A Reformed Catholic, Doctrine 13
The thirteenth point. Of the state of perfection.
Our consent.
Our consent I will set downe in two conclusions. I. All true beleeuers hauehave a state of true perfection in this life. Math. 5. 48. Be you perfect as your father in heauen is perfect. Gen. 6. 9. Noah was a iust and perfect man in his time, and walked with God. Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be perfect. And sundrie kings of Iuda are said to walke vprightly before God with a perfect heart, as Dauid, Iosias, Hezekias, &c. And Paul accounteth himselfe with the rest of the faithfull to be perfect, saying, Let vsus all that are perfect, be thus minded, Phil. 3. 15. Now this perfection hath two partes. The first is the imputation of Christs perfect obedience, which is the ground and fountaine of all our perfectiō whatsoeuer. Heb. 10. 14. By one offering, that is, by his obedience in his death and passion, hath he consecrated, or made perfect, for euer them that beleeue. The second part of Christian perfection is synceritie, or, vprightnes, standing in two things. The first is, to acknowledge our imperfection and vnworthines in respect of our selues: and hereupon, though Paul had said he wasPhil. 3. 13. & 15. perfect, yet he addeth further, that he did account of himselfe, not as though he had attained to perfection: but did forget the good things behinde, and indeauoured himselfe to that which was before. Here therefore it must be remembered, that the perfection whereof I speake, may stande with sundrie wants and imperfections. It is saide of Asa2. Chr. 15. 17. that his heart vvas perfect vvith God all his daies, and yet he pulled not dovvne the high places: and beeing diseased in his feete he put & 16. 12.his trust in the Physitians and not in the Lord. Secondly this vprightnes standes in a constant purpose, endeauour, and care to keepe not some fewe, but all and eueryevery commaundement of the lawe of God, as Dauid saith psal. 119. 6. Then should I not be confounded, when I hauehave respect to AL THY COMMANDEMENTS. And this endeauour is a fruite of perfection, in that it proceedes from a man regenerate. For, as all men through Adams fall, hauehave in them by nature the seedes of all sinne; none excepted, no not the sinne against the holy Ghost: so by grace of regeneration through Christ, all the faithfull hauehave in them likewise the seedes of all vertues needefull to saluation: and hereupon they both can and doe indeauour to yeelde perfect obedience vntounto God, according to the whole law. And they may be tearmed perfect, as a childe is called a perfect man: though it want perfection of age and stature and reason; yet hath it perfection of parts: because it hath all and eueryevery part and faculty both of body & soule, that is required to a perfect man.
Conclus. II. There be certaine works of supererogation: that is, such works as are not onelyonly answerable to the law, and thereupon deserue life euerlasting: but goe beyonde the lawe, and merit more then the lawe by it selfe can make any man to merit. But where may we finde these works? not in the person of any meere man, or angel, nor in all men and angels: but onelyonly in the person of Christ God and man: whose workes are not onelyonly answerable to the perfection of the law, but goe farre beyond the same. For first the obedience of his life cōsidered alone by it selfe, was answerable euen to the rigour of the lawe: and therefore the sufferings of his death and passion, were more then the lawe could require at his hand: considering it requireth no punishment of him, that is a doer of all things conteyned therein. Secondly, the very rigour of the lawe requireth obedience onelyonly of them that are meere men: but the obedience of Christ was the obedience of a person that was both God & man. Thirdly, the lawe requires personall obedience, that is, that eueryevery man fulfill the lawe for himselfe, and it speaks of no more. Now the obedience which Christ performed, was not for himselfe alone, but it serueth also for all the elect: and considering it was the obedience of God (as Paul signified whē he said, feede the Church of God, which HE purchased VVITH HIS BLOOD) it was sufficient for many thousand worlds: and by reason the law requireth no obedience of him that is God; this obedience therefore may truely be tearmed a worke of supererrogation. This one we acknowledge, and beside this we dare acknowledge none. And thus farre we agree with the Church of Rome, in the doctrine of the estate of perfection; and further we dare not goe.
The difference.
The Papists hold (as the writings of the learned among them teach) that a man being in the state of grace, may not onelyonly keepe all the commandements of the law, and thereby deserue his owne saluation: but also goe beyond the law and doe workes of supererrogation which the lawe requireth not: as to performe the vow of single life, and the vow of regular obedience, &c. And by this means (they say) men deserue a greater degree of glorie then the law can afoard. Of perfection they make two kinds: one they cal necessarie perfection, which is the fulfilling of the law in eueryevery commandement, whereby eternall life is deserued. The second, is profitable perfection, when men do not onelyonly such things as the lawe requires, but ouer and besides, they make certen vowes, and performe certaine other duties which the lawe inioynes not; for the doing whereof they shall be rewarded with a greater measure of glorie, then the lawe designeth. This they make plaine by comparison: Two soldiers fight in the field vnderunder one and the same captaine: the one onelyonly keepes his standing, and thereby deserues his pay: the other in keeping of his place, doth also winne the enemies standard; or doe some other notable exploit: now this man besides his pay deserues some greater reward. And thus (say they) it is with all true Catholickes in the state of grace: they that keepe the lawe shal hauehave life eternal: but they that doe more then the law, as workes of supererrogation, shall be crowned with greater glorie. This is their doctrine. But we on the cōtrarie teach, that albeit we are to striue to a perfection as much as we can, yet no man can fulfill the lawe of God in this life: much lesse do works of supererrogation: for the confirmatiō wherof, these reasons may be vsed. I. In the moral law two things are commanded. First the louelove of God and man. Secondly, the manner of this louelove, now the manner of louing God is to louelove him with all our heart and strength. Luc. 10. 27. Thou shalt louelove the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, & with all thy strength, AND VVITH ALL THY THOVGHT, &c. As Bernard saide, the measure of louing God, is to louelove him vvithout measure, and that is to louelove him with the greatest perfectiō of louelove that can befall a creature. Hence it followes that in louing God, no man can possibly doe more then the lawe requireth: and therefore the performance of all vowes whatsoeuer, and all like duties, comes short of the intention or scope of the law.
II. Reason. The compasse of the law is large, and comprehendeth in it more then the minde of man can at the first conceiue: for eueryevery commaundement hath two parts, the negatiue and the affirmatiue. In the negatiue is forbidden not onelyonly the capitall sinne named, as murther, theft, adulterie, &c. but all sinnes of the same kinde, with all occasions and prouocations thereto. And in the affirmatiue is commanded not onelyonly the contrarie vertues, as the louelove of God, and the louelove of our neighbours honour, life, chastitie, goods, good name, but the vse of all helps and meanes, wherby he said the vertues may be preserued: furthered, and practised. Thus hath our Sauiour Christ himselfe expounded the lawe, Math. chap. 5. and 6. vponupon this plaine ground I conclude, that all duties pertaining to life and manners, come within the list of some morall commaundement. And that the Papists making, their workes of supererogation meanes to further the louelove of God and man, must needs bring them vnderunder the cōpasse of the lawe. VnderUnder which, if they be, they can not possibly goe beyond the same.
Reason III. Luc. 17. 20. When ye hauehave done all those things that are commanded vsus we are vnprofitable seruantes▪ we hauehave done that which was our duty to doe. The Papists answere that we are vnprofitable to God but not to our selues: but this shift of theirs is beside the very intent of the place. For a seruant in doing his dutie is vnprofitable euen to himselfe, and doth not so much as deserue thankes at his masters hand, as Christ saith, v. 9. Doth he thanke that seruant. Secondly they answer, that we are vnprofitable seruants in doing things cōmaunded: yet when we doe things prescribed in the way of counsell, we may profit our selues, and merit therby. But this answer doth not stand with reason▪ For things commanded, in that they are commaunded, are more excellent then things left to our libertie; because the will and commaundement of God giues excellencie and goodnes vntounto them. Againe counsells are thought to be ha…der then the commandements of the law: and if men can not profit themselues by obedience of moral precepts, which are more easie; much lesse shall they be able to profit thēselues by counsells which are of greater difficultie.
Reason IV. If it be not in the abilitie and power of man to keepe the law, then much lesse is he able to doe any worke that is beyond and aboue all the law requireth: but no man is able to fulfill the lawe, and therefore no man is able to supererrogate. Here the Papists deny the proposition: for (say they) though we keepe not the lawe, yet we may doe things of counsell aboue the lawe, and thereby merit. But by their leaues, they speake absurdly: for in common reason. if a man faile in the lesse, he cannot but faile in the greater. Now (as I hauehave said) in popish doctrine, it is easier to obey the moral lawe then to performe the counsells of perfection.
Obiections of Papists.
I. Isaie. 56. 4. The Lord saith, vntounto Eunuches that keepe his sabbath and choose the thinge that pleaseth him, will he giuegive a place & a name better then the sonnes and daughters. Now (say they) an Eunuch is one that liues a single life, and keepes the vow of chastitie, & herevpon he is said to deserue a greater measure of glory. Ans. If the wordes be well considered, they prooue nothing lesse: for honour is promised to Eunuches, not because they make and performe the vowe of single life, but because (as the text saith) they obserue the Lordes Sabbath, and chose the thing that pleaseth God, and keepe his couenant, which is to beleeue the word of God & to obey the commandements of the morall lawe.
Obiect. II. Mat. 16. 12. Christ saith, There are some which hauehave made themselues chast for the kingdome of heauen: therefore the vowe of single life is warrantable, and is a worke of speciall glorie in heauen. Ans. The meaning of this text is, that some hauing receiued the gift of continencie, doe willingly content themselues with single estate, that they may with more libertie without distraction further the good estate of the Church of God, or, the kingdome of grace in themselues and others. This is all that can be gathered out of this place: hence therefore cannot be gathered the merit of euerlasting glorie by single life.
Obiect. III. Math. 9 21. Christ saith to the young man. If thou wilt be perfect goe sell that thou hast and giuegive to the poore, and thou shalt hauehave treasure in heauen. Therefore say they, a man by forsaking all may merit not onelyonly heauen, but also treasure there, that is an exceeding measure of glorie. Ans. This young man beeing in likelihoode, a most strickt Pharise, thought to merit eternall life by the workes of the law, as his first question imporieth; Good master, what shall I doe to be saued: and therefore Christ goeth about to discouer vntounto him the secret corruption of his heart▪ and herevpon the words alledged are a commandement of triall not common to all, but special to him. The like commandement gaue the Lord to Abraham, saying, Abraham take thine onelyonly sonne Isaac: and offer him vpō the mountaine which I shall shewe thee, Gen. 12. 2.
IV. Obiect. 1. Cor. 7. 8. Paul saith, It is good for all to be single as he was: and v. 38. he saith, it is better for virgins not to marry: and, this he speakes hy permission not by commandement, v. 26. Ans. Here single life is not preferred simply, but onelyonly in respect of the present necessitie, because the Church was then vnderunder persecution: and because such as liue a single life, are freed from the cares and distractions of the world.
V. Obiect. 1. Cor. 9. 15. 17. 18. Paul preached duplicate page duplicate page page missing that excelled in faith in the times of the olde and new testament. II. They are to be honoured by giuing of thankes to God for them, and the benefits that God vouchsafed by them vntounto his Church. Thus Paul saith, that when the Churches heard of his conuersion, they glorified God for him, or, in him Gal. 1. 13. And the like is to be done for the Saints departed. III. They are to be honoured by an imitation of their faith, humilitie, meekenesse, repentance, the feare of God, & all good vertues wherin they excelled. For this cause the examples of godly men in the old and new testament, are called a cloud of witnesses by allusion: for as the cloud did guide the Israelites through the wildernes to the land of Canaan: so the faithful now are to be guided to the heauenly Canaan by the examples of good men, that hauehave beleeued in God before vsus, and hauehave walked the strait way to life euerlasting.
Concl. II. Againe their TRVERELIQVES that is, their vertues and good examples left to all posteritie to be followed, we keepe and respect with due reuerence. Yea if any man can shewe vsus the bodily relique of any true Saint: and prooue it so to be though we will not worship it, yet will we not despise it but keepe it as a monument, if it may conueniently be done without offence. And thus farre we consent with the church of Rome. Further we must not goe.
The dissent.
Our difference stands in the manner of worshipping of Saints. The Papists make two degrees of religious worshippe. The highest they cal Latria whereby God himselfe is worshipped▪ and that alone. The second lower then the former, is called Doulia, whereby the Saints and Angells that be in the speciall fauour of God, and glorified with euerlasting glorie in heauen, are worshipped. This worshippe they place in outward adoration, in bending of the knee, and bowing of the bodie to them beeing in heauen: in invocation whereby they call vponupon them: in dedication of Churches and houses of religion vntounto them: in sabbathes and festiuall daies: lastly in pilgrimages vntounto their reliques & images. We likewise distinguish adoration or worship: for it is either religious or civill. Religious worship, is that which is done to him that is Lord of all things, the searcher and trier of the heart, omnipotent, eueryevery where present, able to heare and helpe them that call vponupon him eueryevery where, the author and first cause of eueryevery good thing: and that simply for himselfe, because he is absolute goodnes it selfe. And this worship is due to God alone, being also commaunded in the first and second com mandements of the first table. Ciuill worship is the honour done to men set above vsus by God himselfe, either in respect of their excellent gifts, or in respect of their offices: & authoritie whereby they gouerne others. The right ende of this worship is to testifie and declare that we reuerence the giftes of God, and that power which he hath placed in those that be his instruments. And this kinde of worship is commanded onelyonly in the second table & in the first commandement thereof Honour thy father and mother. VponUpon this distinction we may iudge, what honour is due to eueryevery one. Honour is to be giuen to God, & to whom he commandeth. He commandeth that inferiours should honour or worship their betters. Therfore the vnreasonable creatures, & among the rest images are not to be worshipped, either with ciuill or religious worship: beeing indeed far baser then man himselfe is. Againe vncleane spirits the enemies of God, must not be worshipped: yea to honour them at all, is to dishonour God. Good angels, because they excell men both in nature and gifts, when they appeared were lawfully honoured: yet so, as when the least signification of honour was giuen that was proper to God, they refused it. And because they appeare not now as in former times, not so much as ciuil adoration in any bodily gesture is to be done vntounto them. Lastly, gouernours and Magistrates hauehave ciuill adoration as their due: and it can not be omitted without offence. Thus Abraham worshipped the Hittites, Gen. 23. and Ioseph his brethren, Gen. 50. To come to the very point: vponupon the former distinction, we denie against the Papists that any civill worship in the bending of the knee or prostrating of the bodie, is to be giuen to the Saints, they being absent from vsus; much lesse any religious worship, as namely Invocation signified by any bodily adoratiō. For it is the very honour of God himselfe; let them call it latria, or doulia, or by what name they will.
Our reasons.
Reason I. All true inuocation and praier made according to the will of God, must hauehave a double foundation; a commaundement, and a promise. A commaundement, to mooue vsus to pray: and a promise, to assure vsus that we shall be heard. For all and eueryevery praier must be made in faith▪ & without a commaundement or promise there is no faith. VponUpon this vnfallible ground I conclude, that we may not pray to Saints departed: for in the Scripture there is no word, either commaunding vsus to praie vntounto them, or assuring vsus that we shall be heard when wee praie. Nay we are commanded, onelyonly to call vponupon God, Him onelyonly shalt thou serue, Matth. 4. 10. And, How shall we call vponupon him in whome we hauehave not beleeued? Rom. 10. 14. And we hauehave no promise to be heard but for Christs sake. Therefore praiers made to Saints departed are vnlawfull. Answer is made, that inuocation of Saints, is warranted by miracles and reuelations, which are answerable to commandements and promises. Ansvv. But miracles and reuelations had an ende before this kind of inuocation tooke any place in the Church of God: and that was about three hundred yeares after Christ. Againe to iudge of any point of doctrine by miracles, is deceitfull; vnlesse three things concurre: the first is, doctrine of faith and pietie to be confirmed: the second is praier vntounto God, that some thing may be done for the ratifying of the saide doctrine: the third is the manifest edification of the Church by the two former. Where any of these three are wanting, miracles may be suspected: because otherwhiles false prophets hauehave their miracles to trie mē whether they wil cleaue vntounto God or no. Deut. 13. 1, 3. Againe, miracles are not done, or to be don for them that beleeue, but for infidels that beleeue not: as Paul saith, 1. Cor. 14. 22. Tongues are a signe not to them that beleeue, but to vnbeleeuers. And to this agree Chrysostome, Ambrose, and Isidore, who saith, Behold a signe is not necessarie to beleeuers which hauehave alreadie beleeued, but to infidels that they may be conuerted. Lastly, our faith is to be confirmed not by reuelations and apparitions of dead men, but by the writings of the Apostles and prophets, Luc. 16. 29.
Reason II. To praie vntounto Saints departed, to bowe the knee vntounto them while they are in heauen, is to ascribe that vntounto them which is proper to God himselfe: namely, to know the heart, with the inward desires and motions thereof: and to know the speaches and behauiours of all men in all places vponupon earth at all times. The Papists answer, that Saints in heauen see and heare all things vpō earth, not by themselues (for that were to make them Gods) but in God, and in the glasse of the Trinitie, in which they see mens praiers reuealed vntounto them. I answer first, that the Saints are still made more then creatures; because they are saide, to knowe the thoughts and all the doings of all men at all times, which no created power can well comprehend at once. Secondly I answer, that this glasse, in which all things are saide to be seene, is but a forgerie of mans braine: and I prooue it thus. The angels themselues, who see further into God then men can doe, neuer knew all things in God: which I confirme on this manner. In the temple vnderunder the lawe, vponupon the arke were placed two Cherubins, signifying the good angels of God: and they looked downward vponupon the merciese at couering the arke, which was a figure of Christ; and their looking downeward figured their desire to see into the mystery of Christs incarnatiō, & our redemptiō by him; as Peter alluding, no doubt, to this type in the olde Testament saith, 1. Pet. 1. 12. which things the angels desired to behold and Paul saith Eph. 3. 10. The manifold wisdom of God is reuealed by the Church vntounto principalities and powers in heauenly places, that is, to the angels: but how and by what meanes? by the Church; and that two waies, first by the Church, as by an example, in which the angels saw the endles wisdome and merciemercy of God in the calling of the Gentiles. Secondly by the Church, as it was founded & honoured by the preaching of the Apostles. For it seemes that the Apostolicall ministerie in the newe testament reuealed things touching Christ, which the angels neuer knew, before that time. Thus Chrysostome vponupon occasionProlog. in Iob. of this text of Paul saith, that the Angels learned some things by the preaching of Iohn Baptist. Againe, Christ saith, that they know not the houre of the last iudgement, Math. 24. 23. much lesse doe the saints know all things in God. And hence it is that they are saide to be vnderunder the altar, where they crie: How long Lord, holy and true! wilt thou Rev. 6. 9.not reuenge our bloode? as beeing ignorant of the daie of their full deliuerance. And the Iewes in affliction confesse Abraham was ignorant of them and their estate. Isa. 63. v. 16.
Reason III. Matth. 4. 10. Christ refused so much as to bow the knee to Sathan vponupon this ground, because it was written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onelyonly shalt thou serue. Hence it was, that Peter would not suffer Cornelius so much as to kneele vntounto him, though Cornelius intended not to honour him as God. Therfore neither Saint nor Angel is to be honoured so much as with the bowing of the knee: if it carrie but the least signification of diuine or religious honour.
Reason IV. The iudgement of the auncient Church. August. We honour the Saints de vera relig. c. 53.with charitie, and not BY SERVITVDE: neither doe vve erect Churches to them. And, Let it NOT BE RELIGION for vsus to vvorship deade men. And, They are to be honoured for immitation, and not to be adored for religion. Epiphan.h…res. 79. Neither Tecla nor any Saint is to be ADORED: for that auncient ERROVR may not ouerrule vsus, that vve should leaue the liuing God, and adore things made by him. Againe, Let Marie be in honour; let the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost be adored: let NONE ADORE MARIE: I meane neither vvoman nor man. Againe, Marie is beautifull and holy and honoured, yet NOT TO ADORATION. Whē Iulian obiected to the Christians that they worshipped their Martyrs as God, CyrilLib. 9. & 10. graunts the memorie and honour of them, but denies their adoration: and of inuocation, he makes no mention at all. Ambrose on Rom. 1. Is any SO MADDE that he vvill giuegive to the Earle the honour of the King—? yet these men doe not thinke them selues guiltie, who giuegive the honour of Gods name to a creature, and leauing the Lord, ADORE THEIR FELLOVV SERVANTS, as though there vvere any thing more reserued for God.
Obiections of Papists.
I. Gen. 48. 16. Let the angel that kept me blesse thy children. Here (say they) it is a praier made to angels. Ans. By the angel is meant Christ, who is called the angel of the couenant, Malac. 3. 1. and the angel that guided Israel in the wildernes, 1. Cor. 10. 9. compared with Exod. 23. 20.
Obiect. II. Exod. 23. 13. Moses praieth that God would respect his people, for Abrahams sake, and for Isaac and Israel his seruants, which were not then liuing. Ans. Moses praieth God to be mercifull to the people, not for the intercession of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, but for his couenants sake which he had made with them, Psal. 123. 10 11. Againe by popish doctrine, the fathers departed knewe not the estate of men vponupon earth, neither did they pray for thē: because then they were not in heauen but in Limbo patrum.
III. Obiect. One liuing man makes intercession to God for another: therefore much more doe the Saints in glorie, that are filled with louelove pray to God for vsus: and we pray to them no otherwise then we desire liuing men to pray for vsus. Ans. The reason is naught: for we hauehave a commandement, one liuing man to pray for another, and to desire others to pray for vsus: but there is no warrant in the word of God, for vsus to desire the praiers of men departed. Secondly there is great difference betweene these two: To request our friend either by word of mouth or by letter to pray for vsus: and by Inuocation to request them that are absent from vsus and departed this life to pray for vsus: for this is indeede a worshippe, in which is giuen vntounto them a power to heare and helpe all that call vponupon them, at what place or time soeuer, yea though they be not present in the place in which they are worshipped: and consequently the seeing of the heart, presence in all places, an infinite power to helpe all that pray vntounto them: which things agree to no creature but God alone. Thirdly when one liuing man requests an other to pray for him, he onelyonly makes him his companion and fellowe member in his prayer made in the name of one mediatour Christ: but when men inuocate Saints in heauen, they beeing then absent, they make them more then fellowe members euen mediatours between Christ and them.