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
being a Pharisee touching the righteousnesse which is in the Law blamelesse which things he esteemed gaine as then to him iudging that he was well prouided of all the righteousnesse of the Law necessarie to saluation Euen so the Pharisee p 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 It might be that he spake truly but he deceiued himselfe in that he thought that God was as man to content himselfe with an outward righteousnesse whereas if he had come to the Schoole of Christ q Mat. 5.21 or else had well considered and pondered the summe of the Law he had learned that God who is a Spirit and that aboue all asketh the heart as he saith r Prou. 23.26 My Sonne giue me thine heart hath giuen a spirituall Law to the spirit of man that he may be serued Å¿ John 4.23 in spirit and in truth Thus Saint Paul learnt it after his conuersion and instructed that the last Commandement t Rom. 7.7 Thou shalt not couet did condemne the first bad motions of the heart did acknowledge and confesse himselfe a sinner and declared that then he began to count all his pretended righteousnesse and all his other prerogatiues u Phil. 3.8.9 but losse and dung that hee 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 namely the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Ferus giues this reason saying x Ferus in Mat. 19. Adolescens Iudaeorum more praecepta tantum externè aspiciebat ideò in hanc praesumptionem inciderat The young man according to the custome and manner of the Iewes did onely consider the Commandements outwardly therefore he fell into this presumption c. VIII Lastly he asked What lacke I yet y Ibidem looking saith Ferus that Christ would haue told him that he lacked nothing They stumble at this stone which doe referre and restraine the Commandement to outward things only For these doe easily rush headlong into presumption and that is fulfilled in them which is written in the Reuelation z Reuel 3.17 Thou saiest I am rich and increased with goods and haue neede of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Finally these are more dangerously sicke and more difficultly healed then if they were openly wicked To these therefore this sentence appertaineth a Reuel 3.15 I would thou wert cold or hot What can wee say more smoothly and conformably to the words of Christ vnto the Priests and Elders of the Church as righteous as this young Ruler b Mat. 21.31 Verily I say vnto you that the Publicans and the Harlots goe into the Kingdome of God before you IX But this seemes to disagree with that which we reade in Saint Marke namely that the rich man hauing said that he had kept all the Commandements from his youth c Mark 10.21 Iesus beholding him loued him Now the Lord loueth no liars and therefore it is credible that he said the truth saith d Bellar. de mon. c. 9. §. 24. Bellarmine but truely it is in no wise credible that he was neuer angry with his brother without a cause that he neuer coueted in his heart any thing appertaining vnto his neighbour To be short that he loued his neighbor his enemie yea the stranger an vnknowne man yea his very friend as himselfe that is to say with such an affection sinceritie feruencie earnestnesse readinesse of courage and with such loyaltie as himselfe If he had loued only the poore of his Countrie of his towne of his neighbourhood as himselfe hee had not reserued to himselfe so much wealth Wherefore it is certaine that he lied in respect of the true vnderstanding of the Law but he lied not in regard of the interpretation and meaning that the Pharises gaue leading a blamelesse life from his youth vp among men for the which cause our Lord loued him that is to say according to Lyras exposiposition he shewed him an amiable countenance e Lyra in Marc. c. 10. Ostendit sibâ— vultum amâ—cabilem For the Greeke word f Eustath in Odyss Origen in hunc locum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is heere turned to loue among other things signifies to receiue one courteously and friendly Saint Markes words doe beare plainely this sense for he saith not simply that Iesus loued him but that he beheld him and loued him that is to say did behold him with a meeke and louely looke testifying to him that hee did make much esteeme and account of this affection wherewith he was carried to the outward obseruation of the Law For it was prophesied of Christ that g Isai 42.3 Mat. 12.20 a bruised reede shall be not breake and smoking flaxe shall he not quench that is to say he would approue the least appearance of good that he should finde in men intertaining it and not quenching it as it is also written in Zacharie h Zach. 4.10 who hath despised the day of small things And truly it was a good beginning and worthy of praise and commendation to see a young man shunning from his tender yeeres the desires of youth and following after all honest and laudable things among men O that our Christians young and old could represent euery where in their liues the innocent life of this young Ruler that they did not vse their tongues to deceit that they had not their feete so swift to doe euill that their handes were not so full of bloud the widdow should not be so trodden vnder foote the weake should not bee so harried and opprest the simple circumuented the poore despised and Achab should not take away quo iure quâ iniuriâ poore Naboths vineyard Were they but good onely in equall comparison with certaine Heathens that would be profitable to them for they should thereby haue more glory among men and lesse torment in hell But alasse our life iustifieth and excuseth the liues of the Pharisees and Heathen men which haue not sinned halfe so much as we haue done If God blesse some with prosperitie and how many doe we see i Psal 113.7.8 whom he raiseth out of the dust and lifteth out of the dunghill making them to sit with Princes yea with the Princes of his people as Dauid saith Suddenly k Psal 73.6.7.8.9 pride compasseth them about as a chaine violence couereth them as a garment Their eyes stand out with fatnesse they haue more then heart could wish they are corrupt and speake wickedly concerning oppression they speake loftily they set their mouth against the heauens and their tongue walketh through the earth l Genes 6.11 which is now as much nay more corrupt before God
which is vpon the seashore Afterwards a particular promise is made vnto euery one of them i Deut. 7.12.13.14 Wherefore it shall come to passe if ye hearken to these iudgements and keepe and doe them that the Lord thy God shall keepe vnto thee the Couenant and the mercie which hee sware vnto thy Fathers And hee will loue thee and blesse thee and multiplie thee He will also blesse the fruite of thy wombe c. Thousâ— alâ—â—â— blessed aboue all people there shall not be male or female barren among you Wherefore it was a great reproch among them to be baâ—ren and without children as we may gather from the words of Eâ—izabeth who hauing conceiued in her old age after so long a barrenâ—esâ—e saith k Luke 1.25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the dayâ—s wherein he looked on mee to take away my reproch among men But especially the Eunuch who is impotent and vnable to ingender and beget children was marked and branded with a speciall and peculiar infamie and reproch by the Law of Moses l Deut. 23.1 He that is wounded in the stones or hath his priuie member cut off shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. It is this Eunuch who is such a one by defect whether of nature or by necessitie who complaines that he is drie tree and therefore altogether vnfit to be planted in Gods house God comforts him with the Gentile by this promise that when the Messias shall come it shall be no more so because that in Christ there is no difference and distinction of father or Eunuch Iew or Gentile the Gentile and the Eunuch that keepes his Couenant is as well and as much accepted as the Iew and hee which is the father of many children Therefore God saith concerning the Eunuchs vnto them that keepe my Sabbaths c. I will giue a place in mine house applying the things appertaining to the diuine seruice at that time to the things of these times and promising to those that by faith shall stick fast vnto Christ keepe iudgements and doe that which is iust and lawfull to receiue them in his house and to giue them in the same a name better then of sonnes and of daughters an euerlasting name that shall not be cut off That name whereof he saith in the Reuelation m Reuel 2.17 To him that ouercommeth will I giue him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it The name of the â—onne of God of the member of Iesus Christ of the childe of the Church the witnesse of the Spirit of Christ sealing his election vocation iustification and sanctification in his heart whereby hee cries Abba Father by the assurance which hee giues him that hee is the childe of God A name a great deale better then to be called the father of sonnes and daughters yea a name and fame farre surpassing that which comes from the multitude of children for such a one is a father of many children who is the sonne of wrath and execration but he whom the Lord receiues in his house in the number of his children and auowes him as his owne willing that his name be named on him that he be in effect and bee called his sonne that man cannot perish but it shall be said vnto him in the last day as also to all others whom God hath adopted in Christ Iesus by their eldest brother in whom they haue been adopted n Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world And the â—eason is rendred by the Apostle saying o Rom. 8.17 And if children then heires heires of God and ioynt heires with Christ. For the Inheritance is for the children an inheritance that cannot faile them because they cannot fall away from God nor loose their adoption which is not grounded on them but vpon Iesus Christ in whom and by whom the Father hath adopted vs to himselfe and who keepes so well those whom the Father hath giuen him that not onely p Iohn 6.37 he neuer casts them out but also q Phil. 1.6 performes and finisheth the good worke begun in them r Iohn 17.15 keeping them from the euill Å¿ Ephes 4.30 and sealing them by his Spirit vnto the day of redemption in the which hee will giue them the crowne of righteousnesse t Iohn 10 27.28.29.30 My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand My Father which gaue them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one Thus haue they an euerlasting name which shall not bee cut off and taken away and therefore a better name then that of sonnes and daughters because that the name and reputation that a man hath by hauing children being grounded vpon the childrens liues if they come to faile and die faileth and dieth with them as we often see that u 1. Sam. 2.5 she that hath had many children is waxed feeble as it happened vnto Naomi Ruths mother in Law who hauing lost her husband and all her children said vnto her neighbours x Ruth 1.20.21 Call me not Naomi that is pleasant call me Mara for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home againe emptie Why then call yee me Naomi seeing the Lord hath testified against me and the Almightie hath afflicted me There are some which reade A name better then to sonnes and daughters which ought to bee referred to the Iewes who are called by our Lord Iesus y Mat. 8 1â— 15.26 The children of the Kingdome because that before the time of the Law the priuiledge and title of the children of God appertained vnto them So then the meaning should be that God wil more abundantly blesse the Eunuches vnder the new Testament then he hath blessed the Iewes vnder the old Testament but the first exposition is the true and naturall one grounded vpon the right construction of the Text. The selfe-same promise is made to the Gentiles adioyning themselues vnto Christ that they shall not be separated from the people of God but shall be receiued in Gods house and that their prayers made vnto God shall be heard and accepted of God And these promises made both in generall to the Gentiles and particularly to the Eunuches do tend to testifie that which the Apostle declares hath been effected when he saith that Christ z Ephes 2.14 hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene vs and that now a Gal 3.28 there is neither Iew nor Greeke there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female and
For there are some Eunuches which were so borne from their mothers wombe and there are some Eunuches which were made Eunuches of men and there be Eunuches which haue made themselues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauens sake He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it Bellarmine saith that Christ giues not here a Precept but a Counsell and hee proues that because Christ forbids not marriage and therefore commaunds not chastitie because that Christ also hath said He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it Whereupon he allegeth Saint o August de Tempore ser 61. Pag. 9. Austins words which are also alleaged in the Pastorall Letter to the same purpose in these words A Counsell is one thing and a Precept is another thing A Counsell is giuen to the end that Virginitie be preserued that men abstaine from wine and flesh that all things be sold and giuen vnto the poore but this precept is giuen to the ende that iustice be obserued and maintained At least it is said of virginity He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it but it is not said of iustice He that is able to doe it let him doe it but euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the sire He that doth and keepeth a Counsell shall haue a greater glorie but he which keepeth not the Precept cannot auoide the punishment The Author of the Pastorall Letter adds to this The whole world is bound to the one vnder paine of euerlasting torments the whole world is stirred vp and drawne to the other both by the authoritie as also by the loue of the Sauiour who giues this Counsel as when he commends in Saint Matthew the continent vnder the name of an Eunuch he stirres vp and incourageth al the world to it Qui potest capere capiat He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it Thus they proue that these words containe a Counsell and not a Commandement Now that chastitie doth not onely conferre a corporall benefit but also hath a reward in heauen it appeares by these words saith Bellarmine there be Eunuchs which haue made themselues Eunuches for the Kingdome of Heauens sake Wee are to see therefore if there be a Counsell or a Precept in these words of Christ and if by the Kingdome of Heauen Christ vnderstands a certaine reward reserued in heauen for those that abstaine from marriage V. Iesus Christ hauing declared that whosoeuer shal put away his wife except it be for fornication and shall marry another committeth adultery The Apostles said If the case of the man be so with his wife it is not good to marrie and so condemned marriage as hurtfull vnto man whereupon our Sauiour Christ takes occasion to shew the necessitie of marriage and who those are that can and ought to abstaine from it All men saith he cannot receiue this saying saue they to whom it is giuen That is to say p Maldon in Mat. 19. vers 16. I lest non omnes praestare possunt vt siat sine vxore qâ—ia carent dono continentiae Sic ferè omnes exponunt quibus equidem non â—ssentior All cannot take vpon them to be without wiues because they haue not the gift of continencie as almost all expound it whereunto saith Maldonat I cannot consent nor agree And wherefore my friend is it not a Maxime of some of your side that q Salmeron Iesuit in proem epist 3. d. Pauli disput 6. in fine in 1. Ioan. 3. disput 25. §. 3. Est incuitabile argumentum veritatis est infallibilis regula iudicandi What is taught of all or almost of all is an vnauoideable argument of truth an infallible rule of iudging But whether Maldonat consents to it or no it is the true sense of Christs words who continuing his discourse teacheth who they are to whom it is behouefull and expedient not to marry saying that there are but three sorts of them first the Eunuchs which were so borne from their mothers wombe that is to say which are naturally weake and vnable Secondly Eunuches which were made Eunuches of men where of there was anciently a great number among the Pagans and Gentiles Thirdly Eunuches which haue made themselues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauens sake That is to say who hauing receiued of God the gift of continencie and being called thereunto do abstaine willingly from matrimonie not for their particular commoditie but for the kingdome of heauens sake for the aduancement of the Kingdome of Christ Iesus or as Saint Paul expounds it r 1. Cor. 7.34.35 to haue care for the things that belong to the Lord and to attend vpon the Lord without distraction The Apostles seeing the libertie of diuorcement restrained and limited iudged that if a man might not put away his wife for euery cause it were better not to marry Iesus Christ corrects this error and declares vnto them that none but three sorts of men can liue without a a wife Eunuches so borne Eunuches so made of men and such men as being capable of marriage haue receiued of God the gift of continencie They saith the Apostle Å¿ 1. Cor. 7.9 that can containe and burne not Moreouer he enacts that those abstaine from marriage not because of tribulations that doe accompanie it neither for the ease of the flesh nor for particular commoditie but for the kingdome of heauen for the edification of the Church called commonly in the Gospell t Mat. 13.24 the kingdome of heauen for the u 1. Cor. 10.31 glory of God which ought to be the ende of all our actions to whom we must adde a third condition that he be called thereunto according to the doctrine of the Apostle x 1. Cor. 7.24 Let euery man wherein hee is called therein abide with God Adam had the gist of continencie in his state of innocencie and notwithstanding if he had not sinned be should haue rendred vnto his wife due beneuolence whom God had giuen him in his innocencie and hee should haue begot of her children in Paradice because that by Gods calling hee was ordained to be the Father of mankind Wherefore Christ concludes this speech with a Commandement and not with a Counsell He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it For they that can abstaine from mariage by the gift of continencie by their calling vnto continency by the heauenly end of their gift and calling those I say are bound by Gods Commandement to abstaine from it It is no more an arbitrable thing left to their choice but necessarie We must say of all the rest whatsoeuer they be He which is not able to receiue this saying let him not receiue it He that hath not the gift of continencie let him marry for it is not expedient for him to saluation to liue without a wife Let vs reduce our Sauiors words into a syllogisme and the sense thereof
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
things whereof there was neuer any mention made but vnder the Gospell Here then the Author of the Pastorall Letter contradicts himselfe and to his contradiction addes an vntruth The Heathen saith he haue knowne the excellencie and price of virginity by the light of Nature What Heathen the â—â—ings that are naturall are indifferently obserued by all Nations All Nations know by the light of Nature that there is a God and therefore there was neuer any Nation found to bee without a God and without some kinde and smack of Religion But all the world hath continued vntill the time of Monkes without esteeming so much virginitie except some few bewitched by the diuell For nature teacheth that maides haue been made for marriage being a thing naturall to desire mariage and vse it as to bee an hungrie and drie as to eate and drinke During the Law of Nature God said b Genes 2.18 It is not good that the man should be alone I will make him a helpe meete for him This helpe is the woman expressely created of God to be a meete helpe for him in the state of marriage The Law of nature hath been renewed by Moses and there is no mention of any price of virginitie of any promise made to it but contrariwise there is often mention of marriage and great are the promises that God hath made to that state which cannot bee but most holy and of great value to the Church of Rome seeing that she hath made a Sacrament thereof although in effect marriage and virginitie are things indifferent wherein there is neither vice nor vertue nor any part of the seruice of God For that which the Apostle saith of meate and drinke is true of all outward things The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but right 〈◊〉 and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Chasâ—â—y whether in virginitie or in marriage is a vertue but corporall virginitie is no vertue c Clemens Alexand str lib. 3. Quemadmodum autem humilitas est mansuetudo non afflictio corporis ita etiam continentia est animae virtus quae non est in manifesto sed in occulto For as humilitie is the meekenesse and not the affliction of the body so continencie is a vertue of the soule which is not manifest but secret faith Clement affirming d Jbidem Paulo ante Quid enim aâ— non â—iset etiam continenter vti matrimonio that a man may vse marriage 〈◊〉 continencie And to shew that the Romans did abuse themselves in that opinion which they had conceiued of virginitie commanding that the continuall fire should be kept by these Vestal virgins as if they had been holier then the married women God on the other side ordained that the Priests which were all married e Leuit. 1.7 should put fire vpon the Altar and lay the wood in order vpon the fire f Leuit. 6.12 and should keepe the fire burning continually vpon the Altar Whence I could also conclude in like manner that matrimony is a great vertue and the price thereof is great The honour that Augustus and Albinus yeelded and gaue vnto the Vestals had reference to their office and not to their virginitie Now their office was the seruice of Deuils And if this be a good argument Augustus and Albinus did much honour to the Vestall virgines therefore they did much honour Virginite This will bee a better one God aduanced in great dignitie the high Priests which were all married he would haue them to beare on their forehead a plate of pure gold with this inscription g Exod. 28.36 Holinesse to the Lord and expressely ordained that all should haue them in singular estimation and reuerence therefore he hath thâ—â— honoured marriage Let vs now iudge of the worth of this proofe Wee seeke the examples of those that haue kept Euangelicall Counsels and they alleage the superstition and idolatrie of the Vestall virgines the price of their virginitie the esteeme that was made thereof by two idolaters that knew not God After this manner they finde out purgatorie in Plato and Virgil and so might they reduce and bring backe all the Paganisme of the Heathens Then should their Priests among them geld themselues to obserue so much the better a single life and cleare the world of their bastards for in this sort did the Priests of Cybele the grand mother of the gods geld themselues Thus many Friers doe whip themselues till they fetch bloud for so did the Priests of h 1. King 18.28 Baal cut themselues after their manner with kniues and laâ—cers 〈◊〉 the bloud gushed out vpon them i Lucia de Dea Syria Apuleâ—us lib. 8. de Asino Thus the Priests of the Syrian goddesse did flash and mangle themselues begging from dore to dore and gathering into their waller corâ—e pease cheese bread all fortes of meates the best wine in their great leather bottles in their purses all manner of coine of brasse siluer or gold Thus 〈◊〉 the Papists celebrate Candlemas day in honour of the Virgin Marie the Queene of Heauen for thus did the Heathen celebrate it in honour of Proserpina the Queene of Hell the seruice remaines but the name is changed So are the Churches full of images of men and women representing the Saints of either sexe because the Heathen had their Temples adorned with the like images representing their gods and goddesses so we neede not to enquire any more what God commands and what the Saints haue done according to his Commandement but the examples of the Heathens shall be the rules of our actions O Christians how long will yee loue beleeue and follow them which seduce you by their lies IIII. Saint Ambrose Rhetorick is better then his Diuinitie in his bookes of virgines he was accused by those of his time that he preached and exalted too much virginitie Hee glories in it saying k Ambros de virginit lib. 3. Vtinam possem reuocare nupturas vtinam possem flammeum nuptiale pro integritatis mutare velamine Would to God I could repeale and calâ— back those that will marrie that I could change their nuptiall vaile into a holy vaile of integritie This is to taxe obliquely marriage of vice and pollution contrary to the Apostle that saith l Heb. 13.4 Marriage is honourable in all and the bed vndefiled This is to desire that which the Apostle forbids m 1. Tim. 5.14 I will faith he that the younger women marry beare children guide the house giue none occasion to the aduersarie to speake reprochfully This is to contradict himselfe and to make way for false dealing and periurie For some lines after he sets downe with his approbation the sentence of our Lord prohibiting to dissolue n Mat. 19.9 marriage except it be for fornication and that of Saint Paul Art thou bound vnto a wife seeke not to be loosed For they which marrie doe promise one another firmely to liue together so
lib. de vera virginitatâ— man euen like God though Saint Basil saith so Virginitie also is not the image and resemblance of Christ as Saint Cyprian affirmeth Holinesse alone makes man like God and this holinesse may be in as great a measure in them which are married in Abraham in Saint Peter in the Brethren of our Lord as in the eleuen thousand Virgins It is vnto the married folkes and not vnto any virgins by Counsell and by Vow that God saith in his Law Yee shall be holy for I am holy b Leuit. 11.44 It is vnto all both married and vnmarried that Peter speakes c 1. Pet. 1.15 As he which hath called you is holy so be yee holy in all manner of conuersation and the image of Christ consisteth in d Colos 3.10 knowledge e Ephes 4.24 righteousnesse and true holinesse saith Saint Paul and this knowledge righteousnes and true holinesse hath been as great in Adam and Eue in Noe in Abraham and Sarah in Isaac and Rebecca in Iacob and Rachel in Moses with whom God spake face to face and who hath had testimonie Numb 12.3 to haue been very meeke aboue all the men which were vpon the face of the earth in Ioshue g Iudg. 4.4 in Deborah the wife of Lapidoth and notwithstanding a Prophetesse in Samuel in Dauid in Iosias in h 2. Chro. 34.22 Huldah the Prophetesse the wife of Shallum in Isaiah and his wife who also was i Jsai 8.3 a Prophetesse in the k 1. Cor. 9.5 Brethren of our Lord in Cephas and the other Apostles which did leade with them their wiues and it may be yet as great as it hath euer been as it can be euer in any virgin or vnmarried person l Deut. 10.17 Act. 10.34 God is no respecter of persons m Iob 34.19 for they all great and little married and vnmarried are the worke of his hands If it were otherwise if virginitie were the image of Christ the Vestall virgins should haue been like vnto Christ n Clement Alexand strom .. lib. 3. Qâ—â—â— et 〈…〉 à cibis veâ—ere abstâ—â—ent Certe Magis quoque curae est qui angelos daemones colunt simul à vino animatis rebus abstinere venereis They which adore idols saith Clement doe abstaine from meates and carnall lust now the Apostle saith that the Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke surely the Sorcerers which adore the Angels and the Diuels doe abstaine altogether from wine from liuing things and from women Where shall we finde any in the most austere Cloister which doe as much The Fathers then haue mistaken when they haue established the image and resemblance of God in that which was to bee found in the Heathen and is to be found in these daies among the Turkes with a great deale more excesse of seueritie then among all the Monkes of Christendome IX The third example is of the beginning of the Primitiue Church Pag. 11. for our Author of the Pastorall Letter saith This Counsell had so penetrated and passed through in the beginning of Christianitie as Saint Iâ—rome obserues it eloquently vpon the Acts of the Apostles Post crucem Christi statim vna domus Philippi quadrigam producit virginum filiarum That after the Crosse of Christ presently the house of Philip yeelds foure daughters virgines X. What could the Author of the Pastorall Letter haue alleaged worse against his cause and intention he hath heretofore spoken of an Euangelicall Counsell recommending single life and voluntarie pouertie and now he speakes of o Act. 21.8.9 Philip the Euangelist keeping house in Cesarea married and hauing his daughters with him in his house Philip then hath not kept the Euangelicall Counsels and hath not been lesse perfect for all that I hope then the perfectest Monke or Frier Secondly hee will proue that the daughters ought to leaue father and mother and withdraw themselues into a Monasterie to keepe there their virginitie and that the fathers and mothers ought to consent thereunto and hee sets vs downe the example of foure daughters virgines dwelling in their fathers house and liuing there as Christianly as any cloisterly Nunne Thirdly hee presupposeth against the truth of the historie that these maides haue perseuered in their virginitie al their life time For the Scripture saith it not and Clemens Alexandrinus saith the coÌ„trary writing against the hereticks hertofore meÌ„tioned and asking them p Clemens Alexand strom lib. 3. An etiam reprobant Apostolos Petrus enim Philippus filios procrearunt Philippus autem filias quoque suas viris tradidit Euseb lib. 3. Eccles hist cap. 27. Doe they reproue the Apostles also for Peter and Philip haue begot children and Philip hath giuen his daughters in marriage They were then virgins when Saint Paul passed by that way but they ceased to be virgins when they were maried Bellarmine answereth q Bellar. de monach c. 10. §. 2. that we ought to beleeue that they haue beeue perpetually virgins and by election because that Saint Luke relates that as a great matter to wit that one man had foure daughters virgines Now what great matter is it to haue foure daughters virgines which being mariageable did marrie But Saint Luke recites not as a great matter that Philip had foure daughters virgines but that he had foure daughters virgins r Act. 21.9 which did prophesie A thing recommendable and worthy to be registred to posteritie that one man hath had in his house foure daughters virgins which being Prophetesses the prophesie of the Prophet Ioel hath been fulfilled Å¿ Joel 2.28 your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie XI The last example is of the Church in the time of Cypriaâ— and Iustine Martyr Cyprian saith of his time t Cypri de habitu virg The world is filled with those which can comprehend continencie which liue like Eunuches for the Kingdome of God u Iustin Apolog 2. Iustin elder then hee faith Surely many of the one and of the other sexe of sixtie and seuentie yeeres of age remaine Eunuches and Virgines and in this state haue kept the discipline of Iesus Christ euen from their youth vp and I glory that I can shew such among all the sexes of those of our religion Behold the first fruites of the Gospell saith our Author of the Pastorall Letter Pag. 11. XII The fruit of the Gospell is the fruit of the Spirit x Gal. 5.22.23 loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenesse temperance c. Of these fruits are not virginitie nor marriage but chastitie in the one and in the other state is a true fruite of the Spirit and is comprehended vnder the vertue Temperance Iustin and Cyprian say not that virginitie is a fruit of the Gospell for that which is common to Christians and Heathens is not of the Gospell but they recommend those which in so wofull a time wherein the