Saint Augustine his enchiridion to Laurence, or, The chiefe and principall heads of all Christian religion a most profitable booke to all those which desire to haue a most compendious briefe of Augustines doctrine, out of Augustine himselfe, when he was old, being repurged, by the old manuscript, of many faults and vnusuall wordes, wherewith it formerly flowed.

CHAP. 47.

It is a matter left vncertaine, whether all the sinnes of fore∣fathers, as well actuall as origi∣nall, be extended to posteritie, and to how many descents they be conuaied.

BVt now as touching the sins of the Parents, wherein (from Adam, to euery mans own fa∣ther, beeing their progenetors) euery child doth succeed his fa∣ther: It is a disputable questiō, & that not without cause, whether the childe that is borne, shall be guiltie both of actuall and ori∣ginall sinnes of all his ancestors, whereby euery one, the later he is borne, the greater sinner hee shall be borne? or, whether God doth therefore threaten posteri∣tie with reuenge for the sinnes of their parents, vnto the third and fourth generation, because hee doeth not extend his wrath

any further vpon the children for their fathers faults), staying his proceedings therein by his owne mercy lost they vpon whom the benefit or grace of regeneration is not bestowed, should bee pressed downe with too heauie a burthen in their e∣uerlasting damnation, if or ne∣cessitie they should be capable, euen from their cradle, or their forefathers sinnes originally, and punishable also for the same: or whether any other conclusion 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so great controuersie, vpon ••ector 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and conference of holy scriptures, may be found out, or not found out, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not rashly giue my definitiue sen∣tence, or resolute opinion therein.