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
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
sinne rather then our Father wheras indeed it comes more from Adam then from either Sect. 3. 1. NExte let vs coÌ„sider why he rather mentioneth his mother in this case of originall sinne and not his father especially seing all our Deuines affirme that althoughe Eua had sinned yet if Adam had remayned innocent originall sinne should not haue bene deriued vnto their posterity Because they say Adam alone as a publique person and generall father of all mankind did represent the persons of all his successors and for them as well as for himselfe did receiue originall iustice by the losse wherof he broughte vs all as being partes of him as our natural head into this detriment of originall sinne Wherfore in the same respecte allso thoughe Cayn or any other sinner had first sinned Adam being still vprighte yet their sinne should only haue deformed themselues and not haue perteyned to vs because we are comprehended in none as our generall father saue only in Adam 2. Further it is alledged in fauor of the woman that she concurreth but passiuely vnto generation as only giuing the materiall parte of conceptione not inducing the actiue forme which procedeth from the man who therfore by phylosophers and physicians is accompted the principall partye and cheifer cause of generation And yet here about originall sinne the mother is named only and not the father because at the time of our quickening when first in deede we doo contracte originall sinne then we are in her wombe then she kepeth and norisheth vs and not the father and so she is said to conceiue vs in sinne not mentioning the father 3. And thoughe Eua coulde not be Author of original sinne to all her posterity as is afore sayd yet our nexte parentes both man and woman being alwayes the instrumentes and successiue conueyors of originall sinne by descendence from Adam I say our parentes and auncestors are conueyors and instrumentes not causes or Authors ' for only Adam is so to be accompted And seing the mother is the materiall instrumente and conduyte which is more euident to our sense then the formall theâ—fore is she allso named rather then the father 4. Allso I said that in deede and really we doo only contracte originall sinne at the time when we are quickened and receiue life in our mothers wombe for thoughe at the instante of the very first conception those informed and mixed seedes may be said improperly in debito to haue an obligacion to be afterward subiect to originall sinne when it comes to be a liuing humane creature yet properly and truly in effecto the childe is not infected with originall sinne vntill it come to haue the soule infused and vnited to the body which is not till the quickening and hauing no soule it is not a perfecte humane creature but only little more then a masse of flesh which without soule cannot be said to be really capable of any sinne 5. Wherfore at that time being in the mothers wombe and allso hauing bene there norished vntill that time and so maynteyned afterwarde vntill the Birthe the mother is rather named then the father And so here the hebrew worde Hama doth signifye to giue heate which naturall heaâ—e of the mothers wombe cherishing the infante some read it thus with sinnes my mother gaue me heate and S. Augustin readeth it In sinnes my mother norished me and S. Ierome In sinnes my mother broughte me forthe 4. And allso as S. Thomas distinguisheth twoo birthes Nasci in vtero and nasci ex vtero to be borne in the wombe when the soule is infused and we become reaâ—onable creatures And to be borne out of the wombe when we firste come into this lighte So there is a twofolde conception as hath bene said first of humane seede which is at the very first generation and secondly a conception of humane nature when at the quickening we receiue our soule This second conception and the first Birthe in vtero are all one and because then properly we are first in deede capable of originall sinne therfore we may be so sayd eyther to be borne of our mother in originall sinne viz in the first birthe or to be conceiued of her in originall sinne viz in the second conception But at any of these Birthes or conceptions we are rather said to be conceiued or borne of our mother then of our father because to conceiue or beare children they are termes and propertyes perteyning to our mothers and cannot be said or aptely affirmed of our fathers WHAT ORIGINALL SINNE IS AND how it is deriued vnto vs allso how it is accompted a guilty faulte in children 1. NOw let vs see what Originall sinne is in his owne nature what effect it hath in vs. In his owne nature Originall sinne is a priuation or wante of Originall iustice which iustice God haue vnto Adam and he oughte to haue preserued in our nature In vs the effect of originall sinne is a corrupte disposition and deformitie of our nature proceeding from the losse of originall iustice by wante wherof there ariseth in vs that same fewell of sinne concupiscence deriued vnto vs from the publique disobedience of Adam by ordinarie humane generation It is a corrupte disposition as is sicknes It is a deformity for all sinne spotteth blemisheth It perteynes more to our nature then to our person for it is alike common to all The formall cause is the priuatiue losse of originall iustice Adams publique faulte as being our generall Father was the efficient cause And the instrumentall is humane generation which is ordinary not with priuiledge as was the conception of our Blessed lady nor extraordinary miraculous as the incarnacion of our Sauiour 2. This corrupte disposition of our nature according to Hugo de sancto Victore some others we contracte from our birthe By ignorance in our minde and By concupiscence in our flesh Not denying but there is concupiscence allso in the minde which blindeth our vnderstanding which concupiscence of the minde is moste cheifly a sinne and that concupiscence which is in our flesh is both a sinne punishment For so deuines say that Originall sinne is in vs both a faulte and a punishment his faulte consistes in the losse of originall iustice and by wante of that iustice in the deformity of our nature his penalty consistes in that concupiscence or fomes peccati which foloweth that former losse is an harbenger of succeding actuall sinne which fomes is in Infantes concupiscibilitie and in them of riper age is called concupiscence 3. Nexte let vs see How this originall corruption is our owne sonne deriued vnto vs from Adam without faulte of our other auncestors or parentes generation In respecte of which difficultyes S. Augustin aduiseth them who cannot comprehend it as being secrete yet not to reprehend it as vniuste rather let such content themselues to know and vse the remediâ— then to repyne or cauill because they vnderstand
IIII. Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum in peccatis concepit me mater mea A Paraphrasticall exposition of the former words Sect. 1. Dauid in the former Verse accuseth not his parents nor is the act of Mariage of it self any sinne Sect. 2. Why our mother is mentioned to be accessary to our originall sinne rather then our father wheras in deed it comes more from Adam then from either Sect. 3. What originall sinne is how it is deriued vnto vs also how it is accompted a guilty fault in children Sect. 4. Originall sinne comes from Adam alone as principall how bad parents haue good children Sect. 5. How originall synne is deriued from Adam by meanes of our parents yet we haue not our soules from them ex traduce Sect. 6. Our Sauiour our Bl. Lady were exeÌ„pted from originalâ— synne Sect. 7. The most gratious wonderfull remedyes of our originall sinne Sect. 8. All the guilte of originall synne is quite forgiuen in Baptisme And the first motions of concupiscence are not syn vntill we delight or consent vnto them Sect. 9. The conclusion of the former declarations about originall synne with some short admonitions to mortify his force Sect. 10. MEDITATION V. Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti incerta occulta sapientiae tâ—ae manifestasti mihi DIuers deuout interpretations of these words And an humble thaÌ„ksgiuing of the Author for his vndeserued Conuersion Sect. 1. MEDITATION VI. Asperges me Domine hysopo mundabor lauabis me super niuem dealbabor Auditui meo dabis gaudium laetitiam exultabunt ossa humiliata THe vse of Ceremonyes declared by a picture the propertyes of hysope wherunto they may be alluded Sect. 1. Of diuers ceremonies in the Catholique Church made profitable by the sprinkling vertue of our Sauiours pretious bloud which is compared to the water of the Poole of Bethesda Sect. 2. The wonderfull efficacy of our Sauiours bloud And of the signe of the Crosse which was besprinkled therwith Sect. 3. There are sundry degrees of washing cleansing whiting of sinne Sect. 4. It is better to confesse then to excuse to heare then to speake and of sundry kindes of ioy gladnes Sect. 5. The ioyes gladnes of goodmen different from those of synners with a a harty reioyeing of the Author for his conuersion Sect. 6. MEDITATION VII Auerte faciem tuam à peccatis meis omnes iniquitates meas dele Cor mundum crea in me Deus spiritum rectum innoua in visceribus meis Ne proijcias me à facie tua spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas à me A Generall interpretation of all these words then what is meant by our Lords Face And how our soules are deformed scribled full of synnes to be blotted out Sect. 1. Many significations petitions for creating a cleane hart and renewing a right spirit Sect. 2. To be cast out from the face of God is to be cast into all misery Sect. 3. Among sundry other gifts of the holy Ghost let vs in particuler labour to be thankefull to be constant Sect. 4. MEDITATION VIII Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui spiritu principali confirma me Docebo iniquos vias tuas impij ad te conuertentur IEsus is the ioy of our saluation which a sorrowfull soule desyreth to be restored and a confortable soule prayeth to be continued Sect. 4. The Nobility of a Principall spirit perseuering to finish constantly what it hath begon generously Sect. 2. Seuerall distributions of the same spirit into Right Holy and Principall Sect. 3. To teach others it is commendable but it is necessary first to be well informed reformed our selues Sect. 4. What be the wayes or proceedings of our Iustification and what doth teach vs in these wayes Sect. 5. How many other pathes do lead vnto the wayes of Iustification that we are not iustified by Faith only Sect. 6. Of the holy wayes of the sacred feet footesteps of our heauenly Guide Teacher Thus I shall teach thy Wayes vnto the wicked the vngodly wil be couerted vnto thee Sect. 7. Some deuout desyres thankegiuings of the Author vnto Almighty God Sect. 8. MEDITATION IX Libera me de sanguinibus Deus Deus salutis meae exultabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam Domine labia mea aperies os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam FRom all corrupt cruell bloudes let vs all desyre deliuerance Sect. 1. Some short petitions are directed vnto the Name Goodnes of God Sect. 2. We do reioyce our Lords iustice by trusting in his promises or by acknowledging of his mercy which forgiueth the offendour yet fulfilleth Iustice. Sect. 3. All the words of our mouth should proceed from God and againe be referred vnto God Sect. 4. In especiall our prayers our prayses should haue respect vnto God Sect. 5. It behoues all them who talke with God to haue the rootes of their tongue in a clean hart Sect. 6. All creatures do prayse our Lord by declaring his Goodnes of necessity Let vs yield him all honour for loue duty Sect. 7. All our considerations actions should haue some relation vnto the prayse of God Sect. 8. MEDITATION X. Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium didissem vtique holocaustis non delectaberis Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus cor contritum humiliatum Deus non despicies THe diuersity of sacrifices some differencesbetwen the law the ghospell Sect. 1. Some other differences betwene the law the Ghospell Sect. 2. Our Lord doth more regard the hart then the gift and the deuotion more then the sacrifice Sect. 3. We haue need to be penitent how acceptable vnto our Sauiour is any soule contrite for synne Sect. 4. A description of Contrition Attrition their seuerall propertyes Sect. 5. An ample declaration plainly setting forth the former description of Contrition Sect. 6. The excellencies of Contrition how in some sort it may be compared with martyrdome Sect. 7. MEDITATION XI Benigne fac Domine in bona voluntate tua Sion vt aedificentur muri Ierusalem Tunc acceptabis sacrificium Iustiâ—iae oblationes holocausta tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos A Serious lamentation for Sion Ierusalem that they may be laid desolate by externall persecution not by internall discord Sect. 1. A continued supplication for the good will mercy of our Lord vnto all estates of his Church against seuerall vices Sect. 2. The times the manner the place the persoÌ„s offering all these sacrifices oblations c. Sect. 3. What a sacrifice is and that the holy Masse is our peculiar sacrifice of the new Testament Sect. 4. The notable propitiatory vertues of the sacred Masse which ought to mooue vs to the frequenting applying of the benefitts therof Sect. 5. Some Considerations pertayning to the deuout hearing of Masse ending of our life Sect. 6. ERRATA SIC
by mans penaltyes and by our Lordes chastisements yea such is the misery of sinne that one sinne is the punishment of another and many times of it selfe though not directly by it selfe yet by accident indirectly first because when by former sinne we caste from vs Gods grace giuen or offred he then leaueth vs to our owne corrupte weakenes to Sathan the worldes forcible tentations whose continual batteryes whiles without grace we cannot resiste we doo afterwardes justly fall captiues vnto many sinnes who by some former faulte did rejecte his grace so vnkindly 2. there are some sinnes which are punishments both offormer faultes of themselues not only in their effectes as prodigality hath for his followers wante and robberye but allso in their very actions some are a payne vnto themselues eyther inwardely as enuy anger doo vexe their owne maysters or outwardly when men doo passe much labor perill or coste to effecte some sinnes As Plutarche saith men adjudged to be crucifyed or to other tormentes were forced first to beare their owne crosses or such other instruments of theyr owne execution so sinners by sinne it selfe doo here begin their owne payne damnation and so they confessed who the wiseman saith were in hell lassati sumus in via iniquitatis we were tyred wearyed in our way of iniquity 5. Wherfore among so many miseryes should we not often crye miserere haue mercy in respecte of sinnes punishing themselues one another by outward toyle danger losse by inward feare remorse vexation by depriuing vs of Gods grace leauing vs to our owne concupiscence miserere for we are guilty out of order against God against men against our owne conscience miserere to bring backe our Will eâ—ring in darkenes to cleare our Vnderstanding shadowed with blemishes to repayre our giftes of grace decayed by frailtyes miserere haue mercy by reuiuing the seedes of vertue remoouing the hindrances customes of Vice miserere restoring vs to justice which we lost forfeyted inclyning encreasing vs in holynes which we forsooke diminished and finally miserere preseruing vs in substance of soule body from sufferance of payne vnto fruition of glory for in all these viz by corruption of nature by deformity of soule by guyltines of punishment we are all miserable therfore in all these o blessed Iesu miserere haue mercy OTHER WRETCHED EFFECTES OF sinne are declared out of the Scriptures Doctors by which we are warned from them Sect. 3. SAlomon saith that sinne maketh people to be miserable and S. Augustin defyneth sinne to be Deedes wordes or desires which be against the eternall lawe of God which are made mortall sinne when we adde vnto any of these a full consent of our will with auersion or forsaking of God Consider then o my soule in what estate thou arte when thou abydest in sinne If in our lorde be all happynes and to be in fauour with him be our felicity o how great wretchednes is it to forâ—ake his loue to fall into his hate But Esay said our sinnes deuide betwene him vs and both Salomon Dauid affirme that he hateth all who worke iniquity wherfore S. Chrysostome said I judge it to be harder more intolerable then a thousand hell fyres to be hated of Christe to heare him say I knowe you not it were better to endure a thousand thumderboltes then to see his face of mildenes to be turned from vs or enraged against vs for the eye which vseth to be fauorable when it becometh fierce is most terrible 2. Alas o lorde we haue forsaken thy infinite goodnes we haue loste thy inestimable fauour wherfore to free vs from thy hate restore vs to thy happynes miserere haue mercy Haue mercy not only for the good which by sinne we doo loose but allso in respecte of the euill which for it we doo suffer because many are the whippes of a sinner for sinne the earthe was cursed to bring forthe thornes the woman cursed to beare children in payne and man was cursed to eate his bread with labour Vpon sinners our lorde rayneth snares fire brimstone and the spirites of tempestet are in the portion of his cuppe his very prayers are turned into sinne and his table is a snare vnto him all wickednes is as a sharpe two edged sworde 3. But if we be neither mooued with loue of goodnes nor with feare of wrathe I knowe not whither we be more miserable who must suffer the punishment or blockish who will not see to auoyde the faulte yet let vs consider the nature of sinne which is contrary to our nature we were created doo desire to enioy liberty but sinne maketh vs slaues and the wiseman saith Euery sinner is bounde in the fetters of his owne sinnes We naturally abhorre hell the diuell deathe but sinne caused the very angells offending to be throwne downe from heauen to be reserued in the chaynes of hell S. Augustin saith that euery sinner selles his â—oule to the diuel taking for his price the sweetnes of some temporall delighte nay S. Chrysostome calleth euery sinner a certeyn willing diuell a self-willed madnes And as for death which we so much feare the scripture saith that they which committe sinne doo kill theyr owne soules we knowe it were horrible to murder our Father but to murder thy selfe it is more damnable wherfore as the wiseman sayd take mercy on thine owne soule pleasing God which then we doo when penitently we say vnto him miserere haue mercy 4. What shoulde I say of sinne tormenting the conscience offending the communion of Sayntes among men it is a discredite among Christians it causeth excoÌ„munication and S. Basil doth write that as smoke driueth bees from their hiues and loth some smells driue pigeons from their houses so from the custody of our persons â—l sauoring sinnes driue away our holy Angells And is not euery inordinate minde a penalty to it selfe as S. Augustin auoucheth for couetousnes gripes pride swells enuy consumes concupiscence inflames luxury stingeth gluttony stinketh dronkennes besotteth sclander scratcheth ambition vndermyneth it selfe iniuryes gette hatred discorde teareth anger burneth lighte heades are neuer quiet idlenes is wearisome lazynes combreth hipocrysie deceiueth his owne harte flatterye giues himselfe the lye in his owne throate O miserable sinnes which make men so wretched which seldome come alone without seauen worse diuells folowing them which make our present prayers not purposing amendment to be rejected which cause all our good deedes paste not to be regarded which are so hardly cured because they are not so easily as we thinke repented In time therfore o lord with the first worde of this psalme against all these for-meÌ„tioned miseryes we humbly hartily crye miserere haue mercy OF THE NAME AND NATVRE OF GOD who he his vvhat we are and how vnspeakably we are beholding vnto his great goodnes Sect. 4. 1.
why parentes iustifyed in state of grace doo neuertheles beget children subiecte to sinne originall corruption as much as others not so much becauâ—e generation is an acte of our carnall man iustification is an effecte in our spirituall man for the wholeman is iustifyed but especially because we and euery creature generamus nobis similes in specie magis quà m in indiuiduo we doo procreate our of-spring ech creature like himselfe rather like in speciall kinde of nature then in particuler propertyes of person as of men to proceede mankind c. For as the progeny was neuer like the parent in euery personall respect so when they are a like in many such particulers yet it is rather accidentally contingent then essentially necessary And so we see foolish or lame parents haue sound or discreete children and contratiwise As then parents doo not necessarily communicate to children their personall propertyes no not of nature much lesse of grace so to be in state of grace a iustifyed man is a personall property and therfore mo more maruell to haue children vnregenerate borne of iuste parentes then to see a childe borne vncircumcised of a circumcised lew or to see a cleansed wheat corne bring forthe an eare of wheate which againe hath fazells chaffe HOW ORIGINALL SINNE IS DERIVED from Adam by meanes of our parents and yet we haue not our soules from them ex traduce Sect. 5. 1. ANd allthoughe Originall sinne be a corruption of our nature rather then an personall faulte yet it is not any parte of our nature as proceding from nature positiuely but only a priuation or defecte folowing nature and proceding from Adams freewill and infecting our will as partes branches of Adam Wherfore it is properly a sinne because it had consent of will thervnto which we cannot say of other naturall defectes as to be borne deafe dumbe blinde lame or disfigured because these are no way referred to any consent of will Allso infantes neither haue thoughtes wordes nor deedes against the eternall law of God and yet they haue this originall sinne which is not conteyned in that description for that description is vnderstood of actuall sinne only But originall sinne consistes not in any action for it is only a gultines a spotte or blemish noâ— any actuall transgression 2. As for that Argument of the Pelagians which so much pressed S. Augustin about the traduction of our soule it is thus propounded and answered Sinne say they hath his seate in the soule not in the flesh But the soule is created not deriued from Adam nor our parents therfore neither is this originall sinne deriued from the one or from the other by generation but foloweth by imitation Firste it is answered in generall that it cannot be by imitation because neither can children imitate their parents so soone as they are borne and yet euen then most agree they are guilty of originall sinne Nor is this sinne any action and therfore no imitation for to imitate is to doo somewhat but it is called sinne originall not actuall and is accompted a guilte of our nature not a facte of our person 3. Next about the proposition As all deuines agree that the soule is the seate of sinne so yet if the soule may herin be depraued by the flesh as some thinke then may originall sinne be transfused into the soule by generation of the body These men say the flesh must needes be the meanes of coÌ„ueying this sinne vnto the soule as vnto his seate for if the soule should be created alone and not be ioyned to the body it should in that case be free from this infection And it seemes iuste that as Adams flesh was firste corrupted by his soule which firste admitted sinne so now the soule shoulde be firste corrupted by the flesh still deriuing sinne and so originall sinne is both a corruption of penality subiecting vs to all misery and a corruption of viciosity inclyning vs to all sinne 1. by rebellion against the spirite 2. by drawing the soule downeward 3. because the soule of it selfe is not able to gouerne all our appetites without diuine grace 4. Thus therfore say they that the flesh doth depraue the soule being vnited vnto it as a wounde in the body maketh the soule grieue but if you cutte the flesh wanting life it feeles no payne So the flesh hath not sinne in it selfe as in his seate no more then wyne hath in it selfe dronkennes and yet maketh others dronke and so the body is able to infecte to worke vpon the soule 1. not by predominance as one elemeÌ„t or mixte body vpon another 2 nor by influence as the heauens vpon these inferior bodyes 3. nor by deuine power as the fyre vpon dammed spirites but. 4. by Sympathy of vnited correspondence as in a phrensy or lunacy such a distemper or quality of the body makes the minde to be madde or foolish And so the corrupte distemper of our flesh doth disorder our soule whit sinfullnes which sinfull disteÌ„per is not actually but dispositiuely in the seede of the parent or flesh of the infante nor is it in the flesh vntill it come to be ioyned to the soule which is only the full finall seate of sinne 5. And note that all this may be true in respecte of that radicall concupiscence which is as it were the positiue materiall parte of originall sinne but the formall true nature of originall sinne consisting priuatiuely in the waÌ„te of originall iustice this priuation is not caused nor conueyed vnto the soule by the flesh Nor by that carnall luste which more or lesse is in the naturall generation of all men For if by supernaturall priuiledge any parents should engendre without all luste yet the childe shoulde be infected with originall sinne or if luste were the cause therof â—hen according to the excesse of luste in the parents shoulde originall sinne be more or lesse in the children Wherfore thoughe S. Augustin doo often say that it is not generation but luste which doth deriue this sinne he only intendes to shew that the sole acte of generation is not the only cause of originall sinne for euen in paradise there shoulde haue bene the acte of generation and yet therin shoulde haue bene no sinne But by luste may be meante the propagation of our corrupte nature of which corruption luste is a certein signe effecte wherfore when he saith originall sinne is deriued by luste he meaneth that this corrupte propagation of our nature wherof luste is a signe is the meanes to deriue originall sinne 6. And so when S. Augustin saith of the body and the soule that the one is corrupted in the other as in an Vncleane vessell eyther it may be true by way of morall comparison in regarde of that concupiscence radicall as is afore said which in some is the materiall positiue parte of originall sinne hauing his materiall seate in the flesh by this dispositiuely
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
of the Diuell Which is signifyed by the olde custome of the Catholique churche which hauing baptized new conuerted christians at Easter and hauing vsed fasting penance in lent they called the first Sonday after Easter Dominica in Albis white Sonday because those who were newly baptized were then all clad in white to shew their cleansed innocency and so they solemnely read that saying of S. Peter quasi modo geniti infantes as children new borne to teach vs that after our sinnes washed by baptisme or blotted out by penance we should be carefull to kepe the garments of our soules white and cleane or hauing become againe as yong children without malice or sinne we should afterwarde procure the cleansed table of our soules no more to be defaced in vice by the Diuells fowle fyst but to be adorned in vertue with golden letters of grace MANY SIGNIFICATlONS AND PETITIONS for creating a cleane harte and renuing of a righte spirite Sect. 2. 1. BLotte out all my faultes and then Create a new harte in me o God First remission of sinne next infusion of grace For thoughe Iustification be in an instante yet in order of nature not of time pardon is before fauour And he saith Create grace in me because it is not deduced out of any power or faculty of our soule as are naturall formes out of their substances or matter but our soule had lost all his morall essence or Being of grace therfore he saith Create a cleane harte that is restore in me all morall gifts of nature and renue a righte spirite that is all spirituall graces 2. Create my harte which had loste it selfe for Ezechiel saith to a sinner Thou arte become nothing Neither let Ieremy call me a foole which hath no harte to resâ—ste sinne for to haue no harte is to be dead and to haue no life But in creating my harte I â—haâ—l â—ecouer both life and wisedome and by creatiâ—g me a cleane harte I may be among those blessed who shall see God 3. Let me haue a cleane harte not defiled with delightes of any sinne nor delighted in the filthynes of any pleasure nor turmoyled with contentious passions nor troubled with peruerâ—e cogitations for it ought to be a cleane temple of the holy ghoste not polluted with luxury not straytned with enuy with ambition not headlong noâ— houering with pride Or if we heare any of these clamorous affections within vs yet not take pleasure nor giue consent to their alluâ—ing voyces not a whitte to feele them who can say he hath a cleane harte yet must we cleanse our hartes not to harbour and consent vnto them Or if we haue listened any whit too long vnto such dangerous thoughtes let vs pray for a cleane harte that all corrupte intentions may be abolished and with a right spirite all good purposes orderly directed despising all the glory of this worlde fastening our mindes in the loue of God keping patience in reproches and injuâ—yes humbling our selues to all men in meekenes louing our freindes in God and our enemyes for God not coueting oughte from other men but rather giuing of our owne to the poore in prosperity sober and constant in affliction Thus let vs be renued in the spirite of our â—indes which in all these is a cleane harte and a right spirite but by the vices which are contrary vnto these it doth become a crooked and a lothsome harte 4. Create in me a cleane harte not materially but formally for this creation is not of the harte in substance but of his quality in cleanenes Create cleanenes in my harte for infused vertuâ—â— and grace may be sâ—id created as neither compounded of any material substance noâ— deriued therfrom But yet being Accidentall formes they are not created alone â—ut existing in some subiect and so Deuines say Gratia non creatur sed concreatur subjecto inesse grato 5. Least from my reasonable discourse impertinent or vicious thoughtes should ascend into my harte Create in me a cleane harte of vnderstanding Least my actions should be hipocriticall hauing my harte a farre of from thee Create a sincere intention of harte in my will And in my deuout hartie affections Create a cleane harte in me that I may follow Dauid as a man according to thine owne harte 6. And renue a right spirite in my bowells Renue it for I am waxen olde in vice and make it righte to be directed streight to heauen nor bowed downe in basenes nor bended awrye in crookednes to any thing of this worlde New in grace for we may not put new wyne into olde bottels Righte in nature wherfore we praie vnto the holie ghoste Send out thy spirite they shal be created thou shalte renue the face of the earthe 7. Our Bowells are of such earthly nature that they haue neede to be renued in spirite and our Hartes are so corrupted in sinne that they haue neede to be caste in another molde which is to be created a cleane harte O my soule we were become like Ephraim a seduced doue hauing no harte and we may complayne with the psalmist Our harte hath forsaken vs let vs desire our Lord to create vs a harte Allso like the Quene of Saba admiring Solomon we haue no spirite or faynting in goodnes we may say defecit spiritus meus our spirite fayleth vs let vs beseech our lord to Renue our spirite O Iesu create in vs a cleane harte out of which may not procede lewde thoughtes adulteryes theftes ambitions nor any wickednes Renue in our Bowells a righte spirite to make vs right in all vertues which according to the hebrew worde are called rectitudines righteousnes streight lines or perpendicular lines from the center of the earth leading righte vp to heauen That as in the begimning our Lord made man righte so to the intent our End may be answerable restore vs a righte spirite 8. Dauids hartâ— was vncleane by Adultery his spirite was crooked by malicious subtilty in this subtle malice he murdered Vrias in adultery he had abused Bersabee In like sorte against luste we desire cleanenes of harte and against crafty crooked malice rightnes of spirite or we pray that we may haue in our harte cleane affections louing God entirely and a righte spirite of discretion to discerne good prudently Allso mixing these we desire discreete affections in our harte and in our spirite louing charitable imaginations Nay we haue so much neede of a better alteration that we may alter interchange these wordes to desire a change of our selues allmost into any fashion rather then to remayne in our present corruption o lorde create in vs a cleane harte and renue a righte spirite in our bowells or create in vs a righte spirite and renue in vs a cleane harte Allso we haue neede of a cleane spirite and me doo wante a righte hart We haue no harte which therfore must be created
but in declaration of the spirite and of vertue and thus he will open our lippes if firste we aske wisedome of God and then so speake as the wordes of God referring them only to his glory to the good of soules 3. If I be to pray o lorde open my lippes that I maâ— neither aske amisse to vnfitte purposes nor praye alone with my lippes hauing my harte farre from thee but holde me in attention from wandring thoughtes warme in deuotion from colde desires and seing I am insufficient of my selfe to thinke or to cherish or to expresse a good thoughte O let thy holy spirite teach me to pray in wardlie in minde with vnspeakable sighes and outwardly in body with decent signes of due reuerence 4. If I be to talke or discourse O lorde so open my lippes that neuertheles according to the wise mans counsell I may make a doore a barre to my mouthe vntâ— my wordes a beame a balance To my mouthe a barre of silence and a doore of warynes with a beame of discretioÌ„ and a balance of measure to my wordes Thus I praye with Dauid elsewhere O Lorde place a guarde vnto my mouthe vnto my lippes a doore of circumstance In all our talke let vs number our wordes lest we become talkers let vs measure euery sillable that they may be conuenient and honest not vnciuill nor immodest let vs weighe and consider all our speeche to ponder before hand euery circumstance to haue it iuste in truthe graue in sobriety not to lighte in mirthe equal in good Curtesy neither balance rising vpwarde in highe minded vanity but rather weighing downewarde in profound humility O thus let vs consider before we speake whether to say this woulde it sauour of enuy or slander whether to speake that woulde it not discouer some matter which it were better to keepe secret would it cause needeles suspition woulde it giue offence or is it any way like to be vndiscrete IN ESPECIALL OVR PRAYERS AND our Prayses should haue respecte vnto God Sâ—ct 5. 1. THis is in conuersation with men But with God especially our spirituall communication by prayer must be with respecte And because he is the Author of euery good gifte and we haue neede in our prayers to be taughte to pray therfore the olde Hebrewes beganne all most all their publique prayers and liturgyes with these wordes O lorde open thou our lippes And so the Catholique churche considering that the end and beginning of all actions oughte to haue relation to allmighty God therfore at Complynes finishing the daye we saye Conuerte nos Deus O God turne vs viz from all our offences of that day passed And then the Mattynes are begunne with these wordes O lorde thou wilte open our lippes insinuating that after the silence of the nighte we must firste open our lippes in the honor of God and that in the innocency of the morning we are aptest to prayse God 2. For to prayse God with our breast full of sinnes is like a cunning singer who hath eaten garlicke or hathe a stinking breath his voyce may be sweete to them who are a farre of but to those that stande neere him it giues a bad sauour So among men our prayses may seme to be deuoute butif we haue sinne in our harte our lorde will coÌ„sider the lothsome sauour more then the swete sounde such lippes may vtter good wordes but no such mouthe caÌ„ giue true prayse Nay rather to â—uch a one our lord saith why doost thou declare my iustice He that hath a festered caÌ„ker in his mâ—ath I am sure yow wolde not suffer him to chewe meate to feede your childe And were it not offensiue to heare a dronkarde discoursing against dronkeÌ„nes or one giuen to the vice of the flesh to preach against wantonnes 3. Shall we presume outwardly to pray vnto God or to sing him prayses whiles neither we are resolued to forsake sinne nor doo feele in our hartes any spirituall ioye To stande and mooue our lippes and to faine as if we answered or spake to the Iudge were it not a mockery euen such is our lippe-labour when we prayse God or praye vnto him and yet doo voluntarily abide in sinne For he that loues any sinne doth not loue God how can he then prayse God whom he doth not loue or as a malefactor whiles he feares iuste punishment how can he harbour true ioye in his minde as if he were a well beloued sonne And we knowe our lord will not heare sinners that is neither their outward prayers wanting inwarde deuotions nor any petitions for fauour excepte they be resolued for euer to forsake sinne If we be sory for what is passed and doo verily purpose by his grace neuer to offend in time to come our lord doth heare such sinners by his eare of mercy thoughe not by his eare of iustice but without resolution of amendment our prayses and our prayers themselues are turned into sinne for we pretend what we meane not and doo but abuse and dissemble with the maiesty of God 4. If we were to speake in a kinges presence we would be heedfull to our wordes and behauiour much more therfore in the presence of God And if the king should helpe vs to declare our meaning and incorage vs in our speaking we woulde reioyce for such fauorable audience and confidently hope to obteyne our request such truste we may haue in allmighty God for so he deales with vs and therfore let vs first desire him so to open our lippes For as we cannot speake of our tongue or of the ayre without the ayre and without our tongue so neyther can we prayse God or praye vnto him deuoutly except we haue some helpe from God wherfore o lorde open thou my lippes and my mouthe shall declare thy prayse IT BEHOVES ALL THEM WHO TALK WITH God to haue the rootes of their tongue in a cleane harte Sect. 6. 1. EVery man desires the commendations of honest but not of suspected persons much lesse of notorious sinners Abstinence and Fasting woulde not be praysed of a full bellied glutton for the prayse of vertue is most proper in the mouthe of the vertuous and the prayse of God doth not become any but such as be deuout and religious Pericles beyond his custome once apparelled himselfe exceding brauely to go to the mariage of a fayre personable yong man and being asked the reason of such extraordinary care of comelynes he answered because I woulde go as comely as I can to grace not to disgrace so comely a man And so it is a dishonor rather then an honor vnto religion to haue a wâ—cked sinner take vpon him to be a deuout singer neyther can such men say in truthe Os meum my mouthe shall prayse thee 2. The couetous man prayseth not God with his owne mouthe nor doth he vse his owne mouthe in the seruice of God who
bound of necessity to iterate or repeate my repentance for the same sinnes And wise men doo giue it for good counsell not to recall to our minde such passed sinnes as perteyning to delightes of our flesh or to the honors or Riches of the worlde were so pleasing vnto vs that their remembrance thoughe with pretence of remorse may mooue vs in thoughte agayne to delighte somewhat in them as soone as in deede to be contrite for them Except it be at such times when either we feele our selues in feruent deuotion or finde in our selues such abundant mortification that we neede not feare their enticement Other wise that which is delectable to our nature without speciall grace will easily drawe vs to encline to his desire 11. I said we are not bound of necessity to repeate our Contrition for the same sinnes yet when without the said danger we haue opportunity doubtles it is very conuenient somtimes to renew to repeate our contrition and so to endeauour to make it sure good least peraduenture before times it haue bene insufficient Especially at the time of our death we haue neede to repeate it and as much as we can to make all sure yea S. Augustin vsed to say thoughe his conscience accused him of no crime vnrepented yet it is very conuenient at our death to haue CoÌ„trition for whatsoeuer offences of our life and accordingly that holy Father in his sicknes before his death caused the 7. penitentiall psalmes to be set by his Bed-side in great letters that he mighte often repeate them as he did with many teares And in this I speake of generall Contrition actually to be repeated as often as conueniently we can doo it I doo not speake of the often repetition of the selfe same generall confessions which hauing bene made with diligence deuotion once twice or thrice at most in our life time as graue learned discrete men doo auouche it is abundantly sufficient for as it is requisite on our partes to vse our true diligence so it is as necessary in regarde of God allmightyes great goodnes to haue good trust much confidence in his loue mercy fatherly affection towardes vs beleeuing credibly that all is forgiuen vs most fauorably for our gracious God is not like a crafty copesman or a cauilling lawyer ready to spye euery friuolous nullity to take aduantage vpon the smallest ouersighte no no we may oughte to be assured that our Lorde is more ready to forgiue then we to aske pardon wherfore hauing done our endeuour we may comfortably relye vpon his gracious fauour 12. Yet our repentance thoughe Actually it neede not be outwardly repeated more thou once neuertheles it must euer habitually be continued inwardly during our life that is we must neuer committe any thing contrary to the inwarde habite of repentance nor may our sinnes passed at any time afterwarde agayne please vs rather they must alwayes greiue displease vs at least habitually inwardly And these are the propertyes of true contrition THE EXCELLENCYES OF CONTRITION and how in some sorte it may be compared with martyrdome Sect. 7. 1. IT is good to knowe what be the qualityes of contrition but the practise of them is much better It is true the greife sorowe of a contrite harte is vnpleasing bitter in the taste but it will be afterwarde holsome comfortable as wormewood is to the stomacke for sweete meates doo sooner cause corruption obstructions when medicines which are bitter doo open purge the body And of sinnes in the soule Dauid saith There are the dolors of a woman in childebirthe which haue payne in their trauell as they had pleasure in their conception so for the delighte of our sinnes committed we must feele some greife when they are repented and this greife thoughe it be bitter as Aloes yet it is the best medicine against the gnawing wormes of our conscience and as of yron is bred a ruste of clothe a mothe of timber a worme which consume the substances wherof they were engendred and as against poyson are made tryacles and Antidotaryes of other poysons so is sinne consumed by sorowe for sinne and against the punishment of wickednes the punishment of penance is a soueraigne remedye 2. Only hereof we must haue a care that our sorowe for sinne be sincere If thou tell me thy body is wounded shew me thy flesh bleeding or bruised if thou tell me thy harte is contrite let me see thy teares or thoughe men preceiue it not yet at least God allmighty must see thy sorowe In proyning of the vine if it distill any droppes it is a signe it will be fruitfull but if thy repentance be without teares at least of contrition surely thy amendement will be very barren 3. Wherfore Ieremy said be thou gyrded with hayrecloth that is mortifye the appetites of thy flesh and be thou sprinkled with ashes that is refrayne the motions of â—â—y proud mind And cause vnto thy selfe a bitter playnte as the lamentation of an only â—hilde not of an eldest or dearest childe for so is insinuated that more children remayne but eyther as a parent lamenting his only childe or as an only childe mouring for his parents whose greifes must be greatest because they alone must take all the greife And so not much vnlike when by our sinne we loose the fauour of good because we can haue no more Gods we must lament our losse of him as the losse of all for without him we are nothing nor can haue any thinge And eyther we must by our sorowfull repentance regayne his fauour or for euer perish in his displeasure 4. But moste happy we are if we neglecte not our possibility because as Solinus writeth of a founteyn in Epyrus which not only quencheth a burning torche but kindleth it agayne being quenched so by our teares of contrition we may at one instante both quenche the flames of hellfyre due vnto vs and inflame our selues agayne in the fauour and loue of God which we had loste and was justly taken from vs. For the exercise of contrition and daily mortification are so notable in their efficacye and in their dignitye that Dauid here calleth such an afflicted spirite a sacrifice to God and our holy mother the Churche in the hymne of Virgins being allso martyrs hath these wordes Haec tua virge duplici beata sorte dum gestit fragilem domare corporis sexuÌ„ domuit cruentum corpore saeclum Vnde nec mortem nec amica mortis saeua poenarum genera pauescens c. This thy virgin bessed in a double sorte whiles she endeuours to mortifie the frayle sexe of her body she ouercame the cruel worlde together with her body wherfore neither fearing deathe nor any sauage kindes of tortures which are the freindes of death c. Beholde here twoo causes why she is blessed 1. for mortification of her flesh 2. for conquering of the worlde And
from thy motions and inspirations of grace O giue me yet grace to ouercome theses desires and since they proceede of my corrupte nature o let me finde the more helpe to conquer them and the more mercy to pardon them DAVID IN THE FORMER VERSE ACcuseth not his parentes nor is the Acte of mariage of it selfe any sinne Sect. 2. 1. DAuid here doth not accuse his Father Iesse as if he had begotteÌ„ him in adultery for it is certein he was lawfully borne much lesse in that respecte therfore excuse his owne faulte with Bersabee as if it were naturall for Bastardes to become Adultereâ—s Nor doth he meane any Actuall sinne which his parentes mighte paraduenture haue coÌ„mitted in his generation for their actuall sinne doth neither infecte nor perteyneth to the childe 2. But as there is a Conception of humane seede in the action of carnall copulation so there is a Conception of humane nature in the substance of that which is engendred In the firste as in their owne action the parentes many times doo offend yet not in that but in the second doo we contracte participate our originall corruption as being of the substance of humane nature which is deriued vnto vs by our parentes from Adam 3. In the firste euen maryed couples may offend throughe inordinate luste thoughe paraduenture by the Priuiledges which are called the Goods of matrimony that may be but veniall in them which in others is criminall And yet their luste and other circunstances may be so disordenate that in their copulations they allso doo committe somtimes euen mortall faultes for a man may offend and be vnchaste with his owne wife as well as become dronke with his owne wyne 4. Not that the Acte of matrimony is of it selfe euill sinnefull But as it is sinne to eate or drinke imtemperately or to eate when or what we are forbidden so maryed couples doo offend in the vse of matrimony being immoderate in excesse or in times or places prohibited or in the manner immodest or vnnaturall 5. Otherwise matrimony being an office of nature and a Sacrament of the churche the due accomplishment therof is not a sinne for as it is naturall it intendeth prolem to haue children and it keepeth fidem obseruing the faithfull title and promise giuen of eche to others body Beside which among Catholique Christians this Sacrament giueth grace and betokens the loue and vnion betwene Christe and his churche 6. And these three proles fides Sacramentum Progeny fidelity the Sacrament are called Bona matrimonij the Goods or benefites of matrimony To the first is referred not only the generation but allso the good education of children The second is not meante to be theological faithe but vertuous fidelity as it is a parte of Iustice in obseruing true loue loyalty and in yeilding mutuall dutyes assistance ech to other and so for performance of all these perteyning both to progeny and fidelity is required vsuall cohabitatioÌ„ excepte when some vrgent or greater cause doo necessarily enforce any absence The third which is the sacrament if the partyes hinder it not by indisposition giueth grace of vnion when the contracte is lawfully made by expresse wordes of the present or by apparent signes of consent by which grace their mindes are extraordinarily knit vnited in honest and discrete loue And as our Sauiour Christes loue to his churche is inseparable so the sacramentality of mariage grounded herevpon causeth this bond of mariage Among Christians to be so indiuisible that thoughe in some cases they may be separated from bed and boarde or from cohabitation yet the mariage at the firste or afterwardes hauing bene once lawfull they can neuer be so disioyned that either parte may mary agayne whiles the other doth liue 7. These three foresaid Goods or benefites of matrimony doo cause the copulation of man wife not only not to be sinne but to be a good action of vertue when it procedeth either from intention of progeny or hath purpose yeilding mutuall fidelity yea it is an action of sanctity or holynes when it respecteth the sacramentality depending on the great mistery of holy loue betwene Christe and his churche 8. Wherfore no Catholiques euer termed lawfull mariage duely vsed to be vncleanes pollution carnall filthynes as Caluin others doo sclander vs herein as they vse to doo allso almost in all other pointes but they either reprehend vnlawfull mariages or true mariages vnlawfully vsed Or as S. Ierome writeth against Iouinian the carnall acte betwene maryed Couples may in some sense be called vncleanes as it is said in the Apocalipse These are they who were not polluted with women for they are virgins eyther in coÌ„parison of pure virginity for thoughe in the acte of mariage it is possible they may kepe one perfection of chastity yet they doo herein euer loose the higher perfection of vndefiled virginity so maryed partyes may be called coÌ„paratiuely defiled with women Or else their carnall delighte in copulation may be called fleshly pollution eyther as caused of the remnants of our carnall concupiscence and of that same naturall rebellious disobedience of our flesh against our reason or because for the moste parte by many maryed people it is often vsed excessiuely or disornately neither referred to progeny fidelity nor to any other honest end without some of which intentions it is sinne at least veniall and so why may it not somtime be called or named according as it is most commonly practised not expressing or so strictely naming the lawfull vse but so insinuating the vnlawfull and vsuall abuse For we knowe that the moderate and ordinate vse is so farre from being sinne that S. Paul commandeth maryed couples to yeild ech to other mutuall beneuolence and all Catholique Doctors so accompte it a worke meritorious as an acte of vertue and of religion orderly as holy religious vertuous meritorious And so speaketh S. Augustin therof when it is intended 1. as an Acte of justice or 2. of obedience or 3. of charity directed eyther firste to procreation of children to be broughte vp in the seruice of God or secondly to the performance of promised fidelity for auoyding fornication or thirdly for rendring ech to other mutuall loue and duty And when their modest delightes how intensiue soeuer in nature are directed to all or to any of the forementioned purposes as they are vertuous and cannot be condemned so on the contrary when they are soughte for luste and without any of the former respectes then how feeble soeuer nature be they cannot be excused 9. This I haue said to shew that neither Dauid complayneth of any actuall sinne committed by his parents in his generation nor that the lawfull orderly vse of matrimony hath of it selfe any sinne Not if it had the particuler faultes of our parents could not be ascribed to their children WHY OVR MOTHER IS MENTIONED TO BE Accessary to our originall