voice from whence Saint Cyprian inferres l Cypri de â—pere Elâ—emosia The Martyrs that none can bee without sinne that there remaines as yet to those which are healed some wounds that whosoeuer saith he is without sinne is either proud or senselesse Not the Martyrs for it is written of all of them m Reuel 7.14 That they washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe Then had they them soiled and distained and haue not found any thing in themselues wherewith to make them white n Reuel 14.5 These are such in whose mouth was found no guile Surely saith Saint Austin o August de peccat merit lib. 2. c. 7. because they haue reproued themselues sincerely and therefore no guile was found in their mouth For if they said that they had had no sinne they should deceiue themselues and truth should not be in them and where truth is not there is vntruth X. Not the whole Church The whole Church which so long as it warres in this vale of miserie beleeues by an article of faith the remission of sinnes not surely the sinnes of others but her owne sinnes for sinnes are pardoned to none but to the Church This is her voice p Canticles 1.5 I am blacke but comely She is not saith Saint q Bernar. in Cant Serm. 25. Bernard without some spot of blacknesse but surely here in the place of her pilgrimage for the time will 〈◊〉 when the Spouse of glory will make her glorious without spot without wrinkle and such like things But if she should now say that she hath no blacknesse at all she should deceiue her selfe and truth should not be in her Neither saith she so but contrariwise she cries incessantly vpon God in all her members r Mat. 6.12 Forgiue vs our trespasses in her most holy members For as Saint Austin saith Å¿ August in Psal 142. The excellent Rammes amongst Christe sheepe haue receiued commandement to pray so Then how much more the rest whereof none can say that he is without the contagion of â—â—â—ne that he neede not pray euen so Not Moses not Samuel not Elias not Iohn Baptist not Saint Peter not Saint Paul not Saint Iohn not any one of those that haue obtained good witnesse and testimony from God in the Scripture This voice this language â—aith t Gregor Nysse de orati domin Serm. 5. Gregorie of Nyssen appertaines vnto them all If they were now in the world liuing on earth in this humane frailty the necessitie of sinning would impose vpon them a necessitie of praying in regard of their sinnes past Forgiue vs our sinnes and in respect of their sinnes to come Leade vs not into tâ—ntation and that not onely for others but also for themselues not onely in humilitie as the Pelagians said but also in truth for saying they were sinners by humilitie and not being sinners truly they should lie through humilitie and in lying they should bee sinners as it hâ—th beene decided of old by u Concil Mileuit can 6.7.8 the Councell held at Mileuiâ—um in Numidia with denunciation of Anatheâ—â— and curse against those that made the Apostles and other Saints confessors of their sinnes for humblenesse sake in 〈◊〉 not in truth x Canon 8. Quis enim ferat â—rantem non hominibus sed ipsi Dâ—minâ— mentiâ—nâ—em It were saith the Councell to lie vnto God and not vnto men Let vs therefore conclude this argument with Saint Ieromâ— and say y Hieron ad Rusticum epist 44. If Abraham Isaac Iacob the Prophets also and Apostles haue not beene without sinne If the purest wheate hath had his straw and chaffe what can bee said of vs of whom it is written z Jerem. 23.28 What is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord CHAP. VIII I. The places aboue mentioned are expounded and vnderstood of veniall sinnes by Bellarmine II. Euery sinne is mortall in his nature which appeares III. If it be measured to God IIII. To the Law V. And to the death of Iesus Christ VI. All sinnes are veniall by grace to him that is in Christ Iesus VII Are notwithstanding some greater then othersome VIII The last Argument Neuer any Monke kept neuer could haue kept the Law BEllarmine a Bellar. de monach c. 13. §. 32.36 expounds all these places of veniall sinnes without the which we are not or are very rarely in this life notwithstanding for all this we may be iust and doe workes of supererogation II. This man when hee writ thus was doubtlesse cauterized and seated in his conscience in regard of the feeling of sinne And thus it is that now adaies they sew cushions vnder the elbow of the poore abused world and crie Peace peace to them for whom there is no peace they make many soules liue that should not liue flattering them in their sinnes by a wretched distinction of sinnes into mortall and veniall a distinction contrary vnto the Scripture which speaking of sinne in generall without distinction without limitation saith b Rom. 6.23 that the wages of sinne is death and denounceth plainely that c Ezech. 18.4 the soule that sinneth it shall die Let sinne be measured to God to the Law to Christ Iesus and they will finde that it is so III. To God d Psal 51.4 Against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight saith Dauid vnto God and the most holy men must say the like with him for can a man sinne without transgressing the Law of God and therefore without offending God And who will say that a trespasse against God is a veniall sinne Among vs men the sinne and offence multiplies according to the proportion of the person which is offended and of the place where it is committed The wrong done to a priuate person either in word or deede may bee repaired and satisfied by an honourable amends or by a pecuniarie fine and amercement but to thinke ill of his Prince is a crime of high treason to speake ill of him deserues not the gallowes not the sword but the pinsers the wheele the fire the extremest torments If a sonne rebell against his father if the seruant disobeieth his Master if the subiect despiseth the commandements of his Soueraigne the father thinkes he hath iust occasion to disinherit his son the Master to vse hardly his seruant the Lord to reiect his subiect to pursue him to prâ—scribe him to put him to death And the Creator of all the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords the Father the Redeemer the Sauiour of vs all shall bee wronged and iniured in words in thoughts in bad and wicked deedes and actions by his creatures by his seruants by his children by his subiects and shall be wronged and offended in his owne house and in his presence and some one or many of euill seruants shall call and crie vnto their fellow-mates and companions that it
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
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
The Emperour of heauen the Lord of Men and of Angels hath sent his Patent to saue thy life and notwithstanding honoured sonne thou makest no account to reade it with diligence studie therefore I pray thee and meditate daily the words of thy Creator learne to know Gods heart by Gods words that you may the more earnestly sigh after heauenly and eternal things that your vnderstanding may be inflamed with a greater desire of the heauenly Kingdome c. This is according to that that the Apostle exhorts the Colossians vnto f Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisedome and that said he g Espencaeus comment in Tit. ca. 2. to all the faithfull vnto whom he wrote exhorting them to ' haue h Hieron in Col. 3.16 not onely sufficiently but also plentifully the knowledge of the Scriptures and to this ende i Chrysost in Col. 3.16 Occum ibidem to reade them not sleightly and negligently but with great diligence Hence we conclude that the Scriptures were indifferently read of all before Christs time in Christs time and in the dayes of the Apostles wee could proue the same in the time of the ancient and Primitiue Church many ages after the Apostles by the proofes and euidences of the sentences of the Fathers who did exhort the Secular the Lay-people as they cal them al men and women to buy the Bible to reade the holy Scriptures and complaine of them and blame them for that they did not reade them And surely with good reason for it is not of holy writers as of a Plato or an Aristotle these haue written but to a few persons those haue k Espencaeus commint in 2. Tim. cap. 3. Non scripser unt pane is sed vninersâ— populâ— written to the whole multitude to all ages l 1. Iohn 2.1 12 13 14. to young babes to little children to young men to fathers vnto all whom Saint Iohn writes VVhat are wee not men like them Christians like them Gods children like them guided and gouerned by the holy Ghost that is to say true Christians as well as they why therfore may not we reade the Scriptures as well as they IIII. For feare say they m Bellar. deverbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 15. § 28. Quid. lest in stead of profiting wee receiue hurt and dammage for we should easily take occasion of erring both in regard of the doctrine of faith as also in regard of the rule of life and manners all heresies being sprung vp from the Scripture not wel vnderstood for if the rude ignorant people should reade or heare read in the vulgar tongue of Dauids adultery Thamars incest Iudiths lie either he would contemne and despise the holy Patriarchs or els he would imitate their vices O blasphemy God hath said that n Iohn 20.31 faith is conceiued and engendred by the Scriptures and men say that heresies are engendred by them God hath said that o Iohn 5.39 in them and by them we haue life eternall and men say that by them wee haue eternall death God saith that p Rom. 15.4 they haue been giuen vs to teach vs and to comfort vs and men say that they serue to peruert and destroy vs God saith that q Deut. 31.13 by them we may learne to feare him and men say that by them wee learne to offend him God saith r Psalm 119.9 a young man shall cleanse his way by taking heede thereto according to Gods word and men say that if hee take heede to the Scriptures they will misleade and peruert him and make him to become incestuous an adulterer a drunkard yea that he is danger to beleeue nothing and to become an Atheist God saith that Å¿ 1. Cor. 15.33 euill communications and speeches corrupt good manners and men say that good words the words of God the words of the euerlasting God t Psalm 12.6 that are pure words as siluer tried in a furnace of earth purified seuen times withdrawes men from godlinesse and drawes them to vice And that is the reason why they instruct their children in the knowledge of euill discourses of men reade vnto them a Martial a Catullus the incests fornications contentions and all the fables of the false Gods of whom God hath said u Exod. 23.13 You shall make no mention of the names of other Gods neither let it be heard out of thy mouth And Dauid accordingly to that x Psal 16.4 I will not take vp their names into my lipps On the other side they forbid them to reade the words of God vnto the which God himselfe hath giuen this testimonie and witnesse declaring that y Psal 1.2 Blessed is that man whose delight is in the Law of the Lord and meditates in his Law day and night And concerning that part of the Scripture which is the most obscurest he saith z Reuel 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this prophecie and keepe those things that are written therein It is not the Scripture but the ignorance of the Scripture that breedes heresies a Hieron in Mat. 22.29 as Christ saith to the Saddâ—ces great hereticks yee doe erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God And Saint Chrysostome b Chrysost in praesat ad epist ad Rom. conformably to this truth of God saith Innumerable mischiefes are sprung vp from the ignorance of Scriptures thence commeth the great plague of heresies thence the dissolute life thence vnprofitable toyle and labour for euen as those that are depriued of this light cannot goe aright so they that haue no regard vnto the reasons of diuine Scriptures are compelled to fall immedâ—atly many waies like them that walke in palpable darkenesse There the ignorant shall finde what to learne the man of little faith wherewith to stirre vp himselfe to vertue the sinner wherewith to call him to repentance the theeues shall finde there the examples of Gods iudgements executed against Achan the fornicators affrighted by the example of the Israelites they which couer bad things will learne there to mortifie their flesh they see there the sinnes of holy men that they may know that all haue sinned and that they haue been saued by the mercies of God in Christ Iesus and therefore doe not trust in and to their owne merits by pride but humbly seeke their whole saluation through the all perfect merit of Christ Iesus In a word the greatest sinners shall see there Dauid a murtherer and an adulterer repenting of his sin and entreating pardon of the same the sinful woman weeping and obtaining mercy the thiefe on the crosse crying to Christ for grace Christ answering him c â—â—ke 23.43 Verily I say vnto thee today shalt thou be with me in Paradise that so they being instructed and taught by these examples that the d Ezeâ—h 33 1â— Lord takes no pleasure in the death of a
words and pronounces the curse against those that keepe them not for as Saint Iames saith i Iames 2.10 Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guiltie of all Now he that obserues not Counsels is not guiltie of the transgression of the Law is not vnder the curse according to that which Bellarmine tells vs that k Bellar. de monach c. 7. §. 6. Consilium si non seruetur nullam habet poenam the Counsell if it be not kept hath no penaltie Whereupon it followeth necessarily that the Counsels are not of the Law and haue nothing in common with it V. As little are they of the Gospell it might suffise mee to produce the confession euen of our aduersaries reducing them to the Law for if they are of the Law they appertaine not to the Gospell for the reasons heretofore alleaged VVe may adde that they cannot be of the Gospell for they recommend no other thing but workes and all workes are of the Law which commands vs to doe them as faith is of the Gospell which exhorts vs to beleeue Christ Iesus being demanded of a Scribe which is the first Commandement of all answered that it is to loue God with all our heart with all our soule with all our minde with all our strength and that the second is like namely this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe that said hee pronounceth l Mark 12.31 that there is no other Commandement greater then these And the Scribe agreeth vnto and consenteth with him saying that m Mark 12.33 It is more then all burnt offerings and sacrifices VVhat can the Counsels commaund or recommend any worke which hath no relation to the loue of God or of our neighbour Can they recommend any worke greater more excellent more difficult then to loue God with all his heart with all his minde with all his strength If the most excellent and exquisit of these pretended counsels cannot mount and ascend higher and cannot counsel any other thing either the Counsels are of the Law Now if they were of the Law they should bee Precepts not Counsels or they are neither of the Law nor of the Gospell which is true for workes appertaine not to the Gospell It is true that there is frequent mention of workes in the Gospell as there is often mention of Iesus Christ and of faith in Christ in the Law That which is said in the Law touching faith in Christ is of the Gospell Aâ—d reciprocally that which is said concerning the workes of sanctification in the Gospell is of the Law the Law speaketh of Christ and of faith in Christ because Christ alone hath fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law and alone doth giue to his owne that is to the Elect vertue and strength by his Spirit to keepe it here on earth in our way and in our iourney but in part aboue in our heauenly Countrie perfectly The Gospell speakes of the workes of the Law because the Spirit of Christ brings forth in vs no other workes then those which the Law commaunds according to the promise of the new Couenant n Iâ—rent 31.31 33. 34. Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will make a new Couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah c. For this shall bee the Couenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people they shall all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgiue their iniquitie and I will remember their sinne no more A promise which hath two heads the first that God viewing and looking on vs in the face of his Christ who hath satisfied his iustice for vs will forgiue vs our sinnes without any reseruation of the fault or of the punishment because he will remember our sinnes no more The second that he will put his Spirit within vs that he will take away our stonie heart and wil giue vs a heart of flesh and will cause vs to walke in his statutes to keepe his iudgements and doe them o Ezech. 36.26 27. as the Prophet Ezechiel saith Now that this promise appertaineth vnto the new Testament it is manifest by the exposition which is giuen vs in the p Heb. 8.8 cap. 10.16 Epistle to the Hebrewes wherefore seeing that the holy Spirit which is giuen vs by the Gospel worketh in vs no other works but those which are commanded in the law The Counsels which they propound to vs vnder the title of workes of perfection being in no part commanded in the Law cannot be recommended in the Gospell then if they bee not neither of the Law nor of the Gospell they are but the inuentions and phantasies of superstitious men whom the sword of God hath strucken with and by this sentence q Esay 1.12 Who hath required this at your hand r Esay 29.13 Their feare towards me is taught by the precepts of men CHAP. III. I. The Scriptures makes no mention of Counsels of perfection II. How they are defined III. There is no greater perfection then that which makes vs like vnto God commanded to all men IIII. The whole perfection of man consists in charitie which is of the Commandement V. Charitie consists in that we should loue God with all our heart and with all our strength c. and leaues no part of vs free for the practising of Counsels VI. The reason by the which Bellarmine would delude this reason is refuted VII If the Counsels of perfection as they terme them were of God all should be bound to follow them which is absurd VIII If they leade and bring one to perfection all should aspire vnto it and aime at it by the dutie of necessitie IX Counsels are not workes are no good workes X. The first distinction betweene Counsell and precept refuted XI The second refuted XII The third and fourth refuted IF a 1. Pet. 4.11 any was speake let him speake as the Oracles of God This Precept and lesson of the Apostle Saint Peter either is not well learned or not well practised of those which speake of Counsels and doe tricke and adorne them with the title and name of b Bellar. de Monach. â— 7 §. 1.2 Perfection to cast a mist before the cies of those thâ—â— swallow without chowing all that is set before them for there is no place either in the old or new Testament that tearmes and names the Counsels of Perfection It is a new name inuented of late to aduance and giue credit vnto a doctrine as new as the name and as imaginary or chimerical as falsehood and vntruth hath publisht it and set it forth for reall true and emphaticall II. c Ibid. 11. Consilium perfectionis vocamus opus
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
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
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
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
greater reward There were certaine heretikes in Saint Austins time g August eâ—â—st 89. quast 4. which taught that a rich man remaining in his possessions and riches cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heauen although he hath done the Commandements of God with his riches Saint Austin answeres and refutes them by the examples of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Our Fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob that are departed out of this world so long before haue escaped the disputations of these men for all these had nâ— small riches as the most faithfull Scripture witnesseth it and notwithstanding euen he who being truely rich became poore for vs hath foretold by a most true promise h Mat. 8.11 Non supra ipsos vel extra ipsos sed cum ipsis that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe in the Kingdome of Heauen not aboue them nor beyond them but with them These words doe minister vnto me a second argument That which being obserued brings not a greater glory then if it were not obserued is no Counsell but to sell all that we haue and giue to the poore procures not a greater glory then is that of Abraham Isaac and Iacob which haue not sold that which they had Therefore to sell what we haue and giue to the poore is not a Counsell The Maior is grounded vpon the definition of a Counsell such a one as is in the Pastorall Letter The minor is of the Scripture witnessing that none shall haue a greater glory then Abraham Isaac and Iacob who haue liued and died abounding in great wealth and substance because as Saint Austin hath obserued They which shall come from the East and West of what qualitie and condition soeuer they be shall be in heauen with them and not beyond them nor before them Therefore the conclusion is necessarie III. Nay furthermore although it were a Counsell all the world may see that the Author of the Pastorall Letter alleageth it against himselfe and ouerthroweth that which he pretends to build by it for if to sell all that we haue is a Counsell of perfection meritorious and worthy of a greater reward and glory why doth he not it himselfe why giues he not ouer his Cardinals Hat why desires he to be called any longer the Prince of the Church with what conscience doth hee possesse and enioy the reuenew of two thousand pounds yeerely why sells hee not all giues not all takes not the scrip and so follow Christ The Pope abounding more in gold and siluer then any King in Christendome the Cardinals whereof some of them are richer then any Prince or Lord in Christendome the Bishops and other Ecclesiasticall persons that are ouerwhelmed in riches and pleasures why doe they not as much Saint Peter of whose succession the Pope boasts i Act. 3.6 had neither siluer nor gold Saint Paul was so poore that k Act. 18.3 20.34 1. Cor. 4.12 1. Thes 2.9 2. Thes 3.8 he got his liuing by making tents The other Apostles were no better at ease l Mat. 19.27 Behold say they vnto Christ we haue forsaken all and followed thee Where shall we finde any of their Bishops which maintaine that they are their successors any one of them that forsaketh his riches to follow Christ who amongst them would be Bishop but to haue riches who amongst them would burden and charge himselfe with that office if that office were not charged with many fat and great benefices These are notwithstanding they who liuing in the world and in pleasure as much as any of the world doe preach pouertie and extreme miserie vnto others like the Pharisees in this point of whom Christ Iesu our Master said m Math. 23.4 They binde heauie burdent and grieuous to bee borne and lay them on mens shoulders but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers IIII. As he condemnes himself in alleaging this pretended Counsell as a greater louer of the perishable riches of this world then of the greatest glory of heauen n Mat. 6.20 Where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theeues doe not breake thorow nor steale Euen so he ouerthrowes his cause which he would recommend He threatens with excommunication â— father and a mother that haue opposed themselues that their daughters should not resort nor giue themselues to the Vrselines It must bee a matter of very great importance for the which a man is excommunicated that is to say cut off from the Communion of Saints and deliuered vnto Satan What haue they done They haue laboured to hinder their daughters entring into the Couent of the Vrseline Nunnes Is that a sinne worthie of excommunication He that opposeth himselfe against the obseruation of the Counsels of Christ is worthy of execration I will say with Saint Paul o 1 Cor. 16.22 Let him bee Anathema maranatha I will say vnto him as Saint Paul did to Elymas p Act. 13.10 O full of all subtiltie and all mischiefe thou childe of the deuill thou enemie of all right cousnesse wilt thou not cease to peruert the right waâ—â—s of the Lord But where are these Counsels Behold here one Goe and sell that thou hast c. Is this Counsell giuen to the Vrselines is it followed and done by the Vrselines Do they sell all that they haue to giue to the poore Doe they not take away and conuey their wealth with them into the Cloyster of the Vrselines Doe they not robbe their fathers and mothers and parents by an impious barbarous and cruell deuotion to inrich the Vrselines Are the Vrselines those poore of whom Christ saith and giue it to the poore Here I appeale vnto the conscience of Monkes Is there any of them all that selles all that he hath an giues it to the poore They which begge among them and others become Monks or are often compelled by their fathers and mothers to become Monkes that their goods and patrimonie remaine in the house to entertaine the greatnesse and honour thereof and enrich their eldest brother Others transporte their patrimony with them into the corporation of the Cloister and make good cheare therewith Is that a selling of all that they haue giuing it to the poore Therefore it is a pure mockerie yea they gull the world by preaching so much the Counsel of Christ and couering with so faire a name the hypocrisie of those which doe not Christs words which sell nothing giue nothing to the poore which seeke all meanes to enrich themselues by making many families poore Such are the Iesuites and such would the Vrselines be shortly if men would let them doe it V. I haue sufficiently proued that Christs words to the rich man are no Counsell in the sense wherein this word is taken in this disputation I will make you now see by the true exposition thereof that they are a particular precept giuen vnto this young Lord. The Euangelists doe declare
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
other Churches And neuer thought to merit of God euerlasting life much lesse an excellent degree of glory therein for he challengeth nothing to himselfe but attributes all to the grace of God g 1. Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed vpon me was not in vaine but I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me And although he protests saying I know nothing by my selfe namely in the exercise of his Ministerie concerning his affection fidelitie and zeale yet saith hee am I not hereby iustified Hee was then farre from thinking on workes of supererogation and obtaining a greater glory he that knew that he was not iustified no not by his workes esteemed himselfe h 1. Cor. 15.9 not meete to bee called an Apostle because he persecuted the Church of God felt yea acknowledged himselfe i 2. Cor. 12.11 to be nothing preached his demerits his misdeedes towards God the merits of Christ his Sauiour the mercies of God towards himselfe k 1. Tim. 1.15 Christ Iesus saith he came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am chiefe howbeit I obtained mercie c. He that in the combat of the law of his members warring against the law of his minde and bringing him into captiuitie to the Law of sinne which is in his members hath no other refuge then to the mercy of God in Christ l Rom. 7.25 I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord no other comfort then in the assurance he hath that m Rom. 8.1 there is now no condemnation to them which are in Iesus Christ that saith of Abraham his father and the father of all the faithfull n Rom. 4.2 if he were iustified by workes he hath whereof to glory but not before God declareth that not the righteousnesse only but o Rom. 4.6 the blessednes of the man also consisteth in that God imputeth vnto him righteousnesse without workes affirmeth that all they that are saued are saued freely p Ephes 2.8.9 ye are saued by grace through faith and thereby draweth an argument to exclude workes saying and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast Because he saith elsewhere q Rom. 11.6 If by grace then it is no more of workes otherwise grace is no more grace But if it bee of workes then it is no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke And that saith he of free election and therefore of vocation iustification sanctification and glorification also which proceede from it according to the Schoole-mens rule Quod est causa cause est causa causati That which is the cause of a thing is the cause of all the effects that proceede from thence Such an Apostle who in all his Epistles abaseth man yea makes him as a thing of nought that God may bee his all who will know nothing r 1. Cor. 2.2 saue Iesus Christ and him crucified who cries out Å¿ Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory saue in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world who feeling t 2. Cor. 12.7.9 a thorne in his flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him protests that he will glory not in his vertues not in merits of supererogation but in his infirmities that the power of God may rest vpon him Such a man so sensible of his infirmities so humble by reason of them so great a Preacher of the mercies of God such an enemie of mans merits such an Heralde and Trumpeter of their sinnes and demerits should he haue boasted of so small a matter before God should he haue made of so easie a thing a work of supererogation a merit of a greater glory because he preached the Gospell to the Corinthians without charge whilest he liued at the cost of other Churches as he tells them u 2. Cor. 11.8 I robbed other Churches taking wages of them to doe you seruice If it bee merit to preach the Gospell without wages wherefore tooke he reliefe of other Churches How suffered he that this his glory should be made voide But although hee preached the Gospell vnto all without wages Doe the Monkes preach the Gospell for nothing freely The preaching without wages freely is it an Euangelicall Counsell if it be where to whom by whom giuen kept by whom not by the Apostles not by the ancient Bishops not by the moderne Bishops not by Friers and Monkes How few Bishops Priests Monkes can preach How great is the number of those perfect ones that cannot so much as reade well And how few are they which in preaching recommend not their wallet bagge that would preach if it were not for the scrip that would doe the office if it were not for the benefice III. Let vs leaue this trifling and let vs seeke in the Apostle the meaning of his words The Corinthians were a couetous people and giuen to lucre The Apostle had conuerted them to the Gospell without charges to them for the reason he renders vers 12. We haue not vsed this power but suffer all things lest we should hinder the Gospell of Christ This people would not haue bought the Gospell with money his enemies would haue accused him of couetousnesse would haue vpbraided him that he preached the Gospell for his belly-sake would haue slaundered him and called him an hireling The couetousnesse of those and the malicious calumnies of these would haue hindred the course of the Gospell The Apostle knowing this did labour with his hands and when his worke could not suffice hee liued by the liberalitie and maintenance of other Churches x 2. Cor. 11.9 When I was present with you and wanted I was chargeable to no man for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied and in all things I haue kept my selfe from being burthensome to you and so will I keepe my selfe Surely in regard of his place and office they owed him his intertainement and he might haue iustly demanded and taken it but by reason of the circumstances and of the ende of his function he might not haue asked it nor taken it The ende of his calling was the edification of the people the aduancement of the Gospell Now he confesseth if he had been at charges with them he had hindered the Gospell therefore he might not doe it y 1. Cor. 10.23 All things saith he are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient all things are lawfull for mee but all things edifie not This was one of those things If hee had taken wages of the Corinthians he had not edified he had brought hinderance to the Gospell for the which it was expedient yea necessarie that hee should spare them for in things indifferent as this was one that which is lawfull in it selfe
with the life of man p Idem de oratione Abel And the Scriptures doe teach vs that there cannot be found any man whatsoeuer that liues a day without spot III. Witnesse Abel q Heb. 11.4 who by faith offered vnto God a more excellent sacrifice then Kaine by which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts If by faith surely not by his workes not by the merite of his sacrifice but by the merit of the Lambe without blemish and spot the onely and perfect obiect of faith represented and exhibited by and in the first sacrifice in the offering of the which the holy man did affirme earnestly and auouch openly and solemnely his death-worthy demerits did sigh and groane after the merits of his Sauiour did imbrace his sacrifice by saith to haue life by it If as yet man doubts let him consider that he is dead that by his death we iudge and deeme of his sinne as of the cause by the effect r Rom. 5.12 Noah For by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death passed vpon all men for that all haue sinned Witnesse Noah who hath testimonie Å¿ Genes 6.9 that he was a iust man and perfect in his generation and walked with God but not that hee was without sinne for after hee had found grace in the eyes of the Lord in the ruine of the world by the Flood the Scripture discouers his infirmitie and accuseth him t Genes 9.21 for that he dranke of the wine of his vineyard was drunken and was vncouered within his tent He was then iust according to that righteousnesse whereof it is said u Prou. 24.16 The iust man falleth seuen times and riseth vp againe According to the which it is also said x Ezech. 18.22 33.19 that the transgressions of the wicked shall not be mentioned vnto him shall not hurt him at what hower soeuer he returnes from his waies vnto the Lord y Hieron ad Rusticum epist 44. saith Saint Hierome Iust therefore and righteous in and by acknowledging himselfe to be vniust and vnrighteous prosecuting this acknowledgement addicting and applying himselfe to righteousnesse and not as hauing attained vnto the perfection thereof witnesse z Abraham Abraham of whom alreadie iustified by faith renewed already abounding as then in good workes The Apostle writeth a Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath whereof to glory but not before God He iustified himselfe that is to say hee approued and shewed himselfe iust by his workes towards men when he offered his sonne Isaac as Saint b Iam. 2.21 Iames obserues And that thirtie yeeres after that the Scripture witnesseth of him that he had beene iustified by faith before God For this sentence of holy Dauid wholly giuen to the obseruation of the Law repeated and confirmed by Saint Paul shall for euer remaine firme c Psal 143.2 Rom. 3.20 Faith iustifies man before God Workes iustifie man before men By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh bee instified in the sight of God Faith imbracing Christs righteousnes for the remission of sinnes iustifies the person before God good workes which proceede alwaies from man which is iustified and which did neuer precede or goe before to iustifie him iustifies the person before men The proofes are manifest for Abraham after he was d Chrys de penitent hom 6. tom 5. infidelitate Sancti peccauit Abraham iustified by faith sinned through vnbeliefe and therefore did not escape Gods punishment so that his seede did serue foure hundred yeeres saith Saint Chrysostome e Genes 16.2.3 and that also when he tooke Agar to wife to giue by hereffect to the promise of God touching the blessed seede not perswading himselfe as then that God would raise and giue him it by his barren and old wife of fourescore yeeres Then also when distrusting of Gods prouidence and protection he concealed a part of the truth calling her onely his sister and causing her to say so for the which he was iustly reproued by Alimelech Furthermore after that he was iustified God gaue circumcision g Rom. 4.11 to bee a seale of the righteousnesse of the faith vnto him which he had yet being vncircumcised a seale I say on Gods part for the remission of his sinnes in the bloud of Iesus Christ the which hee did apprehend by faith in the effusion of his owne and of all his wherefore Christ saith of him h John 8.56 Abraham reioyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad A Sacrament also to bee to him on his side a signe of his dutâ—e towards his God to circumcise daily the foreskinne of his heart i Col. 2.11 in putting off the body of â—he sinnes of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ If Abraham the Father of all those which belieue being in vncircumcision and Father of the Circumcision was a finner before and after his iustification and had neede of the grace and mercie of his God to be saued shall we beleeue that his children haue been more holy more righteous and iust and lesse sinners then he witnesse his sonne Isaac Isaac who by a like distrust told a lie concerning his wife to the inhabitants of Gerar saying k Gen. 26.7 she is my sister fearing that the inhabitants and men of the place should kill him for her sake because she was faire to looke vpon Which diffidence and lye was so much the greater because God commanded him to remaine and stay there with promise of his protection telling him l Gen. 26.3 Iacob Soiourne in this land and I will bee with thee and will blesse thee Witnesse Iacob who vpon his death-bed renounced all his workes asking and crauing mercy and grace cried vnto his God m Gen. 49.18 I haue waited for thy saluation O Lord to wit the Lord Iesus who was to come n Mat. 18 11. to saue that which was lost and by reason of this charge and office is named o Luke 3.6 the saluation of God Witnesse all the Patriarkes all whom the Scripture incloseth and concludeth vnder sinne that their children presume not to be without sinne but that feeling themselues attainted with the corruption dwelling in them of necessity they must confesse and say we are no better then our fore-fathers and that so p Chrysost de poenit hom 6. tom 5. Quò solus ipse in hominis corpore sine peccato inueniatur Iob. Christ be found alone in the body of man without sinne IIII. Witnesse among an infinite number of others the holy man Iob whom God himselfe commends to haue beene perfect beyond comparison and without his like in the world * Iob 2.8 There is none like him in the earth saith God a perfect and an vpright man one that feareth God and escheweth euill A great commendation and incident to few persons Now if
any not vnderstanding the language of Canaan striues against the sound doctrine imagining in himself that Iob for being better then other men was without sinne before God he will be conuinced of error by Iobs owne booke there shall he finde Eliphas preaching q Iob 4.17 Hier. aduers Pelag. lib. 2. Shall mort all man be more iust then God shall a man be more pure then his Maker Behold be put no trust in his seruants and his Angels he charged with fally How much lesse on them that dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust which are crushed before the moth A Sermon whence Saint Ierome inferres r Hier. aduers Jouian lib. 2. Angelos quoque omnum creaturam peccare posse that the Angels themselues and all creatures may sinne There also shall he finde the same Eliphas preaching againe Å¿ Iob 15.14.15.16 What is man that he should be should be cleane and he which is borne of a woman that he should be righteous Behold be putteth no trust in his Saints yea the Heauens are not cleane in his sight How much more abominable and filthie is man which drinketh iniquitie like water A sentence from the which Saint Hierome implies that euery man is a sinner t Hieron ad Rusticum epist 44. circa sinne There is none saith he pure from sinne though his life were but a day Now the yeeres of his life are many The starres themselues are not cleane and pure in his presence and he hath found some peruersitie in his Angels Si in caelo peccatum quanto magis in terra If there be sinne in heauen how much more on earth if there be trespasse or omission of dutie in those which are without corporall tentation how much more in vs that are compassed about with this weake flesh and may say with the Apostle u Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death There shall he finde Iob agreeing and consenting vnto this holy doctrine and sighing forth these true words from the bottom of his heart x Hieron aduers Pelag. lib. 1. Job 9.2 I know it is so of a truth but how should man be iust with God If he will contend with him he cannot answere him one of a thousand How much lesse shall I answere him and chuse out my words to reason with him whom though I were righteous yet would not I answere but I would make supplication to my Iudge If I iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth shall condemne me If I say I am perfect it shall also proue me peruerse If I wash my selfe with snow water and make my hands neuer so cleane yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and mine owne clothes shall abhorre me There shall he finde God himselfe rebuking Iob and reprouing him of his sinne for that a Iob 38.2 he darkened counsell by words without knowledge and Iob confessing his sinne and saying to him b Iob 40.4.5 Behold I am vile what shall I answere thee I will lay my band vpon my mouth once haue I spoken but I will not answere yea twice but I will proceede no further c Iob 4â— 6 wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes V. Such was the condition of all those that haue liued from Abel vntill the Law which being come hath not diminished sinne but hath augmented it hath not quickned nor giuen life to them that followed it but hath killed them and put them to death hath not made any one iust but hath condemned the most iust and righteous among them in discouering their vnrighteousnes When the Morall Law was giuen after a manner fitting the Maiestie of the Law-giuer and sutable vnto the iustice and rigour of the same d Heb. 12.19.21 They that heard it entreated that the Word should not be spoken to them any more And so terrible was the sight that Moses said Moses I exceedingly feare and quake euen that Moses notwithstanding who c Numb 12.3 was very meeke aboue all the men which were vpon the face of the earth with whom the Lord spake f Numb 12.8 mouth to mouth and not in darke speeches and by whose hand the Lord gaue the Law when God published his Law he must needes haue trembled because hee saw in the same the Iustice of God and his owne vnrighteousnesse Surely if any could haue beene conformable to the iustice and vprightnesse of the same it was he that was the mediatour and it is of him that wee haue the confession of his sin and of the people g Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance It is he himselfe which hath written the historie of his vnbeliefe and of that of Aaron his brother Aaron when they glorified not God at the waters of strife for which cause the Lord spake vnto them saying h Numb 20.12 Chrysost de pâ—niten homil 6. to 5. Because ye beleeue me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I haue giuen them Moses who gaue the Law Aaron who kept the Law the one a Prophet and Leader of the people the other the High-Priest and Teacher of the people who should haue been pure from sinne so holy without spot without vice as these especially that carried written on his forehead i Exo. 28.36.38 HOLINES TO THE LORD that in his Priesthood did represent Iesus Christ the High-Priest of his Church who is the holy of holy ones k Exod. 30.10 Leuit. 16.2 Heb. 9.7 who alone went into the holy place who only bare vpon his brest the Vrim and Thummim alone saw the Arke of the Testimonie who onely asked at the mouth of the Lord who answered him from betweene the Cherubins couering the Arke It is hee notwithstanding that made l Exod. 32 4. a molten calfe and said to the people These bee thy Gods O Israel which brought thee vp out of the land of Egypt He with his sister Miriam a Prophetesse m Numb 12.1 All the Priests spake against Moses It is he who with all the Priests that should succeede him was expressely commanded to offer sacrifice once euery yeere and to n Leuit. 16.17 Heb. 9.7 mâ—ke an attonement for himselfe and for his house-hold and for all the Congregation of Israel VI. They which are come after them haue not been better for sinne doth propagate it selfe alwaies from the fathers to the children and passeth from the one to the other without sparing of any one the whole world is his nurse-child Excellent things are said of Dauid by him Dauid which saith alwaies true o 1. King 14.8 He hath kâ—pt saith he my Commandements and hath followed me with all hâ—s heart to doe that onely which was right in mine eyes Vnderstand that onely