this time and put the case that this vntruth be true Saint Paul saith t 1. Cor. 7.2 That to auâ—ide fornication let euery man haue his owne wife and let euery woman haue her owne husband This is an expresse Commandement as it shall be shewne and seene in his place notwithstanding u Bellar. de clericis c. 21. §. 6. adde non esse praeceptum Apestoli sed consilium pag. 10. Bellarmine cries out This is not a precept of the Apostle but a Counsell Let vs suppose also that this second falsehood be truth and let vs argue in this manner He which doth the workes of a Counsell shall haue a greater glory saith our Cardinall He that hath his owne wife to aâ—oide fornication doth a worke of Counsell according to Bellarmine Wherefore our Cardinall and Bellarmine must conclude wil they nill they that he who to auoide fornication hath his owne wife shall haue a greater glory If Bellarmine sayes true the Vrseline virgins which they feede with vaine hope of a greater glory in shew onely should marry to auoide fornication and not giue men occasion to speake ill of them CHAP. XVII I. The first obiection taken from the words of Christ Mat. 19. Goe and sell that thou hast II. The Author of the Pasterall Letter giues vs to vnderstand that these words are no Counsell but a Precept III. It is a shame for their Bishops to speake of this Counsell and not to follow it IIII. These wordes do nothing auaile the Vrseline virgines nor any order of Monkes because they sell nothing and giue nothing to the poore V. The young man asking our Lord Christ what good thing he should doe to haue eternall life our Sauiour sends him to the Commandements and the reason why VI. The young man saying that he had kept all the Commandements from his youth vp lied VII Thinking that the Law was not giuen but to the outward man VIII Why he asked what he lacked yet IX In what sense it is said that Christ loued him X. A refutation of Bellarmines exposition of these words If thou wilt be perfect c. XI The true meaning of these words XII The words Goe and sell that thou hast c. are a particular Commandement of Charitie XIII Bellarmines reply refuted by three reasons XIIII The words Come and follow me are a Commandement of faith and not a Counsell Christ is followed two manner of waies XV. The promise And thou shalt haue treasure in Heauen imports not any merit of a singular reward as Bellarmine saith XVI In what sense the Apostles said vnto Christ that they had forsaken all and followed him XVII All Christians are commanded to forsake all to follow Christ and in what manner THe a Hieren aduers Pelag. lib. 1. truth may be assaulted but cannot be ouercome saith Saint Ierome men take paines to hide it to cast a mist ouer it to supplant it and to oppresse it but all in vaine For as the prouerb is Shee is the strongest and makes her selfe knowne found such of all yea of her enemies hauing the skil to make vse of their owne weapons to their ruine as Dauid did who tooke vp Goliahs sword slew him and cut off his head therewith we neede no other proofe for this time then our Cardinals words alleaging an argument for the pretended Counsels and ouerthrowing them by the same argument The first obiection Pag. 8. Hauing made a distinction betweene Precepts and Counsels he proues his distinction saying that our Sauiour Christ himselfe shewes it vs in b Mat. 19.16 Saint Matthew 19. and Saint Mark 10. where one asked him what good thing he should doe that he might haue eternall life He said vnto him Thou shalt doe no murder Vers 18. Vers 19. Vers 20. Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Honour thy father and thy mother And thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe The young man saith vnto him Vers 21. All these things haue I kept from my youth vp what lacke I yet This answere is no sooner made but see the Counsell of our Sauior If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and follow me This is Bellarmines first obiection II. Here say you is the Counsell of our Lord. How shall I beleeue that which you say for you say so indeede but by your words you shew that it is a Precept for you adde Pag. 9. Whereupon our Sauiour pronounceth this fearefull sentence against rich men Amen dico vobis diues difficile intrabit in regnum caelorum c Mat. 19.23 Verily I say vnto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen d Luk. 18.24 Quam difficile qui pecunias habent in regnum Dei introibunt How hardly shall they that haue riches enter into the kingdome of God Let vs adde for the explanation of this matter the sequele of Christs words And againe I say vnto you It is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heauen Whereupon Saint Ierome e Hieron aduers Pelag. lib. 1. In this that which can be done is not said but that which is impossible is compared with the impossible for as a Camell cannot go through the eye of a needle so a rich man shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen It is a terrible sentence pronounced against this rich man who went away sorrowfull for hee had great possessions Sorrowfull saith Saint f Hieron in Mat. 19. vers 22 Haec est tristitia quae ducit ad mortem c. Chap. 11. Ierome of that sorrow which worketh death and the reason of this sorrow is rendred because he had great possessions that is to say thornes briers and bushes that choked the seed of the Lord. Let vs now remember the difference heretofore specified betweene a Counsell and a Precept A Precept not obserued hath punishment but a Counsell not obserued hath us punishment This is the first difference whence I argue in this manner that which not being obserued threatneth punishment is no Counsell but a Precept Christs words not kept by this young man threatned punishment against him For Christ declares him excluded not of the Kingdome of heauen for the not obseruing of them therefore Christs words to this young man were no Counsell but a Precept The maior of this is Bellarmines and the Authors of the Pastorall Letter The minor thereof is also taken out of the same Letter For wherefore should this sentence haue been terrible and dreadfull to this rich man if hee might haue left the obseruation of the words of our Lord without danger of punishment The second difference betweene a Counsell and a Precept is that A Precept obserued hath a reward a Counsell obserued hath a
and filled with violence then when m Genes 6.2 the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men and tooke them wiues of all which they chose To proue this we neede but enter into great Cities and may iustly cry against them as in old time the Prophet cried against Ierusalem n 〈◊〉 3.1 Wee to her that is gluttenous fi lt his and polluted to the oppressing Citie The strong are within her roaring Lions they are night-wolues which leaue no bones to gnaw vpon in the morning of whom the Prophet Micah prophesied o Mica 2.1.2 Wee to them that deuise iniquitie and worke euill vpon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because it is in the power of their hand and they couet fieldes and take them by vilence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his house euen a man and his heritage The women and maides do paint their faces and tire their heads like p 2. King 9.30 Iezabel They dance as the daughter q Mat. 14.6 of Herodias did They go abroad with a Mercers shop on their shoulders of whom it is written as otherwhiles of the daughters of Sion r Isai 3.16.17 Because the daughters of Sion are haughtie and walke with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes walking and mincing as they goe and making a tinckling with their feete The Lord will smite with a scabbe the crowne of the head of the daughters of Zion and the Lord will discouer their secret parts There are but few that can say with this young Lord that they haue not committed adulterie that they haue kept the Commandement in regard of the outward righteousnesse of the Law yea few that know the Commandements yea that will heare speake of them few therefore whom our Lord Iesus Christ loueth as he loued this young man although he loued him not with that speciall loue wherof S. Iohn witnesseth that hauing ſ John 13.1 loued his owne which were in the world he loued them vnto the ende Hee loued him because he saw in him a desire to profit but he loued him not as hauing profited much He loued him to conuince him of sin but he loued him not to conuert him from his sinne He loued him to warne and admonish him of that which he should doe but he loued him not to make him to doe it He loued him to instruct him he loued him not to saue him He loued him with that measure of loue wherewith he loued the Doctor of Law who although he asked him which is the great Commandement in the Law in tempting him t Mat. 22.35 hee omitted not to approue the good he found in him and to say vnto him u Mark 12.34 Thou art not farre from the kingdome of heauen But he loued him not with that loue wherewith he loued his disciples x Iohn 15.9.13 As my Father hath loued me so haue I loued you greater loue hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friends In a word he loued him with a common loue of a Doctor teaching with mildnesse those which came to him but he loued him not with that speciall loue of a Sauiour wherewith he hath loued none but his Church as it is written y Ephes 5.25.26.27 He loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Louing him therefore with that common loue of a Doctor and Teacher he proceedes to instruct him and saith vnto him X. a Mat. 19.21 If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and follow me What is that to say If thou wilt be perfect It is as much as to say saith Bellarmine b Bellar. de monach c. 9. §. 18. Si nones contentus vita aeterna sed aspiras ad excellentem gradum in ipsa vita aeterna as if thou art not content with eternall life but doest aspire vnto an excellent degree in eternall life O man wherewith can he content himselfe that is not contented with eternall life which is the gaine of the death of the Sonne of God and of all that which God promiseth which God giueth vnto those he loues all that the Saints sigh after the Abstract and epitome of all that which they beleeue all which they desire and indeuour to apprehend all that which they obtaine apprehēd Where hath Christ Iesus taught any not to content himselfe with eternall life Where is it written that to be perfect is as much as not to be content with eternall life as much as to aspire vnto a more excellent degree in eternall life How can such a glosse agree with the Text For let them tell me if this young man had already merited eternall life or no If hee had merited it then it would follow that hee that is no Christian that is not iustified in the bloud of Christ that is not sanctified by the Spirit of Christ that hath not acknowledged Christ but a good Master and Doctor and not for his good Sauiour that neuer followed Christ that refused to follow Christ can merit eternall life Now if eternall life can be gotten without Christ Christ came into the world in vaine in vaine is he dead and hath fully finished the worke of our redemption in vaine If he had merited it how went hee away sorrowfull when Christ counselled him to sell all that he◠had and to follow him How came it to passe that he went not rather away altogether ioyfull and content For hee enquired onely of eternall life and Christ gaue him this testimonie if we beleeue Bellarmine that hee had already merited eternall life there was then great occasion of great ioy And as touching the words Goe and sell that thou hast it was saith Bellarmine but a Counsell which Christ left to his choice either to doe it or to leaue it vndone without danger There was then no subiect no cause of sorrow except they will affirme that the Saints which neuer wore a Monkes Cowle nor euer haunted a Cloister shall haue wherewith to bee sorrowfull in heauen seeing themselues depriued of that more excellent degree of glory which is nothing else but the Aureola in that part there to the end the holy Ghost may be condemned of falsehood in the description of the eternall happinesse which hee setteth downe saying that there shall be no more sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine And if he hath not fulfilled the Law he hath not deserued eternall life as his owne conscience witnessed against him when he went away sorrowfull as our Sauiour Christ declared after he was gone saying d Mark
with that exception and reseruation which is added in the next Chapter p 1. King 15.5 Saue onely in the matter of Vriah the Hittite A vile and villanous matter an inhumane and barbarous act a cruell deede he put his feete in the bed of his intire friend he tooke away the onely lambe of his poore neighbor he imbrued his bloudy hands in the bloud of the iust who watched who fought for him and in this sin he committed so many sinnes and all of them so great that to blot them out and wipe them away he craues for not one compassion but many not one washing and clensing but a washing and a washing againe ouer and ouer crying vnto his God with a broken heart and contrite spirit q Psal 51.1.2 Haue mercy vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnes according vnto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and clense me from my sinne He desires that a great sinne bee blotted out by a great mercie r Hier. aduers Iulian. lib. 2. Magnum peccatum magnâ deleri vult misericordiâ Furthermore that onely must bee vnderstood in regard of crimes whereof Dauid that acte of his in the matter of Vriah onely excepted hath been cleare not in regard of his sinnes of infirmities of his faults committed by error for after that crime committed and perpetrated in the person of Vriah Å¿ 2. Sam. 24.1.2 Chron. 21.1 Sataâ— kindling in his heart the fier of pride which was not as yet altogether extinguished prouoked Dauid to number Israel so that the anger of the Lord was kindled against him and against his people and it is of him of whom we haue these praiers and confessions t Psal 19.12 Who can vnderstand his errours clense thou mee from secret faults u Psal 25.7 Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my transgressions according to thy merci remember thou mee for thy goodnesse sake O Lord x Psal 40.11.12 With-hold not thou thy tender mercies from me O Lord let thy louing kindnesse and thy truth continually preserue me for innumerable euils haue compassed me about mine iniquities haue taken hold vpon me so that I am not able to looke vp they are more then the haires of mine head therfore my heart faileth me y Psal 130.3.4 If thou Lord shouldest marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiuenesse with thee that thou mayest be feared z Psal 143.1.2 Heare my prayer O Lord giue eare to my supplications in thy faithfulnesse answere me and in thy righteousnesse And enter not into iudgement with thy sernant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Hee which so often recommended the righteousnes of hi cause to God when his enemies did pursue him and persecute him wrongfully and then cried * Psal 7.8 Iudge me O Lord according to thy righteousnes according to mine integrity that is in MEE When he presents himselfe before God as a creature before his Creator the seruant before his Lord the childe before his father to giue him an account of his demeanor and seruice towards him he renounces his owne righteousnesse and flies to that of his God distinguishing as hee ought betweene the iustice and righteousnesse of his cause and his actions towards men and betweene the iustice and righteousnesse of his person before God For touching that he doth protest that he is iust and innocent and takes God to witnesse as his defender and a reuenger of wrongs Touching this hee yeelds and confesseth his vnrighteousness he declines by all manner of deprecation the angâ— furie iust vengeance of his Iudge crying a Psal 6.1 O lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy hote displeasure Implores by all manner of supplication the mercy peace and grace of his God and hauing obtained it he preacheth and publisheth it to all b Rom. 4.6 describeth and declareth the blessednesse of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying yea crying with a loud voice to the ende all men may heare all may inâ—ouour to feele it c Psal 32.1.2 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiuen whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie This is that text on the which the ancient Fathers haue spoke very excellent things d Hieron in Psal 32. Quod â—egitur non videtur quod non videtur non imputatur quod non imputatur nec punietur Saint Ierome That which is hid is not seene and that which is not seene is not imputed and that which is not imputed is noâ— punished If you obiect that Dauid addes and in whose mouth or according to the Hebrew in whose spirit there is no guile hee expounds that of the mouth of him which confesseth himselfe a sinner e Aug prâ—â—fat in Psal 31. Saint Austin Who are the blessed Not thâ—se in whom God findes no sinne for he findes it in all men f Rom. 3.23 for all haue sinned and come short of the glory of God If then sinnes are found in all it remaines that there are none blessed but those whose sinnes are remitted Thou hast done no good thing and the remission of thy sinnes is giuen thee man lookes vpâ—n thy workes Et omnia inueniuntur malâ— and all of them are found bad and euill If God should giue to those workes that which is their due without doubs he would condemne them g Rom. 6.23 Non tibi deus reddit debitam poenaÌ„ sed donat indebitam gratiam For the wages of sinne is death what is due to bad workes but damnation what is due to good workes the Kingdome of Heauen Now art thou found with bad works of thou shouldest haue what thou â—ast deserued thou shouldest be punished But how goeth the matter God giues thâ—â—â—ot the punishment due to thee but hee giues thee grace not due to thâ—â— Debebat vindinctam dat indulgentiam He owed vengeance he giues indulgence and mercie Item h Ibid. Conc. 2. Noluit aduertere noluit animadnertere noluit agnoscere maluit ignoscere Blessed are not they in whâ—m no sinnes are found but they whose sinnes are couered Are they couered they are abolisht and blotted out If God hath couered sinnes hee hath not had the will to marke or note them if hee hath not had the desire to marke them he would not take any knowledge of them he hath not had the desire to punish them hee hath not minded to ordeine of them he had rather pardon them Saint Bernard i Bernard in Cantica ser 23. O hee alone truly happie vnto whom the Lord hath not imputed his sinne for there is no man but hath bad sâ—â—â— sinne for all haue â—inned and all haue neede of the glorie of God Notwithstanding who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Non peccare
consolitionis extollat te c. whether hee comes neere thee or goes from thee it is thy gaine It is for thee that he comes it is for thy sake that he withdraweth himselfe he approcheth for thy comfort he withdraweth himselfe of purpose for feare least the greatnesse of consolation puffe thee vp lest if the Bridegroome should bee alwaies with thee thou wouldest begin to despise thy companions and attribute this continuall visiting no more vnto grace but vnto nature Now the Spouse giueth this grace doth this fauour to whom he will and when he will it is not possest by right of inheritance It is a common prouerbe Too much familiaritie breedes contempt He withdrawes himselfe therefore lest being too frequent familiar he should be contemned and neglected and that being absent he may be the more desired and longed for and being longed for he may be more earnestly and diligently sought after being a long time sought for he may be found out with greater delight and contentment l Praeterea si nunquam hic deesset consolatiâ— c. putaremus fortè hic habere ciuitatem manentem minus inquireremus futuram Moreouer If wee were neuer here without consolation which is in part as it were a riddle a darke obscure and mysticall thing in comparison of the glory that shall be reuealed in vs we should perhaps thinke that wee haue here a permanent and continuing Citie and we would inquire lesse of that Citie which is to come m Ne ergo exilium deputemus pro patria Arrham propretij summa venit sponsus recedit vicissim c. To the end therefore that we should not esteeme nor deeme nor take our exile for our natiue countrie our earnest pennie for our summe and principall the Spouse comes and goes interchangeably one while bringing comfort another while changing all our estate in infirmitie heâ— makes vs taste for a small time how sweete and good he is and before we haue fully felt him hee withdrawes himselfe and so as it were flying and fluttering with his wings stretched ouer vs hee prouokes vs to flie as if he should say Behold yea haue tasted a little â—â—w gracious and sweete I am but if you will be fully filled and satiated with this sweetenesse runne after me following the sent of my perfumes lifting your hearts on high where I am at the right hand of God my Father there shall ye see me not through a glasse darkely but face to face and your hearts shall fully reioyce and no man shall take from you your ioy The soule must bestow much care and diligence that it be not totally and vtterly forsaken of God But O Spouse looke vnto thy selfe when thy Spouse absents himselfe hee will not goe farre off and if thou seest him not he sees thee notwithstanding alwaies full of eyes before and behind thou canst not be hid from him c. CHAP. XV. I. The Counsells of God are his Commandements and there are no other II. The Hereticks doe filch the words of the Scriptures to display their errors as Bellarmine and the Author of the Pastorall Letter haue done to set foorth their Counsels III. The first obiection taken out of the 56. of Isaiah where promise is made to Eunuches IIII. This place is not to bee vnderstood of voluntarie Eunuches but of those onely that are such of necessitie V. And cannot be applied in any wise vnto Counsels VI. Bellarmine refuted in that he writes that the Commandements are framed vnto mans human infirmity and that to chuse that wherein God takes delight is to keepe the Counsels VII He is also refuted in that he sayes that there is in heauen a better name then that of the sonnes and of the daughters of God VIII The true meaning of the Text. IX Confirmed by the Fathers X. Bellarmines second obiection taken from the Booke of Wisedome which is an Apocryphall Booke XI Howbeit that which he alleageth serues nothing to his purpose I a Psal 16.7 Will blesse the Lord saith Dauid who hath giuen me counsell my reines also instruct me in the night-season The Lord gaue him counsell by his Commandements of the which this holy man faith b Psal 119.24 Thy Testimonies are my delight and my counsellers Of these counsels it is written c Psal 19.11 that in the keeping of them there is great reward and therefore great punishment in the transgression of them as it is also written d Ps 107.11.12 Because they rebelled against the words of God and contemned the counsell of the most high therefore he brought downe their heart with labour they fell downe and there was none to helpe Againe e Prou. 1 25.26.30.31 Because ye haue set at nought all my counsell and would none of my reproofe I also will laugh at your calamitie I will mocke when your feare commeth c. They would none of my counsell they despised all my reproofe therefore shall they eate of the fruite of their owne way and be filled with their owne deuices Such then are the Counsels of God Counsels giuen vnto all without any exception of persons Counsels in the obseruation of which is eternall life And what desire wee What can wee require more Counsels in the transgression of the which is eternall death And what abhorre we What shunne we more What feare we worse In a word such Counsels in the perfect obseruation of the which all men ought to imploy and busie themselues the most holy cannot attaine vnto whilome his soiourning in his house of clay as I haue proued it To what ende then shall wee seeke any others Wherefore shall wee take paines and torment our selues to keepe other Counsels seeing that we may bee saued without keeping them and wee are not damned for not keeping them neither surely are there any others either in the old or new Testament II. Notwithstanding seeing that our Author of the Pastorall Letter indeuours to proue by the Scripture that there are other Counsels and that better and perfecter in themselues and of greater reward to the obseruers of them It will be fit and to the purpose that we see and consider his reasons Saint f Hieron in cap. 23. Hieremiae Ierome writing vpon the Prophet Ieremie saith that Falsehood counterfeits and imitates alwaies the truth for if it haue no apparance and shew of right and reason it cannot delude nor deceiue the innocent and ignorant And therefore as the Prophets told lies to the first people and said vnto them The Lord hath said and I haue seene the Lord and the word of the Lord came to such a one or to such a one so the Hereticks take the testimonies of the Scriptures out of the old and new Testament and doe steale the words of the Lord euery one of his neighbour of the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists That is happened to Bellarmine and to our Author of the Pastorall Letter for they do steale
ser 50. Nec latuit praeceptorem praecepti pondus hominum excedere vires sed iudicauit vtile ex hoc ipso suo illes insufficieâ—tiae admoneri vt scirent sanè ad quem iustitiae finem niti pro viribus oporteret Ergo mandando impossibilia non praeuaricatores homines fecit sed humiles c. The Master was not ignorant saith Saint Bernard that the burden of the Commandement did surpasse the strength of man but hee thought it good and necessarie that by the very same they should be warned of their insufficiencie that they might know to what ende and marke of righteousnesse they ought to make towards with all their strength and power commanding therefore things impossible he hath not made men preuaricators but humble that euery mouth may be stopped and all the world may become subiect to the iudgement of God because that by the workes of the Law there shall be no flesh iustified in his sight for receiuing the CoÌ„mandements and feeling our defect and want wee will crie vp to heauen and God will haue mercy vpon vs and wee shall know in that day that hee hath saued vs not by the workes of righteousnesse that wee haue done but according to his mercie Secondly because he vnderstands not the language of the Scripture hee restraines the choice to voluntarie and free things to the obseruation of the which man is not bound and compelled by any Law Hee might haue read the words of the Prophet Moses saying to the people of Israel touching the Law x Deut. 30.19 I call heauen and earth to record this day against you that I haue set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that both then and thy seede may liue As also Ioshuahs words to the same people y Ioshua 24.15 If it seeme euill vnto you to serue the Lord chuse you this day whom ye will serue Conformably to this Dauid saith z Psal 119.30 I haue chosen the way of truth thy iudgements haue I laid before me And Saint Cyrill expounds the Prophets words of them which chuse and retaine Christs Testament as Lyrinensis of those that liue righteously and vprightly with their neighbour VII He expounds as falsely these words I will giue vnto them a name better then of sons and of daughters a Bellar. de monach c. 9. parag 3. 9. maintaining that by sons and daughters God meanes those good and godly persons that are married which are Gods sons and daughters and that God promiseth to those which are virgins a greater good and a greater glory then to these What could he say more impertinently then this For to be a sonne and a daughter of God is the common name of all the faithfull and their highest and most excellent title and degree of honour from whence depends all their prerogatiue glory ioy and consolation both in life and death and it is not a name of an inferiour qualitie appertaining onely to some lesse priuiledge Witnesse our Sauiour Christ when he saith To as many as receiued him to them b Iohn 1.12 gaue he power to become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Witnesse God himselfe saying by his Prophets and by his Apostle c Isa 52.11 Ierem. 31.1.9 2. Cor. 6.17.18 Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the vncleane thing and I will receiue you and will be a Father vnto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie d Rom. 8.17 And if children then heires heires of God and ioynt-heires with Christ saith the Apostle What may we What can we hope desire wish more It is that which is giuen to honest and good men married persons by Bellarmines confession what remaines then to the Monkes what haue the Friers else a name saith he more excellent then of sonnes of God why then they are not sonnes of God And to maiden Virgins a name better then of daughters of God why then they are not Gods daughters what other name shall we giue them for he which is not the childe and sonne of God is the sonne of rebellion the childe of wrath whose father is the Deuill a name saith he better then of sonnes What greater or better name I pray you can wee haue on earth then to bee sonnes and heires of a King except we were Kings And what better or greater name in heauen then to bee Gods sonne and heire without being God The Angels are called e Iob 1.6 2.1 the sonnes of God The Saints are called the sonnes of God he which is the Sonne of God by nature was manifest in the flesh that we might be made the sonnes of God by grace The holy Ghost is sent into our hearts to assure vs that wee are the sonnes of God f Rom. 8.15.16 Ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father The Spirit it selfe bearâ—th witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God And there is no name in the Scripture so expresse so significatiue and of so large extent for it comprehends in it all the good that God bestowes on his elect and chosen people vnto whom he giues all his blessings in the name title and state of children and out of this state and condition he giue them no spirituall wholesome and sauing blessing VIII Now we shall finde the true sense and meaning of this place if wee adde thereunto that which goes before and that which followes after which hath been industriously and wittingly omitted by Bellarmine lest it should haue hindred hiâ— bad cause The words going before are Let not the sonne of the stranger that hath ioyned himselfe to the Lord speake saying The Lord hath vtterly separated me from his people neither let the Eunuch say Behold I am a drie tree Here then the stranger and the Eunuch fearing God are ioyned together both of them bewailing their miserie The one because he was separated from Gods people The other because he was a drie tree The Eunuch is first comforted by the wordes of this place whereupon Bellarmine grounds his Counsels The stranger is comforted in the verses following in these words Also the sonnes of the stranger that ioyne themselues to the Lord to serue him and to loue the name of the Lord c. euen them will I bring to my holy mountaine and make them ioyfull in my house of prayer c. The Gentils called by the Prophet the sonnes of the stranger g Ephes 2.12 were at that time without Christ being aliens from the Common-weale of Israel and strangers from the couenants of promise hauing no hope and without God in the world As for the Iewes God made a promise to Abraham their father saying h Gens 22.17 In blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seede as the starres of the heauen and as the sand
which is vpon the seashore Afterwards a particular promise is made vnto euery one of them i Deut. 7.12.13.14 Wherefore it shall come to passe if ye hearken to these iudgements and keepe and doe them that the Lord thy God shall keepe vnto thee the Couenant and the mercie which hee sware vnto thy Fathers And hee will loue thee and blesse thee and multiplie thee He will also blesse the fruite of thy wombe c. Thousâ— alâ—â—â— blessed aboue all people there shall not be male or female barren among you Wherefore it was a great reproch among them to be baâ—ren and without children as we may gather from the words of Eâ—izabeth who hauing conceiued in her old age after so long a barrenâ—esâ—e saith k Luke 1.25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the dayâ—s wherein he looked on mee to take away my reproch among men But especially the Eunuch who is impotent and vnable to ingender and beget children was marked and branded with a speciall and peculiar infamie and reproch by the Law of Moses l Deut. 23.1 He that is wounded in the stones or hath his priuie member cut off shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. It is this Eunuch who is such a one by defect whether of nature or by necessitie who complaines that he is drie tree and therefore altogether vnfit to be planted in Gods house God comforts him with the Gentile by this promise that when the Messias shall come it shall be no more so because that in Christ there is no difference and distinction of father or Eunuch Iew or Gentile the Gentile and the Eunuch that keepes his Couenant is as well and as much accepted as the Iew and hee which is the father of many children Therefore God saith concerning the Eunuchs vnto them that keepe my Sabbaths c. I will giue a place in mine house applying the things appertaining to the diuine seruice at that time to the things of these times and promising to those that by faith shall stick fast vnto Christ keepe iudgements and doe that which is iust and lawfull to receiue them in his house and to giue them in the same a name better then of sonnes and of daughters an euerlasting name that shall not be cut off That name whereof he saith in the Reuelation m Reuel 2.17 To him that ouercommeth will I giue him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it The name of the â—onne of God of the member of Iesus Christ of the childe of the Church the witnesse of the Spirit of Christ sealing his election vocation iustification and sanctification in his heart whereby hee cries Abba Father by the assurance which hee giues him that hee is the childe of God A name a great deale better then to be called the father of sonnes and daughters yea a name and fame farre surpassing that which comes from the multitude of children for such a one is a father of many children who is the sonne of wrath and execration but he whom the Lord receiues in his house in the number of his children and auowes him as his owne willing that his name be named on him that he be in effect and bee called his sonne that man cannot perish but it shall be said vnto him in the last day as also to all others whom God hath adopted in Christ Iesus by their eldest brother in whom they haue been adopted n Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world And the â—eason is rendred by the Apostle saying o Rom. 8.17 And if children then heires heires of God and ioynt heires with Christ. For the Inheritance is for the children an inheritance that cannot faile them because they cannot fall away from God nor loose their adoption which is not grounded on them but vpon Iesus Christ in whom and by whom the Father hath adopted vs to himselfe and who keepes so well those whom the Father hath giuen him that not onely p Iohn 6.37 he neuer casts them out but also q Phil. 1.6 performes and finisheth the good worke begun in them r Iohn 17.15 keeping them from the euill Å¿ Ephes 4.30 and sealing them by his Spirit vnto the day of redemption in the which hee will giue them the crowne of righteousnesse t Iohn 10 27.28.29.30 My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand My Father which gaue them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one Thus haue they an euerlasting name which shall not bee cut off and taken away and therefore a better name then that of sonnes and daughters because that the name and reputation that a man hath by hauing children being grounded vpon the childrens liues if they come to faile and die faileth and dieth with them as we often see that u 1. Sam. 2.5 she that hath had many children is waxed feeble as it happened vnto Naomi Ruths mother in Law who hauing lost her husband and all her children said vnto her neighbours x Ruth 1.20.21 Call me not Naomi that is pleasant call me Mara for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home againe emptie Why then call yee me Naomi seeing the Lord hath testified against me and the Almightie hath afflicted me There are some which reade A name better then to sonnes and daughters which ought to bee referred to the Iewes who are called by our Lord Iesus y Mat. 8 1â— 15.26 The children of the Kingdome because that before the time of the Law the priuiledge and title of the children of God appertained vnto them So then the meaning should be that God wil more abundantly blesse the Eunuches vnder the new Testament then he hath blessed the Iewes vnder the old Testament but the first exposition is the true and naturall one grounded vpon the right construction of the Text. The selfe-same promise is made to the Gentiles adioyning themselues vnto Christ that they shall not be separated from the people of God but shall be receiued in Gods house and that their prayers made vnto God shall be heard and accepted of God And these promises made both in generall to the Gentiles and particularly to the Eunuches do tend to testifie that which the Apostle declares hath been effected when he saith that Christ z Ephes 2.14 hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene vs and that now a Gal 3.28 there is neither Iew nor Greeke there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female and
10.24 Children how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the Kingdome of heauen If he trusted in his riches hee was couetous and if couetous an idolater for e Col. 3.5 couetousnesse is dolatrie and f Ephes 5.5 the couetous is an idolater and if an idolater hee hath not kept the Law if he hath not kept the Law he hath not merited eternall life Contrariwise he hath been excluded and debarred from it by the transgression of the Law and namely by his couetousnesse that made him g Iob 31.24 make gold his hope and say to the fine gold Thou art my confidence Whereupon the Lord pronounced that hee shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen when a Carnell can goe through the eye of a needle And if he hath not kept the Law he hath not merited eternall life but for his couetousnesse is punished with euerlasting torment surely the perfection whereof the Lord speaketh is not a more excellent degree of eternall life in heauen but hath another sense and meaning which offereth it selfe euidently in the Text. XI After the young man had said that hee had kept the Commandements to the which the Lord sent him backe hee asketh againe h Mat. 19.20 What lacke I yet Hee had made his first demaund touching the meanes of attaining vnto eternall life He asketh againe if he lacked yet something Of what Surely of the meanes whereby he might haue eternall life For hee was not as yet taught that there were in heauen Aureolae and therfore he made no such demaund He would haue been content to haue laine in Abrahams bosome and to haue sat at table with him in the kingdome of heauen Therefore the Lord answereth to his demaund If thou wilt be perfect that is to say if thou desirest that there be nothing wanting in thee to the obtaining of eternall life Goe and sell that thou hast and giue to the poore c. Either this is the sense of the answere or else the Lord answered not to his question let the other Euangelists be heard and you shall finde that this is the true sense and meaning Saint Marke setteth downe Christs answere in this manner i Mark 10.21 One thing thou lackest Saint Luke in these wordes k Luk. 18.22 Yet lackest thou one thing sell all that thou hast and distribute vnto the poore c. Certainely he lacked this one thing to haue eternall life whereof onely he made the demaund and therefore the sense of our Sauiours words is Thou hast not yet all that is necessary to eternall life wherefore if thou wilt be perfect and desirest to lacke nothing whereby to be saued go and sell all that thou hast c. The Lord therefore speaketh not of a greater perfection then that which is commanded in the Law much lesse of a more excellent degree of glory in heauen For to what purpose should hee haue counselled such a perfection to a man that was a Iew by profession and that was not his disciple For reason would haue required that hee should make him first of a Iew a Christian and so by degrees of a Christian a Monke seeing that to be a Monke or Frier is the highest degree of Christian perfection in this life and hath the highest degree of glory in the life to come as the Monkes doe say XII Now follow the words l Mat. 19.20 Goe and sell that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and follow me In these words is a twofold commandement and promise the first is a commandement of charitie the second a commandement of faith Of the first Clement Alexandrinus writeth thus m Clemens Alexand stromat 3. lib. 3. Refellit eum qui gloriatur quod omnia à iuuentute praecepta seruauerit non enim impleuerat illud Diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum Tunc autem vt qui à Domino perficeretur docebatur communicare impertire per charitatem Pulchrè ergo non prohibuerat esse diuitem sed esse diuitem iniustè inexplebiliter That when the Lord saith goe and sell all that thou hast and giue to the poore hee refutes him which boasteth that he had kept all the Commandements from his youth vp for he had not fulfilled the Commandement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe But then that he might be made perfect by the Lord he was taught to impart and giue by charitie and therefore he prohibits him not to bee rich but to bee vniustly and vnsatiably rich n Origen in hunc locum Origen saith plainely that if he had kept the Commandement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe the Lord had not spoken to him of a greater perfection and he alleageth to this purpose a certaine Gospell according to the Hebrewes non ad authoritatem sed ad manifestationem propositae quaestionis not for the authorising but for the clearing of the question propounded where our Lords words are thus set downe o Jbid. Quomodo dicis legem feci prophetas quoniam scriptum est in lege Diliges proximum c. ecce multi fratres tui filij Abrahae amicti sunt stercore morientes prae fame domus tua plena est multis bonis non egreditur omnin◠aliquid ex ea ad cos How saiest thou I haue kept the Law and the Prophets seeing that it is written in the Law Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self and behold many of thy brethren the sons of Abraham are couered with dung and die for hunger and thy house is stuft with store of goods and there goeth nothing out of it to them And then declaring his opinion p Ibidem Verum est ergo quia non impleuit diues mandatum c. It is true saith he that the rich man hath not fulfilled the Commandement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe for he despiseth many of the poore and hath giuen none of his riches to them And a little after expounding the meaning of the words q Ibid. Volens arguere diuitem illum dominus noster quasi non vera dicentem c. dixit ad eum si vis c. Sic enim apparebis dicere verum si dilixisti aut diligis proximum tuum sicut teipsum The Lord saith he intending to conuince this rich man as one not telling the truth c. saith vnto him If thou will be perfect goe and sell that thou hast and giue to the poore for so it will appeare that thou saiest true if thou hast loued or if thou louest thy neighbour as thy selfe It is therefore a Commandement and a Commandement of charitie XIII Bellarmine gain-saieth this saying that this is not a Commandement of charitie because that r Bellar. de monach c. 9. §. 19. Charitie requires onely that we loue our neighbour as our selues and therefore requires not that we giue all
marriage doth well but he that giueth her not in marriage doth better Item the widdow is happier if she so abide IF therefore these Counsels are giuen by God 7 7. Obiection Pag. 10. who will make difficultie to ioyne his Counsell with that of the eternall wisdome saith the Pastorall Letter grounding a false conclusion vpon a false exposition of Christs words a Mat. 19.12 There hee Eunuches which haue made themselues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauens sake He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it b Mat. 19.21 Goe and sell all that thou hast and giue to the poore We will therefore correct this conclusion and say If these Counsels are not giuen by God as it appeares sufficiently by the exposition of the foresaid places A Bishop one that esteemes himselfe Gods Ambassadour who therefore should counsell nothing say nothing but that which he hath heard of God should haue made difficultie yea should haue abstained from giuing Counsell in a matter that is not of his Commission Moses being asked touching things that God had not reuealed vnto him c Leuit. 24.11 as the punishment of the blasphemer d Numb 27.5 the succession of daughters in their fathers goods and possession where no male children are and such like things would neuer giue his iudgement and aduice much lesse giue any Counsell yea and much lesse ordaine any thing before he had asked Counsell of the Lord. The Prophets lesson is e Ezech. 3.17 Heare the Word at my mouth f Ierem. 1.7 whatsoeuer I command that thou shalt speake and their prophecying was nothing else but a repetition of the lesson of their God word by word to the people The Apostles lesson was g Mat. 28.19.20 Goe and teach all Nations teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you Their practice was h 1. Cor. 11.23 I haue receiued of the Lord that which also I deliuered vnto you Their instruction to others was i 1. Pet. 4.11 If any man speake let him speake as the Oracles of God and these words say wee are wholly contained in the holy Scripture wherein there is no mention at al of Monkish Counsels and notwithstanding they that are not Prophets nor Apostles vsurping more then hath been permitted euen to the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists doe counsell vs to follow their Counsels doe exhort vs yea vrge vs to the obseruation thereof without God without Christ without Scripture pretending therein notwithstanding the Scripture and the name of eternall wisedome surely not without infolding themselues in impietie in cloaking with the name and title of eternall wisedome a doctrine which is altogether sensuall and earthly and calling the Counsell of God an intollerable yoke wherewith men haue charged the consciences of Saints set at liberty by our Lord Iesus Christ A Counsell notwithstanding that our Cardinal ioyneth with that of God and that if we beleeue him after the imitation of Saint Paul who speaking of virginitie saith II. 1 1. Cor. 7.25 Consilium autem do Pag. 10. tanquam misericordiam consecutus Yet giue I counsell as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord. But Saint Paul confesseth that he hath not ioyned his Counsell vnto any counsell comming from the Lord writing these words which goe immediatly before Now concerning virgins I haue no commandement of the Lord. Wherefore hee ioyneth not his Counsell to Gods Counsell according to Saint Pauls imitation Hee will say that it sufficeth that he imitates Saint Paul and that Saint Paul saith I giue Counsell c. But I answere him that Saint Paul hath written in Greeke and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say I giue my iudgement and not I giue Counsell His iudgement which he authorizeth by his fidelitie in the seruice of God by the mercy he hath obtained of the Lord to be faithfull by the Maiestie of the holy Ghost by whose inspiration he giues it l 1. Cor. 7.25 I giue my iudgement saith he as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull III. An aduice therefore that he giues not as a priuat man neither also as one of the troupe of Pastors but as he that hath obtained mercy of God to be an Apostle and very faithfull in his charge as he who was according to the Lords promise guided by the holy Ghost into all truth to bee not able to erre in his aduice and iudgement m 1. Cor. 7.40 Now saith he I thinke also that I haue the Spirit of God n Arist ethic ad Nicomach lib. 6. c. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristotle saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aduice is a right iudgement of that which is seemely and right is that which is of a true man Among men who more true and vpright then an Apostle guided and inspired by the holy Ghost which is the Spirit of truth yea the truth it selfe Let them now shew me if a good and vpright aduice and iudgement giuen by an Apostle faithfull in his charge and office hauing authoritie of the Lord Iesus to bee heard without replying as guided by the holy Ghost into all truth can be reiected without punishment I argue therefore after this manner That which can not be reiected with impunitie is no Euangelicall Counsell according to that we haue heard heretofore that A Counsell not obserued hath no punishment Now the iudgement of the holy Ghost giuen by the mouth of a faithfull Apostle is such a one as that it cannot bee refused without punishment therefore such a iudgement is no Euangelicall Counsell But let it bee a Counsell it is a good Counsell giuen by the good Spirit of God to man to his creature to the work of his hands by the heauenly Father to his childe that is earthly IIII. A Counsell properly is of the inferiour to his superiour or of a man to his equall the superiour armed with power and authoritie counselleth not but commandeth that which hee iudgeth to bee right and good and if he vseth words of Counsell his meaning is that they take and keepe them as Commandements yea all the world knoweth that the prayers and intreaties of great men are commandements to all them that are vnder their power and authoritie Now God is the great of great ones the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings o Isa 40.22.23 It is he that sitteth vpon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers that bringeth the Princes to nothing and maketh the Iudges of the earth as vanitie It is he that is our Father and we are his children p Jsa 64.8 wee are the clay and thou our potter saith the Church vnto him and we all are the worke of thine hand He is our Lord and we his seruants our Shepheard and wee his sheepe our Redeemer and wee are q 1. Pe. 1.18.19 those whom he hath redeemed from our vaine conuersation receiued