Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Section 22
22. Paſſages expunged againſt evangelicall Councels, tending unto Perfection, Merit, Superogation, and againſt popiſh Vowes.
IN Maſter Wards Comentary upon Matthew, written copy, page 105. this diſcourſe is purged out as heterodox.
He ſhall be called leaſt in the Kingdome of Heaven.
The Papiſts generally urge this place for the eſtabliſhing of their Evangelicall councels Obj.unto perfection.
But there are no ſuch councels as theſe, which the Papiſts would eſtabliſh from this Anſw.place, to wit, firſt, Free, which may be done or not done, as we pleaſe, and that without ſinne: ſecondly, councels unto perfection: and thirdly, unto merit; the truth of this anſwer appeares thus (viz.)
Firſt, becauſe this word Councell, is taken for the feare of God, conſilium preſervabit te, councell ſhall preſerve thee; read Proverbs 2. 11. & 8. 12, 13, 14. & 12. 15. & 19. 20. Heare councell and receive inſtruction: and ſecondly, becauſe no good thing in it ſelfe is free, the Commandements of God being the rule of good, and therefore whatſoever is ſimply good, is poſitively commanded; and what is not included in the morrall law, is not in it ſelfe good, but will worſhip: and thirdly, becauſe every perfection of good is preſcribed and enjoyned, be ye perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect, Matth. 5. 48. ſaith Chriſt: Now although we can never attaine unto this perfection, yet we muſt endeavour thereunto: and fourthly, becauſe we deſerve nothing at Gods hands, but onelyonly by the obedience of the Commandements, i. e; if there be any merit, it is in the obedience of the law; if Adam had merited, it had been by obeying that which was commanded, not that which was not required; for when by ſuch things we deſire to pleaſe God, he will ſay, who hath required theſe things at your hands? Iſa. 1. 12. and therefore little hope can the Papiſts have to merit Heaven by their monaſticall vowes, whether generall or particular.
Firſt, they have generall vowes, namely, firſt, the vow of poverty, and yet ſcarce any faire Mannours richer then their Monaſteries; Secondly chaſtity, which is like a painted Sepulcher, their Abbies and Nunneries being Dens of Sodomites: thirdly, obedience to humane traditions, rather then the commandements of God, whence the rules of Saint Francis or Saint Dominick, or lame Loyola, are more ſtrictly obſerved then the rules of Chriſt or word of God.
Secondly, they have particular vowes, as firſt, not to touch ſilver with their hands, but yet they may receive it in their hoods; ſecondly, not to touch fleſh; thirdly, to weare haire ſhirts, and the like. If the learned Reader deſire further proofe and information in this particular, I referre him to Hospmian de Origine Monachorus: certainly theſe are no Evangelicall councels, although they may truly be called Minima, things of the leaſt moment or importance, which periſh in the uſing, affording neither comfort nor true profit unto the uſer or obſerver of them, &c.
In the ſame Comentary on Matth. 28. 20. written copy, page 405. the Licencer hath gelded out this diſcourſe:
From theſe words (Teaching them to obſerve whatſoever I have commanded you) I lay downe this propoſition, That there are no Evangelicall counſels of perfection unto ſuperogation: for the underſtanding of this, I thus explaine the particulars thereof (viz.)
Firſt, conſilium, or councell, is either firſt, directionis, of direction: and of this theſe ſpeak not; or ſecondly, preſcriptionis, of preſcription, for the preparing and informing of the ſoule, Revel. 3. 18. now this the poſition underſtands, and it is twofold; namely, either firſt, this councell of preſcription is given injunctorie, by way of injunction; and thus we grant that there are Evangelicall councels: or ſecondly, theſe councels are given arbitrarie, arbitrarily, i. e. if we will doe them, we may, if we will not we may chooſe, and that without ſinne: now theſe the poſition ſpeaks, denying that there are my ſuch.
Secondly, Evangelium, Goſpell, is taken two manner of wayes, namely, either firſt for holy Hiſtory; and thus Goſpell is not here meant: or ſecondly, for the doctrine of Chriſt; and thus it is taken in our Theſis: thirdly perfection, perfection is two fold; namely, either firſt, infinite in God; or ſecondly, finite; and this is either firſt, Patriae of glory, and of our country; which perfection the Angels and Saints have in Heaven; or ſecondly, via, of grace, or of the way; and this is the perfection the Saints have on earth, and it is a perfection either firſt, partium, of parts and kinds; or ſecondly, graduum, of degrees; and this is either firſt, accidentall, which conſiſts in removing of obſtacles and lets, and this we grant: or ſecondly, eſſentiall; and this perfection is either firſt, neceſſary unto ſalvation, which is a full obſervation of the morall law, either by our ſelves or by another; or ſecondly profitable, which is not ſimply neceſſary unto ſalvation, but onelyonly neceſſary for the obtaining of a more excellent degree of glory: now this perfection the Papiſts underſtand in their Evangelicall councels unto perfection, and this perfection in our poſition we utterly deny.
Fourthly ſupererogation, ſupererogation is two fold, to wit, either firſt, gradualis, when we performe the precepts of the law in a higher meaſure and degree then the law requires, and thus our Rhemiſts underſtand the word, 1 cor. 9. 16. or ſecondly, qualificalis, when we doe other good works beſides thoſe which are commanded in the law; and thus Bellarmine underſtands the word, who further alſo ſaith, firſt, that theſe works of ſupererogation, doe merit a greater degree of glory; and alſo ſecondly, that they are communicable even unto others, i. e. that both, firſt, they ſatisfie for the ſinnes of others; and alſo ſecondly, help to ſupply the defects and wants of others, Remiſt. Teſt. 2 cor. 8. 14.
Queſt. Wherein doe we and the Papiſts agree, and wherein doe we differ in this poynt of councels of perfection unto ſupererogation?
Anſw. firſt, we agree in this, that good things are either firſt, abſolutely good, and theſe are commanded; or ſecondly, reſpectively good, in regard of ſome circumſtances, and thus Saint Paul gives councell concerning marriage in the times and places of perſecution, 1 cor. 7.
Secondly, we differ in three things: firſt Re, in the thing it ſelfe; for firſt, Papiſts ſay that councels are better then commands, and that a man ſhall obtaine a higher ſtate and a greater meaſure of glory in Heaven by the obedience of councels, then by the obedience of precepts: ſecondly, we ſay that councels are inferiour to commands, and differ from them, not in obligation, but in the object; becauſe firſt, commandements are concerning things abſolutely good; but ſecondly, councels are of things reſpectively good; which when they are good cannot be omitted without fault.
Secondly, we and the Papiſts differ forma, in the forme of theſe Evangelicall councels; for they ſay they are arbitrary; but we ſay they are enjoyned: and thirdly, we and they differ fine, in the very end of them; for firſt, the Papiſts hold, that firſt, the works of councels merit a ſingular glory and a greater degree thereof; and ſecondly, that they ſatisfie for the temporall puniſhment of ſinne: ſecondly we hold neither of theſe, but onelyonly that they are enjoyned as the works of our office and duty, whenſoever the circumſtances doe concurre, &c.
Ibidem written copy, page 139. this is deleted, ſweare not at all: Obj. Sextus Senenſis; and ſome other Papiſts ſay, that Chriſt here ſets downe a councell of perfection; not forbidding all ſwearing but rather wiſhing that men could ſo live in faith, love and truth, that there might be no uſe of an oath. Anſw. firſt, this is falſe, becauſe Chriſts words are not perſwaſory, but prohibitory, expreſly forbidding ſwearing.