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
with the life of man p Idem de oratione Abel And the Scriptures doe teach vs that there cannot be found any man whatsoeuer that liues a day without spot III. Witnesse Abel q Heb. 11.4 who by faith offered vnto God a more excellent sacrifice then Kaine by which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts If by faith surely not by his workes not by the merite of his sacrifice but by the merit of the Lambe without blemish and spot the onely and perfect obiect of faith represented and exhibited by and in the first sacrifice in the offering of the which the holy man did affirme earnestly and auouch openly and solemnely his death-worthy demerits did sigh and groane after the merits of his Sauiour did imbrace his sacrifice by saith to haue life by it If as yet man doubts let him consider that he is dead that by his death we iudge and deeme of his sinne as of the cause by the effect r Rom. 5.12 Noah For by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death passed vpon all men for that all haue sinned Witnesse Noah who hath testimonie Å¿ Genes 6.9 that he was a iust man and perfect in his generation and walked with God but not that hee was without sinne for after hee had found grace in the eyes of the Lord in the ruine of the world by the Flood the Scripture discouers his infirmitie and accuseth him t Genes 9.21 for that he dranke of the wine of his vineyard was drunken and was vncouered within his tent He was then iust according to that righteousnesse whereof it is said u Prou. 24.16 The iust man falleth seuen times and riseth vp againe According to the which it is also said x Ezech. 18.22 33.19 that the transgressions of the wicked shall not be mentioned vnto him shall not hurt him at what hower soeuer he returnes from his waies vnto the Lord y Hieron ad Rusticum epist 44. saith Saint Hierome Iust therefore and righteous in and by acknowledging himselfe to be vniust and vnrighteous prosecuting this acknowledgement addicting and applying himselfe to righteousnesse and not as hauing attained vnto the perfection thereof witnesse z Abraham Abraham of whom alreadie iustified by faith renewed already abounding as then in good workes The Apostle writeth a Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath whereof to glory but not before God He iustified himselfe that is to say hee approued and shewed himselfe iust by his workes towards men when he offered his sonne Isaac as Saint b Iam. 2.21 Iames obserues And that thirtie yeeres after that the Scripture witnesseth of him that he had beene iustified by faith before God For this sentence of holy Dauid wholly giuen to the obseruation of the Law repeated and confirmed by Saint Paul shall for euer remaine firme c Psal 143.2 Rom. 3.20 Faith iustifies man before God Workes iustifie man before men By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh bee instified in the sight of God Faith imbracing Christs righteousnes for the remission of sinnes iustifies the person before God good workes which proceede alwaies from man which is iustified and which did neuer precede or goe before to iustifie him iustifies the person before men The proofes are manifest for Abraham after he was d Chrys de penitent hom 6. tom 5. infidelitate Sancti peccauit Abraham iustified by faith sinned through vnbeliefe and therefore did not escape Gods punishment so that his seede did serue foure hundred yeeres saith Saint Chrysostome e Genes 16.2.3 and that also when he tooke Agar to wife to giue by hereffect to the promise of God touching the blessed seede not perswading himselfe as then that God would raise and giue him it by his barren and old wife of fourescore yeeres Then also when distrusting of Gods prouidence and protection he concealed a part of the truth calling her onely his sister and causing her to say so for the which he was iustly reproued by Alimelech Furthermore after that he was iustified God gaue circumcision g Rom. 4.11 to bee a seale of the righteousnesse of the faith vnto him which he had yet being vncircumcised a seale I say on Gods part for the remission of his sinnes in the bloud of Iesus Christ the which hee did apprehend by faith in the effusion of his owne and of all his wherefore Christ saith of him h John 8.56 Abraham reioyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad A Sacrament also to bee to him on his side a signe of his dutâ—e towards his God to circumcise daily the foreskinne of his heart i Col. 2.11 in putting off the body of â—he sinnes of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ If Abraham the Father of all those which belieue being in vncircumcision and Father of the Circumcision was a finner before and after his iustification and had neede of the grace and mercie of his God to be saued shall we beleeue that his children haue been more holy more righteous and iust and lesse sinners then he witnesse his sonne Isaac Isaac who by a like distrust told a lie concerning his wife to the inhabitants of Gerar saying k Gen. 26.7 she is my sister fearing that the inhabitants and men of the place should kill him for her sake because she was faire to looke vpon Which diffidence and lye was so much the greater because God commanded him to remaine and stay there with promise of his protection telling him l Gen. 26.3 Iacob Soiourne in this land and I will bee with thee and will blesse thee Witnesse Iacob who vpon his death-bed renounced all his workes asking and crauing mercy and grace cried vnto his God m Gen. 49.18 I haue waited for thy saluation O Lord to wit the Lord Iesus who was to come n Mat. 18 11. to saue that which was lost and by reason of this charge and office is named o Luke 3.6 the saluation of God Witnesse all the Patriarkes all whom the Scripture incloseth and concludeth vnder sinne that their children presume not to be without sinne but that feeling themselues attainted with the corruption dwelling in them of necessity they must confesse and say we are no better then our fore-fathers and that so p Chrysost de poenit hom 6. tom 5. Quò solus ipse in hominis corpore sine peccato inueniatur Iob. Christ be found alone in the body of man without sinne IIII. Witnesse among an infinite number of others the holy man Iob whom God himselfe commends to haue beene perfect beyond comparison and without his like in the world * Iob 2.8 There is none like him in the earth saith God a perfect and an vpright man one that feareth God and escheweth euill A great commendation and incident to few persons Now if
measure to the regenerate man by grace by the increasing of grace it is possible to man glorified in all sorts and manners and is not impossible but to the carnall man by his owne fault and not by any fault of the Law CHAP. XII I. The fifth Obiection The Commandements are not grieuous to the regenerate man according to the Scriptures II. Saint Ieromes Answers to this Pelagian obiection III. The Commandements are not grieuous for diuers considerations IIII. The sixth Obiection Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sinne now if he commit not sinne hee keepes perfectly the Law V. Saint Ieromes and Saint Austins Answere to this Pelagian obiection He commits not sinne as he is a regenerate man VI. An other Answer He sinnes not with a full and intire consent of the will BVt they againe a Bellar. de monach cap. 13. vers 28. reply malepartly Obiection 5 and will make the Law in such perfection possible to the regenerate man that hee may keepe it without transgressing it because Christ saith b Ma. 11.29.30 Take my yoke vpon you for my yoke is easie and my burden is light And Saint Iohn saith c 1. Iohn 5.3 that his Commandements are not grieuous II. This obiection is also of the Pelagians to the which d Hieron aduers Pelag. lib. 2. Saint Ierome answeres that that is said in comparison of the superstition of the Iewes who had diuers sorts of ceremonies which none could fulfill literally nor precisely and in comparison of that sentence of Saint Peter e Act. 15.10 Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke vpon the necke of the Disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare And this yoke is extended by Saint Ierome euen vnto the Morall Law as it appeares by infinite instances which hee drawes from thence shewing that in them all man is made a transgressor whence he pronounceth these sentences So long as we liue wee are in the combat and so long as we fight and warre there is no certaine and sure victorie The Apostle and all the faithfull cannot doe that which they would Obserue The Apostle then how much lesse the other faithfull Againe f 1. Iohn 1.5 Ostendit omnium aliorum lumina aliquâ sorde maculari God saith he is called light and in him is no darkenesse at all when he saith there is no darkenesse at all in the light of God he declares that all other mens lights are tainted with some filth and pollution Lastly the Apostles are called the light of the world but it is not written that there is no darkenesse at all in the Apostles light III. Wee answere therefore that the yoke of Christ is not the Morall Law considered in her strictnesse and rigour for the Apostle saith g Rom. 6.14 Ye are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace The yoke of Christ is the doctrine of the Gospell wherein we finde a remedie against the yoke of the Law which commands to doe that which surpasseth the strength of the whole man liuing giues him no strength to doe it and notwithstanding accuseth him curseth him rackes and torments him if he doth it not as h Exod. 5.6.7.8 Pharaoh who did impose a great task on the Israelites Ye shall giue saith he to the Taske-masters of the people the people no more straw to make brick as heretofore let them go and gather straw for themselues the tale of the bricks which they did make heretofore you shall lay vpon them you shall not diminish ought thereof let there more worke be laide vpon the men and so increasing the Israelites taske did beate the Officers demaunding of them Wherefore haue yee not fulfilled your taske in making bricke both yesterday and to day as heretofore True it is that Pharaoh exacted tyrannously that which was not due to him but the Law exacts iustly that whereunto we are bound by right of Creation and Redemption And God had giuen vs straw which we hauing burned and consumed the Law is by our fault become to vs yoke of iron whereof wee are freed by the Gospell wherein Christ is propounded vnto vs easing vs yea deliuering vs frō this hard bondage two manner of waies First he disburdens vs of all that which is troublesome and intolerable in the Law as namely from the curse of the Law i Gal. 3.13 For Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law being made a curse for vs. Secondly hee creates in vs a cleane heart and renewes a right spirit within vs suggesting and ministring in vs new force and strength to wrastle with our flesh an enemie to the Law In this manner the yoke of Christ the Gospell of Iesus Christ as the ordinarie Glosse also expounds it is easie his burthen is light Thus Gods Commandements are not grieuous to wit to him which is in Christ for they can neither accuse him not condemne him but they are to him pleasant delightfull easie and acceptable For as Saint Iohn adds k 1. John 5.4 what soeuer is borne of God ouercommeth the world and this is the victory that ouercommeth the world namely euen our faith They are therefore easie to faith but hard yea impossible to the flesh And because the flesh is mingled with faith and that our spirituall strength is weakened by our naturall infirmitie they are to vs ioyntly both easie and hard possible and impossible grieuous and pleasant heauie and light and shall bee so vntill that our old man be wholly destroyed and our new man bee perfectly re-established after the Image of him that created him IIII. He which hath not a feeling of these things Obiection 6 Bellar. de iustif lib. 4. c. 13. para vltimo hath a leprous cauterized and putrified soule but such a one feeles them that makes as if he did not feele them and against his feeling and conscience seekes yet euen in the Scripture whereupon to ground falsehood and vntruth He that sinnes not transgresseth not the Law but fulfilleth it say they * 1. Iohn 3.9 But whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seede remaineth in him and hee cannot sinne because he is borne of God saith Saint Iohn therefore whosoeuer is borne of God transgresseth not the Law but keepeth it V. Too much of one thing is death to the Reader they do nothing but set before vs the vnsauorie coleworts of the Pelagians for this obiection is also of the Pelagians S. l Hieron aduers Pelag. lib. 1. Ierome resolues it opposing vnto it another sentence of S. Iohn m 1. Iohn 1.8 If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. How then doe these things agree together is there any contradiction in the Apostle God forbid But there are tares with this seede of God saith Saint Ierome that shall not be separated from the wheate vntill the ende of the world In as much
of the Roman Clergie meddle with the reading of the Scriptures What haue they gone vp to the mountaine with Moses Haue they succeeded Moses Are they yet â—cere Sinai Doe they not thinke that they are as yet come vnto the mountaine of Sion to the heauenly Ierusalem VI. Mens Allegories are vncertaine so are their opinions when they are not conformable to the truth and certaintie of the Scriptures For mans reason cannot be a principle of that faith that I must haue in God and notwithstanding this man destitute of places of Scripture hath imagined and presumed to disâ—wade vs and withdraw vs from the reading of that Epistle that God hath sent directed to vs by I know not what most impertinent allegories out of the fabricâ—e of Pope Innocent and being vncertaine of the good successe of them he strengthens them with a sentence of Saint Hieroâ—â— a man I hope and not an Angell not an Apostle not such a one in whose writings there may or cannot be nothing omitted or desired and therefore not such a one as whose writings ought to giue law to the Church concerning what she ought to doe and eschew This we say to testifie that the holy Scripture doth onely binde the consciences of the faithfull who are the seruants members brethren of Christ redeemed of him and not of men not by men Besides we feare not S. Hieroms words that are contrarie to the intention of the Author that cites the place h Hieron in epist ad Paulinum No men saith hee presume in any occupation to teach that which they neuer learned the Artificer meddleth with his owne Trade the Physitian with his owne Science only the art of Scripture is that which euery man challengeth this the chatting old wife this the doting old man this the brabbling Sophister this on euery hand men presume to teach before they learne it A complaint surely that serues for vs for by it we learne that in Saint Hieroms time all did handle and reade the Scriptures the which he condemnes not but reproues onely the saucines and boldnesse of those which presumed to teach before they had learned them Docent saith he antequam discant for we haue heretofore seene l Hieron in Coloss 3. that he approues Lay-men should haue the knowledge and vnderstanding of the Scriptures not onely sufficiently but also plenteously And we may see by one sentence amongst an hundred which we will here set downe in counterchange of his sentence that he recommendâ— the study of holy Scriptures to women also VII For thus he exhorts Laeta a holy woman to bring vp and instruct her daughter in the reading of the holy Scripture k Idem ad Laetam That first of all she anow and approue of the Psalter and withdraw her selfe by those Canticles that she be instructed to liue in the Prouerbs of Salomon that in the Ecclesiastes shee enures her selfe to defie the world and trample it vnder her feete That shee follow the examples of vertue and patience in Iob that from thence she passe and go to the Euangelists and neuer let them part from her hands that with all her heart and desire she drinke of the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles and when she hath enriched the coller of her soule with these â—rnameÌ„ts deckt it with these riches let her coune the Prophets and learne without booke the fiue bookes of Moses the bookes of the Kings and the Chronicles the volumes of Esaras and of Ester and at last she may learne without danger the Canticle of Canticles and let her abstaine from all Apocriphall bookes He that gaue this counsell to a maide did not contradict himselfe in making a complaint against those that follow it he blames onely the ignorant that made a trade to teach that which they did not know The like complaint would he make if he liued in these daies in the which the ignorance of Cardinals Bishops and Curats that make profession to teach the holy Scriptures the which they neuer learnt their ignorance I say is so great that the Iesuites haue beene absolutely necessarie to supply this want and defection euen by the proper confession of the Author of the Pastorall Letter VIII Vniustly therefore doth he complaine l Pag. 39. Pag. 6. that there is none but that speakes freely of the points of Religion of Precepts and Euangelicall Counsels c. For if euery Artificer speakes without blame of his Trade as Saint Hierome hath said heretofore who can blame the Christian speaking of his The Trade of a Christian is a Religion pure and sporlesse his vocation is to obey the precepts of his God to follow the counsels of his Sauiour What ill doth the religious to speake of his Religion to make enquirie of it to learne it to the ende hee may the better practise it doth the seruant offend that ponders diligently his Masters commandements to put them in execution and the Christian can hee exercise himselfe better then in a diligent search and serious inquisition of the Counsels of Christ Iesus his Head and Lord to conforme himselfe to them And is it not said in the Pastorall letter Pag. 6. that all the Scripture is giuen of God for our instruction and what is that to say I pray you but that wee must reade it meditate it turne ouer and ouer the leaues of that booke speake of it day and night at all times in all places amongst all sort of persons All what is giuen of God for our instruction ought to be read of vs and we ought to speake of it vncessantly all the Scripture hath been giuen vs by God for our instruction saith the Author of the Pastoral letter after Saint Paul all the Scripture therefore ought to be read of euery one of vs. This is a very peremptorie reason and therefore wee may well change the complaint and grieue and moane with anguish of minde that they haue taken the vse and reading of the Scripture from the people that amongst them of whom they complaine there are few or none that reade the Scripture that know why the Sonne of God became Man what is the vertue of his death and the efficacie of his resurrection contrariwise there are an infinit number of those that beleeue â—ables forged and deuised artificially to be Gospell and that goe out of this world ere they haue learnt why God did place them in it IX Good Chrysostome exhorted in his daies all Christians to reade the Scriptures and did blame those that did not reade them and did exclame against them m Chrysost hom 16. in Ioan. Turpe est si quilibet artifex artissuae rationem reddere posset Christianus autem suae professionis non posset O what a shame is it that euery Artificer can render a reason of his Trade and that the Christian can giue no reason of his profession and now the Romish Bishops exhorts them to leaue the Scriptures and
Scribit sibi millia quinque Esse domi Chlamydum partenâ— vel tolleret omnes Exilis domus est vbi non plura supersunt Et Dominum fallunt prosunt furibus But in lieu and recompence of that they take all the bootie skin and all of the poore misused and guld foole who is desirous of their Merchandize he shal and must giue all his goods to the Cloyster will leaue by his testament hunger to his children pouertie to his parents and bequeath to the Monks and Friers and to their paunches and bellies all his goods his body to the Monastery his soule to their deuotions they refuse nothing they take all like the horseleech that hath two daughters which crie r Pro. 30.15 16. Giue giue and like vnto the graue the barren wombe and the earth that is not filled with water and the fire that saith not It is enough Their saying is Hic datur expoui paradifus venditioni Let them also heare that which Saint Peter saith to Simon the Magician Å¿ Act. 8.20 Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money And that of an Ancient registred in the Canon Law t 1. quaes 1. caus 12. Quicunque anathema danti anathema accipienti c. Accursed be the giuer Accursed be the receiuer This is the Simoniac all heresie How then if they be accursed and are not holy can they sanctifie others How can he that is accursed blesse IIII. Notwithstanding all this brokage and all this traffick if we will accept and admit of the saying of those that admire it is an Euangelicall life grounded vpon that which they tearme u Bellar. prafat in lib. de monachis Counsels of perfection Euangelicall Counsels which are the baste ground and foundation of the whole monasticall building Counsels which the Author of the Pastorall Letter exhorts euery one to follow with great promises of superabundance of glory to the superabundance and supererogation of their workes and with threatnings of excommunication and cutting off from the Church in this world and of eternal death in the other world to all them which shall disswade and diuert their children their parents or any others from so holy a purpose or they that oppose themselus to it or that hinder it Thus did the false Prophets in old time promise and threaten they did fill and stuffe with vaine and deceitfull hopes those whom they could seduce and with frighting and terrour those which would not heare them Wherefore if we shew as plainely and clearely as the Sunne is at noone-tide that Christ hath neuer counselled these things the Apostles neuer heard a word of them that there is no mention of them neither in the Law nor in the Gospell and that falsely they crie the Lord hath said it when as the Lord hath neuer spoken it may we not lawfully apply old things to new and cry and say vnto these faire promisers and terrible threatners x Ezech. 13.22 With lyes ye haue made the heart of the righteous sad whom I haue not made sad and strengthe â—â—d the hands of the wicked that he should not returne from his wicked way that I should saue his life A Father bringing vp his children in that religion which is approued by the parties is threatned with excommunication and eternall damnation for this onely cause that beleeuing himselfe to be a Christian by consequent not beleeuing the Christian religion to be tied to any order he requires of his children the honour and obedience that they owe him according to God and the children who either by seducing or vitious inclination doe steale and go away from their fathers and mothers forsakes them and rebells against them are incouraged and imboldened in their impiety and rebellion by the promises of a Paradise in picture and of I know not what greater perfection of glory then euer had Adam and Eue the parents of all the liuing Abraham and Sarah the parents of the faithfull the Patriarches then Dauid Iehosaphat Iosias then all the Prophets all the Apostles and Euangelists and a thousand million of Saints that were neuer Monkes or Friers euer had y Iob 13.12.13 Your remembrances are like vnto ashes and your bodies to bodies of clay hold your peace let mee alone that I may speake and let come on me what will CHAP. II. I. The Author of the Pastorall Letter saith that the Euangelicall Counsels are of the Law II. That is refuted by the declaration of the difference there is betweene the Law and the Gospell III. The Law alwaies commaunds and neuer counsels IIII. If the Counsels were of the Law all should be bound to obserue them V. As they are not of the Law so are they not of the Gospell THe Lord said of the Prophets of Iuda which prophesied out of their owne hearts a Ier. 23.22 If they had stood in my counsell they had caused my people to heare my words If then the Author of the Pastoral Letter who preacheth to vs nothing but Euangelicall Counsels hath stood in the Gospell of God hee will proue his Counsels by Gods words All the words of God are in the holy Scriptures he will then proue them to vs by the holy Scriptures The holy Scriptures are wholly comprehended in the Law and in the Gospell hee will then finde them and light on them either in this or in that in the one or in the other he makes them parts of the Law let vs here his words Now deare soules Pag. 8. The Law of God consists in two points to depart from euill and to imbrace and doe good The first comprehends all that is forbidden which wee terme negatiue precepts The second that which is commanded to be done and that againe is diuided into Precepts and Counsels c. II. Iob said to his friends whom he called b Iob 13.4 5. forgers of lies Physicians of no value O that you would altogether hold your peace c Prou. 17.28 and it should be your wisedome euen a foole when he holdeth his peace is counted wise and he that shutteeh his lipps is esteemed a man of vnderstanding That should haue been practised here for there is no truth no wisedome in all his words these Counsels are termed by the Author of this Letter Euangelicall Counsels How then doth he say that they are of the Law I think that he knowes not that the Law and the Gospell differ not in circumstance onely but in substance first the Law proposeth and sets forth the iustice of God wholly naked simple absolute without any mention of mercie the Gospell propounds and sets before our eyes the Iustice of God ioyned with his Mercy the Iustice of God on Iesus Christ our pledge d 2. Cor. 5.21 who hath been made sinne for vs the Mercy of God towards vs that are made the righteousnesse of God in him So Saint e Acts 13.39 Paul By
not as a principall debtor Thus Saint Paul writes r Gal. 3.24 The law was our Schoole-master to bring vs to Christ that we might be iustified by faith The ancient Fathers haue acknowledged these vses of the Law saying that the Law doth profit vs in as much as it makes vs confesse that which wee denie acknowledge our sinne and couer no more our vnrighteousnesse in as much also that it shewes to vs ſ Ambros de Iacob vita beata lib. 1. c. 6. August de spiritu titera c. 5. seq our infirmitie that hauing our recourse and refuge by faith to the mercy of God in Iesus Christ we may be healed These bee the reasons why God giues his Law to the vnregenerate man which cannot fulfill it By it he accuseth and conuinceth him of sinne hee condemnes him for his sinne to this intent that from being proud he may waxe humble that seeing that feeling thereby his maladie he may cry to the throne of grace and aske for the Phisitian that finding himselfe the slaue of sinne he may implore the helpe of the Redeemer In a word acknowledging that he cannot doe that which the Law commaunds he may haue his recourse and retraite to the grace of God in Iesus Christ in whō as in our Head Pledge and Surety God hath punished in his most rigorous and seuere iustice all our sinnes committed against the Law and forgiuen vs all of them in his greatest mercie When man is thus of great made little when from whole and sound that he thought he was he findes himselfe mortally sicke from being aliue he feeles himselfe dead when he sees hell open to swallow him vp without hope of recouerie and so is as it were reduced and brought to despaire then is he disposed and prepared to receiue his Patent of pardon to heare the good newes of the preaching of faith for the Law leades him to the Gospell Moses to Christ the preaching of the righteousnesse by workes to the preaching of the righteousnesse by faith But if the naturall man makes not this vse nor benefit of the Law and is not moued and stirred vp to seeke Christ 4. It vvill restraine and bridle the outward man yet it will in him profit and auaile another in as much as it will curbe the outward man and will musle him with bridle and bit keeping him by the threatnings of punishment and damnation in his dutie and constraining him to doe in the Church and Common-wealth the good hee hates and which hee would not doe with out this compulsion The Apostle had respect to all these vses of the Law when hee said t 1. Tim. 1.9 That the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawlesse and disobedient c. For it accuseth condemneth astonisheth the wicked and will they nill they in spight of their hearts rangeth them outwardly to their dutie VIII But as for the righteous Ho◠the Law is possible to nature renewed which are iustified in the bloud of our Lord Iesus and sanctified by the Spirit of our God the Law can neither accuse them nor condemne them as it is written u Rom. 8.33.34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that iustifieth Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus It cannot also compell them as they are regenerate for they haue the Law written in their hearts and they x Psal 110.3 are a willing people and as Dauid saith of himselfe y Psal 119. they set before their eies all the Commandements loue them reioyce and take their delight in them z Psal 1.2 they meditate day and night in his law being renewed as we haue seene in all the parts of their soules and in regard of all the parts of the Law In this state the Law is possible in regard of the perfection of the parts thereof For the obseruation of euery Commandement thereof is begun in those that are renewed in this life after the Image of Christ which proceede daily forwards goe on and purchase day by day a greater perfection But by reason of the rebellion of the flesh lusting against the Spirit they cannot attaine vnto the soueraigne perfection of the Law during their soiourning in this mortall body which will be kept perfectly both in regard of the matter and of the manner IX The perfect state of the Church being the right prerogatiue and priuiledge of the heauenly Countrey For as Salomon desiring to build the house of the Lord caused the stones and wood and other stuffe to be prepared in their owne place and then caused all that that was ready prepared and made to be brought to the place of building a 1. King 6.7 for the house when it was in building was built of stone made readie before it was brought thither so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any toole of iron heard in the house while it was in building In like maner the euen and smooth stones whereof our King of peace builds a holy house vnto God are carued and ingrauen here here prepared the wood is hewed and wrought here withened planed and leuelled these stuffes are casted and casted anew melted and melted againe here The last Founder and melter is death which freeing the soule from the body which oppresseth it and from the tentations of this world and from him who is the prince thereof giues her free passage and accesse vnto his heauenly habitation and mansion where there is neither b Reuel 21.4 sorrow nor crying nor paine Here c Iohn 13.10 he that is washed needeth not saue to wash his feete Here the heauenly husband-man d Iohn 15.2 purgeth euery branch that beareth fruit Here the Church is in fier◠she is in making In her natiue countrey onely shee is in factum esse she is made shee is perfect Here she is militant e Ephes 6.12 wrestling not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the darkenesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places There she is victorious and triumphing ouer Satan ouer the flesh and ouer the world There shee shall celebrate and solemnize an eternall Sabbath vnto God There the Saints f Reuel 7.15 are before the throne of God and serue him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them It is there and no other where then there where they haue perfected that which they did here where they keepe perfectly and fulfill the Law which they kept here where their righteousnesse is without spot which was here as an vncleane thing and as filthy raggs And therefore we say that God hath not giuen man an impossible Law the Law was possible to man in the integritie of his nature and is possible in some
long as life doth last and doe contract a couenant betweene them called in the Scripture p Prou. 2.17 The Couenant of God which they cannot violate without disloialtie and periurie against God and against men With what conscience then hath Saint Ambrose desired that he could haue perswaded the maried folkes to forsake their nuptiall vaile was he more then a man and he saith vnto man q Mat. 19.6 What God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder And notwithstanding this his sentence whereby he complaines that none did dissuade nor diuert the Vestall virgines from their prophane ceremonies and that some vndertooke to banish virginitie out of the Church though this sentence could wel conclude yet it concludes nothing to the purpose and intention of the Author of the Pastorall Letter The question was not if a father might compell his daughters virgines to marry but if he may oppose himselfe for good considerations that they leaue him not nor affect and giue their persons their goods and their seruice to the Colledge of the Vrselines Now seeing that they haue alleaged the Vestall virgines with a sentence of Saint Ambrose I will also set downe in counterchange the commendation which Saint Ambrose giues them that the Monkes and Friers may view themselues in their single life V. r Ambros de virgin lib. 1. Itaque nec casta est quae metu cogitur nec honesta quae mercede conducitur c. Conferuntur immunitates offeruntur pretia quasi non hoc maximum petulantiae sit indicium castitatem vendere quod precio promittitur precio soluitur precio addicitur precio adnumeratur nescit castitatem redimere quae vendere solet Pag. 35. She is not chaste who is compelled by feare nor honest which doth it for reward c. freedome and priuiledges are giuen to them some offer them wages as if it were not a very great signe of impudencie and vncleannesse to sell chastitie That which is promised for a price is paide with a price is sold with a price is reckoned by a price She that is wont to sell her chastitie cannot redeeme it If this accusation be true as it is to whom belongs it better then to the Popes Cardinals Bishops Priests Abbots Priours Commaunders Munkes Nunnes c. whereof some are compelled by a fatherly feare others are allured by faire promises and rich rewards to abstaine from mariage that liue not in the state of single life but for to liue idely richly luxuriously and in honour for otherwise they would not abstaine from honourable mariage seeing they abstaine not from fornication filthy and preiudiciall VI. The second example is that of Iesus Christ that was a virgin and the sonne of a virgin Therefore Saint Ierome against â—ouâ—an saith that though he had not giuen vs any Counsell of virginitie his birth his life his affections during the time he liued and conuersed in this world teacheth vs it enough For this cause Saint Cyprian calles virginitie the image and resemblance of Iesus Christ These are the words of the Author of the Pastorall Letter VII Deriued originally from hereticks more ancient then Saint Cyprian Basil or Ierome Å¿ Clemens Alexand strom lib. 3. Dicunt autem gloriosi isti iactatores se imitari dominum qui neque vxorem duxit neque in mundo aliquid possedit There are that say openly saith Clemens Alexandrinus that marriage is fornication and maintaine that it hath been instituted by the diuell Now these glorious boasters say that they imitate our Lord who neuer was married nor possessed any thing in this world boasting that they vnderstand a great deale better the Gospell then others doe This is the language euen of our Monkes sauing that they dare not openly condemne marriage although they are compelled to condemne it in effect if they thinke that Christ hath taught vs single life by his example For Christ is to be imitated of vs all in all that wherein he hath proposed himselfe for an example If then he hath giuen an example of single life in his person all ought to abstaine from marriage For the life of Christ is the rule of ours But saith Clement t Jbid. Deinde causam nesciunt cur dominus vxorem non duxerit primum quidem propriam sponsam habuit ecclesiam Deinde verâ— nec home erat communis vt opus haberet etiam adiutâ—re aliquo secundum carnem Neque erat ei necesse procreare filios qui manet in aeternum natus est solus Dei filius these fellowes know not the cause why our Sauiour Christ did not marry for first hee had the Church for his Spouse Secondly hee was not a common man as hauing neede of a helpe according to the flesh neither was it necessarie that he should beget children who dureth for euer and is borne the onely Sonne of God He will say in substance that the Sonne of God became man by a speciall dispensation of God and came into the world by a particular calling to make children not by ingendring after the flesh those that were not but by renewing after the Spirit those that were The generation is of the first Adam the regeneration is of the second Adam They that are borne of the first are borne of flesh and and bloud and are called the sonnes of men They that are renewed by this second are borne againe of his Spirit and of his word u 1. Pet. 1.23 Being borne againe not of corruptible seede but of incorruptible namely by the word of God which liueth and abideth for euer and are called the Sonnes of God The first begat in his life and being dead ceased to beget The second begat in his death and since his death ceaseth not to ingender as Isaiah prophesied saying x Isai 53.10 When thou shalt make his soule an offering for sinne hee shall see his seede Therefore carnall marriage was not so consonant to his calling If he had begot children after the flesh like the first Adam he could not haue beene our second Adam ingendring children to God after the Spirit As he was not borne of carnall mariage so hath he not willed that any should be borne of him by carnall marriage It is Adams right to be the Father of the naturall man it is his right to bee the Father of the spirituall man and notwithstanding to shew that he gaue no example to any to abstaine from marriage he chose married men for his Apostles he honored y Iohn 2.2 the marriage feast with his presence and by his first miracle hee declared that marriage is an institution z Mat. 19.4 of God and that the bond thereof is indissoluble and inseparable VIII The ancient Father haue exceeded and haue spoken be it spoken by their leaue and with their fauour against all truth for as marriage makes not the faithfull which vseth it holily vnlike to God so doth not virginitie make a Basil