of the imperfect worke on Saint Matthew o Chrysost in Matth. c. 3. hom 4. To be made righteous and worthy of heauen and therefore to bee washt in his bloud to be renewed and sanctified by his spirit which are the two significations of Baptisme IIII. If any among the liuing should haue beene cleane and pure from sinne The Virgin Marie the holy Virgin the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ ought to haue been of whom the holie Ghost witnesseth that p Luke 1.42 she is blessed among women and whom vntill the worlds ende q Luke 1 48. all generations shall call blessed Blessed certaine for hauing receiued that grace to be the mother of our Sauiour and not for being without sinne and exempted from the number of those which haue neede of a Sauiour for shee was conceiued in sinne according to the Lords sentence r John 3.6 That which is borne of flesh is flesh To be borne of flesh is to bee borne by generation according to the ordinarie course of nature whosoeuer is so borne is flesh Å¿ August de fide ad Pet. Diâ—conum c. 26. Account surely saith Saint Austin that he is borne in originall sinne subiect to impietie subiect vnto death and therefore the childe of wrath The reason is rendred by Saint Paul t Rom. 5.12 where he saith By one 〈◊〉 sinne entred into the world and death by sinne so death passed vpon all men for that all haue sinned And there is none exempted from this number but Iesus Christ u Chrysost de quinta feriâ— passionis hom 6. who alone knoweth not what is sinne alone doth not participat with our fault and did one nothing to sinne and death saith S. Chrysostome following Saint Paul the Apostle who attributes vnto Christ alone the prerogatiue to haue been x Heb. 7.26 holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners because indeed he alone y Pet. diaconus ad Fulgentium is borne after a new manner of generation borne I say of man of the substance of a chosen virgin but not by man not by naturall generation but by the supernaturall operation of the Holy Ghost who of the substance of the virgin formerly sanctified by him did appropriate and fit a body to our Sauiour and inspired in the same a most pure and a most holy soule This new manner of generation and conception without spot hath caused that our Lord hath not felt the contagion of earthly corruption being hee alone a Dan. 2.45 who hath beene cut out of the mountaine without hands being the immediate worke of the hand of God which not appertaining to the holy Virgin conceiued and borne after the manner and common order of other men she hath had neede of Gods grace and mercie as other men haue she hath prayed forgiue vs our debts as well as other men and as a member of the Church shee hath beleeued for her selfe all the Articles of the beliefe and this Article among the rest I beleeue the remission of sinnes To be short seeing that she died as other men doe she was a sinner as other men are b 1. Cor. 15.56 for the sting of death that which giueth life and strength to death is sinne take away the sting from death and it is dead whosoeuer is without sinne as all of vs shall bee in the Kingdome of heauen may boldly defie death and vpbraide it with the Apostle c 1. Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie That is the reason why Christ could not haue died if God d 2. Cor. 5.21 had not made him to be sinne for vs that is to say if he had not imputed vnto him our sinne as to him who had constituted himselfe the pledge and suretie for sinners and their prayer vnto the very last farthing or mite I beleeue religiously that the Virgin hath been a lesse sinner then other men but I also beleeue that a woman-sinner she hath beene as well as other men because she her selfe hath taught me to beleeue it so I read her Song and I see her publishing with a loud voyce e Luke 1.47 that her spirit hath reioyced in God her Sauiour In God therefore who hath forgiuen her her sinnes for Christ is not otherwise a Sauiour f Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Iesus saith the Angell to Ioseph for he shall saue his people from their sinnes and shall not saue them otherwise as he himselfe protesteth saying g Mat. 9.13 I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance h Mat. 15.24 I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel i Mat. 18.11 The Sonne of man is come to saue that which was lost for them alone hath he beene sent k Isai 61.1.2.3 Luke 4.18.19 to preach good tidings vnto the meeke and vnto the poore to bind vp the broken-hearted to proclaime libertie to the captiues and the opening of the prison to them that are bound to comfort all that mourne c. To them onely came he and them alone he calles vnto him l Mat. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie laden m Iohn 7.37 If any man thirst let him come vnto me n Mat. 9.12 that are sicke declaring that they that are whole and holy haue no neede of him wherefore either the Mother of our Sauiour was a sinner or our Lord and Sauiour was not her Sauiour and Redeemer and shee should haue sung for others and not for her selfe that the Lord o Luke 1.53.54 hath filled the hungry with good things and hath remembred his mercie which mercie she should neuer haue felt she should neuer haue thirsted after seeing shee should neuer haue felt the miserie of sinne nor the wrath of God the iust wages of sinne This is so cleare and apparent that it needeth not any longer and ampler proofe V. Notwithstanding if the consent of the Church can bee of some weight to make it the more credible it is the common and ordinarie voyce of the Church that p August cont Iulianum All humane flesh Christs flesh onely excepted is flâ—sh of sinne because that q Idem contra Pelagium lib. 2. c. 40. ex Ambrosio of man and of the woman that is to say of the coniunction of their bodies none is without sinne and he that is without sinne is ingendred and borne without this conception And so all the rest Origen Chrysostome Anselme Fulgentius Bernard and Peter Lombard the Master of the Schoolemen all which write that the holy Virgin was conceiued in sinne and borne in iniquitie as all other men are And from thence Saint Bernard drawes an argument to condemne the feast of the conception of the Virgin Marie then newly instituted and ordained saying that r Bernard ad Canonicos Lugdun epist 174. Quum ritus ecclesiae
darkenesse the doctrine of the will is infected by the naturall peruersitie remaining yet in it the holinesse of the affections is soiled and troubled with euill villanous and disordered motions and the limmes of the body are often applied vnto filthinesse and wickednesse In like manner in regard of the Law he which is led and guided by the Spirit of Iesus is sanctified in regard of all the Commandements of the Law He findes them equally iust he affects them all hee applies himselfe to the obseruation of all of them without omitting any one and notwithstanding by reason of his frailty he cannot keepe so much as one perfectly namely with all his heart with all his soule with all his thought with all his strength for God onely without mingling therein the consideration of his owne interest which is the perfection which the Law commaunds and demaunds vnder paine of damnation IV. Because this imperfect perfection resides and remaines in all the parts of the soule and of the body as in his subiect and extendeth it selfe vnto all the parts of the Law as to his obiect it is termed The perfection of parts and is a sure marke whereby a man shall know whether he be renewed or no and whether he haue a heart without hypocrisie For the whole religion of an hypocrite is vpon the tippe of his tongue and at his fingers endes it consists wholly in words and outward shew his heart is farre from God as it is written i Mat. 15.8 This people draweth nigh vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lipps but their heart is farre from me His vnderstanding may be enlightened to know God but his heart is neuer sanctified to know God he will striue to keepe some Commandements of the Law but there will be alwaies some one or other of them that will goe against his stomack as k Mark 6.20 Herod feared Iohn knowing that he was a iust man and an holy and obserued him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly but he could not forgoe his brothers wife for all Saint Iohns warning and admonition telling him * Vers 18. that it was not lawfull for him to haue his brothers wife shewing in this one thing that he hated in his heart Gods Commandements and that he was destitute of the sanctifying Spirit which crucifies the whole man and makes him affected to all the commandements Of this perfection speakes Saint Paul when he speakes of himselfe as also of others l 1. Cor. 13.9 We know in part and 〈◊〉 prophesie in part And in this sort were Noah Abraham Aza Iob c. perfect V. But the other perfection whereof the Apostle speaketh in the next verse The Perfection of degrees * Vers 10. that when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away is the priuiledge of the Kingdome of heauen and is named the Perfection of degrees because then the Image of God shall be restored in man in the highest degree he shall haue perfection of holinesse according vnto his capacitie in euery part of his soule and body and shal perfectly keepe all the Commandements and euery one thereof In this sense m August in Ioan. tract vers Ex parte libertas ex parte seruitus nondum tota nondum pura nondum plena quia nondum plena aeternitas habemus enim ex parte infirmitatem ex parte accepimus libertatem Saint Austin saith that There is not yet a perfect libertie because the flesh lusts against the Spirit c. but libertie in part in part bondage not as yet an entire and whole libertie not yet a pure freedome nor yet full because not as yet a full eternitie For partly we haue infirmitie and feeblenesse and wee haue partly receiued liberty And he proues this by those places of Scriptures which we haue in the Episile to the Romans particularly because the Apostle saith n Rom. 7.18 To will is present with mee but how to performe that which is good I finde not When then shall bee the perfect libertie and freedome When saith hee there shall be no more enmitie and hostilitie o 1. Co. 15.26.53 54 55 when the last enemie shall be destroyed which is death for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written Death is swallowed vp in victorie O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victorie What is that to say O Death where is thy sting the flesh lusteth against the spirit c. that is to say The sâ—ing of death is sinne as the Apostle speakes and sinne is alwaies in vs vntill death and wee consequently are alwaies imperfectly perfect Saint Ierome saith to this purpose that p Hieron ad â—tesiph Haec hominibus sola perfectio si se imperfectos esse nouerint this is the onely perfection of men if they know themselues to bee imperfect VI. Secondly there are two sorts of faithfull in the Church the one lesse the other more aduanced in knowledge q Heb. 5.13.14 some are babes and haue neede of milke others are of full age perfect men and haue need of strong meate euen those who by reason of vse haue their senses exercised to discerne both good and euill These in comparison of those are called perfect And it is in this sense that Saint Paul saith r 1. Cor. 2.6 We speake wisedome among them that are perfect And in another place Let vs therfore Å¿ Phil. 3.15 as many as be perfect be thus minded He meanes VS that are more forwards and aduanced let vs be thus minded let vs haue this feeling And what feeling Surely that we are not as yet perfect as it is manifest by the words going before for he had said Not as though I had alreadie attained t Vers 12.13.14 either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Iesus Brethren I count not my selfe to haue apprehended but this one thing I doe forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth vnto those which are before I presse towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Then he adds Let vs therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded to wit saith Saint Ierome u Hieron aduers Pelag. lib. 1. Imperfectos nos esse conâ—iteri nec dum comprehendisse nec dum accepisse haec est hominis vera sapientia imperfectum esse se nosse atque vt ita loquar cunctorum in carne iustorum imperfecta perfectio est to confesse that we are imperfect that we haue not as yet apprehended not yet receiued This is the true wisdome of 〈◊〉 to know and acknowledge himselfe to be imperfect and that I may so say The perfection of all the
kept it perfectly or else he accuseth the most Iust of great malice That cannot he doe for he which keepes perfectly that which God commands him in this life is without sinne sinne being no other thing then the transgression of Gods commandements all which doe meete at one ende and abut vpon charitie b Hieron ad Rusticum epist 44. c. 4. Now there is none that is pure from sinne though his life had been but for a day saith Saint Ierome The Apostle himselfe doth openly confesse that he and all the Saints are tied to this vnauoidable necessitie of c Aug. de tempore serm 47. sinne saith Saint Austin and that doth hee confesse in the seuenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans as wee shall see in the fourth argument There is none then that keepes perfectly that which God commands him yea that can keepe himselfe all being tied to this necessitie of sinning by the flesh lusting against the Spirit and by the Law of their members warring incessantly against the Law of their minde and bringing them into captiuitie to the Law of sinne which is in their members d Rom. 7.23 Gal. 5.17 as the Apostle speaks This is more perspicuously set before our eyes by death which is saith the Scriptures e Ioshua 23.14 the way of all the earth f Heb. 9.27 it being appointed vnto men once to die It is therefore a manifest conclusion that all are sinners and by consequent all transgressours of the Commandements of God g Rom. 6.23 for the wages of sinne is death and the effect of death in the faithfull is the death of sinne h Rom. 6.7 for he that is dead is freed from sinne which made the holy Apostle to sigh and call after death i Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Now Bellarmine not being able to name any one Saint who hath been in his life pure from sinne and saying notwithstanding that they can perfectly keepe Gods Commandements hee accuseth and chargeth them with a notorious malice for what is the cause that they haue not kept the Commandements was it ignorance that was in them Noe for they knew the Commandements was it impotencie that was in them No for Bellarmine saith that they could keepe the Commandements The salt was then only in their will for three things concurre together in the reasonable creature to the producing and bringing forth of a good worke knowledge will power Now to know and to be able to doe good and not to will the doing of it is the propertie of a malicious and peruerse spirit it is a malice altogether condemned as it is written k Iames 4.17 To him that knoweth to doe good and doth it not to him it is sinne Let this be farre from Saints And therefore we will correct the saying of Bellarmine and say that the Saints and faithfull haue the wil to keepe perfectly the Commandements of God but they haue not the power and strength to doe them and that will we verifie by Saint Paul saying of himselfe l Rom. 7.18 To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not And of vs all m Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie the one to the other so that ye cannot doe the things that ye would Lastly because that all which Bellarmine writes touching the diuers degrees of perfection commanded in the Law is maintained by him for the cause and defence of the Monkish state and life which he termes n Bellar. de monach c. 2. the state of perfection I would willingly aske Bellarmine himselfe or the most holiest Monke or Frier if seeing he thinkes he can keepe the Commandements of God he hath euer kept them If he saies that he hath kept them he is a lyar For hee that keepes the Commandements hath no sinne o 1. Iohn 1. â— Now if we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. If he confesseth that he hath not kept them he confesseth himselfe to be a wicked and malicious man in that hee would not doe that which he could and by his owne confession is doubly the childe of hell p Luk. 12.47 For that seruant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes VII The third argument is this If a man could keepe the Law he should haue no neede of a Mediatour q Gal. 2.21 For if righteousnesse come by the Law then Christ is dead in vaine They answere that Christ indeede should haue died in vaine if man could keepe the Law by his naturall strength and power but it is by grace that Christians keepe it and this grace hath been giuen them through the merit of the obedience and death of Christ which for this cause is not frustrate nor in vaine An answere iniurious to Christ and altogether false For if it were so our righteousnesse and saluation should be immediately of the Law and not of Christ and Christ should not be our Sauiour but onely an instrument by the which we are ayded and enabled to keepe the Law and by the obseruation of the same made our owne sauiours What blasphemie against the Sonne of God r 1. Cor. 1.30 Who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption In as much as Å¿ 2. Cor. 5.21 God hath made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him We are then righteousnesse as he is sinne he is sinne t August Encherid cap. 41. not his owne but ours not in himselfe but in vs euen so are wee righteousnesse not our owne but that of God not in our selues but in him And marke he hath beene made vnto vs righteousnesse by God it is not written that we are made righteousnesse by him Againe we are the righteousnesse of God in him it is not said that we are the righteousnesse of God by him as by an instrument So doth the same Apostle write that u Col. 2.10 we are complete in him and not complete in our selues by him he felt it so when being as then renewed hauing been alreadie yea a long time an Apostle and neere vnto death when hauing fought a good fight kept the faith and finished his course he writes from prison vnto his Philippians that x Phil. 3.8.9 he counted all things but lesse and dung that he might winne Christ and be found in him not hauing his owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ to wit the righteousnesse which is of God by faith He would haue vs to thinke and feele it so when he wrote to vs in the person of the
and dolefull in this life that nothing is left to him but to bemoane his miserie and call after death to be deliuered of it p Vers 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Who Surely God by Iesus Christ who by the corporall death will deliuer and free the members of his body from the necessitie of sinning and will make them fully victorious ouer the flesh whence he concludes with this solemne action of thanksgiuing q Vers 25. I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord and comforts all those that are excercised with the like combat assuring them that r Rom. 8.1 Now there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus VIII The Pelagians Å¿ Hieron aduers Pelagian lib. 2. in principio in Saint Ieroms time did expound all these words of the vnregenerate man affirming that the Apostle speakes in the name and person of a man not as yet called iustified sanctified and not in his owne person There are some now adayes which maintaine the same opinion t August lib. 1. Retract c. 13. Saint Austin was at the beginning of this opinion but afterwards ouercome by the truth he retracts and recants acknowledging that in the words of the Apostle u Idem contra Iulian. li. 6. c. 11. is the groaning and heauie lamentation of the Saints warring against the concupiscence of the flesh After him x Prosper contra Collatorem c. 8. Vox vocati est sub gratiâ— constituti Prosper writing against Cassian Sâ—mipelagian and Father of many of our time saith that this sentence For to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not is the voice of a man called and that is vnder grace All the circumstances of the Text doe shew and expresse as much The Apostle speakes alwaies of himselfe and in the present tense I am carnall sold vnder sinne The things whereof he complaines cannot belong to any other then to the regenerate man for he allowes the good he wills the good he consents vnto the Law that it is good he delights in the same That is proper peculiar to a regenerate man y Psal 1.2 whose delight is in the Law of God he wills not the euil when he doth it he hates it when he doth it it is perforce as a poore gally-slue tied to his chaine is forced to goe where he would not shall we say that these words are of an infidell of a carnall man which drinketh iniquitie like water Surely the language of a carnall man is I doe that which is euill and I will doe it I doe not that which is good and I will not doe it It is his free will to will to doe euill to will not to doe good On the other side the speech of a spirituall man in this life is Alas I doe the euill which I would not doe for I hate it I doe not and cannot perfect the good I would doe I desire to perfect it for it is my delight As the language of man glorified in heauen is I doe not that which is euill and I will not doe it I doe that which is good and I will doe it Moreouer the Apostle writes that hee delights in the Law of God after the inward man there is no inward man in a carnall man he is all outward he thinkes meditates wills desires pursues and followes eagerly after outward and worldly things The Apostle feeles after such a sort his sinne and esteemes yea findes it so heauie a burden that he publisheth himselfe as it were by proclamation miserable and wretched for the same and desires death with great affection to be deliuered and freed of it The man not renewed esteemes himselfe wretched when hee sinnes not he will not liue but to sin and would not die but when he can sinne no more The Apostle comforts himselfe in the grace and mercie of Christ Iesus his Sauiour and giues him thankes for it The man not regenerate who is such a one as wee haue described in the fifth and sixth Chapter knoweth he Christ Or if he knowes him doth he loue him or call vpon him Christ may be z Ier. 12.2 neere in their mouth but farre from their reines The marke wherewith God designes them is a Psal 14.4 They call not vpon the Lord. This doctrine hath excellent vses The regenerate man is compounded of the outward and inward man of the old and new man of the flesh and spirit he hath as yet in him the infirmities of the flesh it is a remedie against pride He hath in him the Spirit of Iesus Christ his sinnes are pardoned and forgiuen him and he shall not come into condemnation This is a remedie against despaire But of this we will hereafter speake IX If Saint Paul b 2. Cor. 12.4 who was caught vp into Paradise and heard vnspeakable words which it is not lawfull for a man to vtter found and felt himselfe faint and weake and often carried away captiue by his most secret and deare infirmities if hee confesse that c 2. Cor. 12.7.9 he hath had a thorne in his flesh for remedie against the which he had neede of the grace of God none of the other Apostles could boast or glorie to haue liued without sinne Not Saint Iames for hee rankes himselfe with sinners Saint Iames. saying d Iames 3.2 In many things WE offend all e Hierom. aduersus Pelagian lib. 2. Non pauca peccata sed multa nec quorundam sed omnium posuit Saint Peter He hath not saith Saint Ierome put downe a few sinnes but many not of some few persons but of all Not Saint Peter for hee hath also said that f 1. Pet. 2.24 Iesus Christ bare OVR sinnes in his owne bodie on the tree g Hier. aduers Pelag. lib. 1. Jâ—reprehensibilis aut nullus aut rarus quiâ— enim est qui non quasi in pulchro corpore aut naeâ—um aut veâ—rucam habeat There is none that is faultlesse or they are very rare saith Saint Ierome for who is he that hath not as in a faire body a mole a wart or some naturall marke for if the Apostle saith of Saint Peter h Gal. 2.14 Saint Iohn that hee walked not vprightly according to the truth of the Gospell and was to be blamed in so much that Barnabas also was carried away with the like dissimulation who would chafe and be angry if that which the Prince of the Apostles hath not had be denied to him Not Saint Iohn who being the well beloued Disciple leaned on Iesus bosome for he also placeth himselfe amidst the number of sinners and saith i 1. Iohn 1.8 If WE say that WE haue no sinne WE deceiue our selues and the truth is not in VS And this is the voice of Saints k Aug. de peccat merit lib. 2. c. 7. Austin A
voice from whence Saint Cyprian inferres l Cypri de â—pere Elâ—emosia The Martyrs that none can bee without sinne that there remaines as yet to those which are healed some wounds that whosoeuer saith he is without sinne is either proud or senselesse Not the Martyrs for it is written of all of them m Reuel 7.14 That they washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe Then had they them soiled and distained and haue not found any thing in themselues wherewith to make them white n Reuel 14.5 These are such in whose mouth was found no guile Surely saith Saint Austin o August de peccat merit lib. 2. c. 7. because they haue reproued themselues sincerely and therefore no guile was found in their mouth For if they said that they had had no sinne they should deceiue themselues and truth should not be in them and where truth is not there is vntruth X. Not the whole Church The whole Church which so long as it warres in this vale of miserie beleeues by an article of faith the remission of sinnes not surely the sinnes of others but her owne sinnes for sinnes are pardoned to none but to the Church This is her voice p Canticles 1.5 I am blacke but comely She is not saith Saint q Bernar. in Cant Serm. 25. Bernard without some spot of blacknesse but surely here in the place of her pilgrimage for the time will 〈◊〉 when the Spouse of glory will make her glorious without spot without wrinkle and such like things But if she should now say that she hath no blacknesse at all she should deceiue her selfe and truth should not be in her Neither saith she so but contrariwise she cries incessantly vpon God in all her members r Mat. 6.12 Forgiue vs our trespasses in her most holy members For as Saint Austin saith Å¿ August in Psal 142. The excellent Rammes amongst Christe sheepe haue receiued commandement to pray so Then how much more the rest whereof none can say that he is without the contagion of â—â—â—ne that he neede not pray euen so Not Moses not Samuel not Elias not Iohn Baptist not Saint Peter not Saint Paul not Saint Iohn not any one of those that haue obtained good witnesse and testimony from God in the Scripture This voice this language â—aith t Gregor Nysse de orati domin Serm. 5. Gregorie of Nyssen appertaines vnto them all If they were now in the world liuing on earth in this humane frailty the necessitie of sinning would impose vpon them a necessitie of praying in regard of their sinnes past Forgiue vs our sinnes and in respect of their sinnes to come Leade vs not into tâ—ntation and that not onely for others but also for themselues not onely in humilitie as the Pelagians said but also in truth for saying they were sinners by humilitie and not being sinners truly they should lie through humilitie and in lying they should bee sinners as it hâ—th beene decided of old by u Concil Mileuit can 6.7.8 the Councell held at Mileuiâ—um in Numidia with denunciation of Anatheâ—â— and curse against those that made the Apostles and other Saints confessors of their sinnes for humblenesse sake in 〈◊〉 not in truth x Canon 8. Quis enim ferat â—rantem non hominibus sed ipsi Dâ—minâ— mentiâ—nâ—em It were saith the Councell to lie vnto God and not vnto men Let vs therefore conclude this argument with Saint Ieromâ— and say y Hieron ad Rusticum epist 44. If Abraham Isaac Iacob the Prophets also and Apostles haue not beene without sinne If the purest wheate hath had his straw and chaffe what can bee said of vs of whom it is written z Jerem. 23.28 What is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord CHAP. VIII I. The places aboue mentioned are expounded and vnderstood of veniall sinnes by Bellarmine II. Euery sinne is mortall in his nature which appeares III. If it be measured to God IIII. To the Law V. And to the death of Iesus Christ VI. All sinnes are veniall by grace to him that is in Christ Iesus VII Are notwithstanding some greater then othersome VIII The last Argument Neuer any Monke kept neuer could haue kept the Law BEllarmine a Bellar. de monach c. 13. §. 32.36 expounds all these places of veniall sinnes without the which we are not or are very rarely in this life notwithstanding for all this we may be iust and doe workes of supererogation II. This man when hee writ thus was doubtlesse cauterized and seated in his conscience in regard of the feeling of sinne And thus it is that now adaies they sew cushions vnder the elbow of the poore abused world and crie Peace peace to them for whom there is no peace they make many soules liue that should not liue flattering them in their sinnes by a wretched distinction of sinnes into mortall and veniall a distinction contrary vnto the Scripture which speaking of sinne in generall without distinction without limitation saith b Rom. 6.23 that the wages of sinne is death and denounceth plainely that c Ezech. 18.4 the soule that sinneth it shall die Let sinne be measured to God to the Law to Christ Iesus and they will finde that it is so III. To God d Psal 51.4 Against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight saith Dauid vnto God and the most holy men must say the like with him for can a man sinne without transgressing the Law of God and therefore without offending God And who will say that a trespasse against God is a veniall sinne Among vs men the sinne and offence multiplies according to the proportion of the person which is offended and of the place where it is committed The wrong done to a priuate person either in word or deede may bee repaired and satisfied by an honourable amends or by a pecuniarie fine and amercement but to thinke ill of his Prince is a crime of high treason to speake ill of him deserues not the gallowes not the sword but the pinsers the wheele the fire the extremest torments If a sonne rebell against his father if the seruant disobeieth his Master if the subiect despiseth the commandements of his Soueraigne the father thinkes he hath iust occasion to disinherit his son the Master to vse hardly his seruant the Lord to reiect his subiect to pursue him to prâ—scribe him to put him to death And the Creator of all the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords the Father the Redeemer the Sauiour of vs all shall bee wronged and iniured in words in thoughts in bad and wicked deedes and actions by his creatures by his seruants by his children by his subiects and shall be wronged and offended in his owne house and in his presence and some one or many of euill seruants shall call and crie vnto their fellow-mates and companions that it
there should be no difference betweene me and the Creator that I should be aduanced higher then the Angels and that I should haue that which the Angels haue not Of him namely of Christ it is written as a thing proper to himselfe he did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth If this bee common to me and Christ what had hee proper to himself And so he makes the Law possible to none but to Christ alone and attributes vnto Christ as a thing proper to him the perfect keeping of the Law But these answeres satisfie and pacifie not the conscience and therefore hee addes a third answere Thou sayest the Commandements of God are possible he speakes to the Pelagian and answeres him saying and who denieth it but how this is to bee vnderstood the chosen vessell sheweth plainely for saith he d Rom. 8.3 What the Law could not doe in that it was weake through the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh IIII. The sense and meaning is that the impossibilitie of the Law proceedes not from the Law for if a man could keepe the whole Law it would iustifie him but it comes from the flesh that is to say from the corruption of the humane nature which makes man vncapable to fulfill the Law and consequently makes the Law vnable to iustifie man But God in his mercie hath prouided and hath sent his owne Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh that is to say in the human nature altogether like vnto ours sinne excepted and in this flesh of the Sonne in our human nature which hee hath put on God hath condemned sinne surely in that he hath punisht it in the humanitie of the Sonne being made a curse for vs. And that the e Rom. 8.4 Righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs questionlesse in as much as that in our nature and in our name Christ hath satisfied the curse thereof by the curse of his crosse which is allowed of God as if we had satisfied in our owne persons as also in as much as wee being iustified by faith in Christ wee are sanctified by the Spirit of Christ and by the same guided and fashioned to the willing obedience of the Law which begins here in the place of our pilgrimage and proceedes on daily from good to better and shall be consummated perfected in our countrie the place of our rest For that none hath euer fulfilled and cannot fulfill the Law during the dayes of this life f Hieron ad Ctesiphontem Saint Ierome proues it by the Apostles example lamenting g Ro. 7.14.24 25 that he was carnall sold vnder sinne so that he cries out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death and then he comforts himselfe with his answer The grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord What say I the example of the Apostle alone when he proues h Hieron aduers Pelagia lib. 1. lib. 2. by a great number of places of the old and new testament and by the example of all the Saints that none euer hath fulfilled the Law but Iesus Christ alone who said i Mat. 5.17 I am not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill V. But to answere plainely to this obiection we will confider man in a fourefold differing state and condition in the state of his innocencie in the state of his rebellion and of his fall in the state of his regeneration and in the state of his glorification In the state of innocencie man was vpright perfectly holy perfectly righteous God gaue to this vpright holy and righteous man his iust and righteous Law possible in it selfe and possible to him which had receiued grace to be able to keepe it to be able not to transgresse it remaining in this state it did direct him vnto all perfection and he kept it in all perfection VI. But hauing allied himselfe with Satan the Prince of darkenesse and alienated himselfe from God who dwelleth in the light which no man can approch vnto he fell into darknes and hauing withdrawne himselfe from the obedience of his Creator k Psal 36.10 with whom is the fountaine of life and inthralled himselfe to his enemie l Heb. 2.14 to him that had the power of death that is the deuill he became m Ephes 2.2 Impossible to the corrupt nature dead in trespasses and sinnes and in such wise the slaue of sinne that he cannot but sinne In this state God giues him his Law which he cannot keepe not through the default of the Law but through the fault n Rom. 8.7 of the wisdome of the flesh which is enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeede can be yea it will not bee subiect to it and will not obserue it but applies her selfe with all her power to the transgression thereof Now it is not crueltie nor tyranny to require of this man the slaue of sinne the bondman of the deuill that which he cannot pay as it is not cruelty to aske of a bankrupt paiment of his debts A Tyrant exacts of his subiects that which they owe him not God exacts nothing of man but that which man had receiued of him all the heart all the soule all the thoughts the whole body and all the strength of that all What is the cause that man cleares not this debt T' is not long of God who o Eccles 7.29 hath made man vpright enriching him with all spirituall blessings but it is long of man who being an vnthrift a prodigall spend-all hath wasted and consumed the goods which he had receiued and by his owne fault is become vnable and vnapt to pay VII Furthermore a Tyrant demaunds vniustly of his subiect that which is not his due nor in the power of his subiect hath no other end then the ruine of his subiect In respect whereof notwithstanding it hath some vses 1. The Law accuseth him of sinne But God demaunding iustly of man that which man owes him iustly and whereof he cannot acquit himselfe by reason of his voluntary vnrighteousnesse seekes but mans saluation for he giues him his Law to make him see his owne debt as it is written p Rom. 3.20 2. It condemnes him of sinne By the Law is the knowledge of sinne And to make him shun and auoide Gods anger and wrath which is reuealed from heauen against him because of his debt as againe it is written q Rom. 4.15 3. In condemning him it leades him vnto Christ The Law worketh wrath that he knowing and acknowledging his infinite debt and feeling himselfe bound by the same vnto an infinite punishment hee may seeke out him who would and could answere for him as a pledge and suretie and who hath paied for him that which he owed
bonum à Christâ— nobis non imperatum sed demonstratum non mandatum sed commendâ—tum c. Bellarmine tells vs that The Counsell of perfection is a good worke not inioyned but demonstrated and shâ—wed not commanded but recommended by Christ different from a Precept in respect of the matter or subiect in the forme and in the end In the matter two waies first because the matter of a Precept is easier that of a Counsell more difficult Secondly because the matter of the Precept is good that of Counsels better and perfecter In the subiect because the precept is common to all the Counsell is not In the forme The precept bindes by his owne vertue and power but the Counsels depend on the free iudgement and free will of man In the end because the precept promiseth reward to the obseruer of it threatneth penalty and punishment against the transgressor but the Counsels not obserued hath no penaltie and obserued haue a greater reward The like in substance is written and set downe by the Author of the Pastorall Letter though more obscurely and confusedly III. They forge and inuent lyes and afterwards they define distinguish and amplifie them as truth They define them Counsels of perfection and not onely the name but the thing also is vnknowne in the Scripture That is certaine this may be easily proued by concluding arguments necessarie and indissoluble The greatest perfection that men yea the elect Angels can attaine vnto is that whereby man is made like vnto God and that is commanded to all by our Lord Iesus saying d Matth. 5.48 Be perfect euen as your Father which is in heauen is perfect Let them remaund and send packing their Sophistrie to them which seeke by their disputations the glorie of the world in their victorie not the glorie of God in the victorie of the truth let them not abuse the world with the distinction e Bellar. de Monach c. 13 §. 5. of a necessarie perfection which Christ commaunds to all and of a profitable perfection which hee recommended vnto the rich man counselling him to sell all that hee had to giue it to the poore and to follow him for there is no such beneficiall and profitable perfection as that which make vs perfect as God is perfect there is no perfection so great so to be followed as that which is commanded Christ say they counselled the rich man to sell all that hee had and giue it to the poore that was something but Christ commaunds all f Matth. 5.44 to loue their enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully vse you and persecute you This is a great deale more for a man may bestow all his goods to feede the poore and not haue charitie g 1. Cor. 13.3 according to the testimonie of Saint Paul but none can loue their enemie and not haue charitie IIII. Now charitie h Col. 3.14 is the bond of perfectnesse a bond which doth keepe vs perfectly to God as it is written i 1. Iohn 4.16 God iâ— loue and hee that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him A bond which in God vnites vs one with another makes vs one and the same body in Christ imparts and communicate to euery one that which is in all and makes common to all that which is in euery one It makes thy gift mine and my gift thine and so by the communication of gifts and of all the graues which God hath imparted to euery one it perfecteth the bodie of the Church This is the intention of the Apostle saying k 1. Cor. 3.22 Whether Paul or Apollo or Cophas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and yet are Christs and Christ is Gods This is so manifest a truth that Bellarmine himselfe confesseth it faying l Bellar. de Monach c. 2. §. 2. that the true perfection confisteth in charitie we know that it hath many degrees but her highest degree is no other thing then that which shee is namely charitie There is also none but knoweth that without any exception of degrees charitie is commanded and recommended commended to all men as being m Rom. 13.10 1. Tim. 1.5 the endâ— and fulfilling of the Law to the fulfilling of the which we are bound Therefore charitie being the best perfection and charity being the excellentest and greatest perfection and no worke being acceptable vnto God but that which springeth from faith which worketh by charitie he that seekes for a better and greater perfection by I know not what Counsels is but ill counselled and aduised and hee that perswades himselfe that he may attaine vnto it is ignorant of two things of the excellent perfection of charitie and of the great imperfection of his owne nature an enemie to charitie for n Rom. 8.7 the carnall minde is enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can bee V. The whole Law is comprised in charitie and this charitie consists in two points o Mark 12.30 31. The first and the greatest is Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength and with all thy minde The second like vnto this is Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe This is that which euery man must doe this is all which the holiest and perfectest man can doe p Eccles 12.13 Feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole dutie of man saith Salomon Wherefore there remaines nothing else to be done God hauing commanded that all the parts of man and all his strength powers and faculties be incessantly and for euer exercised in charity towards him and in charitie towards his neighbour according to him To what purpose then is this cauilling so much To what ende O Bellarmine so great a cloud of expositions diuisions corollaries to darken the Sunne Tell me if man can do more then loue God with all his heart with all his soule with all his minde with all his strength The Angels the Saints that are with God can they doe more then that If no creature heauenly nor earthly If Iesus Christ Man in as much as man though holy without measure could do no more to what purpose then these Counsels After that the whole soule the whole boast the whole minde all the powers and faculties haue been and are imploied and occupied in the loue due to God doth there remaine in vs any part any facultie that may be spared to be imploied and busied in Counsels not commanded not due VI. He thinks to shift off this and saith q Bell. de Monach c. 13. §. 11. that to loue God with all his heart and with all his soule is nothing else but to loue him truely sincerely without faining without dissimulation and that to loue him with all his
any not vnderstanding the language of Canaan striues against the sound doctrine imagining in himself that Iob for being better then other men was without sinne before God he will be conuinced of error by Iobs owne booke there shall he finde Eliphas preaching q Iob 4.17 Hier. aduers Pelag. lib. 2. Shall mort all man be more iust then God shall a man be more pure then his Maker Behold be put no trust in his seruants and his Angels he charged with fally How much lesse on them that dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust which are crushed before the moth A Sermon whence Saint Ierome inferres r Hier. aduers Jouian lib. 2. Angelos quoque omnum creaturam peccare posse that the Angels themselues and all creatures may sinne There also shall he finde the same Eliphas preaching againe Å¿ Iob 15.14.15.16 What is man that he should be should be cleane and he which is borne of a woman that he should be righteous Behold be putteth no trust in his Saints yea the Heauens are not cleane in his sight How much more abominable and filthie is man which drinketh iniquitie like water A sentence from the which Saint Hierome implies that euery man is a sinner t Hieron ad Rusticum epist 44. circa sinne There is none saith he pure from sinne though his life were but a day Now the yeeres of his life are many The starres themselues are not cleane and pure in his presence and he hath found some peruersitie in his Angels Si in caelo peccatum quanto magis in terra If there be sinne in heauen how much more on earth if there be trespasse or omission of dutie in those which are without corporall tentation how much more in vs that are compassed about with this weake flesh and may say with the Apostle u Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death There shall he finde Iob agreeing and consenting vnto this holy doctrine and sighing forth these true words from the bottom of his heart x Hieron aduers Pelag. lib. 1. Job 9.2 I know it is so of a truth but how should man be iust with God If he will contend with him he cannot answere him one of a thousand How much lesse shall I answere him and chuse out my words to reason with him whom though I were righteous yet would not I answere but I would make supplication to my Iudge If I iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth shall condemne me If I say I am perfect it shall also proue me peruerse If I wash my selfe with snow water and make my hands neuer so cleane yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and mine owne clothes shall abhorre me There shall he finde God himselfe rebuking Iob and reprouing him of his sinne for that a Iob 38.2 he darkened counsell by words without knowledge and Iob confessing his sinne and saying to him b Iob 40.4.5 Behold I am vile what shall I answere thee I will lay my band vpon my mouth once haue I spoken but I will not answere yea twice but I will proceede no further c Iob 4â— 6 wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes V. Such was the condition of all those that haue liued from Abel vntill the Law which being come hath not diminished sinne but hath augmented it hath not quickned nor giuen life to them that followed it but hath killed them and put them to death hath not made any one iust but hath condemned the most iust and righteous among them in discouering their vnrighteousnes When the Morall Law was giuen after a manner fitting the Maiestie of the Law-giuer and sutable vnto the iustice and rigour of the same d Heb. 12.19.21 They that heard it entreated that the Word should not be spoken to them any more And so terrible was the sight that Moses said Moses I exceedingly feare and quake euen that Moses notwithstanding who c Numb 12.3 was very meeke aboue all the men which were vpon the face of the earth with whom the Lord spake f Numb 12.8 mouth to mouth and not in darke speeches and by whose hand the Lord gaue the Law when God published his Law he must needes haue trembled because hee saw in the same the Iustice of God and his owne vnrighteousnesse Surely if any could haue beene conformable to the iustice and vprightnesse of the same it was he that was the mediatour and it is of him that wee haue the confession of his sin and of the people g Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance It is he himselfe which hath written the historie of his vnbeliefe and of that of Aaron his brother Aaron when they glorified not God at the waters of strife for which cause the Lord spake vnto them saying h Numb 20.12 Chrysost de pâ—niten homil 6. to 5. Because ye beleeue me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I haue giuen them Moses who gaue the Law Aaron who kept the Law the one a Prophet and Leader of the people the other the High-Priest and Teacher of the people who should haue been pure from sinne so holy without spot without vice as these especially that carried written on his forehead i Exo. 28.36.38 HOLINES TO THE LORD that in his Priesthood did represent Iesus Christ the High-Priest of his Church who is the holy of holy ones k Exod. 30.10 Leuit. 16.2 Heb. 9.7 who alone went into the holy place who only bare vpon his brest the Vrim and Thummim alone saw the Arke of the Testimonie who onely asked at the mouth of the Lord who answered him from betweene the Cherubins couering the Arke It is hee notwithstanding that made l Exod. 32 4. a molten calfe and said to the people These bee thy Gods O Israel which brought thee vp out of the land of Egypt He with his sister Miriam a Prophetesse m Numb 12.1 All the Priests spake against Moses It is he who with all the Priests that should succeede him was expressely commanded to offer sacrifice once euery yeere and to n Leuit. 16.17 Heb. 9.7 mâ—ke an attonement for himselfe and for his house-hold and for all the Congregation of Israel VI. They which are come after them haue not been better for sinne doth propagate it selfe alwaies from the fathers to the children and passeth from the one to the other without sparing of any one the whole world is his nurse-child Excellent things are said of Dauid by him Dauid which saith alwaies true o 1. King 14.8 He hath kâ—pt saith he my Commandements and hath followed me with all hâ—s heart to doe that onely which was right in mine eyes Vnderstand that onely
Couenant and therefore an Apocryphall booke which may bee read for the instruction of our life as being full of holy instructions and documents touching manners but not for confirmation of Ecclesiasticall doctrine and of faith a booke which Bellarmine confesseth hath been compiled and made by a certaine Philon before Christs time of whom no Historiographer makes mention but which Ierom Lyrinensis Sixtâ—s Senensis Bâ—â—auentura Briton c. doe witnesse to be the work of Philon the most learned among the Iewes who liued in the time of the Apostles but did not adhere nor sticke fast vnto the Apostles and could not make any Canonicall booke appertaining vnto the old Testament i Bellar. de verbo Dâ—i li. 1. c. 13. which hath been finished and perfected in the death of our Sauiour to giue place to the New It is then vnfitly and little to the purpose that Bellarmine alleageth and vrgeth it to strengthen his opinion XI Notwithstanding that which he alleageth serues nothing to his purpose We reade there k Wisedome 3.13.14.15 Blessed is the barren that is vndefiled which hath not knowne the sinfull bed she shall haue fruit in the visitation of soules And blessed is the Eunuch which with his hâ—nds hath wrought no iniquitie nor imagined wicked things against God for vnto him shall be giuen the special gift of faith and an inheritance in the Temple of the Lord more acceptable to his mind for glorious is the fruit of good labours and the roote of wisedome shall neuer fall away This exquisite grace and gift of faith giuen vnto the Eunuch is saith Bellarmine a certaine singular gift answering to his faithfulnesse But let vs see what he speakes of he had said that grace and mercie is to his Saints and he hath care for his elect Vers 9. But the vngodly shall bee punished according to their owne imaginations c. He proues the one and the other part of his saying by a comparison of a woman hauing children which feares not God with a barren woman that feares him and by another comparison of an Eunuch with an adulterer Who so despiseth wisdome and nurture is miserable c. their wiues are foolish and their children wicked their of-spring is cursed He opposeth to these women the barren woman namely that woman who being married hath no children because she is barren and saith Blessed is the barren because saith Lyrinensis l Lyrinens in sapient c. 3. Quia licêt sit in matrimonio non tamen habet filios in eius ignominiam cedentes she hath no children although she be married which may make her a shame and dishonour her And what barren woman She that is vndefiled for saith he if she were barren and an adulteresse she should not be happy but miserable It is she which hath not knowne the sinfull bed She hath knowne the bed because she is married but not in sinne because m Heb. 13.4 that marriage is honourable in all and the bed vndefiled she shall haue fruite in the visitation of soules she shall receiue it from God for her coâ—iâ—gall chastitie better then if she had sonnes and daughters This barren woman therefore is not she which liues in the state of Virginitie which cannot be called barren yea cannot know whether she be barren The same Lyrinensis saith of the Eunuch That it is he which is vnable to ingender and that the exquisit gift of faith which shall bee giuen him is not any singular gift answering his fidelitie but the gift of glory giuen for his faith Donum gloriae quod pro fide formata charitate working by loue a gift common to all the elect a condition in the Temple of the Lord acceptable to his minde surely acceptable and worthy to be wished for aboue any other condition a thing to bee desired and asked of all men aboue all things n Psal 27.4 One thing haue I desired of the Lord saith Dauid that I will seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple This is that which is promised to the Eunuch depriued by reason of his impotencie of all hope of off-spring This is his comfort whereunto is opposed the desolation and miserie of the adulterer As for the children of adulterers saith Philo they shall not come to their perfection and the seede of an vnrighteous bed shall be rooted out c. Therefore he saith that the condition of Eunuches is better then that of adulterers and who doubts of that But hee saith not that the Eunuches are more happie and blessed then they which are married except they say that all married folkes are adulterers and that marriage is more o Heb. 13.4 the bed vndefiled Lastly Bellarmine confesseth that this place is like to that of Isaiah alleaged heretofore wherefore if he hath in vaine and with no effect built his Counsels vpon Isaiahs words which are canonicall these then which are Apocrypha will serue him to no purpose no more then a staffe which is nought but a broken reede CHAP. XVI I. As the pretended Counsels are not to bee found in the old Testament no more are they to be found in the New II. Bellarmines third obiection taken from the parable of the ground bringing forth an hundred sixtie thirtie â—old III. The true meaning of the Parable is expounded and Bellarmines exposition refuted IIII. The fourth obiection concerning the Eunuches which haue made themselues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauens sake V. The true sense of the wordes of our Sauiour Christ. VI. In those words the Lord giueth a precept to them which haue the gift of continencie and chastitie VII To make himselfe an Eunuch for the Kingdome of Heauen is not to abstaine from matrimonie to merit eternall life as Bellarmine saith VIII But to aduance the Kingdome of God according vnto the testimonie of Lyrinensis and of Ferus IX Another interpretation of this place X. The Argument retorted and returned vpon the Aduersarie ORigen writes a Origen â—nâ— Mat. Homil. 25. that for the testimonie of our words which wee produce and alleage in doctrine wee ought to propound and set forth the sense of the Scripture confirming the sense and meaning which we expound For euen as all the gold which shall be without the Temple shall not bee sanctified euen so all sense which shall be without the holy Scripture although it seemes admirable to some is not holy because it is not contained in the sense of the Scripture which hath accustomed to sanctifie it Bellarmine and the Author of the Pastorall Letter doe alleage Scripture for confirmation of their pretended Counsels but against the sense yea euen against the very words of the Scriptures which make no mention at all of Counsels neither in word nor in sense The Scriptures are contained in the oracles of ancient Prophets in the bookes of