ad me non est quâ— eas nisi per me Saint Austin to this purpose brings in Christ speaking after this manner Wilt thou walke I am the Way Wilt thou not be deceiued I am the Truth Wilt thou not die I am the Life thy Sauiour tells thee this thou hast no other where to goe then vnto me nor by no other then by me II. Now that we may the better goe vnto him who is the Life and by him who is the way and that going by him vnto him we stray not from him hee himselfe takes vs by the hand and leades vs with his two hands by the hand of his Spirit within and the hand of his holy Word without For euen as we must haue light without for the chasing away and dispelling of darkenesse and also light in our eyes and a cleere sight if we meane to trauell and soiourne in this valley of miserie and manage the â—hings of this life it being impossible that the most quicke eyed yea though he had the eyes of an Eagle can see in the dark vnlesse he be outwardly enlightned or that he that is blind and bereaued of his sight can see the fairest Sun-shine day euen so if we vndergo the way of life and mannage holy and celestiall things holily and to our saluation wee must bee enlightned without with the Lampe of Gods words as Dauid saith g Psal 119.105 Thy word is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path and enlightned within by the illumination of the holy Spirit of the which Saint Paul saith h Rom. 8.9 If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his that is to say hee is not a Christian For to be a Christian is to be anointed of the holy Ghost in some measure as to be Christ is to be annointed of the holy Ghost without measure as it is written i Psalm 45.7 O God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes And so the Apostle praies for the Ephesians and in their persons for vs all that k Eph. 1.17.18 The God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glorie would giue vs the spirit of wisdom and reuelation in the knowledge of him to wit The eyes of our vnderstanding being enlightned that we may know what is the hope of his calling and what are the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in his Saints III. Now as touching the word which teacheth vs how God will bee serued of vs and how hee will reward saue and glorifie vs we hold that that word of God is comprehended in the holy writings of the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists For eueÌ„ as God in the beginning created the light which gaue light to the world some certaine dayes without Sun Moone or Starres l Gen. 1.3.14 and afterwards created the lights in the Firmament of heauen into the which he did infuse and shut vp that light which hath not since beene imparted vnto the world but by those two great Lights Euen so God in the beginning gouerned the celestiall world which is his Church and did enlighten it by his holy word one and simple without any Scripture but since he hath clothed and adorned her with the Scriptures hath lodgd and harboured her as it were in a faire Pauillion and Tabernacle in the diuine holy books which he himself hath composed by the hands of Moses the Prophets and Apostles m August de consens Euangelist li. 2. cap. vlt. who when they haue writteÌ„ the things that God hath shewed them related we must not say that he himself hath not written them for he hath commanded them to write as it were with his owne hands all that he would haue vs to reade both in his words and workes which they haue so faithfully and perfectly performed that wee may confidently affirme n Idem de doctrina Christi li. 2. ca. 9. In ijs quae apertè in scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem morésque viuendi that all things appertaining to faith and the rule of life are plainely expressed in the Scriptures Art thou an ideot and simple let not the depth and height of them affright thee o Psalm 19.7 The testimonie of the Lord is sure making wise the simple Art thou wise doe not despise them for p Prou. 1.5 A wise man will heare and will increase learning and a man of vnderstanding shall attaine vnto wise counsels Art thou pensiue and grieued with the feeling of thy sinnes and by the apprehension of Gods anger q Psal 19.8.9 The Law of God is perfect conuerting the soule the Statutes of the Lord are right reioycing the heart r Rom. 15.4 For whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Art thou blind in Gods matters Å¿ Psal 19.8 The Commandement of the Lord is pure inlightning the eyes Art thou young and desirest thou to know the direct and ready way to vertue and godlinesse Doest thou aske the Lord with Dauid t Psal 119 9. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way Dauid will answere thee in the name of thy God t Psal 119 9. by taking heed thereto according to thy word and will prooue vnto thee his answere by his owne example saying u Psalm 119.99.100 I haue more vnderstanding then all my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my meditation I vnderstand more then the Ancients because I keepe thy precepts Art thou desirous of the true wisdome which is to saluation and of the true profession which makes the Man of God the Euangelist the Preacher of Gods word and so with good reason euery Christian to abound in all spirituall gifts necessarie for thee in thy vocation in thy conuersation to leade and bring thee vnto faith in Christ and to instruct thee to liue according to Christ x 2. Tim. 3.15.16.17 The holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through faith which is in Christ Iesus All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished vnto all good workes y 2. Cor. 5.2 Doest thou sigh and grone earnestly desiring to bee clothed vpon with thy house which is from heauen according to the example of the Saints z Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures saith he that is the Prince of life for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall life It is not an estimation of an humane opinion but a firme perswasion of diuine certaintie and true knowledge if the Spirit of truth that cannot lie do not deceiue vs when he saith that a Iohn 20.31 These things are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the son of God that beleeuing
the Elders of the people assemble together against Iesus Christ and caused him to die by the hand of the wicked Saint Paul admonisheth the Pastors of Milet and of Ephesus y Acts 20.30 that from among themselues shall men arise speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after them Photinus Samosatenus Arrius Macedonius Nestorius Eutyches Marcelin the Pope who sacrificed to Idols Iohn 22. Pope who denied that the soules see God before the resurrection Pope Zepherinus a Montanist Pope Liberius an Arrian Pope Anastasius a Nestorian Pope Honorius a Monothelite Pope Siluester who gaue himselfe to the diuell to be made Pope Gregorie the seuenth a great Necromancer Iohn the 23 who denied life eternall and the resurrection All these had a vocation and succession as lawfull as any Pope or Bishop of that time and notwithstanding they were not to be heard of any because they al were hereticks VI. Yea but God hath said in Malachi z Malach. 2.7 The Priests lipps shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the Law at his mouth Hee hath said it indeede and hath said it either by promise to the Priests of the Law that it shall be alwaies so or by commandement to the Priests to obserue and keepe it so alwaies not by promise for he hath not alwaies determined nor done so 〈◊〉 that the same God and Lord adds vers 8. But ye are departed out of the way ye haue caused many to stumble at 〈◊〉 Law ye haue corrupted the 〈◊〉 of Leui saith the Lord of Hosts therefore haue I also made you contemptible and base before all the people And elsewhere God complaines of them a Esay 28.7 They 〈◊〉 in vision they stumble in iudgement b Ezech. 22.26 Sâ—phâ— 3.4 they haue violated my Law and haue prophâ—â—ed mine holy things they haue put no difference betweene the holy and prophant and because they did then as they doe now adaies crying to euery purpose c Ierem. 18.18 The Law shall not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the Word from the Prophet God threatens them d Ezech. 7.26 that the Law shall perish from the Priests and Counsell from the Ancients It was therefore a commandement of that which the Priests should do and did not as nowadaies when and where God may say as anciently he said of the People and Priests of Israel e Ose 4.6 9. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because thou hast 〈◊〉 knowledge I will also reiect thou thou shalt bee 〈◊〉 Priest to me seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forgot thy children c. There shall be like People like Priest CHAP. VIII I. The Iudge of the sense and meaning of the Scripture is publick or priuat II. The publick and soueraigne Iudge is God alone III. His iudgement is perfectly giuen in the holy Scriptures IIII. It is not necessariâ— that the Iudge be present and visible V. The publike ministeriall Iudges are the Pastors VI. The priuate Iudges are all Christians VII They that forbid Christians to iudge of their writings are nor led by the Spirit of Christ TO conclude this point and to 〈◊〉 no scruple concerning this whole matter in the conscience of the Reader We say that the Iudge of the sense and meaning of the Scripture is either publick or priuate The publike Iudge is he who iudgeth publikely with a publike authoritie and declares what is true what is false good or bad what one ought to follow or eschew doe or not doe in matter of religion The publike Iudge is either Soueraigne or Ministeriall II. The Soueraigne Iudge is hee whose authoritie is in himselfe and towards vs sufficient irrefragable and so absolute that necessitie is laid vpon vs to yeeld and agree vnto without any doubting contradiction or appeale There is no such Iudge in heauen or in earth but one to wit God speaking to his Church in Christ Iesus by his holy Spirit There is but he alone which hath publike and absolute authoritie who gouernes swaies and commands ouer the consciences who can perswade binde and conuince them He hath giuen his iudgement and sentence and hath enregistred it in the sacred Scripture according to which he gouernes the consciences bowing bending them to the obedience of the same by his holy Spirit And indeed what other could be the Soueraigne Iudge of the sense of the Scripture but he who is the author of the scripture who can better interpret a mans words meaning then he which hath spoken them And who can better interpret the sense and meaning of the Law then the Law-giuer which hath made it who is so fit and apt for it as hee who being all wise and all holy cannot and being all good will not deceiue or beguile vs III. There is nothing more apparent then that his iudgement is contained in the holy Scriptures a 2. Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God it containes then the iudgement of the holy Ghost b 2. Tim. 3.15 They are able to make vs wise vnto saluation through faith which is in Christ Iesus And for this cause are we commanded to heare them c Luke 16.29 They haue saith Abraham touching the brethren of the rich man Moses and the Prophets let them heare them As they e Acts 17.29 of Berea are commended for that they sought in the same the iudgement of the holy Spirit concerning Saint Pauls doctrine the cause of all errors being that men doe not stick fast to it as Iesus Christ reprocheth and chargeth the Sadduces with telling them f Mark 12.24 Doe ye not therefore erre because ye know not the Scriptures nor the power of God And it being impossible that any can learne and bee perswaded or moued else-where to beleeue in Christ and amend his life Abraham hath so testified borne record to the naughtie rich man who required that Lazarus should be sent to his brethren g Luke 16.31 If saith hee they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Iesus Christ hath more euidently testified it vnto the Iewes speaking of the Scriptures and of himselfe If h Iob. 5.46.47 yee had beleeued Moses ye would haue beleeued me for he wrote of me but if ye beleeue not his writings how shall ye beleeue my words This hath been acknowledged and granted of all the Fathers i Ignat. epist ad Philadelph who refused to accept and admit of any records or euidences then those of Christ k Cyp. epist 63. who will heare none other but Christ l Ambr. de fide lib. 1. c. 4. Hieron in Psal 86. Optat. August Chrysost c. who in all their disputations against hereticks doe appeale vnto the iudgement of Christ speaking in the Scriptures except they had to doe with such as denied the Scriptures IIII. But if they obiect that the
and filled with violence then when m Genes 6.2 the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men and tooke them wiues of all which they chose To proue this we neede but enter into great Cities and may iustly cry against them as in old time the Prophet cried against Ierusalem n 〈◊〉 3.1 Wee to her that is gluttenous fi lt his and polluted to the oppressing Citie The strong are within her roaring Lions they are night-wolues which leaue no bones to gnaw vpon in the morning of whom the Prophet Micah prophesied o Mica 2.1.2 Wee to them that deuise iniquitie and worke euill vpon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because it is in the power of their hand and they couet fieldes and take them by vilence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his house euen a man and his heritage The women and maides do paint their faces and tire their heads like p 2. King 9.30 Iezabel They dance as the daughter q Mat. 14.6 of Herodias did They go abroad with a Mercers shop on their shoulders of whom it is written as otherwhiles of the daughters of Sion r Isai 3.16.17 Because the daughters of Sion are haughtie and walke with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes walking and mincing as they goe and making a tinckling with their feete The Lord will smite with a scabbe the crowne of the head of the daughters of Zion and the Lord will discouer their secret parts There are but few that can say with this young Lord that they haue not committed adulterie that they haue kept the Commandement in regard of the outward righteousnesse of the Law yea few that know the Commandements yea that will heare speake of them few therefore whom our Lord Iesus Christ loueth as he loued this young man although he loued him not with that speciall loue wherof S. Iohn witnesseth that hauing ſ John 13.1 loued his owne which were in the world he loued them vnto the ende Hee loued him because he saw in him a desire to profit but he loued him not as hauing profited much He loued him to conuince him of sin but he loued him not to conuert him from his sinne He loued him to warne and admonish him of that which he should doe but he loued him not to make him to doe it He loued him to instruct him he loued him not to saue him He loued him with that measure of loue wherewith he loued the Doctor of Law who although he asked him which is the great Commandement in the Law in tempting him t Mat. 22.35 hee omitted not to approue the good he found in him and to say vnto him u Mark 12.34 Thou art not farre from the kingdome of heauen But he loued him not with that loue wherewith he loued his disciples x Iohn 15.9.13 As my Father hath loued me so haue I loued you greater loue hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friends In a word he loued him with a common loue of a Doctor teaching with mildnesse those which came to him but he loued him not with that speciall loue of a Sauiour wherewith he hath loued none but his Church as it is written y Ephes 5.25.26.27 He loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Louing him therefore with that common loue of a Doctor and Teacher he proceedes to instruct him and saith vnto him X. a Mat. 19.21 If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and follow me What is that to say If thou wilt be perfect It is as much as to say saith Bellarmine b Bellar. de monach c. 9. §. 18. Si nones contentus vita aeterna sed aspiras ad excellentem gradum in ipsa vita aeterna as if thou art not content with eternall life but doest aspire vnto an excellent degree in eternall life O man wherewith can he content himselfe that is not contented with eternall life which is the gaine of the death of the Sonne of God and of all that which God promiseth which God giueth vnto those he loues all that the Saints sigh after the Abstract and epitome of all that which they beleeue all which they desire and indeuour to apprehend all that which they obtaine apprehēd Where hath Christ Iesus taught any not to content himselfe with eternall life Where is it written that to be perfect is as much as not to be content with eternall life as much as to aspire vnto a more excellent degree in eternall life How can such a glosse agree with the Text For let them tell me if this young man had already merited eternall life or no If hee had merited it then it would follow that hee that is no Christian that is not iustified in the bloud of Christ that is not sanctified by the Spirit of Christ that hath not acknowledged Christ but a good Master and Doctor and not for his good Sauiour that neuer followed Christ that refused to follow Christ can merit eternall life Now if eternall life can be gotten without Christ Christ came into the world in vaine in vaine is he dead and hath fully finished the worke of our redemption in vaine If he had merited it how went hee away sorrowfull when Christ counselled him to sell all that he◠had and to follow him How came it to passe that he went not rather away altogether ioyfull and content For hee enquired onely of eternall life and Christ gaue him this testimonie if we beleeue Bellarmine that hee had already merited eternall life there was then great occasion of great ioy And as touching the words Goe and sell that thou hast it was saith Bellarmine but a Counsell which Christ left to his choice either to doe it or to leaue it vndone without danger There was then no subiect no cause of sorrow except they will affirme that the Saints which neuer wore a Monkes Cowle nor euer haunted a Cloister shall haue wherewith to bee sorrowfull in heauen seeing themselues depriued of that more excellent degree of glory which is nothing else but the Aureola in that part there to the end the holy Ghost may be condemned of falsehood in the description of the eternall happinesse which hee setteth downe saying that there shall be no more sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine And if he hath not fulfilled the Law he hath not deserued eternall life as his owne conscience witnessed against him when he went away sorrowfull as our Sauiour Christ declared after he was gone saying d Mark
IACOBS VOVV OPPOSED TO THE VOWES OF MONKES AND FRIERS The first Volume in two Bookes Of the Holy Sripture And Euangelicall Counsels WRITTEN IN FRENCH BY Mr. GILBERT PRIMEROSE MINISTER of the Word of God in the Reformed Church of Burdeaux And TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH by IOHN BVLTEEL Minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ August de Trinit lib. 4. c. 6. Contra Rationem Scripturas Ecclesiam Nemo Sobrius Christianus Pacificus Senserit 2. COR. 13.8 We can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth LONDON Printed by Felix Kyngston for Nathaniel Newbery and are to be sold at his shop vnder Saint Peters Church in Corne-hill and in Popes-head Alley 1617. TO HIS DEARE AND LOVING BRETHREN Mr. IAMES BVLTEEL AND Mr. PETER BVLTEEL Merchants I. B. wisheth increase of externall prosperitie and internall peace and comfort in this life and eternall felicitie in the life to come through our Lord Iesus Christ ALL Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God deare and louing Brethren and is profitable for doctrine a 2. Tim. 3.16.17 for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished vnto all good workes And therefore the same Scripture is called b Heb 6.5 the good Word of God c Psal 119.103 the sweete Word d Heb. 4.12 the quicke and powerfull Word e Colos 1.5 the Word of truth f Heb. 5.13 the Word of righteousnes g Act. 14.3 the Word of grace h Act. 13.26 the Word of saluatioÌ„ i Psal 19.7 making wise the simple yea k 2. Tim. 3.15 wise vnto saluation through faith which is in Christ Iesus l Psal 19 â— conuerting the soule reioycing the heart enlightning the eyes m Rom. 15.4 instructing vs and n Deut. 31.13 making vs to feare God â—â—endring in vs o Iob. 20.31 faith p Rom. 15.4 consolation hope patience q Joh. 5.39 hauing 〈◊〉 eternall life r Joh. 20.31 Gregor 1. Origen Isider Fulgent Athanas Greenam Tilen Molin for by it wee beleeue in Christ Iesus and beleeuing we haue life through his name Hence it commeth to passe that the holy Scripture is for diuers considerations diuersly termed of the Fathers both ancient and moderne A long Epistle which the Creator sends to the creature The Testament of God the Sonne The Librarie of God the holy Ghost The booke of true loue wherein God vnfoldeth his loue vnto man The mirror of Diuine grace and mans misery The rich Treasury of the King of glory wherein is the spiritual Manna the Bread of life common to the perfect ones and to the young ones where is Iacobs Well out of the which the learned and the simple may drinke where are meates for all ages the sincere and wholesome milke of the Word the two Testaments being the two brests of the Church of God for the new borne babes and strong meates for them that are of full age where are remedies for all euils preseruatiues to keepe vs from diseases plasters to heale our wounds weapons against tentations heresies a sword to kill hereticks a touchstone of truth to display error an exact rule of all things the Mistris of faith and of vertue a lanterne to direct our steppes an anker in time of tempest Yea the Scripture is called Paradise God sometimes Å¿ Ambros ep 41 Deambulabat Deus in Paradiso nunc deambulat in Paradise Deus quando scripturas lego Paradisus Genesis in quo virtutâ—s pullulant Patriarcharum Paradisus Deuteronomium in quâ— germinant legis praecepta Paradisus Euangelium in quâ— arbor vitae bâ—nos fructus facit walked in Paradise saith Saint Ambrose and now God walketh in Paradice when I reade the Scripture Genesis is a Paradise wherein the vertues of the Patriarkes doe branch forth Deuteronomie is a Paradise wherein the Law doth spront forth The Gospell is a Paradise wherein the tree of life doth bring forth good fruits And truly well may it be called a Paradise for the godly person can in no place finde a sweeter and pleasanter refreshing then in the Paradise of the holy Scriptures where the tree of knowledge is not of that that was forbidden but of that which is appointed of God for the elect where standeth in the middes the tree of life which is Chris t. The dore whereunto is not kept close by Cherubins and the fierie sword but it is opened by the instinct of the holy Spirit and the light of the Gospell to all that be hungrie where the riuers be of liuely waters whereof the Church of the faithfull is ouerflowne and cherished and where the mindes of the godly are enriched with most fine gold and precious stones that is with the riches of heauenly graces t Muscul loc Com. cap. 20. de S Script where bee trees of all sortes faire to the eye and sweete to the taste trees planted by God handsome and fruitfull that is the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles where the aire passeth very smooth and calme I meane the breathing of the holy Spirit most sweetly cherishing the hearts of the dwellers in this Garden where the voice of God is walking and seeking the saluation of the seduced man not crying this onely Adam where art thou but calling all men also vnto him instructing and teaching the ignorant correcting and prouoking to amendment them that do sinne shewing vnto them that bee deceiued the tree of true knowledge leading them that bee subiect vnto death and destruction vnto the tree of life raising vp them that are fallen comforting the carefull and refreshing them that bee wearie The Garden of Eden out of the which Adam was thrust for his disobedience had scarsely the shadow of the true pleasure which the Elect doe enioy in this garden of holy Scripture wherein they heare the voice of God they see the appearings of Angels they bee conuersant with the holy Patriarkes and Prophets with Christ himselfe and the Apostles and do feede on the tree of life not onely taking no hurt but exceeding profit being made partakers of it for euer But as the old Serpent indeuoured to banish our first parents out of the corporall and terrestriall Paradise so hath he laboured to banish his posteritie out of the spiritual and heauenly Paradise of the holy Scripture depriuing them of the vse profit and consolation thereof Witnesse the u August contra Petil. lib. 1. c. 27. Circumcellians who seduced by this old SerpeÌ„t and brought into a distast dislike therof contemptuously refused and contumeliously reiected yea defaced and burnt the Scripture If x Ioseph Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 4. a wicked Souldier and an Heathen was beheaded by the Commandement of Cumanus an Heathen gouernor of Iudaea for tearing a copie of the booke of the Law of Moses at the sack of a Towne What were these wicked hereticks not heathen but Christians though vnder that name worse then
which lighteth euery man that commeth into the world Seuenthly that the fathers are so many in number their writings in like manner that though a man had an iron body he could not take the paines to reade them all and though he had a memory of steele he could not remember the expositions of all of them that there is no man liuing which hath them all no man liuing which hath read all those we haue yea I suppose and presume that I may say truely that all the liuing together haue not read them all whereas all can and may reade the Scripture ouer and ouer euery one oftentimes learne by it with prayer and labour all that is necessarie for their saluation Eightly lastly that the Scriptures are snatched out of the peoples hands deteined in such a brutish ignorance that they cannot know if the things written by the Fathers are of the Scripture or no the meanes to reade the Fathers is taken away from them so that they cannot know how they expound the Scriptures and therefore it is a meere mockerie to send the ignorant to the Fathers which they haue neuer read which they cannot reade though they would and dare not reade them though they could and whom they cannot vnderstand though they should reade them and therefore are taught to referre themselues in all these things to that which their Pastors and Doctors will make them beleeue II. This is the sense of that which followeth in the Pastorall letter where to that which hath been said that we ought not to speake of the Scriptures otherwise then the fathers expound them is added And besides your spirituall Fathers Pastors and Doctors that are instituted of God grounded on the lawfull succession of the Apostles to expound and interpret it to you f Malach. 27. Labia Sacerdotis custodient scientiam ex ore eius legem requirent The Priests lipps shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke and aske the Law at his mouth III. We ought not to take away from the true Pastors and Doctors any thing of that which God giues them Saint Paul saith of himselfe and of all g 1. Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God and elsewhere h 2. Co. 5.19.20 God hath committed vnto vs the Word of reconciliation We therfore are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by vs. We ought then to account and esteeme of them and to put them in another ranke then priuate persons are we are to heare them with attention and reuerence in the declaration of their commission And if we honour the Ministers and Ambassadours of a Prince for the Princes sake who sends them how much more shall we honour and reuerence the Ministers of Christ Iesus who is the i Acts 3.15 Prince of life and hath written on his thighe k Reuel 19.16 The King of Kings and Lord of Lords for Christ Iesus sake But they ought also to know that they are but Ministers of Christ therfore are not Lords and Masters ouer the Church which is the body and spouse of Christ that they are the Ministers of Christ therfore are called administerium non ad magisterium to serue and that with labor and paines like those which row in shipps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greeke word beareth and not to gouerne and play the Regent according to their owne fancie and affection that they are stewards of the great mysteries of God of the great mysteries of the Gospel the which they must distribute that is to say preach and apply it to the vse and saluation of the Saints That they are the Ambassadors for Christ and therefore they ought to produce their letters and patent of their commission and declare faithfully the substance of the same without any addition diminution or changing thereof They are no more priuiledged then Saint Paul was who l 1. Cor. 11.23 receiued of the Lord that which he deliuered vnto them and m Acts 26.22 Rom. 1.22 hath giuen nothing but that which was written touching the substance of the doctrine And of that whereof euery one had the copie in hand to examine if he kept himselfe in the precincts and compasse of his charge and commission as n Acts 17.11 they of Berea did with praise and commendation IIII. Therefore the Apostle hauing declared what is their charge and function and the dignitie or excellencie thereof giues them this admonition o 1. Cor. 4.2 Moreouer it is required in Stewards that a man be found faithfull faithfull in care in labor and especially in the preaching of the will of God in purenesse and simplicitie without any mixture of humane traditions his will say we wholy comprehended in the Scriptures of the which God will that all should haue copie as being all his children and hauing right and reason to know the contents of his Testament to the ende that if they which are but his Teachmen and Heralds doe interpret other language then his relate and deliuer otherwise then that which he hath giuen in writing and hauing sent the copies throughout all the world they be not heard what succession soeuer they pretend Aaron from and by whom the Leuiticall succession began p Exod. 32.4 made a golden calfe and notwithstanding the Leuits who were inferiour vnto him would not be partakers of his sinne q but obserued the words of God and kept them If a prophet or a dreamer of dreames did arise amongst the people and made signes and miracles and hee say let vs goe after other Gods and let vs serue them God commanded to put such a one to death and saith to the people r Thou shalt not hearken vnto the words of that prophet or dreamer of dreames c. Yee shall walke after the Lord your God and feare him and keepe his commandements and obey his voyce and you shall serue him and cleaue vnto him In like manner the Prophet Isaiah sends them to ſ Isai ◠20 the Law and to the testimony saying If they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Saint Peter also to the Pastors and Ministers t 1. Pet. 4.11 If any man speake let him speake as the oracles of God And Saint Iohn writing to a woman and in her person to all u 2. Iohn 10. If there come any vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not into your house neither bid him God speede V. Neither is there any succession that is free or can priuiledge them Vriah the high Priest descended by succession from Aaron builds contrary to Gods commandement an Altar according to the patterne of that of Damascus and sets it in the Temple x 2. King 16.11 according to all that the King Ahaz had sent from Damascus Caiphas hauing the succession with the Scribes and
b Rom. 8.14 for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God but c Rom. 8. â— if any man haue not the Spirit of God he is none of his Therefore the infidels the hypocrites and all vnregenerated Christians of what religion soeuer they be being destitute of the first qualitie and condition required in a good worke wee may say of them that which our Sauiour Christ said of the Pharisees their companions d Mat. 12.34 O generation of Vipers how can yee being euill speake good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh V. The second condition of a good worke is that it be wel done whereunto is required first that it be conformable vnto the word of God in all things so that he which hath done it may protest with Dauid e Psal 119.105 Thy word is a lampe vnto my feet and a light vnto my path If it declines or swarues neuer so little the workeman of the same is accursed by this sentence and decree f Deut. 27.26 Gal. â— 10 Cursed bee hee that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them Now as God is a Spirit g Rom. 7.14 so the Law is spirituall and is giuen first and principally to the Spirit and is the rule not onely of outward actions but also of the most hidden and secret thoughts of the heart It is not enough that a man lay not violent and bloudy hands on his brother h Mat. 5.22 If he be angrâ—e with his brother without a cause i 1. Ioh. 3.15 if he hate his brother the Scripture sayes he is a murtherer Hee that hath not actually coÌ„mitted adulterie with his brothers wife if he looks on her to lust after her Christ Iesus sayth k Mat. 5.28 he hath committed adulterie with her already in his heart Which of the Heathen knowes that the Law hath beene written in his heart to the ende it might rule his thoughts which of them hath thought that hidden lust was a vice which of them hath emptied and purged his heart of it what doe wee speake of Infidels How great is the number of our Christians that know not the ten Commandements although there are but ten how few are there of them that know them which thinke on them to conforme their liues according to them To tell them of lust or concupiscence and to condemne it as a sinne is so strange a paâ—â—doxe vnto them that if God himselfe should come downe from heauen to tell them of it they would not beleeue it so ignorant are they in the knowledge of the true and lawful vses of the Law how then can they order and square their actions by the same This is also the priuiledge of the regenerate to make a benefit of the Law for the direction of his life because God hath ingrauen it in his heart by his holy Spirit which the vnregenerate man knoweth not l Ier. 31.33 I will saith the Lord put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts m Ezech. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my Statutes and yee shall keepe my Indgements and doe them This hath made Lombard to write after Saint Austin Prosper and other Fathers that n Lombard lib. 2. dist 41. â—t A. where the knowledge of the eternall truth is wanting there vertue is false although the manners and fashions are very good VI. In the next place A worke to bee a good worke well done must be done in faith o Rom. 14.23 for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne They which are not renued in the spirit of their mind may be enlightned so farre that they may know the truth and make profession of it and take pleasure in it for a time as Simon Magus and Iudas who beleeued by a temporarie faith but they haue not the iustifying faith p Ephes 3.17 by the which Christ dwelleth in their hearts q Joh. 1.12 Iohn 3.16 which receiue the Lord Iesus r Gal. 3.14 and all the blossing of Abraham through Christ and the promise of the Spirit through faith applying and appropriating it vnto themselues as Thomas which said vnto him Å¿ Ioh. 20.28.29 My Lord and my God That this is the true faith without equiuocation it appeareth for that the Lord answereth him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou hast beleeued blessed are they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued And by the words of the Aposile t Gal. 2.20 I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who LOVED ME and gaue himselfe for ME. A man shall know by her effects if hee haue this faith u Acts 15.9 Faith purifies the heart x Gal. 5.20 workes by loue y 1. Tim. 1.5 for charitie proceedes out of a pure heart and from a good conscience and of faith vnfained They that are not renewed can seele that they haue not this faith for they feele z Tit. 1.15 that their minde and conscience is defiled and therefore they may resolue and conclude with themselues that God detests and abhorrs them and all that they doe because a Heb. 11.6 it is impossible to please him without faith Witnesse among others Cain who offered sacrifice vnto God and was reiected not because the sacrifice was naught but because hee offered it without faith as it is written b Heb. 11.4 By faith Abel offered vnto God a more excellent sacrifice then Cain The Fathers haue acknowledged the same when they said that c Prosper in lib. Epigram epigrammate 81. Lombard lib. 2. dist 41. lit A. The whole life of Infidels is sinne For that also though a man d 1. Co. 13.1.2.3 could speake with the tongues of Angels and had the gift of prophecie and vnderstood all mysteries and all knowledge and though he had all faith so that he could remoue mountaines and though he bestowed all his goods to feede the poore and though he gaue his body to bee burned and hath not charitie he is as sounding brasse or a tinckling cimball he is nothing and all that profiteth him nothing VII The last condition of a good work is that it be done for a good ende e Aug cont Iulian lib. 2. c. 3. The vertues are discerned from the vices non officijs sed finibus not by the outward duties but by their ends saith Saint Austin The ende of euery worke must bee the glory of God who hath giuen vs vertue wifedome and direction for to doe it It ought to be the end of naturall works also f 1. Cor. 10.31 Whether saith the Apostle ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God How much more ought it to bee the ende of our
pretended Paracler which might be such an holy Ghost as Å¿ Epâ—ph here 's 2â— that of Simon Magâ—â— was or such a one as was carried in poste in a cloke-bagge from Rome to Trent The Heretickes t Terâ—â—â— de â—â—retâ— 50. Nâ—â—â—â— heresâ—â—â—â— Alphabâ—â—â— Grâ—â—â—rum compâ—sâ—â—runt c. Marcus and Câ—lâ—barsuâ— did 〈…〉 new heresie out of the Greeke Alphabet maintaining that the truth could not bee found out without these characters and that the fulnesse perfection of 〈◊〉 wâ—â— contained in these letters for which cause Christ said I am 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 The Hereticks 〈…〉 Apelles Mareâ—â—â— â—â—thsuch like did boast that they had receiued many doctrines and 〈◊〉 without scripture u Euseb bist lib. 5. c. 28. Eusebius â—els vs that the Hereticke Aâ—â—â—mâ—â— did beast that his doctrine was 〈◊〉 from the Apostolike 〈◊〉 x Clem. Alex. 〈◊〉 lib. 7. 〈…〉 did glory in that he had a certain Glaucus for his teacher who had serued as an interpretor to S. Peter that Valentine did vaunt to haue been Saint Pauls auditor that the Marcionites did brag that they were the disciples of them that had seene and heard the Apostle Matthias of whom they held obserued and teached their doctrine In a word as the Scribes and Pharisies esteemed the traditions of the Elders the Râ—bbines their Cabala the Moutanists the new Comforter these Hereticks their reuelations and traditions to be necessary to saluation without the which the truth could not bee learned out of the Scripture So the Papists doe maintaine that the sacred and Canonicall Scripture is not sufficient to prooue matters of faith and charity and therefore haue recourse vnto traditions and the vnwritten word which are necessary to saluatioÌ„ But as the holy Fathers did accuse that iustly Samosateâ—us y Euseb hist lib. 7. cap. 30. because that departing from the Canonicall bookes hee had been author of an hereticall doctrine and had not followed the Apostolicke doctrine Euen so may wee accuse the Papists who haue corrupted the word of God by their traditions and fables and straying from the Scripture haue strayed from the truth And surely it is no maruell if they erre so long as they forsake the sea-manâ— compasse without the which all things are to vs vncertaine yea rather it were a wonder yea more then a wonder if without that compasse they could hold their course and not suffer ship wracke against the rockes the sands and the vnknowne shores of humane traditions For as z Plutar. in vita Thesei in princip Plutarke saith The Histriographers which doe set â—ooâ—th the description of the earth in figure are wont to place in the lowermost part of their mappes the farre distant regionâ— vnknowne vnto them and to marke in the margent such like notes and reasons as these beyond these countries are nothing but deep dry sands without water full of soule ill fauoured venomous beasts or much mud vnnauigable or Scythia forsaken for cold Euen so say wee The Scripture is a map containing a description of the place of our soiourning here in this vale of misery of our iourney to our heauenly Ierusalem containing all thinge necessary for vs in this our pilgrimage both for our instruction and saluation Beyond the Scripture and without the mappe there of as in the lowermost parts and borders of mappes there is nothing but â—â—rra incognita vnknowne land and dry deâ—â—res full of barres sands of humane traditions nothing but stinking pooles full of venomous and cruell beasts that is to say of false opinions and detestable heresies nothing but vnknowne and doubtfull waies the mother of all kind of errors Beyond this Scripture there is nothing but scriptura incognita the vnknowne and vnwritten word and traditions dangerous gulphes and whirle-pooles where the anker of our faith can haue no hold where all our sounding plummets are found too short and where wee must of necessity make shipwrack of our faith and therefore wee keepe our selues within the mâ—ppe and compâ—sse of the Scripture the sea-mans compasse the rule of our sobriety the bridle of our discourse the limit of our faith for our safety lest wee should bee tossed and cast vpoÌ„ some vnknowne coasts so perish a August Hypognost articul 6. Sede in portu fidei catholicae vbi te nuâ—â—a possit fluctuosae curiâ—sitatis tempestas turbare vel mergere we rest our selues in the hauen of the Catholicke faith where no tempest of troublesome â—â—â—â—sity 〈◊〉 either trouble or drowne vs. If then they aske vs why we retaine not their doctrine their determinations decrees Councels and traditions we answere that we receiue them not because they are not described nor contained in the mappe of the holy Scripture if they accuse vs b Matth. 15.2.3 Marke 7.5.7 as the Pharisies and Scribes did the Disciples of Christ because wee walke not according to the traditions of the Elders but transgresse them wee will answere them with Christ Why doe you also transgresse the commandement of God by your tradition In vaine doe ye worship God teaching for doctrine the commandements of men If they reproue vs because we c Fox pag. 1441 Boner will haue no more then Scripture teacheth but euen as Christ hath left it bare we will answere d Thomas Hawkes He that teacheth vs otherwise wee will not beleeue him If they call vs Hertickes wee will confesse with Saint Paul that e Act. 24.14 after the way which they call hereâ—ie so worship we the God of our fathers beleeuing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Nay they themselâ—es are Heretickes because they doe not beleeue all the things that are written in the Law and the Prophets f Fulke against the Rhemists Tit. 3.10 but doe obstinately defend grieuous errours against the manifest authority of the holy Scriptures and detract from them and adde vnto them teaching another doctrine another Gospell and therefore are accursed for it g Gal. 1.8 any man preach another Gospell vnto you then â—hat which you have receiued let him be accursed And h Reuel 22.18.19 if any man adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke If any man shall take away from the words of this booke God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this booke But the Romanists doe not only detract from Scripture and adde vnto it but they peruert it also by their false glosse and irregular expositions which they i 2. Pet. 3.16 wrest vnto their owne destruction as S. Peter saith witnesse the point of Euangelical Counsels which they display to set forth their workes of supererogation the supererogation of their workes placing them aboue the perfection of the Law the Law of perfection though some of them denie any perfection in them and maintaine that they doe auaile but instrumentally
opinion that it is not expedient that all reade the Scriptures Innocentius 3. did forbid the reading of the Scriptures vnto Lay or Secular men saying g Extra de Haereticis cap. Cum ex coniuncto ex Antonij Contij restitutione Rectè fuit in lege diuina statutum vt bestia quae montem tetigerit lapidetur vt videlicet simplex aliquis indoctus praesumat ad subtilitatem sacrae Scripturae pertingere It hath been well enacted and decreed in the Diuine Law that the beast which touched the Mount Sinai should be stoned to death to the ende the simple and vnlearned presume not to attaine vnto the subtiltie of the holy Scripture So hee compares ignorant Christians to beasts and although hee was not ignorant h Thomas in Beet de Trinit that arguments may not bee drawne from allegories hee transformes beasts into men and the i Exod. 19.24 mountaine of Sinai into the holy Scriptures which were not then and considers not that there the Priests also were forbidden to approch or touch the mount which were notwithstanding the guarders and keepers of the Scriptures and that Ioshua himself durst not approach the mount l Joshua 1.8 vnto whom notwithstanding the reading and meditation of the holy Scriptures was expressely commanded But why is it not expedient to reade the Scriptures III. m Bellar. de verbo dei lib. 2. cap. 15. §. 5. They were neuer read say they indifferently of all persons but we find faithful witnes euidence yea of as qualified and great men who conformably to the holy Scriptures say the contrarie and do shew euidently that the Iewes did apply put their children n Claud. Espensaeus in 2. ad Tim. cap. 3. in illa verba quia ab infantia sacras literas nosti to the Bible at the age of fiue yeeres and in the teaching of their children they gaue the first place to the sacred letters beginning with that the which the Iewes did obserue ex prisca consuetudine according to their ancient custom saith Eusebius vntil his time If we do reade the history of the Iewes we shall find there that God commanding them to write his Law commanded thē also to reade the same vnto all without exception of sexe of age of condition saying by Moses to the Priests o Deut. 31.11.12.13 Thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel in their hearing gather the people together men women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may heare that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and obserue to doe all the words of this Law and that their children which haue not knowne any thing may heare and learne to feare the Lord your God And lest they should reply that this commandement is giuen to the Priests and Leuits to reade and to the people to heare onely and to learne it we finde there ouer and besides that the same commandement is giuen to all for thus saith the Lord by his seruant Moses p Deut. 6.6.7.8.9 These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou fittest in thine house and when thou walkest abroad by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt bind them for a signe vpon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets betweene thine eyes and thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thy house and on thy gates q Deut. 4.6 Keepe therefore and doe them for this is your wisedome and vnderstanding in the sight of the nations which shall heare all these Statutes The like may wee see in Deut. 15.18.19.20 He that said r Numb 11.29 Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them did not enuie nor grudge at the peoples reading and vnderstanding of the Scripture which is the rule of prophesie and the powerfull instrument by the which God giues his Spirit to his people In Christs time they read the Scriptures indifferently for Christ saith to them ſ Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures In Saint Pauls time they read the Scriptures for the Iewes of Berea t Act. 17.11 searched the Scriptures daily and are commended for that they did examine the Apostles doctrine by the Scriptures And Timothie euen from u 2. Tim. 3.15 a childe knew the holy Scriptures Aquila and his wife Priscilla though by their occupation poore tent-makers were so skilfull in the Scriptures that x Act. 18.24.26 Apollos an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures did not disdaine to goe to their schoole and to learne of them who expounded vnto him the way of God more perfectly What is the condition of Christians impared and made worse by Christ that hee hath forbidden that which was not onely permitted but also commanded to the Iewes God forbid for the promises of the new Couenant appertaines to vs y Jer. 31.34 They shal all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest of them saith the Lord. All of vs then must reade the Scriptures without which Scripture were cannot attaine vnto any knowledge of God neither can we beleeue in Christ z Iohn 20.31 For these things are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God nor resist the diuell for to resist him we must take a Ephes 6.17 the sword of the Spirit which is the word God neither can wee bee comforted in our afflictions b Rom. 15.4 for whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope nor saued c Iohn 5.39 for in them and by them we haue eternall life In asmuch as the ende of the Scriptures is to bring and leade vs to faith in Christ that d Iohn 20.31 by beleeuing we may haue life through his name for this cause Saint Paul directs and sends his Epistles to the Churches composed of persons of all sexes ages and conditions that they might bee read of all of them euen as all reade those letters that are directed and addressed vnto them as hauing interest to know the cōtents of thē This is that that Saint Gregory did aduise the Phisitian Theoderus who did neglect contemn the daily reading of the words of his Redeemer e Greg. 1. Theodorice medico indict 13. lib. 4. cap. 84. Quid est autem scriptura sacra nisi quadam 〈◊〉 omnipotentis Dei ad creaturam suam c. What is the holy Scripture but a certaine letter and epistle of the Almight is God to his creature surely saith he if you were any where and receiued the writings of an earthly Prince you would not cease you would not rest you would not steepe before that you knew what this earthly Emperour writes vnto you
of the imperfect worke on Saint Matthew o Chrysost in Matth. c. 3. hom 4. To be made righteous and worthy of heauen and therefore to bee washt in his bloud to be renewed and sanctified by his spirit which are the two significations of Baptisme IIII. If any among the liuing should haue beene cleane and pure from sinne The Virgin Marie the holy Virgin the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ ought to haue been of whom the holie Ghost witnesseth that p Luke 1.42 she is blessed among women and whom vntill the worlds ende q Luke 1 48. all generations shall call blessed Blessed certaine for hauing receiued that grace to be the mother of our Sauiour and not for being without sinne and exempted from the number of those which haue neede of a Sauiour for shee was conceiued in sinne according to the Lords sentence r John 3.6 That which is borne of flesh is flesh To be borne of flesh is to bee borne by generation according to the ordinarie course of nature whosoeuer is so borne is flesh Å¿ August de fide ad Pet. Diâ—conum c. 26. Account surely saith Saint Austin that he is borne in originall sinne subiect to impietie subiect vnto death and therefore the childe of wrath The reason is rendred by Saint Paul t Rom. 5.12 where he saith By one 〈◊〉 sinne entred into the world and death by sinne so death passed vpon all men for that all haue sinned And there is none exempted from this number but Iesus Christ u Chrysost de quinta feriâ— passionis hom 6. who alone knoweth not what is sinne alone doth not participat with our fault and did one nothing to sinne and death saith S. Chrysostome following Saint Paul the Apostle who attributes vnto Christ alone the prerogatiue to haue been x Heb. 7.26 holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners because indeed he alone y Pet. diaconus ad Fulgentium is borne after a new manner of generation borne I say of man of the substance of a chosen virgin but not by man not by naturall generation but by the supernaturall operation of the Holy Ghost who of the substance of the virgin formerly sanctified by him did appropriate and fit a body to our Sauiour and inspired in the same a most pure and a most holy soule This new manner of generation and conception without spot hath caused that our Lord hath not felt the contagion of earthly corruption being hee alone a Dan. 2.45 who hath beene cut out of the mountaine without hands being the immediate worke of the hand of God which not appertaining to the holy Virgin conceiued and borne after the manner and common order of other men she hath had neede of Gods grace and mercie as other men haue she hath prayed forgiue vs our debts as well as other men and as a member of the Church shee hath beleeued for her selfe all the Articles of the beliefe and this Article among the rest I beleeue the remission of sinnes To be short seeing that she died as other men doe she was a sinner as other men are b 1. Cor. 15.56 for the sting of death that which giueth life and strength to death is sinne take away the sting from death and it is dead whosoeuer is without sinne as all of vs shall bee in the Kingdome of heauen may boldly defie death and vpbraide it with the Apostle c 1. Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie That is the reason why Christ could not haue died if God d 2. Cor. 5.21 had not made him to be sinne for vs that is to say if he had not imputed vnto him our sinne as to him who had constituted himselfe the pledge and suretie for sinners and their prayer vnto the very last farthing or mite I beleeue religiously that the Virgin hath been a lesse sinner then other men but I also beleeue that a woman-sinner she hath beene as well as other men because she her selfe hath taught me to beleeue it so I read her Song and I see her publishing with a loud voyce e Luke 1.47 that her spirit hath reioyced in God her Sauiour In God therefore who hath forgiuen her her sinnes for Christ is not otherwise a Sauiour f Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Iesus saith the Angell to Ioseph for he shall saue his people from their sinnes and shall not saue them otherwise as he himselfe protesteth saying g Mat. 9.13 I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance h Mat. 15.24 I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel i Mat. 18.11 The Sonne of man is come to saue that which was lost for them alone hath he beene sent k Isai 61.1.2.3 Luke 4.18.19 to preach good tidings vnto the meeke and vnto the poore to bind vp the broken-hearted to proclaime libertie to the captiues and the opening of the prison to them that are bound to comfort all that mourne c. To them onely came he and them alone he calles vnto him l Mat. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie laden m Iohn 7.37 If any man thirst let him come vnto me n Mat. 9.12 that are sicke declaring that they that are whole and holy haue no neede of him wherefore either the Mother of our Sauiour was a sinner or our Lord and Sauiour was not her Sauiour and Redeemer and shee should haue sung for others and not for her selfe that the Lord o Luke 1.53.54 hath filled the hungry with good things and hath remembred his mercie which mercie she should neuer haue felt she should neuer haue thirsted after seeing shee should neuer haue felt the miserie of sinne nor the wrath of God the iust wages of sinne This is so cleare and apparent that it needeth not any longer and ampler proofe V. Notwithstanding if the consent of the Church can bee of some weight to make it the more credible it is the common and ordinarie voyce of the Church that p August cont Iulianum All humane flesh Christs flesh onely excepted is flâ—sh of sinne because that q Idem contra Pelagium lib. 2. c. 40. ex Ambrosio of man and of the woman that is to say of the coniunction of their bodies none is without sinne and he that is without sinne is ingendred and borne without this conception And so all the rest Origen Chrysostome Anselme Fulgentius Bernard and Peter Lombard the Master of the Schoolemen all which write that the holy Virgin was conceiued in sinne and borne in iniquitie as all other men are And from thence Saint Bernard drawes an argument to condemne the feast of the conception of the Virgin Marie then newly instituted and ordained saying that r Bernard ad Canonicos Lugdun epist 174. Quum ritus ecclesiae
voice from whence Saint Cyprian inferres l Cypri de â—pere Elâ—emosia The Martyrs that none can bee without sinne that there remaines as yet to those which are healed some wounds that whosoeuer saith he is without sinne is either proud or senselesse Not the Martyrs for it is written of all of them m Reuel 7.14 That they washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe Then had they them soiled and distained and haue not found any thing in themselues wherewith to make them white n Reuel 14.5 These are such in whose mouth was found no guile Surely saith Saint Austin o August de peccat merit lib. 2. c. 7. because they haue reproued themselues sincerely and therefore no guile was found in their mouth For if they said that they had had no sinne they should deceiue themselues and truth should not be in them and where truth is not there is vntruth X. Not the whole Church The whole Church which so long as it warres in this vale of miserie beleeues by an article of faith the remission of sinnes not surely the sinnes of others but her owne sinnes for sinnes are pardoned to none but to the Church This is her voice p Canticles 1.5 I am blacke but comely She is not saith Saint q Bernar. in Cant Serm. 25. Bernard without some spot of blacknesse but surely here in the place of her pilgrimage for the time will 〈◊〉 when the Spouse of glory will make her glorious without spot without wrinkle and such like things But if she should now say that she hath no blacknesse at all she should deceiue her selfe and truth should not be in her Neither saith she so but contrariwise she cries incessantly vpon God in all her members r Mat. 6.12 Forgiue vs our trespasses in her most holy members For as Saint Austin saith Å¿ August in Psal 142. The excellent Rammes amongst Christe sheepe haue receiued commandement to pray so Then how much more the rest whereof none can say that he is without the contagion of â—â—â—ne that he neede not pray euen so Not Moses not Samuel not Elias not Iohn Baptist not Saint Peter not Saint Paul not Saint Iohn not any one of those that haue obtained good witnesse and testimony from God in the Scripture This voice this language â—aith t Gregor Nysse de orati domin Serm. 5. Gregorie of Nyssen appertaines vnto them all If they were now in the world liuing on earth in this humane frailty the necessitie of sinning would impose vpon them a necessitie of praying in regard of their sinnes past Forgiue vs our sinnes and in respect of their sinnes to come Leade vs not into tâ—ntation and that not onely for others but also for themselues not onely in humilitie as the Pelagians said but also in truth for saying they were sinners by humilitie and not being sinners truly they should lie through humilitie and in lying they should bee sinners as it hâ—th beene decided of old by u Concil Mileuit can 6.7.8 the Councell held at Mileuiâ—um in Numidia with denunciation of Anatheâ—â— and curse against those that made the Apostles and other Saints confessors of their sinnes for humblenesse sake in 〈◊〉 not in truth x Canon 8. Quis enim ferat â—rantem non hominibus sed ipsi Dâ—minâ— mentiâ—nâ—em It were saith the Councell to lie vnto God and not vnto men Let vs therefore conclude this argument with Saint Ieromâ— and say y Hieron ad Rusticum epist 44. If Abraham Isaac Iacob the Prophets also and Apostles haue not beene without sinne If the purest wheate hath had his straw and chaffe what can bee said of vs of whom it is written z Jerem. 23.28 What is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord CHAP. VIII I. The places aboue mentioned are expounded and vnderstood of veniall sinnes by Bellarmine II. Euery sinne is mortall in his nature which appeares III. If it be measured to God IIII. To the Law V. And to the death of Iesus Christ VI. All sinnes are veniall by grace to him that is in Christ Iesus VII Are notwithstanding some greater then othersome VIII The last Argument Neuer any Monke kept neuer could haue kept the Law BEllarmine a Bellar. de monach c. 13. §. 32.36 expounds all these places of veniall sinnes without the which we are not or are very rarely in this life notwithstanding for all this we may be iust and doe workes of supererogation II. This man when hee writ thus was doubtlesse cauterized and seated in his conscience in regard of the feeling of sinne And thus it is that now adaies they sew cushions vnder the elbow of the poore abused world and crie Peace peace to them for whom there is no peace they make many soules liue that should not liue flattering them in their sinnes by a wretched distinction of sinnes into mortall and veniall a distinction contrary vnto the Scripture which speaking of sinne in generall without distinction without limitation saith b Rom. 6.23 that the wages of sinne is death and denounceth plainely that c Ezech. 18.4 the soule that sinneth it shall die Let sinne be measured to God to the Law to Christ Iesus and they will finde that it is so III. To God d Psal 51.4 Against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight saith Dauid vnto God and the most holy men must say the like with him for can a man sinne without transgressing the Law of God and therefore without offending God And who will say that a trespasse against God is a veniall sinne Among vs men the sinne and offence multiplies according to the proportion of the person which is offended and of the place where it is committed The wrong done to a priuate person either in word or deede may bee repaired and satisfied by an honourable amends or by a pecuniarie fine and amercement but to thinke ill of his Prince is a crime of high treason to speake ill of him deserues not the gallowes not the sword but the pinsers the wheele the fire the extremest torments If a sonne rebell against his father if the seruant disobeieth his Master if the subiect despiseth the commandements of his Soueraigne the father thinkes he hath iust occasion to disinherit his son the Master to vse hardly his seruant the Lord to reiect his subiect to pursue him to prâ—scribe him to put him to death And the Creator of all the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords the Father the Redeemer the Sauiour of vs all shall bee wronged and iniured in words in thoughts in bad and wicked deedes and actions by his creatures by his seruants by his children by his subiects and shall be wronged and offended in his owne house and in his presence and some one or many of euill seruants shall call and crie vnto their fellow-mates and companions that it
Luke 18.13 God be mercifull to me a sinner and I am assured that I shall returne to my house iustified because x Psal 145.18 the Lord is nigh vnto all them that call vpon him to all that call vpon him in truth CHAP. IX I. The Righteousnesse of the Saints in this life consists rather in the remission of sinnes then in the perfection of vertues II. The first obiection God hath promised to circumcise our hearts to the ende we loue him with all our heart III. An Answere to this obiection IIII. Second obiection Many haue this testimony that they haue kept the Law and haue loued God with all their heart V. An Answere to this obiection VI. According to Dauids words in the 119 Psalme VII And the consent of the Ancient Fathers THe a Psal 19.7.8.9 Law of the Lord is perfect The Testimonie of the Lord is sure the Statutes of the Lord are right the Commandement of the Lord is pure the Iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether In this word therefore there is nothing imperfect nothing doubtfull nothing crooked nothing impure nothing false nothing that bends to one side there is no opposition no contradiction By it haue we proued that there is no thought word or action of the holiest men which being ruled and leuelled by the Law of God is not found crooked and oblique For S. Austin said b August in Psal 42. How streight and vpright soeuer I seeme to my selfe thou drawest a rule from thy treasurie thou measurest and squarest me by the same and I am found crooked and awry Whence I concluded and doe conclude againe c August de Ciuit Dei lib. 19. cap. 27. that our righteousnesse it selfe although it be true hauing respect vnto the end of true good wherevnto it is referred and applied is notwithstanding such of that nature in this life that it consists rather in the remission of sins then in the perfection of vertues Witnesse saith S. Austin the prayer and supplication of the Citie of God which is a Pilgriâ—esse on earth which cries to God in all her members Forgiue vs our debts By this word notwithstaÌ„ding they that are ashamed to be too much bound vnto God and presume to haue obtained plenteously grace of Christ to haue no more neede of Christ indeuour to improue and impugne this truth and opposing the Scripture to it selfe doe seeke in it men that haue perfectly kept the Law and arguments concluding that the Law may be kept by him that is here liuing on earth assisted with the grace of God II. God say they hath promised so to worke in men 1 Obiection that in the time of the new Testament he may be loued with all the heart with all the soule and Moses said vnto the people d Deut. 30.6 Bellar. de monach c. 13. §. 24. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine hart and the hart of thy seed to loue the Lord thy God with al thine hart and with al thy soulâ— that thou mayest liue And there are many such like promises in the Prophets wherefore either God hath lied which cannot bee or this Commandement is simply fulfilled in this life III. e Rom. 3.4 Let God be true but euery man a lyar as it is written that thou mightest f Psal 51.4 be iustified in thy sayings and mightest ouercome when thou art iudged That which he promiseth hee performeth but he hath not promised that we shall loue him in this life with a perfect loue wherein nothing is omitted nothing can bee desired but onely that hee will circumcise our hearts that we may loue him with al our hearts which he doth by order and successiuely giuing vs here the beginnings and proceedings and so prosecuting that which concernes vs vntill he folly consummate it and finish it in the Kingdome of heauen vnto which is reserued the prerogatiue to bee inhabited by the Saints which haue neither wrinkle nor spot nor any such like thing IIII. 2 Obiection Bell. ibid. §. 2â— But there haue been some found that haue kept the Law God saith of Dauid * 1. King 14 8. He hath kept my Commandements and hath followed me with all his heart to doe that onely which was right in mine eies And of Iosiah g 2. King 23.25 like vnto him was there no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him Dauid witnesseth also of himselfe before God and saith h Psal 119.10 With my whole heart haue I sought thee * Bellar. de iustificat lib. 4. c. 11. §. 11 12. 13. Saint Luke writeth of Zacharie and Elizabeth his wife i Luk. 1.6 They were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse And Iesus Christ saith of his Apostles k Iohn 17.6 They haue kept thy Word these therefore haue kept the Law V. Surely if they speake of a soueraigne and singular perfection and such a one as the Law requireth vnder paine of eternall damnation condemning concupiscence and all the first bad motions of the Spirit wee haue heretofore proued and conuinced that no man liuing hath so kept the Law Iesus Christ onely excepted l Thom. 2.2 q. 184. art 3. Est autem infimus diuinae dilectionis gradus vt nihil supra eum aut contra eum aut aequaliter ei diligatur A quo gradu persectionis qui deficit nullo modo implet praeceptum The lowest degree of the dilection or loue of God is that nothing be beloued aboue him or against him or alike to him whosoeuer failes of this degree of perfection accomplisheth in no wise the precept saith Thomas None therefore hath euer kept the precept for since the fall there neuer was found any which hath attained vnto this lowest degree of diuine charitie yea that hath not been exceeding farre from it For seeing that m Eccles 7.20 there is not a iust man vpoÌ„ earth that doth good and sinneth not as Salomon saith and that Dauid Iosiah Zacharie the Apostles haue sinned as we haue seene it cannot be but that they haue loued in regard of the flesh sinne aboue God and against God seeing that sinne is against the will of God and displeaseth infinitely the Maiesty goodnesse holinesse and iustice of God The Saints therefore are said to loue God with all their heart because they loue him sincerely and truly without fraud and hypocrisie For sometimes the Scripture opposeth all the heart vnto a double heart witnesse that which is said of those of Zebulun to establish Dauid King ouer Israel n 1. Chro. 12.33 they kept their ranke without a heart and a heart that is expounded by these words these men of warre that could keepe their ranke came with o Vers 38. a
and picke out the words of the Lord and apply them vnto those things which the Lord neuer spake Let vs see wherein and wherewithall III. The Lord saith concerning Eunuches g Isa 56.3.4.5 Let not the Eunuch say Behold I am a drie tree for thus saith the Lord vnto the Eunuches that keepe my Sabbaths and choose the things that please me and take hold of my Couenant Euen vnto them will I giue in mine house and within my walles a place and a name better then of sonnes and of daughtes I will giue them an euerlasting name that shall not bee cut off h Bellar. de Monach c. 9. §. 3. seqq Bellarmine maintaines that this place is to be vnderstood of voluntarie continent or chast men and hee proues it first by the authoritie of Saint Ierome Cyrill Austin Basil Gregorie Secondly by the words which choose the things that please me for they are said to choose which are not compelled by any precept Thirdly because the Lord saith vnto them I will giue vnto them a name better then of sonnes and of daughters for they that are not Eunuches are not excluded from the Kingdome of heauen yea they are also called sonnes and daughters Now that continency and chastitie is truly meritorious and worthie of a singular and peerelesse glory he proues it by these words I will giue them an euerlasting name that shall not be cut off IIII. I may with right and reason imploy and apply in this place Elihu's words which hee spake to Iobs friends I said i Iob 32.7.8.9.10 Daies should speake and multitude of yeeres should teach wisedome but there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almightie giueth them vnderstanding Great men are not alwaies wise neither doe the aged vnderstand iudgement therefore I said Hearken to me I also will shew mine opinion The Ancients haue seene much but they haue not seene all they were wise but wisedome died not with them The spirit which bloweth where it listeth was not onely in them but yet inspires them whom he will and manifesteth vnto many that whereof they were ignorant They haue reaped but they haue left somwhat to gleane after them they haue finished their vintage but not without leauing vs some grape-gleaning The exposition of this place amongst many others confirmes this Some of them but not all of them haue expounded this allegorically and we haue learnt and seene heretofore k Thomas summa 1. q. â— art 10. ex Augustino by one of them that we may draw an argument from the literall sense alone and not from things that are spoken by allegorie The allegorie can haue here no place for the Eunuches which lamented because they were drie trees are comforted there the voluntary chaste men are not drie trees they are if wee beleeue them trees planted by the riuers of water that brings forth their fruite in their season whose leaues shall not wither yea which bring forth fruite in such superabundance that they haue them plentifully both for themselues and for others and a reward is promised to them not because they are Eunuches but because they keepe the Sabbath choose the things that please God and take hold of his Couenant That which was taken literally is of the Law and not of Counsels Our Eunuches hope to receiue a reward because they are continent and chaste in keeping the Counsels and not for keeping the Sabbath and taking hold of the Couenant according to the Commandement The reward which is promised to them is that God will giue them a place in his house a reward not necessary to the voluntarie continent which were not excluded from Gods house but had their place as other men As for the reward which God promiseth to giue them it is not said that they haue merited it vnlesse that they will falsely say men merit that l Act. 14.17 God giues them raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons When they begge their bread of God and crie Giue vs this day our daily bread they merit that God giue them this bread and Saint Paul saith not well that it is not m Rom. 9.16 of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy and therefore it is not God that giues to man and man ought to aske no more with Dauid n Psal 116.12 What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards me that wee ought no more to beleeue that o Rom. 6.23 the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord and p Ephes 2.8.9 that we are saued marke the word Saued by grace through faith and that not of our selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast but it is man that giues to God that merits of God and it is Gods part to aske What shall I render vnto man And againe the Scripture is faultie when it demaunds q Rom. 11.35 Who hath first giuen to him and it shall be recompe sed vnto him againe And proues that man can giue nothing to God merit nothing of God because r Rom. 11.36 that for him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for euer Amen V. In this Text therefore no mention is made of any keeping the pretended Counsels for being such they should bee such either of the Law which lasted and continued then or else of the Gospell which came since They could not bee of the Law because Counsels are not of the Law but of the Gospell I speake now according to the hypothesis and position of those which cal them Euangelicall Counsels and place them in the highest degree of the perfection of the new Testament No more are they of the Gospell for the reward is not promised vnto them but vnder this condition that they shal keepe the Sabbaths and the Sabbaths vnderstood literally are not of the Gospell but of the Law for it is expressely said to vs that are of the new Testament Å¿ Col. 2.16 Let no man iudge you in meate or in drinke or in respect of an Holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath dayes VI. Notwithstanding Bellarmine vrgeth the words t Bellar. de monach lib. 2. c. 9. §. 5. that choose the things that please me And expounds them as if God had said which transcending and surpassing the things which I haue commanded framing my selfe vnto mans frailtie shall willingly choose the most perfect things that I desire and would haue A false and wretched exposition First because hee makes God say that in giuing the Commandements hee hath framed himselfe vnto human frailtie as if the Commandements were possible and easie to man in his infirmitie whereas we haue proued that God regards not in his Law what man can doe now in his infirmitie but to that which man who hath heretofore been â—ound and whole owes him u Bernar. in Cantic
Couenant and therefore an Apocryphall booke which may bee read for the instruction of our life as being full of holy instructions and documents touching manners but not for confirmation of Ecclesiasticall doctrine and of faith a booke which Bellarmine confesseth hath been compiled and made by a certaine Philon before Christs time of whom no Historiographer makes mention but which Ierom Lyrinensis Sixtâ—s Senensis Bâ—â—auentura Briton c. doe witnesse to be the work of Philon the most learned among the Iewes who liued in the time of the Apostles but did not adhere nor sticke fast vnto the Apostles and could not make any Canonicall booke appertaining vnto the old Testament i Bellar. de verbo Dâ—i li. 1. c. 13. which hath been finished and perfected in the death of our Sauiour to giue place to the New It is then vnfitly and little to the purpose that Bellarmine alleageth and vrgeth it to strengthen his opinion XI Notwithstanding that which he alleageth serues nothing to his purpose We reade there k Wisedome 3.13.14.15 Blessed is the barren that is vndefiled which hath not knowne the sinfull bed she shall haue fruit in the visitation of soules And blessed is the Eunuch which with his hâ—nds hath wrought no iniquitie nor imagined wicked things against God for vnto him shall be giuen the special gift of faith and an inheritance in the Temple of the Lord more acceptable to his mind for glorious is the fruit of good labours and the roote of wisedome shall neuer fall away This exquisite grace and gift of faith giuen vnto the Eunuch is saith Bellarmine a certaine singular gift answering to his faithfulnesse But let vs see what he speakes of he had said that grace and mercie is to his Saints and he hath care for his elect Vers 9. But the vngodly shall bee punished according to their owne imaginations c. He proues the one and the other part of his saying by a comparison of a woman hauing children which feares not God with a barren woman that feares him and by another comparison of an Eunuch with an adulterer Who so despiseth wisdome and nurture is miserable c. their wiues are foolish and their children wicked their of-spring is cursed He opposeth to these women the barren woman namely that woman who being married hath no children because she is barren and saith Blessed is the barren because saith Lyrinensis l Lyrinens in sapient c. 3. Quia licêt sit in matrimonio non tamen habet filios in eius ignominiam cedentes she hath no children although she be married which may make her a shame and dishonour her And what barren woman She that is vndefiled for saith he if she were barren and an adulteresse she should not be happy but miserable It is she which hath not knowne the sinfull bed She hath knowne the bed because she is married but not in sinne because m Heb. 13.4 that marriage is honourable in all and the bed vndefiled she shall haue fruite in the visitation of soules she shall receiue it from God for her coâ—iâ—gall chastitie better then if she had sonnes and daughters This barren woman therefore is not she which liues in the state of Virginitie which cannot be called barren yea cannot know whether she be barren The same Lyrinensis saith of the Eunuch That it is he which is vnable to ingender and that the exquisit gift of faith which shall bee giuen him is not any singular gift answering his fidelitie but the gift of glory giuen for his faith Donum gloriae quod pro fide formata charitate working by loue a gift common to all the elect a condition in the Temple of the Lord acceptable to his minde surely acceptable and worthy to be wished for aboue any other condition a thing to bee desired and asked of all men aboue all things n Psal 27.4 One thing haue I desired of the Lord saith Dauid that I will seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple This is that which is promised to the Eunuch depriued by reason of his impotencie of all hope of off-spring This is his comfort whereunto is opposed the desolation and miserie of the adulterer As for the children of adulterers saith Philo they shall not come to their perfection and the seede of an vnrighteous bed shall be rooted out c. Therefore he saith that the condition of Eunuches is better then that of adulterers and who doubts of that But hee saith not that the Eunuches are more happie and blessed then they which are married except they say that all married folkes are adulterers and that marriage is more o Heb. 13.4 the bed vndefiled Lastly Bellarmine confesseth that this place is like to that of Isaiah alleaged heretofore wherefore if he hath in vaine and with no effect built his Counsels vpon Isaiahs words which are canonicall these then which are Apocrypha will serue him to no purpose no more then a staffe which is nought but a broken reede CHAP. XVI I. As the pretended Counsels are not to bee found in the old Testament no more are they to be found in the New II. Bellarmines third obiection taken from the parable of the ground bringing forth an hundred sixtie thirtie â—old III. The true meaning of the Parable is expounded and Bellarmines exposition refuted IIII. The fourth obiection concerning the Eunuches which haue made themselues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauens sake V. The true sense of the wordes of our Sauiour Christ. VI. In those words the Lord giueth a precept to them which haue the gift of continencie and chastitie VII To make himselfe an Eunuch for the Kingdome of Heauen is not to abstaine from matrimonie to merit eternall life as Bellarmine saith VIII But to aduance the Kingdome of God according vnto the testimonie of Lyrinensis and of Ferus IX Another interpretation of this place X. The Argument retorted and returned vpon the Aduersarie ORigen writes a Origen â—nâ— Mat. Homil. 25. that for the testimonie of our words which wee produce and alleage in doctrine wee ought to propound and set forth the sense of the Scripture confirming the sense and meaning which we expound For euen as all the gold which shall be without the Temple shall not bee sanctified euen so all sense which shall be without the holy Scripture although it seemes admirable to some is not holy because it is not contained in the sense of the Scripture which hath accustomed to sanctifie it Bellarmine and the Author of the Pastorall Letter doe alleage Scripture for confirmation of their pretended Counsels but against the sense yea euen against the very words of the Scriptures which make no mention at all of Counsels neither in word nor in sense The Scriptures are contained in the oracles of ancient Prophets in the bookes of
will bee plaine Saint Peter said that it was not good for a man to marrie Christ refutes his saying by this syllogisme whosoeuer is such a one as that he is no Eunuch neither by nature nor by necessity nor by the gift of God that he be able to abstaine frō mariage with quietunes and with peace of conscience it is not good for such a one for the saluation of his soule to be without a wise but contrariwise it is expedient for him to marrie for there are but these three sorts of men that can commodiously liue out of the state of marriage but it is not giuen to all to be wiuelesse Now if it bee not expedient for them not to marry it is expedient for them to marrie and they ought and must marrie if they desire to bee saued Saint Paul who had in him Gods Spirit expounds the Lord◠words after this manner y 1. Cor. 7.8 I say to the vnmarried and widdowes It is good for them if they abide euen as I. This is that which our Sauiour saith He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it and that which our Apostle said in the verse going before z 1. Cor. 7.7.9 Euery man hath his proper gift of God one after this manner and another after that He adds But if they cannot containe let them marry for it is better to marrie then to burne This is that which our Sauiour saith All men cannot receiue this saying It is expedient and good for them that are such to marrie VI. This therefore is a precept and no counsell but because there are two sorts of precepts the one common to all as to loue God practise righteousnesse c. the other particular to some onely according to the gift and particular calling of God as to sell all that we haue and to giue it to the poore to follow Christ The ancient Doctors doe call a precept a commandement giuen to all and a Counsell a particular Commandement made particularly vnto some according to Gods gift and calling which also they call sometimes Precept So the ordinary glosse calls this our Lords exhortation a Glossa in Mat. 19. vers 10. Non omnes capiunt id est non omnes implere possunt praeceptum continentiae A precept of continenci◠So Saint Austin calls a Commandement the words of our Lord to the rich man Goe and sell that thou hast c. b August epist 89. quaest 4 cui dominus haec praecepit to whom saith he hath the Lord commanded these things and he repeates the same thing often in 89. Epistle the fourth question In like manner Saint Ierome c Hieron aduers Pelag. lib. 1. In qua praecipitur we must seeke the Euangelical perfection wherein this is commanded If thou wilt be perfect goe sell that thou hast c. It is an easie matter then to vnderstand Saint Austins words He distinguisheth betweene a precept and a counsell that is to say betweene precepts giuen to all and precepts giuen to some all they which will not keepe those shal be punished because they are directed and giuen vnto all but all they that do not these shall not be punished because they are not giuen to all but as concerning those to whō they are giuen how can they escape the iudgement of God if they doe not that which he commands which he counsels and requires them to doe and whereunto he exhorts them Let them call it what they wil that man which doth not the counsell of his God cannot be innocent nor guiltlesse as wee haue seene heretofore Moreouer Saint Austin puts among Counsels the abstinence from flesh and wine Chap. 11. §. 12. and how few are there among the orders of Friers that doe abstaine from flesh the Iesuites that are the most exact sect of them all doe they abstaine from it and is there any of them all that valew so much that greater glory that aureola in illâ parte that for it they would forgoe their wine d Psal 104.15 that maketh glad the heart of man let them tell me therefore if Christ hauing giuen this counsell with many others according to Saint Austin a counsell easier to be obserued then the rest they shall obtaine the greatest reward in doing the others and not intending to do this Lastly it appeares by this place that S. Augustine held that a Counsell is of things indifferent that is to say which are neither good nor bad but in as much as they are vsed well or ill to eate flesh and drink wine being a thing in it selfe wholly indifferent But Counsels saith c Bellar. de monach c. 8. §. vlt. Bellarmine are not things indifferent but acceptable to God and recommended by him which abstinence from flesh and wine is not because f Rom. 14.17 that the Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost It is therfore little to the purpose that they produce and alleage this place of Saint Austin which is not to the purpose VII But it is worse to the purpose that they tell vs that for a man to make himselfe an Eunuch for the kingdome of heauens sake is to abstaine from marriage thereby to merit a reward in heauen These good men would not bee debtors to God for God must needes remaine their debtor and must giue them alwaies some returne as hauing paid to God more then was due for the which hee is beholding to them Hirelings that would doe no seruice to God if they did not hope for a reward that keepe not the Commandements but to merit the reward of eternall life that keepe not the Counsels but to merit a greater glory in the life to come hirelings indeed who in doing seruice to God haue no other aime then themselues and if God giue them not the reward which they beleeue is due to them they will repent that they haue serued him and will blaspheme him before his face as vniust Not children who in seruing God haue no other scope nor ende then the glory of God who would bee contented to bee blotted out of his booke of life to be accursed and separated from Christ their deare Sauiour if it could bee possible if that could aduance his glory Hirelings worthy to be expelled out of the house of God as enemies of his grace who will reckon with God and binde him to giue them as a reward iustly due to them that which hee declares to be a free gift of his grace vnworthie that Christ should aduow and take them for his owne seeing that they depriue him of his glorie and attribute to themselues the reward which is not due which is not giuen but to his merit Let them not cry out The ancient Fathers The ancient Fathers The Ancient of dayes hath told me by Saint Paul more ancient then them all g Rom. 6.23 that the gift of God
that a certaine man called by Saint Luke q Luk. 18.18 a Ruler comming vnto our Lord said r Mat. 19.16 Good Master what good thing shall I doe that I may haue eternall life He desires to obtaine eternall life and perswades himselfe that the onely meritorious cause thereof is to doe a good thing he asketh not what he must beleeue but what he must doe to be saued This was the arrogant and ouer-weeâ—ing perswasion of al the Iewes of whom the Apostle writeth Å¿ Rom. 9 3â—.32 that Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse hath not attained to the Law of righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but at it were by the works of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone And therefore answering his demaund and according to the hypothesis position thereof saith vnto him If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements For when the question is made of workes the Morall Law is the rule of good workes Hee commaunds him therefore to keepe the Commandements t Ferus in Mat. vt sciret se nunquam implêsse Quis enim de hoc gloriabitur c. to the ende saith Ferus he might know that he had neuer kept them for who caâ— beast of that If we say saith Saint u 1. John 1.8 Iohn that we haue no sin we deceiue our selues If none can beast that he is free from sinne none also can glory nor vaunt that bee hath kept the Law seeing that sinne it no other thing then the transgression of the Law He goes on and asketh againe Which Not that he was ignorant of the Commandements but because hee expected that the Lord should haue prescribed to him others more perfect Notwithstanding the Lord to instruct him that the Morall Law is the vnchangeable rule of the will of God to him that seekes saluation by his workes and to shew x Ferus ibid. that he is not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill rehearseth some of the Commandements Thou shalt doe no murder c. Then shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And that to the ende saith the same Ferus y Ibid. Vt arrâ—gans ille iuuenis vitam suam ad illa conferens discat quà m ne micam quidem verae pietatis haberet c. that the arrogant young man comparing his life with the Commandements might learne that hee had not so much as 〈◊〉 crumme of true godlinesse For there is nothing that stoppes 〈◊〉 wâ—ll the mouth of the arrogant and proud men then when they art warned of Gods Commandements and thou seest not so clearâ—ly in a looking glasse the blemishes of thy body as thou seest thy sinâ— in the Law Furthermore he rehearseth specially the Commandements of the second Table For he which is conuicted that he hath not kept the things that concerne his neighbour is a great deals more conuinced that he bath not kept the things that are of God For if a man say I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyar saith Saint z 1. Iohn 4.20 Iohn VI. Therefore our Sauiour answering this young man according to his demand remaunds him to the Law that being conuicted in his conscience how hee was very farre from the perfection of the righteousnesse required in the same he might hee humbled disposed and prepared to heare and receiue by faith the Gospell of the remission of sinnes whereby to be saued but the wretched young man young in yeeres but younger in the knowledge of himselfe and of the spiritual vse of the Law puffed vp with a presumptuous opinion of his vprightnesse dared to open his mouth and say All these things haue I kept from my youth vp It was saith Saint Ambrose a Ambros in Luc. c. 18. inaniâ— iactantia a vaine boasting Saint Ierome saith plainely b Hieron in Mat. c. 19. mentitur adolescens c. the young man lied for if he had fulfilled in word and deede that which is contained in the Law Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe how comes it afterwards that he hauing heard say go and sell that thou hast and giue to the poore he went away sorrowfull for hee had great possessions Saint Hilarie writes c Hilar. in Mat. c. 19. Neque superiora illa egerat ad quae remittitur that hee hath not kept the things he is sent back vnto And Saint Austin arguing vpon that he went away sorrowfull d August Epist 89. quaest 4. Qui. viderit quemadmodum illa legis mandata seruauerat puto enim quòd se arrogantiùs quà m veriùs seruâsse responderit Let him consider how he hath kept those Commandements for I thinke that he answered more arrogantly then truly that he had kept them Ferus among the Modernes a great Preacher in his time and of great reputation among his owne proues that he lied e Ferus in Mat. c. 19. I will not say saith he that be hath perfectly fulfilled the Commandements of God vnlesse I should say that hee was pure from sinne whereunto the Scripture gaine-saies euidently For who can boast that he hath no sinne seeing Salomon saith f 1. King 8.46 that there is no man that sinneth not and Saint Iohn g 1. Iohn 1.8 If we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. And the Psalmist h Psal 130.3 If thou shouldest marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand and Saint Iames i Iam. 3.2 In many things we offend all and the Wise man k Prou. 24.16 A iust man falleth seuen times the day For which cause Christ commaunds all to pray and say l Mat. 6.12 Forgiue vs our trespasses Who is he then that seeth not that this young man spake very presumptuously All these things haue I kept and that with this addition euen from my youth vp seeing that Christ vpbraides euidently and manifestly reprocheth the Iewes m John 7.19 Did not Moses giue you the Law and yet none of you keepeth the Law These reasons are irrefragable and without any reply VII How then saith this young man that hee hath kept the Law Surely because he vnderstood not the true vse of the Law He had laied no violent and bloudy hands vpon any to kill him He had not defiled his neighbours bed He had not stollen another mans goods He had not borne false witnesse against his neighbour before the Magistrate He had done no wrong to his neighbour Hee was taught that to liue blamelesse before men was to fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law For the false Doctors had restrained the vse of the Law to the outward obseruation thereof euen to say n Mat. 5.43 Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie as if an enemie were not a mans neighbour and this false doctrine was propounded by them as deriued from the Elders So Saint Paul saith that o Phil. 3.7.8
certaine Scribe came and said vnto him Master I will follow thee whither soeuer thou goest and he refused him Hee that had been possessed with the Diuell and was deliuered by Christ i Mark 5.18.19 prayed him that hee might be with him but Iesus suffered him not But most commonly to follow Christ is to deny himselfe to take vp the crosse of Christ to rest in him with a true and liuely faith and depend on him in life and death This following is common to all commanded to all men k Mat. 16.24 Whosoeuer saith hee will come after mee let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me The Lord would haue this young man to follow him specially in this manner and therefore wee haue said that these words were a commandement of faith for it is with the feete of faith that wee follow the Lord goe to the Lord and obey the Lord. There being therefore no other following of Christ then that which was corporall and of few persons which hath ceased and that which is spirituall common to all the faithfull which is perpetuall there is nothing in this text for the Monkes and Friers For to follow Christ is not to frame and apply himselfe vnto the iudgement and will of another as Bellarmine falsely saith but to frame himselfe vnto the will of Christ alone l Mat. 23.10 who is our only Doctor and teacher whom we must heare and our only patterne whom wee must imitate and our Lord whom wee must obey There is no more due vnto the others how holy soeuer they haue been then to S. Paul that saith m 1. Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me euen as I also am of Christ XV. The promise annexed to this commandement is And thou shalt haue treasure in heauen whence Bellarmine inferres that to giue all deserueth a singular and speciall reward This man turnes all the promises that God makes to them which obey him into salaries and wages due and iustly giuen to the merits of men as if the creature could merit of his Creator man which is but a little worme could make God beholding to him and could purchase to himselfe for a little money that glorie which eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the thought of man How much better n Ferus in Mat. c. 19. Ferus expounding this promise Admirable saith he is the goodnesse of God he might exact without any remuneration and damne the disobedient but behold he allures by promises and makes himselfe a debtor he who is debtor to none but vnto whom all creatures are indebted what other thing then can I say then that which Dauid saith o Psal 106.1 Praise yee the Lord O giue thankes vnto the Lord for he is good for his mercie â—ndureth for euer let Israel say he is good God then promiseth vnto men eternall life to draw them to their dutie and hee doth that as a Father whereas hee might compell them as a Iudge He promiseth them that which he owes them not to the end they giue and render that which they owe he giues them that which he promised them not for their merit but for his mercie sake He giues them I say a treasure in heauen this treasure is nothing else but eternall life which onely the rich man asked for which only the Lord promised and was it not enough and more then enough an exchange without proportion of earth for heauen of a treasure of durt and mud for a treasure of an vnspeakable price of the vanitie of riches for the eternall weight of a glorie exceedingly excellent This treasure signifies no other thing in the holy Scripture I will say vnto him that beleeueth otherwise and that seeketh eternall life in his oyle in his gold in his siluer and other corruptible things as S. Peter said vnto Simon Magus p Acts 8.20 Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money XVI The rich man hearing that Christs words did import a condition without the which he could not obtaine life euerlasting discouers his hypocrisie and shewing that his money was dearer and more precious to him then his God and the treasure he possessed here on earth was better to him and more esteemed then that which was promised him in heauen goes away sorrowfull and giues Christ occasion to pronounces dreadfull sentence against him and against all rich men that set their hearts on riches and put their trust and confidence in them that they shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen q Mat. 19.27.28 Then answered Peter and said vnto him Behold wee haue forsaken all and followed thee what shall we haue therefore And Iesus said vnto them Verily I say vnto you that yee which haue followed me in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit in the throne of his glorie ye shall also sit vpon twelue thrones iudging the twelue tribes of Israel r Bellar. de monach c. 9. §. 32. This is as much saith Bellarmine as if Peter had said Behold wee haue done that which this young man will not doe what wilt thou giue vs therefore Whereunto our Sauiour said not I will giue you nothing for I spake but to this young man and that not in earnest but only that he might not know that he lied He answered not so but said Verily I say vnto you c. This glosse spoiles the text and is contrarie to the truth For the Apostles sold not all they had and gaue not all to the poore for although they had left their ordinary vocation whereby they might haue got their liuing and had left the care of their domesticall businesse to follow Christs calling they renounced not for all that the possession the right and prerogatiue nor left the vse thereof when they were in those places The historie sheweth plainly that after Å¿ Mat. 9.10 Luk. 5.29 Matthew had followed Christ he made him a great feast in his owne house Yea Peter that said these things had yet his house as it is written t Mat. 8.14 When Iesus was come into Peters house he saw his wiues mother laid and sicke of a feuer Christ telling his disciples what should befall them at his death saith he not u Iohn 16.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in propria The houre commeth yea is now come that ye shall be all scattered euery man to his owne And being vpon the Crosse said vnto Iohn touching the Virgin x Iohn 19.27 Behold thy mother is it not said that from that hower that Disciple tooke her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto his owne home They had therefore yet their houses and therfore Bellarmine imputes vnto them a lie in making them say Behold we haue done that which this young man will not doe For they had not sold all nor giuen all but it appeares by the last Chapter
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
ye might haue life through his name In a word art thou desirous willing to to know al the Counsell of God touching thy saluation b Acts 20.27 I haue not shunned to declare vnto you all the Counsell of God saith Saint Paul to the Pastors of Ephesus and of Miletus but we haue not heard Saint Paul wilt thou say as they haue heard him but a little patience and heare him making this solemne protestation c Acts 26.22 witnessing both to small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come and confessing himselfe to haue been d Rom. 1.1.2 put apart to preach the Gospell of God which he had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures Thinke now with thy selfe and vpon these two true reasons and arguments of Saint Paul inferre and make this true conclusion All that which Saint Paul hath preached touching saluation hath been written by Moses and the Prophets Now that which Saint Paul hath preached is the Gospell yea all the Counsell of God therefore all the Gospell all the Counsell of God hath been written by Moses and by the Prophets and if by them how much more by the Euangelists and by the Apostles who haue written downe the accomplishment and fulfilling of all those things that the Prophets had foretold and prophesied of and that with more perspicuitie and plainenes Let vs therefore conclude that the holy Scripture is all true all necessarie all perfect in all her parts both essentiall and integrall all sufficient for him that liues in this world concerning those things that hee must beleeue that hee must hope for and that he must doe and in a word in and for all things that are requisite to attaine to saluation And therefore in all matters of faith and of manners wee must alwaies aske counsell at the mouth of the Lord speaking to vs at this time in the holy Scriptures by his Sonne which Scripture saith c Athan. de interpr Psal Diuina scriptura est magistra vitae verae fidei Athanasius is the Schoole-mistres of vertue and of true faith f Idem cont Idol Sufficiunt per se sacrae diuinitùs inspiratae scripturae ad veritatis indicationem and so sufficient of it selfe for the demonstration of the truth it being holy and diuinely inspired g Idem ad Seraph solum ex sacris literis condiscas that we neede studie no other thing then that The Author of the Pastorall letter hath seene it and being conuicted in his soule and conscience is constrained to vnderprop and sustaine his pretended counsels on certaine places of the holy Scripture in the producing and alleaging whereof is happened vnto him that which wrongfully he chargeth those withall who grounded on the Law of God and of Nature doe cancell and annull the vowes made by their children without their knowledge and approbation and that which Saint Peter condemnes in those that depraue the Epistles of Saint Paul saying h 2. Pet. 3.16 that the vnlearned and vnstable wrest them as they doe also the other Scriptures vnto their owne destruction CHAP. II. I. The Preface of the Pastorall letter forbids the Vulgar the reading of the Scriptures II. By the words of the Preface it is proued that all ought to reade the Scriptures III. The same is verified and iustified by the Scriptures IIII. A refutation of the blasphemie of those that maintaine the reading of the Scriptures to bee dammageable and dangerous BVt before he comes to the point he makes a preface in the which he handleth three points first to whom it appertaines to reade the Scriptures Secondly with what spirit they must be read Thirdly vnto whom the expounding and interpreting of the Scriptures appertaine And all to this end that hauing giuen them to vnderstand beleeue that it is not for all men to reade the Scriptures and that they must receiue the interpretation and sense of the Scriptures of those whom hee calles Our spirituall Fathers Pastors and Doctors wee beware to imitate the couragious men of Berea who hauing heard the preaching of Saint Paul a Acts 17.11 receiued the VVord with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so and that so wee may liue on the faith of our Curats as the prouerb is and ground all our beliefe on the speculations of men whereas Saint Paul writes that b Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.12 Heb. 10.38 the iust shall liue by his faith and the same is said to bee grounded and c 1. Cor. 2.5 to stand not in the wisedome of men but in the power of God Notwithstanding let vs examine his words and if they are accompanied with reason let vs follow them if not let vs shun them and follow reason II. Concerning the first point Pag 4. he writes that the Scriptures may be compared to a wedding banquet they that will come vnto it and enter in must bee called and those that haue not the wedding garment who throng and thrust in themselues too impudently are to be thrust out and reiected That which he saith touching the wedding garment sheweth that he makes allusion to the banquet of the marriage of the Lambe whereof S. d Matth. 22.2 Luke 14.16 Matthew and Saint Luke make mention but all were inuited and bidden to this feast the poore and the maimed and the halt and the blind good and bad Now if we apply this similitude and comparison it will follow that euen as all were inuited to that feast Iewes and Gentiles poore and rich the learned and the ignorant men and women great and small in a word all are inuited and bidden to the reading of the Scripture without any exception of qualitie condition name calling sexe or age And againe euen as the great King published that they that would not come vnto his supper were not worthie pronounced that none of those men should taste of his supper and destroyed those murderers of his Seruants euen so they that refuse to reade the Scriptures and vse spitefully those that do inuite them to the reading of them shall neuer taste of the conlations contained in them but shall miserably perish hee that was cast into vtter darkenesse was not reiected and thrust out for his entring and comming in for he was inuited and called with the rest but he was reiected because he brought not with him a wedding garment according to the Kings words c Mat. 22.12.13 Friend how camest thou in hither not hauing a wedding garment bind him hand and foote take him away and cast him into vtter darkenesse Loe how that which Eliphas said to Iob is happened and befallen vnto Cardinall Sourdis Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux f Iob 15.6 Thine owne mouth condemneth thee and not I yea thine owne lippes testifie against thee He did not thinke so his intention was to maintaine their common