Couenant and therefore an Apocryphall booke which may bee read for the instruction of our life as being full of holy instructions and documents touching manners but not for confirmation of Ecclesiasticall doctrine and of faith a booke which Bellarmine confesseth hath been compiled and made by a certaine Philon before Christs time of whom no Historiographer makes mention but which Ierom Lyrinensis Sixtâ—s Senensis Bâ—â—auentura Briton c. doe witnesse to be the work of Philon the most learned among the Iewes who liued in the time of the Apostles but did not adhere nor sticke fast vnto the Apostles and could not make any Canonicall booke appertaining vnto the old Testament i Bellar. de verbo Dâ—i li. 1. c. 13. which hath been finished and perfected in the death of our Sauiour to giue place to the New It is then vnfitly and little to the purpose that Bellarmine alleageth and vrgeth it to strengthen his opinion XI Notwithstanding that which he alleageth serues nothing to his purpose We reade there k Wisedome 3.13.14.15 Blessed is the barren that is vndefiled which hath not knowne the sinfull bed she shall haue fruit in the visitation of soules And blessed is the Eunuch which with his hâ—nds hath wrought no iniquitie nor imagined wicked things against God for vnto him shall be giuen the special gift of faith and an inheritance in the Temple of the Lord more acceptable to his mind for glorious is the fruit of good labours and the roote of wisedome shall neuer fall away This exquisite grace and gift of faith giuen vnto the Eunuch is saith Bellarmine a certaine singular gift answering to his faithfulnesse But let vs see what he speakes of he had said that grace and mercie is to his Saints and he hath care for his elect Vers 9. But the vngodly shall bee punished according to their owne imaginations c. He proues the one and the other part of his saying by a comparison of a woman hauing children which feares not God with a barren woman that feares him and by another comparison of an Eunuch with an adulterer Who so despiseth wisdome and nurture is miserable c. their wiues are foolish and their children wicked their of-spring is cursed He opposeth to these women the barren woman namely that woman who being married hath no children because she is barren and saith Blessed is the barren because saith Lyrinensis l Lyrinens in sapient c. 3. Quia licêt sit in matrimonio non tamen habet filios in eius ignominiam cedentes she hath no children although she be married which may make her a shame and dishonour her And what barren woman She that is vndefiled for saith he if she were barren and an adulteresse she should not be happy but miserable It is she which hath not knowne the sinfull bed She hath knowne the bed because she is married but not in sinne because m Heb. 13.4 that marriage is honourable in all and the bed vndefiled she shall haue fruite in the visitation of soules she shall receiue it from God for her coâ—iâ—gall chastitie better then if she had sonnes and daughters This barren woman therefore is not she which liues in the state of Virginitie which cannot be called barren yea cannot know whether she be barren The same Lyrinensis saith of the Eunuch That it is he which is vnable to ingender and that the exquisit gift of faith which shall bee giuen him is not any singular gift answering his fidelitie but the gift of glory giuen for his faith Donum gloriae quod pro fide formata charitate working by loue a gift common to all the elect a condition in the Temple of the Lord acceptable to his minde surely acceptable and worthy to be wished for aboue any other condition a thing to bee desired and asked of all men aboue all things n Psal 27.4 One thing haue I desired of the Lord saith Dauid that I will seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple This is that which is promised to the Eunuch depriued by reason of his impotencie of all hope of off-spring This is his comfort whereunto is opposed the desolation and miserie of the adulterer As for the children of adulterers saith Philo they shall not come to their perfection and the seede of an vnrighteous bed shall be rooted out c. Therefore he saith that the condition of Eunuches is better then that of adulterers and who doubts of that But hee saith not that the Eunuches are more happie and blessed then they which are married except they say that all married folkes are adulterers and that marriage is more o Heb. 13.4 the bed vndefiled Lastly Bellarmine confesseth that this place is like to that of Isaiah alleaged heretofore wherefore if he hath in vaine and with no effect built his Counsels vpon Isaiahs words which are canonicall these then which are Apocrypha will serue him to no purpose no more then a staffe which is nought but a broken reede CHAP. XVI I. As the pretended Counsels are not to bee found in the old Testament no more are they to be found in the New II. Bellarmines third obiection taken from the parable of the ground bringing forth an hundred sixtie thirtie â—old III. The true meaning of the Parable is expounded and Bellarmines exposition refuted IIII. The fourth obiection concerning the Eunuches which haue made themselues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauens sake V. The true sense of the wordes of our Sauiour Christ. VI. In those words the Lord giueth a precept to them which haue the gift of continencie and chastitie VII To make himselfe an Eunuch for the Kingdome of Heauen is not to abstaine from matrimonie to merit eternall life as Bellarmine saith VIII But to aduance the Kingdome of God according vnto the testimonie of Lyrinensis and of Ferus IX Another interpretation of this place X. The Argument retorted and returned vpon the Aduersarie ORigen writes a Origen â—nâ— Mat. Homil. 25. that for the testimonie of our words which wee produce and alleage in doctrine wee ought to propound and set forth the sense of the Scripture confirming the sense and meaning which we expound For euen as all the gold which shall be without the Temple shall not bee sanctified euen so all sense which shall be without the holy Scripture although it seemes admirable to some is not holy because it is not contained in the sense of the Scripture which hath accustomed to sanctifie it Bellarmine and the Author of the Pastorall Letter doe alleage Scripture for confirmation of their pretended Counsels but against the sense yea euen against the very words of the Scriptures which make no mention at all of Counsels neither in word nor in sense The Scriptures are contained in the oracles of ancient Prophets in the bookes of
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
6.44.45 man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God euery one therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father commeth vnto me They that thus heare and learne thus of the Father doe not stand to their owne sense nor are not wedded to their owne humours but are directed by the holy Spirit to the sense and meaning of the Scripture as much as is necessarie for them that they suffer themselues not to be distracted and with-drawne from the saluation which is in our Lord Iesus by the deceit of men II. The Pastoral Letter vnderstands not so the words of Micah and acknowledgeth none to be the mountaine of Sion Pag. 7. but the ancient Fathers and those of these times Pastors and Doctors there is difference saith he betweene one heretick and another which interprets the Scripture according to his sense the one with more the other with lesse obstinacie and wilfulnesse but both of them are alike in error To be like an hereticke is to make himselfe like the diuell and to beare his image This is his argument they are hereticks which do interpret the Scripture according to their owne sense wee ought not to resemble hereticks wee ought not therefore and must not interpret the Scripture according to our senses The Canon Law defineth an heretick thus g 24. q. 3. Can. 27. Haeresis quicunque aliter scripturam intelligit quà m sensus spirituâ— sancti flâ—gitat quo scripta est licet de ecclesia non recesserit tamen haereticus appellari potest Whosoeuer vnderstandeth the Scripture otherwise then the sense of the holy Spirit by the which it hath been written requireth although he hath not with-drawne himselfe from the Church he may be cald an hereticke is to be vnderstood if he be obstinate and being conuicted of error by the truth will not leaue his error to embrace the truth h 24 q. 3. can dixit For they which maintain and defend their false and peruerse opinion without any stubbornes and obstinacy being ready willing to be corrected are not to be reckoned amongst hereticks but i 24. q. 3. can 31. Qui in ecclesia they which being in the Church of Christ haue any contagious and peruerse opinion if being reproued of it that they may knâ—w and acknowledge that which is sound and right they resist with stubbornnesse and contumacie and will not reforme and correct their pâ—stilent and mortall opinions and doctrines but persist to defend and maintaine them they become heretickes And if we will know who are they which haue a bad and peruerse opinion and doctrine Leo the first will tell vs that k 〈◊〉 epist 10. ad FlauianuÌ„ est 24. q. 3. can 30. quid autem those fall into this furie and madnesse who being hindred by some obscurenes and darkenes to know the truth haue not their recourse to the voice of the Prophets to the Epistles of the Apostles and to the authorities of the Gospell but to themselues and therefore are masters of errors not hauing been disciples of truth All these conditions being put and laid together hee is an hereticke who despising all admonitions doth maintaine obstinatly an error contrary to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles contained in the holy Scriptures Of such a one the Apostle faith l Tit. 3.10.11 A man that it an herericke after the first and second admonition reiect knowing that he that is such is subuerted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe I desire the Reader to marke and remember this definition to the ende he may iudge by the same of the truth and false-hood of the matters debated in our writings and finde and hold for an hereticke the one of vs who being an Idolater of his owne sense and opinion defends with obstinacie a sense contrary to the holy Scripture For as Tertullian saith m Tert. de praes aduers haeret cap. 38. Inde scripturarum expositionum adâ—lteratio deputanda est vbi diuersitas inuenitur doctrinae There is the corruption of the Scriptures and of Expositions where the diuersitie of doctrine is found and else where The n Ibidem ca. â—2 Hereticorum doctrina cum Apostolica comparant ex diuersitate contrarietate sua pronunciabit neque Apostoli alicuius authoris esse neque Apostolici doctrine of heretickes compared with that of the Apostles will pronounce by her difference and contrarietie that she hath not for her author any Apostle or any Apostolick person The Pastorall Letter will not haue nor permit vs to make this comparison of the writings of men with those of the Apostles but binds vs to depend altogether on that which the holy Fathers and our spirituall Fathers which haue lawfull succession will tell vs and reach vs. III. Pag. 7. The Christian saith the Letter ought per omnia assimilari Christo in all things be made like vnto Christ who for our example said in Saint Iohn o Iohn 7.16 Mea doctrina non est mea sed eius qui misit me My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me In another place p Iohn 15.15 Omnia quaecunque audiui à patre nota feci vobis Al things that I haue heard of my Father I haue made knowne vnto you euen so you ought not to speake of the Scriptures but sicut audiui à patre as the holy Fathers doe expound This reason may be reduced to this forme The Christians ought to be like vnto Christ in all things but Christ hath said nothing but that which he hath heard of his Father therfore we ought not to say any thing of the Scripture but that we haue heard of our fathers or as they expound it Who seeth not that here are foure termes as Schoolemen speake and that the conclusion sayes more then the premise doe afforde let vs make a new this Syllogisme All Christians ought to be like vnto Christ in all things but Christ hath said nothing hath done nothing but that which his Father hath told him and commaunded him the maiden daughters therefore of whom the question is ought to say nothing to doe nothing but that which their father hath told them and commanded and consequently they ought not nor may not enter into the new religion and religious House or Cloister of Saint Vrsula the Virgin because their father hath told them and commaunded them not to doe it Let vs make it of another fashion All Christians must be like vnto Christ in all things but Christ hath spoken of all those things which he hath heard of his Father who is God the true One and holy One Therefore we must hold all that we haue heard of our Fathers of whom he most holy is but man and not God is a sinner q 1. King 8.46 for there is no man that sinneth not and a lyer
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
complaines of those that reade and speake of them Let them defend them and forbid them with threatnings I will not feare what man can doe to me but knowing that the word of God is of such vertue n Psal 119.130 that the entrance of his words giueth light and giueth vnderstanding vnto the simple I will loue it I will put it close to my heart I will take in it all my delight and pastime his words shall be folkes of my counsell I will alwaies adhere and sticke fast vnto them that I may say in good conscience vnto my God with Dauid o Psal 119.97 O how loue I thy Law it is my meditation all the day CHAP. IIII. I. The Scripture is to be read with the same Spirit wherewith it was written II. The proofes which the Pastorall Letter alleageth are nothing to the purpose III. The Philosophers iustly blamed by Saint Hierome for that they did frame and apply the places of Scripture vnto their sense and opinions IIII. This blame pertaines and belongs vnto the Author of the Pastorall Letter V. Two true reasons why the Scriptures cannot be vnderstood but by the same Spirit they haue been indicted with VI. The Spirit of God is in the Church in generall and in euery member of the same according to the measure of the gift and grace of Christ. SAint Peter speaking of the writings of the Prophets saith that the a 2. Pet. 1.21 prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy 〈◊〉 of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Out of these words of Saint Peter the Author of the Pastorall Letter inferres that we must reade the Scriptures with the same spirit that they were written by which is the Spirit of charitie a pure Spirit a cleane Spirit we adde to this that b Iohn 15.16 he is the Spirit of truth and so we say Amen to this doctrine II. But not to the proofes thereof that are allegoricall or false or corrupted and peruerted That which is said of the commandement giuen vnto him that preacheth the Gospell that he should gâ—â— vp to the mountaine of vertue is allegoricall and repugning to the sense of the Scriptures In like manner that which is added that no beast way approch vnto this mountaine that is to say no carnall sense or meaning and that haue we seene in the Chapter going before The second proofe taken from c Genes 6.3 that of Genesis is false God saith there My Spirit shall not alwaies striue with man for that he is also flesh and the meaning is that God will no longer beare with the malice of men because they are nothing but flesh that is to say finne and corruption but hee will destroy them from the face of the earth if they repent not in the space of an hundred and twentie yeeres Here is therefore no question of the abode of Gods Spirit in men but of the strife that God hath with men obstinatly hardned and not harkning vnto his admonitions but taking occasion by his blessings to liue according to the flesh The third proofe is mained and defectiue Saint Paul saith that d Rom. 15.4 Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope In the Pastorall Letter these words are thus changed Pag. 6. cut off and falsified The whole Scripture is giuen of God for our instruction that so by the example that we imbrace in seeing the recompence of the verâ—â—ous and the punishment of the wicked we comfort our selues in hope to attaine vnto the inestimable goods that are promised there So that whole comfort of the Scriptures is falsely referred and applied to the example that we take of the recompence of the good and the punishment of the wicked whereas it doth altogether consist in the death and passion of Christ Iesus in whose blood al those good men e Reuel 7.14 haue washed their long robes hauing all of them been iustified and graciously saued by the blood of him on the crosse and not by the merit of any vertue that was in them Whence the Lord is called f Luke 25. the Consolation of Israel namely of all the Saints the peace comfort and ioy of whom is wholy limited and stinted in him and to the witnesse that Gods Spirit beareth to their spirit and consciences by the holy Scriptures that God hath reconciled them to himselfe in him not imputing to them their sins where with ioy they crie out with the Prophet Dauid a man according to Gods heart g Psalm 32.1.2 Blessed is hee whose transgression is forgiuen whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie But not being of a subiect and matter to examine this place any more I doe approue the conclusion that is drawne from hence for seeing the Scripture hath been giuen vs for our instruction and consolation we ought not alter it or diuert it to our destruction III. Neither ought we to imitate those of whom Saint Ierome complaines h Hieron that comming to the holy Scriptures after the studie of the Sciences of this world doe imagine that all that they say is the Word and Law of God and take not the paines to search and examine diligently what the Prophets and Apostles haue said but doe frame vnto their sense the places of Scriptures which haue no resemblance agreement or relation vnto it being like the Israelites in this who made a golden Calfe of the treasures they brought out of Egypt whereas they that vse holily humane Sciences making them serue and attend on Diuinitie are like those that did imploy the iewels and riches of the Egyptians towards the building of the Tabernacle and entertainement of Gods seruice IIII. But when they say Pag. 7. that parents which binde their children to the obedience of the commandement they giue them to stay with them to serue them and not to enter into such or such a cloister are like those first that they doe subuert all order imagine they ought to preferre their commandement before Gods commandement their wills before the Euangelicall Counsels against the expresse Texts of the Gospell the example of Saints the interpretations of all the Fathers and the decisions of the holy Canons They charge them with a false blasphemie wherewith the Author of the Pastorall Letter shall finde himselfe touched and tainted who takes violently by the haires as we say the places of Scripture and the interpretations of the Fathers and frames them after his owne imagination wherewith they haue no resemblance or relation as we shall see in the Chapters following V. Notwithstanding this remaines as true that the same Spirit which hath indicted the Scriptures and giuen it to bee written ought and doth vnfold and giue vs the sense and meaning thereof The reason is in them or in vs In them their
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
For there are some Eunuches which were so borne from their mothers wombe and there are some Eunuches which were made Eunuches of men and there be Eunuches which haue made themselues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauens sake He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it Bellarmine saith that Christ giues not here a Precept but a Counsell and hee proues that because Christ forbids not marriage and therefore commaunds not chastitie because that Christ also hath said He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it Whereupon he allegeth Saint o August de Tempore ser 61. Pag. 9. Austins words which are also alleaged in the Pastorall Letter to the same purpose in these words A Counsell is one thing and a Precept is another thing A Counsell is giuen to the end that Virginitie be preserued that men abstaine from wine and flesh that all things be sold and giuen vnto the poore but this precept is giuen to the ende that iustice be obserued and maintained At least it is said of virginity He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it but it is not said of iustice He that is able to doe it let him doe it but euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the sire He that doth and keepeth a Counsell shall haue a greater glorie but he which keepeth not the Precept cannot auoide the punishment The Author of the Pastorall Letter adds to this The whole world is bound to the one vnder paine of euerlasting torments the whole world is stirred vp and drawne to the other both by the authoritie as also by the loue of the Sauiour who giues this Counsel as when he commends in Saint Matthew the continent vnder the name of an Eunuch he stirres vp and incourageth al the world to it Qui potest capere capiat He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it Thus they proue that these words containe a Counsell and not a Commandement Now that chastitie doth not onely conferre a corporall benefit but also hath a reward in heauen it appeares by these words saith Bellarmine there be Eunuchs which haue made themselues Eunuches for the Kingdome of Heauens sake Wee are to see therefore if there be a Counsell or a Precept in these words of Christ and if by the Kingdome of Heauen Christ vnderstands a certaine reward reserued in heauen for those that abstaine from marriage V. Iesus Christ hauing declared that whosoeuer shal put away his wife except it be for fornication and shall marry another committeth adultery The Apostles said If the case of the man be so with his wife it is not good to marrie and so condemned marriage as hurtfull vnto man whereupon our Sauiour Christ takes occasion to shew the necessitie of marriage and who those are that can and ought to abstaine from it All men saith he cannot receiue this saying saue they to whom it is giuen That is to say p Maldon in Mat. 19. vers 16. I lest non omnes praestare possunt vt siat sine vxore qâ—ia carent dono continentiae Sic ferè omnes exponunt quibus equidem non â—ssentior All cannot take vpon them to be without wiues because they haue not the gift of continencie as almost all expound it whereunto saith Maldonat I cannot consent nor agree And wherefore my friend is it not a Maxime of some of your side that q Salmeron Iesuit in proem epist 3. d. Pauli disput 6. in fine in 1. Ioan. 3. disput 25. §. 3. Est incuitabile argumentum veritatis est infallibilis regula iudicandi What is taught of all or almost of all is an vnauoideable argument of truth an infallible rule of iudging But whether Maldonat consents to it or no it is the true sense of Christs words who continuing his discourse teacheth who they are to whom it is behouefull and expedient not to marry saying that there are but three sorts of them first the Eunuchs which were so borne from their mothers wombe that is to say which are naturally weake and vnable Secondly Eunuches which were made Eunuches of men where of there was anciently a great number among the Pagans and Gentiles Thirdly Eunuches which haue made themselues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauens sake That is to say who hauing receiued of God the gift of continencie and being called thereunto do abstaine willingly from matrimonie not for their particular commoditie but for the kingdome of heauens sake for the aduancement of the Kingdome of Christ Iesus or as Saint Paul expounds it r 1. Cor. 7.34.35 to haue care for the things that belong to the Lord and to attend vpon the Lord without distraction The Apostles seeing the libertie of diuorcement restrained and limited iudged that if a man might not put away his wife for euery cause it were better not to marry Iesus Christ corrects this error and declares vnto them that none but three sorts of men can liue without a a wife Eunuches so borne Eunuches so made of men and such men as being capable of marriage haue receiued of God the gift of continencie They saith the Apostle Å¿ 1. Cor. 7.9 that can containe and burne not Moreouer he enacts that those abstaine from marriage not because of tribulations that doe accompanie it neither for the ease of the flesh nor for particular commoditie but for the kingdome of heauen for the edification of the Church called commonly in the Gospell t Mat. 13.24 the kingdome of heauen for the u 1. Cor. 10.31 glory of God which ought to be the ende of all our actions to whom we must adde a third condition that he be called thereunto according to the doctrine of the Apostle x 1. Cor. 7.24 Let euery man wherein hee is called therein abide with God Adam had the gist of continencie in his state of innocencie and notwithstanding if he had not sinned be should haue rendred vnto his wife due beneuolence whom God had giuen him in his innocencie and hee should haue begot of her children in Paradice because that by Gods calling hee was ordained to be the Father of mankind Wherefore Christ concludes this speech with a Commandement and not with a Counsell He that is able to receiue it let him receiue it For they that can abstaine from mariage by the gift of continencie by their calling vnto continency by the heauenly end of their gift and calling those I say are bound by Gods Commandement to abstaine from it It is no more an arbitrable thing left to their choice but necessarie We must say of all the rest whatsoeuer they be He which is not able to receiue this saying let him not receiue it He that hath not the gift of continencie let him marry for it is not expedient for him to saluation to liue without a wife Let vs reduce our Sauiors words into a syllogisme and the sense thereof
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
greater reward There were certaine heretikes in Saint Austins time g August eâ—â—st 89. quast 4. which taught that a rich man remaining in his possessions and riches cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heauen although he hath done the Commandements of God with his riches Saint Austin answeres and refutes them by the examples of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Our Fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob that are departed out of this world so long before haue escaped the disputations of these men for all these had nâ— small riches as the most faithfull Scripture witnesseth it and notwithstanding euen he who being truely rich became poore for vs hath foretold by a most true promise h Mat. 8.11 Non supra ipsos vel extra ipsos sed cum ipsis that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe in the Kingdome of Heauen not aboue them nor beyond them but with them These words doe minister vnto me a second argument That which being obserued brings not a greater glory then if it were not obserued is no Counsell but to sell all that we haue and giue to the poore procures not a greater glory then is that of Abraham Isaac and Iacob which haue not sold that which they had Therefore to sell what we haue and giue to the poore is not a Counsell The Maior is grounded vpon the definition of a Counsell such a one as is in the Pastorall Letter The minor is of the Scripture witnessing that none shall haue a greater glory then Abraham Isaac and Iacob who haue liued and died abounding in great wealth and substance because as Saint Austin hath obserued They which shall come from the East and West of what qualitie and condition soeuer they be shall be in heauen with them and not beyond them nor before them Therefore the conclusion is necessarie III. Nay furthermore although it were a Counsell all the world may see that the Author of the Pastorall Letter alleageth it against himselfe and ouerthroweth that which he pretends to build by it for if to sell all that we haue is a Counsell of perfection meritorious and worthy of a greater reward and glory why doth he not it himselfe why giues he not ouer his Cardinals Hat why desires he to be called any longer the Prince of the Church with what conscience doth hee possesse and enioy the reuenew of two thousand pounds yeerely why sells hee not all giues not all takes not the scrip and so follow Christ The Pope abounding more in gold and siluer then any King in Christendome the Cardinals whereof some of them are richer then any Prince or Lord in Christendome the Bishops and other Ecclesiasticall persons that are ouerwhelmed in riches and pleasures why doe they not as much Saint Peter of whose succession the Pope boasts i Act. 3.6 had neither siluer nor gold Saint Paul was so poore that k Act. 18.3 20.34 1. Cor. 4.12 1. Thes 2.9 2. Thes 3.8 he got his liuing by making tents The other Apostles were no better at ease l Mat. 19.27 Behold say they vnto Christ we haue forsaken all and followed thee Where shall we finde any of their Bishops which maintaine that they are their successors any one of them that forsaketh his riches to follow Christ who amongst them would be Bishop but to haue riches who amongst them would burden and charge himselfe with that office if that office were not charged with many fat and great benefices These are notwithstanding they who liuing in the world and in pleasure as much as any of the world doe preach pouertie and extreme miserie vnto others like the Pharisees in this point of whom Christ Iesu our Master said m Math. 23.4 They binde heauie burdent and grieuous to bee borne and lay them on mens shoulders but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers IIII. As he condemnes himself in alleaging this pretended Counsell as a greater louer of the perishable riches of this world then of the greatest glory of heauen n Mat. 6.20 Where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theeues doe not breake thorow nor steale Euen so he ouerthrowes his cause which he would recommend He threatens with excommunication â— father and a mother that haue opposed themselues that their daughters should not resort nor giue themselues to the Vrselines It must bee a matter of very great importance for the which a man is excommunicated that is to say cut off from the Communion of Saints and deliuered vnto Satan What haue they done They haue laboured to hinder their daughters entring into the Couent of the Vrseline Nunnes Is that a sinne worthie of excommunication He that opposeth himselfe against the obseruation of the Counsels of Christ is worthy of execration I will say with Saint Paul o 1 Cor. 16.22 Let him bee Anathema maranatha I will say vnto him as Saint Paul did to Elymas p Act. 13.10 O full of all subtiltie and all mischiefe thou childe of the deuill thou enemie of all right cousnesse wilt thou not cease to peruert the right waâ—â—s of the Lord But where are these Counsels Behold here one Goe and sell that thou hast c. Is this Counsell giuen to the Vrselines is it followed and done by the Vrselines Do they sell all that they haue to giue to the poore Doe they not take away and conuey their wealth with them into the Cloyster of the Vrselines Doe they not robbe their fathers and mothers and parents by an impious barbarous and cruell deuotion to inrich the Vrselines Are the Vrselines those poore of whom Christ saith and giue it to the poore Here I appeale vnto the conscience of Monkes Is there any of them all that selles all that he hath an giues it to the poore They which begge among them and others become Monks or are often compelled by their fathers and mothers to become Monkes that their goods and patrimonie remaine in the house to entertaine the greatnesse and honour thereof and enrich their eldest brother Others transporte their patrimony with them into the corporation of the Cloister and make good cheare therewith Is that a selling of all that they haue giuing it to the poore Therefore it is a pure mockerie yea they gull the world by preaching so much the Counsel of Christ and couering with so faire a name the hypocrisie of those which doe not Christs words which sell nothing giue nothing to the poore which seeke all meanes to enrich themselues by making many families poore Such are the Iesuites and such would the Vrselines be shortly if men would let them doe it V. I haue sufficiently proued that Christs words to the rich man are no Counsell in the sense wherein this word is taken in this disputation I will make you now see by the true exposition thereof that they are a particular precept giuen vnto this young Lord. The Euangelists doe declare
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