1440. pag. 1441. said that he was a right Scripture man and would haue nothing but Scripture and his Chaplaine said he would haue nothing but his little pretie Gods Booke and is it not sufficient saith Master Hawkes for my saluation Yes saith he it is sufficient for our saluation but not for our instruction Master Hawkes answered God send me the saluation and you the instruction And surely it is sufficient not onely for our saluation but also for our instruction for if it sufficeth for saluation how can it bee insufficient for our instruction therefore the Apostle Saint Paul teacheth vs both the one and the other saluation and instruction by the Scriptures for first he saith d 2. Tim. 3.15 the holy Scriptures are able to make vs wise vnto saluation through faith which is in Christ Iesus Behold here the Scriptures are sufficient for our saluation and not onely for our saluation but also for our instruction for he saith able to make vs wise vnto saluation that is to instruct vs to saluation yea in the next verse he saith that the e vers 16.17 Scripture is profitable for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect Behold the Scriptures sufficient and profitable for our instruction and not onely profitable to the man of God to the Doctor the Minister and the learned but also profitable to the ignorant simple and vulgar sort for f Psal â—9 7 it maketh wise the simple and therefore the reading thereof appertaineth as wel vnto the ignorant and vnlearned as vnto the learned for if it appertaine but vnto the learned to reade the Scriptures it appertaineth then vnto none to reade them for no body is learned before he haue read them we reade not the word of God because we are learned but to become so And therefore the Papists doe wrong the people of God depriuing them of the reading of the Scripture lest say g Hosius in loc Com. they the Porters Coblers Bakers should be Prophets farre vnlike to Moses h Numb 11.29 who wisht that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit vpon them but very like the Bâ—silidians whose steppes they follow who as i Jrenae lib. 1. cap. 23. Ephiph haeres 24 Irenaeus and Epiphanius write did hide their doctrines We are men said Basilides all the rest are hoggs and dogges * Matth. 7.6 Cast not therfore said he your pearles before swine nor giue that which is holy vnto doggs which was to confesse openly * Bernard in Cant. serm 65. At istud apertè faâ—eri est se non esse de ecclesia qui onmes qui de ecclesia sunt canes censet porcos that he himselfe was not of the Church calling all those that are of the Church swine and dogges Yea in hindering the people of God to enter into this sweete Paradise of holy Scripture they are like the Scribes and Pharisees their forefathers against whoÌ„ our Sauiour Christ pronounceth this woe k Matth. 23.13 Woe vnto you Scribes and Pharisies hypocrites for ye shut vp the kingdom of heauen against men for ye neither goe in your selues neither suffer yee them that are entring to goe in Besides as they haue detracted from the Scripture by their blasphemous reproches accusing it of insufficiencie and imperfection so haue they also added vnto it l Cicero orat 44. in Anton. Philip secunda Is Caesaris leges easque praeclares euertie For as Marcus Antonius did abolish the excellent Laws of Caesar m Testamentum irrituÌ„ fecit Ibid. and made void his Testament n Ibid. Acta Caesaris pacis causa confirmata 〈◊〉 à senatu quâ—â— quidem Caesar egisset non eâ— quae Caesarem egisse dixisset Antonius c. yea when the Senate had ratified the Actes of Casar hee added to Caesars Actes what hee listed and would haue it to stand as sure as if Caesar himselfe had enacted it So these haue indeuoured to abolish the Law of God to make void the Testament of our onely Caesar and Sauiour Christ and haue added to his Testament what they listed and will haue them to stand as sure as if Christ had enacted them yet they would make vs beleeue that they doe o Ibid. Et tu in Caesaris memoria diligens tu illum amas mortuum much in remembrance and honour of Christ and that they loue him for first they adde vnto the Canonicall books of the Scripture other books that are not Canonicall but Apocrypha because they finde in those bookes many things to serue their turnes for the maintaining of their heresies which they cannot shide at all in the Canon of the Scripture Secondly because this is not sufficient they adde their traditions and determinations yea their gospels wheras all addition of Gospels to the onely true Gospell is execrable Some as the begging Friers disciples of Saint Dominick and Saint Francis inuented and published forth a booke ful of horrible blasphemies which they named the Gospâ—ll of the holy Ghost or the euerlasting Gospell full of their own â—ables and abominable errors teaching that Christs Gospell was not to be compared vnto it and that the Gospell of Christ should bee preached but â—â—â—â—ie yeeres so they opposed the Gospell of their holy Ghost to the true Gospell of the holy Ghost their eternall Gospell 〈◊〉 that Gospell which is called p 〈◊〉 14.6 the euerlasting Gospell to be prâ—â—ched vnto them that dwellâ—â— the earth and to euery Nâ—â—ion and kindred and tonguâ— and â—â—ple and that euen unto the ende of the world whâ—â—â—â— their gospell was of the Deuill that impure spirit was not an euerlasting Gospel but was soon refuted by Guiliâ—â—â—â—â— de â—â—â—ctâ— Amâ—re condemned by the Pope secretly burnt Others call the Determination of the Church the Gospell some â—â—â—â—taining that the Popes Decrâ—â—all Episties are to bee counted among the Canonicall books and made equall with the Scripture Some making their humane ordinances equall with the Scripture in authoritie Others pâ—â—â—eâ—â—ing them before it and maintaining that the authoritie of Ecclesâ—â—sticall tradition hath more force and â—fficâ—cie to assure â—ur faith in all câ—â—â—trouersies then the Scripture Thus the heretiâ—â—es in q Irenae lib. 3. cap. 2. Non pâ—ssiâ— ex hijs iâ—â—euiri veritâ—â— qui â—esciâ—â—â— traditianeÌ„ Nâ—â—â—â—im per literas tra 〈◊〉 sed per 〈◊〉 vocem Ireâ—â—â—â—s time maintained that the truth could not be found in the Scripture by such as were ignorant of tradition and the great mysteries of faith were noâ— by the Apostles committed to his Disciples but by word of mouth and not by writing r Epiph. heres 48 August haeres 26 Moutanâ—â— confessed that he admitted all the Scripture yet hee seined ouer and besides that the Comforter was come to perfect that which was but begunne and so did adde vnto the doctrine of the old and new Testament cerâ—aine other obseruations of his
as it is written r Rom. 3.4 Let God bee true but euery man a lyer We see therefore that the word father is taken ambiguously by the Author of the Pastorall Letter and that from this ambiguitie a thousand impertinent false blasphemous conclusions might be inferred Moreouer the proposition is false if it bee not limited for can we be God like Christ Can we be Prophets Priests and Kings of the Church as Christ is In a word can wee bee mediatour betweene God and man as Christ is what are not these things proper to Christ and vncommunicable to all creatures IIII. The resemblance likenes which we must haue with Christ is in the holinesse of his life in that which concernes his godlinesse towards god and his charitie towards men according to the Law Å¿ Ephes 4.24 Col. 3.10 The new man which is renewed in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse after the image of him that created him The argument then will be good in this sort if we say that euen as Christ hath been so conscientious so scrupulous and holy in his vocation that hee hath not taught any thing but that which he hath heard of God his Father so our Pastors and Doctors ought not to teach any thing but that which they haue heard of God their Father that is to say that which is contained in the holy Scriptures And againe as Christ although authorised in his doctrine by that heauenly voice t Matth. 17.5 Heare him submits his doctrine to the touch-stone of the Scriptures and exhorts the people to examine it by the Scripture saying u Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures they are they which testifie of me Our Teachers and Doctors which haue not such an authoritie and should resemble Christ in humilitie and reuerence towards the Scripture ought and must submit their doctrine to the like examination and exhort the people to search the Scriptures to see and examine if it be so And if the people ought not to heare any other doctrine then that of their Father contained in Scripture remembring that notable sentence of Saint Augustine x August contra lit Petilia lib. 3. c. 6. Si angelus de caelo vobis annunciauerit preteâ—quâ—â— quod in Sâ—xipturiâ— legalibus Euangelicis accepisti anathema sit If an Angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise then that which you haue receiued in the Scriptures Legal or Euangelicall let him be accursed V. Let vs now retort and returne the argument against the Author of the same and say VVe may not speake of the Scripture otherwise then we haue heard of our Fathers we haue no other Father then God therefore we may not speake of the Scripture then as we haue heard it of God the Maior is his as we haue seene the Minor is his also For by this argument hee proues that children desirous to dwell in a cloyster ought not to obey their carnall parents which thwart their desires saying to the fathers Know yee not Pag. 20. that God forbids in Saint Matthew y Matth. 23 9. Nolite vobis vocare patrem super terram vnus enim pater est vester qui est in caelis Call no man your Father vpon the earth for one is your father which is in heauen The conclusion therefore is good according to his arguing and according to truth and therefore we wil heare none but God speaking to vs in the Scripture and will not heare the Fathers be they neuer so holy if they preach not to vs the word of God contained in the Scriptures VI. For so hath God expressely commanded vs in his word saying z Ezech. 20.18.19 Walke ye not in the statutes of your fathers neither obserue their iudgements nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the Lord your God walke in my Statutes and keepe my Iudgements and doe them Conformably to this an ancient Father saith a Hier. in Ier. cap. 7. nec parentum nec maiâ—rum error sequendus est sed authoritas scripturarum c. We must not follow the errors of our fathers nor of our ancestors but we must follow the authoritie of the Scriptures And another b Bernard ad Abbat epist 91. Auant and farre from me and you let them be which say we will not be better then our forefathers The former saith againe of himselfe c Hier. contra Iouini As often as I do not interpret the Scriptures but that I speake freely of mine owne sense and reason let who will reprehend and reproue me Saint Austin said as much of Saint Hierome of all Catholike authors and particularly of himselfe as we haue seene in the Preface he tells vs ouer and besides of himselfe d August de Trinit lib. 3. in proaem Doe not thou subiect and submit thy selfe to my letters as to the Canonicall Scripture Of Saint Cyprian e Idem contra Crescou lib. 2. cap. 32. I account not the letters of Cyprian as Canonicall but I examine them by the Canonicall Scripture That which in them is conformable to the authoritie of the holy Scripture I receiue it with his praise and commendation that which is not conformable to it I reiect it with his good liking Of S. Ambrose and of the rest of the Doctors that were before him f Idem Epi. 112 Doe not thinke that wee must follow the sense and opinion of any man as the truth of the Canonicall Scripture Of all them which haue written from the Apostles time to his time g Idem contra Faustum Mani lib. 11. c. 5. In the small bookes or short Treatises of them which are come since the Hearer or Reader hath his free iudgement to approoue that which is pleasing and good or to reprooue that which is vnpleasant and offensiue Cardinall Caietan the most learned of all the Cardinals and Bishops of his time hath the like speech in his preface on Genesis for hauing said h Caiet praefat in 5. lib. Mos That this authoritie is reserued only to the sole authors of the holy Scripture that we beleeue the thing to be so because they haue so written it layes downe this principle and maxime i Deus non alligauit expositionem scripturaruÌ„ sacrarum priscorum doctorum sensibus that God hath not tied the exposition of the holy Scripture to the sense of the ancient Doctors k Si quando occurrerit nouus sensus textui conformis quanquam à torrente doctorum alienus aequos se praebeant censores And therefore he intreates them which shall find in his Commentaries a new sense or meaning conformable and agreeable to the text to iudge iustly and vprightly although it bee against the torrent and streame of the Fathers l Andrad defens Synod Trident. lib. 2. Andradius maintaines the selfe same principle and improues the allegoricall expositions of the Fathers reprehends many expositions that they giue of the literall sense pronounces that they
pretended Paracler which might be such an holy Ghost as Å¿ Epâ—ph here 's 2â— that of Simon Magâ—â— was or such a one as was carried in poste in a cloke-bagge from Rome to Trent The Heretickes t Terâ—â—â— de â—â—retâ— 50. Nâ—â—â—â— heresâ—â—â—â— Alphabâ—â—â— Grâ—â—â—rum compâ—sâ—â—runt c. Marcus and Câ—lâ—barsuâ— did 〈…〉 new heresie out of the Greeke Alphabet maintaining that the truth could not bee found out without these characters and that the fulnesse perfection of 〈◊〉 wâ—â— contained in these letters for which cause Christ said I am 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 The Hereticks 〈…〉 Apelles Mareâ—â—â— â—â—thsuch like did boast that they had receiued many doctrines and 〈◊〉 without scripture u Euseb bist lib. 5. c. 28. Eusebius â—els vs that the Hereticke Aâ—â—â—mâ—â— did beast that his doctrine was 〈◊〉 from the Apostolike 〈◊〉 x Clem. Alex. 〈◊〉 lib. 7. 〈…〉 did glory in that he had a certain Glaucus for his teacher who had serued as an interpretor to S. Peter that Valentine did vaunt to haue been Saint Pauls auditor that the Marcionites did brag that they were the disciples of them that had seene and heard the Apostle Matthias of whom they held obserued and teached their doctrine In a word as the Scribes and Pharisies esteemed the traditions of the Elders the Râ—bbines their Cabala the Moutanists the new Comforter these Hereticks their reuelations and traditions to be necessary to saluation without the which the truth could not bee learned out of the Scripture So the Papists doe maintaine that the sacred and Canonicall Scripture is not sufficient to prooue matters of faith and charity and therefore haue recourse vnto traditions and the vnwritten word which are necessary to saluatioÌ„ But as the holy Fathers did accuse that iustly Samosateâ—us y Euseb hist lib. 7. cap. 30. because that departing from the Canonicall bookes hee had been author of an hereticall doctrine and had not followed the Apostolicke doctrine Euen so may wee accuse the Papists who haue corrupted the word of God by their traditions and fables and straying from the Scripture haue strayed from the truth And surely it is no maruell if they erre so long as they forsake the sea-manâ— compasse without the which all things are to vs vncertaine yea rather it were a wonder yea more then a wonder if without that compasse they could hold their course and not suffer ship wracke against the rockes the sands and the vnknowne shores of humane traditions For as z Plutar. in vita Thesei in princip Plutarke saith The Histriographers which doe set â—ooâ—th the description of the earth in figure are wont to place in the lowermost part of their mappes the farre distant regionâ— vnknowne vnto them and to marke in the margent such like notes and reasons as these beyond these countries are nothing but deep dry sands without water full of soule ill fauoured venomous beasts or much mud vnnauigable or Scythia forsaken for cold Euen so say wee The Scripture is a map containing a description of the place of our soiourning here in this vale of misery of our iourney to our heauenly Ierusalem containing all thinge necessary for vs in this our pilgrimage both for our instruction and saluation Beyond the Scripture and without the mappe there of as in the lowermost parts and borders of mappes there is nothing but â—â—rra incognita vnknowne land and dry deâ—â—res full of barres sands of humane traditions nothing but stinking pooles full of venomous and cruell beasts that is to say of false opinions and detestable heresies nothing but vnknowne and doubtfull waies the mother of all kind of errors Beyond this Scripture there is nothing but scriptura incognita the vnknowne and vnwritten word and traditions dangerous gulphes and whirle-pooles where the anker of our faith can haue no hold where all our sounding plummets are found too short and where wee must of necessity make shipwrack of our faith and therefore wee keepe our selues within the mâ—ppe and compâ—sse of the Scripture the sea-mans compasse the rule of our sobriety the bridle of our discourse the limit of our faith for our safety lest wee should bee tossed and cast vpoÌ„ some vnknowne coasts so perish a August Hypognost articul 6. Sede in portu fidei catholicae vbi te nuâ—â—a possit fluctuosae curiâ—sitatis tempestas turbare vel mergere we rest our selues in the hauen of the Catholicke faith where no tempest of troublesome â—â—â—â—sity 〈◊〉 either trouble or drowne vs. If then they aske vs why we retaine not their doctrine their determinations decrees Councels and traditions we answere that we receiue them not because they are not described nor contained in the mappe of the holy Scripture if they accuse vs b Matth. 15.2.3 Marke 7.5.7 as the Pharisies and Scribes did the Disciples of Christ because wee walke not according to the traditions of the Elders but transgresse them wee will answere them with Christ Why doe you also transgresse the commandement of God by your tradition In vaine doe ye worship God teaching for doctrine the commandements of men If they reproue vs because we c Fox pag. 1441 Boner will haue no more then Scripture teacheth but euen as Christ hath left it bare we will answere d Thomas Hawkes He that teacheth vs otherwise wee will not beleeue him If they call vs Hertickes wee will confesse with Saint Paul that e Act. 24.14 after the way which they call hereâ—ie so worship we the God of our fathers beleeuing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Nay they themselâ—es are Heretickes because they doe not beleeue all the things that are written in the Law and the Prophets f Fulke against the Rhemists Tit. 3.10 but doe obstinately defend grieuous errours against the manifest authority of the holy Scriptures and detract from them and adde vnto them teaching another doctrine another Gospell and therefore are accursed for it g Gal. 1.8 any man preach another Gospell vnto you then â—hat which you have receiued let him be accursed And h Reuel 22.18.19 if any man adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke If any man shall take away from the words of this booke God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this booke But the Romanists doe not only detract from Scripture and adde vnto it but they peruert it also by their false glosse and irregular expositions which they i 2. Pet. 3.16 wrest vnto their owne destruction as S. Peter saith witnesse the point of Euangelical Counsels which they display to set forth their workes of supererogation the supererogation of their workes placing them aboue the perfection of the Law the Law of perfection though some of them denie any perfection in them and maintaine that they doe auaile but instrumentally
in this Citie of Bourdeaux Two Virgins daughters of an honourable Citizen of the Romish religion withdrew themselues from the obedience of their father and mother to follow a Religion of a new stampe and edition called Of the Vrselines This fact being found strange of many learned men and others of the said Religion Cardinall Sourdis took vpon him to defend it by writing and I was requested to vndertake the refutation thereof which I not being able to refuse to those that requested of mee this piece of seruice I tooke in hand this worke some fourteene monethes agoe But I perceiued by the prosecution and sequell of this worke that I should labour in vaine if I refuted not in order all the principall arguments which the Church of Rome doth alleage in fauour and defence of the Monkish life which I haue done according to the method I haue here summarily and briefly set downe beginning first with the holy Scriptures because the author of the Pastorall letter begins with that point My discourse shall bee truth the fountaine thereof shall be charity the end thereof shall be the glory of God the edificatioÌ„ of his Church the conuersion of those that walke in darknesse and in the shadow of death to the true light and the discharge of my conscience before God and my Church to the which I would giue an account of my studies if she receiue any edification thereby I shall remaine fully satisfied THE SVMME OF THIS FIRST VOLUME THE FIRST BOOKE Of thâ— holy Scripture Chap. 1. Of the necessity and sufficiencie of the Scriptures Chap. 2. All men ought to reade the Scriptures Chap. 3. The Scriptures are perspicuous and plaine to bee read of all men Chap. 4. They are to be read with the same spirit wherewith they were written Chap. 5. 6. 7. What is the authority of the Fathers in the interpreting of the Scriptures Chap. 8. Of the Iudge of the sense and meaning of the Scriptures THE SECOND BOOKE Of Euangelicall Counsels Chap. 1. The holy Scripture makes no mention of Counsels which they terme Euangelicall Chap. 2. They are neither of the Law nor of the Gospell The difference betweene the Law and the Gospell Chap. 3. They are falsly termed Counsels of Perfection There is no other perfection then charity which is commanded to all men Chap. 4. The Monkes and Friers doe speake in vaine of keeping Counsels seeing there is no man liuing can keepe the Commandements Not the vnregenerate man that wants all the conditions required to the doing of a good worke Chap. 5. Nor the regenerate man who is imperfect and defectiue in his most holy actions Chap. 6. Which is proued by the examples of the holy men of the old Testament Chap. 7. And by them of the new Testament Chap. 8. Whence all their sinnes are mortall in their nature though veniall by grace Chap. 9. An answere to the two first obiections concerning that God doth promise to circumcise our hearts that wee should loue him with all our heart and the testimony giuen to many that they haue kept the Law and loued God with all their heart Chap. 10. An answere to the third obiection touching those that are called perfect Chap. 11. An answere to the fourth obiection accusing God of crueltie if he haue giuen an impossible Law How and to whom the Law is possible and impossible Chap. 12. Answere to the fifth obiection that Gods commandements are not grieuous Answere to the sixth obiection whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not Chap. 13. An answere to the 7. obiectioÌ„ that all Gods workes are perfect An answere to the 8. obiection that we must not do good works if they be sins we must doe good workes and for what cause Chap. 14. Foure reasons why God doth not perfect our regeneration in this life Chap. 15. An answere to the 56. chapter of Isaias and to the 3. chapter of the booke of Wisdome where mention is made of Eunuches Chap. 16. An answere to an obiection drawne from the parable of the sower and the seede bringing forth an hundreth threescore thirtie fold and to that which the Lord saith of those which haue made themselues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauens sake Chap. 17. An exposition of Christs words Goe and sell all that thou hast Chap. 18. An answere to the obiection taken out of 1. Cor. 7. Chap. 19. An answere to that which the Apostle saith He hath preached freely 1. Cor. 9. Also to that which is in the Reuelation chap. 14. concerning the 144000 Virgins Chap. 20. Answere to the example of those that haue liued in the state of Virginitie The end of the Contents AD MONACHOS Admonitio HIc discipatis nubibus Sol enitet Non iste lucem corpori qui sufficit Sed qui tenebras mentis illico fugat Hic scena fraudum tota hic mysteria Reclusa fictae sanctimoniae patent Deuota turba belluae teterrimae Quae vaticani montis incubat iugo Exosa coelo orbigranis grata inferis Procul hinc facesse Nam tibi certissima Mors hic paratur Ista si perlegeris Dâ—lâ—re victa non potes non emori IACOBS VOW OPPOSED TO THE VOWES OF MONKES AND FRIERS THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the holy Scriptures I. We cannot learne what seruice is acceptable vnto God but of God himselfe II. God teacheth it vs within by his holy Spirit and without by his holy Word III. The whole Word of God necessarie and sufficient vnto saluation is comprehended in the holy Scriptures WHat a Iob 36.22 teacher is like God said Elihu in his conference with Iob the same say we here where the question is betweene vs of Gods seruice of that seruice which he approues and to the which hee hath annexed a gratious promise of ample remuneration who then can better tell vs what he is then he himselfe Both we and they seeke for eternall life and desire to finde the way that leades vs vnto it it is God that hath giuen it vs who then shal shew vs the way of life but God Our b Col. 3.3.4 life is hid with Christ in God yea Christ is our life and c John 14.6 10 7. as hee is our life so is he the way of life the doore by the which the sheepe doe enter and there is none other then he d Heb. 10.20 that hath consecrated for vs a new and liuing way through the vaile that is to say his flesh As he hath consecrated it so hath he shewed it vnto vs by his truth e Iohn 17.17 His word is his truth and he himselfe is that truth f Iohn 14.6 I am saith he the way the truth and the life no man commeth vnto the Father but by me * August in Joan tract 22. Ambulare vis ego sum via falli non vis ego sum veritas mori non vis ego sum vita hoc dicit saluator tuus non est quò cas nisi
Heathens in their Antichristian proceedings worthie of for not onely refusing to enter into this spirituall Paradise of holy Scripture but also for defacing and burning it Surely they deserued to bee shut out of the heauenly Paradise their names to be defaced out of the booke of Life and they to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and there to burne for euer and euer For if any y Reuel 22.19 man take away from the words of the booke of this Prophesie which is not so much as to deface or burne the whole booke God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy Citie Neither were these alone for others reiected the booke of God either in whole or in part though not with such contempt and contumely z Epiph. lib. 1. tom 2. haeres 21. Omnem vero qui veteri Testamento credit mortem subire Simon Magus with the Simonians his disciples Cerdon Carpocrates Basilides a August de bono Perse lib. 2. c. 11. Maniches and Marcion with their Sectatores reiected all the Canonicall bookes of the old Testament b Epiphan lib. 1. tom 2. haeres 33. The Prolemaits refused the fiue bookes of Moses The Sadducâ—s receiued onely the fiue bookes of c Caluin in harm Euang. Ioseph Antiquit lib. 18. c. 2. Paulus Eber. de Relig Repub. Iudaeor Moses so did the d Epiph lib. 1. tom 1. haeres 9. Samarits though e Cyril catech 18 some hold they receiued the Prophets also whereas the e Cyril catech 18 Apelleans reiected both the Law and the Prophets The Nicolaitaus reiected the booke of Psalmes some of the Rabbins denied the booke of Iob. Porphiry despised Daniel the Anabaptists refuse Ecclesiastes and the booke of Canticles f Tertul. aduers Iudaes Againe the Iewes condemned the whole new Testament The g Irenae lib 1. c. 26. Solo eo quod est secundum Mathaeum Euangeliâ— vtuntur Ebionites of the Euangelists embraced onely the Gospell of Saint Matthew Câ—rinthâ—â— receiued none but Marke h Tertul lib. de praescrip haeres c. 51. Irenae lib. 3. c. 11 Cerdon and Marcion onely Luke The i Ibidem Valentiniâ—â—s the Gospell of Saint Iohn onely k Epiphan lib. 2. tom 1. haeres 51. The Allogians of all other hated Saint Iohns Gospell The Tatians accepted onely the Acts of the Apostles which booke of all others the l Eusebius Seâ—eriâ—â— hereticks reiected and the m August lib. de vtilit credendi Manichees refused so did n Tertul. de praescript hares Cerdon The Ebionits o Irenae lib. 1. c. 26. Apostolum Pâ—ulum recusant Apostatam eum legiâ— dicentes could not away with any of S. Pauls workes p Epiph. lib. 2. tom 3. hâ—â—res 42. The Marcionits receiued but ten of Saint Pauls Epistles reiecting those vnto Timothie Titus and the Hebrewes q Irenae lib. 1. c. 29. defacing also those places both in Saint Luke and the Epistles which they embraced that concerned either the Diuinitie or Humanitie of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which r Tertul. aduers haeret c. 51. Solum Euangelium Lucae nec tamen â—â—tum recipit Apostoâ—â— Parliâ—â—que â—â—â—â—es neque totas Epistolas sumit Cerdon his Master practised before neither embracing al Saint Pauls Epistles nor wholly those he embraced Others reiected S. Iames Epistle and S. Iude others the two last Epistles of S. Iohn yea some all Saint Iohns Epistles with his booke of Reuelations as Å¿ Epiphan â—â—m 1. lib. â— haeres â—1 the Aâ—â—ogians which booke t Tertul. 〈…〉 Cerdon also reiected On the otherside others haue added vnto the booke of God other bookes as necessarie vnto saluation The Gospels of Iames Peter Andrew Barnabas Nicodiums the Canons of the Apostles the Acts of Paul Peter Philip Andreas Thomas * Epiphan haeres 61. which two last bookes the hereticks called Apostolici did vse very much and did take from thence their heresies The Reuelations of Peter Paul Philip Thomas Steuen the Reuelations Doctrines Manifestations Mysteries Traditions of Montanus Marcion Maniches Valentinian Ebion Apâ—lles and such like hereticks and so diuers haue added diuersely vnto the Word of God their owne words and traditions whereas the Lord saith u Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not adde vnto the Word which I commaund you x Reuel 22 1â— for if any man adds vnto these things God shall adde vn-him the plagues that are written in this booke Notwithstanding as the ancient hereticks haue delt impiously with the Scripture by their additions traditions as also by their substration and detraction so doe the moderne hereticks namely the Papists deale with the Scripture detracting from it and adding to it for as Saint y Hyeron apolog contra Ruff. c. 11. Istae machinae haereticorum i. magistrorem tuorum sunt vt conuicti de prefidia ad maledictase conferunt Ierome saith this is the practice of hereticks that when they are conuinced of trachery they betake themselues to railing so these wranglers perceiuing themselues conuinced by the Scripture doe as they of whom z Jrenae lib. 3. c. 2. Irenaeus speakes set vpon the Scripture it selfe taxing it of ambiguitie and as hauing no authoritie intending as Saint a August lib. 2. de nuptijs concupisc c. 33. Turrianus lib. 1. cont sadeel pag. 99. Ekcius in Enchir loco commun Pighius lib. 1. Eccles histor c. 2. Mortuum atramentum Euangelium nigrum theologia atrameniraria Res nauimis muta nasus cereus regula lesbia Delphicus gladius O Quantum nâ—bis profuit fabula ista de Christo Austin saith no other thing then to bring the authoritie of the Scripture to naught therefore they called the Scripture dead inke a certaine bare letter a dead letter that killeth the blacke Gospell and inkie Diuintie a dead and dumb thing an vncertaine mutable mute and dumbe Iudge a nose of waxe a leaden ruler Sphinxes riddle a sword in a mad-mans hand the apple of discord yea a Fable by Pope Leo the 10 O what aduantage hath this Fable of Christ brought vs being of no more credit and authoritie then the Fables of Aesop without the approbation of the Pope and of the Church And these reproches and blasphemies are not maintained by the vulgar â—ort onely but also yea especially by their Diuines Popes Bishops Cardinals for Cardinall Bellarmine and Cardinall du Perron haue written against the sufficiency and perfection of the Scripture the one spending a whole Chapter the other a small Treatise to proue the insufficiencie and imperfection thereof whereas it is the All sufficient word of God the true and perfect rule of our vnderstanding the pillar of our faith the firme and sure anker of our hope and saluation sufficient both for our saluation which some Papists doe confesse and for our instruction which they denie witnesse Bâ—â—â—â— who examining that glorious Martyr Master Hawkes Fâ—x pag.
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
the Elders of the people assemble together against Iesus Christ and caused him to die by the hand of the wicked Saint Paul admonisheth the Pastors of Milet and of Ephesus y Acts 20.30 that from among themselues shall men arise speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after them Photinus Samosatenus Arrius Macedonius Nestorius Eutyches Marcelin the Pope who sacrificed to Idols Iohn 22. Pope who denied that the soules see God before the resurrection Pope Zepherinus a Montanist Pope Liberius an Arrian Pope Anastasius a Nestorian Pope Honorius a Monothelite Pope Siluester who gaue himselfe to the diuell to be made Pope Gregorie the seuenth a great Necromancer Iohn the 23 who denied life eternall and the resurrection All these had a vocation and succession as lawfull as any Pope or Bishop of that time and notwithstanding they were not to be heard of any because they al were hereticks VI. Yea but God hath said in Malachi z Malach. 2.7 The Priests lipps shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the Law at his mouth Hee hath said it indeede and hath said it either by promise to the Priests of the Law that it shall be alwaies so or by commandement to the Priests to obserue and keepe it so alwaies not by promise for he hath not alwaies determined nor done so 〈◊〉 that the same God and Lord adds vers 8. But ye are departed out of the way ye haue caused many to stumble at 〈◊〉 Law ye haue corrupted the 〈◊〉 of Leui saith the Lord of Hosts therefore haue I also made you contemptible and base before all the people And elsewhere God complaines of them a Esay 28.7 They 〈◊〉 in vision they stumble in iudgement b Ezech. 22.26 Sâ—phâ— 3.4 they haue violated my Law and haue prophâ—â—ed mine holy things they haue put no difference betweene the holy and prophant and because they did then as they doe now adaies crying to euery purpose c Ierem. 18.18 The Law shall not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the Word from the Prophet God threatens them d Ezech. 7.26 that the Law shall perish from the Priests and Counsell from the Ancients It was therefore a commandement of that which the Priests should do and did not as nowadaies when and where God may say as anciently he said of the People and Priests of Israel e Ose 4.6 9. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because thou hast 〈◊〉 knowledge I will also reiect thou thou shalt bee 〈◊〉 Priest to me seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forgot thy children c. There shall be like People like Priest CHAP. VIII I. The Iudge of the sense and meaning of the Scripture is publick or priuat II. The publick and soueraigne Iudge is God alone III. His iudgement is perfectly giuen in the holy Scriptures IIII. It is not necessariâ— that the Iudge be present and visible V. The publike ministeriall Iudges are the Pastors VI. The priuate Iudges are all Christians VII They that forbid Christians to iudge of their writings are nor led by the Spirit of Christ TO conclude this point and to 〈◊〉 no scruple concerning this whole matter in the conscience of the Reader We say that the Iudge of the sense and meaning of the Scripture is either publick or priuate The publike Iudge is he who iudgeth publikely with a publike authoritie and declares what is true what is false good or bad what one ought to follow or eschew doe or not doe in matter of religion The publike Iudge is either Soueraigne or Ministeriall II. The Soueraigne Iudge is hee whose authoritie is in himselfe and towards vs sufficient irrefragable and so absolute that necessitie is laid vpon vs to yeeld and agree vnto without any doubting contradiction or appeale There is no such Iudge in heauen or in earth but one to wit God speaking to his Church in Christ Iesus by his holy Spirit There is but he alone which hath publike and absolute authoritie who gouernes swaies and commands ouer the consciences who can perswade binde and conuince them He hath giuen his iudgement and sentence and hath enregistred it in the sacred Scripture according to which he gouernes the consciences bowing bending them to the obedience of the same by his holy Spirit And indeed what other could be the Soueraigne Iudge of the sense of the Scripture but he who is the author of the scripture who can better interpret a mans words meaning then he which hath spoken them And who can better interpret the sense and meaning of the Law then the Law-giuer which hath made it who is so fit and apt for it as hee who being all wise and all holy cannot and being all good will not deceiue or beguile vs III. There is nothing more apparent then that his iudgement is contained in the holy Scriptures a 2. Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God it containes then the iudgement of the holy Ghost b 2. Tim. 3.15 They are able to make vs wise vnto saluation through faith which is in Christ Iesus And for this cause are we commanded to heare them c Luke 16.29 They haue saith Abraham touching the brethren of the rich man Moses and the Prophets let them heare them As they e Acts 17.29 of Berea are commended for that they sought in the same the iudgement of the holy Spirit concerning Saint Pauls doctrine the cause of all errors being that men doe not stick fast to it as Iesus Christ reprocheth and chargeth the Sadduces with telling them f Mark 12.24 Doe ye not therefore erre because ye know not the Scriptures nor the power of God And it being impossible that any can learne and bee perswaded or moued else-where to beleeue in Christ and amend his life Abraham hath so testified borne record to the naughtie rich man who required that Lazarus should be sent to his brethren g Luke 16.31 If saith hee they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Iesus Christ hath more euidently testified it vnto the Iewes speaking of the Scriptures and of himselfe If h Iob. 5.46.47 yee had beleeued Moses ye would haue beleeued me for he wrote of me but if ye beleeue not his writings how shall ye beleeue my words This hath been acknowledged and granted of all the Fathers i Ignat. epist ad Philadelph who refused to accept and admit of any records or euidences then those of Christ k Cyp. epist 63. who will heare none other but Christ l Ambr. de fide lib. 1. c. 4. Hieron in Psal 86. Optat. August Chrysost c. who in all their disputations against hereticks doe appeale vnto the iudgement of Christ speaking in the Scriptures except they had to doe with such as denied the Scriptures IIII. But if they obiect that the
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
the Euangelists and Apostles Bellarmine hath found nothing for his Counsels in the Prophets let vs see if hee can finde any thing to serue his turne in the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles For seeing that they properly appertaine vnto the Gospell and to the Christian Church and doe bring so excellent and great a reward to the obseruers of them They ought to bee euidently and plainely recommended in the new Testament II. The Lord Iesus propounding the Parable of the Sower 3 Obiection compares the Church to good ground which hauing receiued seede b Mat. 13.8 brings forth fruit some an hundred folde some sixty folde some thirtie fold By this Parable saith Bellarmine the merit of chast matrimonie of virginitie and of widdow-hood is distinguished and that proues hee by Saint Cyprian Saint Ierom and Saint Austin Whence saith he it appeares that the virgin-like continencie is a greater good and more meritorious towards God then matrimoniall chastity is because that it is a diuine Counsell for that which God commaunds not and notwithstanding recommends and preferrs before all other things without doubt he counsels it III. But this cannot be showne in any wise by our Sauiours words who speakes neither of virginitie nor of marriage nor of widdow-hood but of those onely which heare his word of what condition and state soeuer they be according to the exposition which he himselfe giues c Mat. 13.23 He that receiued the seede into the good ground is he that heareth the Word and vnderstandeth it which also beareth fruite and bringeth forth some an hundred fold some sixtie some thirtie folde It is hee therefore which heares the Word of God and keepes it liuing holily and doing good workes according to that measure of grace which hee hath receiued who seekes here any other sense or meaning forgeth to himselfe chimeraes and fruitlesse imaginations buildes castles in the aire and deceiues himselfe with those which heare him And therefore we obiect against Saint Ierome that which he himselfe saith in his Commentarie vpon this Parable d Hieron in Mat. 13. Canendum est vbicunque dominus exponit sermones suos ne velaliud nec plus quid velimus intelligere quam ab co expositum est Obserue saith he that this is the first parable which is set downe with his interpretation and we must beware in what place soeuer our Lord expounds his words that we vnderstand no other thing nor more then that which hath been expounded by him If hee had kept this rule which he prescribed to others he would haue taken heede and not allowed an hundred folde to virgines sixtie to widdowes and but thirtie only to married folkes Falsely by his leaue and fauour seeing that Abraham who was married and remarried is propounded in the Scripture as e Rom. 4.11 the Father of all them that beleeue f Luke 16.23 in whose bosome Lazarus lyes and of whom Christ Iesus saith g Mat. 8.11 that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heauen He is then aduanced on high liuing in a glory so eminent and so excellent that all the happinesse of all the faithfull of all nations is described by the part and portion they shall haue therein because the Apostle saith that h Gal. 3.9 they are blessed with faithfull Abraham The Virgin Marie her selfe a daughter of Abraham not onely according to the flesh by birth but also by faith in beleeuing hath no greater glory in heauen then Abraham hath neither doth shee attribute to her selfe any thing aboue him but contents her selfe to haue part in the promises that haue been made to him as we find it i Luke 1.55 in her Canticle It is not for me to play the harbinger in heauen or the Steward to set at table the friends of the Spouse euery one according to his degree but all that which we say and can say is grounded vpon coniecture I say that I gesse coniecture that Abraham who hath been twice married hath the highest degree and ranke of glory in heauen seeing that none enters into heauen but in as much as he hath followed the trace of Abrahams faith Saint Ignatius a single vnmaried man was of this opinion when he said k Ignati ad Philadelp I desire that God finde me worthie to be in the Kingdom of heauen at the feete of them which haue been married as of Abraham Isaac and of Iacob of Ioseph Isaiah and of the other Prophets as also of Peter and of Paul and of the other Apostles which haue been married The Fathers which haue attributed an hundred folde vnto virgins and thirtie vnto the married yea an hundred vnto the Martyrs sixtie to the Virgins and thirtie vnto Widdowes and nothing to the married folkes according to that we reade in Saint Ierome if the Martyrs haue an hundred folde l Hieron in Mat. c. 13. Quod si ita est sancta consortia nuptiarum excluduntur à fructu bono The holy conuersation in marriage is excluded from the good fruite All these Fathers were they an hundred haue intruded themselues into matters which they haue not seene they haue spoken of the things of God without the Word of God they haue spoken by the spirit of man and not by Gods Spirit and therefore I will answere to all that they say and to all that can bee said vntill the ende of the world that which Saint Ierome answered to those which did broach and propound their opinions without Scripture m Jdem in Mat. c. 23. Hoc quia de scripturis non habet authoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur quâ probatur Because this hath not his authoritie from the Scripture it is reiected with the same facilitie wherewith it is proued being able notwithstanding to name for my part both ancient and moderne Doctors Chrysostome Theophylact c. which haue seene no such great and deepe mysterie in this Text let Frier Ferus be heard at this time for them all giuing vs the right vnderstanding thereof This saith hee is diuersly expounded c. but it seemeth that Christ saith and meaneth in this place that the Word of God doth altogether conuert more men in one place then in another as it hath done more good and borne more fruite among the Gentiles then among the Iewes Againe that the same Word of God fructifies more in one man then in another in this man then in that man according as the ground is the more fit and apt IIII. It followeth that wee see in the second place 4 Obiection that which is written in the selfe same Gospell chap. 19. where the Apostles hauing said vnto Christ n Mat. 19.10.11.12 If the case of man be so with his wife it is not good to marrie Christ saith vnto them All men cannot receiue this saying sauing they to whom it is giuen
if it belongs to the father to giue his virgin in marriage or not to giue her in marriage he hath plaied the tyrant to haue handled so rigorously a father and mother that practised on their daughters virgins that lawfull power and authoritie which nature hath giuen vnto them the Scripture hath authorized and the right of Nations hath confirmed vnto them But we will speake of this here below as also of the intention of the Apostle in this Chapter VII The which I will but touch cursarily in this place the Corinthians asked the Apostle if it was expedient for a Christian to marrie He answeres f 1. Cor. 7.1 Now concerning the things where of yee wrote vnto me it is good for a man not to touch a woman calling good that which is commodious profitable and as he himselfe expounds it vers 35. expedient or comely he giues the reason saying that they that marry shall haue trouble in the flesh vers 28. It is therefore good to bee vnmarried by reason of the charges and troubles of marriage and of the disturbance that it bringeth to the free confession of the Gospell in time of persecution as he saith vers 26. I suppose that this is good for the present distresse and necessitie For then the persecutions were so hot and violent that they which were without wife and children were freed from a great burden hauing nothing to care for but Gods seruice and themselues Those during that present necessitie did well not to marrie This is the Apostles aduice yet not absolutely but with a restriction of the gift and vocation of God saying that marriage is necessarie for them that haue not receiued the gift of continencie g 1. Cor. 7.2 Neuertheles to auoide fornication let euery man haue his owne wife and let euery woman haue her own husband Bellarm. saith that it is a Counsell which is against himselfe for if it bee a Counsell to marrie to auoide fornication hee that marrieth to this ende shall haue a greater merit and consequently a greater glory then he that marrieth not But the words are of the imperatiue moode and binde all those which haue not the gift of continencie to marry He repeates them againe and saith If they cannot containe let them marry for it is better to marry then to burne Concerning those that haue the gift of continencie he saith h Vers 8. It is good for them if they abide euen as I yea he commaunds them so to remaine if they feele in themselues that they are called to it of God i Vers 17. As God hath distributed to euery man there is the gift yea as the Lord hath called euery one there is Gods calling so let him walke Now where there is the gift and calling of God to a thing there is a necessitie to doe it and a punishment for him that doth it not k 1. Cor. 7.24 Brethren saith he let euery man wherein hee is called therein abide with God If then a man hath receiued the gift of continencie and is called thereto by God he ought to follow his calling But if he burnes and feeles that the gift is taken away God calles him to marriage It is a Commandement on the one and the other side and not a Counsell VIII The conclusion is added to the one and to the other l 1. Cor. 7.38 So then he that giueth her in marriage doth well but hee that giueth her not in marriage doth better To wit because that this man lookes better to his virgin in not giuing her in marriage in so dangerous and troublesome a time it being presupposed that she haue the gift of continencie then doth that man In like manner the widow m Vers 40. is happier if she so abide happier indeede not towards God who is not moued with these outward things wherein godlinesse consisteth not but in respect of men and of the domesticall life in so much as being a widdow she hath not such care nor so many distractions in the time of persecution as the married woman hath But what serues all this to the cause of the Vrselines and the Counsels of the Monkish life for the father that gaue not his virgin in marriage kept her at home And the widdow remaining so did serue God in her house This ought to be obserued euery where For there is not to bee found any place of Scripture what sense soeuer they coine and make thereof that concludes any thing for the Monkish life and therefore that can be alleaged by them to the purpose in this controuersie CHAP. XIX I. The eight obiection Saint Paul by a worke of supererogation hath preached the Gospell freely and frankely 1. Cor. 9. II. This obiection is nothing to the purpose is false and contrary to all Saint Pauls doctrine III. The true meaning of the Apostles words IIII. In preaching for nothing hee aimed not at any greater perfection and reward in heauen and did nothing but that which he ought to haue done V. The ninth obiection taken out of the Reuelation Chap. 14. touching the hundred foure and fortie thousand virgins VI. This is a fond and vaine obiection and which draweth with it many falsehoodes and inconueniences VII The true exposition of this place according to Origen Ambrose Austin BEllarmine setteth downe his eight obiection The 8 obiection saying a Bellar. de Monach c. 19. §. 61. that Saint Paul in the whole ninth Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians doth indeuour to shew that hee hath done more then he was commanded to doe and therefore hath merited a singular and speciall glory of God for the Lord hauing ordained that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell Paul had rather preach the Gospell without charge and so doe a worke of supererogation b 1. Cor. 9.15.16.18 It were better for me to die then that any should make my glorying voide for saith he though I preach the Gospell I haue nothing to glorie of for necessitie is laid vpon me and woe vnto me if I preach not the Gospell What is my reward then verily that when I preach the Gospell I may make the Gospell of Christ without charge II. c Iob 15.2.3 Should a wise man vtter vaine knowledge and fill his belly with the East-winde should hee reason with vnprofitable talke or with speeches wherewith he can doe no good Yes for in all his discourse and purpose there is nothing that serues to the purpose whereof the question is For Saint Paul was no Monke nor Frier hee preached not the Gospell gratis and without cost by any counsell hee receiued of the Lord who contrariwise declared that d Mat. 10.10 the workman is worthy of his meat He preached not for nought by any vow For he should haue broken his vow hauing e Phi. 4.15 c. receiued maintenance abundantly of the Philippians f 2. Cor. 11.8 and of