking our sinnes nor our misery we seeke not our remedy but as S. Gregory said like foolish trauellers passing through a short pleasing meddowe we doo so much fasten our eyes vpon some fayre seeming flowres that we fall into some ditch or take some wrong way leading to destruction 10. For as the cause of all the prodigall childes misery came by departing out of his Fathers house and then out of himselfe into a farre country so his remedy beganne as the gospell saith In se autem reuersus when he returned into himselfe and to the knowledge of his miserable estate and of his vile courses wherfore meditating on the End wherto he was like to come by sinne he said Ego autem hic fame pereo reuertar in domum patris mei here I doo perish by famine I will returne into the house of my Father And so must we all reflecte vpon our selues learning to knowe who God is and what we are pondering the abhomination of our sinnes passed the dread and feare of our conscience present and the horrible terror of iudgement and punishment to come O thus let vs often imitate Dauid saying Meditatus sum nocte cum corde meo exercitabar scopebam spiritum meum I haue meditated in the night with mine owne harte I was exercised and I did sweepe my spirite O thus let vs sweepe and clense our soules by meditation and practicall knowledge of our owne hartes in examining our religioÌ„ trying our faith heedfull looking to our workes then shall we see our Errors and our faultes then will we chuse a better course for our saluation then shall we exercise our selues in deedes of penance in Actes of contrition in syncere confessions in due satisfactions and in diuerse kinds of voluntary and deuout mortifications 11. O that we would consider how we are corrupted in all our partes 1. In our fleshe and body 2. In our Animall parte and lâ—fe 3. In our spirituall parte and reason In our corporall partes and outward senses In our inward senses and appetites irascible concupiscible imagination and selfe will In our reasonable vnderstanding memory and free will In all these we haue rendred our selues as slaues into the Diuells bondage whiles we suffer sinne to reigne and haue dominion in vs so that our vnderstanding is obscured our will is depraued and our memory is blotted with much euill we haue our irascible power full of impatience and anger and the concupiscible inflamed with brutish affections and carnall delightes our Imagination is turmoyled with worldly desires and vayne suspitions our selfewill is crookened hardened by obstinacy all the partes and outward senses of our bodyes are become the members and instrumentes of sinne and so we passe from vice to vice and euery day we intangle our selues in new iniquityes and in more chaynes by which the Diuell leades vs along to his eternall prison of tormentes whiles we yeild our selues to committe or to continue any mortall sinne without contrition and true care of amendment 12. It is true we are not able by our selues alone to get out of the Diuells slauery to forsake sinne nor to alter and amend entirely the course of our liues for hauing once yeilded and liued in the custome and subiection of sinne and Satan we haue need of Allmighty Gods helpe and grace to deliuer vs first preuenting and stirring vs vp to haue a good will and afterward allso working with our will to bringe our conuersion and repentance vnto a full worke for euery good desire which we haue doth proceed from Gods grace offered and although our will be free to admit or refuse the accomplishment of those good desires as neither compelled vnto them by outwarde violence nor necessitated by inward qualitye neither as a stone naturally necessarily falling downeward nor forced vpward violently but differing herein from senseles brutish creatures freely consenting or dissenting to all good motions yet as allmighty God doth first inspire them so further without his grace we are no way able to effect them for in religious spirituall good thinges without him we can do nothing 13. But on the other side we haue greater and assured comfortes First because our Lorde doth offer grace vnto all men at one time or other by giuing theÌ„ good desires of a better life by which he would haue all men to be saued If they euer refuse these good morioÌ„s then are they iustly forsaken left in a reprobate sense If we doo at any time admitte these good desires so do but as much as lyes in our power then most infallibly our Lord doth giue vs further grace meanes wherby to come to the knowledge of his truth Of the first preuenting inspirations Gods wisdome saith Beholde I stande at the dore knocke if we open not but keepe him out it is our fault if on our partes we yeild him entrance then alltogeather with the Father and the Sonne they will come vnto vs by operating grace effecting our full resolution and by further grace still cooperating they will dwell with vs in practise continuance of a vertuous holy life till the accomplishment of our saluation if we of our selues doo neuer driue him from vs agayne by committing some mortall sinne 14. Our second comforte is that as if we let him into vs when he knocketh by preuenting grace admonishing our hartes so by his operating following grace when we are resolued if we do but knocke by prayer at his doore of mercy he doth euer most vndoubtedly receiue vs into fauour O most gracious God full of mercy who doth call vnto vs by grace that we should call vnto him for mercy can any creature wish for greater clemency then to haue forgiuenes for the asking And is
he not worthy to perish in his wickednes who will neither admit good desires nor be mooued vnto harty prayers O what will mooue vs if consideration of eternall perdition cannot stirre vs Or if we doo not pray for mercy because we doo not consider our misery Agayne and agayne I beseech you to examine your Religion to try your faithe and to take an vnpartiall view of your whole life that seing your danger you may seeke for fauour for as in the Spanish Prouerb it is truly said of our corporall eyes Quienbien vee bien llora He that sees clearely weepes easily so in the eye sight of our soule he that clearely beholdes his faultes will more easily shed teares for his pardon 15. Let vs examine our selues by the 10. Commandements of God by the 5. Preceptes of his Church by the 7. workes of mercy corporall and 7. spirituall by the 7. deadly sinnes or by some or by all of these according to our abilitye particuler obligations or other degrees which doo bind vs often not to omit that which is Good and doo forbid vs neuer to commit that which is ill Let vs consider by what meanes our Lord hath sought to bring vs to the knowledge of his truth and to become members of his Catholique Church infusing good illuminations into our vnderstanding or good desires into our will inuiting vs to vertue or truthe disswading vs from vice or error eyther by good examples by vertuous bookes by holy preistes or by our friendes yea sometime by our enemyes whom we hate or by them whom we doo persecute for either all or some of these shal be witnesses against vs if we rejecte their meanes or doo willfully loose the time of fauour Or if we doo admit these good beginninges yet we must proceed with care and cherfullnes to imploy our time meritoriously andto reape benefite by the exercise of our Religion by the sacramentes of the Catholique Churche and by all the Goodnes of God directed to his greater glory and our saluation eyther in his giftes of grace arte or nature whether it be in diuine contemplation or in lawfull Action spirituall meditating of his diuine mysteryes or vsing of his creatures orderly for his seruice and for our necessitye O admirable happynes of religious or discreet holy men who doo thus order theyr liues O lamentable wilfullnes of obstinate or proud people who doo refuse to saue their soules O detestable vnthankefullnes of wicked or careles creatures who doo neglecte or abuse so many helpes The tractable diligent and humble seruant shal be exalted vnto eternall glory when the peruerse carelesse and high-minded Despiser shall be throwne downe into euerlasting torment 16. And therfore to auoyde the one and obtayne the other let vs betake our selues to penitent Prayer with humility on our partes considering our vncertaine faith and our certayn faultes and yet in regard of our most gracious God with comfort and confidence respecting his great mercy and infinite kindnes to hope trust in him as a pittifull louing Father and yet to be humble and reuerent towardes him as a King of high Majesty For so our Sauiour taught vs to prepare our thoughtes to the petitions of his prayer by saying for an introduction Our father which art in heauen that because he is Our father therfore we should be assured to find fauour and yet not to be presumptuous or heedles because he sittes on a high throne of justice in heauen 17. Thus let vs pray with Dauid in repeating or perusing this psalme of Miserere not alone because the exercise of prayer is both meritorious as a good worke and allso impetratorious as a deuout petition but furthermore because it is an Acte of Gods worship expressely commaunded in those wordes Petite accipietis quaerite c Aske and you shall receiue Seeke and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened vnto you Which wordes S. Thomas and other Doctors do affirme to haue the nature of Preceptes binding vs to pray and annexeth promises assuring vs to preuayle for we shall receiue finde and haue it opened if we aske in hart and thought seeke with our mouth and wordes and knocke with our hands and workes eyther by all these or at least by the first when we cannot performe the rest 18. Or if Prayer were not absolutely commaunded yet our necessityes danger do require it as S. Gregory said The euills which do heere oppresse vs do compell vs to flye vnto God as the prodigall sonne feeling famine he desired to satisfye his hunger Et nemo illi dabat and no body gaue him where withall For nothing in this worlde can affoarde vs full content Therfore in se reuersus returning into himselfe and into his wittes out of which we may say he had bene wandring vntill now he considered his misery then He returned to his father humbly confessing his folly and intreating pitty And lastly he flyeh to this submission of prayer as to his cheife refuge Dicam Patri I will say vnto my Father I will make my moane vnto him he is my Father and therfore I will declare my want and supplication vnto him Quid enim nisi vota supersunt For a sinfull wretch hath no better meanes left then by prayer to beginne his conuersion and to begge his reconciliation according to that of Iob Pâ—lli meae consumptis carnibus adhaesit os meum dâ—relicta sunt tantummodo labia circa dentes meos My bones cleaâ—ed vnto my skin the flesh being consumed and only were my lippes remayning round about my teeth As if when all the body is consumed in payne weakenes wretchednes and deformitye yet whiles our lippes are able to vtter our greifes we haue hope of ease so whiles our soule continueth in the body howsoeuer deformed by sinne yet we haue possibility by opening our lippes in prayer and confession to obteyne mercy and absolution But whereas many differre these vnto the laste by negligence or presumption so by the iust iudgement of God many are cut off without these Wherfore with Dauid in another psalme let vs praye vnto our Lord whiles we haue opportunity But in the floudde of many waters they shall not come nigh him For he that is drowned vnawares cannot speake and therfore cannot be heard but taking opportunity although like Iob we haue nothing left beside our lippes or though like Ezechias we be as yonge swallowes in the fowle blacke sooty chimneys and filthy nestes of our sinnes as amiddes our owne dunge yet Sicut pullus hirundinis sic clamabo like the yonge swallowe so I will crye thoughe I be not able to helpe my selfe no more then a yonge swallowe new come out of the shell though I be vnfethered naked of Good workes though I am blind in right knowledge nay because I am so blinde and naked like a yong swallowe I will crye amiddes mine owne dunge in the blacke fiery fowle sooty chimney of
then our harte searching our entralls prouing our reynes to thee we refer this iudgment and fearing our selues to bee far the worse we humbly sincerely craue more penitence more pity O IESV giue me strength in satisfaction to beare what thou wilte impose and then impose coorrectioÌ„ what our wilte O sweet Sauiour thou knowest how absolutely herein I doo resigne my will O continue me this grace and teach me more in true penaÌ„ce still to begge for more mercy I haue dishonored thee scandalized men for I was a publique preacher of the protestantes false Doctrine wherin peraduenture by my meanes some haue bene seduced many hardened others offended I haue profaned thy sacred churches somtime dedicated to thy catholique seruice and for mine owne body soule which should haue bene thy spirituall temples o how haue they bene polluted by errors which I supposed to be truthes by presumption of knowledge when I was in ignorance by some vices which I reputed vertues by many faultes which I neglected 4. If to affirme this as I doo penitently be my shame let it be O God as I desire thy glory If the worlde the diuells mine owne conscience doo accuse me O Father of mercy I confesse all wherof any of these can justly impeache me and allso whatsoeuer else thou doost know more in me then I haue coÌ„fessed or can call to minde in transgressions against thy deuine majesty in offences against my neighbors in many sinnes against my selfe O wretched and vile sinner that I am what should such a sinner doo whither shall I go shoulde I despayre No for that one sinne were greater then all these What though my sinnes haue bene many bad according to my religion my profession worse wherby like the prodigall sonne I was a Swynehearde a protestante minister feeding my selfe others with the huskes of heresy Et non satiabar in which I coulde neuer taste of true comforte nor obteyne peace vnto my conscience therfore with him I will Arise go to my heauenly Father I am resolued To arise from sinne Sectaryes To go vnto God our Father by meanes of the Catholique churche our mother and with this perpetuall purpose I doo say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee I am not worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruantes 5. Amongest Protestantes against malice I might wel plead ciuill honesty morall integrity wherin I liued among them without reprehension but in comparison of thy Catholique seruantes Sayntes O God before thy heauenly purest eyes I dare not present my former best innocence here I renounce any plea of passed integrity I disclayme my wonted profession I lament detest my errors my sinnes Thou knowest O lord I haue acknowledged them vnto my Ghostly Father in confession I beseech thee to confirme his absolution and as I doo entreate so I doo truste that thou wilte vnbinde in heauen what he hath vnbound on earthe O forgiue them for Iesus sake and so keepe me euer hereafter in thy loue grace that I may rather chuse miseryes disgraces reproches tormentes ten thousand deathes then at my time to retourne to the like sinnes errors or to my former estate And thou o blessed Virgin the mother of our only Sauiour and all the Angells and Sayntes of heauen O praye for me that during my life I may say this psalme with Dauid in true contrition And so throughe our Lord Iesus obteyning mercy at laste I may with him and all you be admitted into glory MEDIT. II. Miserere mei Deus secundum magnam misericordiam tuam Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitatem meam Amplius laua me ab iniquitate mea à peccato meo munda me Haue mercy on me O God according to thy great mercy and according to the multitude of thy miserations blotte out mine iniquity Washe me yet more from my iniquity cleanse me from my Sinne. A SHORTE DIVISION AND EXPLIcation of all these wordes Sect. 1. S. Ambrose saith Dauid sinned which Kinges are wonte but he performed penance he wepte he mourned which Kinges are not wonte he confessed his faulte he craued pardon prâ—strate on the ground he bewayled his wretchednes he fasted he prayed he hath published for euer a testimony of his confession priuate men are ashamed to doo this a King is not ashamed to confesse c O come my soule let not Dauid thus condemne vs nor S. Ambrose thus accuse vs rather because we haue ouertaken ouergone Dauid in sinning let vs be stayed by S. Ambrose to followe such a king in repenting Let vs consider our owne misery and our Lordes mercy not mercy without misery least we presume nor misery without mercy least we despayre Many thinke not how wretched they are by sinne in their hartes and therfore they sighe not with miserere in their mouthes but we are readyer to talke or thinke of our worthynes theÌ„ of our sinfulnes especially we will sooner compare our selues with other men in wisedome in knowledge in authority riches or such like with the proude pharisy then with the huÌ„ble publican acknowledge our ignoraÌ„ce our faultes and our infirmityes but what auayle such comparisons we shall be judged by that which we are in our selues not by what we seeme to be in respecte of others a dwarfe is not à gyante thoughe he stande on the toppe of a steeple or on a mounteyn a stately towre is not a lowe Cottage thoughe it be placed in the bottome of a valley consider o my soule what thou arte in the vale of misery not what thou maist seeme on a mounte of vanity let one depthe call vpon another out of the depthe of our sinfull misery o God we call vpon the depthe of profounde mercy 2. A deepe wounde must haue a large tente abondance of soares must haue many playsters o graunte vs great mercy for our deepe woundes and multitude of miserations for our innumerable botches let them seeke for smaller mercy whose faultes procede of meaner ignorance but my sinnes o lord haue neede of a strong warriour to redeeme me and of a skilfull phisition to heale me All sinners descend from IerusaleÌ„ to Ierico from the highest vertues to the basest vices they fall among theeues divells tentations delightes I allso among these was dangerously wounded in naturall facultyes spoyled generally of spirituall graces o gracious Samaritan miserere take pity on me passe not by me vnregarded O let the greatnes of thy mercy heale my naturall woundes and by the multitude of thy miserations repayre my spirituall losses come nere me come to me o compassionate Samaritan powre in wyne of compunction to cleanse my filthynes make me feele my misery powre in oyle of absolution to heale my soarenes by thy mercy o great phisitian here shew the
not how they came into this misery As one falling into a Well where was so much water as serued to saue him from bruysing to death yet not so much as suffized to styfle him from speache being found and asked with wonder how he came to fall into such a place he answered I pray seeke meanes how to helpe me out and stand not marueiling how I fell in Neuertheles among learned deuines euen this difficulty is vnfolded against Pelagius Faber Erasmus Zuinglius the Anabaptistes 4. First S. Paul saith Sicut per vnum hominem as by one man sinne entred into the worlde and by sinne death afterward In whom all haue sinned and againe By the disobedience of one man many are made sinners Therfore it appeares that children being subject to death are subject to this sinne But infantes haue no actuall sinne therfore he must needes meane sinne originall And this he saith comes by one maâ— and by Adam in whom all are By him as our generall father in whose publique disobedience we are all partakers as the children of a Traytor are taynted and the body of a towne corporate are subject to the actes of their head gouernors 5. And so to that obiection How can it be sinne in infants who neuer had vse of will to giue consent It is answered That originall sinne is on our behalfe iâ— some sorte voluntary in Adam in whose Wille person all our persons and wills were included for he was our Head a publique person representing all mankind our first roote wherof all the branches must sauour and our Generall father in whom we are all so comprised that what he did it was allso our deede As among men the fathers facte often redoundeth to the benifite or prejudice of his sonne and as vnto lawes are not requisite the expeesse consent of euery man in the cuntry but only of those parlament men who as publique persons doo represent all the common wealthe But with God none are punished absolutely for others faultes but euery one for his owne And therfore the Councell of Trent hath defined of original sinne that it is cuiusque proprium in which respecte euery infante is punished therein for his owne faulte whose punishment as it bringeth no sensible payne because it hath exilem rationem voluntarij only a consent included in the publique will of Adam yet it wanteth the blessed fruition of glory propter latissimum foeditatem mali because it is so generall a deformity or spotte of our corrupte nature spread ouer all our powers of body soule with which blemishes no creature may appeare in the glorious presence of allmighty God before whom there can remayne nothing vncleane 6. Infantes then being subject to this punishment for originall sinne it must needes be properly their owne sinne and not for their fathers faulte For as Ezechiel saith The soule which sinneth shall dye the sonne shall not beare the iniquity of his father nor shall the father beare the iniquity of the sonne Nor is that contrary hereunto which is in the firste commandement Visiting the sinnes of the fathers on the children vnto the thirde and fourthe generation in them that hate me for the auncyent and present wryters doo generally vnderstand this visitation to be when the children doo imitate or participate the sinnes of theyr predecessors and so visitare is visum iterare to visite is to come and see the same sinnes Or admitte it be to visite 1. to chastize and punish yet he threatens it only to the 3. and 4. generation in them which hate him meaning if these generations doo hate him as their fathers did for a generation which shoulde loue God shall not be punished for their faultes who before did hate him At least not in eternall punishments Wherfore eternall losse of glory being an eternall punishment laid vpon Infantes dying in originall sinne doubtles they vndergoe it for their owne and not for any parents faulte 7. And thoughe I graunted that somtime temporally in this worlde God punished the children in regarde of the parentes offences so far forthe as the damage of the children may be a greife or a penalty to the parentes yet I verily thinke saluo semper meliori judicio praesertim sâ—nctae matris Ecclesiae that euen such their temporall punishment are not alone for their parentes faultes but that the children themselues haue allso deserued the same And then both at once the parentes are punished by the calamityes of their children as being partes of themselues and the children likewise suffer such temporall punishments justly for their owne originall guyltynes or offences actuall ORIGINALL SINNE COMES FROM Adam alone as Principall and how bad parentes haue good children c. Sect. 4. 1. WHerfore I say Originall sinne and his punishments are deriued only from Adam as principall vnto vs as Accessaryes with whom as our Generall head all mankinde maketh but one body And no Infantes are herein punished for their other mediate or imediate next parentes offences For S. Paul saith By one man sinne entred into the worlde which the Mileuitan Councell saith is originall sinne contracted by generation from Adam 2. And therfore diuerse Auncyent Fathers wrote against those Heretiques who woulde conclude that the Acte of mariage was of it selfe euill because the children begotten were borne in originall sinne which they suppose falsely to be deriued from the copulation of the parentes as the next causes as well of the Accidentall sinne as of the reall substance of the infantes wheras in truthe distinguishing betwene the one the other they shoulde haue referred the cause of that sinne vnto Adam alone as doth S Paul saying By one man and should haue ascribed only the substance of the soule body to God the parentes For suppose the Parents be odious Adulterers or doo sinne much in other circumstances of generation yet as allmighty God doth concurre cooperate to the naturall worke of conception creating ininfusing soules euen in children vnlawfully begotten where he forbiddes abhorres the morall dishonesty So likewise the parents doo participate in the naturall propagation without communicating this originall corruption Euen as stolne corne being sowen in forbidden grounde doth neuertheles growe as other corne doth by the helpe of God nature of the earthe and yet herein neither doth our lorde consent to the thefte nor is it a bad action to sowe corne but to steale it or to sowe it contrary to commandement where he should not 3. And thoughe the infante that is borne offend not actually nor the parents who beget the body nor our lorde who creates the soule yet we are borne polluted with originall sinne not as the proper effecte of mariage or generation but as an ordinary accident vsually following the conception of our humane nature in respecte we are the posterity members of Adam our head By whom only sinne entred vpon all mankind And herehence is the reason
the soule may be infected in the body Or it must be vnderstooâ— of the complete coÌ„iunction of the soule with the flesh which is seminally deriued from Adam at which time of their conioyned vnion we firste become perfect humane creatures and so then not before we are corrupted when the soule body are conioyned for then firste are we perfect humane creatures capable of sinne and then are we firste complete sonnes members of Adam And so then is originall sinne contracted and the soule seemeth as is were to be polluted in the body as in an vncleane vessell not that any actuall infection of sinne was in the flesh before the soule was infused which corruption should streight redounde out of the nature of the flesh into the soule so soone as euer it was infused nor when the soule was created a parte by it selfe in the body for in the body it is created that then alâ—â—ighty God created it with originall sinne cleauing to it I say that neither of these can be for the body alone or soule alone is not a complete perfect man nor so capable of sinne and therfore till they be ioyned they are not Adams posterity nor so infected with originall sinne which for better memory sake vnderstanding agayne I say is then firste fastened on vs so soone as we become perfect humane creatures deriued from Adam and so are considered as partes progeny of him by whom alone originall sinne is entred vpon all mankinde 7. And so lastly it is answered to the Pelagians assumption and inference Vidz The soule is not deriued from Adam nor therfore originall sinne which is in the soule That originall sinne in the soule is not considered to belong thervnto whither we falsely suppose the soule to be traduced from Adam or whither we beleeue it truly to be created of God but only in respecte that the soule being ioyned to the body then makes a complete creature who is a parte or member of Adam and so only capable subiect to this originall sinne Allso furthermore consider that to the end that sinne should be deriued from Adam it is not necessary that the soule allso be deriued from him but it is enoughe if the complete reasonable creature wherof the soule is a parte be in descent a member of Adam And obserue that generation is not finished in the production of the forme or soule alone nor of the matter or body alone but in the complete coniunction vnion of both together wherfore he may be said to be the next cause of generation who is the next cause of this coniunction But our parentes doo so dispose affoarde the materiall parte which is the seede or body that the soule which is the forme must in order of nature necessarily followe come to be conioyned thervnto in which sense a man is said to beget a man and so thoughe he be not Author of the soule yet he is called father of the whole creature because he is in nature the next cause of this vnion coniunction of the soule with the body Thus therfore I conclude that we deriue originall sinne from Adam only as being our generarll father alone for thoughe our other auncestors parents be the instrumentall causes or as conduytes the conâ—eyors hereof yet only Adam is the cheife cause founteyne from whom we doo deriue this originall corruption but not from him nor them as Authors of our soules saue only from him as the roote by our parents as the branches all we doo participate of this bitter fruite OVR SAVIOVR AND OVR B. LADY WERE exempted from Originall sinne Sect 6. 1. NEuertheles from this generall rule are exâ—epted our Sauiour Christ his holy mother Vnto our L. Iesus originall sinne did neither perteyne in facto nor in debito Vnto the blessed Virgin in debito as duâ— but not in deede in facto Vnto all vs it belongeth both in deede and as our due As the vndefiled virgin was a member a daughther of Adam seminally deriuâ—d so was Original sinne due to her nature as a parte of him And besides there is a conception of seede to frame the body when the childe is firste of all engendred and a conception of of complete nature when the soule coming to that body it is so first quickened â—rom the first engendring till the perfect quickening originall sinne is in preparatiue possibility due to that body which is in framing because it descendes semiâ—ally frâ—m Adam But it cannot take possession in facte vntill the soule be ioyned the whole creature perfectly quickened for where there is no soule there can be no sinne 2. In the firste conception Originall sinne was due to our blessed lady according to naturall possibility But in the very instant of the second conception and before the complete vnion of the soule by supernaturall grace it was kepte from my possession in facte she was extraordinarily preuented preserued in all cleare purity Some few others haue bin cleared and purifyed from originall sinne after their perfect quickening before their birthe But our blessed lady before both so that she was no sooner a liuing creature but she was of God the father a sanctifyed daughter for so it behooued to haue an immaculate mother of God the sonne and of God the holy ghoste a perfecte pure vndefiled spouse 3. This is the most pious probable opinion thoughe it be not decreed as a poynt of faithe no may the contrary be called heretically false Neither can I see what inconuenience can folowe of this pious opinion that as our L. Iesus alone was free from all possibility and possession of originall sinne so our holy virgin was free from all possession but not from all possibility therof He was so in the very nature of his generation because conceiued by the holy ghost She only by miraculous vertue of grace altering the course of nature She was indebted by nature to be a childe of wrathe but an especiall priuiledge of grace payed that debte and preuented her attachment 4. And so neuertheles she had neede and was indeede redeemed of her sonne both from that debte which she owed and allso from all those sinnes euills wherinto without this priuiledge she should haue fallen So when Dauid said Thou hast taken out my soule from the lowest hell Saint Augustin interpreteth those wordes not as if Dauids soule euer had bene in the lowest hell but he was so freed that he should neuer come thither And it is more for the physitian to preuent a sickenes wherto I am certeinly subiect then to heale me afterwarde when I haue bene sicke And so our Sauiour redeemed his mother from sinne which naturally she should haue contracted and may be estemed a more worthy redemption then if by sinne she had bene once polluted And yet she suffered bodily death and some other humane miseryes rather as perteyning to her abouesaid debte
confirmed by the worde of our Lorde in a successiue motion of nighte day for labour for rest so confirme vs we entreate thee in rest of ioye and in labour of feare that by our sonnelike feare we may be directed in our labour finally admitted into the eternall ioye of thy rest euerlasting SEVERALL DISTRIBVTIONS OF THE same spirite into Righte Holy Principall Sect. 3. 1. IN these verâ—es the spirite is thrice mentioned 1. a righte spirite 2. a holie spirite 3. a principall spirite The sonne of God is a righte spirite A holy spirite is the holy Ghoste And God our Father is a principall spirite Sinne is said somtime to be forgiuen by grace somtime blotted out by the bloud of the crosse and somtinne to be couered by charity The holy ghoste infuseth grace the Sonne shed his bloud and God the Father in wonderfull loue to vs gaue his only sonne for vs. O blessed Sauiour renue vs with thy righte spirite o holy ghoste take not thy holy spirite from vs O allmighty father confirme vs with thy principall spirite Renue vs by thy bloud take not thy grace from vs being renued and not loosing grace let vs be confirmed by thy principall spirite for so shall all our sinnes be blotted out haue pardon be couered 2. O holy and vndeuided Trinity Create my harte which is worse then naughte for thou arte creator Renue my bowells who serchest our Reynes for thou arte Redeemer And giue me a righte spirite instead of my corrupte thoughtes for thou arte Sanctifyer Doo not caste vs of for thou arte our Patron to whom else can we flye Take not thy selfe from vs for thou arte our paymaister of whom else can we haue rewarde Restore vs for thou haste made gracious promises and Confirme vs for in all these thou haste principall power I call firste vpon the spirite of the Sonne because none can come to the Father but by the Sonne and I place the holy ghoste betwene them both because from both he procedeth Allso I praye thrice for thy spirite to haue some proportion thoughe not the same measure with the Apostles who receiued him thrice 1. to heale diseases when they were sent to preache 2. after the resurrection when they receiued full Orders 3. when they were confirmed and illuminated in their authority at Pentecoste I beseech thee let me haue my sinnes and infirmityes healed let me receiue grace in thy Sacramentes and confirme me euer with boldenes in the profession of thy faithe that if before time I haue fled from thee as a fearfull Disciple I may after thy Pentecoste as a strenghthened Apostle reioyce in suffering for the name of Iesus 3. Furthermore by thy Righte spirite grante me verity By thy holy spirite Bonity And in thy principall spirite vnity So to haue Truthe of faith ioyned with goodnes of life and neither of them separated from vnity of loue peace that so allso in thy spirite our Beleefe may be righte our conuersation may be holy and aboue all our peace and loue may be principall eyther because it is a principall marke of thy true disciples or is a principall vertue or because Satan laboring nothing more then Diuision we haue neede to pray for the principall power and spirite of vnity to confirme vs euer in this principall charity 4. Or by thy righte spirite order me arighte towardes my neighbor by thy holie spirite make me good in my selfe and towardes thee o God let me haue a principall spirite for to thy honor we must directe all and loue thee aboue all Allso let me enioye a righte spirite against couetousnes and vniustice a holie spirite against luxury and intemperance a principall spirite against pride and oppression for a principall noble minde is humble and not cruell in superiority a holy harte is moderate abstinent in all delightes and a righte eye doth neuer couet another mans goods nor will looke vpon any Bribe Thus shall we not be squynte eyed nor pur-blynde against whom the prophet complayneth They haue not knowne to doo righte treasuring vp iniquitie robbâ—rie in their houses Thus shall we obserue the counsell of S. Paul charging vs to folowe sanctitie without which no man shall see God Thus if be humble and curteous euen towardes our inferiors our Lord hath promised by Esay that his spirite shall rest remayne vpon him that is humble feareth his wordes Wherfore in all these let vs euer praye for the ioye of Iesus and his saluation to be giuen if we wante it to be preserued if we haue it to be restored if we haue loste it so alwayes to be confirmed with his principall spirit TO TEACHE OTHERS IT IS CONMENdable but it is necessary firste to be well informed reformed ourselues Sect. 4. 1. THis is a worke worthy commendation to teach the bad to become good The cheife skill of a good pilote is among rockes of a discrete schoole maister is about dull or vnruly wittes of an experienced Capteyn is among fearfull or disordered soldyers So our Sauiour came to heale the sickâ— to binde vp the broken harted so must we allso seeke to helpe the sicke for the hole haue not such neede of the phisityan to teach the wicked and vngodly least any sorte be loste by our negligence to bring the wicked into the wayes of God that the vngodly may be conuerted vnto him whether they be wicked Christians or vngodly Pagans or such as haue no God haue forsaken God or doo greiuously offend God for as S. Paul saith It is God who iustifyeth a penitent sinner of what sorte soeuer 2. Thus let vs drawe all sortes we can vnto repentance the tractable by hope of pardon the harde harted by feare of hell fyre for this is both a signe a duty of a true conuerte to be desirous allso to conuerte others either by perswasion of wordes or by example of deedes assuring our selues that the zeale of soules is a great satisfaction on our parte vnto our lorde a gratefull sacrifice 3. Obserue notwithstanding that firste we must desire to be coÌ„uerted confirmed our selues before we take in hande to reduce teach others as our Sauiour appoynting his Apostles to conuerte all the nations of the worlde yet firste he willeth them to sitte in Ierusalem till they were endued with vertue from aboue firste to haue our selues enabled which our lord performeth to them who sitte in Ierusalem 1. who abide in constancy within the city of peace for vntill we be well rooted how shall we endure a storme or bring forthe fruite 4. So allso said Exechiel The lippes of the tables one hande breadthe were turned inwarde vpon which wordes S. Gregory collecteth that measuring by palmes or hande breadthes signifyeth actions and to turne the lippes inwarde to these is to heare firste as a scholler before thou speakest as a teacher to taste what
begin to consider thy creatures and so from them I will rayse vp my thoughtes vnto their Creator For haec spectari voluit non tantùm aspici he woulde that these creatures should be veiwed seriouslie not alone slightlie gazed on by the interior consideration euer to learne some what of God at least for his prayse otherwise he that studyes vpon the nature of the heauens starres ayre water sea earthe flowers herbes fishes beastes other creatures pondering no more but their nature and alltogether omitting to collecte somewhat touching their Author he is like a man who hath skill meanes matter wherwith to builde a pallace and yet spendes all his time among children boyes only to make little houses of claye durte or cockle shells 3. Adam is said to haue bene placed in Paradise to kepe to cultiuate that garden but we knowe that before his fall the earthe had no neede much lesse Paradise to be tilled by labour of the body wherfore his cheife dressing keeping of Paradise was by labour of the minde in contemplation loue prayse of God Beholde O my soule where thou maist haue both an office a place in paradise wouldest thou liue in paradise wouldest thou here beginne to be happy If heauen be on earthe it is in a deuout religions mans cell If the life of Angells be among men it is in the quyre or among them who prayse God like Angells To burne to boyle in the loue of God is a most pleasant refreshing to a thirsty soule O my soule be thou thus thirsty this heate will coole thee this thirste will refresh thee this ferueÌ„t loue will make thy prayses fruitfull these prayses as they delighte drawe vnto vs the Angells Sayntes so they vexe and driue away the diuells all bad spirites for this is the musique of Dauids harpe which droue away the euill spirite from Saul and these are like the desires meditations of our blessed lady when the Angell came to salute her 4. Thus Plato called the body a musicall instrument and the soule a musician who according as he handleth vseth his body so it affoardes him bad or good melody learne theÌ„ o my soule to keepe thy body in tune release stretche touch his stringes with order for harmony that is with charitable discretioÌ„ towardes our selues other men for heauenly respecte to the greater glory of God so let vs labour or rest feede or faste talke or praye doo euery thinge else in domino as in the sighte for the seruice to the prayse of allmighty God Thus the ancyent Christians as Pliny wrote to Trajan were a people which liued innocently and exercised themselues in the sileÌ„ce of nighte to sing hymnes vnto Christ before the dawning of the daye Thus S. Paul and Silas being in prison they worshipped praysed God thus o my soule let vs often accorde with the holy Angells in a deuout Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus holy holy holy father sonne holy ghoste or with our Sauiour himselfe who in his humanity as he is man singeth Sanctus and the Blessed Virgin his mother with all the triumphante quyre of heauen singeth Sanctus Sanctus must be our songe with the preist at the Altar and with all the Churche militant here on earthe Thus allso let vs often ioyne with the whole courte of heauen in Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia with harte and voyce Alleluia with instrument and lippes Alleluia with mouthe tongue Alleluia reioycing Alleliua singing Alleliua or meditating Alleluia Thus all honor glory prayse power to God to the Lambe Alleluia Thus I beseech the o lorde that thou wilte opeÌ„ my lippes theÌ„ my mouthe shall thus declare thy prayse MEDITATION X. Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium dedissem vtique holocaustis non delectaberis Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus cor contritum humiliatum Deus non despicies Because if thou wouldest haue had sacrifice I woulde haue giuen it accordingly with whole burnte offeringes thou wilte not be delighted An afflicted spirite is a sacrifice to God a contrite and humbled harte O God thou wilte not despise THE DIVERSITY OF SACRIFICES and some differences betwene the lawe and the Gospell Sect. 1. 1. OF sacrifices we read of three kindes 1. victimae animalium the bodyes of liuing creatures 2. oblationes aridorum the substances of fruites 3. Libamina humidorum the moysture of liquors The first were called victimes eyther because they were for victoryes or because they were tyed or bound to the Altar as vincta the second were oblations giuen to be offred The thirde were Libamina liquors to be powred out or to drinkâ— of The firste were killed the second were pownded or bruysed the third were powred out and all of them must be one way or other somewhat altered from their former existence Wherfore if we will beginne a sacrifice of our selues we must purpose a change of our qualityes our waterish pleasing thouhtes must be powred out in teares of repentance our drye vnprofitable speeches bruysed into well relished wordes and we must kill the concupiscence of all our bodily workes Or it will be good to mortifye the desires of our will as a victime tyed or bound to the Altar To pownde or bruyse the drye meditations of our memory for an oblation to be consecrated vnto God To powre out the flowing vnsethed cogitations of our vnderstaÌ„ding referring all to the wisdome and prouidence of our heauenly Father So shall he haue humbled thoughtes a memorie contrite an afflicted spirite which kinde of sacrifices O God thou wilte neuer despise especiallie when like the olde sacrifices they haue fyre salte that is some heate of feruent deuotion and well seasoned and â—alted with some discretion 2. These sacrifices shall euer be accepted But it may be our Dauid prophecyed thâ—t there woulde come a time of grace when thou wouldest not be delighted with any sacrifice of the lawe The legall sacrifices were but as the scaffoldes of the building when the building is finished the scaffoldes must be remooued and yet our Sauior came not to dissolue but to fullfill the lawe To fullfill the inwarde substance and truthe of the lawe which is eternall and to dissolue the outwarde figure shadowes which were temporall And so another psalme saith in the person of our Sauiour Sacrifice and oblations thou wilte none but thou hast perfected a body for me c. then I sayd beholde I come But when the kinge himselfe comes his Viceroy must giue place 3. Allso the sacrifices of the lawe did rather signifye then iustifye but ours doo as well iustifye as signifye The lawe of Moyses receiued obedience more for feare then for loue the lawe of Christe more for loue then for feare And so that lawe did rather restreyne the hande then the minde rather the outwarde deede then the inwarde intente But our lawe
but rather doo begge for almes althoughe we be so weake so sicke in bodily healthe that we can neither faste nor vse any corporall mortification no nor be able to speake or name Iesus yet if we doo but sighe for his mercy for his loue aboue all thinges else and if for that respecte aboue all we doo but wish for pardon of our sinnes detesting them with an afflicted spirite because we haue offended so gracious a lorde and with a contrite harâ—e for the fowlenes of our faultes if we doo but conceiue an humble thoughte with a hopefull desire acknowledging our owne vnworthynes crauing his forgiueness certeinly such a sacrifice of such a spirite O God thou wilte neuer refuse it A DESCRIPTION OF CONTRITION AND Attrition and their seuerall propertyes Sect. 5. 1. COntrition is a parte of penance hauing a willing sorowe of minde for our sinnes committed which now we doo detest more then all other hatefull thinges because it is an offense against God whom nowe we doo loue aboue all the worlde and hauing an hope of pardon throughe Christe we doo fully purpose for euer to absteyne from sinnes and to confesse and to satisfye so farre forthe as we are bounde or shall be able This is the description of perfecte Contrition formed with complete charity But Attrition which is imperfecte and somewhat vnformed Is a sorowe of minde detesting sinne committed though not alone and aboue all for the loue of God and hath a purpose with hope of pardon euer to absteyne as least from mortall sinne and to confesse and to satisfye as shal be requisite This Attrition of it selfe alone is not sufficient to obteyne pardon vntill there be added and adioined some sacrament vnto it by which it obteyneth effectuall remission 2. And vnderstande 1. that there is a sorowe which is a greife only because of punishment or for shame without any respecte of God 2. in parte for these and in parte because God is offended yet so that he woulde not sorowe if he had no feare of shame or punishment 3 both for these and because God is offended and so that he woulde sorowe for hauing offended God thoughe those other were not But neuertheles he doth not detest sinne more then any hatefull thinge nor loue God aboue all in this worlde 4 Is without these a perfect contrition grounded vpon a sorowe detesting sinne more then any other hatefull thinge because we loue God perfectly aboue all the worlde The firste is of naturall sense the second is of a seruile minde the thirde is attrition of an imperfect filiall feare the fourthe is perfecte complete contrition 3. Any sorowe may be profitable and is good when it doth include at least virtually some respect of greife because God is offended And thoughe our sorowe or feare at firste be but naturall or seruile yet may it proceede to be initiall making imperfectly an entrance and at laste come to be filiall in perfection Out of these some differences are collected about Contrition Attrition As firste that some Contrition doth fully pardon all sinne both all the guilte all the punishment thoughe the partye shoulde dye before he coulde come to Confession or any other sacrament if he did desire them and vse his true diligence to obteyne them wheras other Contrition in the like case doth remitte all the guilte payne eternall but not all temporall punishment But the best Attrition is not sufficient without some sacrament adioined to absolue vs from the guilte of sinne 4. Allso there is a grosser attrition which proceedeth more from the feare of shame or punishment then because God is offended wheras the best Attrition is more for the offence of God then for any punishment or shame Allso there is a difference betwixte remisse Contrition the best Attrition because any contrition detesteth sinne aboue any thing detestable being founded vpon the loue of God aboue all wheras euen the best attrition thoughe it principally loue God hate sinne for it selfe yet noâ— aboue all But the absolute loue of perfecte contrition differeth allso from remisse contrition not for that it is sorow only because allmighty God is offended without any respecte vnto shame or punishment but because the one doth exceed the other in intention AN AMPLE DECLARATION PLIANLY SETting forthe the former description of Contrition Sect. 6. 1. NExt let vs consider all the partes of the forme description as they stande in order Firste contrition is a parte of penance against the Lutherans who make Terrors caused by the lawe and faith fastened on the gospell to be the two partes of repentance And against Caluin who rejecting the Lutherans faithâ— doth no lesse improperly make the death of the olde man and the life of the new man to be the only partes of penance But these poyntes of feare faith mortification and regeneration are only either preparations and dispositions leading vnto repentance as be feare faithe or they are necessary effectes folowing repentance as are mortification regeneration And so all the Textes of scripture requiring these poyntes doo only prooue that they are requisite and doo concurre with repentance according as the Councell of Trent declareth denying neuertheles that they are not properly materiall partes of penance which in truthe are contrition confession and satisfaction 2. Hauing a willing sorowe of the minde Not naturall only or compelled but principally a willing sorowe and that of the minde rather then of the body and in the minde rather in the intellectuall parte of the will then in the sensitiue parte not excluding the sensible sorowe of the will or of the body which being added doo giue it conueniency but only for necessity requiring an estimatiue or appreciatiue inwarde sorowe more then any outward intensiue vehement greife For there may appeare or a man may feele in himselfe a more vehement and intensiue sorowe for the losse of his Father his sonne his wife his freind or his estate then he can peraduenture finde in himselfe for all his sinnes yet it is sufficient that in the election of his will he doo sorowe for sinne as much as he can and doo esteme and prise the horror of his offences at a higher rate in generall then all the disasters and discontentes of this worlde so that if it were nowe in his choyse he would rather endure any torment and death or loose all the worlde then deliberately to committe a mortall sinne If he haue this estimatiue or appreciatiue sorowe in the reasonable parte of his will althoughe it breake not out into the sensible parte I say it is sufficient nay in some men many tinnes I may say that such an hidden close greife is euen intensiuely more vehement and greater then outward sensible sorowe Yet neuertheles if we can come to sorowe of sense in teares sobbes c. it is very profitable and conuenient althoughe not absolutely necessary 3. This sorowe must be
for our sinnes committed Eyther personally and particulerly for our owne sinnes or as we are partes and members one of another for generall or participated sinnes of our family country or coÌ„mon wealth wherin we liue though this contrition of others sinnes be not properly contrition Which now we doo detest more then all other hatefull thinges because they are offences against God whom now we doo loue aboue all the worlde Where note that it is not necessary to make a particuler comparison betwene our hate of sinne and our loue of God whether we detest sinne more then present death or hell or the diuell c. nor whether we doo loue God aboue our kinge our Father our freind or any other such or such particuler which we doo loue or abhorre moste in this worlde Rather it is vnto necessary discretion causing doubtes feares and vnprofitable scruples by considering such particuler comparisons for it is abundantly sufficient that in my contrition I am fully resolued in generall rather to suffer or to loose any thinge then to haue committed or agayne to committe any mortall sinâ—e 4. And such sorowe is requisite for deadly offences but for veniall faultes a smaller kind of discipline is competent generally abhorring them and desiring with endeuour to auoyde and to be free from them Allso for the auoyding and preuenting of them and to be absolued from them in guilte and in all punishment we are much holpen and benefited by the vse of knocking our breastes by holy water holy bread agnus dei medalls graynes c. hallowed by the prayers of the churche in vertue of the bloud and merites of our Sauiour Christe And by these or by any other meanes either against veniall or mortall sinnes the more our deuotion and contrition is encreased thoughe we may seme to haue allready repentance competent yet the more we adde with humility the more comforte and merite we shall finde the more certeinly we shall haue all pardoned and we shall be the more plentifully rewarded 5. Neither may we too lighty suppose that euery sorowe or sighe or knocking of the breast and saying miserere or any such other signes of repentance are sufficient contrition or attrition excepte they haue the inwarde propertyes before described Rather S. Augustin doubted of their saluation who only in time of great dangers or after their sicknes doo beginne to repent not doubting but if their contrition were true then their pardon would be certeyn but he feares their vndoubted saluation because he doubtes their falâ—e repentance who in such times are much more like to be sory alone for feare of punishment like Antiochus then for any true hatred of sinne or loue of God aboue all And such he saith are versi turned only by feare from sinne not conuersi for loue conuerted vnto God And this many times doth appeare when such partyes being recouered or deliuered from their feare and their perills they soone after returne agayne to their former sinnes Wherfore it is true indeede that the churche granteth her Rytes christian buriall vnto all such as professing themselues Catholiques doo vse but any outwarde signe of remorse leauing their hartes to the tryall of God not warranting their repentance to be good but in charity rather chusing to absolue an hundred thousand false penitentes then by seuerity to reteyne bound any one soule truly contrite 6. Vnto the foresaid contrite sorowe must be adioyned an hope of pardon throughâ— Christ with a full purpose for euer to absteyne from sinne to confesse to satisfye So farre forthe as we are bounde or shall be able For if it should euidently appeare that we doo wante any of these we cannot be absolued otherwise not so appearing it may be supposed that either virtually or actually we haue them and that is sufficient 7. As for as the sinnes for which Contrition is required it neede not be of euery particuler sinne in number to haue a seuerall Acte of contrition but of all which we can remember according to their number or according to their kinde we must detest them all be sorye for them either in one Acte of contrition or in more as coÌ„ueniently we can for example sake In calling to minde that I haue sworne 500. times or spoken falsely or vaynegloriously 1000. times more or lesse as neere as I can coniecture I may in one Acte of contrition be sory for them all at once And so I must proceede to remember to be contrite for as many kindes or numbers as I can call to minde for no man is bound to more then he is able neither in contrition confessioÌ„ nor satisfactioÌ„ And therfore in case of speedy or sodeyn death one generall true Acte of contrition is sufficient for all our sinnes at once considered in grosse as offences of God And so it is in case we cannot well call to minde their seuerall numbers nor their distincte kindes 8. As for the times when euery one must be contrite vnder payne of a new particuler sinne they are set downe to be these 1. whensoeuer we find our selues in euident danger of corporall death 2. whensoeuer by occasion of sinne not repented we see our selues in euident danger of spirituall death that is to say like to fall further into more damnable sinne 3. In any publique greuous Calamity of the people or Common welthe which doth require our particuler prayers and humiliation vnto God allmighty for his mercy In all these cases we are bound to be contrite I say vnder payne of a new particuler sinne of omission vidz against the commandemeÌ„t of repentance Not that it is lawfull for any to remayne in mortall sinne vntill some of these times doo happen no not a minute of an howre for by the Commandement against which the sinne is committed we are euer presently bounde to repentance althoughe I say not vnder payne of a particuler new sinne of vnrepentance beside the former vntill we come to some of these times And then if we omitte repentance it is a new particuler sinne beside the offence wherof before we remayned guilty 9. Lastly our purpose of amendement must be sincere and the performance must be effected according to our power for if I seeme to be contrite or doo confesse and yet deteyne another mans goods being able to restore them or if I reserue any splene of hatred or malice against my neighbor not striuing nor desiring to driue it or put it out from me or if I doo not auoyde as much as I can all such dangerous occasions as I haue found or may euidently preceiue doo vsually put me in great hazard of consenting or committing some mortall sinne In all these cases if I be not carefull to remedye or preuent them surely my purpose is not sufficient therfore I am not in such cases truly penitent 20. But now when I haue once entirely vndergone the sacrament of penance I am no more
may stand stately and proudly for a time like the walls of Babel yet in all the worlde it was neuer sene that where religion was debased but in few Ages their commanding policy was confounded 3. Wherfore let vs praye continually for the sincerity of Sion the prosperity of Ierusalem O lorde repayre the walls vnto the one and vnto the other shew the kindnes of thy good will Arise O God and haue mercy vpon Sion because it now seemes time to haue mercy vpon her and because her highe time is now come if great neede can shew when it is her highe time for now new fangled people broken oâ— from thy churche are broken into thine inheritance thy haue polluted thy holy Temples profaned thy churches thy Altars they haue caste downe and they haue caste out thy holy sacrifices they haue turned thy houses of orderly religion into habitations of moste disordinate pleasures or else haue layd them desolate in barbarous ruynes posuerunt Ierusalem in pomorum custodiaâ—t hey haue made IerusaleÌ„ which was well inhabited eyther like a poore Cottage of an orcharde where dwelles some churlish warrener or it is quite suffered to decaye since all the fruite was gathered They haue placed the dead bodyes of thy seruantes to be meate for the soules of the ayre and in some places they haue lefte the flesh of thy sayntes vnburyed to become a preye for the beastes of the earthe they haue shed the bloud of many like water in the circuite of Ierusalem and there were none permitted to bury them with sacred ceremonyes We are made a reproche vnto our neighbors a laughing stocke and a scoffe vnto them who are round about vs. How long O lord wilte thou be angry vnto the end shall thy zeale be kindled like fire O powre out thy wrathe vpon the nations which haue not known thee and vpon the kingdomes which haue not called vpon thy name For they haue eaten vp Iacob his place they haue layde desolate O remember not our olde iniquityes but let thy mercyes soone preuent vs for we are made exceding poore O God our saluation helpe vs deliuer vs O lord for the glory of thy name and be mercifull vnto our sinnes for thine owne name Least they say among the nations where is theyr God rather make knowne vnto the nations before our eyes the vengeance of the bloud of thy seruantes which hath bene shed and let the sighes of them who are in fetters enter into thy sighte and according to the greatnes of thine arme possesse and preserue the children corporall or spirituall of them who now are martyred or oppressed whether they be children of nature or of grace of succession or of conuersion 4. Deale kindly O lorde in thy good will towardes Sion Benignè sac or bonam fac make Sion to become good or thoughe it be faulty yet shew it thy fauour in thy good will Allso for the Benignity of our Sauiours incarnation as Saint Paul calleth it or according to the gracious prouidence of thy good will and pleasure both decreeing our remedy and fullfilling thy fauour Or as vnto God the Father is attributed the minde vnto the Sonne reason and will vnto the holy Ghoste so let vs particularly praye for this good will of his holy spirite therein to sanctify Sion and withall for our selues as passengers in a shippe to directe it euer by his good will as the helme 5. That the walls of Ierusalem may be builte not alone that the Temporall state may be free from domesticall suspicions forreyn feares florishing in strenghte of vnity at home amity abroade by which it shall be compassed defended as with firme walls But especially that in the quietnes of christendome free from persecution we may haue many good religious men renued and repayred to be sayntes deare seruantes of God for these are the cheife defence the best Armyes the horsemen the footemen the Artillerye the munition the shippes the walls of any kingdome And of these the scripture saith all thy walls are precious stones and all other good Catholique Christians are well squared liuing stones builte vpon our L. Iesus as the châ—ife principall foundation beside whom no man can lay any other firste foundation and then secondly nexte after him S. Paul telleth vs we are builte vpon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets And among them cheifly vpon S. Peter his successors vnto whom our Sauiour promised that vpon this rocke he woulde builde his churche 6. O gracious Sauiour thou haste hitherto continued this promise and we doubte not but thou wilte performe it vnto the end of the worlde so that the gates of hell neither by Diuells Tyrantes Heretiques nor Antichrists shall preuayle against it But in particuler we moste humbly earnestly sorowfully entreate thee not only to continue blesse Sion where it is now well seated but allso to builde and repayre the walls of Ierusalem wheresoeuer they haue bene defaced O sweete Iesu repayre our ruynes restore our breaches make vs all liuing stones of thy Temple and vouchsafe once agayne amongest vs to renue the walls of Ierusalem Let vs be so composed combyned in vnity of Catholique religion and in charity of true Christian loue so compacted that we may seeme like one of those Towres in the walls of Ierusalem which Iosephus saith was so artificially contriued that it appeared all but one stone Thy charity is the best bitume morter or cement or playster of Paris or spanish yesso wherwith to combyne vs bind vs together O let this charity be so diffused spread abroad in all our hartes that we may be all of one harte of one minde of one faith and of one flocke vnder one shepheard one God 7. Sion signifyes a watchtowre and Ierusalem a city of peace In his towre thy preistes prelates are watchemen and all thy constante Catholiques are inhabitantes of Ierusalem O how beautifull is this towre when it standes in vnity but when it crackes or breakes by diuision o how ruynous dangerous And as for the other Commons Citizens of Ierusalem how can they remayne vndestroyed by Titus Vespasian their coÌ„mon enemyes whiles they foster broyles or breede factions within their owne bowelles Wherfore O deare Sauiour O God of peace settle our towres of Sion in concorde of watchemen and vnto thy Citizens of Ierusalem send thy peace thy externall peace from outward persecution thy internall peace from inwarde diuision and thy eternall peace in euerlasting consolation By this shall the walls of Ierusalem be rebuilte if we seeke kepe peace and by this shall we be knowne to be thy disciples if in that peace which thou diddest bequeath vs we doo loue one another O mercifull Iesu take not away thy peace because of our disagreementes but rather take away our disagreements and restore vs thy peace we deserue indeede more anger yet according to thy