b Rom. 8.14 for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God but c Rom. 8. â— if any man haue not the Spirit of God he is none of his Therefore the infidels the hypocrites and all vnregenerated Christians of what religion soeuer they be being destitute of the first qualitie and condition required in a good worke wee may say of them that which our Sauiour Christ said of the Pharisees their companions d Mat. 12.34 O generation of Vipers how can yee being euill speake good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh V. The second condition of a good worke is that it be wel done whereunto is required first that it be conformable vnto the word of God in all things so that he which hath done it may protest with Dauid e Psal 119.105 Thy word is a lampe vnto my feet and a light vnto my path If it declines or swarues neuer so little the workeman of the same is accursed by this sentence and decree f Deut. 27.26 Gal. â— 10 Cursed bee hee that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them Now as God is a Spirit g Rom. 7.14 so the Law is spirituall and is giuen first and principally to the Spirit and is the rule not onely of outward actions but also of the most hidden and secret thoughts of the heart It is not enough that a man lay not violent and bloudy hands on his brother h Mat. 5.22 If he be angrâ—e with his brother without a cause i 1. Ioh. 3.15 if he hate his brother the Scripture sayes he is a murtherer Hee that hath not actually coÌ„mitted adulterie with his brothers wife if he looks on her to lust after her Christ Iesus sayth k Mat. 5.28 he hath committed adulterie with her already in his heart Which of the Heathen knowes that the Law hath beene written in his heart to the ende it might rule his thoughts which of them hath thought that hidden lust was a vice which of them hath emptied and purged his heart of it what doe wee speake of Infidels How great is the number of our Christians that know not the ten Commandements although there are but ten how few are there of them that know them which thinke on them to conforme their liues according to them To tell them of lust or concupiscence and to condemne it as a sinne is so strange a paâ—â—doxe vnto them that if God himselfe should come downe from heauen to tell them of it they would not beleeue it so ignorant are they in the knowledge of the true and lawful vses of the Law how then can they order and square their actions by the same This is also the priuiledge of the regenerate to make a benefit of the Law for the direction of his life because God hath ingrauen it in his heart by his holy Spirit which the vnregenerate man knoweth not l Ier. 31.33 I will saith the Lord put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts m Ezech. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my Statutes and yee shall keepe my Indgements and doe them This hath made Lombard to write after Saint Austin Prosper and other Fathers that n Lombard lib. 2. dist 41. â—t A. where the knowledge of the eternall truth is wanting there vertue is false although the manners and fashions are very good VI. In the next place A worke to bee a good worke well done must be done in faith o Rom. 14.23 for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne They which are not renued in the spirit of their mind may be enlightned so farre that they may know the truth and make profession of it and take pleasure in it for a time as Simon Magus and Iudas who beleeued by a temporarie faith but they haue not the iustifying faith p Ephes 3.17 by the which Christ dwelleth in their hearts q Joh. 1.12 Iohn 3.16 which receiue the Lord Iesus r Gal. 3.14 and all the blossing of Abraham through Christ and the promise of the Spirit through faith applying and appropriating it vnto themselues as Thomas which said vnto him Å¿ Ioh. 20.28.29 My Lord and my God That this is the true faith without equiuocation it appeareth for that the Lord answereth him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou hast beleeued blessed are they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued And by the words of the Aposile t Gal. 2.20 I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who LOVED ME and gaue himselfe for ME. A man shall know by her effects if hee haue this faith u Acts 15.9 Faith purifies the heart x Gal. 5.20 workes by loue y 1. Tim. 1.5 for charitie proceedes out of a pure heart and from a good conscience and of faith vnfained They that are not renewed can seele that they haue not this faith for they feele z Tit. 1.15 that their minde and conscience is defiled and therefore they may resolue and conclude with themselues that God detests and abhorrs them and all that they doe because a Heb. 11.6 it is impossible to please him without faith Witnesse among others Cain who offered sacrifice vnto God and was reiected not because the sacrifice was naught but because hee offered it without faith as it is written b Heb. 11.4 By faith Abel offered vnto God a more excellent sacrifice then Cain The Fathers haue acknowledged the same when they said that c Prosper in lib. Epigram epigrammate 81. Lombard lib. 2. dist 41. lit A. The whole life of Infidels is sinne For that also though a man d 1. Co. 13.1.2.3 could speake with the tongues of Angels and had the gift of prophecie and vnderstood all mysteries and all knowledge and though he had all faith so that he could remoue mountaines and though he bestowed all his goods to feede the poore and though he gaue his body to bee burned and hath not charitie he is as sounding brasse or a tinckling cimball he is nothing and all that profiteth him nothing VII The last condition of a good work is that it be done for a good ende e Aug cont Iulian lib. 2. c. 3. The vertues are discerned from the vices non officijs sed finibus not by the outward duties but by their ends saith Saint Austin The ende of euery worke must bee the glory of God who hath giuen vs vertue wifedome and direction for to doe it It ought to be the end of naturall works also f 1. Cor. 10.31 Whether saith the Apostle ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God How much more ought it to bee the ende of our
and picke out the words of the Lord and apply them vnto those things which the Lord neuer spake Let vs see wherein and wherewithall III. The Lord saith concerning Eunuches g Isa 56.3.4.5 Let not the Eunuch say Behold I am a drie tree for thus saith the Lord vnto the Eunuches that keepe my Sabbaths and choose the things that please me and take hold of my Couenant Euen vnto them will I giue in mine house and within my walles a place and a name better then of sonnes and of daughtes I will giue them an euerlasting name that shall not bee cut off h Bellar. de Monach c. 9. §. 3. seqq Bellarmine maintaines that this place is to be vnderstood of voluntarie continent or chast men and hee proues it first by the authoritie of Saint Ierome Cyrill Austin Basil Gregorie Secondly by the words which choose the things that please me for they are said to choose which are not compelled by any precept Thirdly because the Lord saith vnto them I will giue vnto them a name better then of sonnes and of daughters for they that are not Eunuches are not excluded from the Kingdome of heauen yea they are also called sonnes and daughters Now that continency and chastitie is truly meritorious and worthie of a singular and peerelesse glory he proues it by these words I will giue them an euerlasting name that shall not be cut off IIII. I may with right and reason imploy and apply in this place Elihu's words which hee spake to Iobs friends I said i Iob 32.7.8.9.10 Daies should speake and multitude of yeeres should teach wisedome but there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almightie giueth them vnderstanding Great men are not alwaies wise neither doe the aged vnderstand iudgement therefore I said Hearken to me I also will shew mine opinion The Ancients haue seene much but they haue not seene all they were wise but wisedome died not with them The spirit which bloweth where it listeth was not onely in them but yet inspires them whom he will and manifesteth vnto many that whereof they were ignorant They haue reaped but they haue left somwhat to gleane after them they haue finished their vintage but not without leauing vs some grape-gleaning The exposition of this place amongst many others confirmes this Some of them but not all of them haue expounded this allegorically and we haue learnt and seene heretofore k Thomas summa 1. q. â— art 10. ex Augustino by one of them that we may draw an argument from the literall sense alone and not from things that are spoken by allegorie The allegorie can haue here no place for the Eunuches which lamented because they were drie trees are comforted there the voluntary chaste men are not drie trees they are if wee beleeue them trees planted by the riuers of water that brings forth their fruite in their season whose leaues shall not wither yea which bring forth fruite in such superabundance that they haue them plentifully both for themselues and for others and a reward is promised to them not because they are Eunuches but because they keepe the Sabbath choose the things that please God and take hold of his Couenant That which was taken literally is of the Law and not of Counsels Our Eunuches hope to receiue a reward because they are continent and chaste in keeping the Counsels and not for keeping the Sabbath and taking hold of the Couenant according to the Commandement The reward which is promised to them is that God will giue them a place in his house a reward not necessary to the voluntarie continent which were not excluded from Gods house but had their place as other men As for the reward which God promiseth to giue them it is not said that they haue merited it vnlesse that they will falsely say men merit that l Act. 14.17 God giues them raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons When they begge their bread of God and crie Giue vs this day our daily bread they merit that God giue them this bread and Saint Paul saith not well that it is not m Rom. 9.16 of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy and therefore it is not God that giues to man and man ought to aske no more with Dauid n Psal 116.12 What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards me that wee ought no more to beleeue that o Rom. 6.23 the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord and p Ephes 2.8.9 that we are saued marke the word Saued by grace through faith and that not of our selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast but it is man that giues to God that merits of God and it is Gods part to aske What shall I render vnto man And againe the Scripture is faultie when it demaunds q Rom. 11.35 Who hath first giuen to him and it shall be recompe sed vnto him againe And proues that man can giue nothing to God merit nothing of God because r Rom. 11.36 that for him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for euer Amen V. In this Text therefore no mention is made of any keeping the pretended Counsels for being such they should bee such either of the Law which lasted and continued then or else of the Gospell which came since They could not bee of the Law because Counsels are not of the Law but of the Gospell I speake now according to the hypothesis and position of those which cal them Euangelicall Counsels and place them in the highest degree of the perfection of the new Testament No more are they of the Gospell for the reward is not promised vnto them but vnder this condition that they shal keepe the Sabbaths and the Sabbaths vnderstood literally are not of the Gospell but of the Law for it is expressely said to vs that are of the new Testament Å¿ Col. 2.16 Let no man iudge you in meate or in drinke or in respect of an Holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath dayes VI. Notwithstanding Bellarmine vrgeth the words t Bellar. de monach lib. 2. c. 9. §. 5. that choose the things that please me And expounds them as if God had said which transcending and surpassing the things which I haue commanded framing my selfe vnto mans frailtie shall willingly choose the most perfect things that I desire and would haue A false and wretched exposition First because hee makes God say that in giuing the Commandements hee hath framed himselfe vnto human frailtie as if the Commandements were possible and easie to man in his infirmitie whereas we haue proued that God regards not in his Law what man can doe now in his infirmitie but to that which man who hath heretofore been â—ound and whole owes him u Bernar. in Cantic
ye might haue life through his name In a word art thou desirous willing to to know al the Counsell of God touching thy saluation b Acts 20.27 I haue not shunned to declare vnto you all the Counsell of God saith Saint Paul to the Pastors of Ephesus and of Miletus but we haue not heard Saint Paul wilt thou say as they haue heard him but a little patience and heare him making this solemne protestation c Acts 26.22 witnessing both to small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come and confessing himselfe to haue been d Rom. 1.1.2 put apart to preach the Gospell of God which he had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures Thinke now with thy selfe and vpon these two true reasons and arguments of Saint Paul inferre and make this true conclusion All that which Saint Paul hath preached touching saluation hath been written by Moses and the Prophets Now that which Saint Paul hath preached is the Gospell yea all the Counsell of God therefore all the Gospell all the Counsell of God hath been written by Moses and by the Prophets and if by them how much more by the Euangelists and by the Apostles who haue written downe the accomplishment and fulfilling of all those things that the Prophets had foretold and prophesied of and that with more perspicuitie and plainenes Let vs therefore conclude that the holy Scripture is all true all necessarie all perfect in all her parts both essentiall and integrall all sufficient for him that liues in this world concerning those things that hee must beleeue that hee must hope for and that he must doe and in a word in and for all things that are requisite to attaine to saluation And therefore in all matters of faith and of manners wee must alwaies aske counsell at the mouth of the Lord speaking to vs at this time in the holy Scriptures by his Sonne which Scripture saith c Athan. de interpr Psal Diuina scriptura est magistra vitae verae fidei Athanasius is the Schoole-mistres of vertue and of true faith f Idem cont Idol Sufficiunt per se sacrae diuinitùs inspiratae scripturae ad veritatis indicationem and so sufficient of it selfe for the demonstration of the truth it being holy and diuinely inspired g Idem ad Seraph solum ex sacris literis condiscas that we neede studie no other thing then that The Author of the Pastorall letter hath seene it and being conuicted in his soule and conscience is constrained to vnderprop and sustaine his pretended counsels on certaine places of the holy Scripture in the producing and alleaging whereof is happened vnto him that which wrongfully he chargeth those withall who grounded on the Law of God and of Nature doe cancell and annull the vowes made by their children without their knowledge and approbation and that which Saint Peter condemnes in those that depraue the Epistles of Saint Paul saying h 2. Pet. 3.16 that the vnlearned and vnstable wrest them as they doe also the other Scriptures vnto their owne destruction CHAP. II. I. The Preface of the Pastorall letter forbids the Vulgar the reading of the Scriptures II. By the words of the Preface it is proued that all ought to reade the Scriptures III. The same is verified and iustified by the Scriptures IIII. A refutation of the blasphemie of those that maintaine the reading of the Scriptures to bee dammageable and dangerous BVt before he comes to the point he makes a preface in the which he handleth three points first to whom it appertaines to reade the Scriptures Secondly with what spirit they must be read Thirdly vnto whom the expounding and interpreting of the Scriptures appertaine And all to this end that hauing giuen them to vnderstand beleeue that it is not for all men to reade the Scriptures and that they must receiue the interpretation and sense of the Scriptures of those whom hee calles Our spirituall Fathers Pastors and Doctors wee beware to imitate the couragious men of Berea who hauing heard the preaching of Saint Paul a Acts 17.11 receiued the VVord with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so and that so wee may liue on the faith of our Curats as the prouerb is and ground all our beliefe on the speculations of men whereas Saint Paul writes that b Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.12 Heb. 10.38 the iust shall liue by his faith and the same is said to bee grounded and c 1. Cor. 2.5 to stand not in the wisedome of men but in the power of God Notwithstanding let vs examine his words and if they are accompanied with reason let vs follow them if not let vs shun them and follow reason II. Concerning the first point Pag 4. he writes that the Scriptures may be compared to a wedding banquet they that will come vnto it and enter in must bee called and those that haue not the wedding garment who throng and thrust in themselues too impudently are to be thrust out and reiected That which he saith touching the wedding garment sheweth that he makes allusion to the banquet of the marriage of the Lambe whereof S. d Matth. 22.2 Luke 14.16 Matthew and Saint Luke make mention but all were inuited and bidden to this feast the poore and the maimed and the halt and the blind good and bad Now if we apply this similitude and comparison it will follow that euen as all were inuited to that feast Iewes and Gentiles poore and rich the learned and the ignorant men and women great and small in a word all are inuited and bidden to the reading of the Scripture without any exception of qualitie condition name calling sexe or age And againe euen as the great King published that they that would not come vnto his supper were not worthie pronounced that none of those men should taste of his supper and destroyed those murderers of his Seruants euen so they that refuse to reade the Scriptures and vse spitefully those that do inuite them to the reading of them shall neuer taste of the conlations contained in them but shall miserably perish hee that was cast into vtter darkenesse was not reiected and thrust out for his entring and comming in for he was inuited and called with the rest but he was reiected because he brought not with him a wedding garment according to the Kings words c Mat. 22.12.13 Friend how camest thou in hither not hauing a wedding garment bind him hand and foote take him away and cast him into vtter darkenesse Loe how that which Eliphas said to Iob is happened and befallen vnto Cardinall Sourdis Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux f Iob 15.6 Thine owne mouth condemneth thee and not I yea thine owne lippes testifie against thee He did not thinke so his intention was to maintaine their common
20.3 Till the thousand yeeres should be fulfilled Who would now suffer himselfe to be swaied and caried away with this error should with good reason bee held and condemned for an heretick Doth not Stapleton tell vs y Staplet lib. â— de authorit Scripturae c. 2. §. 5. that Clement the Roman Tertullian Origen Irenaeus Chrysostome Theodoret Oecumenius Theophylact Ambrose Bernard were of opinion that the soules doe not enioy the vision of God before the day of iudgement Another adds to these z Senens lib. 6. annot 345. Iustine Martyr Lactance Victorinus Prudentius Arethas Iohn Pope of Rome Is not this an horrible errour VI. a Canus locorum Theolog. lib. 7. c. 1. num 1. §. Sancti namque Canus expounding S. Pauls words b Rom. 5.12 In whom all haue sinned saith that from these words All the Saints doe affirme with one consent that the Virgin Marie was conceiued in sinne Chrysostome Eusebius Remigius Ambrose Austin Bernard Bede Anselme Erardus Martyr Saint Antonie Doctor Bonaâ—enture Thomas of Aquin Vincentius Hugo de Sancto Victor why then doth not he himselfe follow this consent and opinion Let he himselfe say why Although no author hath contradicted it Infirmumest tamen ex omnium patrum consersu argumentum The argument notwithstanding taken from the consent of all the Fathers is weake and the contrarie opinion is more probably and holily held and maintained Of late then and newly haue they left and forsaken the vniuersall beleefe of all the Saints the space of 1400 yeeres and c Salmeron Iesuit in Rom. c. 5. disp si §. Deinde Salmeron the Iesuite tells vs that we must answere to this whole multitude that which one alleages and obiects that which is written of Gods word d Exod. 23.2 Exod. 23. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill neither shalt thou speake in a cause to decline after many to wrest iudgement Let this suffice for an answere to those that say we may not speake of the Scripture but onely as the holy Fathers expound it for if it were so we ought and should be Millinaries with many of the holy Fathers we should beleeue against all Scripture that the soules of the faithfull departed see not God vntill the vniuersall resurrection with the Fathers wee should race out of the catalogue of festiuall dayes that of the conception of the Virgin Marie the mother of Christ and hold with the Scripture that she was conceiued in sinne for so all the holy Fathers haue held VII The Romish Church should giue vnto the people the Eucharist vnder both kindes for so haue they beene instituted and giuen by the Master receiued and recommended by the Apostles celebrated by all the Fathers and of the whole Christian Church the space of 1400 yeeres wee ought to detest the new Fathers of Constance who haue presumed against Christs institution the doctrine of the Apostles the practice of the whole Church for so many ages to take away the cup to bereaue and depriue the Christians of the Sacrament of the bloud which the Sonne of God hath shed for them in the remission of their sinnes VIII To crie out alwaies the Fathers the Fathers to make great shew of the Fathers to relie on them to shelter themselues vnder the exposition of the Fathers and yet not follow the Fathers is to doe like e Matth. 26.49 Iudas which betraied Christ in speaking to him with great reuerence and kissing him or like the souldiers f Mat. 27.18.30 who hauing clothed our King and Sauiour Christ with a scarlet Robe and giuen him in his hand a Reede in stead of a Scepter they bowed their knees before him made a shew to adore him but forthwith did spit vpon him tooke the Reede and smote him on the head with it CHAP. VII I. What opinion wee are to haue and what iudgement to make of the Fathers in what and how farre they are to be beleeued II. The Author of the Pastorall Letter tyes and bindes the exposition of the Scriptures vnto the Pastors and Doctors hauing lawfull succession III. What is their authoritie charge and dutie IIII. They are not to bee heard vnlesse they speake according to the Scriptures V. Many vnder the Law and vnder the Gospell High-Priests Bishops and Popes hauing succession haue been Idolaters Hereticks Sorcerers VI. The obiection taken from the words of Malachie is contrary to the opponent I Doe not pretend to abate or diminish in any wise the authoritie of the Fathers I say that they haue been great men of God that they haue serued God and his Church in their time with great profit that their writings are of great vse and that by the reading of them a man may become wiser and holier And I hold for certaine that they are bound in the bundle of life and doe raigne in heauen with Christ Iesus their King for whose sake God hath been mercifull vnto them But when men make a buckler of their errors and when men say that we may not speake of the Scripture but as they are interpreted by them we are inforced to say the truth that first they all were men and not God secondly they were all disciples of the truth and not Author of the same all Interpreters of the law not Law-giuers all our fellow-Brethren and fellow-Seruants and not our Masters Thirdly that we ought to beleeue them in matters of fact or of things done in their time and that which they assuredly know when they speake of things not by heare-say but which themselues haue seene and knowne these certain things Fourthly that in matters of faith they are not to bee beleeued if they proue not their doctrine by the bookes of faith because as a Canus cent 3. sequent c. 4. Canus saith All the Saints those onely excepted who haue digested and committed vnto writing the Canonicall bookes haue spoken by human spirit and haue sometimes erred in things which appertaine to faith The reason is b 1. Cor. 13.9 They knew onely in part and prophesied in part c Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh in in them as well as in vs. The Apostles onely were priuiledged with an extraordinarie measure of the holy Ghost to leade them without any imperfection d Iohn 16.13 in all truth Fifthly that the Spirit of Christ Iesus is not dead with them but is as yet in his Church enlightning it in the truth and sanctifying her by the truth in so much as although there were no writings of the Fathers the people of God for all that should not leaue to know vnderstand the Scriptures to know the voyce of Christ and follow it Sixthly that the writings of the Fathers are as much or more obscure then the holy Scriptures if it might bee said without blasphemy that there were obscurenesse in those bookes which were dictated by him e Iohn 1.9 Who is the light
Iudge must bee present and visible we answere that that is not necessarie How often doe Emperours decide controuersies new sprung in their Prouinces by the authoritie and Iurisdiction of the Soueraigne Court without budging from their place How often haue the Popes remaining in Rome or in Auignon ended the differences of Christians a great distance from them by their Decreâ—all Epistles and doe as yet make knowne their will vnto al the world by their Bulls without stirring from their seate The King whom God preserue and blesse with all temporall and spirituall blessings for his glory is the supreme and Soueraigne Iudge of all this Kingdome although he be visibly and corporally but in one place of the same at one time from the place where hee is hee signifies by his Proclamation what his pleasure is vnto the which all his subiects must yeeld and agree A King who is but a man hath such a power and shall not the King of Kings haue it a mortall man absent in body shall bee acknowledged of all his good subiects for supreme Iudge and his will declared in writing shall bee a Law vnto them and shall not the Lord Iesus God-Man and Man-God be accepted of for Soueraine Iudge nor his writings for lawes vnlesse he make and shew himselfe visible and present What impietie But God be thanked our Iudge conteined indeede in heauen in regard of his bodie Acts 3.21 is alwaies euery where with his Church in regard of his Deitie and God-head alwaies present in the same in common and generall and in euery member of the same in particular by his holy Spirit by his grace by his vertue by his counsell by his helpe and assistance by his conduct and guiding and by his holy and wholesome word so farre forth that hee saith m Matth. 28.20 Lâ—e I am with you alwaies euen vnto the end of the world for * Matth. 18.20 faith he where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them It is he then that iudgeth vs by his word which is his voice which all they that are his sheepe heare which they know and follow n Iohn 10.27 My sheepe heare my voice saith Christ and I know them and they follow me And doe not thinke that he speakes there onely of his sheepe of then or that time when he fed them with the foode and refection of his mouth he speakes of all those that shall be gathered together vnder his Sheepe-hooke vntill the ende of the world according to that he said before vers 16 Other sheepe haue I which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepheard They that are not contented with this voice and heare it not they would not onely not heare our Lord Iesus although he should returne here in the flesh but also they would crucifie him againe as the Priests Scribes Pharisees and the Elders of the people did for if that so he should returne here on earth hee would say no other thing then that which he hath said alreadie and would not speake more plainely and perspicuously then he hath spoken in the holy Scriptures Therefore according as he hath commanded vs to call none our Doctor o Matth. 23.10 For one is our Doctor and Master euen Christ we will adhere and sticke fast vnto him alone and will say vnto him with Saint Peter and the other disciples Iohn 6.68 Lord to whom shall wee goâ— thou hast the words of eternall life and wee beleeue and are sure that thou art that Christ the Sonne of the liuing God V. The publike ministeriall Iudge is he which hath a publike and lawfull calling and authoritie from God to iudge not of the Scripture nor of the sense thereof for being immediatly from God the Law of the supreme Iudge and the most perfect rule of all godlinesse whereby all men are iudged and ruled it cannot be iudged of men by any meanes but of the doctrines of men the which he examines by the touchstone of the Scriptures and by them markes and considers if they are of God or no such are Pastors and Doctors considered apart in their Schooles and Churches and together in the Presbyterie Synods Councels Nationall and Occumenicall whose whole authoritie is limited by the holy Scriptures against and besides which they may not ordaine any thing Gal. 1.8 being to speake properly and fitly Clerks Truch-men Heralds Messengers and Ambassadours of God towards their brethren and not Iudges their iudgement being of seruice not of soueraigntie of direction not of authoritie compelling p Ephes 2.20 For we are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and not vpon the hand of humane opinions Wherefore if Christ Iesus himselfe hath confirmed his doctrine by the Scriptures q Luk. 24.27 beginning at Moses and all the Prophets r Act. 15.16.17 If the Apostles assembled together in Ierusalem refuted by the Scripture the heresie of those which mingled the Law with the Gospell If Saint Paul Å¿ Act. 17.2.3 Act. 26.22 Act. 28.23 proued his Gospell by the writings of Moses and of the Prophets surely they that are not furnished with such authoritie are bound to iustifie their doctrine by the Scriptures without the which t Orig. in Hierem â—om 1. our sense meanings and interpretation are not faith In regard of which the Apostle saith that the Spirit of Prophets are subiect to the Prophets 1. Cor. 14.32 And u Gerson de exam doctri Consid 5. num 17. Gersâ—â— saith That we must giue more credit and beleeue soeuer a simple man not authorized excellently skilled in the Scriptures then the declaration of the Pope for it is certaine that we must soâ—â—er beleeue and rather giue credit vnto the Gospell then vnto the Pope x Panerm in cap. significat extra de electiâ— Panâ—rmus saith In matters which concerne our faith the saying of a prâ—â—ate man is to be preferred before the Popes saying if it be confirmed with the best reasons of the old and new Testament Another most excellently and euidently y Picus Mirand de fide â—rd cred Theâ—re 6. A simple peasant or swaine a childe an old woman are more credible and 〈◊〉 to her beleeued thou the grand Prelate or Pope and a thousand Bishops of these speake contrary and against the Gospell those for and according to the Gospell The reason is verie good the Gospell is of the Master and ought to bee receiued with all obedience of faith by whomsoeuer it is preached the Pope and the Bishops are but seruants in the Masters house where they haue no other charge then to serue the children of the house according to the will of the heauenly Father comprehended in the Scriptures otherwise they are no Pastors but Impostors VI. As the publike ministerial iudgement is without proportion and measure inferior to
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
being past feeling haue giuen themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse This is the description of a man not regenerated and renewed of the Iew as well as of the Gentill of him that is vnder the Law as well as of him which is without the Law of the Christian who is in the Church as of the Infidell which is out of the Church II. g Isai 64.6 New we are all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthie raggs This is the description of the regenerate and renewed the confession of the greatest Saints which say h Dan. 9.5 c. we haue sinned and committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly and haue rebelled 〈◊〉 by departing from thy precepts and front thy iudgements neither haue we hearkened vnto thy seruants the Prophets which spake in thy name O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs confusion of faâ—et to our Kings our Princet and our Fathers because wee haue trespassed against thee As the prayer of euery one is Forgiue wâ—â—â—â— trespasseâ— Those can doe no good they haue neither the will nor the power These say with Saint Paul i Rom. 7.18 To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I findâ—â—â—t Therefore these also cannot keepe the Law in that perfection which it requires of men in this life they aime and make towards the perfection and doe aduance and draw neere vnto it more and more but they shall not attaine vnot it vntill that being vnclothed of this body of sinne which doth beset them they bee clothed vpon with their house which is from heauen and that will we proue by fiue arguments III. First the most regenerate and holy are not more renewed more holy then the holy Apostle who said of himselfe and of all the Saints k Rom. 8.23 We haue the first fruits of the Spirit The first fruites are as it were an handfull taken from the whole heape our sanctification therefore in this life is little in comparison of the full haruest which wee shall rape in the life to come for we are regenerated and renewed but in part successiuely and by degrees much of the old infirmitie remaining in vs and drawing vs to sinne with such vigor and force that the Apostle himselfe complaines saying l Rom. 7.21 I finde a law that when I would doe good euill is with me He had that from the originall malice which remained as yet in him and m August in Ioan trac 41. Minuitur in vita proficientium quod in vita consumitur perfectorum which diminisheth onely in the life of those which profit and goe on as it is fully consumed in the life of those which haue attained vnto perfection whence else-where he saith of himselfe n 2. Cor. 4.16 Though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day Which words Saint Austin hath well peised and pondered and from whence he bath drawne this doctrine o Aug. de peccat merit lib. 2. c. 7. Prefectâ— qui de die in diem â—dbuc renouatur nondum totus est renouatus in quantum nondum est renouatus in tantum adbuc in ve tustate est He which is renewed day by day is not as yet wholly renewed and in as much as he is not altogether renewed so much is hee in his old nature And by consequent a child of this world euen as in so much as he is renewed he is the childe of God and such are all the regenerate of whom the Apostle saith that in them p Gal. 5.17 The flesh Insteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that yee cannot do the things that ye would The flesh is that which is not as yet renewed in the minde in the will in the affections as it appeares by this that the Apostle attributes to the flesh a certaine q Rom. 8.7 wisedome r Col. 2.18 reason and vnderstanding and placeth among the works of the flesh Å¿ Gal. 5.20.21 Idolatrie and the heresies that are conceiued and borne in the minde and exhorts vs t Ephes 4.23 to be renewed in the Spirit of our minde In which respect he saies of himself * Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing vnderstanding by his flesh not his body for if he said vnto the Corinthians u 1. Cor. 6.19 Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost did hee not know that his was but this infirmitie or rather peruersitie which did as yet dwel in al the parts of his soule although it did not rule there was indeede mortified but not as yet dead The Spirit therefore is that which is renewed in the minde in the will in the affections and in all the parts of the soule and of the body The flesh is the old man the Spirit is the new man these two men are in euery true Christian they are both together at one time in one and the same subiect of the minde of the will of the affections in the minde and vnderstanding knowledge and ignorance of the same thing faith and vnbeleefe in the will confidence and distrust in the affections loue and hate c witnesse the father of the lunatick who confessed saying x Mark 9.24 I beleeue and thereupon presently prayde to Christ saying helpe thou mine vnbeliefe It is with the regenerate man Similitude 1 who is flesh and spirit as with a man raised vp from a long and grieuous maladie who makes a few turnes in his chamber but trailing his leggs after him and will stand vpright but it will be in leaning on his staffe hauing in him as yet by reason of the reliques of his sicknesse an vniuersall indisposition in all the parts of his body Or else it fareth with such a man Similitude 2 as with the aire in the dawning or breake of day which is not altogether cleare and light as it is at noone it is not partly light partly darke as the Moone is in the increase and waine but is in all her parts cleare and blacke obscure and enlightned Wee may also compare it vnto luke-warme water Similitude 3 which in all her parts is mixed with heate and cold Similitude 4 or vnto a liquor mingled with water and wine wherein is neither pure wine nor pure water but the whole is wine and water together euen vnto her most insensible parts although such a liquor will sauour somtimes more of water then of the wine and again somtimes more of wine then of water as the regenerate man in the beginning of his regeneration is more carnall then spirituall and in the progresse of the same is more spirituall then carnall These two men therefore doe fight in vs in lusting the one against the other the flesh lusteth two waies First it
ingenders and begets in vs all manner of euill thoughts and desires of which Saint Iames faith x 〈◊〉 1.14 Euery man is tempted when hee is drawne away of his owne lust and enticed Secondly withdrawes vs from good and doth what he can to smother the good and holy motions of the Spirit in vs as Saint Paul saith y Rom. 7.22.23 I delight in the Law of God after the inward man but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captiuitie of the law of sin which is in my members The Spirit also â—usteth against the flesh two manner of waies First hee creates in vs all sorts of good thoughts motions and desires Dauid felt it thus when he said z Psal 16.7 I will blesse the Lord who hath giuen me counfell my reines also instruct me in the night-season a Psal 27.8 When thou saidest Seeke ye my face my hart said vnto thee Thy face O Lord will I seeke Secondly he stops and stayes the bad motions of the flesh to the ende they take not effect or at the least blunts their point that they doe not sinne excessiuely in which fense Saint Iohn saith b 1. Ioh. 3.9 Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seede remaineth in him To commit sinne is to make a trade and occupation of sinning and to giue himself ouer to euil with an entire and whole consent of the will the which a man renewed cannot doe because with the feede of sinne which is his naturall corruption he hath in him the feede of God which is the gift of sanctification and is mixed in all the qualities of his soule and in all the workes that flow thence The supernaturall knowledge wherein the minde is enlightned is mingled with ignorance and naturall blindnesse which remaines in him so that he hath neede to aske euery day new enlightning of God as Dauid did who said c Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may behold the wondrous things out of thy Law His faith is mingled with vnbeleefe his confidence with diffidence his hope with despaire witnesse the lunaticks father as wee haue seene before witnesse Iob who complaining of God said vnto him d Iob 13.24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemie And at the same time he cried our e Iob 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him His will purified and corrected is incessantly crossed by a contrary wil which hinders him to doe the good he would doe For as our Sauiour said f Mat. 26.41 The Spirit is willing but the fleshes weak The will in as much as it is sanctified hath a maruellous affection and desire to obey God but the flesh with the which she is chained weakens it and makes her slacke and remisse to doe that shee would doe The affections are neuer so well squared and ordered but there is disorder they can neuer shake off so wel this dust and durt but as g 1. King 18.21 the Israelites did halt on both sides following at one time God and Baal so do they halt betweene heauen and earth betwixt the heauenly goods which cannot bee defiled nor wither and the perishing goods of this world whhose figure passeth away as swift as a weauers shittle I write nothing but that which all the children of God feele in themselues otherwise they should not appertaine vnto the Church Militant Which hath no enemies so cruel vigilaÌ„t pressing hard and difficult to ouercome as those which euery member of the same nourisheth within himselfe and carrieth continually in his bosome as namely lust which saith Saint Iames h Iam. 1.14.15 draweth enticeth conceiueth and bringeth forth sinne and therefore is a sinne like a Serpent that engenders conceiues and brings forth a Viper is a Viper as all that which is conceiued is of the nature of that whereof it is conceiued as the tree that bringeth forth bad and rotten fruit is corrupt and rotten according to Christs saying k Matth. 7.18 A good tree cannot bring forth euill fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruite This naturall contagion doth infect all the good workes of the regenerate with so great a blemish that the Church it selfe confesseth l Isai 64.6 All our righteousnesse are as filthie rags what can we then say yea what ought we to say we I say who as Bernard saith m Bernard de verb. Esaiae serm 5. are not better then our forefathers which haue no lesse truly them humbly spoken so This is the first argument grounded on the great and general deprauation of our nature wherby the workes of the most holiest are so blemished and distained that they can in no wise answere vnto the righteousnesse holinesse and perfection of the Law IIII. The second argument is taken from our knowledge for such as is our knowledge such is our obedience such are all our workes that proceede from it Now our knowledge is verie imperfect n 1. Cor. 13.9.12 For as the Apostle saith of himselfe and of all we know in part and we prophesie in part we see now through a glasse darkely the perfect knowledge being reserued for the Kingdome of heauen which our Lord hath represented by giuing to the blinde man his sight o Mark 8.22 of whom Saint Marke saith that Christ Iesus hauing put his hands vpon him the first time he saw men walking but not as men but as trees but hauing put his hands vpon his eies the second time he saw euery man clearely euen so fareth it with vs we receiue here but the first imposition of hands we often take one thing for another and see the things of God but by halues whence wee must not find it strange if we do them but by halfe and do remaine and stand a farre off from the perfection and righteousnesse of the Law whose first and last Commandement cannot be fulfilled by any man liuing here on earth Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy mind and with all thy strength It will haue the soule and the whole soule the heart and the whole heart the thoughts and all the thoughts the strength of the hart of the soule of the thoughts and the whole strength of the same p Aug. lib. 1. de doct Christ c. 22. It leaues no part of our life that may be voide of charitie It commaunds all the degrees of charitie for he that saith All excepts nothing If thou canst adde any thing thereunto there is not all If thou takest away any thing there will not bee all More charitie can bee added day by day vnto our charitie otherwise Saint Iude would not haue praied q Iude 2. Mercie vnto you and peace and loue be multiplied Let Saint Austin speake for vs r Aug. epist 29. Charitie is a
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
voice from whence Saint Cyprian inferres l Cypri de â—pere Elâ—emosia The Martyrs that none can bee without sinne that there remaines as yet to those which are healed some wounds that whosoeuer saith he is without sinne is either proud or senselesse Not the Martyrs for it is written of all of them m Reuel 7.14 That they washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe Then had they them soiled and distained and haue not found any thing in themselues wherewith to make them white n Reuel 14.5 These are such in whose mouth was found no guile Surely saith Saint Austin o August de peccat merit lib. 2. c. 7. because they haue reproued themselues sincerely and therefore no guile was found in their mouth For if they said that they had had no sinne they should deceiue themselues and truth should not be in them and where truth is not there is vntruth X. Not the whole Church The whole Church which so long as it warres in this vale of miserie beleeues by an article of faith the remission of sinnes not surely the sinnes of others but her owne sinnes for sinnes are pardoned to none but to the Church This is her voice p Canticles 1.5 I am blacke but comely She is not saith Saint q Bernar. in Cant Serm. 25. Bernard without some spot of blacknesse but surely here in the place of her pilgrimage for the time will 〈◊〉 when the Spouse of glory will make her glorious without spot without wrinkle and such like things But if she should now say that she hath no blacknesse at all she should deceiue her selfe and truth should not be in her Neither saith she so but contrariwise she cries incessantly vpon God in all her members r Mat. 6.12 Forgiue vs our trespasses in her most holy members For as Saint Austin saith Å¿ August in Psal 142. The excellent Rammes amongst Christe sheepe haue receiued commandement to pray so Then how much more the rest whereof none can say that he is without the contagion of â—â—â—ne that he neede not pray euen so Not Moses not Samuel not Elias not Iohn Baptist not Saint Peter not Saint Paul not Saint Iohn not any one of those that haue obtained good witnesse and testimony from God in the Scripture This voice this language â—aith t Gregor Nysse de orati domin Serm. 5. Gregorie of Nyssen appertaines vnto them all If they were now in the world liuing on earth in this humane frailty the necessitie of sinning would impose vpon them a necessitie of praying in regard of their sinnes past Forgiue vs our sinnes and in respect of their sinnes to come Leade vs not into tâ—ntation and that not onely for others but also for themselues not onely in humilitie as the Pelagians said but also in truth for saying they were sinners by humilitie and not being sinners truly they should lie through humilitie and in lying they should bee sinners as it hâ—th beene decided of old by u Concil Mileuit can 6.7.8 the Councell held at Mileuiâ—um in Numidia with denunciation of Anatheâ—â— and curse against those that made the Apostles and other Saints confessors of their sinnes for humblenesse sake in 〈◊〉 not in truth x Canon 8. Quis enim ferat â—rantem non hominibus sed ipsi Dâ—minâ— mentiâ—nâ—em It were saith the Councell to lie vnto God and not vnto men Let vs therefore conclude this argument with Saint Ieromâ— and say y Hieron ad Rusticum epist 44. If Abraham Isaac Iacob the Prophets also and Apostles haue not beene without sinne If the purest wheate hath had his straw and chaffe what can bee said of vs of whom it is written z Jerem. 23.28 What is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord CHAP. VIII I. The places aboue mentioned are expounded and vnderstood of veniall sinnes by Bellarmine II. Euery sinne is mortall in his nature which appeares III. If it be measured to God IIII. To the Law V. And to the death of Iesus Christ VI. All sinnes are veniall by grace to him that is in Christ Iesus VII Are notwithstanding some greater then othersome VIII The last Argument Neuer any Monke kept neuer could haue kept the Law BEllarmine a Bellar. de monach c. 13. §. 32.36 expounds all these places of veniall sinnes without the which we are not or are very rarely in this life notwithstanding for all this we may be iust and doe workes of supererogation II. This man when hee writ thus was doubtlesse cauterized and seated in his conscience in regard of the feeling of sinne And thus it is that now adaies they sew cushions vnder the elbow of the poore abused world and crie Peace peace to them for whom there is no peace they make many soules liue that should not liue flattering them in their sinnes by a wretched distinction of sinnes into mortall and veniall a distinction contrary vnto the Scripture which speaking of sinne in generall without distinction without limitation saith b Rom. 6.23 that the wages of sinne is death and denounceth plainely that c Ezech. 18.4 the soule that sinneth it shall die Let sinne be measured to God to the Law to Christ Iesus and they will finde that it is so III. To God d Psal 51.4 Against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight saith Dauid vnto God and the most holy men must say the like with him for can a man sinne without transgressing the Law of God and therefore without offending God And who will say that a trespasse against God is a veniall sinne Among vs men the sinne and offence multiplies according to the proportion of the person which is offended and of the place where it is committed The wrong done to a priuate person either in word or deede may bee repaired and satisfied by an honourable amends or by a pecuniarie fine and amercement but to thinke ill of his Prince is a crime of high treason to speake ill of him deserues not the gallowes not the sword but the pinsers the wheele the fire the extremest torments If a sonne rebell against his father if the seruant disobeieth his Master if the subiect despiseth the commandements of his Soueraigne the father thinkes he hath iust occasion to disinherit his son the Master to vse hardly his seruant the Lord to reiect his subiect to pursue him to prâ—scribe him to put him to death And the Creator of all the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords the Father the Redeemer the Sauiour of vs all shall bee wronged and iniured in words in thoughts in bad and wicked deedes and actions by his creatures by his seruants by his children by his subiects and shall be wronged and offended in his owne house and in his presence and some one or many of euill seruants shall call and crie vnto their fellow-mates and companions that it