Answer to a Popish Pamphlet Called the Touchstone of the Reformed Gospel, Part 2 · Subpart 18
18. THat no man can do works of ſupererogation.
VVHichWhich he ſayeth is contrarie to Math. 19. 21. wher our Saviour ſayeth to the young richman, If thou will be perfect, go ſell all that which thou haſt and give to the poor &c. and follow me, whēce it plainlie appeareth (ſayeth he) that a man by the aſſiſtance of Gods grace may do ſomthings counſelled, which are of more perfection than are things commanded. To whom I anſwere 1. in their owne Ferus words on this place, ſaying, In theſe words is implyed that which is neceſſarie & commanded to all, to wit, Poverty of ſpirit, which is nothing elſe, but with the heart to cleaue to no creature, neither doeth the kingdome of heaven belong to any but to ſuch as do ſo (ſayeth he) 2. This cōmand to this young at this time to ſell all. was a perſonall cōmand, given for this end to diſcover this young mans covetouſnes and hypocriſie, in ſaying he had keeped the whole law from his youth▪ like that perſonall command given to Abraham of ſacrificing Iſaac, to diſcover his great faith and obedience to all after ages. And wee know that ſuch perſonall cōmands for tryall or diſcovery doth not tye all. 3. The perfection of Angels is to do Gods Commandements, as wee ſee Pſal. 103. 20. and in that petition of the Lords prayer, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Yea Chriſts owne perfection was in this, the doing of his Fathers will, & ſhall wretched ſinfull man be able to go beyond the perfectiō of theſe?
The ſecond place which he bringeth is 1. Cor. 7. 25. Now concerning virgins, I hauehave no Commandement of the Lord, yet I give my judgement (we reade counſell, ſayeth hee) and to do that which is counſelled is not neceſſarie, becauſe one nevertheleſs may bee ſaved (ſayeth he) To which place I anſwere 1. Not only the origin…ll hath the word, judgemēt foreign, & not counſell, but alſo Cardinall Cajetan acknowledgeth the ſame on that place ingenouſlie. 2. By command, the Apoſtle meaneth a generall command, oblieging all perſons & at all times, as the precepts of the Morall Law do, and concerning ſuch ſpecial cōmands of living ſingle and keeping virginitie, hee ſhoweth that he hath no ſuch Cō mandement of the Lord, but in regard of the preſent condition of Chriſtians lyable to daylie perſecution, he declares his judgement only, that to live ſingle, & in the eſtate of virginitie, it is better then to liue in a married eſtate, for their owne good, but not that thereby they could ſupererogat at Gods hands, & therfore leaving it in the meane time free to every one to do, as God hath diſtributed to every one his gifts, as he ſpeaketh 1. Cor. 7. 17.
3▪ Gerſon (de conſult. evang. & ſtatu perfect.) and with him their Paludanus (in lib. 3. ſent. d. 34. q. 3.) do teach, That ſome may attaine to as great hight of perfection living in marriage, and poſſeſſing riches (as we ſee in Abraham & Iob) as they who liue ſingle, or in the eſtate of povertie. As alſo Janſenius in his concord. on the Evangeliſts cap. 100. alleadging the authoritie of Aquinas teacheth, That the perfection of a Chriſtian life conſiſteth eſſentiallie in keeping of Gods Commandements. Aquin. 2, 2. q. 184. art. 3. and as we ſee Philip. 4. 8. beyond which in performance can no fleſh go.
Laſtlie, We find in ſcripture Gods counſell to man & his cōmand to be all one, as theſe places teſtifie, pſal. 73. 24. Prov. 1. 25. 30. Jer. 49. 20. Act. 20. 27. and Revel. 3. 18. How ſoever with man it may be ſaid, as it is proverbiall, Counſell is no command.
The third place which he bringes, is Math. 19▪ 12. There be Eunuchs who hauehave made themſelves ſo, for the kingdome of heaven, he that is able to receive it, let him receive or keepe it, now of precepts it is not ſaid, keepe them who may, or is able, but keep thē abſolutlie (ſayeth he)
For anſwere 1. Let him hear the Ieſuite Maldonats expoſition upon this place, ſaying, The words receive it, in this place ſignifieth the ſame as to underſtand, for Chriſt thereby would ſay no other thing than elſwhere hee uſeth to ſpeake of any grave matter, ſaying, he that hath eares to heare, let him heare (ſayeth he.)
2. Theſe Eunnchs that made thē ſelves ſuch, that is, lives as Eunuchs chaſtlie and in a ſingle life, the text ſayeth that they did it for themſelves, to attaine to the kingdome of heaven, (which everie one is bound to do) and not to ſupererogat for others.
As for Origens words which hee alleadgeth on the 1. Rom. 15. ſaying, Theſe things which we do over & aboue our dutie. I find nowiſe in that place, and though they were, yet we muſt diſtinguiſh betweene duties to which wee are bound, by a generall precept common to all (as hath beene ſaid) & duties to which we are not ſo bound, but left to the performance therof, according as every one findeth himſelf gifted or not, which anſwere ſerveth alſo to that place alleadged out of Chriſoſtome, that wee may do more than wee are commanded. Next for this hee citeth Gregorie Niſſen. 1. Moral. cap. 5. wheras Gregory Niſſen. never wrote ſuch a book, but he ſeemes to miſtake Gregory Niſſen. for Gregorie the great, who lib. 21. Moral. cap. 15. quyte overthrowes works of ſupererogation.