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
ser 50. Nec latuit praeceptorem praecepti pondus hominum excedere vires sed iudicauit vtile ex hoc ipso suo illes insufficieâ—tiae admoneri vt scirent sanè ad quem iustitiae finem niti pro viribus oporteret Ergo mandando impossibilia non praeuaricatores homines fecit sed humiles c. The Master was not ignorant saith Saint Bernard that the burden of the Commandement did surpasse the strength of man but hee thought it good and necessarie that by the very same they should be warned of their insufficiencie that they might know to what ende and marke of righteousnesse they ought to make towards with all their strength and power commanding therefore things impossible he hath not made men preuaricators but humble that euery mouth may be stopped and all the world may become subiect to the iudgement of God because that by the workes of the Law there shall be no flesh iustified in his sight for receiuing the CoÌ„mandements and feeling our defect and want wee will crie vp to heauen and God will haue mercy vpon vs and wee shall know in that day that hee hath saued vs not by the workes of righteousnesse that wee haue done but according to his mercie Secondly because he vnderstands not the language of the Scripture hee restraines the choice to voluntarie and free things to the obseruation of the which man is not bound and compelled by any Law Hee might haue read the words of the Prophet Moses saying to the people of Israel touching the Law x Deut. 30.19 I call heauen and earth to record this day against you that I haue set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that both then and thy seede may liue As also Ioshuahs words to the same people y Ioshua 24.15 If it seeme euill vnto you to serue the Lord chuse you this day whom ye will serue Conformably to this Dauid saith z Psal 119.30 I haue chosen the way of truth thy iudgements haue I laid before me And Saint Cyrill expounds the Prophets words of them which chuse and retaine Christs Testament as Lyrinensis of those that liue righteously and vprightly with their neighbour VII He expounds as falsely these words I will giue vnto them a name better then of sons and of daughters a Bellar. de monach c. 9. parag 3. 9. maintaining that by sons and daughters God meanes those good and godly persons that are married which are Gods sons and daughters and that God promiseth to those which are virgins a greater good and a greater glory then to these What could he say more impertinently then this For to be a sonne and a daughter of God is the common name of all the faithfull and their highest and most excellent title and degree of honour from whence depends all their prerogatiue glory ioy and consolation both in life and death and it is not a name of an inferiour qualitie appertaining onely to some lesse priuiledge Witnesse our Sauiour Christ when he saith To as many as receiued him to them b Iohn 1.12 gaue he power to become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Witnesse God himselfe saying by his Prophets and by his Apostle c Isa 52.11 Ierem. 31.1.9 2. Cor. 6.17.18 Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the vncleane thing and I will receiue you and will be a Father vnto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie d Rom. 8.17 And if children then heires heires of God and ioynt-heires with Christ saith the Apostle What may we What can we hope desire wish more It is that which is giuen to honest and good men married persons by Bellarmines confession what remaines then to the Monkes what haue the Friers else a name saith he more excellent then of sonnes of God why then they are not sonnes of God And to maiden Virgins a name better then of daughters of God why then they are not Gods daughters what other name shall we giue them for he which is not the childe and sonne of God is the sonne of rebellion the childe of wrath whose father is the Deuill a name saith he better then of sonnes What greater or better name I pray you can wee haue on earth then to bee sonnes and heires of a King except we were Kings And what better or greater name in heauen then to bee Gods sonne and heire without being God The Angels are called e Iob 1.6 2.1 the sonnes of God The Saints are called the sonnes of God he which is the Sonne of God by nature was manifest in the flesh that we might be made the sonnes of God by grace The holy Ghost is sent into our hearts to assure vs that wee are the sonnes of God f Rom. 8.15.16 Ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father The Spirit it selfe bearâ—th witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God And there is no name in the Scripture so expresse so significatiue and of so large extent for it comprehends in it all the good that God bestowes on his elect and chosen people vnto whom he giues all his blessings in the name title and state of children and out of this state and condition he giue them no spirituall wholesome and sauing blessing VIII Now we shall finde the true sense and meaning of this place if wee adde thereunto that which goes before and that which followes after which hath been industriously and wittingly omitted by Bellarmine lest it should haue hindred hiâ— bad cause The words going before are Let not the sonne of the stranger that hath ioyned himselfe to the Lord speake saying The Lord hath vtterly separated me from his people neither let the Eunuch say Behold I am a drie tree Here then the stranger and the Eunuch fearing God are ioyned together both of them bewailing their miserie The one because he was separated from Gods people The other because he was a drie tree The Eunuch is first comforted by the wordes of this place whereupon Bellarmine grounds his Counsels The stranger is comforted in the verses following in these words Also the sonnes of the stranger that ioyne themselues to the Lord to serue him and to loue the name of the Lord c. euen them will I bring to my holy mountaine and make them ioyfull in my house of prayer c. The Gentils called by the Prophet the sonnes of the stranger g Ephes 2.12 were at that time without Christ being aliens from the Common-weale of Israel and strangers from the couenants of promise hauing no hope and without God in the world As for the Iewes God made a promise to Abraham their father saying h Gens 22.17 In blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seede as the starres of the heauen and as the sand
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
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
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
The Emperour of heauen the Lord of Men and of Angels hath sent his Patent to saue thy life and notwithstanding honoured sonne thou makest no account to reade it with diligence studie therefore I pray thee and meditate daily the words of thy Creator learne to know Gods heart by Gods words that you may the more earnestly sigh after heauenly and eternal things that your vnderstanding may be inflamed with a greater desire of the heauenly Kingdome c. This is according to that that the Apostle exhorts the Colossians vnto f Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisedome and that said he g Espencaeus comment in Tit. ca. 2. to all the faithfull vnto whom he wrote exhorting them to ' haue h Hieron in Col. 3.16 not onely sufficiently but also plentifully the knowledge of the Scriptures and to this ende i Chrysost in Col. 3.16 Occum ibidem to reade them not sleightly and negligently but with great diligence Hence we conclude that the Scriptures were indifferently read of all before Christs time in Christs time and in the dayes of the Apostles wee could proue the same in the time of the ancient and Primitiue Church many ages after the Apostles by the proofes and euidences of the sentences of the Fathers who did exhort the Secular the Lay-people as they cal them al men and women to buy the Bible to reade the holy Scriptures and complaine of them and blame them for that they did not reade them And surely with good reason for it is not of holy writers as of a Plato or an Aristotle these haue written but to a few persons those haue k Espencaeus commint in 2. Tim. cap. 3. Non scripser unt pane is sed vninersâ— populâ— written to the whole multitude to all ages l 1. Iohn 2.1 12 13 14. to young babes to little children to young men to fathers vnto all whom Saint Iohn writes VVhat are wee not men like them Christians like them Gods children like them guided and gouerned by the holy Ghost that is to say true Christians as well as they why therfore may not we reade the Scriptures as well as they IIII. For feare say they m Bellar. deverbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 15. § 28. Quid. lest in stead of profiting wee receiue hurt and dammage for we should easily take occasion of erring both in regard of the doctrine of faith as also in regard of the rule of life and manners all heresies being sprung vp from the Scripture not wel vnderstood for if the rude ignorant people should reade or heare read in the vulgar tongue of Dauids adultery Thamars incest Iudiths lie either he would contemne and despise the holy Patriarchs or els he would imitate their vices O blasphemy God hath said that n Iohn 20.31 faith is conceiued and engendred by the Scriptures and men say that heresies are engendred by them God hath said that o Iohn 5.39 in them and by them we haue life eternall and men say that by them wee haue eternall death God saith that p Rom. 15.4 they haue been giuen vs to teach vs and to comfort vs and men say that they serue to peruert and destroy vs God saith that q Deut. 31.13 by them we may learne to feare him and men say that by them wee learne to offend him God saith r Psalm 119.9 a young man shall cleanse his way by taking heede thereto according to Gods word and men say that if hee take heede to the Scriptures they will misleade and peruert him and make him to become incestuous an adulterer a drunkard yea that he is danger to beleeue nothing and to become an Atheist God saith that Å¿ 1. Cor. 15.33 euill communications and speeches corrupt good manners and men say that good words the words of God the words of the euerlasting God t Psalm 12.6 that are pure words as siluer tried in a furnace of earth purified seuen times withdrawes men from godlinesse and drawes them to vice And that is the reason why they instruct their children in the knowledge of euill discourses of men reade vnto them a Martial a Catullus the incests fornications contentions and all the fables of the false Gods of whom God hath said u Exod. 23.13 You shall make no mention of the names of other Gods neither let it be heard out of thy mouth And Dauid accordingly to that x Psal 16.4 I will not take vp their names into my lipps On the other side they forbid them to reade the words of God vnto the which God himselfe hath giuen this testimonie and witnesse declaring that y Psal 1.2 Blessed is that man whose delight is in the Law of the Lord and meditates in his Law day and night And concerning that part of the Scripture which is the most obscurest he saith z Reuel 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this prophecie and keepe those things that are written therein It is not the Scripture but the ignorance of the Scripture that breedes heresies a Hieron in Mat. 22.29 as Christ saith to the Saddâ—ces great hereticks yee doe erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God And Saint Chrysostome b Chrysost in praesat ad epist ad Rom. conformably to this truth of God saith Innumerable mischiefes are sprung vp from the ignorance of Scriptures thence commeth the great plague of heresies thence the dissolute life thence vnprofitable toyle and labour for euen as those that are depriued of this light cannot goe aright so they that haue no regard vnto the reasons of diuine Scriptures are compelled to fall immedâ—atly many waies like them that walke in palpable darkenesse There the ignorant shall finde what to learne the man of little faith wherewith to stirre vp himselfe to vertue the sinner wherewith to call him to repentance the theeues shall finde there the examples of Gods iudgements executed against Achan the fornicators affrighted by the example of the Israelites they which couer bad things will learne there to mortifie their flesh they see there the sinnes of holy men that they may know that all haue sinned and that they haue been saued by the mercies of God in Christ Iesus and therefore doe not trust in and to their owne merits by pride but humbly seeke their whole saluation through the all perfect merit of Christ Iesus In a word the greatest sinners shall see there Dauid a murtherer and an adulterer repenting of his sin and entreating pardon of the same the sinful woman weeping and obtaining mercy the thiefe on the crosse crying to Christ for grace Christ answering him c â—â—ke 23.43 Verily I say vnto thee today shalt thou be with me in Paradise that so they being instructed and taught by these examples that the d Ezeâ—h 33 1â— Lord takes no pleasure in the death of a
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
Iudge must bee present and visible we answere that that is not necessarie How often doe Emperours decide controuersies new sprung in their Prouinces by the authoritie and Iurisdiction of the Soueraigne Court without budging from their place How often haue the Popes remaining in Rome or in Auignon ended the differences of Christians a great distance from them by their Decreâ—all Epistles and doe as yet make knowne their will vnto al the world by their Bulls without stirring from their seate The King whom God preserue and blesse with all temporall and spirituall blessings for his glory is the supreme and Soueraigne Iudge of all this Kingdome although he be visibly and corporally but in one place of the same at one time from the place where hee is hee signifies by his Proclamation what his pleasure is vnto the which all his subiects must yeeld and agree A King who is but a man hath such a power and shall not the King of Kings haue it a mortall man absent in body shall bee acknowledged of all his good subiects for supreme Iudge and his will declared in writing shall bee a Law vnto them and shall not the Lord Iesus God-Man and Man-God be accepted of for Soueraine Iudge nor his writings for lawes vnlesse he make and shew himselfe visible and present What impietie But God be thanked our Iudge conteined indeede in heauen in regard of his bodie Acts 3.21 is alwaies euery where with his Church in regard of his Deitie and God-head alwaies present in the same in common and generall and in euery member of the same in particular by his holy Spirit by his grace by his vertue by his counsell by his helpe and assistance by his conduct and guiding and by his holy and wholesome word so farre forth that hee saith m Matth. 28.20 Lâ—e I am with you alwaies euen vnto the end of the world for * Matth. 18.20 faith he where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them It is he then that iudgeth vs by his word which is his voice which all they that are his sheepe heare which they know and follow n Iohn 10.27 My sheepe heare my voice saith Christ and I know them and they follow me And doe not thinke that he speakes there onely of his sheepe of then or that time when he fed them with the foode and refection of his mouth he speakes of all those that shall be gathered together vnder his Sheepe-hooke vntill the ende of the world according to that he said before vers 16 Other sheepe haue I which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepheard They that are not contented with this voice and heare it not they would not onely not heare our Lord Iesus although he should returne here in the flesh but also they would crucifie him againe as the Priests Scribes Pharisees and the Elders of the people did for if that so he should returne here on earth hee would say no other thing then that which he hath said alreadie and would not speake more plainely and perspicuously then he hath spoken in the holy Scriptures Therefore according as he hath commanded vs to call none our Doctor o Matth. 23.10 For one is our Doctor and Master euen Christ we will adhere and sticke fast vnto him alone and will say vnto him with Saint Peter and the other disciples Iohn 6.68 Lord to whom shall wee goâ— thou hast the words of eternall life and wee beleeue and are sure that thou art that Christ the Sonne of the liuing God V. The publike ministeriall Iudge is he which hath a publike and lawfull calling and authoritie from God to iudge not of the Scripture nor of the sense thereof for being immediatly from God the Law of the supreme Iudge and the most perfect rule of all godlinesse whereby all men are iudged and ruled it cannot be iudged of men by any meanes but of the doctrines of men the which he examines by the touchstone of the Scriptures and by them markes and considers if they are of God or no such are Pastors and Doctors considered apart in their Schooles and Churches and together in the Presbyterie Synods Councels Nationall and Occumenicall whose whole authoritie is limited by the holy Scriptures against and besides which they may not ordaine any thing Gal. 1.8 being to speake properly and fitly Clerks Truch-men Heralds Messengers and Ambassadours of God towards their brethren and not Iudges their iudgement being of seruice not of soueraigntie of direction not of authoritie compelling p Ephes 2.20 For we are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and not vpon the hand of humane opinions Wherefore if Christ Iesus himselfe hath confirmed his doctrine by the Scriptures q Luk. 24.27 beginning at Moses and all the Prophets r Act. 15.16.17 If the Apostles assembled together in Ierusalem refuted by the Scripture the heresie of those which mingled the Law with the Gospell If Saint Paul Å¿ Act. 17.2.3 Act. 26.22 Act. 28.23 proued his Gospell by the writings of Moses and of the Prophets surely they that are not furnished with such authoritie are bound to iustifie their doctrine by the Scriptures without the which t Orig. in Hierem â—om 1. our sense meanings and interpretation are not faith In regard of which the Apostle saith that the Spirit of Prophets are subiect to the Prophets 1. Cor. 14.32 And u Gerson de exam doctri Consid 5. num 17. Gersâ—â— saith That we must giue more credit and beleeue soeuer a simple man not authorized excellently skilled in the Scriptures then the declaration of the Pope for it is certaine that we must soâ—â—er beleeue and rather giue credit vnto the Gospell then vnto the Pope x Panerm in cap. significat extra de electiâ— Panâ—rmus saith In matters which concerne our faith the saying of a prâ—â—ate man is to be preferred before the Popes saying if it be confirmed with the best reasons of the old and new Testament Another most excellently and euidently y Picus Mirand de fide â—rd cred Theâ—re 6. A simple peasant or swaine a childe an old woman are more credible and 〈◊〉 to her beleeued thou the grand Prelate or Pope and a thousand Bishops of these speake contrary and against the Gospell those for and according to the Gospell The reason is verie good the Gospell is of the Master and ought to bee receiued with all obedience of faith by whomsoeuer it is preached the Pope and the Bishops are but seruants in the Masters house where they haue no other charge then to serue the children of the house according to the will of the heauenly Father comprehended in the Scriptures otherwise they are no Pastors but Impostors VI. As the publike ministerial iudgement is without proportion and measure inferior to
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
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
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
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
long as life doth last and doe contract a couenant betweene them called in the Scripture p Prou. 2.17 The Couenant of God which they cannot violate without disloialtie and periurie against God and against men With what conscience then hath Saint Ambrose desired that he could haue perswaded the maried folkes to forsake their nuptiall vaile was he more then a man and he saith vnto man q Mat. 19.6 What God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder And notwithstanding this his sentence whereby he complaines that none did dissuade nor diuert the Vestall virgines from their prophane ceremonies and that some vndertooke to banish virginitie out of the Church though this sentence could wel conclude yet it concludes nothing to the purpose and intention of the Author of the Pastorall Letter The question was not if a father might compell his daughters virgines to marry but if he may oppose himselfe for good considerations that they leaue him not nor affect and giue their persons their goods and their seruice to the Colledge of the Vrselines Now seeing that they haue alleaged the Vestall virgines with a sentence of Saint Ambrose I will also set downe in counterchange the commendation which Saint Ambrose giues them that the Monkes and Friers may view themselues in their single life V. r Ambros de virgin lib. 1. Itaque nec casta est quae metu cogitur nec honesta quae mercede conducitur c. Conferuntur immunitates offeruntur pretia quasi non hoc maximum petulantiae sit indicium castitatem vendere quod precio promittitur precio soluitur precio addicitur precio adnumeratur nescit castitatem redimere quae vendere solet Pag. 35. She is not chaste who is compelled by feare nor honest which doth it for reward c. freedome and priuiledges are giuen to them some offer them wages as if it were not a very great signe of impudencie and vncleannesse to sell chastitie That which is promised for a price is paide with a price is sold with a price is reckoned by a price She that is wont to sell her chastitie cannot redeeme it If this accusation be true as it is to whom belongs it better then to the Popes Cardinals Bishops Priests Abbots Priours Commaunders Munkes Nunnes c. whereof some are compelled by a fatherly feare others are allured by faire promises and rich rewards to abstaine from mariage that liue not in the state of single life but for to liue idely richly luxuriously and in honour for otherwise they would not abstaine from honourable mariage seeing they abstaine not from fornication filthy and preiudiciall VI. The second example is that of Iesus Christ that was a virgin and the sonne of a virgin Therefore Saint Ierome against â—ouâ—an saith that though he had not giuen vs any Counsell of virginitie his birth his life his affections during the time he liued and conuersed in this world teacheth vs it enough For this cause Saint Cyprian calles virginitie the image and resemblance of Iesus Christ These are the words of the Author of the Pastorall Letter VII Deriued originally from hereticks more ancient then Saint Cyprian Basil or Ierome Å¿ Clemens Alexand strom lib. 3. Dicunt autem gloriosi isti iactatores se imitari dominum qui neque vxorem duxit neque in mundo aliquid possedit There are that say openly saith Clemens Alexandrinus that marriage is fornication and maintaine that it hath been instituted by the diuell Now these glorious boasters say that they imitate our Lord who neuer was married nor possessed any thing in this world boasting that they vnderstand a great deale better the Gospell then others doe This is the language euen of our Monkes sauing that they dare not openly condemne marriage although they are compelled to condemne it in effect if they thinke that Christ hath taught vs single life by his example For Christ is to be imitated of vs all in all that wherein he hath proposed himselfe for an example If then he hath giuen an example of single life in his person all ought to abstaine from marriage For the life of Christ is the rule of ours But saith Clement t Jbid. Deinde causam nesciunt cur dominus vxorem non duxerit primum quidem propriam sponsam habuit ecclesiam Deinde verâ— nec home erat communis vt opus haberet etiam adiutâ—re aliquo secundum carnem Neque erat ei necesse procreare filios qui manet in aeternum natus est solus Dei filius these fellowes know not the cause why our Sauiour Christ did not marry for first hee had the Church for his Spouse Secondly hee was not a common man as hauing neede of a helpe according to the flesh neither was it necessarie that he should beget children who dureth for euer and is borne the onely Sonne of God He will say in substance that the Sonne of God became man by a speciall dispensation of God and came into the world by a particular calling to make children not by ingendring after the flesh those that were not but by renewing after the Spirit those that were The generation is of the first Adam the regeneration is of the second Adam They that are borne of the first are borne of flesh and and bloud and are called the sonnes of men They that are renewed by this second are borne againe of his Spirit and of his word u 1. Pet. 1.23 Being borne againe not of corruptible seede but of incorruptible namely by the word of God which liueth and abideth for euer and are called the Sonnes of God The first begat in his life and being dead ceased to beget The second begat in his death and since his death ceaseth not to ingender as Isaiah prophesied saying x Isai 53.10 When thou shalt make his soule an offering for sinne hee shall see his seede Therefore carnall marriage was not so consonant to his calling If he had begot children after the flesh like the first Adam he could not haue beene our second Adam ingendring children to God after the Spirit As he was not borne of carnall mariage so hath he not willed that any should be borne of him by carnall marriage It is Adams right to be the Father of the naturall man it is his right to bee the Father of the spirituall man and notwithstanding to shew that he gaue no example to any to abstaine from marriage he chose married men for his Apostles he honored y Iohn 2.2 the marriage feast with his presence and by his first miracle hee declared that marriage is an institution z Mat. 19.4 of God and that the bond thereof is indissoluble and inseparable VIII The ancient Father haue exceeded and haue spoken be it spoken by their leaue and with their fauour against all truth for as marriage makes not the faithfull which vseth it holily vnlike to God so doth not virginitie make a Basil
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
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