words and pronounces the curse against those that keepe them not for as Saint Iames saith i Iames 2.10 Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guiltie of all Now he that obserues not Counsels is not guiltie of the transgression of the Law is not vnder the curse according to that which Bellarmine tells vs that k Bellar. de monach c. 7. §. 6. Consilium si non seruetur nullam habet poenam the Counsell if it be not kept hath no penaltie Whereupon it followeth necessarily that the Counsels are not of the Law and haue nothing in common with it V. As little are they of the Gospell it might suffise mee to produce the confession euen of our aduersaries reducing them to the Law for if they are of the Law they appertaine not to the Gospell for the reasons heretofore alleaged VVe may adde that they cannot be of the Gospell for they recommend no other thing but workes and all workes are of the Law which commands vs to doe them as faith is of the Gospell which exhorts vs to beleeue Christ Iesus being demanded of a Scribe which is the first Commandement of all answered that it is to loue God with all our heart with all our soule with all our minde with all our strength and that the second is like namely this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe that said hee pronounceth l Mark 12.31 that there is no other Commandement greater then these And the Scribe agreeth vnto and consenteth with him saying that m Mark 12.33 It is more then all burnt offerings and sacrifices VVhat can the Counsels commaund or recommend any worke which hath no relation to the loue of God or of our neighbour Can they recommend any worke greater more excellent more difficult then to loue God with all his heart with all his minde with all his strength If the most excellent and exquisit of these pretended counsels cannot mount and ascend higher and cannot counsel any other thing either the Counsels are of the Law Now if they were of the Law they should bee Precepts not Counsels or they are neither of the Law nor of the Gospell which is true for workes appertaine not to the Gospell It is true that there is frequent mention of workes in the Gospell as there is often mention of Iesus Christ and of faith in Christ in the Law That which is said in the Law touching faith in Christ is of the Gospell Aâ—d reciprocally that which is said concerning the workes of sanctification in the Gospell is of the Law the Law speaketh of Christ and of faith in Christ because Christ alone hath fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law and alone doth giue to his owne that is to the Elect vertue and strength by his Spirit to keepe it here on earth in our way and in our iourney but in part aboue in our heauenly Countrie perfectly The Gospell speakes of the workes of the Law because the Spirit of Christ brings forth in vs no other workes then those which the Law commaunds according to the promise of the new Couenant n Iâ—rent 31.31 33. 34. Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will make a new Couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah c. For this shall bee the Couenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people they shall all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgiue their iniquitie and I will remember their sinne no more A promise which hath two heads the first that God viewing and looking on vs in the face of his Christ who hath satisfied his iustice for vs will forgiue vs our sinnes without any reseruation of the fault or of the punishment because he will remember our sinnes no more The second that he will put his Spirit within vs that he will take away our stonie heart and wil giue vs a heart of flesh and will cause vs to walke in his statutes to keepe his iudgements and doe them o Ezech. 36.26 27. as the Prophet Ezechiel saith Now that this promise appertaineth vnto the new Testament it is manifest by the exposition which is giuen vs in the p Heb. 8.8 cap. 10.16 Epistle to the Hebrewes wherefore seeing that the holy Spirit which is giuen vs by the Gospel worketh in vs no other works but those which are commanded in the law The Counsels which they propound to vs vnder the title of workes of perfection being in no part commanded in the Law cannot be recommended in the Gospell then if they bee not neither of the Law nor of the Gospell they are but the inuentions and phantasies of superstitious men whom the sword of God hath strucken with and by this sentence q Esay 1.12 Who hath required this at your hand r Esay 29.13 Their feare towards me is taught by the precepts of men CHAP. III. I. The Scriptures makes no mention of Counsels of perfection II. How they are defined III. There is no greater perfection then that which makes vs like vnto God commanded to all men IIII. The whole perfection of man consists in charitie which is of the Commandement V. Charitie consists in that we should loue God with all our heart and with all our strength c. and leaues no part of vs free for the practising of Counsels VI. The reason by the which Bellarmine would delude this reason is refuted VII If the Counsels of perfection as they terme them were of God all should be bound to follow them which is absurd VIII If they leade and bring one to perfection all should aspire vnto it and aime at it by the dutie of necessitie IX Counsels are not workes are no good workes X. The first distinction betweene Counsell and precept refuted XI The second refuted XII The third and fourth refuted IF a 1. Pet. 4.11 any was speake let him speake as the Oracles of God This Precept and lesson of the Apostle Saint Peter either is not well learned or not well practised of those which speake of Counsels and doe tricke and adorne them with the title and name of b Bellar. de Monach. â— 7 §. 1.2 Perfection to cast a mist before the cies of those thâ—â— swallow without chowing all that is set before them for there is no place either in the old or new Testament that tearmes and names the Counsels of Perfection It is a new name inuented of late to aduance and giue credit vnto a doctrine as new as the name and as imaginary or chimerical as falsehood and vntruth hath publisht it and set it forth for reall true and emphaticall II. c Ibid. 11. Consilium perfectionis vocamus opus
way of exclusion by that which hee comprehends not and positiuely by that which he comprehends he retaines not the things of the Spirit of God the mysterie of the Crosse of Christ the great things which God hath done to vs the things which God will haue vs to doe i Mat. 16.17 Flesh and bloud reueale not these things but the Father which is in heauen k 2. Cor. 3.5 And we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God He comprehends the things of God as things which are not of God l 1. Cor. 1.23 We preach saith the Apostle Christ crucified vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke and vnto the Greekes foolishnesse Behold the distribution and diuision of a man that hath no excellencie in himselfe but his soule either he is a Iew and Christ is a stumbling block vnto him or elsen Greeke and Christ is foolishnesse vnto him He vnderstands the things which are displeasing vnto God vnderstands not those things which are pleasing vnto him God said of his people m Ierem. 4.22 My people is foolish they haue not knowne me they are sottish children and they haue none vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe good they haue no knowledge VVhat would he then say or what would not he say of them which are not his people Before the Floud n Gen. 6.5 God saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and that euerie imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely euill continually After the Floud he said * Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Heere is no place for cauilling hee saith not some imagination of the thoughts but euery imagination of the thoughts hee sayes not that this imagination of the thoughts is for the most part euill but that it is altogether euil yea more plainely that it is onely euill and that not by respits and pauses but continually The reason is the naturall man is onely flesh the Scripture saies that he is flesh that he is in the flesh that is to say that he is corrupted yea drowned in corruption euen vnto the very highest part of his soule which is his vnderstanding as the Apostle speaketh of Infidels that o Tit. 1.15 their minde and conscience is defiled p Col. 2.18 and vainely puft vp by their fleshly mindes This is all that their good wit and spirit serues vnto to make them swel and puffe vp with presumption as Toades do with venome for as for God q Rom. 8.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The carnall minde is enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeede can be Christ Iesus speaking of these things saith r Mat. 6.22.23 The light of the body is the eye if therefore thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light but if thine eye be euill thy whole body shall be full of darkenesse If therfore the light that is in thee be darkenes how great is that darknesse The Lord teaching vs by these words that if the minde and vnderstanding which is the light of the soule be darkenes man cannot thinke will say doe any thing which is good and iust for the will to will well must be ruled by the minde vnderstanding well and the bodie to doe well must bee gouerned by the will willing well that which is good Now the Scripture saith of the vnregenerated man that ſ Esay 48.4 his neck is as an iron sinew and his brow brasse VVhat is harder then iron or brasse such is the will of man but the iron is tractable and plyant to the hammer the fire can mollifie it and make it pliant it can bee framed and fashioned in diuers formes by the hammer It is not so with mans will it cannot bee softned wherefore the Scripture compares it vnto a stone and by such a comparison declares that it is inflexible vnto good as a stone that breakes but neuer bowes t Ezech. 36.26 A new heart will I giue you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh and I will giue you an heart of flesh Our heart is naturally so inflexible to godlinesse that God promiseth not to correct it or strengthen it but to take it away and to giue vs in stead of that an heart of flesh a pliable heart a heart framed and fashioned to the obedience of his commandments He promises to change the whole nature not in regard of the substance of it but in respec of the euill qualities thereof which are ours and make vs saplesse and without life when question is of the things of God in stead of which he will put in vs holy qualities by the which hee will fashion vs and transforme vs to his will After this sort our will is described priuatiuely and exclusiuely God hath described it also positiuely saying u Ier. 17.9 The heart is deceitfull aboue all things and desperately wicked In a word all they that are out of Christ Iesus are termed by the holy Ghost x Ephes 2.1 dead in trespasses and sinnes and by consequent destitute of all principle of mouing and of spirituall life what knowledge soeuer they haue of this life and what dexterity industrie and addresse soeuer they shew in the things of this world and therefore wee must not thinke it strange if the Apostle calls all of vs y Ephes 2.3 children of wrath Let a man iudge now if those that are such naturally vnapt vnto all good inclined naturally vnto all euill they that are the obiect of Gods anger can bee called good to begin nay to think any good thing To be good trees we must be taken away from our stock and stemme plucked out from the old Adam transported and transplanted in a new soile grafted into the free Oliue tree in corporated in Christ Iesus who hath pronounced this sentence z John 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can doe nothing They that are not regenerated are not grafted into Christ the meanes of the vnion of the Elect with Christ is his Spirit and these are a Iude 19. sensuall hauing not the Spirit Some of them may haue and haue the Spirit bridling and restraining them staying and repressing the boyling and surging of their flesh as it is happened vnto many Heathen which haue been esteemed vertuous men because God willing to preserue the states and families of this world by good order and ciuill gouernement gaue them the gift to hide their vices but none of them euer had the sanctifying spirit to mortifie their flesh It is the priuiledge of the members of Christ Iesus of those that in him are made by grace the childrē of God
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
complaines of those that reade and speake of them Let them defend them and forbid them with threatnings I will not feare what man can doe to me but knowing that the word of God is of such vertue n Psal 119.130 that the entrance of his words giueth light and giueth vnderstanding vnto the simple I will loue it I will put it close to my heart I will take in it all my delight and pastime his words shall be folkes of my counsell I will alwaies adhere and sticke fast vnto them that I may say in good conscience vnto my God with Dauid o Psal 119.97 O how loue I thy Law it is my meditation all the day CHAP. IIII. I. The Scripture is to be read with the same Spirit wherewith it was written II. The proofes which the Pastorall Letter alleageth are nothing to the purpose III. The Philosophers iustly blamed by Saint Hierome for that they did frame and apply the places of Scripture vnto their sense and opinions IIII. This blame pertaines and belongs vnto the Author of the Pastorall Letter V. Two true reasons why the Scriptures cannot be vnderstood but by the same Spirit they haue been indicted with VI. The Spirit of God is in the Church in generall and in euery member of the same according to the measure of the gift and grace of Christ. SAint Peter speaking of the writings of the Prophets saith that the a 2. Pet. 1.21 prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy 〈◊〉 of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Out of these words of Saint Peter the Author of the Pastorall Letter inferres that we must reade the Scriptures with the same spirit that they were written by which is the Spirit of charitie a pure Spirit a cleane Spirit we adde to this that b Iohn 15.16 he is the Spirit of truth and so we say Amen to this doctrine II. But not to the proofes thereof that are allegoricall or false or corrupted and peruerted That which is said of the commandement giuen vnto him that preacheth the Gospell that he should gâ—â— vp to the mountaine of vertue is allegoricall and repugning to the sense of the Scriptures In like manner that which is added that no beast way approch vnto this mountaine that is to say no carnall sense or meaning and that haue we seene in the Chapter going before The second proofe taken from c Genes 6.3 that of Genesis is false God saith there My Spirit shall not alwaies striue with man for that he is also flesh and the meaning is that God will no longer beare with the malice of men because they are nothing but flesh that is to say finne and corruption but hee will destroy them from the face of the earth if they repent not in the space of an hundred and twentie yeeres Here is therefore no question of the abode of Gods Spirit in men but of the strife that God hath with men obstinatly hardned and not harkning vnto his admonitions but taking occasion by his blessings to liue according to the flesh The third proofe is mained and defectiue Saint Paul saith that d Rom. 15.4 Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope In the Pastorall Letter these words are thus changed Pag. 6. cut off and falsified The whole Scripture is giuen of God for our instruction that so by the example that we imbrace in seeing the recompence of the verâ—â—ous and the punishment of the wicked we comfort our selues in hope to attaine vnto the inestimable goods that are promised there So that whole comfort of the Scriptures is falsely referred and applied to the example that we take of the recompence of the good and the punishment of the wicked whereas it doth altogether consist in the death and passion of Christ Iesus in whose blood al those good men e Reuel 7.14 haue washed their long robes hauing all of them been iustified and graciously saued by the blood of him on the crosse and not by the merit of any vertue that was in them Whence the Lord is called f Luke 25. the Consolation of Israel namely of all the Saints the peace comfort and ioy of whom is wholy limited and stinted in him and to the witnesse that Gods Spirit beareth to their spirit and consciences by the holy Scriptures that God hath reconciled them to himselfe in him not imputing to them their sins where with ioy they crie out with the Prophet Dauid a man according to Gods heart g Psalm 32.1.2 Blessed is hee whose transgression is forgiuen whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie But not being of a subiect and matter to examine this place any more I doe approue the conclusion that is drawne from hence for seeing the Scripture hath been giuen vs for our instruction and consolation we ought not alter it or diuert it to our destruction III. Neither ought we to imitate those of whom Saint Ierome complaines h Hieron that comming to the holy Scriptures after the studie of the Sciences of this world doe imagine that all that they say is the Word and Law of God and take not the paines to search and examine diligently what the Prophets and Apostles haue said but doe frame vnto their sense the places of Scriptures which haue no resemblance agreement or relation vnto it being like the Israelites in this who made a golden Calfe of the treasures they brought out of Egypt whereas they that vse holily humane Sciences making them serue and attend on Diuinitie are like those that did imploy the iewels and riches of the Egyptians towards the building of the Tabernacle and entertainement of Gods seruice IIII. But when they say Pag. 7. that parents which binde their children to the obedience of the commandement they giue them to stay with them to serue them and not to enter into such or such a cloister are like those first that they doe subuert all order imagine they ought to preferre their commandement before Gods commandement their wills before the Euangelicall Counsels against the expresse Texts of the Gospell the example of Saints the interpretations of all the Fathers and the decisions of the holy Canons They charge them with a false blasphemie wherewith the Author of the Pastorall Letter shall finde himselfe touched and tainted who takes violently by the haires as we say the places of Scripture and the interpretations of the Fathers and frames them after his owne imagination wherewith they haue no resemblance or relation as we shall see in the Chapters following V. Notwithstanding this remaines as true that the same Spirit which hath indicted the Scriptures and giuen it to bee written ought and doth vnfold and giue vs the sense and meaning thereof The reason is in them or in vs In them their
perfect heart to Hebron to make Dauid King ouer all Israel Euen so whosoeuer warring against his infirmities addicts himselfe to seeke the Lord with a simple and sincere heart and indeuours the best he can according to the measure of the grace of Iesus Christ in him to loue God with all his heart God accepting of so holy an indeuour for the effect and pardoning him all that is wanting for Iesus Christs sake whose member he is he holds him reputes him names him as if hee had done whatsoeuer the Law requires and it is in this regard that hee is called Righteous For euen as he which meditates proiects designes the euill takes pleasure in it is called p Mat. 9.11 a sinner in the highest degree and is said q 5. Iob. 3.8.9 to commit sinne although God either foreslowes or hinders or dissipates his most wicked and wretched plots and proiects because it is not long of himselfe that he puts not in execution the pernicious designes of his hart God who r Iob 10.4 hath not the eyes of flesh nor seeth as man seeth Å¿ 1. Sam. 16.7 For man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart holdeth and accounteth for done that which hee would haue done termes him a sinner and committing sinne as if he did alwaies sinne in effect as well as he sinnes in affection According to this the Lord saith to Iudas who had resolued in himselfe to betray him t Iohn 13.27 That thou doest doe quickly In like manner hee which according to the ordinarie course of his life walkes in the feare of the Lord in his Law doth meditate day and night and all his delight is in the same is called u 1. Iohn 3.7 righteous and doing righteousnesse although the Diuell the World and his Flesh doe hinder him often to doe the good hee would and doe alwaies hinder him to perfect it and to doe it so holily as hee would God x Psal 7.9 who trieth the hearts and reines accepteth his good affection and as his Father in Christ Iesus and now no more his Iudge giues the title and name of righteousnesse to his sanctified his holy and religious will holding and reputing as done the good which he would haue done VI. So Dauid protests often that he hath kept the Law as we may reade in the 119. y Psal 119. Psalme because he had determined in himselfe to keepe it because he indeuoured and stroue with might and maine to keepe it and applied himselfe vnto it with great zeale and deuotion as hee declares it in the same Psalme z Vers 8. c. I will keepe thy statutes vers 8. I haue chosen the way of truth thy iudgements haue I laid before me vers 30. I haue said O Lord that I would keepe thy words vers 57. I haue sworne and I will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements vers 106. This is his resolution grounded vpon the loue of the Law I haue reioyced in the way of thy Testimonies as much as in all riches vers 14. I will delight my selfe in thy Statutes I delight in thy word Vers 16. My soule breaketh for the longing that it hath vnto thy iudgements at all times Vers 20. O how loue I thy Law it is my meditation all the day vers 97. c. This affection bred this resolution to keepe it and this resolution was followed with the effect he saith Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellers vers 24. I remembred thy iudgements of old O Lord and haue comforted my selfe vers 52. I made haste and delaied not to keepe thy Commandements vers 60. The Law of thy mouth is better vnto me then thousands of gold and siluer vers 72. It is my meditation all the day vers 97. I haue not departed from thy Iudgements for thou hast taught me vers 102. Thy Word is a Lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path 105. Thy Testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the reioycing of my heart vers 111. My soule hath kept thy Testimonies vers 169. c. But this effect and worke is not perfect for there was as yet darkenesse in his vnderstanding and therefore hee prayes Open thou mine eyes that I may behold the wondrous things of thy Law vers 18. Giue me vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy Law yea I shall obserue it with my whole heart vers 34. Teach me good Iudgement and knowledge vers 66. Deale with thy seruant according vnto thy mercy and teach me thy statutes vers 124. There was some opposition in his heart therefore he prayes to God to encline his heart vnto his Testimonies and not to couetousnesse vers 36. He that prayeth so hath not attained vnto perfection notwithstanding he saith that he hath kept the Law that he hath done the Commandements as he himselfe expounds it saying I haue inclined mine heart to performe thy Statutes alway euen vnto the ende vers 112. VII The ancient Fathers haue thus expounded these places of Scripture as indeede they cannot be otherwise expounded then so considering the sinnes of the holiest which haue often tript and stumbled in the Law Saint Bernard shewes in what sense the Scripture termeth Christians Saints a Bernar. serm 3. Ad fratres in quo verbo non te terreat sanctitatis nomen quando non secundum meritum sed propositum non secundum affectionem sed secundum intentionem sanctos vocat Let not the name of holinesse amaze thee for God calls not his Saints according to their merit but according to his purpose not according to their affection but according to his intention Which he proues by the examples of Dauid and of Saint Paul who had not as yet apprehended that holines which men iudge it to be he adds afterwards And thou also if thou hast resolued in thy selfe to decline from euill and do that which is good hold fast that which thou hast receiued and continually profit better and better and then if thou doest something lesse vprightly according to humane frailtie not to persist in it but to repent and amend thy selfe according to thy power b Ibid. Eris sine dubio sanctus tâ— doubtlesse thou shalt also bee holy Prosper Aquitanus rendring a reason why the righteous which haue alwaies in them things from the which they desire to be freed and released are not called sinners but righteous but Saints sayes c Prosper in Psal 105. Scriptura peccatores non leuium culparum homines sed multorum facinorum profunde iniquitatis hoc nomine appellare consueuit That although the righteous and they which liue praise-worthy are not without sin the Scripture termeth commonly sinners not those which commit slight faults but those which commit many crimes and hainous sinnes and are profoundly wicked S. Austin declaring why being sinners they are named Saints saith
d August de Ecclesiast dogmat c. 85. nullus sanctus iustus caret peccato Nec â—amen ex â—oâ— desiâ—it esse iustus vel sanctus cum â—ffectu tenent sanctâ—tatem There is no holy nor righteous man without sin who notwithstanding cease not for all that to be holy righteous because they retaine holines in affection In another place he saies that e Jdem in Ioan. tract 41. many haue bin called righteous because they were sine querela blameles that is to say without reproofe for there is no iust complaint among men against them which are without crime Now a crime is a great sinne worthie of accusation and condemnation But if you thinke that to be righteous is to bee without sinne reade a few lines before and he will tell you Discusse and sift mee out any how righteous soeuer hee bee in this life although he be well-nigh worthy of the name of righteousnesse hee is not for all that without sinne And that proues he by the confession of Iob and of Saint Iohn and excepts none but Iesus Christ In like manner expounding in what manner the Scripture termeth good those that are bad he sayes f Idem epist 54. Ad MacedomuÌ„ Sed enim â—icimus bonum cuius praeualent eumque optimum qui peccat minimùm Idcirco ipse Dominus quos dicit bonos propter participationem gratiae diuinae eosaem etiam malos dicit propter vitia infirmitatis humanae c. that how much a man doth well that is to say wittingly charitably and religiously so much is he good but so much as he sinnes that is to say strayes from the truth from charitie and from godlinesse so much is hee euill and who is in this world without some sinne but wee call him good whose goodnesse ouercomes and him best who sinnes least And therefore they whom the Lord calls good by participation of his diuine grace euen those he calls euill because of the vices of humane frailtie vntill that all whereof we consist healed of all vice and corruption passe into that life wherein we shall not sinne at all For surely they were good and not euill whom hee taught to pray Our Father which art in heauen For they are good in as much as they are the children of God not begotten by nature but made by grace Afterwards hee addes that Christ himselfe calls his Apostles euill when he saith to them g Mat. 7.11 If yee then being euill know how to giue good gifts vnto your children Quid simus Dei dono quid humanâ— vitio hoâ— commendans illud emeâ—dans declaring vnto vs the truth of the one and of the other What we are by Gods grace and what we are by humane corruption recommending the one and amending the other Lastly hee saith that men are named righteous because their vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen them and the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed vnto them i Idem in Job traci vers Omnes quâ— per Christum iustificati sunt â—usti â—on in se sed in illo sunt All they saith he that are iustified by Christ are righteous not surely in themselues but in him As we haue heard of him in the beginning of this Chapter that all our righteousnesse in this liâ—e consists rather in the remission of sinnes then in the perfection of vertues So then Christianâ— according to the Fathers are said to be righteous in this life because God esteemes them as righteous and vpright in Iesus Christ because they apply themselues vnto righteousnesse and holinesse and because they liue vprightly and righteously that is to say blamelesse and without imputation of crime among men CHAP. X. I. The third Obiection Noah Asa and many others are named perfect in the Scripture II. The Answere Those notwithstanding were sinners and are said to be perfect III. In regard of the perfection of parts IIII. By the which a man may assuredly know if he be the childe of God V. But they were not perfect of the perfection of degrees VI. They haue also been called perfect in comparison of others lesse perfect VII And in regard of their affection whereby they made towards their perfection VIII As also by reason of the perfection of Christ Iesus in whom they are complete IX Which is proued by the Fathers THe third obiection is 3. Obiection Bellar. de Iustif lib. 4. c. 11. concerning perfect men for it is written that a Genes 6.9 Noah was a iust man and perfect in his generation walking with God b 2. Chro. 15.17 The heart of Asa was perfect all his daies c 1. Cor. 2.6 We speake saith S. Paul wisdome among them that arâ— perfect And elsewhere d Philip. 3.15 Let vs as many as be perfect be thus minded By these examples and many others it appeares as it seemes vnto them that many haue perfectly kept the Commandements of God for otherwise they should not be said to be perfect II. It hath bin proued that euen these men haue transgressed the Law and haue neuer attained in this life vnto the perfection of the righteousnesse of the Law in whose ballance if the most perfect works of the most perfect were weighed they should be found all too light all too imperfect Surely Asa who obtained witnesse that e 2. Chro. 15.17 his heart was perfect all his daies is in the same place accused that he tooke not away out of Israel the high places and in the Chapter following f 2. Chro. 16.7 reproued by Hanani the Seer to haue relied on the King of Syria and not on the Lord his God g Vers 10. and to haue put in prison the Prophet Hanani for reprouing of him in the name of the Lord and to haue oppressed some of the people the same time And h Vers 12. being sicke and diseased in his feete vntill his disease was exceeding great yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the Phisitians He notwithstanding with the rest aboue mentioned haue not for all that left to be called perfect for diuers considerations III. First there is a double perfection The perfection of parts the one is of this mortall life the other of life eternall in this life that man whom the Spirit of Christ reneweth is sanctified in all the parts of his soule and of his body his vnderstanding is enlightened his heart softned and made pliant of a stonie one it is made fleshie or rather of a stone it is made flesh his affections are freed from the bondage of sinne and ranged vnder the conduct of the vnderstanding and of the will all the members of his body al his parts and limmes his eyes his eares his tongue his feete his hands c. are sanctified to serue vnto righteousnesse in holines But it is so that in euery part there is alwaies some imperfection in this life for the light of the vnderstanding is mingled with