was conceiued in sinne VI. What honour is due to the Virgin Marie and other Saints VII Saint Paul hath not fully and perfectly kept the Law as he witnesseth Rom. 7. VIII He speakes of himselfe in the state of a regenerate man IX Saint Iames Saint Peter Saint Iohn haue not kept the Law X. The whole Church prayes for the remission of sinnes which are the transgressions of the Law REceiued a Gal. 3.2 ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith It is the demaund which the Apostle makes to the Galathians which had receiued the holy Ghost by the preaching of the Gospell and not by the preaching of the Law for the Spirit is not of the Law but of the Gospell The Spirit was vnder the Law but it was not of the Law They that were clothed with the Spirit and had put on the Spirit vnder the rule and gouernement of the Law had this benefit from the Gospel which was as then promised vnto them as it is now exhibited and set forth to vs whence the Gospell is termed b 2. Cor. 3.8 the ministration of the Spirit the Law c 2. Cor. 3.7 9. the ministration of death and the ministration of condemnation We haue then now to see if the Spirit which is giuen by the Gospell and which is giuen more sensibly effectually and abundantly vnder grace then vnder the law according to Ioels d Ioel 2.3.8 prophecie hath giuen strength to any vnder the Gospell to keepe the Law so that he hath not failed and offended therein Zachariâ— and Elizabeth II. We will begin with the first Saint named in the Gospel who although hee was not of the Gospell notwithstanding hauing beene the father of him that was the fore-runner of the Gospell is brought in in the beginning of the historie of Christ Iesus adorned and graced with his wife with this great commendation e Luke 1.6 Hieron aduers Pelag. lib. 1. Hoc testimonio quasi impenetrabilâ— vteris clypeo that they were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandements and ordinances of the Lord blameles And this is the place whereof the Pelagians made vse as of an impenetrable buckler thinking they might very pertinently conclude by it that a man may bee without sinne and easily keepe the Commandements of God if he will vnto the which some added that that may be with the helpe of grace hauing left in writing f August 95. Etiam in hac vita posse esse hominem sine peccato non ab initio natiuitatis suae sed conuersione à peccatis ad iustitiam Hinc quod dictum est sine querela sine peccato dictum acceperunt non quidem negantes imò etiam conâ—itentes adiutorium gratiae Domini nostri non per naturalem spiritum hominis sed per spiritum principalem Dei that also in this life there might be men without sinne not from the beginning of their birth but by the conuersion from sinne to righteousnesse and from a bad to a good life and interpreting the word blamelesse as if it were to say without sinne not denying but confessing according to godlinesse the helpe of the grace of our Lord not by the naturall spirit of man but by the principall Spirit of God These are the very words of those of that time who being enemies of the grace of God and of the merit of Christ doe part and share out mans saluation betweene the grace of God and mans nature betwixt Christs merits and mans merits let them therefore heare Saint Austin refuting their heresie in the person of them and reprouing them that they haue not enough considered that Zacharie was a Priest and that all Priests were then bound by the Law of God to offer sacrifice first for their owne sinnes and then for the people That was his first argument He that was bound to offer sacrifice for his sinne was a sinner Zacharie was bound to offer for his sinne therefore he was a sinner in like manner all the Priests and all the people for they offered sacrifice for their sinnes and the sinnes of the people And therefore there were none at that time without sinne neither hath there been any since for hee adds It sufficeth vs that in the Church of God there is not one faithfull found in what progresse excellencie or righteousnesse soeuer he be that dare say that this request of the Lords prayer appertaines not to him forgiue vs our debts and thaâ— saith he hath not sinned lest he abuse himselfe and truth be not in him although he line blamelesse And concerning Zacharie Saint Ierom obserues that g Luke 1.18.20 Hieron aduers Pelag lib. 1. Idem epistol 44. ad Rusticum Denique Zacharias paâ—er Ioannis qui scribitur iustus peccauit in eo quod non credidit statim silentio condemnatur he sinned in that he beleeued not and was incontinently adiudged to be dumbe and not able to speake What is it then to bee blamelesse h Aug. in Joan. tractatu 41. It is saith Saint Austin to be without crime it is to liue i Idem de gratia Christi lib. 1. c. 48. according to some approued and laudable conuersation among men whom none can iustly accuse And it is said that Zacharie and his wife haue had that righteousnesse before God because they deceiued not men by any dissembling but as they appeared to men so were they knowne to God and this is not said according to that perfection of righteousnesse in the which we shall liue and which is wholly vnspotted and perfect for the Apostle Paul himselfe hath said k Phil. 3.6 that according to the righteousnesse which is in the Law he was blamelesse in which law Zacharie hath liued blamelesse But the Apostle counted that righteousnesse but dung and lâ—sse in comparison of the righteousnesse which we hope after and whereof we ought to be a hungrie and adry to the end we may be one day filled and satiated with the sight thereof which is now in faith so long as the iust liue by faith III. The sonne followes the father namely Iohn Baptist Iohn Baptist of whom it was said before his conception l Luke 1.15 He shall be filled with the holy Ghost euen from his mothers wombe Certainely not to purge and cleanse him wholly of all spot of sinne but to make his ministerie the more commendable and praise-worthy by the extraordinarie and particular markes of the vertue efficacie and power of God dwelling in hiâ— from his first infancie For he himselfe confesseth himselfe a sinner saying to Iesus Christ m Mat. 3.14 I haue neede to be baptized of thee that is to say according to the interlineare Glosse n Gloss ordinar To be washt of originall sinne because thou art the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world And according to Saint Chrysostome or whosoeuer is author
ingenders and begets in vs all manner of euill thoughts and desires of which Saint Iames faith x 〈◊〉 1.14 Euery man is tempted when hee is drawne away of his owne lust and enticed Secondly withdrawes vs from good and doth what he can to smother the good and holy motions of the Spirit in vs as Saint Paul saith y Rom. 7.22.23 I delight in the Law of God after the inward man but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captiuitie of the law of sin which is in my members The Spirit also â—usteth against the flesh two manner of waies First hee creates in vs all sorts of good thoughts motions and desires Dauid felt it thus when he said z Psal 16.7 I will blesse the Lord who hath giuen me counfell my reines also instruct me in the night-season a Psal 27.8 When thou saidest Seeke ye my face my hart said vnto thee Thy face O Lord will I seeke Secondly he stops and stayes the bad motions of the flesh to the ende they take not effect or at the least blunts their point that they doe not sinne excessiuely in which fense Saint Iohn saith b 1. Ioh. 3.9 Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seede remaineth in him To commit sinne is to make a trade and occupation of sinning and to giue himself ouer to euil with an entire and whole consent of the will the which a man renewed cannot doe because with the feede of sinne which is his naturall corruption he hath in him the feede of God which is the gift of sanctification and is mixed in all the qualities of his soule and in all the workes that flow thence The supernaturall knowledge wherein the minde is enlightned is mingled with ignorance and naturall blindnesse which remaines in him so that he hath neede to aske euery day new enlightning of God as Dauid did who said c Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may behold the wondrous things out of thy Law His faith is mingled with vnbeleefe his confidence with diffidence his hope with despaire witnesse the lunaticks father as wee haue seene before witnesse Iob who complaining of God said vnto him d Iob 13.24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemie And at the same time he cried our e Iob 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him His will purified and corrected is incessantly crossed by a contrary wil which hinders him to doe the good he would doe For as our Sauiour said f Mat. 26.41 The Spirit is willing but the fleshes weak The will in as much as it is sanctified hath a maruellous affection and desire to obey God but the flesh with the which she is chained weakens it and makes her slacke and remisse to doe that shee would doe The affections are neuer so well squared and ordered but there is disorder they can neuer shake off so wel this dust and durt but as g 1. King 18.21 the Israelites did halt on both sides following at one time God and Baal so do they halt betweene heauen and earth betwixt the heauenly goods which cannot bee defiled nor wither and the perishing goods of this world whhose figure passeth away as swift as a weauers shittle I write nothing but that which all the children of God feele in themselues otherwise they should not appertaine vnto the Church Militant Which hath no enemies so cruel vigilaÌ„t pressing hard and difficult to ouercome as those which euery member of the same nourisheth within himselfe and carrieth continually in his bosome as namely lust which saith Saint Iames h Iam. 1.14.15 draweth enticeth conceiueth and bringeth forth sinne and therefore is a sinne like a Serpent that engenders conceiues and brings forth a Viper is a Viper as all that which is conceiued is of the nature of that whereof it is conceiued as the tree that bringeth forth bad and rotten fruit is corrupt and rotten according to Christs saying k Matth. 7.18 A good tree cannot bring forth euill fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruite This naturall contagion doth infect all the good workes of the regenerate with so great a blemish that the Church it selfe confesseth l Isai 64.6 All our righteousnesse are as filthie rags what can we then say yea what ought we to say we I say who as Bernard saith m Bernard de verb. Esaiae serm 5. are not better then our forefathers which haue no lesse truly them humbly spoken so This is the first argument grounded on the great and general deprauation of our nature wherby the workes of the most holiest are so blemished and distained that they can in no wise answere vnto the righteousnesse holinesse and perfection of the Law IIII. The second argument is taken from our knowledge for such as is our knowledge such is our obedience such are all our workes that proceede from it Now our knowledge is verie imperfect n 1. Cor. 13.9.12 For as the Apostle saith of himselfe and of all we know in part and we prophesie in part we see now through a glasse darkely the perfect knowledge being reserued for the Kingdome of heauen which our Lord hath represented by giuing to the blinde man his sight o Mark 8.22 of whom Saint Marke saith that Christ Iesus hauing put his hands vpon him the first time he saw men walking but not as men but as trees but hauing put his hands vpon his eies the second time he saw euery man clearely euen so fareth it with vs we receiue here but the first imposition of hands we often take one thing for another and see the things of God but by halues whence wee must not find it strange if we do them but by halfe and do remaine and stand a farre off from the perfection and righteousnesse of the Law whose first and last Commandement cannot be fulfilled by any man liuing here on earth Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy mind and with all thy strength It will haue the soule and the whole soule the heart and the whole heart the thoughts and all the thoughts the strength of the hart of the soule of the thoughts and the whole strength of the same p Aug. lib. 1. de doct Christ c. 22. It leaues no part of our life that may be voide of charitie It commaunds all the degrees of charitie for he that saith All excepts nothing If thou canst adde any thing thereunto there is not all If thou takest away any thing there will not bee all More charitie can bee added day by day vnto our charitie otherwise Saint Iude would not haue praied q Iude 2. Mercie vnto you and peace and loue be multiplied Let Saint Austin speake for vs r Aug. epist 29. Charitie is a
kept it perfectly or else he accuseth the most Iust of great malice That cannot he doe for he which keepes perfectly that which God commands him in this life is without sinne sinne being no other thing then the transgression of Gods commandements all which doe meete at one ende and abut vpon charitie b Hieron ad Rusticum epist 44. c. 4. Now there is none that is pure from sinne though his life had been but for a day saith Saint Ierome The Apostle himselfe doth openly confesse that he and all the Saints are tied to this vnauoidable necessitie of c Aug. de tempore serm 47. sinne saith Saint Austin and that doth hee confesse in the seuenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans as wee shall see in the fourth argument There is none then that keepes perfectly that which God commands him yea that can keepe himselfe all being tied to this necessitie of sinning by the flesh lusting against the Spirit and by the Law of their members warring incessantly against the Law of their minde and bringing them into captiuitie to the Law of sinne which is in their members d Rom. 7.23 Gal. 5.17 as the Apostle speaks This is more perspicuously set before our eyes by death which is saith the Scriptures e Ioshua 23.14 the way of all the earth f Heb. 9.27 it being appointed vnto men once to die It is therefore a manifest conclusion that all are sinners and by consequent all transgressours of the Commandements of God g Rom. 6.23 for the wages of sinne is death and the effect of death in the faithfull is the death of sinne h Rom. 6.7 for he that is dead is freed from sinne which made the holy Apostle to sigh and call after death i Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Now Bellarmine not being able to name any one Saint who hath been in his life pure from sinne and saying notwithstanding that they can perfectly keepe Gods Commandements hee accuseth and chargeth them with a notorious malice for what is the cause that they haue not kept the Commandements was it ignorance that was in them Noe for they knew the Commandements was it impotencie that was in them No for Bellarmine saith that they could keepe the Commandements The salt was then only in their will for three things concurre together in the reasonable creature to the producing and bringing forth of a good worke knowledge will power Now to know and to be able to doe good and not to will the doing of it is the propertie of a malicious and peruerse spirit it is a malice altogether condemned as it is written k Iames 4.17 To him that knoweth to doe good and doth it not to him it is sinne Let this be farre from Saints And therefore we will correct the saying of Bellarmine and say that the Saints and faithfull haue the wil to keepe perfectly the Commandements of God but they haue not the power and strength to doe them and that will we verifie by Saint Paul saying of himselfe l Rom. 7.18 To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not And of vs all m Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie the one to the other so that ye cannot doe the things that ye would Lastly because that all which Bellarmine writes touching the diuers degrees of perfection commanded in the Law is maintained by him for the cause and defence of the Monkish state and life which he termes n Bellar. de monach c. 2. the state of perfection I would willingly aske Bellarmine himselfe or the most holiest Monke or Frier if seeing he thinkes he can keepe the Commandements of God he hath euer kept them If he saies that he hath kept them he is a lyar For hee that keepes the Commandements hath no sinne o 1. Iohn 1. â— Now if we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. If he confesseth that he hath not kept them he confesseth himselfe to be a wicked and malicious man in that hee would not doe that which he could and by his owne confession is doubly the childe of hell p Luk. 12.47 For that seruant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes VII The third argument is this If a man could keepe the Law he should haue no neede of a Mediatour q Gal. 2.21 For if righteousnesse come by the Law then Christ is dead in vaine They answere that Christ indeede should haue died in vaine if man could keepe the Law by his naturall strength and power but it is by grace that Christians keepe it and this grace hath been giuen them through the merit of the obedience and death of Christ which for this cause is not frustrate nor in vaine An answere iniurious to Christ and altogether false For if it were so our righteousnesse and saluation should be immediately of the Law and not of Christ and Christ should not be our Sauiour but onely an instrument by the which we are ayded and enabled to keepe the Law and by the obseruation of the same made our owne sauiours What blasphemie against the Sonne of God r 1. Cor. 1.30 Who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption In as much as Å¿ 2. Cor. 5.21 God hath made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him We are then righteousnesse as he is sinne he is sinne t August Encherid cap. 41. not his owne but ours not in himselfe but in vs euen so are wee righteousnesse not our owne but that of God not in our selues but in him And marke he hath beene made vnto vs righteousnesse by God it is not written that we are made righteousnesse by him Againe we are the righteousnesse of God in him it is not said that we are the righteousnesse of God by him as by an instrument So doth the same Apostle write that u Col. 2.10 we are complete in him and not complete in our selues by him he felt it so when being as then renewed hauing been alreadie yea a long time an Apostle and neere vnto death when hauing fought a good fight kept the faith and finished his course he writes from prison vnto his Philippians that x Phil. 3.8.9 he counted all things but lesse and dung that he might winne Christ and be found in him not hauing his owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ to wit the righteousnesse which is of God by faith He would haue vs to thinke and feele it so when he wrote to vs in the person of the
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
nescit non probat ratio non commendat antiquâ— traditio the custome of the Church is ignorant of it reason approues it not neither doth ancient Tradition recommend it Å¿ Origen in Luc. homil 17. Origen goes further euen to her actuall sinnes and saith that she was scandalizd in the death and passion of our Lord that if she had not suffered scandall Christ should not be dead for her sinnes Saint Chrysostome accuseth her of ambition of ostentation and of vaine glorie in that when our Sauiour taught the people she with his brethren stood without and interrupted him t Mat. 12.46 desiring to speake with him u Chrys in Mat. homil 45. Consider saith hee the importunitie both of the mother and of the brethren for in stead that they should haue entred within and heard with the people or staied without vntill the end of the Sermon and then should haue resorted vnto him stirred vp with ambition and ostentation they call him forth in the presence of all the people to the ende they might seeme to commaund Christ easily and with great power and authoritie whence it appeareth that they were moued by some vaine glorie not making as then any great reckoning or estimation of him x Chrysost in Joan. homil 20. As much saith he expounding the miracle done by our Sauiour at the marriage in Cana of Galilee and surely when shee adrest her selfe to Christ saying vnto him y Iohn 2.3 4. They haue no wine If she had not done amisse nor had failed either in that she would prescribe vnto him a time to work miracles or in desiring by human affection and infirmity to be in more esteeme for his sake Christ had neuer answered her so Woman what haue I to doe with thee z Tertul. de Carne Christi c. 7. Tertullian saith no lesse and a Salmer comment in epist ad Rom. c. 5. disput 51. Salmeron the Iesuit tells vs that some haue proued and verified by two hundred Fathers some by three hundred Caâ—etan by fifteene and they saith he irrefragable that the holy Virgin hath not beene preserued from all sinne VI. I write not these things to dishonour or disgrace the holy Virgin nor to match or equall any man with her in holinesse I render her all the honour can be giuen to a creature without transporting to her the honour due to the Creator I honour her remembrande I esteeme her I beleeue I say that b Luke 1.48 she is blessed according as she her selfe hath foretold I giue God thankes for the grace he hath done to her for the grace he hath done to the Church by her in making her the Mother of him who is the head the Spouse and Sauiour I striue and endeuour to â—mitate her humilitie her faith her meekenesse and other Christian vertues wherewith God had adorned and graced her and pray to God to giue mee grace to doe it This is all the honour which is due vnto Saints he which giues them more is an idolater he honours them not but dishonors them I reserue vnto Christ Iesus my onely Sauiour my onely Head my onely Redeemer my onely All the honour which the Scripture giues him and giues to none but him c Tertul. de prâ—sâ—r c. 3. Soli enim Dei filio seruabatur sine delicto permanere For it was reserued to the onely Sonne of God to liue to be and abide without sinne Of all others it is written d Rom. 3.22 That all haue sinned and come short of the glory of God that is to say of the honour which God had giuen them creating them after his image in knowledge righteousnesse and holinesse that e Rom. 11.32 God hath concluded all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercie vpon all VII In the second ranck after the Virgin I place the Apostles and I behold them acknowledging confessing bewailing their sinnes Saint Paul Saint Paul some twentie yeeres after his conuersion alreadie an Apostle and so farre yea so much aduanst in sanctification that he is not afraid to protest f Gal. 2.20 I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me g Rom. 7. describes vnto vs an horrible warre that he felt in himselfe a perpetuall warfare of the flesh and the spirit by the which he was so diuided and distracted betweene euill and good that he cries out h Vers 14. I am carnall sold vnder sinne He had his minde enlightened and knowing the good he had also his will inclined to follow the direction of the minde and vnderstanding and to obey the Law and that had he as touching the inward man and as touching that that was renewed in him but he complaines that he had also in himselfe his flesh impugning and thwarting his good will and repugning his vnderstanding and the Law of God and haling him wil he â—ill he to commit the sinne he hates i Vers 15. for saith he that which I do I allow not behold the minde and vnderstanding enlightened condemning the euill for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. Loe the sanctified will abhorring the euill and notwithstanding he feeles in himselfe so great a peruerâ—itie that he doth the euill which he hates and condemnes and this peruersenesse is sinne the corruption of his nature withdrawing him from good and drawing him to euill k Vers 16. If then I doe that which I would not I consent vnto the Law that it is good l Vers 17. now then it is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me And this sinne is his flesh his naturall corruption spred ouer all the parts of the soule and body which hinders him to doe the good hee would and forceth him to doe the euill hee hates as hee addes m Vers 18.19 For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not for the good that I would I doe not but the euill which I would not that I doe c. And so continues his complaint and declares that not onely hee knowes approues wills the good but also loues it and takes delight in it n Vers 22. For saith he I delight in the Law of God after the inward man what was the cause then that he did it not or rather that he found not the meanes to perfect it The outward man his flesh which he termes o Vers 23. the Law of his members as he termes the inward man the Law of his minde as it followeth But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captiuitie to the law of sinne which is in my members And surely those members are all the parts of the soule and body infected with sinne and this combat is so sharpe and harsh and the euent thereof so heauie
is no great matter it is but a veniall sinne God will not regard it By sinne the great God the infinite immortall immense God is offended and men dare say that it is a small sinne O sinne not veniall but mortall not small but great but worthie of an infinite and immortall punishment of all those which dare teach that man can sinne against the infinite Maiestie of the Almightie and yet not sinne infinitely nor be guiltie of an infinite punishment IIII. Let sinne be measured by the Law e 1. Iohn 3.4 for sinne is the transgression of the Law Now the Law-spares not him which transgresseth the least iâ—t or tittle of the same but pronounceth this sentence and decree f Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them What is there any sinne so small which is not committed against some word or other of the Law of God which by consequent drawes not the curse vpon the head of him which transgresseth it This cannot bee denied me that hee which is guiltie of the transgression of all the Commandements of the Law is worthie of death g Iames 2.10 But whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guiltie of all saith S. Iames for as much as the Law generally vnderstood requires nothing but obedience which is not rendred by him which transgresseth the least word thereof Wherefore such a one is worthie of death although he had spoken but an idle word seeing that Christ declares that h Mat. 12.36 Euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue account thereof in the day of iudgement or had vttered i Ephes 5.4.6 but foolish talking or iesting seeing that the Apostle saith because of these things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience The Saints which haue prayed with such seruencie for the remission of sinnes which haue confessed that they could not subsist before God if he would proceede against them in rigour and extremitie who renouncing vnto their owne iustice and righteousnesse haue called vpon him for grace and mercy to their vnrighteousnesse haue knowne this haue â—elt it thus haue acknowledged and confessed it V. All they that will compasse and measure their sinnes by the satisfaction which our pledge hath made vnto the iustice of God will know and finde it so will confesse this and feele it so What termest thou that a sinne veniall not to be punished by death for the which the God of glorie died Wilt thou say that to be veniall and pardonable for a little asperges a little Holy-water sprinckle for the which the onely and best beloued Sonne of God hath spilt his bloud Wilt thou blesse thy selfe in thine heart in committing a fault a sinne for the which k 2. Cor. 5.21 God hath made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne yea l Gal. 3.13 a curse for vs to redeeme vs from the curse of the Law Of that Law which accurseth all them which keepe not euery word thereof Now such are the sinnes which they terme veniall m 1. Iohn 1.7 for the bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne And as Saint Iohn saith speaking as well of himselfe as of others n 1. Iohn 2.1.2 If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes Sinne thus examined and measured to God against whom it is committed to the Law of God by the which it is condemned to Iesus Christ who hath spilt his bloud to blot it out cannot seeme veniall to none but to him who insensible of his owne corruption mockes at God despiseth the Law and sets naught by it and counts the bloud of the Couenant the death of our Immanuel God-Man and Man-God an vnholy thing All sinnes therefore are mortall in their nature and are alwaies mortall to them which liue not by the Spirit of Christ VI. o Rom. 8.1 But there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus to them which haue Christ liuing in their hearts by faith and are true members of his body To these all sinnes are veniall and in effect are pardoned and forgiuen them by the merit and indulgence of God VII All this hinders not that some sinnes are greater then othersome and more or lesse rigorously punishable with death eternall as our Sauiour Christ himself declareth when he saith that p Ma. 10.14.15 11.24 it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomâ—rra in the day of iudgement then for them which heare not nor receiue his word Euen so among men capitall crimes are vnequall and different and punished with a more sharpe and cruel death in some then in othersome VIII I haue sufficiently proued that not one of those which are recommended in the Scripture for their holinesse hath kept the Law I haue brought in a great number of Fathers Bishops Priests Monks which subscribe vnto this whelsome and holy doctrine haue yeelded vnto it condemned themselues and confessed themselues to bee sinners as other men I would faine see now if these righteous men these boâ—sters these sellers of merits could make any one come forth out of their Monasteries whom the Cowle the Sackcloth and Monasticall discipline haue so sanctified and renewed that hee hath obserued and kept all the Commandements hath no need to say Forgiue vs our trespasses nor to confesse himselfe a sinner to his brethren in life and death Let them not iuggle and dodge with the truth as the Pelagians did for when Saint q Hieron ad Câ—esiphontem Egregij Doctores dicunt esse posse quod nunquam fuisse demonstrant Ierome asked them who those were whom they esteemed to be without sinne they shifted of his demaund by a new tricke affirming that they spake not of those that are so or haue beene so but that may be so They that would auoide it with such a â—est and wile I will oppose to them as a wall of iron S. Ieromâ— answere Goodly Doctors which say that that may be which they cannot shew that it hath euer been seeing the Scripture saith r Eccles 1.9 The thing that hath been it is that which shall be and that which shall be done is that which hath been done Let then these holy Fathers these mortified men display and lay open their righteousnesse before God and giue God thankes with the Pharisee Å¿ Luk. 18.11.12 God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publican I fast twice in the weeke I giue tithes of all that I possesse As for mee acknowledging my selfe with Saint Paul t 1. Tim. 1.15 the chiefest sinner I will goe vnto the throne of grace to obtaine mercie and will crie and call vpon my Iudge with the Publican u
we are as new borne babes hauing neede of the milke of the word that we may grow thereby and then we grow i Rom. 1.17 from faith to faith we aduance and go on from age to age k Ephes 4.13 Till we all come in the vnitie of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ IIII. Thirdly all the workes that God makes alone and without the co-working of the creature are perfect in their kinde but in our regeneration our will workes together with God the flesh that is in vs by nature resists the Spirit which he puts in vs by grace whence it is impossible but that the good workes which we doe haue a smacke of the corruption that is in vs. An expert Scriuener handling alone his pen will write neately and perfectly but if he holdes his young Schollers hand and guides his pen in his hand the writing will not be so neate and will manifest it selfe by her imperfection that it is not the Masters hand alone as it will appeare also by reason of the straightnesse measure and neatnesse that it is not the Schollers hand alone Euen so is it with vs all the good workes we doe doe issue and proceede from two contrarie principles in vs from Gods Spirit and from our flesh God doth them in vs and by vs as by young ignorant prentises and nouices which cannot follow the perfect direction of the Spirit by reason of our flesh vnprofitable and vnseruiceable to good and strong vnto euill whence it followeth that as they are defectiue and vicious they belong to vs as our owne so as they are good and holy God claimes and challenges them himselfe as his owne V. Now followeth the answere to the last obiection Obiection 8 Bellar. de iustif lib. 4. §. 5. seq If our good works are thus vicious and corrupt then are they sinnes and if sinnes then worthie of death and therefore are not to be done but are to be left vndone yea auoided It would also follow that God should bee the author of sinne for hee is the author of euery good worke in vs l Phil. 2.13 working in vs both to will and to doe of his good pleasure VI. This is a subtill cauill to shift of the truth and to cast a miste before the eyes of the ignorant we ought we ought and must doe good workes m 1. Sam. 15.22 to obey God n Mat. 6.33 to seeke and aeduance the Kingdome of God o Mat. 5.16 1. Pet. 3.1 to winne by our holy conuersation those which obey not the Word p 1. Pet. 2.12 3.16 to stoppe the mouthes of the enemies of the Gospel when they speake against vs as euil doors q Ephes 4.1 to walke worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called and r Phil. 1 27. Col. 1.10 as it becommeth the Gospel of Christ Å¿ 1. Thes 2.12 who hath called vs vnto his Kingdom and glory by grace who gaue t Tit. 2.14 himselfe for vs that he might bee our head to whom the Father hath giuen vs to be members of his bodie and a peculiar people zealous of good workes u Iames 2.18 1. Pet. 3.15 to testifie of our life and the truth of our faith before the Church to testifie it to our selues and to x 2. Pet. 1.10 make our calling and election sure that wee may y Rom. 8.5 Gal. 5 16.22.2â— learne and know by the works of the Spirit if we walke after the Spirit and that we may z Mat. 6.16 know the tree by his fruit VII He which doth good workes to these endes sinnes not and tho workes which hee doth in this manner are not sinnes They are good in their principle for they proceede from God they are good in their manner of doing them for they are done in faith in obedience in charitie they are good in their matter and substance for they are conformable to the Law they are good also in their ende for they tend and extend to the glory of God to our neighbours good to our strengthening and setting in the feare of God in the assurance of the grace of God towards vs. Sinne is no such matter it proceedes from the stinking sinke of the flesh it is contrarie to the Law contrarie to faith and charitie sinne is committed in vnbelieâ—â— and disobedience and hath for his faith and beliefe the world and the things that are in the world so that it is as vnpleasant and displeasing vnto God as the good works are pleasing and acceptable vnto him VIII But man being composed of flesh and spirit it falleth out that when the spirit makes his good workes the flesh steps in vnlooked for and taints them with the stench of his corruption to the great griefe and displeasure of the spirit of the new man who â—urceaseth not to proceede and goe on to doe the best he can being assured that God who hath already accepted of his person in Iesus Christ will also accept approue and receiue in good part the little good he doth forgiuing him for Christ Iesus sake the euill that the flesh hath foisted in and accepting for the loue of Christ that good which remains as being the worke of his Spirit IX Euen so hath he promised it saying a Mal. 3.17 I will spare them at a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him so doth God b Psal 103.13.14 like as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that feare him for he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust He accepts first our persons he adopts vs to himselfe and makes vs his children in Iesus Christ and afterwards he accepts our workes because of our persons If once we are his children and heires in Christ he handles and intertaines vs as father and no more as a Iudge he accepts the holy endeuour which our new man brings and yeeldes to his seruice and supports the opposition and impugning of our old man against him In a word when he viewes and beholds in our good workes the euill which is ours he forgiues vs it for Christ his sake c Jsai 53.5 who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and when he beholds and considers the good which is his he crownes it for the same Christ Iesus sake d Ephes 1.6 in whom hee hath made vs accepted X. Not therefore for our merits but according to his mercie whereof he saith e Exod. 20.6 I will shew mercie vnto thousands of them that loue me and keepe my Commandements that his sentence remaine for euer f Tit. 3.4 Vers 5. After that the kindnesse and loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared not by workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of regeneration and renewing
that a certaine man called by Saint Luke q Luk. 18.18 a Ruler comming vnto our Lord said r Mat. 19.16 Good Master what good thing shall I doe that I may haue eternall life He desires to obtaine eternall life and perswades himselfe that the onely meritorious cause thereof is to doe a good thing he asketh not what he must beleeue but what he must doe to be saued This was the arrogant and ouer-weeâ—ing perswasion of al the Iewes of whom the Apostle writeth Å¿ Rom. 9 3â—.32 that Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse hath not attained to the Law of righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but at it were by the works of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone And therefore answering his demaund and according to the hypothesis position thereof saith vnto him If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements For when the question is made of workes the Morall Law is the rule of good workes Hee commaunds him therefore to keepe the Commandements t Ferus in Mat. vt sciret se nunquam implêsse Quis enim de hoc gloriabitur c. to the ende saith Ferus he might know that he had neuer kept them for who caâ— beast of that If we say saith Saint u 1. John 1.8 Iohn that we haue no sin we deceiue our selues If none can beast that he is free from sinne none also can glory nor vaunt that bee hath kept the Law seeing that sinne it no other thing then the transgression of the Law He goes on and asketh againe Which Not that he was ignorant of the Commandements but because hee expected that the Lord should haue prescribed to him others more perfect Notwithstanding the Lord to instruct him that the Morall Law is the vnchangeable rule of the will of God to him that seekes saluation by his workes and to shew x Ferus ibid. that he is not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill rehearseth some of the Commandements Thou shalt doe no murder c. Then shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And that to the ende saith the same Ferus y Ibid. Vt arrâ—gans ille iuuenis vitam suam ad illa conferens discat quà m ne micam quidem verae pietatis haberet c. that the arrogant young man comparing his life with the Commandements might learne that hee had not so much as 〈◊〉 crumme of true godlinesse For there is nothing that stoppes 〈◊〉 wâ—ll the mouth of the arrogant and proud men then when they art warned of Gods Commandements and thou seest not so clearâ—ly in a looking glasse the blemishes of thy body as thou seest thy sinâ— in the Law Furthermore he rehearseth specially the Commandements of the second Table For he which is conuicted that he hath not kept the things that concerne his neighbour is a great deals more conuinced that he bath not kept the things that are of God For if a man say I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyar saith Saint z 1. Iohn 4.20 Iohn VI. Therefore our Sauiour answering this young man according to his demand remaunds him to the Law that being conuicted in his conscience how hee was very farre from the perfection of the righteousnesse required in the same he might hee humbled disposed and prepared to heare and receiue by faith the Gospell of the remission of sinnes whereby to be saued but the wretched young man young in yeeres but younger in the knowledge of himselfe and of the spiritual vse of the Law puffed vp with a presumptuous opinion of his vprightnesse dared to open his mouth and say All these things haue I kept from my youth vp It was saith Saint Ambrose a Ambros in Luc. c. 18. inaniâ— iactantia a vaine boasting Saint Ierome saith plainely b Hieron in Mat. c. 19. mentitur adolescens c. the young man lied for if he had fulfilled in word and deede that which is contained in the Law Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe how comes it afterwards that he hauing heard say go and sell that thou hast and giue to the poore he went away sorrowfull for hee had great possessions Saint Hilarie writes c Hilar. in Mat. c. 19. Neque superiora illa egerat ad quae remittitur that hee hath not kept the things he is sent back vnto And Saint Austin arguing vpon that he went away sorrowfull d August Epist 89. quaest 4. Qui. viderit quemadmodum illa legis mandata seruauerat puto enim quòd se arrogantiùs quà m veriùs seruâsse responderit Let him consider how he hath kept those Commandements for I thinke that he answered more arrogantly then truly that he had kept them Ferus among the Modernes a great Preacher in his time and of great reputation among his owne proues that he lied e Ferus in Mat. c. 19. I will not say saith he that be hath perfectly fulfilled the Commandements of God vnlesse I should say that hee was pure from sinne whereunto the Scripture gaine-saies euidently For who can boast that he hath no sinne seeing Salomon saith f 1. King 8.46 that there is no man that sinneth not and Saint Iohn g 1. Iohn 1.8 If we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. And the Psalmist h Psal 130.3 If thou shouldest marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand and Saint Iames i Iam. 3.2 In many things we offend all and the Wise man k Prou. 24.16 A iust man falleth seuen times the day For which cause Christ commaunds all to pray and say l Mat. 6.12 Forgiue vs our trespasses Who is he then that seeth not that this young man spake very presumptuously All these things haue I kept and that with this addition euen from my youth vp seeing that Christ vpbraides euidently and manifestly reprocheth the Iewes m John 7.19 Did not Moses giue you the Law and yet none of you keepeth the Law These reasons are irrefragable and without any reply VII How then saith this young man that hee hath kept the Law Surely because he vnderstood not the true vse of the Law He had laied no violent and bloudy hands vpon any to kill him He had not defiled his neighbours bed He had not stollen another mans goods He had not borne false witnesse against his neighbour before the Magistrate He had done no wrong to his neighbour Hee was taught that to liue blamelesse before men was to fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law For the false Doctors had restrained the vse of the Law to the outward obseruation thereof euen to say n Mat. 5.43 Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie as if an enemie were not a mans neighbour and this false doctrine was propounded by them as deriued from the Elders So Saint Paul saith that o Phil. 3.7.8
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
complaines of those that reade and speake of them Let them defend them and forbid them with threatnings I will not feare what man can doe to me but knowing that the word of God is of such vertue n Psal 119.130 that the entrance of his words giueth light and giueth vnderstanding vnto the simple I will loue it I will put it close to my heart I will take in it all my delight and pastime his words shall be folkes of my counsell I will alwaies adhere and sticke fast vnto them that I may say in good conscience vnto my God with Dauid o Psal 119.97 O how loue I thy Law it is my meditation all the day CHAP. IIII. I. The Scripture is to be read with the same Spirit wherewith it was written II. The proofes which the Pastorall Letter alleageth are nothing to the purpose III. The Philosophers iustly blamed by Saint Hierome for that they did frame and apply the places of Scripture vnto their sense and opinions IIII. This blame pertaines and belongs vnto the Author of the Pastorall Letter V. Two true reasons why the Scriptures cannot be vnderstood but by the same Spirit they haue been indicted with VI. The Spirit of God is in the Church in generall and in euery member of the same according to the measure of the gift and grace of Christ. SAint Peter speaking of the writings of the Prophets saith that the a 2. Pet. 1.21 prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy 〈◊〉 of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Out of these words of Saint Peter the Author of the Pastorall Letter inferres that we must reade the Scriptures with the same spirit that they were written by which is the Spirit of charitie a pure Spirit a cleane Spirit we adde to this that b Iohn 15.16 he is the Spirit of truth and so we say Amen to this doctrine II. But not to the proofes thereof that are allegoricall or false or corrupted and peruerted That which is said of the commandement giuen vnto him that preacheth the Gospell that he should gâ—â— vp to the mountaine of vertue is allegoricall and repugning to the sense of the Scriptures In like manner that which is added that no beast way approch vnto this mountaine that is to say no carnall sense or meaning and that haue we seene in the Chapter going before The second proofe taken from c Genes 6.3 that of Genesis is false God saith there My Spirit shall not alwaies striue with man for that he is also flesh and the meaning is that God will no longer beare with the malice of men because they are nothing but flesh that is to say finne and corruption but hee will destroy them from the face of the earth if they repent not in the space of an hundred and twentie yeeres Here is therefore no question of the abode of Gods Spirit in men but of the strife that God hath with men obstinatly hardned and not harkning vnto his admonitions but taking occasion by his blessings to liue according to the flesh The third proofe is mained and defectiue Saint Paul saith that d Rom. 15.4 Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope In the Pastorall Letter these words are thus changed Pag. 6. cut off and falsified The whole Scripture is giuen of God for our instruction that so by the example that we imbrace in seeing the recompence of the verâ—â—ous and the punishment of the wicked we comfort our selues in hope to attaine vnto the inestimable goods that are promised there So that whole comfort of the Scriptures is falsely referred and applied to the example that we take of the recompence of the good and the punishment of the wicked whereas it doth altogether consist in the death and passion of Christ Iesus in whose blood al those good men e Reuel 7.14 haue washed their long robes hauing all of them been iustified and graciously saued by the blood of him on the crosse and not by the merit of any vertue that was in them Whence the Lord is called f Luke 25. the Consolation of Israel namely of all the Saints the peace comfort and ioy of whom is wholy limited and stinted in him and to the witnesse that Gods Spirit beareth to their spirit and consciences by the holy Scriptures that God hath reconciled them to himselfe in him not imputing to them their sins where with ioy they crie out with the Prophet Dauid a man according to Gods heart g Psalm 32.1.2 Blessed is hee whose transgression is forgiuen whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie But not being of a subiect and matter to examine this place any more I doe approue the conclusion that is drawne from hence for seeing the Scripture hath been giuen vs for our instruction and consolation we ought not alter it or diuert it to our destruction III. Neither ought we to imitate those of whom Saint Ierome complaines h Hieron that comming to the holy Scriptures after the studie of the Sciences of this world doe imagine that all that they say is the Word and Law of God and take not the paines to search and examine diligently what the Prophets and Apostles haue said but doe frame vnto their sense the places of Scriptures which haue no resemblance agreement or relation vnto it being like the Israelites in this who made a golden Calfe of the treasures they brought out of Egypt whereas they that vse holily humane Sciences making them serue and attend on Diuinitie are like those that did imploy the iewels and riches of the Egyptians towards the building of the Tabernacle and entertainement of Gods seruice IIII. But when they say Pag. 7. that parents which binde their children to the obedience of the commandement they giue them to stay with them to serue them and not to enter into such or such a cloister are like those first that they doe subuert all order imagine they ought to preferre their commandement before Gods commandement their wills before the Euangelicall Counsels against the expresse Texts of the Gospell the example of Saints the interpretations of all the Fathers and the decisions of the holy Canons They charge them with a false blasphemie wherewith the Author of the Pastorall Letter shall finde himselfe touched and tainted who takes violently by the haires as we say the places of Scripture and the interpretations of the Fathers and frames them after his owne imagination wherewith they haue no resemblance or relation as we shall see in the Chapters following V. Notwithstanding this remaines as true that the same Spirit which hath indicted the Scriptures and giuen it to bee written ought and doth vnfold and giue vs the sense and meaning thereof The reason is in them or in vs In them their
b Rom. 8.14 for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God but c Rom. 8. â— if any man haue not the Spirit of God he is none of his Therefore the infidels the hypocrites and all vnregenerated Christians of what religion soeuer they be being destitute of the first qualitie and condition required in a good worke wee may say of them that which our Sauiour Christ said of the Pharisees their companions d Mat. 12.34 O generation of Vipers how can yee being euill speake good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh V. The second condition of a good worke is that it be wel done whereunto is required first that it be conformable vnto the word of God in all things so that he which hath done it may protest with Dauid e Psal 119.105 Thy word is a lampe vnto my feet and a light vnto my path If it declines or swarues neuer so little the workeman of the same is accursed by this sentence and decree f Deut. 27.26 Gal. â— 10 Cursed bee hee that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them Now as God is a Spirit g Rom. 7.14 so the Law is spirituall and is giuen first and principally to the Spirit and is the rule not onely of outward actions but also of the most hidden and secret thoughts of the heart It is not enough that a man lay not violent and bloudy hands on his brother h Mat. 5.22 If he be angrâ—e with his brother without a cause i 1. Ioh. 3.15 if he hate his brother the Scripture sayes he is a murtherer Hee that hath not actually coÌ„mitted adulterie with his brothers wife if he looks on her to lust after her Christ Iesus sayth k Mat. 5.28 he hath committed adulterie with her already in his heart Which of the Heathen knowes that the Law hath beene written in his heart to the ende it might rule his thoughts which of them hath thought that hidden lust was a vice which of them hath emptied and purged his heart of it what doe wee speake of Infidels How great is the number of our Christians that know not the ten Commandements although there are but ten how few are there of them that know them which thinke on them to conforme their liues according to them To tell them of lust or concupiscence and to condemne it as a sinne is so strange a paâ—â—doxe vnto them that if God himselfe should come downe from heauen to tell them of it they would not beleeue it so ignorant are they in the knowledge of the true and lawful vses of the Law how then can they order and square their actions by the same This is also the priuiledge of the regenerate to make a benefit of the Law for the direction of his life because God hath ingrauen it in his heart by his holy Spirit which the vnregenerate man knoweth not l Ier. 31.33 I will saith the Lord put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts m Ezech. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my Statutes and yee shall keepe my Indgements and doe them This hath made Lombard to write after Saint Austin Prosper and other Fathers that n Lombard lib. 2. dist 41. â—t A. where the knowledge of the eternall truth is wanting there vertue is false although the manners and fashions are very good VI. In the next place A worke to bee a good worke well done must be done in faith o Rom. 14.23 for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne They which are not renued in the spirit of their mind may be enlightned so farre that they may know the truth and make profession of it and take pleasure in it for a time as Simon Magus and Iudas who beleeued by a temporarie faith but they haue not the iustifying faith p Ephes 3.17 by the which Christ dwelleth in their hearts q Joh. 1.12 Iohn 3.16 which receiue the Lord Iesus r Gal. 3.14 and all the blossing of Abraham through Christ and the promise of the Spirit through faith applying and appropriating it vnto themselues as Thomas which said vnto him Å¿ Ioh. 20.28.29 My Lord and my God That this is the true faith without equiuocation it appeareth for that the Lord answereth him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou hast beleeued blessed are they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued And by the words of the Aposile t Gal. 2.20 I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who LOVED ME and gaue himselfe for ME. A man shall know by her effects if hee haue this faith u Acts 15.9 Faith purifies the heart x Gal. 5.20 workes by loue y 1. Tim. 1.5 for charitie proceedes out of a pure heart and from a good conscience and of faith vnfained They that are not renewed can seele that they haue not this faith for they feele z Tit. 1.15 that their minde and conscience is defiled and therefore they may resolue and conclude with themselues that God detests and abhorrs them and all that they doe because a Heb. 11.6 it is impossible to please him without faith Witnesse among others Cain who offered sacrifice vnto God and was reiected not because the sacrifice was naught but because hee offered it without faith as it is written b Heb. 11.4 By faith Abel offered vnto God a more excellent sacrifice then Cain The Fathers haue acknowledged the same when they said that c Prosper in lib. Epigram epigrammate 81. Lombard lib. 2. dist 41. lit A. The whole life of Infidels is sinne For that also though a man d 1. Co. 13.1.2.3 could speake with the tongues of Angels and had the gift of prophecie and vnderstood all mysteries and all knowledge and though he had all faith so that he could remoue mountaines and though he bestowed all his goods to feede the poore and though he gaue his body to bee burned and hath not charitie he is as sounding brasse or a tinckling cimball he is nothing and all that profiteth him nothing VII The last condition of a good work is that it be done for a good ende e Aug cont Iulian lib. 2. c. 3. The vertues are discerned from the vices non officijs sed finibus not by the outward duties but by their ends saith Saint Austin The ende of euery worke must bee the glory of God who hath giuen vs vertue wifedome and direction for to doe it It ought to be the end of naturall works also f 1. Cor. 10.31 Whether saith the Apostle ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God How much more ought it to bee the ende of our
morall and spirituall workes g Mat. 5.16 Let your light sosh â—e before men saith Iesus Christ that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen It is a thing out of all doubt that the Infidels haue neuer done any thing for this end what could they haue done for the glory of God which was vnknowne to them What haue they euer done but for themselues but h Chrys in opere imperfecto in Mat. hom 33. to aduance themselues in honour reputation and credit It was ambition to lade himselfe with thicke clay as the Prophet saith that is great store of riches to ioyne house to house and lay field to field till there be no place It was brokage and couetousnesse To what other ende doe now adaies the best and honestest of our politicians aime at They haue no other ende of their prudence and other vertues or rather images of vertues then themselues If we consider the religious as they terme them they giue almes they pray in publick they vse many repetitions they march with a sad countenance they disfigure their faces and destroy the bodie with much fasting some of them that they may appeare vnto men that they are charitable deuout mortified so did the Pharisees and other hypocrites in Christs time i Mat. 6.2 Verily saith Christ I say vnto you they haue their reward The world hath them in great estimation they haue that which they sought for It is their reward they serue God with hope of reward condigne as they say and well worthie of their meries were it not for this hope they would not bee so feruent and zealous towards God that they would be blotted out of his booke k Exod. 32.32 as Moses or l Rom. 9.3 separated and accursed from Christ for his glorie as Saint Paul To bee short wee are in a time whereof wee may iustly and truely say as Saint Paul said of his time m Phil. 2.21 All seeke their owne not the things which are Iesus Christs Wee are in the last daies and the perillous and trouble some times are come whereof the same Apostle hath prophesied n 2. Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. that men shall be louers of their owne selues couetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traitours headie high minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Of which kinde of men God in his great mercy deliuer quickly the world VIII All these keepe not the Law and cannot doe any good worke Some of them will haue many faire and goodly parts as we say the which being examined will be found to be nothing else then o Ambros de vo cat gentium lib. 2. c. 3. splendida peccata glistering and beautifull sinnes by the which they haue barrenly adorned the life of this age saith Saint Ambrose Wee doe not condemne them for that they are ciuilly sober iust moderate and doe leade an outward life without reproch But the Scripture condemnes them for that they liue without faith without charity and propound vnto themselues no other scope of their actions then themselues and so doe ill and doe good things to a bad ende Christ Iesus condemnes them p Iohn 5.44 How can ye beleeue which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth from God onely We doe not condemne them in that they fast austerely pray feruently giue almes largely and doe as they say many pious workes but because doing nothing but that which a Turke and a Iew doth we bewaile them because they runne so fast out of the way seeing they runne not by Christ who is the way to God who is the end of the race and so they labour and toile much yet aduance and goe forward but little As hee that makes haste and runneth a stray out of the Kings high way takes more paines and toiles more then if he were in the right way and notwithstanding he neuer comes where he would I exhort them to turne backe and returne the same way they came towards the Commandements of God to doe according vnto God and for God that which they doe vnder him for themselues and to the ende they may doe it to pray vnto God with Dauid q Psal 143.10 Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God thy Spirit is good leade me into the land of vprightnes For as Saint Austin saith It is better to goe softly or to halt in the right way then to march streightly and runne out of the way CHAP. V. I. The vnregenerate man is altogether wicked II. The regenerate man is imperfect and defectiue in his most holy actions and cannot keepe the Law which is proued by foure arguments III. The first argument He hath in him the flesh lusting against the Spirit IIII. The second argument Our imperfect knowledge brings forth imperfect workes V. Bellarmines opinion concerning a double perfection commaunded in the Law confuted VI. That perfection which Bellarmine saith is possible to man in this life hath neuer been found in any man VII The third argument If the regenerate man could keepe the Law he should not neede a Mediatour THe a Psal 14.2 3. Lord looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men to see if there were any that did vnderstand and seeke God They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthie there is none that doth good no not one b Ro. 3.13 c. Their throate is an open sepulcher with their tongues they haue vsed deceit the poison of Aspes is vnder their lipps whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their feete are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in their waies and the way of peace haue they not knowne The reason of all this is There is no feare of God before their eyes He that feares God feares to doe that which displeaseth God as Ioseph that would not defile his masters bed with held and kept-in with the feare of God c Genes 39.9 How can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God In like manner comforting and assuring his brethren that he would doe them no hurt he tells them d Genes 42.18 I feare God On the other side he which feares not God giues himselfe libertie vnto all wickednesse whensoeuer any occasion is offered That made Abraham say of Gerar e Genes 20.11 Surely the feare of God is not in this place and they will slay me for my wines sake They which haue not the feare of God in their hearts are ordinarie adulterers lyars f Ephes 4.17.18.19 walking in the vanitie of their minde hauing the vnderstanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their hearts who
vertue wherewith we loue that which is to be loued in some greater in others lesse in others none but the perfect charitie which cannot be augmented is in no man so long as he liues here * Quamdiu â—â—tem augeri potest profecto illud quod minus est quà m debet ex vitiâ— est Now so long as it can increase surely that lesse that it hath then it should haue is of vice This vice makes that there is none iust vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not This fault causeth that no man liuing shall be iustified before God This sinne effects so much that if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. By reason of this vice how much forward and aduanced soeuer we be it is needefull for vs to say forgiue vs our trespasses although all our words deeds thoughts haue beene alreadie forgiuen vs in our Baptisme Againe the Law saith Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Thy neighbour thy very enemie the stranger whom thou shalt meete in the way as thy selfe with as great an affection readinesse and courage as thou louest thy selfe In whom shall wee finde this perfection Who loues God as he should Who loues him for himselfe and loues nothing but for him and according vnto him Who loues his neighbor with that seruencie of charitie wherwith he is inflamed towards himselfe Who lookes vpon his enemie with a simple sincere and vnfained eye reconciles himselfe vnto him without a reseruation Who liues with his intirely affected friend without wronging and misusing him in some sort or other without enuying him or at leastwise without thinking ill and hardly of him without coueting something that appertaines vnto him Who therefore fulfilleth this Commandement Thou shalt not couet The Apostle could not attaine vnto it and by that he acknowledged himselfe to be a sinner Å¿ Rom. 7.7 I had not saith he knowne sinne but by the Law for I had not knowne lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not couet Who then shall attaine vnto it V. t Bellar. de monach c. 2. §. 6.7 8. c. 13. §. 20.21 They who puft vp with pride and presumption will not acknowledge themselues to be sinners that God may bee acknowledged the alone Sauiour who saues without our merits who saues not but in pardoning our trespasses and forgiuing our demerits haue forged in their giddie braines a double perfection the one conuenient and meete for the condition and state of this present life consisting in that we must loue God more then any creature the other proper and peculiar to the life to come where the blessed haue not any motion contrary to God thinke alwaies on God and loue God with that vehemency and seruency of loue that can be in a creature u Iob 11.2.3 Should not the multitude of words be answered and shall a man full of talke be iustified Thy lies O man shall they make men hold their peace and when thou mockest shall no man make thee ashamed The Law speakes but of one charitie and that so perfect and accomplished that it possesseth all the heart all the soule all the thoughts and all the strength of man and you forge vs an inferior and an vnderling charity which a man may perfectly keepe and obserue and which God accepts and is pleased with Where is this charitie commanded What in the Decalogue or tenne Commandements Doth it appertaine vnto the first or vnto the second Table of the Law The first commaunds that thou loue God with all thy strength and you tell vs of a Law that is not so rigorous and strict and that contents it selfe that thou loue God with thy strength without requiring all thy strength Where is this Law hath it beene giuen of God vpon the Mount Horeb Hath the people heard it from Gods mouth Hath God written it in two Tables Hath Moses enregistred it in his bookes Haue the Prophets euer heard word or speech of it Reade the whole Scripture yee shall not finde it there you shall finde there but one rule of an vnchangeable and perfect righteousnesse and the fame giuen to the liuing not to the dead to them that are viatores are yet in the way and doe aime at perfection not to them that are comprehensores who hauing alreadie apprehended it doe rest from their labours and haue no neede of the Law giuen with this terrible sentence pronounced not against the Inhabitants of Heauen where there is no sorrow nor feare of mourning but against the Inhabitants and dwellers on earth x Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to dee them A sentence which Saint Paul applies vnto the liuing and proues by the same that y Gal. 3.10 as many as are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse Badly yea vnaptly yea falsely if a man can continue in all the words of the Law yea contradictorily to that which he adds that it was necessarie that Christ came to redeeme vs from the curse of the Law z Gal. 3.13 Christ saith he hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law being made a curse for vs For what neede was there of him if God requires not of men a perfect obseruation of his Law Or if he command them no other perfection then that which they may keepe and obserue perfectly in this life He which hath enough wherewith to pay and satisfie his Creditor hath no neede that another should satisfie for him These men doe erre because they know nor that man although a sinner yea though an apostate yea though destitute altogether of the glorie of God is bound by the Law to doe all that which Adam was bound to doe by his Creation and all that which he could doe and did during the short time of his innocencie for we haue beene all of vs created in him in him the Law hath been giuen to vs all that Law which wee haue written in parchment being no other thing then the image of the Law which he had written in his heart and the traces whereof after his sinne remaine in our hearts Now by right of Creation he was bound to loue him and in effect did loue God with all his heart with all his soule with all his thought with all his strength and therefore we are bound to the same perfect whole and absolute obedience and charitie VI. Notwithstanding put case and suppose that the matter goeth as Bellarmine hath propounded it and that God requires of man in this flesh but a perfection of a meane and reasonable charitie whereby man loues God more then the creatures And wee will argue vpon that which hee saith a Bellar. de monach c. 13. §. 21. This Commandement may be perfectly kept For if that be true which hee saith either hee can produce vs some iust man which hath
Ephesians y Ephes 2.8.9 By grace are yee saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast referring not our iustification only but also our saluation it selfe vnto the grace of God which we imbrace by faith and excluding from the causes of our saluation our workes without exception yea them which the faithfull doe otherwise hee would not say least any man should boast although hee intendes not to esteeme them or make them vnprofitable and of no vse For saith he z Ephes 2.10 we are his worke-manship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath before or deined that we should walke in them A sentence that Saint Bernard vnderstood well when he termed the workes of Saints a Bernard de gratta libéro arâ—itrio sub finem viam regni non causam regnandi The way to the Kingdome not the cause of the Kingdome Auant then and farre from vs let all those be that wil diuide and share out the saluation betweene the grace of God and our good workes that say vnto him with the Pharisee b Luk. 18.11 God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers we will be humble and referre vnto him all the glory of our saluation in his beginning in his middle in his ende and sing vnto him with Dauid c Psal 115.1 Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue glory for thy mercie and for thy Truths sake CHAP. VI. I. The fourth Argument None of the Saints hath euer kept perfectly the Law II. Because they are renewed but in part as it appeares III. By the example of those which were before the Law as of Abel Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob IIII. And by the example of Iob V. By the examples also of them that were vnder the Law as of Moses Aaron their Sister Marie and of all the Priests VI. Item by the example of Dauid VII Of Salomon Ezechias Iosias Daniel and of Esdras VIII And by the Confession of the whole ancient Church BE a 1. Cor. 11.1 ye followers of me euen as I also am of Christ Hee will haue vs to imitate him but with an Euen as not absolutely but conditionally euen as hee imitated Christ and not otherwise for in him there was in the most holiest that haue beene from the beginning of the world there hath been in those that are there is in those that shall come hereafter there wil be things that are not to be imitated but to be abhord not to doe but to eschew and auoide their sinnes b Rom. 11.32 Hieron ad Châ—esiphontem for God hath concluded theÌ„ al in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercy vpon all Wherefore to shew that in him alone there is no darkenesse and that in the most holiest there are many cloudes of error which darken their vnderstanding that he is the alone holy onely iust onely good and that all the holy and iust men haue their noblest parts altered by the corruptioÌ„ of sin he hath permitted the most approued amongst them the most cherished and beloued of him to slip and fall into the pit of sinne and would that they themselues were his Heralds his Clerkes to publish to write downe their owne sins and the sinnes of their forefathers c Rom. 3.19 That euery mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guiltie before God and that God alone d Rom. 3.26 might be found iust and the iustifier of him which beleeueth in Christ Iesus who alone e Isai 53.9.1 Pet. 2.22 did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth who alone hath beene able to protest in truth that f Iohn 14 30. The Prince of this world commeth and hath nothing in me being g Basil in Psal 5. much for a man if hee can say hee hath but little and but few things in mee This is our fourth argument whereby we will clearely proue that there hath neuer been any Saint in whom all his old infirmitie hath beene in such wise consumed but that during the dayes of this his perishing life he hath fought an intestine and inward battaile with the same in the which he hath sometimes fainted and fallen downe and hath neuer preuailed in such sorte that he hath beene able to free and exempt himself wholly from sinne h Basil in homil de poenitent I accuse not therefore the righteous but I glorifie God who alone hath been able to prouoke his enemies with this defiance i Iohn 8.46 which of you conuinceth me of sinne Wee reprehend the errour we beate and throw downe the tower and turrers of pride which our Monkes haue built and reared vp thinking to skale Paradise by their workes not commanded not due it being euident and well knowne by the examples of the Saints of old in comparison of whom the most holiest of these times the most retired of our Monkes and Friers are but dung that they are farre from that perfection of those workes that are due II. If Adam had not violated the commandement of his Lord and God and had remained obedient vnto the heauenly mandate he had reserued vnto his owne heires the prerogatiue of a naturall innocencie saith Saint k Ambrosaed Iren. epist 71. Ambrose but affecting to attribute vnto himselfe that which he had not receiued to be like him that had created him he was stript and depriued of that which he had receiued he lost his drachme or piece of siluer and departing from his Fathers table to eate husks the bread of swine he fel vnder and came within the power of the Prince of darkenesse from being able not to sinne to not being able but to sinne hauing lost altogether the libertie of his counsell after he had sold deliuered and inthrald himselfe to him that had guld and cousoned him In this state hath he begotten men in his owne likenesse after his image all which are borne tainted with his pollution and stained with the bands of his death-bringing slauerie and bondage from which seruitude the elect children of God are released and deliuered by him which hath said l Iohn 8.36 If the Sonne shall make you free yet shall be free indeede In this life not to consent vnto sinne and not to walke after their lusts in the life to come not to sinne not to couet at all It is the glorie of Heauen of the heauenly Ierusalem m Reuel 21.27 that there shall in no wise enter any thing that defileth It is the vanitie and shame of the earth that she cannot beare in her bosome any Saint that is not harried and troubled with the fierce and sauage law of sin that hee may say n Prou. 20.9 I haue made my heart cleane I am pure from my sinne For o Gregor Nyss de beatitudin Orat. 6. sin is conceiued borne increaseth and endeth
Dei iustitia est beminis iustitia iudulgentia Dei Iâ— sufficeth me in liâ—â— of all righteousnesse that I haue him alone propâ—â—ious against whom alone I haue sinned All that which he hath ordained not to impute vnto â—â—e is as if it had neuer â—eâ—ne Not to sinne 〈◊〉 the righteousnesse of God the righteousnesse of 〈◊〉 iâ— the 〈◊〉 and gentlâ—â—â—sse of God In a word Saint Ambrose writes that k Ambros de bono mortis c. 2. vita aeterna peâ— catorum remissio est life eternall is the remission of sinnes They are as many blowes of a battle-axe vpon all the satisfactions righteousnesse and merits of men for if he whose sinne is pardoned is not punished with the penaltie of sinne which is eternall death consisting in a totall and euerlasting priuation of the fauour grace and blessing of God he must of necessitie for euer enioy the presence of God wherein life eternall consists To be deliuered from Gods curse is to be saued because to be damned is to be hated reiected and for euer forsaken of God wherefore who is not damned is not hated of God and hee which is not hated of God is beloued of him Now he whom God loues hath alwaies God on his right hand enioyes alwaies his presence and therein eternall happinesse as it is written l Psal 16.11 In thy presence is fulnesse of ioy at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore And therefore is it that Dauid declares that the happinesse the whole felicitie of man life eternall depends vpon the remission of sinnes so much say the Fathers also to this ende that all they may be ashamed who confessing that Iesus Christ hath deliuered them from eternall death by his death deuise that we must do good works to merit life eternall For as S. Bernard saith m Bernard ad milites Templi c. 11. Sic namque mortua morte reuertitur vita quemadmodum ablato peccato redit iustitia Salomon So death being dead life returnes againe as sinne being taken away righteousnesse returneth againe that none say that he is happie because he is no sinner but that they onely esteeme themselues happy which haue obtained the remission of their sinnes VII I should be too long if I should make a catalogue of all the other Saints of the old Testament I will not speake of o 1. King 11.4.5.6 Hieron aduers Iouian lib. 2. Ezechias Salomon the beloued of the Lord who for that he loued many strange women hee turned his heart from the loue of the Lord his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God but went after Ashtareth the goddesse of the Sidoniaâ—s and after Milcom the abomination of the Amâ—rites and did euill in the sight of the Lord. I will not speake of Ezechias who being sicke prayed vnto God and said p Jsai 38 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight when hee giues God thanks for the recouery of his health he confesseth himselfe a sinner and saith q Isai 38.17 Thou hast in loue to my soule deliuered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy backe I will omit also that the Spirit of God blames him r 2. Chron. 32.25 that he rendered not againe according to the benefite done vnto him for his heart was lifted vp therefore there was wrath vpon him Josias I will not recite that Iosias who in the whole course of his life Å¿ 2. Chron. 34.2 did that which was right in the sight of the Lord toward the ende thereof puffed vp with his prosperitie t 2. Chron. 35.22 Hieron ad Stesiphont in sâ—â—e Daniel hearkned not vnto the words of Neco proceeding from the mouth of God I see Daniel to whom God reuealed all that which should happen to his Church vntill the last destruction of Ierusalem of whom God himselfe testifieth and witnesseth of his singular u Ezech. 14.14 righteousnesse and x Ezech. 28.3 wisedome I see him condemning himselfe and the whole people of sinne and iustifying God in his iust vengeance which he had taken of them y Dan. 9.10.11 We haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lord our God to walke in his Lawes and all Israel haue transgressed thy Law euen by departing that they might not obey thy voyce Esdras I see Esdras the Priest and Scribe making a semblable and like confession to his God and saying z Esdr 9.6.7 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift vp my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased ouer our â—eads and our trespasse is growne vp vnto the heauens The whole ancient Church since the dayes of our fathers haue we been in a great trespasse vnto this day VIII Lastly I see the whole ancient Church presenting her selfe before God like a poore malefactor and guilty offendor with this confession a Isai 64.6 But we are all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy raggs and we all doe fade as a leafe and our iniquities like the winde A Confession which the ancient Doctors doe iudge appertaines also to the Christian Church Origen Austin Macarius c. b Bernard in festiuit Omnium Sanctor Serm. 1. Iniustitia inuenietur omnis iustitia nostea minus habens and after them Saint Bernard What might be all our righteousnesse before God shall it not be reputed as filthie raggs according to the Prophetâ— and if we iudge according to rigour all our righteousnesse will bee found to be vniust and not currant what then will it be of sinnes seeing that righteousnesse cannot answere for her selfe and therfore crying aloud with the Prophet Enter not into iudgemeÌ„t with thy seruant good Lord let vs haue recourse in al humblenes vnto that mercy which alone can saue our soules c Adrian de Traiecto de Eucharistia fol. 20. Iugiter super pannuâ— vitae quem iustitiae operibus teximus stictamus saniem diuersorum criminum Adrian of Vtrecht saith That our merits are a staffe of reede which breakes and pierces the hand of him that leanes on it they are at an vncleane thing as filthie raggs on this cloth of good life that we thinke to weaue and worke vpon by our workes of righteousnesse we distill continually the corrupt filthy and putrified matter of diuers crimes What confidence then can man haue before God who loues none that is not conuerted to him with all his heart Thus spake hee who since hath been Pope named Adrian the VI. CHAP. VII I. Although that the Spirit hath beene more plentifully giuen vnder the Gospell then vnder the Law yet none hath perfectly kept the Law vnder the Gospell II. Not Zacharie and Elizabeth III. Not Iohn Baptist IIII. Nor the Virgin Marie V. The Fathers haue taught that the Virgin Marie
of the imperfect worke on Saint Matthew o Chrysost in Matth. c. 3. hom 4. To be made righteous and worthy of heauen and therefore to bee washt in his bloud to be renewed and sanctified by his spirit which are the two significations of Baptisme IIII. If any among the liuing should haue beene cleane and pure from sinne The Virgin Marie the holy Virgin the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ ought to haue been of whom the holie Ghost witnesseth that p Luke 1.42 she is blessed among women and whom vntill the worlds ende q Luke 1 48. all generations shall call blessed Blessed certaine for hauing receiued that grace to be the mother of our Sauiour and not for being without sinne and exempted from the number of those which haue neede of a Sauiour for shee was conceiued in sinne according to the Lords sentence r John 3.6 That which is borne of flesh is flesh To be borne of flesh is to bee borne by generation according to the ordinarie course of nature whosoeuer is so borne is flesh Å¿ August de fide ad Pet. Diâ—conum c. 26. Account surely saith Saint Austin that he is borne in originall sinne subiect to impietie subiect vnto death and therefore the childe of wrath The reason is rendred by Saint Paul t Rom. 5.12 where he saith By one 〈◊〉 sinne entred into the world and death by sinne so death passed vpon all men for that all haue sinned And there is none exempted from this number but Iesus Christ u Chrysost de quinta feriâ— passionis hom 6. who alone knoweth not what is sinne alone doth not participat with our fault and did one nothing to sinne and death saith S. Chrysostome following Saint Paul the Apostle who attributes vnto Christ alone the prerogatiue to haue been x Heb. 7.26 holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners because indeed he alone y Pet. diaconus ad Fulgentium is borne after a new manner of generation borne I say of man of the substance of a chosen virgin but not by man not by naturall generation but by the supernaturall operation of the Holy Ghost who of the substance of the virgin formerly sanctified by him did appropriate and fit a body to our Sauiour and inspired in the same a most pure and a most holy soule This new manner of generation and conception without spot hath caused that our Lord hath not felt the contagion of earthly corruption being hee alone a Dan. 2.45 who hath beene cut out of the mountaine without hands being the immediate worke of the hand of God which not appertaining to the holy Virgin conceiued and borne after the manner and common order of other men she hath had neede of Gods grace and mercie as other men haue she hath prayed forgiue vs our debts as well as other men and as a member of the Church shee hath beleeued for her selfe all the Articles of the beliefe and this Article among the rest I beleeue the remission of sinnes To be short seeing that she died as other men doe she was a sinner as other men are b 1. Cor. 15.56 for the sting of death that which giueth life and strength to death is sinne take away the sting from death and it is dead whosoeuer is without sinne as all of vs shall bee in the Kingdome of heauen may boldly defie death and vpbraide it with the Apostle c 1. Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie That is the reason why Christ could not haue died if God d 2. Cor. 5.21 had not made him to be sinne for vs that is to say if he had not imputed vnto him our sinne as to him who had constituted himselfe the pledge and suretie for sinners and their prayer vnto the very last farthing or mite I beleeue religiously that the Virgin hath been a lesse sinner then other men but I also beleeue that a woman-sinner she hath beene as well as other men because she her selfe hath taught me to beleeue it so I read her Song and I see her publishing with a loud voyce e Luke 1.47 that her spirit hath reioyced in God her Sauiour In God therefore who hath forgiuen her her sinnes for Christ is not otherwise a Sauiour f Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Iesus saith the Angell to Ioseph for he shall saue his people from their sinnes and shall not saue them otherwise as he himselfe protesteth saying g Mat. 9.13 I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance h Mat. 15.24 I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel i Mat. 18.11 The Sonne of man is come to saue that which was lost for them alone hath he beene sent k Isai 61.1.2.3 Luke 4.18.19 to preach good tidings vnto the meeke and vnto the poore to bind vp the broken-hearted to proclaime libertie to the captiues and the opening of the prison to them that are bound to comfort all that mourne c. To them onely came he and them alone he calles vnto him l Mat. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie laden m Iohn 7.37 If any man thirst let him come vnto me n Mat. 9.12 that are sicke declaring that they that are whole and holy haue no neede of him wherefore either the Mother of our Sauiour was a sinner or our Lord and Sauiour was not her Sauiour and Redeemer and shee should haue sung for others and not for her selfe that the Lord o Luke 1.53.54 hath filled the hungry with good things and hath remembred his mercie which mercie she should neuer haue felt she should neuer haue thirsted after seeing shee should neuer haue felt the miserie of sinne nor the wrath of God the iust wages of sinne This is so cleare and apparent that it needeth not any longer and ampler proofe V. Notwithstanding if the consent of the Church can bee of some weight to make it the more credible it is the common and ordinarie voyce of the Church that p August cont Iulianum All humane flesh Christs flesh onely excepted is flâ—sh of sinne because that q Idem contra Pelagium lib. 2. c. 40. ex Ambrosio of man and of the woman that is to say of the coniunction of their bodies none is without sinne and he that is without sinne is ingendred and borne without this conception And so all the rest Origen Chrysostome Anselme Fulgentius Bernard and Peter Lombard the Master of the Schoolemen all which write that the holy Virgin was conceiued in sinne and borne in iniquitie as all other men are And from thence Saint Bernard drawes an argument to condemne the feast of the conception of the Virgin Marie then newly instituted and ordained saying that r Bernard ad Canonicos Lugdun epist 174. Quum ritus ecclesiae
and dolefull in this life that nothing is left to him but to bemoane his miserie and call after death to be deliuered of it p Vers 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Who Surely God by Iesus Christ who by the corporall death will deliuer and free the members of his body from the necessitie of sinning and will make them fully victorious ouer the flesh whence he concludes with this solemne action of thanksgiuing q Vers 25. I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord and comforts all those that are excercised with the like combat assuring them that r Rom. 8.1 Now there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus VIII The Pelagians Å¿ Hieron aduers Pelagian lib. 2. in principio in Saint Ieroms time did expound all these words of the vnregenerate man affirming that the Apostle speakes in the name and person of a man not as yet called iustified sanctified and not in his owne person There are some now adayes which maintaine the same opinion t August lib. 1. Retract c. 13. Saint Austin was at the beginning of this opinion but afterwards ouercome by the truth he retracts and recants acknowledging that in the words of the Apostle u Idem contra Iulian. li. 6. c. 11. is the groaning and heauie lamentation of the Saints warring against the concupiscence of the flesh After him x Prosper contra Collatorem c. 8. Vox vocati est sub gratiâ— constituti Prosper writing against Cassian Sâ—mipelagian and Father of many of our time saith that this sentence For to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not is the voice of a man called and that is vnder grace All the circumstances of the Text doe shew and expresse as much The Apostle speakes alwaies of himselfe and in the present tense I am carnall sold vnder sinne The things whereof he complaines cannot belong to any other then to the regenerate man for he allowes the good he wills the good he consents vnto the Law that it is good he delights in the same That is proper peculiar to a regenerate man y Psal 1.2 whose delight is in the Law of God he wills not the euil when he doth it he hates it when he doth it it is perforce as a poore gally-slue tied to his chaine is forced to goe where he would not shall we say that these words are of an infidell of a carnall man which drinketh iniquitie like water Surely the language of a carnall man is I doe that which is euill and I will doe it I doe not that which is good and I will not doe it It is his free will to will to doe euill to will not to doe good On the other side the speech of a spirituall man in this life is Alas I doe the euill which I would not doe for I hate it I doe not and cannot perfect the good I would doe I desire to perfect it for it is my delight As the language of man glorified in heauen is I doe not that which is euill and I will not doe it I doe that which is good and I will doe it Moreouer the Apostle writes that hee delights in the Law of God after the inward man there is no inward man in a carnall man he is all outward he thinkes meditates wills desires pursues and followes eagerly after outward and worldly things The Apostle feeles after such a sort his sinne and esteemes yea findes it so heauie a burden that he publisheth himselfe as it were by proclamation miserable and wretched for the same and desires death with great affection to be deliuered and freed of it The man not renewed esteemes himselfe wretched when hee sinnes not he will not liue but to sin and would not die but when he can sinne no more The Apostle comforts himselfe in the grace and mercie of Christ Iesus his Sauiour and giues him thankes for it The man not regenerate who is such a one as wee haue described in the fifth and sixth Chapter knoweth he Christ Or if he knowes him doth he loue him or call vpon him Christ may be z Ier. 12.2 neere in their mouth but farre from their reines The marke wherewith God designes them is a Psal 14.4 They call not vpon the Lord. This doctrine hath excellent vses The regenerate man is compounded of the outward and inward man of the old and new man of the flesh and spirit he hath as yet in him the infirmities of the flesh it is a remedie against pride He hath in him the Spirit of Iesus Christ his sinnes are pardoned and forgiuen him and he shall not come into condemnation This is a remedie against despaire But of this we will hereafter speake IX If Saint Paul b 2. Cor. 12.4 who was caught vp into Paradise and heard vnspeakable words which it is not lawfull for a man to vtter found and felt himselfe faint and weake and often carried away captiue by his most secret and deare infirmities if hee confesse that c 2. Cor. 12.7.9 he hath had a thorne in his flesh for remedie against the which he had neede of the grace of God none of the other Apostles could boast or glorie to haue liued without sinne Not Saint Iames for hee rankes himselfe with sinners Saint Iames. saying d Iames 3.2 In many things WE offend all e Hierom. aduersus Pelagian lib. 2. Non pauca peccata sed multa nec quorundam sed omnium posuit Saint Peter He hath not saith Saint Ierome put downe a few sinnes but many not of some few persons but of all Not Saint Peter for hee hath also said that f 1. Pet. 2.24 Iesus Christ bare OVR sinnes in his owne bodie on the tree g Hier. aduers Pelag. lib. 1. Jâ—reprehensibilis aut nullus aut rarus quiâ— enim est qui non quasi in pulchro corpore aut naeâ—um aut veâ—rucam habeat There is none that is faultlesse or they are very rare saith Saint Ierome for who is he that hath not as in a faire body a mole a wart or some naturall marke for if the Apostle saith of Saint Peter h Gal. 2.14 Saint Iohn that hee walked not vprightly according to the truth of the Gospell and was to be blamed in so much that Barnabas also was carried away with the like dissimulation who would chafe and be angry if that which the Prince of the Apostles hath not had be denied to him Not Saint Iohn who being the well beloued Disciple leaned on Iesus bosome for he also placeth himselfe amidst the number of sinners and saith i 1. Iohn 1.8 If WE say that WE haue no sinne WE deceiue our selues and the truth is not in VS And this is the voice of Saints k Aug. de peccat merit lib. 2. c. 7. Austin A
Luke 18.13 God be mercifull to me a sinner and I am assured that I shall returne to my house iustified because x Psal 145.18 the Lord is nigh vnto all them that call vpon him to all that call vpon him in truth CHAP. IX I. The Righteousnesse of the Saints in this life consists rather in the remission of sinnes then in the perfection of vertues II. The first obiection God hath promised to circumcise our hearts to the ende we loue him with all our heart III. An Answere to this obiection IIII. Second obiection Many haue this testimony that they haue kept the Law and haue loued God with all their heart V. An Answere to this obiection VI. According to Dauids words in the 119 Psalme VII And the consent of the Ancient Fathers THe a Psal 19.7.8.9 Law of the Lord is perfect The Testimonie of the Lord is sure the Statutes of the Lord are right the Commandement of the Lord is pure the Iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether In this word therefore there is nothing imperfect nothing doubtfull nothing crooked nothing impure nothing false nothing that bends to one side there is no opposition no contradiction By it haue we proued that there is no thought word or action of the holiest men which being ruled and leuelled by the Law of God is not found crooked and oblique For S. Austin said b August in Psal 42. How streight and vpright soeuer I seeme to my selfe thou drawest a rule from thy treasurie thou measurest and squarest me by the same and I am found crooked and awry Whence I concluded and doe conclude againe c August de Ciuit Dei lib. 19. cap. 27. that our righteousnesse it selfe although it be true hauing respect vnto the end of true good wherevnto it is referred and applied is notwithstanding such of that nature in this life that it consists rather in the remission of sins then in the perfection of vertues Witnesse saith S. Austin the prayer and supplication of the Citie of God which is a Pilgriâ—esse on earth which cries to God in all her members Forgiue vs our debts By this word notwithstaÌ„ding they that are ashamed to be too much bound vnto God and presume to haue obtained plenteously grace of Christ to haue no more neede of Christ indeuour to improue and impugne this truth and opposing the Scripture to it selfe doe seeke in it men that haue perfectly kept the Law and arguments concluding that the Law may be kept by him that is here liuing on earth assisted with the grace of God II. God say they hath promised so to worke in men 1 Obiection that in the time of the new Testament he may be loued with all the heart with all the soule and Moses said vnto the people d Deut. 30.6 Bellar. de monach c. 13. §. 24. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine hart and the hart of thy seed to loue the Lord thy God with al thine hart and with al thy soulâ— that thou mayest liue And there are many such like promises in the Prophets wherefore either God hath lied which cannot bee or this Commandement is simply fulfilled in this life III. e Rom. 3.4 Let God be true but euery man a lyar as it is written that thou mightest f Psal 51.4 be iustified in thy sayings and mightest ouercome when thou art iudged That which he promiseth hee performeth but he hath not promised that we shall loue him in this life with a perfect loue wherein nothing is omitted nothing can bee desired but onely that hee will circumcise our hearts that we may loue him with al our hearts which he doth by order and successiuely giuing vs here the beginnings and proceedings and so prosecuting that which concernes vs vntill he folly consummate it and finish it in the Kingdome of heauen vnto which is reserued the prerogatiue to bee inhabited by the Saints which haue neither wrinkle nor spot nor any such like thing IIII. 2 Obiection Bell. ibid. §. 2â— But there haue been some found that haue kept the Law God saith of Dauid * 1. King 14 8. He hath kept my Commandements and hath followed me with all his heart to doe that onely which was right in mine eies And of Iosiah g 2. King 23.25 like vnto him was there no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him Dauid witnesseth also of himselfe before God and saith h Psal 119.10 With my whole heart haue I sought thee * Bellar. de iustificat lib. 4. c. 11. §. 11 12. 13. Saint Luke writeth of Zacharie and Elizabeth his wife i Luk. 1.6 They were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse And Iesus Christ saith of his Apostles k Iohn 17.6 They haue kept thy Word these therefore haue kept the Law V. Surely if they speake of a soueraigne and singular perfection and such a one as the Law requireth vnder paine of eternall damnation condemning concupiscence and all the first bad motions of the Spirit wee haue heretofore proued and conuinced that no man liuing hath so kept the Law Iesus Christ onely excepted l Thom. 2.2 q. 184. art 3. Est autem infimus diuinae dilectionis gradus vt nihil supra eum aut contra eum aut aequaliter ei diligatur A quo gradu persectionis qui deficit nullo modo implet praeceptum The lowest degree of the dilection or loue of God is that nothing be beloued aboue him or against him or alike to him whosoeuer failes of this degree of perfection accomplisheth in no wise the precept saith Thomas None therefore hath euer kept the precept for since the fall there neuer was found any which hath attained vnto this lowest degree of diuine charitie yea that hath not been exceeding farre from it For seeing that m Eccles 7.20 there is not a iust man vpoÌ„ earth that doth good and sinneth not as Salomon saith and that Dauid Iosiah Zacharie the Apostles haue sinned as we haue seene it cannot be but that they haue loued in regard of the flesh sinne aboue God and against God seeing that sinne is against the will of God and displeaseth infinitely the Maiesty goodnesse holinesse and iustice of God The Saints therefore are said to loue God with all their heart because they loue him sincerely and truly without fraud and hypocrisie For sometimes the Scripture opposeth all the heart vnto a double heart witnesse that which is said of those of Zebulun to establish Dauid King ouer Israel n 1. Chro. 12.33 they kept their ranke without a heart and a heart that is expounded by these words these men of warre that could keepe their ranke came with o Vers 38. a
d August de Ecclesiast dogmat c. 85. nullus sanctus iustus caret peccato Nec â—amen ex â—oâ— desiâ—it esse iustus vel sanctus cum â—ffectu tenent sanctâ—tatem There is no holy nor righteous man without sin who notwithstanding cease not for all that to be holy righteous because they retaine holines in affection In another place he saies that e Jdem in Ioan. tract 41. many haue bin called righteous because they were sine querela blameles that is to say without reproofe for there is no iust complaint among men against them which are without crime Now a crime is a great sinne worthie of accusation and condemnation But if you thinke that to be righteous is to bee without sinne reade a few lines before and he will tell you Discusse and sift mee out any how righteous soeuer hee bee in this life although he be well-nigh worthy of the name of righteousnesse hee is not for all that without sinne And that proues he by the confession of Iob and of Saint Iohn and excepts none but Iesus Christ In like manner expounding in what manner the Scripture termeth good those that are bad he sayes f Idem epist 54. Ad MacedomuÌ„ Sed enim â—icimus bonum cuius praeualent eumque optimum qui peccat minimùm Idcirco ipse Dominus quos dicit bonos propter participationem gratiae diuinae eosaem etiam malos dicit propter vitia infirmitatis humanae c. that how much a man doth well that is to say wittingly charitably and religiously so much is he good but so much as he sinnes that is to say strayes from the truth from charitie and from godlinesse so much is hee euill and who is in this world without some sinne but wee call him good whose goodnesse ouercomes and him best who sinnes least And therefore they whom the Lord calls good by participation of his diuine grace euen those he calls euill because of the vices of humane frailtie vntill that all whereof we consist healed of all vice and corruption passe into that life wherein we shall not sinne at all For surely they were good and not euill whom hee taught to pray Our Father which art in heauen For they are good in as much as they are the children of God not begotten by nature but made by grace Afterwards hee addes that Christ himselfe calls his Apostles euill when he saith to them g Mat. 7.11 If yee then being euill know how to giue good gifts vnto your children Quid simus Dei dono quid humanâ— vitio hoâ— commendans illud emeâ—dans declaring vnto vs the truth of the one and of the other What we are by Gods grace and what we are by humane corruption recommending the one and amending the other Lastly hee saith that men are named righteous because their vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen them and the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed vnto them i Idem in Job traci vers Omnes quâ— per Christum iustificati sunt â—usti â—on in se sed in illo sunt All they saith he that are iustified by Christ are righteous not surely in themselues but in him As we haue heard of him in the beginning of this Chapter that all our righteousnesse in this liâ—e consists rather in the remission of sinnes then in the perfection of vertues So then Christianâ— according to the Fathers are said to be righteous in this life because God esteemes them as righteous and vpright in Iesus Christ because they apply themselues vnto righteousnesse and holinesse and because they liue vprightly and righteously that is to say blamelesse and without imputation of crime among men CHAP. X. I. The third Obiection Noah Asa and many others are named perfect in the Scripture II. The Answere Those notwithstanding were sinners and are said to be perfect III. In regard of the perfection of parts IIII. By the which a man may assuredly know if he be the childe of God V. But they were not perfect of the perfection of degrees VI. They haue also been called perfect in comparison of others lesse perfect VII And in regard of their affection whereby they made towards their perfection VIII As also by reason of the perfection of Christ Iesus in whom they are complete IX Which is proued by the Fathers THe third obiection is 3. Obiection Bellar. de Iustif lib. 4. c. 11. concerning perfect men for it is written that a Genes 6.9 Noah was a iust man and perfect in his generation walking with God b 2. Chro. 15.17 The heart of Asa was perfect all his daies c 1. Cor. 2.6 We speake saith S. Paul wisdome among them that arâ— perfect And elsewhere d Philip. 3.15 Let vs as many as be perfect be thus minded By these examples and many others it appeares as it seemes vnto them that many haue perfectly kept the Commandements of God for otherwise they should not be said to be perfect II. It hath bin proued that euen these men haue transgressed the Law and haue neuer attained in this life vnto the perfection of the righteousnesse of the Law in whose ballance if the most perfect works of the most perfect were weighed they should be found all too light all too imperfect Surely Asa who obtained witnesse that e 2. Chro. 15.17 his heart was perfect all his daies is in the same place accused that he tooke not away out of Israel the high places and in the Chapter following f 2. Chro. 16.7 reproued by Hanani the Seer to haue relied on the King of Syria and not on the Lord his God g Vers 10. and to haue put in prison the Prophet Hanani for reprouing of him in the name of the Lord and to haue oppressed some of the people the same time And h Vers 12. being sicke and diseased in his feete vntill his disease was exceeding great yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the Phisitians He notwithstanding with the rest aboue mentioned haue not for all that left to be called perfect for diuers considerations III. First there is a double perfection The perfection of parts the one is of this mortall life the other of life eternall in this life that man whom the Spirit of Christ reneweth is sanctified in all the parts of his soule and of his body his vnderstanding is enlightened his heart softned and made pliant of a stonie one it is made fleshie or rather of a stone it is made flesh his affections are freed from the bondage of sinne and ranged vnder the conduct of the vnderstanding and of the will all the members of his body al his parts and limmes his eyes his eares his tongue his feete his hands c. are sanctified to serue vnto righteousnesse in holines But it is so that in euery part there is alwaies some imperfection in this life for the light of the vnderstanding is mingled with
then as the seede of God remaines in him that is borne of God hee commits not sinne but in as much as there are tares and darnell in him he sinneth In like manner Saint Austin We are saith he the children of God and the children of this world n August de Peccator merit lib. 2. c. 8. Per quod filij dei sumus per hoc peccare omnino non possumus per quod adhuc filij saeculi sumus per hoc peccare adbuc possumus By that whereby wee are the children of God wee cannot sinne after a sort c. By what wee are the children of the world we can yet sinne In another place hee expounds this sentence by another where the same Apostle saith o 1. Iohn 4.7 Loue is of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God p August de gratia Christi contra pro lib 1. Cor. 2.1 According to this loue saith hee this sentence may bee better vnderstood He that is borne of God doth not commit sinne and thinkes not on euill Therefore when a man sinnes he sinnes not according to charitie and loue but according to lust according to which he is not borne of God Their resolution and answere is that man as he is regenerate cannot sinne and sinnes not as he is not regenerate he sinnes VI. We adde a second answere He sinnes not malitiously and with a full and whole consent of the will he makes not a trade of sinne q Psal 1.1 He walkes not in the counsell of the vngodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seate of the scornefull The Scripture termes such as spend their dayes in wickednesse r Mat. 7.23 workers of iniquitie Å¿ Prou. 4.16.17 They sleepe not except they haue done mischiefe and their sleepe is taken away vnlesse they cause some to fall for they eate the breade of wickednesse and drink the wine of violence The man that is borne of God is no such man for the seede of God the gift of regeneration that is in him preserueth him from sinnes committed by insolency and arrogancie that he neuer withdrawes himselfe from Gods loue and from faith His sinnes are sins of infirmitie and he commits them vnwillingly ouercome by some sudden passion of the flesh as it happened to Dauid and Saint Peter when the one committed adulterie and murder the other denied his Master and Sauiour for the spirituall man warring against the flesh it oftentimes borne downe but the blowes he receiues makes his courage to swell so that he riseth vp incontinently and returnes to the combat armed with flame and fire hee buckleth and grapleth with his enemie and angrie with himselfe to haue been thus foiled he beates his brest and cries Haue mercy vpon me miserable sinner as Dauid did he goes speedily out of Caiphas house and weepes bitterly and returnes with the Saints as Saint Peter did he is like vnto that braue Romane Captaine Marcellus who though often beaten did alwaies returne to the combat could not endure to be ouercome neuer gaue ouer neuer left his enemie in rest till he had ouercome him The seede of God that is in him giues him alwaies courage and strength After this manner saith Saint Iohn t 1. Iohn 5.18 We know that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not but hee that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not CHAP. XIII I. The seuenth Obiection All God workes are perfect II. The first Answere That which God doth perfectly man comprehends it imperfectly III. The second Answere God perfectth not our regeration but successiuely and by degrees IIII. The third Answere All the workes which God makes alone are perfect but he makes good workes in vs and by vs. V. The last Obiection If good workes are sinnes we must not doe good workes VI. We must doe good workes and for what cause VII Good workes are not sinnes VIII Notwithstanding are not perfectly good because they are tainted and soiled by the flesh XI God forgiuing the regenerate man the imperfection of them accepts of them for Iesus Christ his sake X. According to his mercie and not for our merit THis should content the most contentious but because they seeke themselues and not the truth of God in their disputations nothing can content and satisfie them Obiection 7 And therfore they obiect againe that all Gods workes are perfect as it is written a Deut. 32.4 He is the rocke his worke is perfect Regeneration and the good workes that flow from thence are workes of God they are therefore perfect and if perfect then they which doe them keepe perfectly the Law II. I answere to this obiection three manner of waies First that which God doth perfectly is imperfectly comprehended of vs we are alwaies children alwaies disciples and do learne imperfectly and with great difficultie the perfect lesson of our Master The documents and precepts of Iesus Christ were perfect b Iohn 15.15 All things saith he that I haue heard of my Father I haue made knowne vnto you but the Apostles could not conceiue and vnderstand them but successiuely by little and little one after another and had neede after their regeneration that the c Luk. 24.45 Lord should open their vnderstanding a new that they might vnderstand the Scriptures and that yet after all he should send the comforter which saith he is the holy Ghost d Iohn 14.26 he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoeuer I haue said vnto you e Iohn 16.13 and will guide you into all truth III. Secondly although that which God doth is perfect in his degree ranke and that our regeneration is perfect in regard of the perfection of parts he works but successiuely by degrees in vs because that being a free agent he doth al things in all men according vnto the counsell of his good will To be borne deformed blind crump-shouldred a cripple c. is a defect an imperfection in comparison of Moses that was f Acts 7.20 borne exceeding faire yet notwithstanding he which is so borne is the worke of Gods hands and a perfect worke in that perfection which the eternall wisedome of God hath intended to conferre and giue him God who created our first father created him a perfect man in the full measure of age and stature but he hath determined that all they which descend from him should be borne babes and should grow from age to age vntill they came to mans estate the first age being imperfect in comparison of the second and so consequently vnto the declining age g Eccles 12.3 When the euill daies come and the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Notwithstanding euerie age is perfect in his degree Euen so it fareth with vs in regard of our spirituall new birth h 1. Pet. 2.2 First