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
by tradition from our fathers not with corruptible things as siluer and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe without blemish and without spot As many titles and names of God so many arguments for God against vs. r Isai 66.2 To whom will I look to him that trembleth at my word His Counsell is his word He is our Lord and Father ſ Mal. 1.6 A sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his master If then I bee a Father where is mine honor and if I be a Master where is my feare This honor and feare consists principally in that we obey his voice that we say vnto him with Samuel t 1. Sam. 3.10 Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth He is our shepheard and we are his sheepe and this is the marke of his sheepe u John 10.27 My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me Hee that heareth him not is none of his x Iohn 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods words yee therefore heare them not because ye are not of God said Christ vnto the Iewes y 1. Pet. 2.9 We are a chosen generation a peculiar people saith Saint Peter and Saint Paul z 1. Cor. 6.19.20 Yee are not your owne for yee are bought with a price And therefore we ought not to haue any will but his whose wee are to follow it in all things If these Counsels depended on our wil we should be our owne against the Apostle and against the right whereby the slaue is subiect in all things to him that hath purchased him and is despoiled of all libertie and disposing of his owne will I appeale now vnto the conscience of the Author of the Pastorall Letter that he tell me vpon his soule if he thinke that God can Counsell a thing vnto man whereunto man is not bound to yeelde and render quicke and speedie obedience which hee may reiect without putting his soule in danger The clause of his conclusion sheweth euidently that he thinketh so For if he esteemes not his pretended Counsels to be Commandements If he beleeues that they may bee reiected without offending God with what equitie conscience hath he stormed and thundered against those yea made a seisure of the possessions of those that haue reiected them V. But whatsoeuer hee thinkes the truth shall bee alwaies one and the same and if hee will denie it shee will defend her selfe and will get her selfe credit against his credit Hee saith that Saint Pauls aduice and iudgement is a Counsell She saith euen by the mouth of Saint Paul that it is a Commandement for the Apostle hauing said both touching marriage and single life a 1. Cor. 7.17 As God hath distributed to euery man as the Lord hath called euery one so let him walke Which is an expresse Commandement and altogether necessarie in a Common-wealth and in the Church b 1. Cor. 7.25 he addes and so ordaine I in all Churches where he vseth a Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to ordaine and commaund precisely as it appeares by the 25 verse where he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning virgins I haue no Commandement of the Lord. This will more euidently appeare by a like manner of speech which the Apostle vseth in this very same Chapter vers 12. where being asked if the partie that beleeueth ought to remaine with the party that beleeueth not who is ioyned to him by mariage he saith but to the rest speake I not the Lord. For God had set downe nothing thereof in the old Testament and the Lord had not giuen any Commandement thereof to his Disciples because the religion was yet limited within the borders of Iudea there was not then any diuersitie nor difference of religion betweene the husband and the wife But the Gospell hauing been carried vnto the Gentiles it happened that one while the husband did imbrace it another while the wife the one or the other remaining an Infidell Now the aduice that the Apostle giues them is a formall and flat Commandement * 1. Cor. 7.12 If saith he any brother hath a wife that beleeueth not and shee bee pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away c. They are words of command the reasons which hee addes to his aduice doe witnesse it First The vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the wife Vers 14. and the vnbeleeleeuing wife is sanctified by the husband So that their mutuall coniunction and conuersation cannot defile the partie which beleeueth Vers 15. Secondly But if the vnbeleeuing depart let him depart a brother or a sister is not vnder bondage in such a case And then if the vnbeleeuing remaine and consents to dwell with the beleeuing the beleeuing is bound in such a case Thirdly God hath called vs to peace wherefore he that beleeueth ought not to disturbe the peace of the house Fourthly For what knowest thou Vers 16. O wife whether thou shalt saue thy husband Or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt saue thy wife Now all are bound by Gods Commandement to doe all that which can saue a soule from death Vers 17. But as God hath distributed to euery man as the Lord hath called euery one so let him walke And who can denie but that euery one is bound to follow the gift and calling of God Behold how impertinent it is to conclude that the Apostles iudgement is a Counsell left to a mans deuotion and will and not a Commandement because it is he that hath giuen it first and that the Lord had said nothing thereof before him VI. Notwithstanding let vs see what this pretended Counsell is The Apostle saith d 1. Cor. 7.39.40 Cui vult nubat Beatior autem si sic permanserit secundum meum consilium puto autem quod ego spiritum Deihabeam The virgin is a◠liberty to be maried to whom she will but she is happier if she so abide after my counsell I thinke also that I haue the Spirit of God This translation is the Authors of the Pastorall Letters translation wherein there is a notable falsehood for the Apostle speaketh here of a widdow The wife is bound by the Law as long as her husband liueth but if her husband be dead she is at liberty to be maried to whom she wil c. And the Author of the pastoral letter expoūds these words of a virgin that hath not the right and power to marrie her selfe to whom she will being vnder the fathers authoritie and power vnto whom alone the liberty of giuing her in marriage appertaineth as the Apostle declareth e 1. Cor. 7.38 Qui iungit virginem suam benè facit qui non iungit melius facit He that giueth her in marriage namely his virgin doth well but he that giueth her not in marriage doth better A Text alleaged by the Author of the Pastorall Letter against himselfe for
IACOBS VOVV OPPOSED TO THE VOWES OF MONKES AND FRIERS The first Volume in two Bookes Of the Holy Sripture And Euangelicall Counsels WRITTEN IN FRENCH BY Mr. GILBERT PRIMEROSE MINISTER of the Word of God in the Reformed Church of Burdeaux And TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH by IOHN BVLTEEL Minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ August de Trinit lib. 4. c. 6. Contra Rationem Scripturas Ecclesiam Nemo Sobrius Christianus Pacificus Senserit 2. COR. 13.8 We can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth LONDON Printed by Felix Kyngston for Nathaniel Newbery and are to be sold at his shop vnder Saint Peters Church in Corne-hill and in Popes-head Alley 1617. TO HIS DEARE AND LOVING BRETHREN Mr. IAMES BVLTEEL AND Mr. PETER BVLTEEL Merchants I. B. wisheth increase of externall prosperitie and internall peace and comfort in this life and eternall felicitie in the life to come through our Lord Iesus Christ ALL Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God deare and louing Brethren and is profitable for doctrine a 2. Tim. 3.16.17 for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished vnto all good workes And therefore the same Scripture is called b Heb 6.5 the good Word of God c Psal 119.103 the sweete Word d Heb. 4.12 the quicke and powerfull Word e Colos 1.5 the Word of truth f Heb. 5.13 the Word of righteousnes g Act. 14.3 the Word of grace h Act. 13.26 the Word of saluatioÌ„ i Psal 19.7 making wise the simple yea k 2. Tim. 3.15 wise vnto saluation through faith which is in Christ Iesus l Psal 19 â— conuerting the soule reioycing the heart enlightning the eyes m Rom. 15.4 instructing vs and n Deut. 31.13 making vs to feare God â—â—endring in vs o Iob. 20.31 faith p Rom. 15.4 consolation hope patience q Joh. 5.39 hauing 〈◊〉 eternall life r Joh. 20.31 Gregor 1. Origen Isider Fulgent Athanas Greenam Tilen Molin for by it wee beleeue in Christ Iesus and beleeuing we haue life through his name Hence it commeth to passe that the holy Scripture is for diuers considerations diuersly termed of the Fathers both ancient and moderne A long Epistle which the Creator sends to the creature The Testament of God the Sonne The Librarie of God the holy Ghost The booke of true loue wherein God vnfoldeth his loue vnto man The mirror of Diuine grace and mans misery The rich Treasury of the King of glory wherein is the spiritual Manna the Bread of life common to the perfect ones and to the young ones where is Iacobs Well out of the which the learned and the simple may drinke where are meates for all ages the sincere and wholesome milke of the Word the two Testaments being the two brests of the Church of God for the new borne babes and strong meates for them that are of full age where are remedies for all euils preseruatiues to keepe vs from diseases plasters to heale our wounds weapons against tentations heresies a sword to kill hereticks a touchstone of truth to display error an exact rule of all things the Mistris of faith and of vertue a lanterne to direct our steppes an anker in time of tempest Yea the Scripture is called Paradise God sometimes Å¿ Ambros ep 41 Deambulabat Deus in Paradiso nunc deambulat in Paradise Deus quando scripturas lego Paradisus Genesis in quo virtutâ—s pullulant Patriarcharum Paradisus Deuteronomium in quâ— germinant legis praecepta Paradisus Euangelium in quâ— arbor vitae bâ—nos fructus facit walked in Paradise saith Saint Ambrose and now God walketh in Paradice when I reade the Scripture Genesis is a Paradise wherein the vertues of the Patriarkes doe branch forth Deuteronomie is a Paradise wherein the Law doth spront forth The Gospell is a Paradise wherein the tree of life doth bring forth good fruits And truly well may it be called a Paradise for the godly person can in no place finde a sweeter and pleasanter refreshing then in the Paradise of the holy Scriptures where the tree of knowledge is not of that that was forbidden but of that which is appointed of God for the elect where standeth in the middes the tree of life which is Chris t. The dore whereunto is not kept close by Cherubins and the fierie sword but it is opened by the instinct of the holy Spirit and the light of the Gospell to all that be hungrie where the riuers be of liuely waters whereof the Church of the faithfull is ouerflowne and cherished and where the mindes of the godly are enriched with most fine gold and precious stones that is with the riches of heauenly graces t Muscul loc Com. cap. 20. de S Script where bee trees of all sortes faire to the eye and sweete to the taste trees planted by God handsome and fruitfull that is the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles where the aire passeth very smooth and calme I meane the breathing of the holy Spirit most sweetly cherishing the hearts of the dwellers in this Garden where the voice of God is walking and seeking the saluation of the seduced man not crying this onely Adam where art thou but calling all men also vnto him instructing and teaching the ignorant correcting and prouoking to amendment them that do sinne shewing vnto them that bee deceiued the tree of true knowledge leading them that bee subiect vnto death and destruction vnto the tree of life raising vp them that are fallen comforting the carefull and refreshing them that bee wearie The Garden of Eden out of the which Adam was thrust for his disobedience had scarsely the shadow of the true pleasure which the Elect doe enioy in this garden of holy Scripture wherein they heare the voice of God they see the appearings of Angels they bee conuersant with the holy Patriarkes and Prophets with Christ himselfe and the Apostles and do feede on the tree of life not onely taking no hurt but exceeding profit being made partakers of it for euer But as the old Serpent indeuoured to banish our first parents out of the corporall and terrestriall Paradise so hath he laboured to banish his posteritie out of the spiritual and heauenly Paradise of the holy Scripture depriuing them of the vse profit and consolation thereof Witnesse the u August contra Petil. lib. 1. c. 27. Circumcellians who seduced by this old SerpeÌ„t and brought into a distast dislike therof contemptuously refused and contumeliously reiected yea defaced and burnt the Scripture If x Ioseph Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 4. a wicked Souldier and an Heathen was beheaded by the Commandement of Cumanus an Heathen gouernor of Iudaea for tearing a copie of the booke of the Law of Moses at the sack of a Towne What were these wicked hereticks not heathen but Christians though vnder that name worse then
with the same spirit they haue been written with all which is the spirit of charitie a pure spirit a cleane spirit but it supposeth that which is false that this spirit is in none but in those that preach the Gospell that is Pastors and Ministers But let vs see his proofes It is written in the Scripture Ascende in montem in qui Euangelizas that is to say Get thee vp into the mountaine of vertue thou that preachest Scripture The Text Å¿ Esai 40.9 in Isaiah is thus word for word O Zion that bringest good tidings get thee vp into the holy mountaine O Ierusalem that bringest good tidings lift vp thy voice with strength lift it vp bee not afraide say vnto the Cities of Iudah behold your God The Apostles were to receiue power from aboue in the Citie of Ierusalem and from thence were to publish and spread the Gospell in all Iudea and Samaria and vnto the vttermost parts of the earth And this is that which the Prophet hath prophecied of and foretold by this Apostrophe not to the preachers of the Gospell but to Sion and Ierusalem who was to be honoured with this priuiledge according as the same Prophet had more plainely and perspicuously described saying t Esay 2.2.3 It shall come to passe in the last daies that the mountaine of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hills and all nations shall flow vnto it for out of Zion shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem The question is not here then of any mountaine of vertue but of the Citie of Ierusalem builded on mountaines and of the mountaine of Sion which God should lift vp on high and exalt it aboue the hills on that day The Author of the Pastorall Letter saw this and therefore left at the tip of his pen the word Sion and left it out the Text bearing Ascende in montem in qui Euangelizas Sion But suppose the Allegorie were good and that the mountaine of Sion were the mountaine of vertue What shall it not bee permitted to any to get vp into the mountaine of vertue but to those that preach the Gospell shall all the rest remaine in the vallies of vices But the Prophet saith of all Christians x Esay 2.3 Many people shall goe and say come ye and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord and Dauid demaunds y Psal 15.1.2 Lord who shall dwell in thy holy Hill he is answered He that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnes c. And there is no exception all are called to it It was said vnto all the Iewes by the Prophet Haggai z Haggai 1.8 Goe vp to the mountaine and bring wood and build the house This mountaine if wee receiue the allegorie of Saint Hierome is that of the Scripture all of vs therefore must go vp to it according to the exhortation saying a Hier. in Agg. cap. 1. Let vs goe vp to this reasonable mountaine and to euery probleme seeking fit wood in the testimonies of the Scriptures let vs cut it and build therewith the house of God within vs. V. The second Allegory is taken from the Mount Sinai Pag. 5. vnto the which saith he no beast may approch that is to say no carnall sense and meaning the people also was not permitted to approch the mountaine onely Moses Behold their faire and well pregnant speculations the mountaine that Isaiah speakes of is that of Sion that on the which Moses mounted is that of Sinai this in Arabia that in Canaan distant the one from the other in situation and different in spirituall signification b Heb. 12.18.22 Yee are not come vnto the mount that might bee touched and that burned with fire nor vnto blacknesse and darkenesse c. but yee are come vnto mount Sion And our Author of the Pastorall Letter makes one of these two and speakes of these two as if they were but one that is his first slippe and error he makes the one and the other the mountaine of vertues and both together the mountaine of Scriptures as if vertues and Scriptures were one and the selfe same thing The Scriptures doe giue precepts of vertue and one must bring the vertues of a pure spirit and of charity in the reading of the Scriptures The Scriptures are in the diuine bookes the vertues are in our hearts therefore the mountaine of vertues is not the mountaine of Scriptures that is his second slip His third error is in that he considers not that the Scripture was giuen in the mountaine and brought by Moses to all the people who did commaund him to reade it and therfore the mountaine was not the Scripture for the people was forbid to come neere the mountaine and was commanded to approch the Scripture and to reade it He did not consider that the mountaine of Sinai was at that present time the throne of the Iustice of God terrifying the consciences of men by his Law and therefore forbidding the people to approch it vnder paine of death And that the Christians freed and deliuered from the terrours of the mountaine of Sinai are come vnto the mountaine of Sion which is the throne of Gods mercie comforting the consciences of men by his Gospell Then speakes hee but little to the purpose yea nothing at all of the mountaine Sinai seeing now wee Christians know no other then that of Sion that is his fourth error followed with a fifth grosse fault that he did not marke that Moses alone went vp to the mountaine when God did dictate his Law because God had ordained him c Gal. 3.19 a Mediator betweene him and the people and would giue authoritie vnto his Ministery in admitting him by a special priuiledge to come to the mountaine which the people might not look at afarre off without great â—eare and trembling The words of God are manifest to this purpose Lâ—â— saith hee d Exod. 19.9 I come vnto thee in a thicke cloude that the people may heare when I speake to thee and beleeue thee for euer Finally all his slipps and errors are ful of absurdities and inconueniences for if they only and alone ought to reade the Scriptures which doe approch the mountaine Moses alone should reade them because hee went vp alone The e Exod. 19.24 Priests ought not then to haue reade them for they went not vp to the mountaine and none might reade them now adaies because Moses had not an ordinarie Priesthood to the which any can succeed f Bella. de verbâ— Dei lib. 3. cap. 4. §. 2. as Cardinall Bellarmine confesseth but an extraordinarie ordained specially by God for the constitution of a new Common-weale and Church of Israel Why doth Moses therefore g Deut. 31.9 10 11. command the Priests to keepe the Scripture and to reade it And why do the Popes the Cardinals and Bishops with the rest
him all that beleeue are iustified from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the Law of Moses Secondly the Law sends vs to our selues to seeke there her back-righteousnesse and requires of vs perfect holinesse in our nature and perfect holinesse in our thoughts words and deeds but shewes vs not the way to come and attaine vnto it The Gospell sends vs backe to the righteousnesse of Christ who hath paied for vs that which he did not owe and is f Ierem. 23.6 The Lord our righteousnesse Thirdly the Law doth promise eternall life with condition of workes in all points holy and perfect saying g Leuit. 18.5 Ezech. 20.11 Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 The man that doth them shall liue in them h Mat. 19.17 if thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements The Gospell promiseth eternall life freely without any condition of works and requireth of vs onely faith to imbrace Christ who is our life i Phil. 1.19 faith which God himself giueth vs k Rom. 4.5 To him that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse saith the Apostle hauing said afore l Rom. 3.21.22 that now the righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested euen the righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all them that beleeue Fourthly the Law was in man or mans nature before the fall and some reliques thereof remaines as yet in the hearts of all men m Rom. 2.14.15 which doe by nature the things contained in the Law and shew the work of the Law written in their heart The Gospell is n Ro. 16.25.26 Ephes 3.5.9 a mysterie which was kâ—pt secret since the world began but now is made manifest and by the Scripture of the Prophets made knowne to all Nations Fifthly o 1. Tim. 1.9 1. Cor. 2.7 8. 9. We know that the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawlesse and disobedient for the vngodly and sinners c. To the ende that hauing conuinced them of sinne she condemne them and kill them The Gospell is not preached but to them p Mat. 11.28 that are heauie laden and labour by the feeling of their sinnes q Esay 61.1 Luke 4.21 and are broken hearted Sixthly r Rom. 3.20 The Law giues the knowledge of sinne Å¿ Rom. 4.15 and worketh wrath that is hir effect wherefore it is called t 2. Cor. 3.7 the ministration of death The Gospell u Rom. 1.16 is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Seuenthly the Law was written x 2. Cor. 3.3 in Tables of stone The Gospell is written in fleshie Tables of the heart Eighthly y Iohn 1.17 The Law was giuen by Moses grace and truth by Iesus Christ who hath brought the Gospell himselfe and hath been in person z Heb. 8.6 Mediatour of the new Testament Ninthly and Lastly a Exod. 24.7 8. The Law hath been dedicated by the blood of beasts The Gospell b Heb. 9.12 hath been consecrated by the owne blood of the Sonne of God And therefore the Law and the Gospell not being one and the same doctrine in substance c Gal. 4.24 but being as different as the mountaine of Sina and that of Sion and as Agar the bond-woman which engendereth to bondage according to the flesh and Sarah the free-woman engendring free children by vertue of the promise certainely if these pretended counsels are of the Law they haue been ill yea absurdly termed Euangelicall and if they are Euangelicall they are no part of faith and can haue no communion at all with 〈…〉 III. The Author of the Pastoral Letter saith that the Law is diuided into Precepts and Counsels What could bee said more absurd The Law commands or forbids alwaies it neuer counsels The Law hindes by authority of the Soueraigne and Master and neuer lets go or giues ouer her right to giue counsell or aduice which is arbitrable and left to the wil of others The word of the Law is one Do these things If it speaks not so it is no more Law So Christ Iesus reduceth the whole law to these two Commandements d Mat. 22.27 39. 40. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minds Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe and saith On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets Marke All the Law reduced to two Commandements Counsels are no Commandements they are not therefore of the Law In like manner the Apostle speaking of the righteousnesse of the Law and of the righteousnesse of faith opposeth the one to the other in this manner Moses e Rom. 10.5 6. 7. describeth the righteousnesse which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shall line by them that the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heauen That is to being Christ downe from aboue c. The word is nigh thee euen in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which may each The whole Law then consists in doing as the whole Gospell â—â—beleeuing the one and the other to obtaine eternall life Now the Counsels are not for to obtaine life therefore they are not of the Law and appertaine not to the righteousnesse of the Law g Bellas prâ—fat de Monach. § 1. Qui Euangelica consilia Christisecuti vita genus arctioris ac sublimieris instituunt quà m aut lex diuina aut humana praescribit Pag. 10. And indeed Bellarmine saith that they which follow the Counsels of Christ dâ—â— leade â—â—stricter and 〈…〉 thou the Diuine or 〈◊〉 Law prescribes If therefore be say true it is easie â—o conclude that such Counsels are not of any Law either cliâ—â—ne or humane IIII. The very words of the Pastocall Booke doth furnish and minister to 〈◊〉 this argument where this difference in set downe betweene Counsell and Precept Her that doth the workes of Counsell shall haue a greater glory and he that fulfills not the Precept shall not be able to auoide the punishment All the world is bound to the 〈◊〉 under pâ—â—â— of euerlasting torments The whole world is stirred vp and drawne to the other both by the authoritie and by the loue of the Sauiour that giues the Counsell Is not that to say that the Counsels are not of the Law for the Law is giuen to all and all are bound to keepe it vnder paine of incurring the Lords curse for it is from thence that the Apostle proues h Gal. 3.10 Deut. 27.26 that as many as are of the works of the Law are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Marke that he sayes 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
ser 50. Nec latuit praeceptorem praecepti pondus hominum excedere vires sed iudicauit vtile ex hoc ipso suo illes insufficieâ—tiae admoneri vt scirent sanè ad quem iustitiae finem niti pro viribus oporteret Ergo mandando impossibilia non praeuaricatores homines fecit sed humiles c. The Master was not ignorant saith Saint Bernard that the burden of the Commandement did surpasse the strength of man but hee thought it good and necessarie that by the very same they should be warned of their insufficiencie that they might know to what ende and marke of righteousnesse they ought to make towards with all their strength and power commanding therefore things impossible he hath not made men preuaricators but humble that euery mouth may be stopped and all the world may become subiect to the iudgement of God because that by the workes of the Law there shall be no flesh iustified in his sight for receiuing the CoÌ„mandements and feeling our defect and want wee will crie vp to heauen and God will haue mercy vpon vs and wee shall know in that day that hee hath saued vs not by the workes of righteousnesse that wee haue done but according to his mercie Secondly because he vnderstands not the language of the Scripture hee restraines the choice to voluntarie and free things to the obseruation of the which man is not bound and compelled by any Law Hee might haue read the words of the Prophet Moses saying to the people of Israel touching the Law x Deut. 30.19 I call heauen and earth to record this day against you that I haue set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that both then and thy seede may liue As also Ioshuahs words to the same people y Ioshua 24.15 If it seeme euill vnto you to serue the Lord chuse you this day whom ye will serue Conformably to this Dauid saith z Psal 119.30 I haue chosen the way of truth thy iudgements haue I laid before me And Saint Cyrill expounds the Prophets words of them which chuse and retaine Christs Testament as Lyrinensis of those that liue righteously and vprightly with their neighbour VII He expounds as falsely these words I will giue vnto them a name better then of sons and of daughters a Bellar. de monach c. 9. parag 3. 9. maintaining that by sons and daughters God meanes those good and godly persons that are married which are Gods sons and daughters and that God promiseth to those which are virgins a greater good and a greater glory then to these What could he say more impertinently then this For to be a sonne and a daughter of God is the common name of all the faithfull and their highest and most excellent title and degree of honour from whence depends all their prerogatiue glory ioy and consolation both in life and death and it is not a name of an inferiour qualitie appertaining onely to some lesse priuiledge Witnesse our Sauiour Christ when he saith To as many as receiued him to them b Iohn 1.12 gaue he power to become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Witnesse God himselfe saying by his Prophets and by his Apostle c Isa 52.11 Ierem. 31.1.9 2. Cor. 6.17.18 Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the vncleane thing and I will receiue you and will be a Father vnto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie d Rom. 8.17 And if children then heires heires of God and ioynt-heires with Christ saith the Apostle What may we What can we hope desire wish more It is that which is giuen to honest and good men married persons by Bellarmines confession what remaines then to the Monkes what haue the Friers else a name saith he more excellent then of sonnes of God why then they are not sonnes of God And to maiden Virgins a name better then of daughters of God why then they are not Gods daughters what other name shall we giue them for he which is not the childe and sonne of God is the sonne of rebellion the childe of wrath whose father is the Deuill a name saith he better then of sonnes What greater or better name I pray you can wee haue on earth then to bee sonnes and heires of a King except we were Kings And what better or greater name in heauen then to bee Gods sonne and heire without being God The Angels are called e Iob 1.6 2.1 the sonnes of God The Saints are called the sonnes of God he which is the Sonne of God by nature was manifest in the flesh that we might be made the sonnes of God by grace The holy Ghost is sent into our hearts to assure vs that wee are the sonnes of God f Rom. 8.15.16 Ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father The Spirit it selfe bearâ—th witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God And there is no name in the Scripture so expresse so significatiue and of so large extent for it comprehends in it all the good that God bestowes on his elect and chosen people vnto whom he giues all his blessings in the name title and state of children and out of this state and condition he giue them no spirituall wholesome and sauing blessing VIII Now we shall finde the true sense and meaning of this place if wee adde thereunto that which goes before and that which followes after which hath been industriously and wittingly omitted by Bellarmine lest it should haue hindred hiâ— bad cause The words going before are Let not the sonne of the stranger that hath ioyned himselfe to the Lord speake saying The Lord hath vtterly separated me from his people neither let the Eunuch say Behold I am a drie tree Here then the stranger and the Eunuch fearing God are ioyned together both of them bewailing their miserie The one because he was separated from Gods people The other because he was a drie tree The Eunuch is first comforted by the wordes of this place whereupon Bellarmine grounds his Counsels The stranger is comforted in the verses following in these words Also the sonnes of the stranger that ioyne themselues to the Lord to serue him and to loue the name of the Lord c. euen them will I bring to my holy mountaine and make them ioyfull in my house of prayer c. The Gentils called by the Prophet the sonnes of the stranger g Ephes 2.12 were at that time without Christ being aliens from the Common-weale of Israel and strangers from the couenants of promise hauing no hope and without God in the world As for the Iewes God made a promise to Abraham their father saying h Gens 22.17 In blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seede as the starres of the heauen and as the sand
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