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
Bellarmines words whence it followeth that we ought first to exercise our selues in the obseruation of the Commandements to obtaine the reward and auoide the punishment and that done and not sooner to proceede on to the keeping of Counsels seeing that the not keeping of them is not dammageable and hurtfull to vs by the inflicting and imposing of any punishment and the obseruing of them is not profitable to vs but by the impression of that which they terme Aureola in illa parte II. Now if wee make all them see that haue eyes in their heads that there is no man liuing in this world neuer was any but Iesus Christ the iust neuer shall bee any without some would of conscience hauing a pure heart and without spot thoughts without vice affections without passion and a life in all points innocent none by consequent that euer hath kept or that euer can during his soiourning in this flesh of sinne keepe the Commandements of God Wee will sufficiently proue against Thomas and him which hath translated his little booke that men do toile and labour in vaine after a diligent seeking and inquisition of a greater glorie in the obseruation of Counsels not being able to attaine vnto the first degree of glory by the keeping of precepts that most vainely they seeke perfection in that which is arbitrarie not being able to performe and perfect that which is necessarie for them In a word they abuse themselues in the expectation hope of an vncertain reward for hauing done more then they ought not being able to auoide the certaine punishment for not hauing done that which they ought to haue done And that will we proue not to make men carelesse and negligent but to make them humble not to prouoke them to euill but to make them see and know their disease and miserie to the ende they may seeke their cure in Christ Iesus who Å¿ Isa 61.1 came to binde vp the broken-hearted III. Man is to be considered in this life two waies out of Christ and altogether such a one as he is by nature not called effectually not iustified in the blood of Christ not sanctified by by the Spirit of God In Christ called iustified sanctified liuing in Christ and hauing Christ liuing in him We need not bring in here the ancient Heathen wee neede not take the paines to goe to the Turkes or search and ransack the Synagogue of the Iewes or transport our selues ouer to those other Nations which haue neuer heard of Christ or which hate Christ and scoffe at his Gospell to finde there men of the first kinde Christendome is full of them the Monasteries are filled with them the priuate houses doe swarme with them As our Sauiour Christ speaking of his Church said t Mat. 20.16 Many be called but few chosen Euen so it is There is an infinite number of Christians u 2. Tim. 3.5 hauing a forme of godlines but denying the power thereof x Tit. 1.16 they professe that they know God but in workes they deuie him being abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate They that are such not hauing the Spirit of Christ Iesus are not his although they are called by his name for such doth he hold them and as to such will he say to them in the last day y Luke 13.27 Matth. 7.23 I tell you I know not whence you are I neuer knew you All they which are of this kinde and stampe in the Church of God as all they also which are out of the Church and know not Christ wee say they cannot doe nor make any good worke yea though they were in the Church Pastors Doctors Bishops Monkes and out of the Church had all the vertues of Soloâ— Platâ— Aristides Epaminâ—ndas Phociâ—n Fabriciâ—â— Camilla and if there were any other among the Heather commendable and praise-worthie for his prudence continencie iustice temperance modestie and other vertues which make men to be admirable among their fellow-companions and to be admired of them In a good worke three things are necessarily required of which the man not regenerate bee hee Christian or Heathen is vnfurnished and destitute A good Author a good course manner and forme a good ende If any of these conditions be wanting he which worketh makes not a good worke hee transgresseth the Law hee taints himselfe with preuarication he binds himselfe to the curse and makes himselfe the childe of hell IIII. The first condition is that hee which doth a good worke be good himselfe Christ our Master hath taught it so when he said z Mat. 12.33 Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt for the tree is knowne by his fruit a Mat. 7.18 for a good tree cannot bring forth euil fruit nor a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Hee compares men vnto trees and saith that they must be first good trees before they can bring any good fruit To be a good tree is to be pleasing and acceptable vnto God that man which thinks and desires to doe a thing that God accepts of and is pleasing vnto him must be first assured that he himselfe is pleasing and acceptable vnto God for it is not the worke that makes the person acceptable vnto God but it is the person which obtaines of God mercie and fauour towards his worke as we reade of Abel and Caine b Gen. 4.4.5 that the Lord had respect vnto Abel and to his offering but vnto Caine and to his offering hee had no respect hee had respect first vnto his person and in the second place to the worke of his person Now man is not a good tree by nature he is by nature c Rom. 11.24 a wilde oliue tree God said of all men considered in their owne nature d Deu. 32.32.33 Their vine is of the vine of Sodom of the fields of Gomorrah their grapes are grapes of gall their clusters are bitter their wine is the poison of Dragons and the cruell venome of Aspes Hee describes them as being nothing worth as starke naught and willing no good thing being able to do nothing as being not onely insufficient and vncapable of good but also most capable of euill vnable and vncapable to thinke say doe the things according vnto God inclined and addicted to things which are displeasing and offensiue to him It is saith he e Isai 9.2 a people malking in darkenesse f Ephes 4.18 hauing the vnderstanding darkened yea a people that is nothing else but darkenesse g Ephes 5.8 ye were sometimes darkenesse saith the Apostle Is there any light in darkenesse which is a ‡ riuation of the light nothing lesse h 1. Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiueth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned This is to describe it both priuatiuely or by
then as the seede of God remaines in him that is borne of God hee commits not sinne but in as much as there are tares and darnell in him he sinneth In like manner Saint Austin We are saith he the children of God and the children of this world n August de Peccator merit lib. 2. c. 8. Per quod filij dei sumus per hoc peccare omnino non possumus per quod adhuc filij saeculi sumus per hoc peccare adbuc possumus By that whereby wee are the children of God wee cannot sinne after a sort c. By what wee are the children of the world we can yet sinne In another place hee expounds this sentence by another where the same Apostle saith o 1. Iohn 4.7 Loue is of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God p August de gratia Christi contra pro lib 1. Cor. 2.1 According to this loue saith hee this sentence may bee better vnderstood He that is borne of God doth not commit sinne and thinkes not on euill Therefore when a man sinnes he sinnes not according to charitie and loue but according to lust according to which he is not borne of God Their resolution and answere is that man as he is regenerate cannot sinne and sinnes not as he is not regenerate he sinnes VI. We adde a second answere He sinnes not malitiously and with a full and whole consent of the will he makes not a trade of sinne q Psal 1.1 He walkes not in the counsell of the vngodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seate of the scornefull The Scripture termes such as spend their dayes in wickednesse r Mat. 7.23 workers of iniquitie Å¿ Prou. 4.16.17 They sleepe not except they haue done mischiefe and their sleepe is taken away vnlesse they cause some to fall for they eate the breade of wickednesse and drink the wine of violence The man that is borne of God is no such man for the seede of God the gift of regeneration that is in him preserueth him from sinnes committed by insolency and arrogancie that he neuer withdrawes himselfe from Gods loue and from faith His sinnes are sins of infirmitie and he commits them vnwillingly ouercome by some sudden passion of the flesh as it happened to Dauid and Saint Peter when the one committed adulterie and murder the other denied his Master and Sauiour for the spirituall man warring against the flesh it oftentimes borne downe but the blowes he receiues makes his courage to swell so that he riseth vp incontinently and returnes to the combat armed with flame and fire hee buckleth and grapleth with his enemie and angrie with himselfe to haue been thus foiled he beates his brest and cries Haue mercy vpon me miserable sinner as Dauid did he goes speedily out of Caiphas house and weepes bitterly and returnes with the Saints as Saint Peter did he is like vnto that braue Romane Captaine Marcellus who though often beaten did alwaies returne to the combat could not endure to be ouercome neuer gaue ouer neuer left his enemie in rest till he had ouercome him The seede of God that is in him giues him alwaies courage and strength After this manner saith Saint Iohn t 1. Iohn 5.18 We know that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not but hee that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not CHAP. XIII I. The seuenth Obiection All God workes are perfect II. The first Answere That which God doth perfectly man comprehends it imperfectly III. The second Answere God perfectth not our regeration but successiuely and by degrees IIII. The third Answere All the workes which God makes alone are perfect but he makes good workes in vs and by vs. V. The last Obiection If good workes are sinnes we must not doe good workes VI. We must doe good workes and for what cause VII Good workes are not sinnes VIII Notwithstanding are not perfectly good because they are tainted and soiled by the flesh XI God forgiuing the regenerate man the imperfection of them accepts of them for Iesus Christ his sake X. According to his mercie and not for our merit THis should content the most contentious but because they seeke themselues and not the truth of God in their disputations nothing can content and satisfie them Obiection 7 And therfore they obiect againe that all Gods workes are perfect as it is written a Deut. 32.4 He is the rocke his worke is perfect Regeneration and the good workes that flow from thence are workes of God they are therefore perfect and if perfect then they which doe them keepe perfectly the Law II. I answere to this obiection three manner of waies First that which God doth perfectly is imperfectly comprehended of vs we are alwaies children alwaies disciples and do learne imperfectly and with great difficultie the perfect lesson of our Master The documents and precepts of Iesus Christ were perfect b Iohn 15.15 All things saith he that I haue heard of my Father I haue made knowne vnto you but the Apostles could not conceiue and vnderstand them but successiuely by little and little one after another and had neede after their regeneration that the c Luk. 24.45 Lord should open their vnderstanding a new that they might vnderstand the Scriptures and that yet after all he should send the comforter which saith he is the holy Ghost d Iohn 14.26 he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoeuer I haue said vnto you e Iohn 16.13 and will guide you into all truth III. Secondly although that which God doth is perfect in his degree ranke and that our regeneration is perfect in regard of the perfection of parts he works but successiuely by degrees in vs because that being a free agent he doth al things in all men according vnto the counsell of his good will To be borne deformed blind crump-shouldred a cripple c. is a defect an imperfection in comparison of Moses that was f Acts 7.20 borne exceeding faire yet notwithstanding he which is so borne is the worke of Gods hands and a perfect worke in that perfection which the eternall wisedome of God hath intended to conferre and giue him God who created our first father created him a perfect man in the full measure of age and stature but he hath determined that all they which descend from him should be borne babes and should grow from age to age vntill they came to mans estate the first age being imperfect in comparison of the second and so consequently vnto the declining age g Eccles 12.3 When the euill daies come and the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Notwithstanding euerie age is perfect in his degree Euen so it fareth with vs in regard of our spirituall new birth h 1. Pet. 2.2 First
we are as new borne babes hauing neede of the milke of the word that we may grow thereby and then we grow i Rom. 1.17 from faith to faith we aduance and go on from age to age k Ephes 4.13 Till we all come in the vnitie of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ IIII. Thirdly all the workes that God makes alone and without the co-working of the creature are perfect in their kinde but in our regeneration our will workes together with God the flesh that is in vs by nature resists the Spirit which he puts in vs by grace whence it is impossible but that the good workes which we doe haue a smacke of the corruption that is in vs. An expert Scriuener handling alone his pen will write neately and perfectly but if he holdes his young Schollers hand and guides his pen in his hand the writing will not be so neate and will manifest it selfe by her imperfection that it is not the Masters hand alone as it will appeare also by reason of the straightnesse measure and neatnesse that it is not the Schollers hand alone Euen so is it with vs all the good workes we doe doe issue and proceede from two contrarie principles in vs from Gods Spirit and from our flesh God doth them in vs and by vs as by young ignorant prentises and nouices which cannot follow the perfect direction of the Spirit by reason of our flesh vnprofitable and vnseruiceable to good and strong vnto euill whence it followeth that as they are defectiue and vicious they belong to vs as our owne so as they are good and holy God claimes and challenges them himselfe as his owne V. Now followeth the answere to the last obiection Obiection 8 Bellar. de iustif lib. 4. §. 5. seq If our good works are thus vicious and corrupt then are they sinnes and if sinnes then worthie of death and therefore are not to be done but are to be left vndone yea auoided It would also follow that God should bee the author of sinne for hee is the author of euery good worke in vs l Phil. 2.13 working in vs both to will and to doe of his good pleasure VI. This is a subtill cauill to shift of the truth and to cast a miste before the eyes of the ignorant we ought we ought and must doe good workes m 1. Sam. 15.22 to obey God n Mat. 6.33 to seeke and aeduance the Kingdome of God o Mat. 5.16 1. Pet. 3.1 to winne by our holy conuersation those which obey not the Word p 1. Pet. 2.12 3.16 to stoppe the mouthes of the enemies of the Gospel when they speake against vs as euil doors q Ephes 4.1 to walke worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called and r Phil. 1 27. Col. 1.10 as it becommeth the Gospel of Christ Å¿ 1. Thes 2.12 who hath called vs vnto his Kingdom and glory by grace who gaue t Tit. 2.14 himselfe for vs that he might bee our head to whom the Father hath giuen vs to be members of his bodie and a peculiar people zealous of good workes u Iames 2.18 1. Pet. 3.15 to testifie of our life and the truth of our faith before the Church to testifie it to our selues and to x 2. Pet. 1.10 make our calling and election sure that wee may y Rom. 8.5 Gal. 5 16.22.2â— learne and know by the works of the Spirit if we walke after the Spirit and that we may z Mat. 6.16 know the tree by his fruit VII He which doth good workes to these endes sinnes not and tho workes which hee doth in this manner are not sinnes They are good in their principle for they proceede from God they are good in their manner of doing them for they are done in faith in obedience in charitie they are good in their matter and substance for they are conformable to the Law they are good also in their ende for they tend and extend to the glory of God to our neighbours good to our strengthening and setting in the feare of God in the assurance of the grace of God towards vs. Sinne is no such matter it proceedes from the stinking sinke of the flesh it is contrarie to the Law contrarie to faith and charitie sinne is committed in vnbelieâ—â— and disobedience and hath for his faith and beliefe the world and the things that are in the world so that it is as vnpleasant and displeasing vnto God as the good works are pleasing and acceptable vnto him VIII But man being composed of flesh and spirit it falleth out that when the spirit makes his good workes the flesh steps in vnlooked for and taints them with the stench of his corruption to the great griefe and displeasure of the spirit of the new man who â—urceaseth not to proceede and goe on to doe the best he can being assured that God who hath already accepted of his person in Iesus Christ will also accept approue and receiue in good part the little good he doth forgiuing him for Christ Iesus sake the euill that the flesh hath foisted in and accepting for the loue of Christ that good which remains as being the worke of his Spirit IX Euen so hath he promised it saying a Mal. 3.17 I will spare them at a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him so doth God b Psal 103.13.14 like as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that feare him for he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust He accepts first our persons he adopts vs to himselfe and makes vs his children in Iesus Christ and afterwards he accepts our workes because of our persons If once we are his children and heires in Christ he handles and intertaines vs as father and no more as a Iudge he accepts the holy endeuour which our new man brings and yeeldes to his seruice and supports the opposition and impugning of our old man against him In a word when he viewes and beholds in our good workes the euill which is ours he forgiues vs it for Christ his sake c Jsai 53.5 who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and when he beholds and considers the good which is his he crownes it for the same Christ Iesus sake d Ephes 1.6 in whom hee hath made vs accepted X. Not therefore for our merits but according to his mercie whereof he saith e Exod. 20.6 I will shew mercie vnto thousands of them that loue me and keepe my Commandements that his sentence remaine for euer f Tit. 3.4 Vers 5. After that the kindnesse and loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared not by workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of regeneration and renewing
the Euangelists and Apostles Bellarmine hath found nothing for his Counsels in the Prophets let vs see if hee can finde any thing to serue his turne in the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles For seeing that they properly appertaine vnto the Gospell and to the Christian Church and doe bring so excellent and great a reward to the obseruers of them They ought to bee euidently and plainely recommended in the new Testament II. The Lord Iesus propounding the Parable of the Sower 3 Obiection compares the Church to good ground which hauing receiued seede b Mat. 13.8 brings forth fruit some an hundred folde some sixty folde some thirtie fold By this Parable saith Bellarmine the merit of chast matrimonie of virginitie and of widdow-hood is distinguished and that proues hee by Saint Cyprian Saint Ierom and Saint Austin Whence saith he it appeares that the virgin-like continencie is a greater good and more meritorious towards God then matrimoniall chastity is because that it is a diuine Counsell for that which God commaunds not and notwithstanding recommends and preferrs before all other things without doubt he counsels it III. But this cannot be showne in any wise by our Sauiours words who speakes neither of virginitie nor of marriage nor of widdow-hood but of those onely which heare his word of what condition and state soeuer they be according to the exposition which he himselfe giues c Mat. 13.23 He that receiued the seede into the good ground is he that heareth the Word and vnderstandeth it which also beareth fruite and bringeth forth some an hundred fold some sixtie some thirtie folde It is hee therefore which heares the Word of God and keepes it liuing holily and doing good workes according to that measure of grace which hee hath receiued who seekes here any other sense or meaning forgeth to himselfe chimeraes and fruitlesse imaginations buildes castles in the aire and deceiues himselfe with those which heare him And therefore we obiect against Saint Ierome that which he himselfe saith in his Commentarie vpon this Parable d Hieron in Mat. 13. Canendum est vbicunque dominus exponit sermones suos ne velaliud nec plus quid velimus intelligere quam ab co expositum est Obserue saith he that this is the first parable which is set downe with his interpretation and we must beware in what place soeuer our Lord expounds his words that we vnderstand no other thing nor more then that which hath been expounded by him If hee had kept this rule which he prescribed to others he would haue taken heede and not allowed an hundred folde to virgines sixtie to widdowes and but thirtie only to married folkes Falsely by his leaue and fauour seeing that Abraham who was married and remarried is propounded in the Scripture as e Rom. 4.11 the Father of all them that beleeue f Luke 16.23 in whose bosome Lazarus lyes and of whom Christ Iesus saith g Mat. 8.11 that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heauen He is then aduanced on high liuing in a glory so eminent and so excellent that all the happinesse of all the faithfull of all nations is described by the part and portion they shall haue therein because the Apostle saith that h Gal. 3.9 they are blessed with faithfull Abraham The Virgin Marie her selfe a daughter of Abraham not onely according to the flesh by birth but also by faith in beleeuing hath no greater glory in heauen then Abraham hath neither doth shee attribute to her selfe any thing aboue him but contents her selfe to haue part in the promises that haue been made to him as we find it i Luke 1.55 in her Canticle It is not for me to play the harbinger in heauen or the Steward to set at table the friends of the Spouse euery one according to his degree but all that which we say and can say is grounded vpon coniecture I say that I gesse coniecture that Abraham who hath been twice married hath the highest degree and ranke of glory in heauen seeing that none enters into heauen but in as much as he hath followed the trace of Abrahams faith Saint Ignatius a single vnmaried man was of this opinion when he said k Ignati ad Philadelp I desire that God finde me worthie to be in the Kingdom of heauen at the feete of them which haue been married as of Abraham Isaac and of Iacob of Ioseph Isaiah and of the other Prophets as also of Peter and of Paul and of the other Apostles which haue been married The Fathers which haue attributed an hundred folde vnto virgins and thirtie vnto the married yea an hundred vnto the Martyrs sixtie to the Virgins and thirtie vnto Widdowes and nothing to the married folkes according to that we reade in Saint Ierome if the Martyrs haue an hundred folde l Hieron in Mat. c. 13. Quod si ita est sancta consortia nuptiarum excluduntur à fructu bono The holy conuersation in marriage is excluded from the good fruite All these Fathers were they an hundred haue intruded themselues into matters which they haue not seene they haue spoken of the things of God without the Word of God they haue spoken by the spirit of man and not by Gods Spirit and therefore I will answere to all that they say and to all that can bee said vntill the ende of the world that which Saint Ierome answered to those which did broach and propound their opinions without Scripture m Jdem in Mat. c. 23. Hoc quia de scripturis non habet authoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur quâ probatur Because this hath not his authoritie from the Scripture it is reiected with the same facilitie wherewith it is proued being able notwithstanding to name for my part both ancient and moderne Doctors Chrysostome Theophylact c. which haue seene no such great and deepe mysterie in this Text let Frier Ferus be heard at this time for them all giuing vs the right vnderstanding thereof This saith hee is diuersly expounded c. but it seemeth that Christ saith and meaneth in this place that the Word of God doth altogether conuert more men in one place then in another as it hath done more good and borne more fruite among the Gentiles then among the Iewes Againe that the same Word of God fructifies more in one man then in another in this man then in that man according as the ground is the more fit and apt IIII. It followeth that wee see in the second place 4 Obiection that which is written in the selfe same Gospell chap. 19. where the Apostles hauing said vnto Christ n Mat. 19.10.11.12 If the case of man be so with his wife it is not good to marrie Christ saith vnto them All men cannot receiue this saying sauing they to whom it is giuen
consequently neither perfect sound man nor Eunuch but they are all one in Christ Iesus b Act. 10.35 And that in euery Nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him as Saint Peter saith IX As this is the onely true and sole exposition conformable to the Text so is it of the ancient Doctors c Clemens Alexand stromat lib. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clement Alexandrinus saith that the Eunuch is not he that is gelded nor he that is not married but he which ingenders not the truth Such a one was heretofore drie wood but if he obey the word and keepe the Sabbaths by abstinence from sinne and doth the Commandements he shall be more honourable then those which without an vpright conuersation are instructed by the Word alone c. and therefore the Eunuch shall not enter in Gods Church namely he which is barren and beares no fruit neither in conuersation nor in word But they that geld themselues from all sinne for the kingdome of heauen they are those happy ones which fast and doe abstaine from the world that is to say from worldly desires This exposition is allegoricall and comes neere the true one d Cyrill in Isai lib. 5. tom 3. Bellarmine belies Saint Cyrill who hauing shewed that the Iewes did glorifie in their children and boasted of them thus expounds the Prophets words Id est carens liberis sobole Id est ne molest è ferat orbitatem Although a man bee an Eunuch that is to say destituted of children and of-spring let him not say in himselfe I am a drie tree that is to say let him not beare impatiently the want of children for that is nothing towards God and God will not cast him off for that for what vertue is it what great exploit the luster â—nd glistering whereof is to haue a linnage and succession of children For these things are the worke of the flesh and deserue neither reproofe nor commendation For although that hath been giuen to some in lieu of blessing God calling them vnto it it shal be no discommodity to them that haue none at all At nibil erit non habentibus incommodi He adds that these words of God may be appropriated to them which haue made theÌ„selues Eunuches for the kingdom of heauens sake And in that he giues vs to vnderstand that the naturall sense and meaning of the Text agrees consents with the true Eunuches only and cannot be referred to those which make themselues Eunuches for the kingdom of God but by application Now to make himselfe an Eunuch for the Kingdome of heauen is not to enter into a cloister as it shal be shewed in his place He goes on and expounds the words of comfort giuen vnto the stranger These words saith he are to bee annexed vnto the words going before that the meaning of that which hath been said be The Lord saith these things vnto the Eunuches and vnto strangers which is worthie to be obserued for in that the Eunuch is placed in the same ranke the Gentile is and is comforted alike it followes that as it was a vice and defect to be a Gentile in like manner it was a defect to be an Eunuch a defect of the one and of the other which had neede of comfort whereas to be a voluntarie Eunuch and to abstaine from marriage for the Kingdome of heauens sake is not a vice but a vertue not a defect that wants consolation but the highest degree of perfection yea a worke of supererogation worthy of recompence stipend and reward say our Monkes and Friers Saint Ierom expounding the same place e Hieronim in Esai c. 56. Qai â—uâ—mliâ—er hunc 〈◊〉 intelligunt ad proselytoâ— ex gentibus verè Eunuchos referunt quae dicuntuâ— c. They which expound this Text humbly doe referre the things which are said vnto the Proselites among the Gentiles and vnto right Eunuches that the strangers if they keepe the Law and are circumcised and the Eunuches such as was the Aethiopian Eunuch of Candace are not strangers from the saluation of God Therefore he shewes that in his time some vnderstood this place as wee expound it although he preferre before it his allegoricall exposition contrary to the Text wherein God vnder the name of the persons and seruice of that time did declare what grace and fauour he would doe vnto all persons without exception vnder the Gospell Now in that time there was no Counsell of chastitie but it was the glory of the Iewes to haue wiues and children Saint f Chrysost in Mat. homil 56. in fine Prophetae quidem omnes vxores domos habebant â—icut Esaâ—as Ezecâ—iel eximius ille Moses nihil hinc virtuti illorum fuit impedimento Chrysostome tell vs that all the Prophets had wiues and children as Isaiah Ezechiel and that great man Moses and that it hath not been any hinderance to their vertues If all the Prophets which were the holiest and perfectest were maried surely the rest of the people haue not sought perfection in abstaining from marriage g Lyrienesin Esai c. 6. Jd est impotens ad generandum non faciens prolis fructum Lyriensis expounds word for word as we doe The Eunuch that is to say he which is impotent to ingender let him not say I am a drie tree and haue not linnage For thus saith the Lord c. Here the contrary truth is affirmed namely that the Eunuch and the Gentile hauing faith shall obtaine as much good grace in this life and glory in the world to come the other things being alike as the Iew by nation and he which is inriched and endowed with many children shall receiue and it appeares that this hath been fulfilled in the new Law Act. 10.44 Where it is said that the holy Ghost fell on Cornelius and the other Gentiles which heard the Word with him as it fell on the Apostles and other Saints which were Iewes wherefore the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 10.12 There is no difference betweene the Iew and the Greeke for the same Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon him c. The second obiection Bellar. de Monach c 9. § 11. X. The second Argument of Bellarmine is taken out of the booke of Wisedome which booke was neuer in Hebrew and therefore hath neuer been in the Canon of the Hebrewes a booke which h Athanas in Synops Cypr. in symbol Hieron in prologo galeato in praefatione in libros Salâ—monis Epiphan lib. de mensur ponderib Hugo de S. victore sacram lib. 1. c 7. Lyran. in Esai c. 1. in praefat in Tobiam Caietan in lib. Hest c. 10. Athanasius Cyprian or Ruffinus in the exposition of the Creede Ierome Epiphanius Hugo de S. Victore Lyrinensis Caietan c. doe acknowledge is not Canonicall and hath neuer been put in Aaron neither in the Arke of the