Peters faith so much magnified by the auncient Fathers and highlie rewarded by our Sauiour was it any other Then that our Sauiour was Christ Math. 16 the Sonne of the liuing God And briefly let S. Iohn that great secretarie of the Holy Ghost tell vs what faith is the finall end of the whole Gospell Ioh 20. These thinges saith he are written that you may beleeue that IESVS is CHRIST the Sonne of God and that beleeuing you may haue life in his name With the Euangelist the Apostle S. Paul accordeth very well saying Rom. 10. This is the word of faith which we preach for if thou cōfesse with thy mouth our Lord IESVS CHRIST and shalt beleeue in thy hart that God raised him from death thou shalt be saued And in an other place ◠Cor. 15. I make knowne vnto you the Gospell which I haue preached and by which you shall be saued vnlesse perhaps you haue beleeued in vayne What was that Gospell I haue deliuered vnto you that which I haue receiued that Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures was buried and rose againe the third day c. So by the verdite of S. Paul the beleefe of the articles of the creede is that justifying faith by which you must be saued And neither in S. Paul nor any other place of Holy Scriptures is it once taught that a particular faith whereby we applie Christs righteousnes to our selues assure our selues of our saluation is either a justifying or any Christian mans faith but the very naturall act of that ougly Monster presumption Which being layd as the very corner stone of the Protestants irreligion what morall and modest conuersation what humility and deuotion can they build vpon it The second difference in the manner of justification is about the formall act of faith which M. PERKINS handleth as it were by the way cuttedly I will be as shorte as he the matter not being great The Catholikes teach as you haue heard out of the Councell of Trent in the beginning of this question that many actes of faith feare hope and charity doe goe before our justification preparing our soule to receiue into it from God through Christ that great grace M. PERKINS Doctor like resolueth otherwise That faith is an instrument created by God in the hart of man at his conuersion whereby he apprehendeth and receiueth Christs righteousnes for his iustification This joylie description is set downe without any other probation then his owne authority that deliuered it and so let it passe as already sufficiently confuted And if there needed any other disproofe of it I might gather one more out of this owne explication of it where he saith that the couenant of grace is communicated vnto vs by the word of God and by the Sacraments For if faith created in our hartes be the only sufficient supernaturall instrument to apprehend that couenant of grace then there needes no Sacraments for that purpose and consequently I would fayne know by the way how litle infants that can not for want of judgement and discretion haue any such act of faith as to lay hold on Christ his justice are justified Must we without any warrant in Gods word contrary to all experience beleeue that they haue this act of faith before the come to any vnderstanding But to returne vnto the sound doctrine of our Catholike faith M. PER. findes two faults with it one that we teach faith to goe before justification whereas by the word of God saith he at the very instant when any man beleeueth first he is then both justified and sanctified What word of God so teacheth Marry this He that beleeueth eateth and drinketh the body and bloud of Christ and is already passed from death to life Io. 6.54 I answere that our Sauiour in that text speaketh not of beleeuing but of eating his body in the blessed Sacrament which who so receiueth worthely obtayneth thereby life euerlasting as Christ saith expressely in that place And so this proofe is vayne Now will I proue out of the holy Scriptures that faith goeth before justification first by that of S. Paul Whosoeuer calleth on the name of our Lord Rom. 10. shall be saued but how shall they call vpon him in whome they doe not beleeue how shall they beleeue without a preacher c. Where there is this order set downe to arriue vnto justification First to heare the preacher then to beleeue afterwardes to call vpon God for mercy and finally mercy is graunted giuen in justification so that prayer goeth betweene faith and justification This S. Augustine obserued when he said Faith is giuen first De prede◠sanct ca. 7 De spirit lit cap. 30 by which we obteyne the rest And againe By the lawe is knowledge of sinne by faith we obtayne grace and by grace our soule is cured If we list to see the practise of this recorded in holy write read the second of the actes and there you shall finde how that the people hauing heard S. Peters Sermon were stroken to the hartes and beleeued yet were they not straight way justified but asked of the Apostles what they must doe who willed them to doe penance and to be baptized in the name of IESVS in remission of their sinnes then loe they were justified so that penance and baptisme went betweene their faith and their justification In like manner Queene Candaces Eunuch hauing heard S. Philippe announcing vnto him Christ beleeued that IESVS CHRIST was the Sonne of God no talke in those dayes of applying vnto himselfe Christs righteousnes yet was he not justified before descending out of his chariot he was baptized Act. 8. And three dayes passed betweene S. Paules conuersion and his justification as doth euidently appeare by the historie of his conuersion Act. 9. The second fault he findeth with our faith is that we take it to be nothing else but an illumination of the minde stirring vp the will which being so moued and helped by grace causeth in the hart many good spirituall motions But this sayes M. PERKINS is as much to say that dead men only helped can prepare themselues to their resurrection Not so good Sir but that men spiritually dead being quickned by Gods spirit may haue many good motions for as our spirit giueth life vnto our bodies so the spirit of God by his grace animateth and giueth life vnto our soules But of this it hath beene once before spoken at large in the question of free will Pag. 84. THE THIRD DIFFERENCE CONCERNING FAITH IS this The Papists say that man is iustified by faith yet not by faith alone but also by other vertues as the feare of God hope loue c. The reasons which are brought to maintayne their opinion are of no moment well let vs heare some of them that the indifferent Reader may iudge whether they be of any moment or no. M. PERKINS first Reason
vnto a Diuels faith when it is naked and voyde of good workes in two points First in both there is a perfect knowledge of all thinges reuealed Secondly this knowledge shall not stead them any whit but only serue vnto their greater condemnation because that knowing the will of their master they did it not And in this respect S. Iames compareth them together Now there are many points wherein these faithes doe differ but this one is principall That Christians out of a goodly and deuoute affection doe willingly submitte their vnderstanding vnto the rules of faith beleeuing thinges aboue humane reason yea such as seeme sometimes contrary to it But the Diuell against his will beleeues all that God hath reuealed Because by his naturall capacity he knowes that God can teach nor testifie any vntruth Againe that faith may be without charity is proued out of these wordes of the same second Chapter Euer as the body without the spirit is dead so also faith without workes is dead Hence thus I argue albeit the body be dead without the soule yet is it a true naturall body in it selfe euen so faith is perfect in the kinde of faith although without charity it auayle not to life euerlasting Lastly in true reason it is manifest that faith may be without charity for they haue seuerall seates in the soule one being in the will and the other in the vnderstanding they haue distinct objectes faith respecting the truth of God and charity the goodnes of God Neither doth faith necessarily suppose charity as charity doth faith for we cannot loue him of whom we neuer heard Neither yet doth charity naturaly flow out of faith but by due consideration of the goodnes of God and of his benefits and loue towardes vs into which good deuout considerations few men doe enter in comparison of them who are led into the broad way of iniquity through their inordinate passiōs This according to the truth yet more different in the Protestants opinion for faith laies hold on Christs righteous receiues that in But charity can receiue nothing in Pag. 85. as M. P. witnesseth But giues it selfe forth in al duties of the first second table Now sir if they could not apply vnto themselues Christs righteousnes without fulfilling all duties of the first second table they should neuer apply it to them for they hold it impossible to fulfill all those duties so that this necessary lincking of charity with faith maketh their saluation not only very euill assured but altogither impossible for charity is the fulnes of the law which they hold impossible then if the assurance of their saluation Rom. 12. must needes be joyned with such an impossibility they may assure themselues that by that faith they can neuer come to saluation Let vs annex vnto these playne authorities of holy Scripture one euident testimony of Antiquity That most incorrupt judge S. Augustine saith flatly Lib. 15. de trin c. 17. Con crescen lib. 1. cap. 29. That faith may well he without Charity but it cannot profit vs without Charity And That one God is worshipped sometimes out of the Church but that vnskilfully yet is it he Also that one faith is had without charity and that also out of the Church neither therefore is not faith For there is one God one Faith one Baptisme one immaculate Catholike Church in which God is not serued only but in which only he is trulie serued neither in which alone faith is kept but in which only faith is kept with charity So that faith and that only true faith of which the Apostle speaketh Ephes 4. One God one faith may be and is in many without charity The Protestants bolde asseuerations that they cannot be parted are great but their proofes very slender and scarce worth the disproouing THAT FAITH MAY BE WITHOVT GOOD WORKES 1. Tim. 5. THE first He that hath not care of his owne hath denied his faith therefore faith includeth that good worke of prouiding for our owne Answ That faith there seemes to signifie not that faith whereby we beleeue all thinges reuealed or the Protestants the certainty of their saluation but for fidelity and faithfull performance of that which we haue promised in Baptisme which is to keepe all Gods commaundements one of the which is to prouide for our children and for them that wee haue charge of so that he who hath no such care ouer his owne charge hath denyed his faith that is violed his promise in Baptisme There is also another ordinary answere supposing faith to be taken there for the Christian beleefe to witte that one may deny his faith two wayes either in flatte denying any article of faith or by doing some thing that is contrary to the doctrine of our faith Now he that hath no care of his owne doth not deny any article of his faith but committeth a fact contrary to the doctrine of his faith so that not faith but the doctrine of faith or our promise in Baptisme includeth good workes Ioh. 6. 2 There are among you that beleeue not for he knewe who beleeued and who was to betray him Opposing treason to faith as if he had said faith conteyned in it selfe fidelity This Argument is farre fetched and little worth For albeit faith hath not fidelity and loue alwaies necessarily joyned with it yet falling from faith may well drawe after it hatred and treason yea ordinarely wickednes goeth before falling from faith and is the cause of it which was Iudas case whome our Sauiour there taxed for he blinded with couetuousnes did not beleeue Christs Doctrine of the blessed Sacrament and by incredulity opened the diuell a high way to his hart to negotiate treason in it 3. They object that Who saith he knowes God and doth not keepe his commaundements is a lyar 1. Ioh. 2. Answere He is then a lyar in graine who professing the only true knowledge of God yet blusheth not to say that it is impossible to keepe his commaundements but to the objection knowing God in that place is taken for louing of God as I knowe yee not that is I loue you not Math. 7. 25. Psal 1. Ioh. 14. Our Lord knowes the way of the just that is approues it loues it so he that knowes God kepes his commaundements as Christ himselfe testifieth If any loue me he will keepe my word And he that loueth me not will not keepe my wordes Lastly they say with S. Paul That the iust man liueth by faith But if faith giue life then it cannot be without charity Answere That faith in a just man is not without hope and charity by all which conjoyned he liueth and not by faith alone But faith is in a sinnefull and vnjust man without charity who holding fast his former beleefe doth in transgressing Gods commaundements breake the bandes of charity And so it remaynes most certayne that faith may be and too too
Luke 7.47 MANY sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much whence they gather that the woman there spoken of had pardon of her sinnes and was iustified by loue Answere In this text loue is not made an impulsiue cause to moue God to pardon her sinnes but only a signe to shew that God had already pardoned them Reply Obserue first that Catholikes doe not teach that she was pardoned for loue alone for they vse not as Protestants doe when they finde one cause of justification to exclude all or any of the rest But considering that in sundry places of holy write justification is ascribed vnto many seuerall vertues affirme that not faith alone but diuers other diuine qualities concurre vnto justification and as mention here made of loue excludeth not faith hope repentance and such like so in other places where faith is only spoken of there hope charity and the rest must not also be excluded This sinner had assured beleefe in Christes power to remitte sinnes and great hope in his mercy that he would forgiue them great sorrowe and detestation of her sinne also she had that in such an assembly did so humbly prostrate her selfe at Christes feete to wash them with her teares and to wipe them with the haires of her head And as shee had true repentance of her former life so no doubt but shee had also a firme purpose to leade a newe life So that in her conuersion all those vertues mette together which we holde to concurre to justification and among the rest the preheminence worthely is giuen to loue as to the principall disposition She loued our Sauiour as the fountayne of all mercies and goodnes and therefore accounted her pretious oyntements best bestowed on him yea and the humblest seruice and most affectionate she could offer him to be all too little and nothing answerable to the inward burning charity which she bare him Which noble affection of hers towardes her diuine Redeemer no question was most acceptable vnto him as by his owne word is most manifest for he said That many sinnes were forgiuen her because she loued much But M. PERKINS saith that her loue was no cause that moued Christ to pardon her but only a signe of pardon giuen before which is so contrary to the text that a man not past all shame would blush once to affirme it First Christ saith expreslie that it was the cause of the pardon Because shee had loued much Secondly that her loue went before is as playnlie declared both by mention of the time past Because she hath loued and by the euidence of her fact of washing wiping and anoynting his feete for the which saith our Sauiour then already performed Manie sinnes are forgiuen her So that here can be no impediment of beleeuing the Catholike Doctrine so clearly deliuered by the holy Ghost vnlesse one will be so blindly ledde by our new Masters that he will beleeue no wordes of Christ be they neuer so playne otherwise then it please the Ministers to expound them And this much of the first of those reasons which M. PERKINS said were of no moment 2. Reason Neither Circumcision nor prepuce auayleth any thing Gal. 5.6 but faith that worketh by charity Hence Catholikes gather that when the Apostle attributeth iustification to saith he meanes not faith alone but as it is ioyned with charity and other like vertues as are requisite to prepare the soule of man to receiue that complete grace of iustification M. PERKINS answereth that they are joyned together But it is faith alone that apprehendeth Christs righteousnes and maketh it ours It vseth charity as an instrument to performe the duties of the first and second table but it hath no part with faith in the matter of our iustification Reply That it hath the chiefest part and that faith is rather the instrument and hand mayd of charity My proofe shall be out of the very text alleadged where life and motion is giuen to faith by charity as the greeke word Energoumene being passiue doth playnlie shewe that faith is moued led and guided by charity Which S. Iames doth demonstrat most manifest saying that Euen as the body is dead without the soule so is faith without charity Making charity to be the life and as it were the soule of faith Now no man is ignorant but it is the soule that vseth the body as an instrument euen so then it is charity that vseth faith as her instrument and inferiour and not contrarywise which S. Paul confirmeth at large in a whole chapter prouing charity to be a more excellent gift then faith or any other concluding with these wordes Now there remayneth faith hope and charity 1. Cor. 13. these three but the greater of these is charity Whereupon S. Augustine resolueth thus Nothing but charity maketh faith it selfe auaylable Li. de Trinit cap. 18. for faith saith he may be without charity but it can not be auaylable without it So that first you see that charity is the mouer and commaunder and faith as her instrument and hand mayde Now that in the worke of justification it hath the chiefe place may be thus proued I demaund whether that worke of justification by faith be done for the loue of God and to his honour or no If not as it is voyd of charity so it is a wicked and sinnefull act no justification but infection our owne interest being the principall end of it now if it comprehend conclude Gods glory and seruice in it that is if they apply Christs righteousnes to them to glorifie God thereby then hath charity the principall part therein for the directing of all to the honour and glory of God is the proper office and action of charity All this reason that charity both concurreth to justification and that as principall S. Augustine confirmeth in these wordes Serm. 22. de verbis Apostol The house of God that is a righteous and Godly soule hath for his foundation faith hope is the walles of it but charity is the roofe and perfection of it The third of these trifling reasons is peruersly propounded by M. PER. thus Faith is neuer alone therefore it doth not iustifie alone That this argument is fondly framed appeereth playnlie in that that Catholikes doe not deny but affirme that faith may be without charity as it is in all sinnefull Catholikes we then forme the reason thus If faith alone be the whole cause of justification then if both hope and charity were remoued from faith at least by thought and in conceipt faith would neuerthelesse justifie But faith considered without hope charity will not justifie ergo it is not the whole cause of justification The first proposition can not be denyed of them who knowe the nature and proprietie of causes for the entire and total cause of any thing being as the Philosophers say in act the effect must needes followe and very sence teacheth the simple that if any thing
A REFORMATION OF A CATHOLIKE DEFORMED BY M.W. PERKINS WHEREIN THE CHIEFE CONTROVERSIES IN RELIGION ARE METHODICALLY and learnedly handled Made by D.B.P. THE FORMER PART Take yee great heede of false Prophets which come to you in the cloathing of sheepe but inwardly are rauening Wolues By their fruits you shall knowe them MATH 7.15 Printed with Priuiledge 1604. TO THE MOST PVISSANT PRVDENT AND RENOWMED PRINCE IAMES THE FIRST BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF ENGLAND SCOTLAND FRANCE AND IREland Defendor of the Faith c. MOST GRATIOVS AND DREAD SOVERAIGNE Albeit my slender skill cannot afforde any discourse worthy the view of your Excellency neither my deadded and daylie interrupted and persecuted studies will giue me leaue to accomplish that litle which otherwise I might vndertake and performe Yet being enboldened both by your high Clemency and Gratious fauour euer shewed vnto all good litterature especially concerning diuinitie also vrged by mine owne bounden duetie and particular affection I presume to present vnto your highnes this shorte ensaying treatise For your exceeding Clemency mildenesse and rare modestie in the most eminent estate of so mighty a Monarche as it cannot but winne vnto your great loue in the hartes of all considerate Subjects so on the other side doth it encourage them confidently to open their mindes and in dutifull manner to vnfolde themselues vnto their so louing and affable a Soueraigne And whereas to the no vulgare prayse of your Majesties pietie you haue made open and often profession of your Vigilancie and care to aduaunce the diuine honour of our Sauiour Christ and his most sacred Religion Then what faithfull Christian should stagger or feare to lay open and deliuer publikely that which he assureth himselfe to be very expedient necessary and agreeable towardes the furnishing and setting forward of so heauenly a worke Moreouer if I your Majesties poore subject haue by studie at home and trauaile abroade attayned vnto any small talent of learning and knowledge to whome is the vse and fruit thereof more due then vnto my so gratious and withall so learned a Liege Finally for a proofe of my sincerity affection and dutifull loue towardes your Majestie this may I justly say that in time of vncertaine fortune when assured friends are most certainely tried I both suffered disgrace hinderance for it being stiled in Print A Scotist in faction therein farther employing my penne in A two-folde discourse which I hope hath beene presented to the viewe of your Majestie the one conteyning a defence of your Highnes honour the other of your title and interest of the Crowne of England And if then my zeale and loue of truth and obligation to your Majesty drewe me out of the compasse of mine owne profession to treate of lawe courses I trust your benigne Grace will now licence me out of the same fountaine of feruencie and like zeale vnto Gods truth no lesse respecting your Majesties eternall honour and heauenly inheritance something to say in matters of diuinity hauing beene the best part of my studie for more then thrise seauen yeares Whereinto I may conueniently enter with that golden sentence with which your Majestie beganne the Conference holden in Ianuary last betweene certaine of your subjects about some controuersie in Religion A loue principium Apoc. cap. 1.8 or conformable to that in holy writte I am Alpha and Omega that is The beginning and the end saith our Lord And applying it vnto Princes I may be bolde to say that nothing is more expedient and necessary for Kinges nothing more honourable and of better assurance for their estate then that in the very beginning of their raigne they take especiall order that the supreame and most puissant Monarch of heauen and earth be purely and vprightly serued aswell in their owne exemplare liues as throughout their Dominions For of Almighty God his meere bountie and great grace they receiue and holde their Diadems and Princelie Scepters and cannot possesse and enjoy them their mighty Forces and most prudent Counsailes notwithstanding one day longer then during his diuine will and pleasure Which that wise King witnesseth Prouerb 4 speaking in the person of Gods wisedome Per me Reges regnant By me Kinges doe raigne And Nabuchodonozer sometime King of Babilon Dan. 4. was turned out to grase with beastes for seauen yeares and made to knowe and confesse that the highest doth commaund ouer the Kingdomes of men and disposeth of them as pleaseth his diuine wisedome But I neede not stande vpon this point being so well knowne and duely confessed by your Majestie But sithens there be in this our most miserable age great diuersities of Religions and but one only wherewith God is truely serued and pleased as saith the Apostle One body one Spirit Ephes 4. as you are called into one hope of your vocation one Lord one Faith one Baptisme My most humble suite and supplication to your high Majestie is that you to your eternall good will embrace maintayne and set forth that only true Catholike and Apostolike faith wherein all your most royall progenitors liued and died or if you cannot be wonne so soone to alter that Religion in which it hath beene your misfortune to haue beene bredde and brought vp That then in the meane season you will not so heauely persecute the sincere professors of the other Very many vrgent and forcible reasons might be produced in fauour and defence of the Catholike Roman Religion whereof diuers haue bin in most learned treatises tendered to your Majestie already Wherefore I will only touch three two of them chosen out of the subject of this booke The third selected from a sentence of your Majesties recorded in the aforesaid Conference And because that argument is as most sensible so best assured which proceedeth from a principle that is either euident in it selfe or else graunted and confessed for true My first proofe shall be grounded vpon that your Majesties owne resolute and constant opinion as it appeareth in the said conference to witte Pag. 75. That no Church ought farther to seperate it selfe from the Church of Rome either in doctrine or ceremonie then shee hath departed from her selfe when shee was in her flourishing and best estate From whence I deduce this reason The principall Pillers of the Church of Rome in her most flourishing estate taught in all pointes of Religion the same Doctrine that shee now holdeth and teacheth and in expresse tearmes condemneth for errour and heresie most of those Articles which the Protestants esteeme to be the principall parts of their reformed Gospell Therefore if your Majestie will resolutelie embrace and constantly defend that doctrine which the Roman Church maintayned in her most flourishing estate you must forsake the Protestant and take the Catholike into your Princely protection To demonstrate vnto your Majestie that we now holde in all points the very same Doctrine which the most approued auncient Doctors and holy Fathers held and deliuered
S. AVGVSTINE of set purpose confuted this error in sundrie places of his learned workes speciallie in his Treatise De virginitie in these chapters 13. 23. 24. 25. Where he accounteth him no Christian that doeth contradict CHRIST promising the kingdome of heauen to Eunuchs * Mat 19 And in the 25. Chapter more vehemently exclayming O impious blindnesse why doest thou cauill and seeke shifts why doest thou promise temporal commoditie onely to the chaste and contynent when God sayth * Esai 16. I will giue them an euerlasting name And if thou wouldest perhaps take this euerlasting for a thing of long continuance I adde inculcate and often repeale that it shall neuer haue end What wouldest thou more This eternall name whatsoeuer it be signifyeth a certaine peculiar and excellent glorie which shall not be common to many albeit they be placed in the same kingdome c. Which in the 29. Chapter he confirmeth out of that place of the Apocalips cited aboue in these wordes The rest of the faithfull shall see you and not enuie your estate but ioye in it and so be partaker of that in you which they haue not in themselues For the new song which is proper vnto you they cannot sing but shall heare it and bee delighted with your so excellent a blessednesse but you because you shal both sing and heare it shall more happilie reioyce and raigne more pleasantly Which may be also confirmed out of the Apostles in the same place where he assureth that the single life is better for the seruice of God saying that a woman vnmarried and a Virgin thinke of the things which belong vnto our Lord how she may please God and be holy both in body and spirite And our blessed Sauiour teacheth * Mat. 19 That some become Eunuches for the kingdome of heauen which to bee taken there properlie for the rewarde in heauen Saint AVGVSTINE with the rest of the Fathers teacheth * De virginit cap. 23. What could be spoken more truely or more perspicuouslie CHRIST sayth The trueth sayeth the Wisdome of God affirmeth them to geld themselues for the kingdome of heauen who doe of a godlie determination refrayne from marriage And contrarilie humane vanitie doth contende by impious temerity that they who do so do it to auoyde the necessarie troubles of Matrimonie and that in the kingdome of heauen they shall haue no more than other men Secondly al the Protestants doctrine for marriage and against Vowes is notably confuted by S. PAVL * Tim. 5 where he sayeth That there were then certaine Widdowes who when they waxed wanton against CHRIST would marrie hauing damnation sayeth hee because they made voyde and cast awaie their first faith which was as Saint AVGVSTINE * De sanct virg ca. 23. and the reste of the Fathers expounde it they had Vowed continencie but would not performe it Now these young Widdowes if the Protestants doctrine were true not hauing the gift of continencie did verie well to marrie and were in no sorte bounde to keepe their Vowes which was not in their power But the Apostle doeth not acquit them of their Vowe but teacheth that they were bounde to keepe it in that hee pronounceth damnation to them if they marrie Thirdlie the example of our heauenly Sauiour who would neuer marrie and of the blessed Virgin S. MARY who * Aug cap. 44. de uirg Bed 1. Luc Vowed perpetuall virginity And of the glorious Apostles as who S. IEROM witnesseth * Cle. Alex lib. 3. stom Lib. 1. cont Iouin In apol 2. ad Aut. Tertul. ap 2. cap. 9 were in parte Virgins and all after their following of Christ abstayned from the companie of their Wiues And of the beste Christians in the purest antiquitie who as IVSTINIVS one of the auncientest Greeke authors among Christians And TERTVLLIAN his peere among the Latines do testifie * did liue perpetuall Virgins Out of these examples wee frame this Argument Our Captaines and ring-leaders who knew well which was the beste way and whose examples wee are to followe as neere as wee can Vowing Virginitie wee must needes esteeme that state for more perfect speciallie when as the single man careth onely how to please God that to be holie in bodie and minde as the Apostle writes when as the married are choked with cares of this worlde And vnlesse a man had made a league with hell or were as blinde as a Beetle howe can hee euer perswade himselfe that to wallow in fleshlie pleasure and satisfying of the beastly appetites is as grateful to God as to conquere and subdue them by Fasting and Prayer Finally if S. PAVL giue counsell to the married to conteyne during the time of Prayer 1. Cor. 7 Priestes and religious that must alwaies be in a readinesse to minister the Sacraments and to thinke vpon such things as belong vnto our Lord are therefore vpon a great consideration bounde to perpetuall chastitie We will close vp this poynt with some sentences taken out of the auncient Fathers in prayse of Virginitie which M. P. in all this question vouchsafeth scarce once to name as though Virgins and Virginitie were no English wordes or not as playne as continencie S. CIPRIAN De habitu Virginum Intitleth Virgins to be the most noble and glorious parson of Christs flocke and addeth that they shall receiue of God the highest rewarde and greatest recompence S. CHRYSOSTOME * Lib. 3. cont vitup vit necess syteth Virginitie to be the top of perfection and the highest typ of vertue And ATHANASIVS De virginitate in the ende bursteth out into these words O virginitie a treasure that wasteth not a garland that wythereth not the Temple of God the Palace of the Holy Ghost a pretious stone whose price is vnknowen to the vulgar the joye of the Prophets the glorie of the Apostles the life of Angels the Crowne of Saints S. AMBROSE Lib. 1. de Virginibus paulo post init Virginitie is a principall vertue and not therefore commendable that it is found in Marters but because it maketh Marters Who can with humaine wit comprehend it which nature doeth not holde within her Lawes it hath fetched out of Heauen that it might imitate on Earth neither vnfitly hath it sought a manner of life in heauen which hath founde a spouse for her in heauen This surmounting the clouds the starres and Angels hath found the word of God in the bosome of his Father c. See who list to read more to this purpose the rest of the Fathers in their workes of Virginitie of which most of them haue written And S. IEROM who is behinde none of the rest in his bookes against Iouinian and Heluidius all which doe most diligently exhort to Vowe Virginitie doe teach how to keepe it and most vehemently inveigh against all them that doe breake it And if any bee so madde as to credite rather our fleshlie ministers than all that honorable and holy senate of