A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.

The XIII. point. Of the state of perfection. (Book 13)

Our consent.

Our consent I will set downe in two conclusions. I. All true beleeuers

haue a state of true perfection in this life, Matthew. 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, & 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 faith∣full to be perfect, saying, Let vs all that are perfect bee thus minded. Phil. 3.15. Nowe this perfection hath two parts. The first is the imputation of Christs perfect obedience, which is the ground and fountaine of all our perfection whatsoeuer. Heb. 10.14. By one offering, that is, by his obedience in his death & passion, hath he consecrated, or made perfect, for euer them that beleeue. The se∣cond part of Christian perfection is synceritie, or, vprightnes, standing in two things. The first is, to acknowledge our imperfection and vnworthines in re∣spect of our selues: and hereupon, though Paul had said he was perfect,* 1.1 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 him∣selfe to that which was before. Here therefore it must be remembred, that the perfection whereof I speake, may stand with sundrie wants and imperfecti∣ons.* 1.2 It is said of Asa that his heart was perfect with God all his daies, and yet hee pulled not downe the high places, and beeing diseased in his feete he put his trust in the phisitians and not in the Lord. Secondly this vprightnes standes in a constant purpose, endeauour, and care to keepe not some fewe, but all and euery com∣mandement of the lawe of God, as Dauid saith, Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not bee confounded, when I haue respect to all 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, haue 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 haue in them likewise the seedes of all vertues needfull to saluation: and hereupon they both can and do endeauour to yeeld perfect obedience vnto God, according to the whole lawe. And they may bee tearmed perfect, as a child 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 euery part and facultie both of bodie and soule that is required to a per∣fect man.

Conclus. II. There be certaine works of supererogation: that is, such works as are not onely answerable to the law, and thereupon deserue life euerlasting: but goe beyond the lawe, and merit more then the law by it selfe can make a∣ny man to merit. But where may wee finde these workes? not in the person of any meere man, or angel, nor in all men and angels: but onely in the person of Christ God and man: whose workes are not onely answerable to the perfe∣ction of the lawe, but goe farre beyond the same. For first the obedience of his life considered 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 contained therein. Secondly, the very rigour of the lawe requireth obedience onely of them that are meere men: but the obe∣dience of Christ was the obedience of a person that was both God and man.

Thirdly, the lawe requires personall obedience, that is, that euery man ful∣fill the law for himselfe, and it speakes of no more. Christ obeyed the law for himselfe, not because hee did by his obedience merit his owne glorie: but be∣cause he was to be a perfect and pure high priest, not onely in nature but also in life; and as he was a creature, he was to be conformable to the lawe. Nowe the obedience which Christ performed, was not for himselfe alone, but it ser∣ueth also for all the elect: & considering it was the obedience of God (as Paul signified when he said, feede the Church of God, which he purchased with his blood) it was sufficient for many thousand worlds: & by reason the lawe requi∣reth no obedience of him that is God: this obedience therefore may truely be tearmed a worke of supererrogation. This one wee 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 wee dare not goe.

The difference.

The Papists hold (as the writings of the learned among them teach) that a man beeing in the state of grace, may not onely keep all the commandements of the lawe, and thereby deserue his owne saluation: but also goe beyonde the lawe and doe workes of supererrogation which the lawe requireth not: as to performe the vowe of single life, and the vow of regular obedience, &c. And by this meanes (they say) men deserue a greater degree of glorie then the lawe can affoard. Of perfection they make two kinds: one they call necessarie perfe∣ction, which is the fulfilling of the lawe in euery commandement, whereby e∣ternall life is deserued. The second, is profitable perfection, when men doe not onely such things as the law requires, but ouer and besides, they make certain vowes, and performe certaine other duties which the law inioynes not: for the doing whereof they shall bee rewarded with a greater measure of glory, then the lawe designeth. This they make plaine by comparison: Two souldiers fight in the fielde vnder one and the same captaine: the one onely keepes his standing, and thereby deserues his paie: 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 Catholikes in the state of grace: they that keep the law shall haue life eternall: but they that doe more then the lawe, as workes of supererrogati∣on, shall be crowned with greater glorie. This is their doctrine. But we on the contrarie 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 doe workes of supererrogation: for the confirmation whereof, these reasons may be vsed. I. In the morall lawe two things are commanded. First the loue of God and mā. Secondly, the manner of this loue: nowe the manner of louing God, is to loue him with all our heart and strength. Luk. 10.27. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy strength, and with all thy thought, &c. As Bernard said, The measure of louing god, is to loue him without measure, and that is to loue him with the greatest perfection of loue that can befall a creature. Hence it followes that in louing God, no man can possibly doe more then the lawe requireth: and therfore the performance of all vowes

whatsoeuer, & all like duties, comes short of the intention or scope of the law.

II Reason. The compasse of the law is large, & comprehendeth in it more then the minde of man can at the first conceiue: for euery commandement hath two parts, the negatiue and the affirmatiue. In the negatiue is forbidden not onely the capitall sinne named, as murther, theft, adulterie, &c. but all sinns of the same kinde, with all occasions and prouocations thereto. And in the af∣firmatiue is commanded not onely the contrarie vertues, as the loue of God, and the loue of our neigbours honour, life, chastitie, goods, good name, but the vse of all helpes and meanes, whereby the saide vertues may bee preser∣ued, furthered, and practised. Thus hath our Sauiour Christ himselfe expoun∣ded the lawe, Math. 5.6. vpon this plaine ground I conclude, that all duties pertaining to life and manners, come within the list of some morall comman∣dement. And that the Papists making their works of supererrogation meanes to further the loue of God and man, must needes bring them vnder the com∣passe of the lawe. Vnder which, if they be, they cannot possibly goe beyonde the same.

Reason III. Luk. 17.10. When ye haue done all those things that are comman∣ded vs we are vnprofitable seruāts: we haue done that which was our duty to do. The Papists answer 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 duty is vnprofitable euen to himselfe, and doth not so much as deserue thanks at his masters hand as Christ saith, v: 9•• Doeth he thanke that seruant. Secondly they answer, that we are vnprofitable seruants in doing things commanded: yet when we doe things prescribed in the way of counsell, we may profit our selues, and merit thereby. But this aunswere doeth 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 commandement of God giues excellencie and goodnesse vnto them. Againe counsells are thought to bee harder then the commandements of the lawe: and if men cannot profit them∣selues by obedience of morall precepts, which are more easie: much lesse shall they be able to profit themselues by counsels which are of greater difficultie.

Reason IV. If it be not in the abilitie and power of man to keepe the lawe, then much lesse is he able to doe any worke that is beyond and aboue all the lawe requireth: but no man is able to fulfill the lawe, and therefore no man is able to supererrogate. Here the papists denie 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 com∣mon reason, if a man faile in the lesse, he cannot but faile in the greater. Nowe (as I haue said) in popish doctrine, it is easier to obey the morall lawe then to performe the counsells of perfection.

Obiections of Papists.

1. Isay 56.4. The Lord saith vnto Eunuches that keep his sabbath, and choose the thing that pleaseth him, will hee giue a place and name better then the sonnes and daughters. Nowe (say they) an Eunuch is one that liues a single life, and keepes the vowe of chastitie, and hereupon hee is saide to deserue a grea∣ter measure of glorie. Answ. If the wordes bee well considered, they prooue

nothing lesse: for honour is promised to Eunuches, not because they make & performe the vowe of single life, but because (as the text saith) they obserue the Lords sabbath, and choose the thing that pleaseth God, and keepe his co∣uenant, which is to beleeue the word of God and to obey the commandemēts of the morall lawe.

Obiect. II. Mark. 16.12. Christ saith, There are some which haue made them∣selues chast for the kingdome of heauen: therefore the vowe of single life is war∣rantable, and is a worke of speciall glorie in heauen. Ans. The meaning of the text is, that some hauing receiued the gift of continencie, do willingly content themselues with single estate, that they may with more liberty without distra∣ction further the good estate of the Church of God, or, the kingdome of grace in themselues & 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 per∣fect goe sell that thou hast and giue to the poore, and thou shalt haue treasure in hea∣uen. Therefore say they, a man by forsaking all may merit not onely heauen, but also treasure there, that is, an exceeding measure of glorie. Ans. This yong man beeing in likelihood, a strickt Pharise, thought to merit eternall life by the workes of the law, as his first question importeth, Good master, what shall I doe to be saued: and therefore Christ goeth about to discouer vnto him the se∣cret corruption of his heart. And hereupon the wordes alleadged are a com∣mandement of triall not common to all, but especially to him. The like com∣mandement gaue the Lord to Abraham saying, Abraham take thine onely sonne Isaac, and offer him vpon the mountaine which I shall shew 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 marrie: and, this he speakes by permission not by commandement, v. 26. Answ. Here single life is not preferred simply, but onely in respect of the present necessitie, because the Church was then vnder 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 the gospell freely, and that was more then he was bound to doe: and for so doing hee had a reward. Answ. It was generally in Pauls libertie to preach the gospel freely or not to doe it: but in Corinth vpon special circumstances, he was bound in conscience to preach it freely as he did; by reason of the false teachers, who would otherwise haue taken occasion to disgrace his ministery, and haue hindred the glorie of God. Now it was Pauls dutie by all means to preuent the hinderances of the gospel and the glory of god: and if he had not so done; he had abused his liberty, v. 18. Therefore he did no more in that case then the lawe it selfe required. For an action indifferent, or an action in our libertie, ceaseth to bee in our libertie and becomes morall, in the case of offence. What is more free and indifferent then to eate flesh, yet in the case of offence Paul said he would not eate flesh as long as the world stood, 1. Cor. 8.13.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Phil. 3.13. & 15.
• * 1.2

  Chr. 15.17. & 16.12.