this time and put the case that this vntruth be true Saint Paul saith t 1. Cor. 7.2 That to auâ—ide fornication let euery man haue his owne wife and let euery woman haue her owne husband This is an expresse Commandement as it shall be shewne and seene in his place notwithstanding u Bellar. de clericis c. 21. §. 6. adde non esse praeceptum Apestoli sed consilium pag. 10. Bellarmine cries out This is not a precept of the Apostle but a Counsell Let vs suppose also that this second falsehood be truth and let vs argue in this manner He which doth the workes of a Counsell shall haue a greater glory saith our Cardinall He that hath his owne wife to aâ—oide fornication doth a worke of Counsell according to Bellarmine Wherefore our Cardinall and Bellarmine must conclude wil they nill they that he who to auoide fornication hath his owne wife shall haue a greater glory If Bellarmine sayes true the Vrseline virgins which they feede with vaine hope of a greater glory in shew onely should marry to auoide fornication and not giue men occasion to speake ill of them CHAP. XVII I. The first obiection taken from the words of Christ Mat. 19. Goe and sell that thou hast II. The Author of the Pasterall Letter giues vs to vnderstand that these words are no Counsell but a Precept III. It is a shame for their Bishops to speake of this Counsell and not to follow it IIII. These wordes do nothing auaile the Vrseline virgines nor any order of Monkes because they sell nothing and giue nothing to the poore V. The young man asking our Lord Christ what good thing he should doe to haue eternall life our Sauiour sends him to the Commandements and the reason why VI. The young man saying that he had kept all the Commandements from his youth vp lied VII Thinking that the Law was not giuen but to the outward man VIII Why he asked what he lacked yet IX In what sense it is said that Christ loued him X. A refutation of Bellarmines exposition of these words If thou wilt be perfect c. XI The true meaning of these words XII The words Goe and sell that thou hast c. are a particular Commandement of Charitie XIII Bellarmines reply refuted by three reasons XIIII The words Come and follow me are a Commandement of faith and not a Counsell Christ is followed two manner of waies XV. The promise And thou shalt haue treasure in Heauen imports not any merit of a singular reward as Bellarmine saith XVI In what sense the Apostles said vnto Christ that they had forsaken all and followed him XVII All Christians are commanded to forsake all to follow Christ and in what manner THe a Hieren aduers Pelag. lib. 1. truth may be assaulted but cannot be ouercome saith Saint Ierome men take paines to hide it to cast a mist ouer it to supplant it and to oppresse it but all in vaine For as the prouerb is Shee is the strongest and makes her selfe knowne found such of all yea of her enemies hauing the skil to make vse of their owne weapons to their ruine as Dauid did who tooke vp Goliahs sword slew him and cut off his head therewith we neede no other proofe for this time then our Cardinals words alleaging an argument for the pretended Counsels and ouerthrowing them by the same argument The first obiection Pag. 8. Hauing made a distinction betweene Precepts and Counsels he proues his distinction saying that our Sauiour Christ himselfe shewes it vs in b Mat. 19.16 Saint Matthew 19. and Saint Mark 10. where one asked him what good thing he should doe that he might haue eternall life He said vnto him Thou shalt doe no murder Vers 18. Vers 19. Vers 20. Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Honour thy father and thy mother And thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe The young man saith vnto him Vers 21. All these things haue I kept from my youth vp what lacke I yet This answere is no sooner made but see the Counsell of our Sauior 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 This is Bellarmines first obiection II. Here say you is the Counsell of our Lord. How shall I beleeue that which you say for you say so indeede but by your words you shew that it is a Precept for you adde Pag. 9. Whereupon our Sauiour pronounceth this fearefull sentence against rich men Amen dico vobis diues difficile intrabit in regnum caelorum c Mat. 19.23 Verily I say vnto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen d Luk. 18.24 Quam difficile qui pecunias habent in regnum Dei introibunt How hardly shall they that haue riches enter into the kingdome of God Let vs adde for the explanation of this matter the sequele of Christs words And againe I say vnto you It is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heauen Whereupon Saint Ierome e Hieron aduers Pelag. lib. 1. In this that which can be done is not said but that which is impossible is compared with the impossible for as a Camell cannot go through the eye of a needle so a rich man shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen It is a terrible sentence pronounced against this rich man who went away sorrowfull for hee had great possessions Sorrowfull saith Saint f Hieron in Mat. 19. vers 22 Haec est tristitia quae ducit ad mortem c. Chap. 11. Ierome of that sorrow which worketh death and the reason of this sorrow is rendred because he had great possessions that is to say thornes briers and bushes that choked the seed of the Lord. Let vs now remember the difference heretofore specified betweene a Counsell and a Precept A Precept not obserued hath punishment but a Counsell not obserued hath us punishment This is the first difference whence I argue in this manner that which not being obserued threatneth punishment is no Counsell but a Precept Christs words not kept by this young man threatned punishment against him For Christ declares him excluded not of the Kingdome of heauen for the not obseruing of them therefore Christs words to this young man were no Counsell but a Precept The maior of this is Bellarmines and the Authors of the Pastorall Letter The minor thereof is also taken out of the same Letter For wherefore should this sentence haue been terrible and dreadfull to this rich man if hee might haue left the obseruation of the words of our Lord without danger of punishment The second difference betweene a Counsell and a Precept is that A Precept obserued hath a reward a Counsell obserued hath a
of Saint y Iohn 21.3 Iohn that they had yet their ships and nets Now although they had left all without reseruing to themselues any right and proprietie they had done it by commandement and speciall calling as being particularly called to follow Christ euery where and after his ascention to preach the Gospell throughout the world And therefore the fact of the Apostles serues nothing to the purpose of Monkes and Friers vnlesse they shew that they haue receiued a commandement from Christ as the Apostles haue that they forsake all and giue alto the poore as they pretend to haue been done by the Apostles that they follow Christ as the Apostles haue done This is the chiefest point z Hieron in Mat. 19. Sequitur dominum qui imitator eius est per vestigia eius graditur For it sufficeth not vnto perfection saith Saint Ierome to sell all a man hath if after the contempt of riches he followeth not Christ that is to say if in departing from euill hee doth not the good c. Many leauing their riches follow not the Lord. Now he followeth the Lord who followeth his steps a 1. Iohn 2.6 for he that saith he beleeueth in Christ ought to walk euen as he walked Againe expounding Christs answere to the Apostles He hath not said ye that haue left all for Socrates the Philosopher hath done that and many moe haue left their riches but he saith Ye which haue followed me which is proper to the Apostles and all the faithfull c. Therefore the true perfection is to follow Christ and this perfection is of all the beleeuers saith Saint Ierome but to sell all that wee haue is not a state of perfection but onely a helpe to perfection a remedie against all that could hinder vs from following Christ notwithstanding not to all for Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid Ezechias Iosias Zacheus Nicedemus Ioseph of Arimathea many rich persons haue followed Christ and can follow him without renouncing actually their riches but to them onely which resemble this young Ruler in whom the care of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches choke the good seede which the Lord soweth in their harts Therefore they say nothing to the purpose vnlesse they can proue that to weare a Friers Cowle to thrust himselfe into a Monasterie is to follow Christ that Christ commanded oâ— counselled this yong man to weare a Monks Cowle and to enter into a Cloister that the Apostles haue not followed Christ but by a Monkish life or that the Monkes doe follow Christ as the Apostles haue done XVII b Hieron in Mat. c. 19. Quod prâ—priè Apostolorum est atque credentium Saint Ierome saith that to follow Christ is peculiar to the Apostles and all beleeuers It is not therefore a particular perfection of Monkes and Friers but a dutie whereunto all are bound and which is now offered and giuen to Christ not with the feet but with the affection not by changing place but by changing the heart and will as it is the dutie of vs all to purifie our soules from all carnall concupiscence and to be alwaies disposed ready resolued to sell all to giue all to the poore to forsake all for God for Christ for the Churches sake if neede be For Christ saith c Luke 14.26 If any man come to me and halt not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my Disciple c. d Luke 14.33 So likewise whosoeuer he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple And thus it is that e Antonius tit 23. c. 8. §. 1. Mandatam esse ibi paupertatem habitualem non actualem id est flagitare Christum à nobis non vt iam omnia abijciamus quae habemus sed vt cum confessio diuini nominis gloria Christi postulauerit tum propter eum omnia deserere parati simus sicut cum odium patris matris propriae anima à sectatoribus suis Christus requirit non iubet simpliciter vt non honorent parentes multo minus vt eos odio habeant sed vt re ita postulante omnia propter Christum negligere parati sint Guilielmus de Sancto Amore Doctor of the Sorbon facultie about the yeere 1250 expounding the words of Christ Goe and sell that thou hast c. saith that an habituall pouertie and not actuall is there commanded that is to say that Christ requireth of vs not that we should incontinently cast away all that we haue but when the confession of the name of God and the glory of Christ requireth we be ready to leaue and forsake all things for his sake as also when Christ requireth of his followers that they hate father and mother yea their owne liues he commands them not simply that they honor not their parents much lesse that they hate them but that when the case shall require they be ready to leaue all for Christ Thus in what manner soeuer we take the words either literally they are a particular commandement giuen to the young rich man who sinned grieuously in that he obeyed not Christ and was punished therfore or by application to others they are a generall Commandement giuen to all whereto all are bound to obey men women great little poore rich all orders of what condition and qualitie state or degree soeuer they be with threatning against the wilful refractaries that they shall not be accounted the Disciples of Christ and with promise to the willing and free f Mat. 19.29 Euery one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake shall receiue an hundred fold and shall inherit euerlasting life Marke he saith shall inherit and not shall merit that wee may know that eternall life is an inheritance of children and not a stipend of hirelings an inheritance giuen not due promised to them that worke not merited by their workes CHAP. XVIII I. The false Conclusion of the Author of the Pastorall Letter saying that he ioyneth his Counsels vnto the Counsels of God II. The seuenth Obiection taken from the 1. Cor. 7. yet giue I Counsell grounded vpon a false interpretation III. The Apostle giues no Counsell but giues his iudgement and his iudgement is a Commandement IIII. Retaining the name of Counsell the Counsell of the Apostle proceeding from the holy Ghost is a Commandement V. It is proued by the very words of the Text that the Apostle giues a Commandement and not a Counsell VI. The Apostles words partly falsely translated in the Pastorall Letter partly alleaged against the intention thereof VII The Apostle commands those that haue the gift of continencie and are thereto called to vse it and those which haue it not to marrie VIII In what sense it is said He that giueth his virgin in
with that exception and reseruation which is added in the next Chapter p 1. King 15.5 Saue onely in the matter of Vriah the Hittite A vile and villanous matter an inhumane and barbarous act a cruell deede he put his feete in the bed of his intire friend he tooke away the onely lambe of his poore neighbor he imbrued his bloudy hands in the bloud of the iust who watched who fought for him and in this sin he committed so many sinnes and all of them so great that to blot them out and wipe them away he craues for not one compassion but many not one washing and clensing but a washing and a washing againe ouer and ouer crying vnto his God with a broken heart and contrite spirit q Psal 51.1.2 Haue mercy vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnes according vnto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and clense me from my sinne He desires that a great sinne bee blotted out by a great mercie r Hier. aduers Iulian. lib. 2. Magnum peccatum magnâ deleri vult misericordiâ Furthermore that onely must bee vnderstood in regard of crimes whereof Dauid that acte of his in the matter of Vriah onely excepted hath been cleare not in regard of his sinnes of infirmities of his faults committed by error for after that crime committed and perpetrated in the person of Vriah Å¿ 2. Sam. 24.1.2 Chron. 21.1 Sataâ— kindling in his heart the fier of pride which was not as yet altogether extinguished prouoked Dauid to number Israel so that the anger of the Lord was kindled against him and against his people and it is of him of whom we haue these praiers and confessions t Psal 19.12 Who can vnderstand his errours clense thou mee from secret faults u Psal 25.7 Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my transgressions according to thy merci remember thou mee for thy goodnesse sake O Lord x Psal 40.11.12 With-hold not thou thy tender mercies from me O Lord let thy louing kindnesse and thy truth continually preserue me for innumerable euils haue compassed me about mine iniquities haue taken hold vpon me so that I am not able to looke vp they are more then the haires of mine head therfore my heart faileth me y Psal 130.3.4 If thou Lord shouldest marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiuenesse with thee that thou mayest be feared z Psal 143.1.2 Heare my prayer O Lord giue eare to my supplications in thy faithfulnesse answere me and in thy righteousnesse And enter not into iudgement with thy sernant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Hee which so often recommended the righteousnes of hi cause to God when his enemies did pursue him and persecute him wrongfully and then cried * Psal 7.8 Iudge me O Lord according to thy righteousnes according to mine integrity that is in MEE When he presents himselfe before God as a creature before his Creator the seruant before his Lord the childe before his father to giue him an account of his demeanor and seruice towards him he renounces his owne righteousnesse and flies to that of his God distinguishing as hee ought betweene the iustice and righteousnesse of his cause and his actions towards men and betweene the iustice and righteousnesse of his person before God For touching that he doth protest that he is iust and innocent and takes God to witnesse as his defender and a reuenger of wrongs Touching this hee yeelds and confesseth his vnrighteousness he declines by all manner of deprecation the angâ— furie iust vengeance of his Iudge crying a Psal 6.1 O lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy hote displeasure Implores by all manner of supplication the mercy peace and grace of his God and hauing obtained it he preacheth and publisheth it to all b Rom. 4.6 describeth and declareth the blessednesse of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying yea crying with a loud voice to the ende all men may heare all may inâ—ouour to feele it c Psal 32.1.2 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiuen whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie This is that text on the which the ancient Fathers haue spoke very excellent things d Hieron in Psal 32. Quod â—egitur non videtur quod non videtur non imputatur quod non imputatur nec punietur Saint Ierome That which is hid is not seene and that which is not seene is not imputed and that which is not imputed is noâ— punished If you obiect that Dauid addes and in whose mouth or according to the Hebrew in whose spirit there is no guile hee expounds that of the mouth of him which confesseth himselfe a sinner e Aug prâ—â—fat in Psal 31. Saint Austin Who are the blessed Not thâ—se in whom God findes no sinne for he findes it in all men f Rom. 3.23 for all haue sinned and come short of the glory of God If then sinnes are found in all it remaines that there are none blessed but those whose sinnes are remitted Thou hast done no good thing and the remission of thy sinnes is giuen thee man lookes vpâ—n thy workes Et omnia inueniuntur malâ— and all of them are found bad and euill If God should giue to those workes that which is their due without doubs he would condemne them g Rom. 6.23 Non tibi deus reddit debitam poenaÌ„ sed donat indebitam gratiam For the wages of sinne is death what is due to bad workes but damnation what is due to good workes the Kingdome of Heauen Now art thou found with bad works of thou shouldest haue what thou â—ast deserued thou shouldest be punished But how goeth the matter God giues thâ—â—â—ot the punishment due to thee but hee giues thee grace not due to thâ—â— Debebat vindinctam dat indulgentiam He owed vengeance he giues indulgence and mercie Item h Ibid. Conc. 2. Noluit aduertere noluit animadnertere noluit agnoscere maluit ignoscere Blessed are not they in whâ—m no sinnes are found but they whose sinnes are couered Are they couered they are abolisht and blotted out If God hath couered sinnes hee hath not had the will to marke or note them if hee hath not had the desire to marke them he would not take any knowledge of them he hath not had the desire to punish them hee hath not minded to ordeine of them he had rather pardon them Saint Bernard i Bernard in Cantica ser 23. O hee alone truly happie vnto whom the Lord hath not imputed his sinne for there is no man but hath bad sâ—â—â— sinne for all haue â—inned and all haue neede of the glorie of God Notwithstanding who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Non peccare
voice from whence Saint Cyprian inferres l Cypri de â—pere Elâ—emosia The Martyrs that none can bee without sinne that there remaines as yet to those which are healed some wounds that whosoeuer saith he is without sinne is either proud or senselesse Not the Martyrs for it is written of all of them m Reuel 7.14 That they washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe Then had they them soiled and distained and haue not found any thing in themselues wherewith to make them white n Reuel 14.5 These are such in whose mouth was found no guile Surely saith Saint Austin o August de peccat merit lib. 2. c. 7. because they haue reproued themselues sincerely and therefore no guile was found in their mouth For if they said that they had had no sinne they should deceiue themselues and truth should not be in them and where truth is not there is vntruth X. Not the whole Church The whole Church which so long as it warres in this vale of miserie beleeues by an article of faith the remission of sinnes not surely the sinnes of others but her owne sinnes for sinnes are pardoned to none but to the Church This is her voice p Canticles 1.5 I am blacke but comely She is not saith Saint q Bernar. in Cant Serm. 25. Bernard without some spot of blacknesse but surely here in the place of her pilgrimage for the time will 〈◊〉 when the Spouse of glory will make her glorious without spot without wrinkle and such like things But if she should now say that she hath no blacknesse at all she should deceiue her selfe and truth should not be in her Neither saith she so but contrariwise she cries incessantly vpon God in all her members r Mat. 6.12 Forgiue vs our trespasses in her most holy members For as Saint Austin saith Å¿ August in Psal 142. The excellent Rammes amongst Christe sheepe haue receiued commandement to pray so Then how much more the rest whereof none can say that he is without the contagion of â—â—â—ne that he neede not pray euen so Not Moses not Samuel not Elias not Iohn Baptist not Saint Peter not Saint Paul not Saint Iohn not any one of those that haue obtained good witnesse and testimony from God in the Scripture This voice this language â—aith t Gregor Nysse de orati domin Serm. 5. Gregorie of Nyssen appertaines vnto them all If they were now in the world liuing on earth in this humane frailty the necessitie of sinning would impose vpon them a necessitie of praying in regard of their sinnes past Forgiue vs our sinnes and in respect of their sinnes to come Leade vs not into tâ—ntation and that not onely for others but also for themselues not onely in humilitie as the Pelagians said but also in truth for saying they were sinners by humilitie and not being sinners truly they should lie through humilitie and in lying they should bee sinners as it hâ—th beene decided of old by u Concil Mileuit can 6.7.8 the Councell held at Mileuiâ—um in Numidia with denunciation of Anatheâ—â— and curse against those that made the Apostles and other Saints confessors of their sinnes for humblenesse sake in 〈◊〉 not in truth x Canon 8. Quis enim ferat â—rantem non hominibus sed ipsi Dâ—minâ— mentiâ—nâ—em It were saith the Councell to lie vnto God and not vnto men Let vs therefore conclude this argument with Saint Ieromâ— and say y Hieron ad Rusticum epist 44. If Abraham Isaac Iacob the Prophets also and Apostles haue not beene without sinne If the purest wheate hath had his straw and chaffe what can bee said of vs of whom it is written z Jerem. 23.28 What is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord CHAP. VIII I. The places aboue mentioned are expounded and vnderstood of veniall sinnes by Bellarmine II. Euery sinne is mortall in his nature which appeares III. If it be measured to God IIII. To the Law V. And to the death of Iesus Christ VI. All sinnes are veniall by grace to him that is in Christ Iesus VII Are notwithstanding some greater then othersome VIII The last Argument Neuer any Monke kept neuer could haue kept the Law BEllarmine a Bellar. de monach c. 13. §. 32.36 expounds all these places of veniall sinnes without the which we are not or are very rarely in this life notwithstanding for all this we may be iust and doe workes of supererogation II. This man when hee writ thus was doubtlesse cauterized and seated in his conscience in regard of the feeling of sinne And thus it is that now adaies they sew cushions vnder the elbow of the poore abused world and crie Peace peace to them for whom there is no peace they make many soules liue that should not liue flattering them in their sinnes by a wretched distinction of sinnes into mortall and veniall a distinction contrary vnto the Scripture which speaking of sinne in generall without distinction without limitation saith b Rom. 6.23 that the wages of sinne is death and denounceth plainely that c Ezech. 18.4 the soule that sinneth it shall die Let sinne be measured to God to the Law to Christ Iesus and they will finde that it is so III. To God d Psal 51.4 Against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight saith Dauid vnto God and the most holy men must say the like with him for can a man sinne without transgressing the Law of God and therefore without offending God And who will say that a trespasse against God is a veniall sinne Among vs men the sinne and offence multiplies according to the proportion of the person which is offended and of the place where it is committed The wrong done to a priuate person either in word or deede may bee repaired and satisfied by an honourable amends or by a pecuniarie fine and amercement but to thinke ill of his Prince is a crime of high treason to speake ill of him deserues not the gallowes not the sword but the pinsers the wheele the fire the extremest torments If a sonne rebell against his father if the seruant disobeieth his Master if the subiect despiseth the commandements of his Soueraigne the father thinkes he hath iust occasion to disinherit his son the Master to vse hardly his seruant the Lord to reiect his subiect to pursue him to prâ—scribe him to put him to death And the Creator of all the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords the Father the Redeemer the Sauiour of vs all shall bee wronged and iniured in words in thoughts in bad and wicked deedes and actions by his creatures by his seruants by his children by his subiects and shall be wronged and offended in his owne house and in his presence and some one or many of euill seruants shall call and crie vnto their fellow-mates and companions that it
10.24 Children how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the Kingdome of heauen If he trusted in his riches hee was couetous and if couetous an idolater for e Col. 3.5 couetousnesse is dolatrie and f Ephes 5.5 the couetous is an idolater and if an idolater hee hath not kept the Law if he hath not kept the Law he hath not merited eternall life Contrariwise he hath been excluded and debarred from it by the transgression of the Law and namely by his couetousnesse that made him g Iob 31.24 make gold his hope and say to the fine gold Thou art my confidence Whereupon the Lord pronounced that hee shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen when a Carnell can goe through the eye of a needle And if he hath not kept the Law he hath not merited eternall life but for his couetousnesse is punished with euerlasting torment surely the perfection whereof the Lord speaketh is not a more excellent degree of eternall life in heauen but hath another sense and meaning which offereth it selfe euidently in the Text. XI After the young man had said that hee had kept the Commandements to the which the Lord sent him backe hee asketh againe h Mat. 19.20 What lacke I yet Hee had made his first demaund touching the meanes of attaining vnto eternall life He asketh againe if he lacked yet something Of what Surely of the meanes whereby he might haue eternall life For hee was not as yet taught that there were in heauen Aureolae and therfore he made no such demaund He would haue been content to haue laine in Abrahams bosome and to haue sat at table with him in the kingdome of heauen Therefore the Lord answereth to his demaund If thou wilt be perfect that is to say if thou desirest that there be nothing wanting in thee to the obtaining of eternall life Goe and sell that thou hast and giue to the poore c. Either this is the sense of the answere or else the Lord answered not to his question let the other Euangelists be heard and you shall finde that this is the true sense and meaning Saint Marke setteth downe Christs answere in this manner i Mark 10.21 One thing thou lackest Saint Luke in these wordes k Luk. 18.22 Yet lackest thou one thing sell all that thou hast and distribute vnto the poore c. Certainely he lacked this one thing to haue eternall life whereof onely he made the demaund and therefore the sense of our Sauiours words is Thou hast not yet all that is necessary to eternall life wherefore if thou wilt be perfect and desirest to lacke nothing whereby to be saued go and sell all that thou hast c. The Lord therefore speaketh not of a greater perfection then that which is commanded in the Law much lesse of a more excellent degree of glory in heauen For to what purpose should hee haue counselled such a perfection to a man that was a Iew by profession and that was not his disciple For reason would haue required that hee should make him first of a Iew a Christian and so by degrees of a Christian a Monke seeing that to be a Monke or Frier is the highest degree of Christian perfection in this life and hath the highest degree of glory in the life to come as the Monkes doe say XII Now follow the words l Mat. 19.20 Goe and sell that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and follow me In these words is a twofold commandement and promise the first is a commandement of charitie the second a commandement of faith Of the first Clement Alexandrinus writeth thus m Clemens Alexand stromat 3. lib. 3. Refellit eum qui gloriatur quod omnia à iuuentute praecepta seruauerit non enim impleuerat illud Diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum Tunc autem vt qui à Domino perficeretur docebatur communicare impertire per charitatem Pulchrè ergo non prohibuerat esse diuitem sed esse diuitem iniustè inexplebiliter That when the Lord saith goe and sell all that thou hast and giue to the poore hee refutes him which boasteth that he had kept all the Commandements from his youth vp for he had not fulfilled the Commandement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe But then that he might be made perfect by the Lord he was taught to impart and giue by charitie and therefore he prohibits him not to bee rich but to bee vniustly and vnsatiably rich n Origen in hunc locum Origen saith plainely that if he had kept the Commandement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe the Lord had not spoken to him of a greater perfection and he alleageth to this purpose a certaine Gospell according to the Hebrewes non ad authoritatem sed ad manifestationem propositae quaestionis not for the authorising but for the clearing of the question propounded where our Lords words are thus set downe o Jbid. Quomodo dicis legem feci prophetas quoniam scriptum est in lege Diliges proximum c. ecce multi fratres tui filij Abrahae amicti sunt stercore morientes prae fame domus tua plena est multis bonis non egreditur omnin◠aliquid ex ea ad cos How saiest thou I haue kept the Law and the Prophets seeing that it is written in the Law Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self and behold many of thy brethren the sons of Abraham are couered with dung and die for hunger and thy house is stuft with store of goods and there goeth nothing out of it to them And then declaring his opinion p Ibidem Verum est ergo quia non impleuit diues mandatum c. It is true saith he that the rich man hath not fulfilled the Commandement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe for he despiseth many of the poore and hath giuen none of his riches to them And a little after expounding the meaning of the words q Ibid. Volens arguere diuitem illum dominus noster quasi non vera dicentem c. dixit ad eum si vis c. Sic enim apparebis dicere verum si dilixisti aut diligis proximum tuum sicut teipsum The Lord saith he intending to conuince this rich man as one not telling the truth c. saith vnto him If thou will be perfect goe and sell that thou hast and giue to the poore for so it will appeare that thou saiest true if thou hast loued or if thou louest thy neighbour as thy selfe It is therefore a Commandement and a Commandement of charitie XIII Bellarmine gain-saieth this saying that this is not a Commandement of charitie because that r Bellar. de monach c. 9. §. 19. Charitie requires onely that we loue our neighbour as our selues and therefore requires not that we giue all