WEl met good neighbour and in a good tyme. I pray you, where haue ye beene these manye daies? Ye were not seen here almost this hole moneth.

¶Wil ye knowe wher I haue ben? I haue bene at London, I tell you: where I haue heard manye goodlye sermons, They be no lecherous priestes that take other mens wiues, or that haue hariottes in euery corner. and specially agaynst your lecherous and carnal priestes, which be not ashamed to saie, that they can not lyue wythoute wyues, and so marye, contrarye to all good order, and also contrarye to all godlye con­stitutions, ordinaunces, and lawes, of the catholyke church. A reuerend father I warrant you But against them dyd one reuerende father Doc­tour Martyn wryte a moste learned and excellent worke, whyche all the heretikes in the world shall neuer be [Page] able to aunswere or confute. I wold for your owne sake that ye had read the hole booke through.

¶I neuer reade Doctour Martyns booke: but I haue read a most clerkely aunswere, that a certayne godlye learned man, whiche nowe for the truth of gods worde, Reade hys hole booke throughe and thou canst say no lesse, but that he doo­teth in deede. is fayne to flee out of his owne naturall countrey, hath made agaynst it. Where youre Dooter Martine, is so handeled, that he may be ashamed thar euer he did set the pen to the booke. For al­moste in euery sentence or lyne that he hath wrytten, he is proued to be a most shamefull lyer. But we wyll let Martines booke alone, wyth the aunswere that hath bene made vnto it, and come to your goodly sermons that ye haue heard. I pray you nowe what was the hole summe or effecte of them?

But it is lawfull for them to be whore­mongers.¶The hole summe or effect was, that it is in no wise laweful for prie­stes to mary, and also, that mariage [Page 2] doth let a man to be a pryest.

¶Of what maner of pryestes did they speake I beseche you?

¶What Question is this? Be there pryestes of more sortes than of one?

¶Whye should this question seeme straunge vnto you? Do ye not know that there be priestes of Baal, 2. king .xviii and priests after the order of our sauiour Iesu Chryste? For, Hebru. vii. of the priestes of Aaron, I nede not to speake here, sythe that the same pryesthode, is wholy abalyshed by our sauiour Ie­su Chryste, oure souerayne pryeste, whyche, (as saynt Paule sayeth) ly­ueth for euer for to make intercession for vs.

¶I knewe not so much. Therfore I thoughte none other, but that they spake of those, that be pryestes after the order of our sauiour Iesu Christ?

And which do ye thinke to be prie­stes [Page] after the order of our sauiour Iesu Chryst?

Those that we do commonly call: syr Iohn, The markes of Baalles pryestes. syr Thomas, sir William &c. that haue shauen crownes, and weare forked cappes, with long side gownes and tippettes: which do put on white surplyces on theyr garmentes, whensoeuer they go to theyr de­uine seruice: whyche do cense yma­ges, & say the holy and blessed masse.

Those are not priestes after the order of our sauiour Iesu Chryst.

For his priests do not disguise them selues after suche a sorte, Read the .iii. chapter of the fyrst Epistell to Timothee and the fryste of the Epistel to Titus. they are no such marked monsters, but are kno­wen by other sygnes and tokens, whych be expressely set out vnto vs in goddes booke. Therfore, those are rather the pryestes of that styn­kyng beast and Idoll Baal. Whych I do intend to proue most manifest­lye vnto you.

What beast or Idoll is it, that ye [Page 3] call Baall.

Wyl ye haue me to tell it you?

And I pray you so to do.

And wil ye not be angry wyth me?

Wherfore should I be angry with you: for I knowe, that for the amitie and frendshippe, that hath bene be­twixt you and me, euer sins almoste that we were but yonge babes, ye do wishe good vnto me, and would that I shoulde do no worse then ye youre selfe.

¶I do vnderstand by that beaste or ydoll, whyche I call Baall, the by­shoppe of Rome: whych ye do name your holy father the Pope.

I thought rather that by it, ye dyd vnderstande that false prophete Ma­homet.

I do not denye but that Mahomet [Page] is most detestable, and to be abhor­red of all men. But yet in compary­son of your holye father the pope, in many thinges he may be accompted a saynct.

Howe can that be possible. These your fayenges seeme vnto me very straunge, yea mine eares do tinkle heare them.

The confessi­on of Maho­met touchyng our Sauyour Iesu Chryst.Ye shall vnderstande that my say­enges are most true. For, although Mahomet be moste wycked and de­uelyshe, yet doth he confesse and ac­knowledge that o [...]re sauyour Iesus Chryst was conceyued and borne of a virgin, & that the same Iesus was in his time a gret prophete, yea that he was the wysedome and soule of god. But in this he is most wycked, that he dothe preferre him selfe be­fore Chryst, calling him selfe a more excellent prophete than he was, say­enge also that he is the last prophete of all, and that none ought to be loo­ked for after hym. Agayne, he sayeth [Page 4] that god hath reueled more largelye his secretes vnto him, than to anye other prophete that was before him. Moreouer he dothe write, that he hathe shewed vnto him a more per­fecte rule, than the rule of the pro­phete Iesus. This is the opinion of Mahomet. Nowe, let vs come to your holy father the pope. A compari­son betwixte the Pope and Mahomet. The pope doth confesse that Iesus Christ was conceyued by the holy ghost, & borne of a virgine, that he is the sonne of God, and also that he was a greate prophete. But afterwardes, he say­eth as Mahomet, that is to saie, that he is a more excellente Prophete of God, than euer Iesus Chryste was. For he sayeth, The blasphe­mous saiynge of the Pope. that god hath reueled vnto him, more of his secretes tou­ching the saluation of men, and tou­ching the estate and rule of perfecti­on than vnto our sauiour Iesu christ and his apostles.

I thinke none other but that ye do slaunder him shamefullye. He is slaundered of the trueth. For if he should saye so, he were a verye Anti­christ, [Page] and not worthy to be accomp­ted a chrysten man.

Ye shall be iudge your selfe. For I do not intende to make a lye vppon any man. It is a shame to make a lye of the deuell. Nowe marke well what I wyll saye, and prynte in your mynde the wordes that I shall speake, and then I trust that ye wil say as I say, except ye be vtterly blynded, and ge­uen ouer into a reprobate sence.

I tell you, neyghbour, as I do se the world to go nowe a dayes, I do not intend to set my selfe styflye agaynst the truth.

Ye will graunt me, that these are the wordes of our sauiour Iesu christ Wythout me ye can do nothyng. Meanynge thereby, Iohn .xv.i. that withoute his speciall grace we can do nothing that is acceptable or pleasaunt vnto god. And therfore, saynct Paule say­eth, ii. Cor. iii. that of our selues we be not able to thynk as much as a good thought Agayne: Philippe. ii. that it is god, that worketh [Page 5] in vs both the will and also the dede But your holye father the pope say­eth that it lyeth in mans power, or that man hathe of his owne nature libertye to do good or euell. By the 2 doctryne also of oure sauioure Iesu Christ, and of his apostelles, we do learne, that no man is able to fulfyll the lawe of god, Roma. iii. Mathe. v. Gala. ii. iii. wyth such a perfec­tion as god doth requyre at our han­des, and that therfore, Ephe. ii. all men are of their owne nature children of wrathe, and subiecte to euerlastynge damnation. But youre holye father the pope sayeth the contrarie, that is to saye, that man is able to fulfil the lawe to the vttermoste, and to pur­chase by his owne merites and deser­uinges the kyngdome of heauen. Ie­sus 3 Chryste with his apostles dothe saye, Iohn. iii. v. Roma. x. Gala. iii. that by the merytes onelye of his death, passion, and bloudsheding we are delyuered from euerlastynge death and damnation: but your holy father the Pope sayeth, that the me­rites of our owne workes, and do­ [...]nges may saue vs and that therfore [Page] they are necessary vnto saluation. 4 Iesus Chryst with his apostles doth saye, Ioh. iii.v vi Rom. iii.iiii. Gala. ii.iii. that by fayth onelye, wythout the workes of the lawe, we are iustifyed, and that it is the onely meane, whereby we can obtayne the free mercy of god. Naye, sayeth your ho­lye father the pope, we are iustifyed by our owne workes, & by the wor­thinesse and merytes of them, we do obtayne the mercye of God. Iesus 5 Chryst doth forbyd, to serue or wor­shyppe any other, Math. iiii.v. Luke, iiii. but the liuing god onely. Not so, doth your holye father the pope saye, ye shall besides the ly­uing god, worshyppe dead creatures 6 and me also. Iesus Chryst with his apostles doth saye, Math. vi. Roma. x. that none ought to be called vppon but God onelye, whych doctryne is confirmed by the example of all the patriarches, pro­phetes, apostles, and martyrs of god But your holy father the pope, doth byd all men, to call vppon the deade saynctes, excommunicating al them 7 that will not do it. Iohn. v. Iesus Chryste with his apostles doth geue a strayt [Page 6] cōmaundement that images shoulde in no wyse be honoured or worshyp­ped: But your holye father the Pope doth pronounce theym al heretykes, that will not honoure and worshyp them. Iesus Chryste sayeth, that he is the waye, the truth, and the life, Iohn. xiiii. and that none commeth vnto the fa­ther but by him. Agayne, the holye apostelles do testifye euerye where, Roma. viii. i. Cuno. ii. i. Iohn. ii. that our sauiour Iesus Chryste, the onely begotten sonne of God, is the onely intercessour, aduocate and me­diatour betwixt god and men: But your holy father the pope, doth bold­y affyrme, that all the blessed sainc­tes in heauen, are our intercessours and mediators, persecuting w ^t fier & sword al those that wil not agree vnto his doctrine. Math. xxiii. Iesus Christ wil not 9 haue vs to deuour widowes vnder the colour, pretence, and shadowe of long prayers: But your holye father the Pope wil haue al his shauelings to do so, and to deuour not onely the houses of poore widowes, but also hole realmes vnder the colour & pre­tence [Page] of longe prayers. Our sauiour 10 Iesus Chryst did geue a streight commaundemente by his holye apostle saynct Paule, i. Cor. xiiii. that nothinge shoulde be done in his churche in a straunge or vnknowen tounge, but that all thinges should be done to the edefy­enge of the faythfull congregation. Naye fie, saieth your holy father the pope: Whye Latin seruice is v­sed in the po­pishe church. that is not decente nor comely. Suche seruice muste be vsed, that no man almost doth vnderstand, that so our Catholike procedynges, beynge knowen of no man, maye the longer continew. These be almost the chefe and principall poyntes, wherin your holy father the Pope, doth most vn­godly preferre him selfe before christ How do ye now lyke his doynges.

¶By your sainges, oure holy father the pope, Holde thy selfe there Papyst. doeth compte him selfe wi­ser, than our sauyoure Iesu Christe, beinge as much contrary vnto him, as Mahomet is, thoughe he wyl not be a knowen of it.

¶Naye, ye shall vnderstand, that he is a greate deale worse than Maho­met. The Pope is worse thā Mahomet. For Mahomet is no traytoure to Christ, nor yet to hys churche, as your holy father the pope is, but pro­fesseth hym selfe an open enemye of his, and of all his religion. Where­as your holy father the Pope vnder the title and name of a true seruant of Chryst, doth both betray Chryste and his churche, Math. xxvi. Mar. xiiii. Luke. xxii. beyng most lyke vnto Iudas, whych vnder the pretence and signe of loue, that is to saye, of a kysse, did betray his mayster Christ. Wherein Mahomet dyd geue more honour vnto Christs thā the pope. Moreouer, althoughe Mahomet be an enemye of Iesu Chryste, yet doth he geue him more honoure then the Pope doth. For, Mahomet doth con­fesse and acknowledge that afore he was sente of God, and had receyued the reuelation of his rule, who so e­uer dyd lyue accordyng to the rule of Iesu Chryst, he was saued, and that whosoeuer shall lyue accordinge vn­to it, shalbe saued. But that he shall not be so perfect, as he should be, by kepynge his rule. Whereas youre [Page] holy faher the pope dothe playnelye affyrme, that no man can be saued by keping of Christes rule onely, ex­cepte he doth also kepe his constitu­tions, lawes and ordinaunces, say­enge that we must obserue and kepe them, if we wyll be perfect Christi­ans. Is not this to say, that he kno­weth more of the secreetes of God, than our sauiour Iesus Chryste, or his apostles dyd?

Let vs leaue the pope to his great iudge our sauiour Iesu Chryste, and come to the matter that we began wythall. Dyd Chryste no where in all his gospell forbyd, that pryestes should marye?

Afore we do beginne, or go any fur­ther, What is ment by thys worde priest. wyth the matter, ye muste vn­derstand what we do meane by this word, pryest: for many are deceyued in it. For they thinke that it dothe onelye signify them, that weare sha­uen crownes, and whyte surplyces vpon theyr long side gownes, and suche [Page 8] other gugawes.

What doth it signifye I praye you? hath it any other signification than we do geue it commonly?

This name prieste cometh of this greke word, presbiter, What thys word, priest, doth signifye which in our Englyshe doth betoken an elder.

Nowe if ye aske me whether Christ hath forbiddē y ^e elders of his church to mary, I aunswere vnto you, that ye shall finde no where in all the whole bodye of the scriptures, that they are more forbydden to marye, then the other christians are, which of the holy apostel saynct Peter, are al called a spiritual priestehoode, for to offer spirituall oblations and sa­crafices vnto almighty god.

Yf this word priest doth signify an elder, why do we call thē that serue in oure churches priestes, sithe that [Page] they be for the most part, If he can say a masse, he is fit ynough to be sir Iodn. yong boies and laddes? For in these oure dayes they do preeste some, that be scarcely xviii. yeres olde.

¶They be so called, because of the auncientnes, Why the ministers of the church be called priests or elders. wysedome, and sobre­nesse, and also for the great learning and discretiō that should be in them. For, this word eldershippe, doth im­port and signifye al these thinges. Yf they be not then auncient in age they ought to be auncient in wyse­dome and knoweledge, and also in example of godly conuersation, and liuing.

Nowe therfore I do aske you, whe­ther Christ hath not forbydden such priestes or ministers of his church to marye?

No verelye, as ye your selfe shall easely perceyue, if ye will reade di­ligentlie the scriptures, both of the old and newe Testament.

As I haue sayd vnto you already, our preachers of London do stoutely affyrme, that it is in no wise lawe­full for a pryeste to marye, nor for a man that is maryed, to be a pryest.

In deede it is not lawefmll for po­pishe priestes to marye, what pryests they be that may not ma­rye. if they wyll folowe the ordinaunces, constituti­ons, and lawes of your holye father the pope. For according to his rule, he hathe rather that his pryestes be whoremongers. Sodomites, and filthye adulterers, as he is him selfe, than that they should be honest ma­ried men, according to the instituti­on of our sauiour Iesu Chryst.

Howe knowe ye that to be true?

God wot, it is very easy to be kno­wen. For if one of his pryestes be found or taken in aduoutrye, Good iustice I warrant you. or in whoredome, by geuyng the byshop a noble or two, or by bryngyng a cou­ple or two of fatte capons vnto the commissarie, he shalbe quittted, and [Page] let go: But vppon a condition, that he doe it warely after­wardes. but if anye of them should go about to take a wife, and so marye according to the institution and or­dinaunce of god, for to kepe him self an vndefiled membre of our sauiour Iesu chryst, he shall be brent vp lyke an heretike, whereby ye may knowe that he hath rather that his pryestes should walowe in fylthye and styn­kinge whoredome, It is a plaine blasphemye agaynste the god in earthe so to doe. than that they should ones marye, and that he doth esteme it to be a greater sinne to ma­ry, than to be a cōmon whorehunter

But they saye, that the church hath so ordeyned long a go.

I graunt that the popishe church hathe so ordeyned, but not the true church of Christe. i. Timo. iii. The true Churche of Chryste doth set forthe no­thynge con­trary to the lawes and worde of God. For the true and faythfull churche of our sauiour Ie­su Christ, which is the house of god, the piller and staye of the truth, will neuer take vpon her to set forth any thing contrarye to the minde of her true husband and head, our sauiour Iesu Chryste, nor yet to teache anye [Page 10] thing, that might hinder the liberty and fredome, that he hath both pur­chased and geuen vnto his faythfull seruaunts and ministers. This true and faythfull churche, I saye, suffe­ring her selfe to be ruled, guyded, and gouerned by the onelye worde and spiryte of her head and mayster our sauiour Iesu Chryste, will in no wise presume to forbidde any thinge that our sauiour Iesus Chryste hath commaunded, nor to commaunde a­ny thing that he hath prohibited and forbydden.

But they do stoutelie maynteyne that this is done accordinge to the scriptures and worde of god. Exod. xix. The fyrste argument that the Pa­pistes of oure time do bring againste the maryage of pryestes. For whē the euerliuing and eternal god, did go about to deliuer his lawe vn­to Moses, the same Moses being in­spyred of the holye ghoste, did geue a commaundement vnto the people that they should abstayne from theyr owne wiues.

Aunswere to it.That example serueth nothynge for the popyshe church, if ye do well consider the wordes of Moyses. For he did generally forbydde al the peo­ple to come to theyr wiues: but your holy father the pope doth onelye for­bydde his priestes. Agayne, Moses saith not: I commaund & charge you that ye neuer come to your wiues, Exo. xix. or that ye neuer mary: but saith only be ready agaynst the third day, & come not at your wiues. As if Moses wold haue sayde: Ye must sanctifye your selues these three dayes: therfore ye shall ceasse from all your bodelye la­boures, and workes, and also from the vse of your owne wiues, that ye may the better praye vnto God, and thinke on those thinges, that God hathe appoynted to do on the thyrde daye. Ye see that Moses doth com­maund the people to abstayne from theyr bodelye laboures, why the peo­ple was byd­den to re­frame from their wyues. and compa­nyng wyth theyr wyues, onelye for three dayes, that they myghte be the more readye both to praye, and also to receyue the highe misteryes, that [Page 11] God has appoynted to shewe vnto them the thyrd daye.

The lyke dothe the blessed Apostell saynct Paule say vnto all christians that be maryed, speakyng after this maner: i. Corin. vii. This place shalbe more largelye en­treated of, af­teewardes, aboute the middes of the booke. wythdrawe not your selues one from an other, except it be with consente for a time, for to geue your selues to fastynge and prayer. And afterwardes come together againe, least Sathan tempt you for your in­continenci [...]. Ye see that Sayncte Paule will not haue a man to with­drawe him selfe from his wyfe, nor the wyfe from her husbande, but as farre forthe as the one can forbeare the other. And if ye consider wel the wordes of Sayncte Paule, ye shall soone perceyue, that he wil not haue the man and the wyfe to be longe a sunder, leaste Sathan the Deuell do tempt them, and make theym to fall into some abhominable sin, through theyr incontinencye. For as a man can not alwayes praye and false, so can not he be alwayes wythout his o [...]ne wyfe. For, to praye, to faste, [Page] and to liue chastely without the company of a woman, are special giftes of almighty God, whyche he geueth to whom it pleaseth him, and for as long as he thinketh it expedient.

Marke then that Moses did not giue a commaundemente to the pryestes onelye, that they shoulde abstayne from they wiues, The example of Moyses can serue no­thyng for the Pope. but also to the hole people. Therfore, if your holye father the pope, wyll haue this place to serue for his purpose, he must as­well forbydde all the chrystian peo­ple to marye, as his pryestes. For whye? The one doth stande wyth no more reason than the other.

Our holye father the pope, doth forbydde pryestes to marye, Obiection. because that they are appoynted in the chur­che, to minister the holye misteryes vnto the people, and also, because that they are mediatoures betwixt god and vs.

Answere. I aunswere, that Moses was then the onelye minister of the churche; [Page 12] and as a mediatour betwyxte God and the people. And yet he doth not separate him selfe alone from hys wyfe, for those three dayes, but also commaūdeth al the people to do the same. This the papystes wyl neuer graunt Do not the holye sacramentes and misteryes pertayne to the hole churche, I meane, to all theym that be Christians as well, as vnto the priests and ministers of the church? I saye, that they can no more cha­lenge vnto them selues of those holy misteries and sacramentes by any ryghte or priuiledge, that they haue geuen them of God, than the leaste christian in the world, sauing onelye that they are ministers of them, for to distribute and geue them vnto the people, thereunto prepared and or­deyned. Nowe if the dignitie & wor­thinesse of the thinges that be mini­stred, doeth require that the mini­sters be vnmaried, howe much more doth it require, that they whyche re­ceyue such holye misteries should be vnmaryed? For if the maryage doth defile the minister, because y ^t he doth minister holi thīgs, how much more [Page] doth it defyle those that receyue thē? If the minister ought to be holye in the ministration of the holy and sa­cred misteries, muche more oughte they, to whom they be ministred to be holy It is plaine & manifest then, that the pope hath no more cause to forbidde priestes to marye, than all the rest of the people. For, whether is the ministration of the sacramen­tes, more precious and excellente, then the receyuing of them is?

The second argumente of the papist of oure tyme.I can saye nothing agaynste your argumentes, but yet our preachers do saye, that the priestes of the olde lawe, dyd absteyne from their owne wiues duringe the time of theyr of­fice and ministration in the temple. As it appeareth by Zacharie the fa­ther of Iohn Baptist. Luke .i.

This example doth serue for me, and not for them. For by it, it is manifestly proued, that the pryestes of the olde lawe had wiues.

It is true. Obiection. But if the Pryestes of the olde lawe, dyd absteine from theyr wifes, when they came to the alter, for to offer sacrifyces in the temple, how muche more ought the pryestes of the new Testament, Where there is forgeuenes of those thin­ges, there is no more sa­crifice for synne. Hebre. x. to liue chast­lye, all the dayes of theyr lyfe, sythe that they haue suche an hyghe sacry­fice to offer vnto God daylye for the synnes of the people.

I wold faine know, what sacrifice the pryestes of the newe Testament haue to offer vnto God dayly for the sinnes of the people.

Doe they not offer our Sauyoure Iesu Christe, I praye you, bothe god and man, vnto his heauenly father, for the sinnes both of the quicke and of the deade.

It hath bene alredy sufficiently de­clared, in the first talke, In the ouer­throwe of the Masse. that we had together a prety while a goe, what a blasphemie it is to saye, that Christe [Page] can be offered any more. Reade also of this in the vi. Dialogue of my true buckeler and shylde of the Christian faythe and in my confession vpon the Crede. Hebre, x. For, it is to abolishe and put downe that omny-sufficyent sacrifice whiche oure Sa­uyour Iesus Chryst the highe priest dyd offer once for euer vppon the al­ter of the crosse, and to make it of no more efficacie, strength and valew, than the sacrifyces of the olde lawe.

I haue not yet forgotten, what was sayde then. Therfore, shew me nowe, why the pryestes of the olde lawe dyd absteine from theyr wiues in the tyme of theyr Mynystration and office.

Your holye father the Pope, wold gladlye set vp agayne, all the shado­wes and figures of the olde lawe, whyche oure Sauyour Iesus Christ hathe abollyshed. Why the pryestes of the olde lawe dyd absteyne from theyr wyues. Ye shall therefore vnderstande, that the pryestes of the olde Testamente, dyd absteyne from theyr wyues, durynge the tyme of theyr office, for to represente, and sygnyfye, the integrytye and pure­nesse, that shoulde be in oure Sauy­oure [Page 14] Iesu Chryste the eternall and euerlastynge pryeste, whose fygure they were onelye. But it also they did signifie and represent that he should be conceaued by the holy ghost, with oute the seede or operation of man.

Nowe these ceremonyes are ceassed and fully ended, after that oure Sa­uiour Iesus Christe the eternal and euerlastynge pryest after the order of Melchisedech, hathe offered hym selfe a sacrifice vnto God his father, for the redemption of all mankynde, as he hym selfe dyd testifye vpon the crosse, sayinge: It is finished. Elles, Iohn .xix. yf Christians were compelled to fo­lowe the ceremonies of the old law, they might haue no priestes but of y ^e kynred and Trybe of Leuye. But those are most mete for to be prie­stes nowe a dayes. More­ouer, they myghte haue no priestes, that were mysshapen, and that had anye blemyshe or fawte in theyr bodies. For, these be the words, that Moyses is commaunded to speake vnto Aaron: Whosoeuer of thy sede in theyr generations, Leuit. xxi. hathe anye deformitye let hym not prease for to [Page] offer breade vnto his god. For, who­soeuer hath any blemyshe, shall not come nere, as yf he be blind or lame, or that hathe a bruised nose, or that hathe anye myshapen member or is broken, footed, or broken handed, or hathe no heares on his eye browes, or be maunge, or skaulde, or hathe hys stones broken. So long doth the pope fo­low the olde lawe, as he doeth thinke it to be profi­table for hym and his king­dome, No man that hathe a blemyshe, and is of the seede of Aaron the prieste, shall come nigh to offer the sacrifices of the Lorde.

But now, your holy father the pope doeth cleane contrary. For, he doeth alowe them for priestes, whyche are misshapen, and whiche haue defor­myttes and blemyshes in theyr bo­dyes, wherin he doeth well declare, that the Christians are not subiecte vnto the ceremonyes of the old law.

There is a good cause whye.Yet he wyll alowe none that haue broken stones, or that lacke them.

If the prie­stes had no stones, per­aduenture there myghte be lesse Chri­somes in the paryshes where they doe serue.Wyl ye knowe the cause why he doeth it? harken in your eare, and I wyl tel it you.

Go to, goe to: ye wyl be olde Iohn stil. But now without all gestynge, tel me why god wolde haue none to be made pryestes, that had anye fau­tes in theyr bodyes.

For to signifie thereby the greate integritye and perfection, whyche shoulde be in the hyghest prieste of all, which is our sauiour Iesu christ. But marke ye this besides: yf youre hole father the pope, wyl folowe the law of Moises, he must nedes forbyd the priestes, that duringe the time of theyr office, which, as ye saye, doeth continew all the dayes of theyr lyfe, they shoulde drinke no wine, Thys law wold in no wyse please the pryestes of our tyme. For they loue good drinke to well. nor no kinde of stronge beere or ale. For thus sayth the lord vnto Aeron: rhou and thy sonnes, shal drinke no wine nor any kind of strong drinke, when ye shall come into the tabernakle of witnesse. He must also forbyd them to shaue theyr heades, Leui. xxi and the cor­ners of theyr beardes. For, God dyd forbyd the pryestes of the old Testa­ment, [Page] the same. Anye man maye see that the Pope hathe no more iuste cause to forbyd hys priestes to mary, than to forbyd them the other thin­ges heretofore reherced and named. Wherefore, The ordy­naunce of the pope is a ioly bayte for the deuel, for to ketche the soules of men and women with all. all that he doeth, is no­thinge elles but a playne tyrannye, whereby he doeth caste awaye the soules not onely of hys pryestes, but also of manye pore women and mai­dens, and also whereby he doeth en­gender in the worlde a most detesta­ble whoredom, and filthy Sodomy. Whe doeth he presume, I beseche you, to commaunde anye man, that hathe not the gyfte of chastytye, to liue withoute the remedie that God hathe appoynted for euerye man? If a Prieste hathe the gifte of chastetie, he nedeth not to commaunde him to liue chastelie, yf he hathe it not, why doeth he laye suche an heauye yocke vpon his necke? Doth the Pope and his priests thinke to rule god as they list? He may if he lyst, for he is god in earthe. if your holy father the pope hath such a delight to haue his priestes to be wiuelesse: why doeth not he hym [Page 16] selfe geue them the gift of chastitye?

God onely geueth the gifte of cha­stitie, as he doeth all other giftes: Obiection. therefore, they muste aske it of him, with faithfull and earnest prayers, and withoute doubte they shall ob­teine it. For, oure Sauioure Iesus Christe saieth: Math. vii. Mar. xi. Luke. xi. Aske, and it shall be geuen vnto you: Seke and ye shall finde, Knocke, and it shall be open vnto you.

What soeuer is necessarye vnto saluation we haue a promise in the scriptures that we shall obteine it of God, if we doe aske it in faithe. Aunswere. Agayne, where haue they a pro­myse that god wyll geue the gyft of chasti­tye vnto all those, that the pope doth forbyd to ma­rye. But howe shall ye be able to proue, that to lyue withoute a wife, is a thinge necessarye vnto saluacion? There­fore, if a man, not hauinge the gifte of chastitie, or not being called there to of the Lorde, doeth wilfullye and for hys owne pleasure seperate or bannyshe hym selfe for euer frome the holye estate of Matrymonye, he doeth moste paryllouslye tempte [Page] god. For whosoeuer he be that wyll not vse in his necessity, What it is to tempt god the same na­tural remedy that god hath ordeined and appoynted, withoute all doubte he doeth tempte God. Euen as yf a man wolde neither eate nor drinke, though hunger dyd come vpon hym neuer so muche, but forsak [...]nge all kinde of meates and drynkes, that god hath ordeined for the vse of man he should desire of God that he wold take awaye hys hunger by his abso­lute power. Should not suche a man tempte God? wold ye not iudge such a man to be a despyser of the ordey­naunces of the Lord. And if he shold dye, Murtherers of them sel­ues wolde ye not iudge hym to be a murtherer of him selfe? I say, that it is as harde for a man, whiche hathe not the gifte of chastitie, to kepe him selfe from falling into sinne, as it is for him to lyue withoute meate and drinke, Math. iiii. without the speciall gyfte of the Lorde. We doe reade that oure sauiour Iesus Christ dyd fast fortye dayes & .xl. nyg [...]ts, and that al that space he did neither eate nor drynke, [Page 17] but that he dyd hunger at lengthe, and that the Aungels minystred vn­to him. Whereby it doeth appeare, that when he was a hungerd, he did both eate and drinke, vsing the law­full remedies and meanes, that hys heauenly father hath appointed. When the gift of chasti­tie is taken away from a man, he must vse the reme­dye that God hath appoin­ted. So it hapneth many tymes, that a man hath the gifte of chastitye for a time, but that afterwardes it is taken a­waye from hym. Then muste he vse the remedye, that god hath appoyn­ted and ordeyned, is it not to tempe God, whan a man feelinge the fyer of concupyscence, that burneth and tormenteth hym, if he wyll not vse the water, that GOD offreth vnto him, whiche is maryage? Mariage is the lawefull water for to quenche the fyer of con­cupiscence. It is euen as if a man seinge hys house on fier, wolde not vse the waters that be rounde aboute it, for to quenche the burnynge, but wold say, let it alone, God will quenche it. Verelye, I say vnto you, that whosoeuer doeth in his necessitie despise the ordynaunce of god, and hathe lieffer burne than to mary, he shal neuer be chaste, but [Page] his bed shal alwaies be polluted and defiled: The punishement of those that despise matrimonye. and as long, as he shall des­pise the holye estate of matrimonye or refuse to vse it, god will neuer geue him the gift of chastety, but suffer him to burne, and to be tormen­ted in his fleshe, and to fall from one sinne into another. For do ye thinke that god doth loue them, that do de­spyse his ordeynaunces in theyr ne­cessitie? Do not such persons declare them selues to be most vnthankeful vnto him? In dede if a man be con­strayned to be awaye from his wife for a time, When we oughte to praye most earnestlye for the gifte of chastitye. for to folowe his vocati­on that god hathe called him to: it is his duetye to pray vnto god, that he vouchesafe to mortifye and quenche suche fyer of concupiscence in him, duringe the time, that he is awaye from his wife, and truly such a man oughte to beleue that god wil heare him, if he doth praye wyth a fayth­full heart, hauinge the feare of God before his eyes.

This besydes, they sayde, in theyr [Page 18] sermons, that when Dauid came to Abimelech, and required him that he would geue him of the holy loues whych they call the shewe breade: i. Samu. xxi. The thyrd argument of the papistes of our time▪ or euer Abimelech the highe prieste woulde geue him anye, he dyd aske him, whether both he and his com­panions has kept them selues clene from theyr wiues. And hereupo [...] did they aledge sayncte Hierome, who writinge vppon the epistell to Titus, doth saye these wordes: The shewe breade did signify and repre­sent the bodye of oure sauioure Iesu Christe. Therfore, let theym, Hierome vp­pon the epi­stell to Titus that will eate the bodye of our sauioure Iesu Christe, abstayne from theyr wiues. For if suche a cleanelinesse was required, for to eat of the shewe breed, howe much more is it requi­red, A goodly ar­gument, I assure you. when we go to feede vppon the precious body and bloude of oure sa­uiour Iesu Christ? Therfore, saye they, sith y ^e priests do dayly make the precious bodye of Christ, & also eate it, in theyr holy & blessed masse, it is in no wise lawful for thē to mary.

Aunswere.All this maketh nothing agaynst me. For, Abimelech him selfe the hygh prieste was maryed. Therfore they can not proue by this, that the pryestes oughte alwayes to be put frome the benefyte of holy wed­locke.

Obiection. But why did Abimelech aske, whether Dauid and his company­ons, were clene, and specially from women?

Aunswere.Because that the lawe did then re­quyre suche an outwarde holynesse, and bodily purifienge. If anye had touched but a dead corps, Leui. xi.xv. or had suf­fered anye pollution in the night, it had not bene lawefull for theym to touche holy thinges, nor yet to come nere the people or the tabernacle, ex­cept they had bene purified before.

Christ hath put downe al the ceremo­nyes of the olde lawe.But all suche ceremonies, and out­ward or bodilye purifienges, are ta­ken away by our sauiour Iesu christ who dothe onelye require nowe the [Page 19] purenesse of the hearte, as he him selfe doth testifye, sayeng: Math. v. blessed are they that are cleane of heart, for thei shall see god. Nowe, this clenelines is obtayned by faythe, wythoute the ceremonies of the lawe.

But what saye ye to sayncte Hie­roms wordes? Me thinke that they do make directly agaynst you.

I would fayne heare what aunswer ye can make to them.

This aunswere do I make: both sayncte Hieromes wordes, and also your sayenges were moste true, if Chryste and commaunded any such thyng. But as I haue sayd alreadye before, he hathe vtterlye abolyshed and put downe, The honeste companynge of a man and a woman to­gether in wedlocke is pure and holy before God. all such ceremonies and bodilye purifyenges. And nowe the honeste cohabitation or compa­nyeng of man and woman together in the holye estate of matrimonye, doth in no wise pollute or defile thē, but that they maye at all times vse [Page] and receiue the holy sacramentes.

Hebr. xiii.Doth not s. Paule say that wedlocke is honourable amonge all men, and that the bed of them, that be maried in the lord, is vndefyled.

Obiection. Yet the sayeng of saynct Hierome doth styll stycke in my minde. And verely me thinke that it agreeth best with the truth. For, if it was neces­sary, taht they which would eate of the shewe breade, shoulde abstayne from their wiues: howe much more is it necessarye, that they that eate the bodye of Christe daylye, as the priestes do, should kepe them selues chaste, and be altogither withoute wiues? If the eating of the figure doth require such a clenelinesse from women, what shall the veritie of the thing it selfe do?

What we oghte to iudge of the sa­cramente of the bodye and bloude of Christ, In my lyghte skirmishinge against Marcus antonius it hath bene metely well de­clared in our second talke and com­munitation, that we had laste toge­ther [Page 20] saue this. Therfore wil I leaue the sawe, and come to your sayeng, whiche is this: If it was necessarye saye ye, that they, whych would eate of the shewe breade, being but a bare figure, shoulde absteyne from theyr wiues: Howe much more is it necessary, that they, whych eate the bodye of Christe daylye, as the prye­stes do, shoulde kepe theym selues chaste and be altogither withoute wiues? Aunswere. Ye shall soone perceyue how weake your argument is. Exod. xii. God gaue a commaundemente, that when the paschall lambe should be eaten, the Israelites shoulde vse no leuened bread by the space of seuē daies, and that whosoeuer did eate or kepe any in his house, al that while, his soule should perishe from among his peo­ple. Nowe may I make mine argu­ment after this maner: The one standeth with as good reason as the other. If it was necessarie, that they which did eate the paschal lābe should absteine frō leuened bread, not only whē they did eat the Easter, but also, hole sire dayes after: how much more is it requisite [Page] and necessarye, that they whyche do eate the sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Chryst, which as ye say all, was figurate, signified, and repre­sented by the paschall lambe, should abstaine from leuened bread? Yea, how dare your pryestes eate any le­uened breade at anye time, sith that they do eate and drinke the bydy and bloud of Christ almost euery day? He will do it for al that, and who so e­uer doth say y ^e contrary shal frie a faggot. Ephesi. It is easye nowe to perceyue, that your holy father the pope hath no cause at all to bring it to be church of christ, whether it be in generall or particu­ler, such outward and bodely sancti­fienges or purifienges, excepte he will tourne all the hole christian re­ligion into a Iuishe supersition, and make the comming of our saui­our Iesu chryst vnprofitable, and al­so the alliaunce, agrement, and con­iunction that Iesus Chryste hath made of the two peoples, I meane, the Iewes and the Gentiles by abo­lishing and putting downe the cere­monies, to be of no effect.

Ye shall not so escape. For they did bring an other stronge argumente, The forthe argumente of the Papistes of oure tyme. i. Corin. vii. whyche they grounde vpon Paule, where he exhorteth them that be maryed, to forbeare the libertye of ma­trimony, for a time, that they maye the better geue them selues to pray­er. Syth thē that priestes are bound to minister continualli in the church and also to praye dayly for them sel­ues and for the people, the churche had a iust cause to forbydde them to marye.

Did they alleadge the hole sentence as it lyeth in the text?

They did alleadge it none other­wise then I haue rehearced it vnto you already.

Ye may see what theues they are, The foule shyfte of the Papistes. they steale in a maner the hole sen­tence form the people, least the sim­ple and ignoraunt should espye oute theyr iuggelyng. The wordes are these: Withdrawe not youre selues [Page] one from another, except it be wyth consente for a time, for to geue youre selues to fastinge and prayer. And afterwardes come together againe, lest Sathan doe tempte you for your incontinencie. I haue now reherced the hole sentence vnto you.

As farre as I doe remember, we haue had the same sentence alredye before.

It is moste true. Nowe, by these wordes, In the aun­swere of the fyrst argu­mente. Aunswere. Saint Paule doth not com­maunde but exhorte them, that be maryed, if theyr mutuall dwellynge or companieng together, be a let vn­to them, that they cannot geue them selues to prayers and fastynge, to withdrawe them selues one from a­nother, but yet wyth consente, mea­ninge if they haue bothe the gyfte of continencye, duryng the tyme of the fastinge and prayer, and be able to forbeare one another. But what doeth it folowe? Afterwardes come [Page 22] together agayne, leste Sathan doe tempte you, for your incontinencye, sayeth he. As if he should saye: if du­ [...]ynge the tyme of youre fastyng and prayer, ye do feele that ye cannot re­ [...]raine or lyue chastelye, come toge­ [...]her agayne, lest Sathan vnder the [...]hadowe and coloure of your fasting [...]nd prayer doe tempte you. Beware [...]n any wise that ye geue no occasion [...]nto Sathan to tempt you, Thee thyngs to be noted vpon Paules wordes. for your [...]ncontinencie. Vppon whyche wor­ [...]es thre thinges are to be notes.

The first is, that the blessed Apostel [...]oeth onely speake vnto those, that [...]y mutuall companyeng together, [...]re letted to fast and to pray. where [...]pon I may make an argument af­ [...]er this sorte. Yf we must leaue of, [...]he mutuall companyeng together [...]n Matrimony, durynge the tyme, [...]hat it doeth let vs to faste and pray, [...]y muche more strong reason, ought [...]e to forsake & leaue all other thin­ [...]es that doe let vs to praye or to doe [...]hose thinges, that perteyne to oure [...]ccacion.

I doe confesse that to be true. But what wyll ye make of it? I woulde fayne heare what ye wyll saye.

For to helpe the weake memory of the simple and vnlearned, I wyl be­ginne againe mine argumente. If, as I sayed before, the mutuall com­paniyng together in holy matrimo­nye and wedlocke, must be forborne for a whyle, I meane durynge the time, that it doeth let vs to faste and praye, how much more ought we to forbeare, yea and to forsake all other thinges, that doe hynder and let our praiers. The syngle lyfe is a let vnto those pryestes that haue not the gifte of cha­stytye. But to liue a wiuelesse life, doeth let the pryestes, whyche haue not the gifte of chastitye, to praye, and to do other thyngs that perteine to theyr office and vocation: Ergoe they ought to forsake that kynde of lyfe, and to be at defiaunce wyth it.

I denye the minour or second part of your argument.

I desire no better than the com­men experience, whych we see dayly before oure eyes, for to proue it. The com­men expery­ence proueth all.

Whervnto might be added the say­inge of Sainct Paule whiche we re­hersed euen now. Do we not see dai­lye, I praye you, yf a pryest hath not the gyfte of chastitye, that where as he should studye and praye, This is to true. he doeth occupye hym selfe all the daye long, in seekynge of hys harlottes and whores, and yf the finde none at the firste, he doeth vexe hym selfe, nyght and daye, studying, howe he maye, by one meane or other, brynge some honest poore woman or mayde to naught? And verelye, yf this fyer of incontinencye, whyche he burneth wyth all, bee not quenched by one naughtie meane or other, he shal ne­uer be able, to praye, to reade, or stu­dye, he shal neuer thinke of heauen­lye thinges, not yet on anye thinge, that is good. These thinges beynge consydered a ryghte, i. Timo. iiii. it is an easye thinge to perceyue, that thys wyue­lesse lyfe, whych truelye is a plaine [Page] inuention of the deuell, doeth alto­gether let theym, that haue not the gyfte of continencye and chastytye, to doe the thynges that pertayne to theyr vocation and callynge. Let these wyuelesse preestes, what fayre face soeuer they beare before men, and how soeuer they doe dissemble, and cloke the fier of incontinencye, that they burne wythall, be iudge theyr selues. I doe onelye appeale to theyr owne conscience, whych nowe is, and shalbe hereafter a sufficiente withnesse against them.

A pretye re­medy to bring one to the de­uell.Ye hit partelye the masse on the heade. But ye knowe what remedie they haue in theyr canon lawes.

That is as muche to saye, yf thou canste not liue chastelye, playe thou the knaue pryuelye. But to the mat­ter: The seconde poynte, that wee shall marke in Paules wordes, is that he doeth preferre, the honeste companiynge together of man and [Page 24] wyfe in Matrimonye, before fasting or prayer, Godlye coun­sayle. or before the wyuelesse life in theim that haue not the gyfte of continencye or chastitye. For, he sayeth: And come agayne together, leste Sathan do tempte you for your incontinencye, that is to saye, Sometymes the lyberty of Matrimonye is to be pre­ferred before prayer and fastynge. yf ye perceaue, that ye can not lyue chaste­lye, during the time of your praiers, leaue prayinge alone: For, then oughte ye to preferre the honest ly­bertye of Matrimony, before prayer, leste Sathan doe tempte you. Sa­than is a subtill and craftye enemie, therefore, ye muste beware of hym, lest vnder the shadowe and coloure of prayer, he cause you to commytte some filthenesse. Therefore, Saint Paule sayeth afterwardes: This I saye of fauoure and not of commaundemente. Where vpon, I dare bold­lye saye, that youre holye father the Pope is a very Sathan or rather an incarnate deuell, The Pope is a deuell in­carnate. whyche vnder the pretence & colour of prayer doeth cause his priests to fal into the net of [Page] of the deuyll by manye abhominable and horrible synnes. Why wyll the not permit vnto them the same, that Sainct Paule doeth bothe permitte and also commaunde vnto all those, that want the gyfte of chastitie? doth that fleashlye Idol thinke, that to be withoute a wyfe, The true chastitye. is to lyue chastely? The true chastitye doeth consiste in the true purenesse of the hearte, and minde. Ambrose vp­on the .vii. Chapter of the first Epi­stle to the Corinth. i. Corinth. vii For as Ambrose sayth, what doeth it auayle or profite, if thy body beinge chaste and cleane, they soule or mynde be polluted and defyled? To be shorte, no man can be coumpted chaste before God, except he be holye bothe in bodye, and also in spiryte.

Whiche thinge can not be in suche pryestes, that haue not the gyfte of chastitye, vntill they vse the godlye remedye, that is offered vnto them in the holy estate of Matrimonye.

When I doe wel weighe the wor­des of Saint Paule, where he saith. The single men or women, doe care for the thynges that belonge to the [Page 25] lorde, that they may be holy both in body and also in spirite, I do in a maner agree to your sayenges. But go forwardes I pray you.

The thirde doctrine, that we do learne of Paules wordes, is, that there is neyther fastinge nor prayer, Neither fa­sting nor prayer can quench the fier of in­continen [...]ie. that can quenche the fyer of inconti­nencie, excepte god dothe quenche it him selfe, by his especiall grace.

Whych thynge sayncte Paule doth well declare when he sayeth. Come together agayne, leaste Sathan do tempte you for your incontinencye. i. Cor. vii. Marke ye nowe this: if the inconti­nencie could be taken away by pray­ers or fastinges, sayncte Paule nede not to saye: Come together agayne, least for your incontinencie, ye be tempted of Sathan, but rather: con­tinue still in fasting and prayer, and so shal ye ouercome and quenche at length the burning concupiscence of your fleshe. Agayne, he sayeth not: i. Cor. vii. he that can not absteyne, let hym praye and fast, but contrarywyse he [Page] sayeth: i. Cor. vii. he that hathe not the gifte of chastitye let him marrye. Moreouer he doth not write: for auoydynge of fornication, let euery man faste and praye, or beate him selfe, but rather this commaundement doth he geue for auoydinge of fornication, let eue­rye man haue his wife, and euerye woman haue her husbande. I do al­wayes excepte theym, Who they be that ought to be accepted frō this lawe that do not tempte God, that is to saye, whyche can not commodiously come at their wiues, by reason of theyr office or vocation, as manye gentlemen and other be, whych by the commaunde­mente of theyr prynce, are fayne to kepe the warres or marchaundise, folowinge theyr marchaundise and other like. They that cannot com­modyouselye come at theyr owne wyues ought to pray for the gyft of chastytye. Suche are bound to pray vnto almightye god, that he vouche­safe to geue them the gifte of chasti­tie duryng the time that they be absent from tdeyr wiues: but yet they ought not to separate them selues, for to longe a time, nor withoute a iust and lawefull cause.

Why doth sainet Paule wryte then that it is good for a mā not to touche a woman? The fift ar­gumente of the papyste of oure tyme. i. Cor. vii. Here saint Paule semeth to alowe the opinion of theym that saye, that it is meritorious or auay­lable vnto saluation to liue without the companye of a woman, or in the state of single life. Math. xix. Doth not also our sauiour Iesus Christe say him selfe, that there be some, whyche haue made thē selues chaste for the king­dome of heauens sake.

All these places make nothyng for the papistes. For first and foremost, Aunswere. Howe the wordes of sainte Paule oughte to be vnderstanded the meaning of sainct Paule, is not, that to absteyne from a woman, is meritorious, or auaileable vnto sal­uation, but that it is more commo­dious for a man, if he can liue so, or hath the gifte of chastitie, to be vn­maryed, then to be maryed.

For, i. Cor. vii. he that is single and vnmaried hauing the gifte of chastity and con­tinencie, careth for the thinges that [Page] perteyne vnto the lord, that he maye be holy both in body, and also in spi­rite: he maye at all times go abrode to preache the gospell, Math. x. and if perse­cutiō doth arise for the wordes sake, he shall neyther by wife nor by chil­dren be letted to flye from citye to citye, as our sauiour Iesus Chryste doth byd: and if he fall into the ene­mies handes, he shall with a better minde go to the fyer. Manye other cōmodities might I rehearce, which they haue, that hauinge the gyfte of chastitie do remaine vnmaried. But what dothe this pertayne to youre wiuelesse priestes, The sayenge of saint paule doth nothyng pertayne to the papistes. which as vile stinking goates do walowe them selues in all kinde of Sodomie and whore­dome? They say that it is not lawe­full for them to haue wiues of theyr owne, and to touche theym, as God hathe ordeyned and appoynted, but how they handle other mens wiues & commō harlots in their blind and theuishe corners, Roma. i. th [...] very childrē in the streete are able to testifye. These are they, that for the despising of the [Page 27] lordes institutution and ordinaunce are geuen vp into a reprobate sence that they shuld do the things which are both vnsemely & alo too filthye, Math. xix. & abhominable to be vttered out. As for the wordes of our sauioure Iesu Christ, they are easy to be vnderstanded: for, there he speaketh of those, that hauing receiued the gift of cha­stitie, do absteyne frō mariage, that they maye the better spreade abrode and publishe, the glad and ioyfull ti­dinges of the kingedome of heauen. But how chastelye doth your wyue­lesse marchants liue, I beseche you? Can any man say thē selues chaste, They be as chaste as spa­rowes or as are lusty sta­launtes that runne among mares. or that they haue gelded thē selues. Let the pore women and maydens, whō they seduce & deceiue dayly, testify of the same. And as for the preachings of the gospel of god, which our saui­our Iesus christ doth call therin that place the kingdome of heauen, that is not the marke that they shot at, in absteining frō mariage, but that they maye liue at ease, & pamper vp [Page] vp their idell and restye bodies, that so they may do the better seruice vn­to lady Venus at all times, Naye not so, for they be oure Ladyes knyghtes whose knightes they do declare thē selues to be. This am I sure of, that there haue bene more godly sermōs made here in Englād in a weke, by honest maried ministers, that liued in the feare of god, in the holy estate of matrimonye, then be nowe made in a hole yeare, by your mayden priestes and lusty chāpions of dame Venus.

Question. How can ye proue, that they, which make theym selues chaste, or gelde theym selues for the kingedome of heauens sake, haue receyued the gift of chastity before?

When the apostles had sayde if she matter be so betwixte the man & the wife, Aunswere. Math. xix. thē it is not good to mary, our sauiour Iesus christ did aunswere & say: Al men be not able to cōprehend or receiue this sayenge, but they to whom it is geuen. Nowe if ye will aske me who they be, that geld them selues or that make thē selues chaste [Page 28] for the kingdome of heauens sake: I wil aunswere, They do geld them selues for the kyng­dome of hea­uens sake, to whome it is geuen. that they gelde them selues or make theym selues chaste for the kingedome of heauens sake, vnto whom it is geuen. But thys (as I haue sayde before) can not be spoken of your vnmaried and wiue­lesse shauelinges, for they neyther liue chastely, nor yet care for the promoting or setting forth of the kyng­dome of heauen, but to set out theyr owne kingdome & glory, y ^t they may liue like lordes & kinges and haue al mens heads vnder their girdelles. Nowe do ye plainely se, y ^t the places that ye haue alleadged, do no more pertaine vnto your holy priests than the godly documentes of virginitie, i. Corin. vii. that s. Paule geueth in the epistel to the Corinthians, do pertaine, to the hores of the stewes. Wolde God suche a lawe myght be made. If kinges and princes woulde once make a lawe, that al priestes that be found to liue vnchastely, or to lead an vncleane & filthy life, should be brēt vp as they make lawes to burne them vp, that would fayne liue in the feare of god, [Page] and kepe them selues vndefiled mē ­bers of our sauiour Iesu Christe, ye should se shortly these cōmon bulles to sing an other song: But as longe as they maye without anye feare of punihsement walowe thē selues in euery mans bedde, & haue gentilwo­men with freeh hoodes (for so make they theyr boastes) to come home to them into their owne chābers, they wil be still at defiaunce with matri­mony. And no meruaile why? For as long as they may haue their wi­ues & children sitting by other mens fiers, But this wisedome of theirs shalbe derely solde thē at length. and to be kepte at other mens costes & charges, they were fooles (sith that they be at this poynt, that they thinke that there is neither heauen nor hell) if they woulde burden them selues with the charges, trou­bles, & cares that do pertaine to the holy estate of matrimony. But, alas what shal be the ende of thē? As ab­hominable whoremongers & adulterers, & as stinking & filthy Sodomi­tes, they shall be caste into the lake that burneth with fire & brimstone,

I perceaue that swete meate must haue soure sawce. The syxte argument of the Pa­pistes of oure time. They sayd more­ouer, that the pryestes, whyche dyd mary in kyng Edwardes dayes, did sinne moste greuously againste god, and not onely against the lawes and constitucions of our holy mother the churche, because that they dyd moste vngodly breake the vowes, whyche they made vnto god. For, saye they, if we shoulde but make a faythfull promise vnto a mortall man, it were a shame for vs to breake it: What ought we then to iudge of those that dare moste vngodlye presume, to b [...]eake the vowes or promisses, that they haue made solemnely vnto god, The thunder boltes of the Papystes, before his holy churche? They there­fore, that marrye, after they haue made theyr vowe, doe not onely liue in adultery, but also are vnfaythfull promisse breakers. And they that are suche muste nedes prouoke the wrath and indignation of God, not onelye against them selues, but also against the contrye that they dwel in.

Aunswere. Of vowes.Or euer we doe preceade any fur­ther, we muste marke what a vowe is? Secondly what thinges ought to be consydered in makyng of a vowe. Fyrste and foremoste, it is agreed a­mong all men, that the same, which we call a promysse, in the respecte of men, is called a vowe in the respecte of god. what a vowe is. But this ye wil graunte me, that we be wonte to promysse those thinges vnto men, whiche we know to be acceptable vnto them, elles our promisse shal skarcely be welcome, it shal skarcelye be alowed or accepted of them, to whom it is made. Howe muche more oughte we to beware, tht we promysse or vowe nothinge vnto God, excepte we knowe by hys word, that it is acceptable vnto him for, Leui. x. he doth detestand abhorre al ma­ner of worshippinges and seruyces, that he him selfe hath not prescribed in his holy and sacred word. Esaye. xix, Math. xv. And for this cause he cryeth oute by his Pro­phet, saiynge: they worshyppe me in vaine, teachyng the doctrines & pre­ceptes [Page 30] of men. Therfore, in making of a vowe, Howe manye thynges are to be conside­red in ma­kynge of a vowe. thre things are to be con­sidered: what he is vnto whome we make the vowe: what we be y ^t make the vowe, and for what intent or in what respect we do make it. Firste & formost, then, we must consider with our selues, y ^t it is god, vnto whome, we make our vowe, which as I said before, can awaye wyth no seruice, worshippinge or religion, that is in­uented or found out by mā, without or against his holy word, thoughe in the sight, of the foolyshe world, it se­meth neuer so gay, excellēt & goodly. If the thyng then, The thynge that we vow vnto god, must be com­maunded in gods booke or elles oure vowe is abhomynable. that we promysse or vow vnto him be not commaūded or prescribed vnto vs in his word, it muste nedes stinke before the face of his maiestye: yea in stede of prayse or reward we shal receaue cōdigne pu­nishment, for oure abomynable pre­sumption, & vnaduised rashnes. God doth only require of vs an obedience towardes his holy law, What God doeth requyre of vs. institutiōs & ordenaūces, which if we do offer vn­to him through faith in oure sauioure Iesu christ, though on oure part it be [Page] moste vnperfecte, yet wyl he accepte it for his sonne Iesu Christes sake, and impute it vnto vs, as moste per­fecte. But if leauynge the same obe­dyence, that we owe vnto hys holye lawe, institutions and ordinaunces, we doe seke newe waies for to serue and worshyppe hym, doubtelesse, he wyl poure the same vengeaunce vp­pon vs, Leui. x. [...] xv. that he dyd poure vpon Na­dab and Abihu and also vpon Saul, the first kyng of the Israelites.

I do remember well, how sore god dyd punyshe them. For Nadab, and Abihu were before the whole congregation of Israel deuoured with fier, that came downe from the wrathe and indignation of God. And as for Saull both his kyngdome was rent from him, and also he him selfe, was delyuered vp vnto an vncleane spy­rite, whych should vexe and torment hym.

Blessed are ye, neighbour, yf these mens harmes and greuous punysh­mentes [Page 31] can make you to beware. But now, wyll I come to the second thinge, that oughte to be consydered in making of a vowe. When we go about to promisse or vowe any thing vnto almyghtye God, we muste not onelye consyder, that it is God vnto whom we make the vowe, but also what we are oure selues, that doe make it. We must alwaies haue be­fore our eyes, that of oure selues we can doe nothinge. Therefore, to pro­mysse a thing, that it lieth not in vs, We muste vow nothing that it lyeth not in vs to perfourme, and whereof we haue no promisse in gods boke. to perfourme, and whereof we haue no promysse in Gods booke that we shal obteine it at gods handes (if we do aske it) it is a paryllous presump­tion and whyche deserueth no small confusyon and shame bothe before god and the worlde.

By your saiynge, all that we pro­mysse and vowe in oure baptisme, Obiection. it is but a paryllous presumption. What we doe promysse and vowe in baptisme. For it lyeth not is vs, to forsake the diuel and his works, the pompes and va­nities of this wycked world, nor yet [Page] the sinful lustes of the flesh. We can not of our selues beleue all the arti­cles of the christen faithe, with all o­ther thinges, that we are commaunded to beleue in gods worde. It lieth in no mans power to walcke all the daies of his lyfe in gods holy lawe & commaundements. And yet all these things, we do promisse and vowe in our baptisme. Therefore, might any mā, hearing you speake thus, accuse vs al, of presumption and rashenes.

Aunswere. God doeth promyse all those thinges that we doe vowe and promysse in baptisme, and therfore are we sure that we shall ob­teyne them at his handes by faythful prayers.But ye must marke good neighbour that god doth in his holy worde, re­quyre of vs all those thinges, that ye haue reherced, and which we do pro­mysse & vowe in our baptisme. For, his wyl & pleasure is, that we should forsake the deuil & hys workes, that we shoulde be at defiaunce wyth the pompes and vanities of the wycked world, and wyth the sinnefull lustes of our flesh. His wil and pleasure is, that we should beleue and credite all thinges, that he doth set forthe vnto vs in his word, takinge a sure holde through faith vpon his mercy & goodnes, [Page 32] declared vnto vs in hys Sonne Iesu christ, our lord & sauiour, & that all the daies of our life, we shold en­deuour our selues to y ^e vttermoste of our power, to walke sincerely in hys holy lawes and commaundements. Therfore we may be sure, y ^t he wyll at al times (if we do require it of him with faithful praiers) assiste vs with his grace, that we may to his glory & to y ^e saluatiō of our owne soules per­forme, & fulfil al those godly promis­ses and vowes y ^t we haue made vnto him in oure baptisme, wherein we haue so faythfullye and so streightly boūd oure selues vnto him, & his ser­uice y ^t we are no more our owne mē. For, why? In baptysme we doe be­come the ser­uaunts of the lorde, so that we are no more our owne men. by receauing this holy sa­cramēt of baptisme, which is a seale of y ^e couenaūt & promisses of god, we doe acknowledge & confesse y ^t we are bought & purchased vnto hym, w ^t the most dere & precious blod of his sōne Iesu christ our lord: what presūption is it then, sith y ^t we are no more oure owne mē but y ^e seruaūts of him, that hathe so derelye boughte vs, whiche thing as I said before we do acknowledge, [Page] by takynge vpon vs the seate of the people of God: what presump­tion, I saye, is it for vs, to promysse or enterprise anye thinge, wythoute the knowledge, wyll and pleasure of oure soueraine lord and master? But where haue we anye place, yea, one iote or sillable in all the whole bodie of the scriptures, that doeth certifye vs, that it is the wyl and pleasure of god (who is oure souerayne lord and Master) that we shold vowe and pro­mysse to liue a single and wyue lesse lyfe, as longe as we haue any breath in oure bodyes? The cruel tyranny of the preachers of oure tyme. It is manyfest then that all those godlye vowes, that ye doe so magnifye & extolle, and which youre Preachers doe defende wyth tothe and nayle, persecutyng them, most tyrannously and also most cru­ellye, that perceauynge the erroure and parall that they be in, do with a good and vpright conscience, beynge builded in gods worde, vtterlye for­sake, and abiure them, it is moste manyfest I saye, that suche vowes, are wythoute faythe, sythe that they [Page 33] haue no grounde nor foundation in goddes holy worde. Therfore, away with them, for what can they be els but sinne. Whatsoeuer sayth saynct Paule is not of faythe, Roma. xiiii. Hebr. xii. the same is sinne. Againe: withoute faythe, it is impossible for to please god. We mighte saye then, and that by good right, that they whiche are offended with them, that being better instructed in goddes lawe, do go from such rashe & presumptuous vowes, The one stan­deth with as good reason as the other. and are at defiaunce with theym, maye with as good a cause be angrye and displeased with thē, that do flye and forsake sinne, or that will to the vt­termost of theyr power, auoyde and eschewe those thinges, whyche they knowe to be abhominable and stin­king before the face of almighty god Why are they so blinded, that they will not see this canon of theyrs: Isidorus in sinonimis li. 23. questione 4. capi. In male pro. ‘In male promissis rescinde fidem: in turpi voto muta decretum: quod incaute vouisti, ne facias, impia est promissio, quaescelere adimpletur.’

That is to say: In those things that be not wel promised, breake thou thi [Page] promisse. In a shamefull & vnhonest vowe chaung [...] thy mind: Do not the thing, An applienge of the canon vnto the pre­sent matter. that thou hast vowed vnware or without deliberation & aduisemēt It is an vngodly promisse, y ^t is fulfilled, with wickednesse. Nowe can ye saye y ^t the promisse of your wiue lesse priests, is good, or y ^t it is well made, sith that it is without faythe, & hath no maner of ground in gods booke? why should they not then by the vertue of this canon breake it? Agayne, howe shameful & vnhonest the vowe that they make is, it is apparaunt to the sight of all men. For by it they are constreined to forsake the honest & lawful remedye, that god hath ap­pointed for all men, & for lacke of it, to walow thē selues in al kind of fil­thy & stinking abhomination. Why do they not then (as this holy decree doth bid thē) chaunge their minde, & that betimes, lest for their stinking & filthy abomination, they be vtterly cast out of the fauour & sighte of god. Thirdly, the vow y ^t they make, they make it so vnaduisedly, & without al deliberation, y ^t many priests can not [Page 34] tel whether thei euer made any vow or not. And as for your friers, Al seculare priestes that I haue tal­ked wythall haue stedfast­ly affirmed vnto me, that they neuer made vowes sauing onely that when the Byshop gaue them the [...]ote, he dyd say: Acci­pe iugum ca­stitatis. Re­ceyue thou the yoke of chastitye. nun­nes, & monks, they be faine to make their vowes, afore y ^t they knowe the bente of their owne bowe, that is to saye, afore that they haue examined & tried their owne strength, or what they be able, to abide or do. Shal we say, y ^t such vowes are aduisedly done & with such a deliberation, as is re­quired in so high a matter, as this is They may then by the auctority and vertue of their holy canones breake such vnaduised vowes. For, besides the afore rehearced canone, these are the wordes of the blessed martir S. Ciprian: If the virgins y ^t haue with fayth vowed thē selues vnto Christ, Cipri. li. 1. epistolarum epistola. 2. can not perseuer or will not: it is better y ^t they mary thā that they should through their tender nicenesse or de­liciousnesse fal into the fier. Augu. in li­bro de bono coniug [...]li ad Iulianum. disci. 27. capi. Quondam. And S. Augustine doth alowe the mariage of such, inuehing sharpelye agaynst them, that cal such mariage, aduou­trie, and go about to separate them, that do mary after theyr vowe.

The wordes are these: Some do suppose, that they that mary after theyr vowe, are adulterers, but I saye vn­to you, that they whiche separate thē do offend greuously.

Obiection. I praye you, geue me a litell leaue to speake: if nowe your wife, that is wedded vnto you by the lawes of god and of the realme, shuld in your life time, go take another husbande would not all the worlde counte her an adulteresse? What ought then to be sayd of those women, that beyng wedded vnto Christe by a solemne promisse or vowe, be not affrayed theyr husbande being aliue, to take mortall and sinnefull men to theyr husbandes. The like may be sayd of the men, whether they be seculare priestes or other, for, as they saye, they be al maried vnto our lady, and vnto our mother the holy church.

It is not for nought that sainct Au­gustine doth both write and say, Aunswere. that they, which iudge or coumpte those [Page 35] persons, August. 27. questio. 1. cap. nuptia­rum. whiche marye after theyr vowe, to be adulterers, are shame­fullye deceyued by a foolishe simili­tude, meaning the selfe same simili­tude that ye haue nowe aledged and brought in. Ye shal then vnderstand that we are al both men and womē, as many as do pertaine to the coue­naunt of life, maried vnto the lorde. For, Osee. ii. thus he sayeth him selfe vnto his faythful congregation & church: I will mary the vnto me in fayth.

Againe, bee not these the wordes of sayncte Paule, ii. Cor. xi. I haue coupled you (speaking to the hole churche of Co­rinthus) to one man, to make you a chaste virgin to Christe. In howe many places, is the faythfull congregation or churche, called the spouse and wise of the lambe? Ye learne by this, that we are al, Reuela. xix. Ephesi. v. as manye as do beleue and put our trust in the euer-liuing and eternal god, the spouse of our sauiour Iesu Christe. Therefore we nede not to be maried or wedded to him, by suche kinde of newe for­ged vowes, sith that we are already [Page] through faythe, whereby we do ap­prehend and take holde vpon the co­uenaunte that God hathe made be­twyxt him and vs, so surelye maried to him, Ephe. v. being in manye and sondrye places of the scriptures called the spouse & wife of the lambe, I meane of the onely begotten sonne of God, our sauiour Iesu Chryste, who hath so loued vs, that he gaue him selfe for vs, to sanctifye and clense vs, in the fountayne of water, through the word, to make vs to him selfe a glo­rious congregation, without spotte or wrinkle, or any such thinge, that so we mighte be holye and wythout blame. To tell you the truth, it is rather to be beleued, that by such inuē ­ted vowes (whych we may well call doctrines of deuels) we are vtterlye separated and diuorsed frō our true husbande our sauiour Iesu Chryste, By popishe vowes, we are separated and diuorsed frō our true husband our sauiour Iesu Christ. and coupled or maried vnto Idolles I meane vnto deade creatures, whych we knowe not whether they be in heauen or in hell. For by them some be maried to Frauncys, some [Page 36] to Dominike, some to Augustine, and some to this or that sayncte (at least they call theym so) and so poore Christ, the only husband of the true christian church, is vtterly forsaken and not once thought vpon. All ye then, that throughe ignoraunce and errour, haue coupled your selues vn­to such vnlawefull husbandes, with whom ye do dayly and hourely com­mit spirituall whoredome (whyche is the mother and nurce of al filthye and stinkyng abhomination whiche is committed in the bodye to the vt­ter castyng away of the soule) Spirituall whoredome is mother and nurce of all filthye and stinking abhomination. Rom. i. repent betimes and come agayne to youre true and lawefull husbande, our sa­uiour Iesu Christe, and stycke to his lawes, whereby he hathe ordeyned and appoynted, i. Cor. vii. that for auoydinge of whoredome, euerye man shoulde haue his wyfe, and euerye woman, her husbande. Let it not moue you, that ye haue made a promisse, syth that it was made vnaduisedlye and wythoute deliberation, and a­gaine, sith that it can not be fulfilled [Page] without committing great wicked­nesse, and mischiefe. For as ye learn by the canone heretofore alledged & rehearced, such a promisse is vngod­ly, and ought in no wise to be kept. It is not vnknowen, that many vn­der the pretence and coloure of ke­ping of their vowes, or because that they would not seme to breake them haue committed most shamefull and horrible murthers. We do reade in a certayne epistell that a famous clerke called Huldarichus, Huldaricus ad Nicolaum papam. beynge then byshop of August, did write vn­to Pope Nicolas being firste of that name, that Gregorye did on a tyme cause one of his ponds to be drawen and that there was founde in it a­boue sixe thousand heades of yonge infantes which had bene murthered & cast into it, A notable historie. by those, that by theyr violent and tirannous lawes, were forbidden to marye. The repen­taunce and sobbing of Gregory. Whiche when Gregory did see being wonderfullie moued in his mind did with sighing and sobbinge praise and commende [Page 37] highly the sayinge of Sainct Paule, 1. Cor. vii. where he writeth and sayth: Better it is to marry than to burne, addyng vnto it: yea, better it is to marrye, and to suffer to marry, than to geue occasyon of such a shameful murther and chyldren slaughter. Thys was done in Gregories time, many hun­dreth yeares ago: What, thinke ye, hath bene done sence, among so ma­nye thousand of Nonnes and friers, whyche are spreade abrode throughe oute all the hole worlde? I doe here. Let passe the Sodoniticall and filthy actes, that these marked mounsters of Antichriste doe perpretrate and committe amonge them selues, yf they chaunce to want and lacke wo­men: And all this doe they forsothe, that they maye seme vnto men to kepe the promysse & vowe that they haue made. But, as Isidorus saieth, What an vn­godly promise is. vngodly is that promisse, that is ful­filled with such wickednes and mis­chiefe. Therefore, moste derely belo­ued bretherne and systers in Chryste breake such dyuelishe promysses and [Page] vowes betimes, & come awaye from that whorysh and bloudy generation vnto your true and lawful husbande our sauiour Iesu Chryst: & if ye haue not the gifte of chastitie, couple your selues in honest Matrimony, hauing the feare of God before youre eyes, that ye may kepe your selues vndefi­led members of oure Sauioure Iesu Chryste.

I am sory that I haue brought you so farre from the mattyer, that ye were in, I am affrayed that ye wyll scarcely remember where ye lefte.

Take ye no thought for that I re­member as wel where I lefte, as yf I had made no degression at al. We were in the secōd point, which I said ought to be consydered in making of a vow. And in it besydes that, which hathe bene sayde alredye, this ought diligentlye to be obserued & marked: Syth that we are able to do nothing [Page 38] of oure selues, We muste vow nothyng that maye let vs in our vo­cation. & that we be no more our owne mē, but are derely bought, we muste beware that we doe pro­mysse or vowe nothinge, that maye be a let or a hyndraunce vnto vs, in that vocation or kynde of lyfe, that it shal please oure soueraine Lorde and Master to call vs to, as this foolyshe vowe of single life, is vnto all those, that lacke the gift of chastitye. They theyr selues can beare recorde, what tormentyng and vexation they feele in the flesh, so that the troubles that are commenlye in wedlocke, are no­thing in comparyson of it. Can they study or pray, thinke you? or can they doe anye thynge, that perteyneth to theyr vocation or callyng? God kno­weth, there is a poore studyinge, but a more homelye prayinge, where the fyer of concupiscence of the fleash, is kyndeled, and no laweful water by, for to quenche it. Moreouer, wee muste in this seconde poynte, that perteineth vnto vs beware and take hede, that we do not spoile our selues of that goodly lybertye and fredome [Page] that oure sauioure Iesu Christ, hath so derely bought and pourchased vn­to vs, we must take hede I saye leste with oure foolishe vowes and vnad­uysed promysses we doe make oure selues bothe seruauntes and slaues vnto those thynges, that God wyll haue to be seruaunts vnto vs. Christ our sauioure wyll haue vs to be free vnto hym, Chryst our sauyour wyll haue vs to be free vnto him and in his fredome to vse all hys creatures wyth thankes ge­uinge, as he hym selfe hath appoin­ted and ordeined, let vs beware ther­fore that we become not, vnder the shadow and coloure of their goodlye vowes, the seruaunts of mens drea­mes and traditions. Stand fast saith Saint Paule, Gala. v. in the libertye where with Christ hath made you free, and wrappe not youre selues agayne in the yoke of bondage. And after that he had geuen counsell touchinge the wyuelesse and syngle lyfe, he doeth adde by and by these wordes. Thys speake I for your profite, i. Corin. vii. not to tan­gle you in a snare. Who considering these thynges wolde not iudge them [Page 39] to be starke madde, and besides theyr owne selues, that hauynge suche a goodly lybertie and fredome already purchassed vnto them, wherein they may moste conuenyentlye serue and worshyp god, as he hym selfe wyl be serued and worshypped, do witting­lye caste them selues into a perpetu­all bondage and thraldome, where they shalbe fayne, by reason of theyr foolish and vnaduised vowe, to serue god, as most vngodly, and superstici­ous persons shall prescribe and ap­poynt vnto them, and not as he him selfe hathe wylled and ordeyned in hys worde. There againe, shall they lose the free and lawful vse or hand­lynge of the good creatures of God. What ly­berty and fredom we lose by popysh vowes. and thoughe they burne neuer so much wyth the fyer of concupiscence and incontinencye, they shall neuer be suffered because of theyr wycked bond, to haue accesse vnto those law­full waters, that God, from the be­ginnynge hathe appoynted for the quenchynge and puttinge oute of it.

But what remedy, when they haue once brought them selues, in to that bondage and thraldom: Question. Is it lawful for them to gette oute of it agayne, or not?

Why not? are they not the seruan­tes of the lord? Answere. Who dare kepe ano­ther mans seruaunt agaynst the wil of hys master? Againe, is it not law­ful for them, y ^t know the selues to be with wronge Masters, vnto whome they owe no seruyce at all, and also to whom they haue bene inticed and broughte by sottell and deceatefull meanes, for to come agayne vnto theyr ryghte and lawfull masters, from whome they were intyced and bigged awaye? Chryst our sauyoure is oure soueraine lord and master: If then by the deceauablenesse of mens doctrines and perswasyons, Math .x. we be made to shake of, hys gentle & easye yoke, and receaue vpon vs the intol­lerable burdone of mens tradytions & dreames: shal it not be lawfull for vs, whē we perceaue our owne folly [Page 40] and howe shamefully we haue bene begiled, for to come agayne (notwithstandynge that we did make a pro­mysse vnaduysedly and wythout de­lyberation) vnto our souerayne lorde and Master, whyche is our sauyoure Iesus Christ, who in his holy gospel doeth crye oute and saye: Math. xi. Come vnto me, all ye that laboure and are law­den and I wyll refreshe you? Againe: doe ye not thinke it to be lawfull for vs, to flee from sinne vnto god? If it be law­full to flee frō sinne it is lawful to flee from popysh. vowes. But it hath be alredy declared, and pro­ued, that all suche vowes, sithe that they be not of fayth, are but abomy­nation and sinne before god. There­fore, we maye lawfullye and wyth a good & vpright conscyence, flee from them and forsake them, whatsoeuer the wycked worlde sayeth to the con­trarye.

There remaineth yet behinde, the third thyng, which ye sayd, ought to be consydered in makyng of a vowe.

Ye saye very well, and I perceaue that ye are vnwylling, that I should leaue any thinge behynd. The thyrd thing then, whyche ought to be con­sidered in making of a vowe is this: When we goe about to promysse or vowe any thinge vnto god, we must consyder and weighe wyth oure sel­ues, for what intente or in what res­pecte we doe it. If a vowe be neuer so lawfull yet must we con­syder, for what intente we do marke it. For, it maye be so, that beynge done for this or that in­tente and in this or that respecte, it shalbe pleasaunt and acceptable vn­to God, where as if it be done for an other intente, or in another respect, it shall stinke before the face of hys maiestye. As for an exaumple, I per­ceaue that the drynkyng of wyne, is hurteful vnto me, or that it doeth let and hynder me in my vocation and callynge: Whereby I am moued to absteine from it altogether: and that I maye haue the better occasyon to do it, I bind my selfe to it by a vowe, promisyng faythfully vnto god, that I wyl all the dayes of my life (except I be dryuen to doe the contrarye by [Page 41] vrgent necessity) refraine from drin­kyng of wyne, that I may the better serue hym in that state or condytion of life, that it hath pleased him to cal me to. This vowe, sithe that it is made onely to this ende, that I may folowe my vocation the better, can­not but please god. But yf I shoulde doe it, thinkyng or beyng perswaded that the absteinynge from wyne, is merytorious before god, and that by it I shall deserue heauen or the for­geuenes of my synnes, then muste suche a vowe, be abomynable and stinkyng before the face of almighty God. Those things may we onely vowe that be indifferent and that lye in our power The lyke maye be sayde of all other thinges, that of them selues, are indifferent, and lye in our power Now, let vs graunte by waye of dis­putation, that the vowe of chastytye or single life, is lawful or alowed in the scriptures and worde of god: yet onelesse we doe take vppon vs that vowe, to the intent that we may the better geue our selfes to the true me­ditacion of heauenly thinges, and a­gayne to this ende that we maye the [Page] better edefye the holye congregation and churche of christe, by publishing and preachinge abrode the glad and ioyfull tidinges of saluation, al that we do is abominable in the syght of god. For, if we do it, thinking to de­serue heauen by it, or to this ende that we may liue at ease, and with­out all sollicitude and care, or trou­bles of this world. And also because that we will not be burdoned wyth the charges that pertaine to the common wealthe: althoughe we coulde liue as chaste a life, as euer the bles­sed virgin Marye, the mother of our sauiour Iesu Christ did, it is impos­sible for vs to please god: all that we do (sith that in it we do not seeke his glorye, and the profyte of our neygh­bour) wil he deteste and abhorre.

1. Tim. v. Whye wi­dowes were receyued into the church.And as it is of men, so it is of wo­men. It appeareth by the wordes of s. Paule, that widowes did promisse their seruice vnto the church, to this ende, that they might se to the poore which were kept at the costes & charges of the faythfull congregation & [Page 42] in dede they were most mete for that purpose, for to see thē to be washed & kept cleane, & for to see their meate to be handesomly dressed. Howebeit saint Paule wil haue none to be chosen to that office vnder thre score yeares of age, biddinge the yonger wy­dowes to marie & to bring forth chil­dren. As for maidens & virgins, that be endued from aboue with the gift of chastity, the chiefe cause why. i. Cor. vii. S. Paule will haue thē to absteyne frō mariage, is, that being free from the cares & troubles that be commonlye in matrimony, they should geue thē selues to the contemplation and stu­dy of heauenly thinges, & also ende­uour them selues by diligēt reading and hearinge of the scriptures, to be holy both in body and also in spyrite. It appeareth by sayncte Hieromes writinges, that there were both wi­dowes and maydens in his time, which did with the substaunce that was lefte vnto theym, eyther by theyr husbandes, or elles by theyr parentes and fryendes, relyue the [Page] poore, i. Cor. vii. and also maynteyne learning if then, eyther widowes or maidens (I do here speake onely of those that haue the gift of chastitye) do absteine from mariage, for any other intent, or in any other respect, than I haue sayde already: that is to saye, if they do thinke, that by such kinde of life, they shall merite or deserue heauen, or do embrace it, to this ende, that they may be free and exempte from all sorowes and paynes that other women suffer in bearyng and bryn­ginge vp of theyr children, all that they do is noughte, God will haue al thin­ges to be re­ferred to his glory, and to the profyte of our neygh­bour. and hated of God, who will haue all thinges to be done to his glorye onelye, and for the profite of our neyghboure. Ye may nowe learne by this, howe pleasaunte and acceptable the vowes of your priestes, Nonnes, freeres, and Monkes, are vnto god. For do they not all, take this vowe of single life or chastitye vpon them (though they be as farre from keping of it, as the East is from the West) to this ende that they maye liue at ease, and be [Page 43] withoute all troubles and cares of this common life, pamperinge vp or fattinge theym selues, wyth the sweate of other mens browes?

Agayne, do they it not to this ende, that they maye be in estimation a­monge men, and taken as Goddes, reckeninge holy matrimonie, which hath bene instituted of the lord him selfe, to be but filthines and pollu­tion, in comparison of theyr counter fayted chastitye? Yea, they that are of the beste sorte amonge theym, do thinke verely that god is greatly in theyr debte, because that they do willingly absteine from this holy estate of matrimonye, yea, if God do not place them in his kingdome of hea­uen, farre aboue his maried electe and chosen, they are readye to enter an action in the lawe agaynste him. Therfore, we maye well conclude, that all theyr vowes that they make after the rules & doctrines of men, The conclu­sion of vowes without or agaynst gods word, or to ani other ende thā for to set forth the glory of god & y ^t profite of our neigh­bour [Page] are stinking and abhominable before the face of almighty god, and that therefore it is lawefull for anye man or woman, y ^t by the meanes of theym, hath bene broughte into the snare of the enemy, for to breake and forsake theym, and if they can not liue chaste, to couple theym selues in honest matrimony.

Obiection. Deu. xxiii.Yet this shall ye finde writen in the scriptures: When thou dost make a vowe vnto the lorde thy god, do not deferre frō day to daye to perfourme it. Ecclesiastes or the prea­cher. ca. v. For verelye the lorde shall require it at thy hande. The lyke shall ye reade in Ecclesiastes otherwise cal­led the preacher, yea sayeth Moses yf anye thinge be come forthe of thy lippes, see that thou doest kepe and perfourme it: as thou haste vowed vnto the lorde thy god of thine owne free will, and as thou haste spoken wyth thy mouth. What are all men able to saye agaynst suche manifeste and playne textes?

This are al the godly able to say, Aunswere. Wherin the vowes of the olde lawe dyd consist. that bothe Moses and Salomon, do speake of the vowes of the olde lawe whych did consyst in certayne kinde of sacrafices, and ceremonies which our sauiour Iesus Chryste did vtter­lye abolyshe and put downe by his comminge, so that they pertayne no more vnto vs, except ye wil haue all other sacrifices and ceremonyes to pertayne vnto vs also.

These be also the wordes of the psalmiste. Obiection. Offer thou the sacrafice of laude and praise, Psal. 1. & pay thy vowes vnto the highest. Againe: make vo­wes, and paye theym vnto the lorde your God. Wil ye saye nowe, Psal. 76. that Dauid doth here speak of the vowes of the olde lawe also?

I will here brynge nothynge of mine owne. Fyrste, Aunswere. Arnobius in psalm. 50. ye shall heare olde father Arnobius, who expoun­ding y ^e first verse y ^t ye haue alledged writeth on this maner. What shalt [Page] thou retche vnto me of thine owne? This is thine owne, if thou doest with a pure hearte poure before me prayses and laudes: and paye vnto me to vowe, that thou haste made me in baptisme, wherein thou didst promisse that thou wouldest forsake the deuel, God doth re­quire none other vowe of vs, but that which we haue made in bap­tisme. and kepe my commaunde­mentes. Here do we learne by this most auncient writer that the vow, which god doth nowe requyre at our handes, is the promisse & vowe that we haue made vnto him in baptism which we ought as long as we haue anye breathe in our bodies, to ende­uour our selues alwaies to perform and fulfil to the vttermost of our po­wer. Marcus Antonius Fla­minius in ps [...]almum. 50 Al we (saith Marcus Antonius Flaminius writinge vpon the same verse) that professe godlinesse, do promisse & vow that we wil preferre the glory of god before al thinges, & worship purely & sincerely, August. in psal. 55. his holi & blessed name. As for the second sentence y ^t ye haue alledged, thus doth s. Au­gustine expound it: What should ye vowe or pay? The brute beastes that [Page 45] were somtimes offred at the altare? Offer thou no suche thing: thou hast that thynge in thee, whyche thou mayest bothe vowe and paye. Bring forthe of the cheste of thy hearte, the swete smelle of laude and prayse, brynge forth of the cellar of thy con­scyence the sacrifice of faythe. And whatsoeuer thou doest brynge forth, fyre it with charitye. Now do ye see, how those holy aunciente doctours, doe expound the places, that ye haue aleaged out of Dauyd, and how that those textes do make nothing at all, for the maynteynynge of the newe fourged vowes of youre wyuelesse cleargye. The ende of vowes. Therefore I say boldlye in the Lorde, that all suche beggerlye vowes notwithstandyng bothe men and women, that haue bene or are yet entangled wyth them, may law­fully marry, if they haue not the gift of chastetye geuen them: & that none wyl finde faute wyth theyr doinges, excepte it be they, that for the despy­synge of gods holye lawe and ordey­naunce, are alredye geuen ouer into [Page] a reprobate sense.

Question. What scriptures, I pray you, can ye bring, that priestes ought to mar­rye? Or what example haue they in all the booke of God, otherwyse cal­led the Byble, that they should haue wyues?

We haue examples enoughe. For fyrst and foremost, all the pryestes of the olde lawe were maryed. Answere. The pryestes of the old law were maryed Which thinge ye haue graunted me alredye before, excepte ye haue forgotten it. And in the newe Testament Christ oure Sauiour, dyd call maried men, for to be hys Apostels, Chryst called maryed men to be hys apo­stelles. which thinge the heauenly wisedom of the father, wold not haue done, if it had not ben lawful for his ministers to marry.

Obiection. But they dyd put awaye theyr wyues or at leste theyd dyd separate them selues from them, as sone as they were called.

It is an easye thynge to saye so, but it is not so easye to proue it. For yf they had put awaye theyr wyues (as ye saye they dyd) then should they haue done contrarye to the doctryne of theyr teacher and Master, whyche sayeth: whome god hathe ioyned and coupled togehter, Math. xix. let no man put a sunder. Againe: It is not lawfull for any man to put awaye hys wyfe, ex­cepte it be for fornication. Moreouer if the Apostels had put awaye theyr wyues, wyth what face, I beseche you, should they haue gone about to teache maryed men how they ought to behaue them selues towards their yoke felowes? Amonge all other the blessed Apostel Saynct Peter sayth: Lykewyse, ye men, dwel wyth your wyues accordyng to knowledge, i. Peter. iii. ge­uynge honour vnto the wyfe, as vn­to the weaker vessell, and as vnto them that are heyres also of the grace of lyfe, that youre prayers be not hindered. When bothe Peter, [Page] and the other Apostels also, shoulde haue geuen this or other lyke coun­sell vnto maryed men, What maried men might haue sayd to the apostels if they had forsaken their wyues. myghte they not by good ryghte haue sayde vnto them agayne: Ah, ye are good felo­wes, ye come to teache vs, howe we ought to behaue our selues towards oure wiues, and how that we ought to beare with them, as with the we­ker vessel, to cherish and make much of them, yea and that we oughte to loue them, as oure owne fleash: how chaunce that we do not the like your selues, but put awaye youre owne wyueds from you leste ye shoulde be combred or troubled wyth them, or leste ye should be fayne to doe, as ye wolde haue vs to doe? Fyrste, let vs see how wel ye agrewith your owne wyues, Phisicion heale thy selfe or howe ye behaue youre sel­ues towardes them: and then wyll we folowe the godly counsel, that ye geue vs. Suche lyke tauntes myght maryed men, whē they were taught theyr duetie towardes theyr wyues, haue geuen to the Apostelles, yf it had bene so, that they had put away theyr [Page 47] owne wyues, or had seperated them selues from them. But it is not to be beleued or thought, that the apostels wolde geue anye occasyon, whereby theyr doctrine should be despysed, or lawghed to scorne. This then wyth the doctrine of their teacher and ma­ster beynge well consydered, I maye conclude boldely, that the Apostelles dyd not put awaye theyr wyues, nor yet separated them selues frō them.

Doe we not reade in the scriptures, Question. that the Apostelles dyd forsake all thynges, for to folowe our sauyoure Iesu christ? if they forsoke al thinges be like then they forsoke theyr wiues also.

Who hathe taughte you, Aunswere. to make suche a goodly argument? I confesse it to be true in deede, that when the Apostels were called by our sauyour Iesu Chryste, they dyd forsake all thynges, that myghte haue letted them to folowe hym, yea and theyr owne wyues also, but not for euer.

For they separated them selues from them only for a time. A similitude. As when a kynge doeth call hys nobilytye and cōmunes for to folowe hym in war­res, or when he doeth sende some of hys nobles into forrayne countreys for to be hys ambassadours there, then doe they all forsake theyr owne busynesse, yea and leaue theyr owne wyues also, but not for euer. For they doe it onelye for a tyme, that is to saye, tyll theyr Prynce geue them leaue to returne home agayne, or tyl they haue done theyr ambassade. Yea some of them, yf they perceaue that the time of theyr ambassade be ouer longe, doe send for they wyues to come vnto them. So the Apostels that were marryed, when they could not wythoute leauynge of theyr wyues doe theyr offyce nor folowe theyr vocation, When the Apostels dyd leaue theyr wyues and when they dyd not. they dyd leaue them. But when they coulde doe theyr offyce or folow they vocation with­oute leauynge of them, truelye they separated not theym selues from them. Doe we not reade, that after [Page 48] Saincte Peter was called, oure Sa­uyoure Iesus Chryste went into his house, and healed his wifes mother, Math. viii. whych was sicke of an ague? Iohn. xxi. More­ouer, wente not Peter to hys olde occupation againe, after that Christ was risen againe from death? where by it is easye to vnderstande, that the Apostels dyd not so forsake all, that they had, but that it was lawe­full for them to returne againe vnto theyr owne. Besydes all thys, i. Cor. ix. it is playnely wrytten, that bothe Peter, and other of the Apostels dyd carye about theyr owne wiues, when they trauayled among forrayne & straūge nacyons, preachynge the Gospell of our sauioure Iesu Christ. Whereby it is euydente and playne that they forsoke them not vtterly. Fynally in this worde, all, there is a fygure to be vnderstanded, Synecdoch and what it is. which is called Si­necdoch, wherby other whilles, part is taken for the hole, and the hole for parte. Therefore, when it is sayde, that the Apostels forsoke all, it is to be vnderstanded of those thinges y ^t it [Page] is lawfull for a man to forsake: But it is so farre of, that the Chrystyan relygion should constrein or compel any man to forsake his wyfe and his chyldren (excepte it be in an vrgente necessitie, as when we muste suffer for the word sake) that rather it doth call them all infydelles and worse than infidelles that doe not prouyde and see to theyr owne householde, i. Timo. v. of the whych household, ye wil graunt me, that the wyfe and chyldren are the chiefest part. Why doeth not the sayng of Gregory take place among them where he saith: Grego. 27. quest. 2. cap. Sunt qui some do thinke that for religion sake, mariage shuld be disolued and broken, but we must consider, that thoughe mans lawe doeth permitte it, yet gods law hath forbydden it. For, the trueth hym selfe doeth saye: Whome god hathe coupled together, Math. xix. let no man put a sunder. Agayne: Let no man put a­waye hys wyfe, excepte it be for for­nication. Who will wythstande the maker of so strong a lawe.

Gregory doth not speake there of the Christian religion, Question. but of mon­kerye, whyche they do commonlye terme, with this terme religion.

Very well, Monkery among the papistes, is of more perfection then chri­stes religion is. I am content that it be taken so: yet shall ye be fayne to graunt, that monkerie is, after your doctrine, a more perfecte religion, then the religion of Christ is. Wherupon I will make mine argument after this sorte: It it be not lawe­full to breake wedlocke for monkery sake, whiche is of more perfection: howe much lesse shall it be lawefull to breake matrimonye for christian religion sake, whiche is of lesse per­fection? But ye saye, that it is Gre­gories meaninge, that a man or wo­man maye not breake wedlocke for to enter into monkerye, muche lesse then shall it be lawfull for to breake matrimonye for christian religion sake, which as I sayd, by your owne doctrine, and after the opinion of many men is of lesse perfection than monkery is.

Ye sayd, me thinke, that both Peter and also other of the apostelles dyd cary about their wiues with them, when they went about to preache. Where (I beseche you) do ye fynde that written? Questin.

Answere i. Corinth. ix.Thus is it wrytten, and thus do we read in the firste epistell to the Co­rinthians: Haue we not power to eate and to drinke? Haue we not po­wer to leade about a sister to wife, (some do translate these Greke wor­des, Adelphen Gyneca, a christian wife) haue we not power, I saye, to leade aboute a sister to wyfe, Cephas is Peter. as wel as other apostels & as the brethren of the lorde and Cephas?

Saynct Paule doth not there speake of the apostelles wyues: Obiection. but of ho­nest christian matornes, which folo­wed the apostelles, whether so euer they went for to minister vnto them in theyr necessities, Max. xv. As we read that certaine women, folowed our saui­our [Page 50] our Iesu christe from Galilee, mini­string vnto him of their substaunce.

Without all doubt some expound it so, as ye saye. But I can not see, Answere howe it should stand with the truth. For first and formoste, althoughe it was lawefull in the countreye of Iurye, that suche honeste matrones should folowe the prophetes and A­postels, for to minister vnto them in theyr necessities, yet the same coulde not haue bene done among the Hea­then without verye great suspicion. But this is most true that the Apo­stelles did to the vttermoste of theyr power auoyde and exchewe all sini­ster and lewde suspicions, least they should by any meanes geue an occa­sion that the gospell of our sauyoure Iesu Chryste should be hindered. What shoulde haue bene sayde, I pra [...]y you, amonge the Gentiles, if suche lustye yonge men as some of theym were, had gone aboute wyth other wyues ihen theyr owne?

It is to be beleued thē that they had theyr owne wiues with theym, Matrimonye was alwaies in estimation and honour among the Gentiles. sith that they knewe, that euen amonge idolatrous Gentiles, matrimonye was alwayes had in greate reputa­tion and honour. Againe, if s. Paule did speake of suche women as folo­wed the Apostelles for to minister vnto theym in theyr necessities, he him selfe did great wronge vnto the churches of Macedonia and of A­chaia, whom he did robbe, takynge wages of theym, ii. epist. to the Cor. xi. cha. that so he mighte preache freelye vnto the Corinthi­ans. For, such honest women might haue ministred vnto him, aswell as vnto other, all maner of thinges, that he should haue neded, wythout puttinge of the churches of Achaia, and of Macedonia to suche intollera­ble charges. Whereby it doth ap­peare that he did speake of none o­ther but of the apostelles wyues. For his meaninge was, that it was as lawefull for him as for the other apostels, to take a liuinge of theym vnto whom he did preache the gos­pell, [Page 36] not onely for him selfe, but also for his wife: whych thing neuerthe­lesse he would not do, least he should be chargeable vnto them. Moreouer who hath power to leade anye other woman besides his wife? The hus­bande hathe power onelye ouer his wife, and not vpon an other woman Sith then that sainct Paule sayeth, that the bretherne of the lorde, and Cephas (which is Peter) had power to leade women about, it is without all controuersie, that he spake of none other but of theyr owne lawe­full wiues. Euse. ecclesi. hist. lib. 3. cap. 3. But ye shall heare what Clemens Alexandrinus dothe saye writing agaynst them that dyd con­temne mariage: Do they (sayeth he) disalowe the Apostelles? For, both Peter and Philip had wiues, and gaue theyr doughters vnto husban­des. And a litel after it focoweth. Ibidem. They reporte (sayeth he,) that when Peter did see, that his wife was led away for to suffer, he did reioyce be­cause of the election. And that there­fore he did crie out aloude vnto her, [Page] whē she was led forth, & calling her by her name did say. O wife remember the lord. Nowe do ye se plainely, that neither Philip, who was bothe a deacon, and a preacher of the ghospell, nor yet Peter, whom ye wyll haue to be chiefe among the apostels did put awaye there wiues, till the lorde who had coupled them, did put them asunder. I may then conclude and saye, Conclusyon. that we haue sufficient ex­amples bothe in the olde and newe Testamente, that pryestes whyche wante the gifte of chastitye, oughte to marrye, and haue wiues of theyr owne, that they may kepe thē selues vndefiled members of our sauioure Iesu Christe.

Howe be ye able to proue, that after they were ones called, A foolysh ob­iection, howe be it the Pa­pystes be not ashamed to vse il. they did com­pany with theyr wiues after the fa­shion of the worlde, thoughe they had them wyth them, whether so e­uer they went?

In good sooth, neyghbour, Answere neither ye nor al the prating papystes, were euer pillowes or boisters vnto them for ro testifye of the same, therefore leauing suche subtell questions vnto them that lyst to busy theyr braynes about suche vanities, we will proue by playne and manifest scriptures, that all priestes whiche haue not the gift of chastitye, ought to marye. Fyrst and formoste these be the wor­des of the blessed Apostell Sayncte Paule: i. Corin. vii. For auoydinge of fornicati­on, let euerye man haue his wyfe, and euery woman her husbande. In this generall or vniuersall sen­tence, They are I warrant you euerye enche of them. Sayncte Paule doth compre­hend all men, as well pryestes as o­ther, excepte ye wyll saye that prie­stes are no men. Therfore they are as well as all other men, com­maunded by Paule to haue wyues of theyr owne, i. Cor. vii. except they be made chaste from aboue. Agayne: they that can not absteyne, let theym marrye. Here doeth the Apostell, geue generally a commaundemente [Page] vnto all them that can not absteyne that they should marye, he excepteth none. Therfore they that forbid ma­riage vnto anye persone vppon the earth, whych can not liue wythoute it, are felowes of them, or rather the selfe same, that sayncte Paule doth prophecie of, i. Timo. iiii. sayenge: The spiryte speaketh euidently, that in the later times, some shall departe from the fayth, and shall geue hede vnto spy­rites of erroure, and deuellishe doc­trines of theym, A conscience marked wyth an hot yron, is an vnclene conscience de­filed, marked, and prynted with many markes of worldelye lustes. that speake false by hipocrisie. And haue theyr consci­ences marked with a hot yron, for­biddinge to marrye, and commaun­ding to absteine from meates which god hath created to be receiued with thankes geuing.

But once preachers do saye, that saynct paule doth here prophecie of certaine heretikes, which afterwar­des did most falsely affirme that mariage was instituted and inuented of the Deuell. Suche were Tatius, Martion, and Manicheus, of whom [Page 38] saynct Augustine doth speake in his booke of heresies. Augu. in lib. heretico.

Those heretikes did forbid mari­age in general, but your holy father the pope doth forbydde it in particu­lare. Agayne there be certaine times in the yeare, when by his lawes no man may marry. Tatius, Martion, and Manicheus enemyes of matrimony. Is not this to be a companyō of Tatius, Martion, and Manicheus, I say, that the pope can not excuse him selfe, but that he is a Tatianiste, Martioniste, and a Ma­nichean, and euen of the number of those heretikes that saincte Paule doth speake of there in the sentence afore alleadged.

The churche doth not forbyd mary­age, but it hath onely ordeyned, Obiection. that they whiche will be made pryestes, should binde theym selu [...]s by a so­lemne vowe, to kepe perpetuall cha­stitye.

Is not the one as euell as the o­ther? Answere. For it belongeth not to the [Page] Church to requyre any suche thinge of the priestes. It is oure Sauyoure Iesus christe onely, who is the onely Master and heade of his congregati­on and church, to whom such autori­tie doth pertaine: As for the autority of y ^e church it is limited by his word and can extende no farther, than the word wyl permitte or suffer. In the meane while both the pope & all hys adherentes which either forbyd ma­ryage to them selues or to any other are plaine Tatianistes Manicheans and Martionistes. The Eusta­chians. As farre, as I re­member, there was a certaine kinde of heretikes, whych were called Eu­stachians, which dyd so abhorre ma­riage in the Ministers of the church, that they wolde in no wyse receaue the communiō, Oute of the counsel of Gangris. at the hands of them that had wiues. And againste them was a godly decree made, in a coun­cell that was holden at Gangris in the contrey of Paphlagonia. Thys is the very decre it selfe: He that ma­keth a difference of maried pryest as thoughe by reason of maryage, he [Page 54] oughte not to offer or to minister the communion, They that absteine form the communyon of a maried pryest, are pronounced accursed. & doeth alredy absteine from his oblation, let hym be accur­sed. Ar [...] they not then all by the ver­tue of this decree excommunycated and accursed that holde opynyon, that maryed pryestes maye not my­nister in the Churche of Chryste? Though they be abomynable whore mongers, adulterers, drunkardes, Meete cham­pions to serue lady Missa. blasphemous swearers fighters and blasers: yet they wyll finde no faute wyth theyr oblation: Yf they doe but once ringe the belles, to theyr diuine and holye seruyce, they wyll flocke vnto them as the sheepe doe to the folde. But if they doe heare of a ma­ryed mynister, though he be neuer so well learned, thoughe all hys stu­dye is to set forthe purely and sincere lye gods holie and sacred worde, Nothynge can set forthe the Pope shauelynges but feygned chastytie. and to mynyster moste ryghtelye the sa­cramentes accordynge to the lordes instytution & ordeynaunce, thoughe his conuersation and liuing be alto­gether angelical, that is to say, most [Page] godlye and vertuous: yet wyll oure pope Eustachians deteste & abhorre to receiue the communion or any o­ther sacrament at his handes, thin­king most vngodly that the maryed ministers of the church are more de­filed and polluted, by companienge wyth theyr owne lawefull wiues, I my selfe haue hearde a great many saye so. than if being vnmaried, they should lye commonly with cōmon whores and harlots of the stewes. Yea, the popes shauelinges their selues, be not ashamed to saye, that it is for them a lesse offence before god, to lie with a hundreth harlottes, than to haue wiues of theyr owne. A verye sub­stanciall ar­gumente I assure you. For, say they, if we haue neuer so many har­lottes and take oure pleasure wyth them, whensoeuer we lyst, we maye repent the next day, and being shri­uen, we shall obteyne at oure holye father the popes handes (whiche is the vicare of god, The Pope is the vicare of God. here in earth, and hathe absolute power to do what so euer he list) free remission of our sin­nes bothe a paena et culpa: But if we haue wyues of our owne, we shall [Page 40] liue in continual vnclenelinesse, In deede good christian reader they call matrimo­nye nothynge but vncleane­linesse, & pol­lution, there­fore that they call it a sacra­ment, it is for none other thing but that they maye haue the handeling of it vnder theyr iurisdiction, & ia their spiri­tuall court. Esay. v. and stinking pollution whereby it shall come to passe, that we shall neuer be pure and cleane, for to come to the altare of the lorde. Who would not iudge, I beseche you, that such vyle persons are geuen ouer into a repro­bate sence, and that all godly know­ledge and vnderstanding beinge by the righteous iudgement of god, ta­ken awaye from theym, they do call that whiche is good euell, and that whiche is euell, good, they do call lighte, darkenesse, and darkenesse, lyghte, esteminge that to be sweete which is soure, and that whyche is soure, to be swete? In the sixt sinode or counsell that was holden & kepte at Constantinople, where it was forbidden, The sixt Si­node holden at Constan­tinople. that no man should take vppon him the vowe of single life, and also commaunded that all they that for any ecclesiastical orders, did put away their wiues, should be put from the communiō of the faythful: this holy decree was made. If anye man presume contrarye to the rules [Page] and Canons of the Apostels to de­priue anye pryestes or deacons, Distinc. 31. canon. Quo­niam in rom. ordine. from the touchinge and communion or fe­lowshyp of theyr lawfull wyues, let hym be deposed. Againe, if any priest or [...]a [...]on, doe for religion sake, ex­pel or put awaye hys wyfe, let hym be excommunycated, and if he perse­uer in it, let hym be deposed. Manye other Canons and decrees mighte I aleadge that doe pronounce them to be accursed, that either forbid priests to marrye, or that goe aboute by vy­olent and tirannous lawes to sepa­rate them that be alredye maryed in the lorde, from theyr lawful wyues.

Obiection. Those decrees and Canons haue bene abolyshed by the latter Concil­les, therefore they stand in no effect.

Answere. Howe shall then theyr doctrine stande, where they saye, that concels cannot erre? Yf the later concilles do abolyshe the decrees and Canons of the olde auncyente Concilles, then they must nedes graunte, that they [Page 56] dyd erre: The canons and rules of the Apostels. els they wold not abrogate and put downe the decrees and Ca­nons that haue bene made in them. But nowe wyl we come to the Ca­nons and rulers of the Apostelles, whiche are set forthe vnto vs in the booke of god: A byshop, saieth Saint Paule, muste be blamelesse, the hus­bande of one wife, i. Timo. iii suche a one as ru­leth wel his owne house, and such a one as hath hys children in subiecti­on with all reuerence. For if a man cannot rule hys owne house, howe shall he care for the congregation of christ? This shal ye haue in the third chapter of the Epistel to Timothee, which chapter I wold faine haue you to reade through for there shal ye al­so find, that both ministers and dea­cons oughte to be husbandes of one wyfe. And besides that, what quali­ties their wiues ought to haue. The verye like shall ye haue in the fyrste Chapyter of the Epystell to Titus. For, Titus. [...]. there the Apostell wryteth on this maner: for this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest ordeine [Page] elders in euerye citye, as I had ap­poynted the. Gala. i. If anye be blamelesse, the husbande of one wife, hauinge faythfull children, whyche are not flaundered of riot, nor are disobedi­ent. These are the rules and canons of the holy apostelles (for hauing all one spirite, they did set forth all one doctrine) whereby the elders or prie­stes of the christian church may law fully marrye. And trulye, if an aun­gell from heauen, should teache any other doctrine contrarye vnto them, I would coumpte him accursed.

Obiection. But our preachers did saye, that it is not the apostelles meaninge, that a byshoppe must of necessitye be ma­ried, or that he must be maried, whē he is in the office of a byshop. For Paule him selfe, beinge a most ex­cellent bishop was not maryed, nor yet saynct Iohn the euangelist, with many other that had bene byshops, but that rather none that had had many wiues should be chosē to such an excellent office. For so Chryso­stome, [Page 57] Ambrose, Hierome, and Theophylacte, do expound the wordes of the apostell.

When Cresconius Grammaticus did aleadge a certayne epistell of the blessed martir saynct Ciprian, Aunswere. for to mainteine his opinion and doctrine agaynst s. Augustine, Augu. contra Creiconi. Gramaticum lib. 2. cap. 32. this holye by­shop of God did aunswre him thus I am not moued with the auctority of this epistell: for, I do not take the letters of Cipriane, as canonicall scriptures, but I am wonte to trye his letters by theym (meaninge the Canonicall scriptures) and what­soeuer in theym doth agree with the auctoritye of the canonicall scriptu­res, I do with his prayse and than­kes geuing receyue and embrace it, and whatsoeuer doth not agre with the auctoritye of theym, I do by his good leaue, vtterly reiect and refuse it. Euen so nowe, will I aunswere you touching Chrisostome, Ambrose Hierome, and Theophilacte, I do not take their writinges as canoni­call [Page] scriptures vnto the which onely I do owe a consent without any contradiction or gaynesayenge) but I do trye them by those heauenly and ca­nonicall scriptures, and whatsoeuer I no finde in theym to be grounded vpon the infallible worde of god, the same do I with all reuerence due vnto such worthy men, Aug. in epist. ad fortunati­anum de vi­dendo deo. embrace and receyue: but if I finde any thing in theyr writinges and workes, that doth disagree from the trueth of the holy and sacred scriptures, geuynge them still the honour, that such worthye members of the churche do de­serue, I do vtterly reiect and forsake it. Which thing I intende to do, in this text, that we haue now in hand For, by the leaue of holye Chriso­stome, and of theym all, S. Paule doth not meane in this place, that he whych hath bene the husband of one wife, The argu­ment of the papistes bea­ten vpon theyr owne Heades. should be chosen to be a bishop but rather he that is the husband of one wyfe. For els it should folowe, that he which hath bene blamelesse, & not whiche is blamelesse, ought to [Page 58] be promoted to y ^e dignitie and office: so that it were enough for him, whō they call to such an highe rowme, if he hath bene blamelesse, diligent, sober, discrete, a keper of hospitalitye, &c. nor by their owne sayeng, it is necessary, & requisite, y ^t he shuld be such a one, neither whē he is chosen, nor yet when he is in the office it selfe. For it shalbe enough, that he hathe bene suche a one alreadye. Trulye neighbour, the one doth stande with as good reason as the other. There­fore I dare boldly say, that the mea­ninge of the apostelles is, that a by­shop, which hath not the gift of cha­stitie, oughte to be the husbande of one wife, Extripartita historia. li. 2. capi. 13. dist. 31. canone ni­cena. that by his chaste and holy conuersacion or dwellinge with his lawefull yokefelowe & wife (for Pa­phnutius did call it chastitie to com­panye with his owne wife onelye, whereunto agreeth Chrisostomes sayeng, Chrisost. ad populum Antiochenam. the firste degree of chastitye is virginitie, the seconde, faythfull matrimony). He should be an exam­ple of like godlinesse vnto al the hole flocke.

Obiection. Doth not sayncte Paule saye the like, of the widowe, whiche he will haue to be receyued vnto the mini­sterye of the church? For, there it is written (say they) on this maner. i. Tim. v. Thys goodly texte did gar­dener aleadge agaynst me. Let no widowe be chosen vnder threscore yeres olde, and such a one as is the wife of one man. Yf ye wil haue this to be taken, as it is wrytten, and admitte no exposicion, how can she be both a widowe, and the wyfe of one man. As then the blessed apo­stel saynct Paule must be vnderstan­ded in this place, so must he be vn­derstanded in the other textes that haue bene aleadged before.

Answere. This I saye, that these Antichristes shall make an aunswere before the iudgement seat of almighty god, for falsifyenge and wrastinge his holye and sacred scriptures. This is the very texte: Let no widowe be chosen vnder three score yeares olde, and suche a one as was the wife of one man, whiche translation doth agree [Page 59] both with the Greeke and the latine But they are ashamed of nothynge: they haue put on whores faces. The papistes haue put on whores faces So that they may by hooke or by crooke maynteyne their kingdome (whych is altogither leasing and falsehode) they care not what they prate or say. Be it right wronge, it shall out, and all for to dasell the eyes of the simple ond ignoraunt people. But the most righteous lorde, will not alwayes wincke at their wickednesse and vngodlye doinges, ii. Thesso. iii. but will (when he seeth his time) wake oute of sleepe, and wyth the breath of his mouthe ourthrowe their tirannous and vngodly kingdome.

There be some, A substantial exposition, and worthy to be written in god bachus booke. that by the same one wife, y ^t the bishop or priest shold haue, do vnderstand one benefice. As though Paule should saye. The byshoppe or priest muste be contente witho one benefice. These do vnder­dand by the bishops or priestes house nothinge els but the churche and by their children, those that are com­mitted [Page] vnto their charge. Some a­gaine do say that pauls meaning is, that they oughte to haue none other wyues but the Church.

Answere. Gaye syrs I tel you, for to be y ^e husbāds of the church.How doth it chaunce then, that they say, that they be maried vnto our la­die? The holy scriptures doe testyfye vnto vs, y ^e only christ is the husband of the church. Therfore, she wyll ne­uer acknowledge such wilde & lustye stalantes, or rather stincking goates for her husbands. Againe, yf Sainct Paule doth meane by these wordes, let the bishop or priest be the husbād of one wife, that they oughte to con­tent them selfes w ^t one benefice: how doth it come to passe, y ^t some of them haue so many benefices, that they do scarcely know the nūber of them? Is this to kepe the Canons & rulers of the apostels? Moreouer where they say, We wil kepe them, as long as it is for our profyte y ^• by the bishop or priests house y ^e church, & nothing els is vnderstāded it is a plaine & manyfest lye, as anye man that doeth but onelye reade the texte, shall easelye perceaue.

The wordes are these: i. Timo. iii. If a man can not rule his owne house, howe shall he care for the congregatiō of christ? Meaning thereby, that if a man can not rule his owne houshold, or bring vp his youth godlye and in the feare of god, he is not worthy to be put in trust w ^t the church & congregation of Christ. Ponder and weygh the texte diligentlye your selfe, and ye shall finde, that it is none otherwise than I saye.

Is this worde oportet, or must, Obiection. of such importaunce, that generally all bishops and priestes must mary and haue wiues? This questi­on also, did Gardener aske me. Howe doth it happen then, that Latimer, Doctour Ridley bishop of London, and doctour Tai­lour bishop of Lincolne, wyth many other, which I could reherce, whom ye do recken al to be honest and god­ly men had no wiues?

It is of such importaunce, Answere that by it all Byshoppes and priestes, that haue not the gifte of constinencie, [Page] or chastitie, are bound to marye, and haue wyues of theyr owne: Wolde God this were ob­serued and kepte in all places. in so much that if there were any bishops or priestes, that hauing not the gift of continencie would not mary, the magistrates (if there were anye god­lines or feare of god in their hearts) ought to compell them to mary, and if they will not obey, to depose them least by processe of time, they should fall into whoredome, and so be an o­pen slaunder to the churche. As for those blessed martirs of GOd maister doctour Hugh Latimer, and the re­uerende father mayster doctour Ridley, most worthy byshop of London: all their aduersaries can say none o­ther. but that they had a most special gifte of chastitye, whyche they did so declare in their liuing and conuersa­tion, all the dayes of their life, that no man could euer laye anye thynge to their charge, This can I iustyfye. For I haue heard them doe it. touchinge that mat­ter, and yet both they and also Doc­tour Taylour, with many other mo whyche were gelded or made chaste from aboue, did stoutelye defende al­waies, [Page 61] the maryages of priestes, & of al other ministers of the church of Christ.

Yf so be that al they, Obiection. that haue not the gifte of chastytye or continencye are bound to mary: How doeth thys come to passe, that Sainct Paule be­inge tempted with the intemperan­cie of the fleshe did not marry.

Bothe Ignatius, Aunswere. Eus. ecclesia­sticae historia li. iii. cap. xxx and also Clemens Alexandrinus, whyche were verye nighe the Apostelles time, do plaine­lye testifie that Sainct Paule had a wife. But let vs graunte that he had neuer none, where doe ye reade in al the newe Testament, that Saincte Paule was tempted with the incon­tinencie of the fleshe?

These be his wordes: There was geuē vnto me vnquietnesse through the flesh, euen the messenger of Sa­than to buffet me. ii. Corin. xii. What should we vnderstande and by this, but the fil­thy lustes & incōtynency of the flesh.

Howe saynte Paule ought to be vnder­standed in the place a­fore aleaged.There Sainct Paule vnderstan­deth no suche thinge, but by the vn­quietnesse of the fleshe, and messen­ger of Sathan, he doeth vnderstande the persecutions and troubles, why­che by the stirringe and meanes of Sathan, he was faine to suffer con­tinuallye, for the Ghospell sake, not onelye of the open enemyes, but also of the false bretherne. In so muche that some tymes, he semed to be vt­terlye forsaken and geuen ouer of god, and that he was the most wret­ched & myserable man in the world. For, why? all the world was against hym. He coulde not come so soone in to a towne, but that he was by and by after, with knockes, driuen out of it: Seing him selfe manye tymes be­traied, euen of those, that he did trust beste: Was not thys, thinke ye, a greate temptation to the fleashe? Therfore, did he many times, praye vnto the lorde, that he wolde deliuer him out those afflictions & troubles, whyche hys fleashe, dyd grudge to [Page 62] beare. Thus doth Theodoretus, Theodore­tus Ambro­sius and Erasimus in .xii. capitu. ii. ad Corinth. Ambrose, and also Erasmus expoūd this place.

Ye did say a while ago, that neither fastīg, nor beating of the body could quenche nor put out in man the fyer of incontinencie, Obiection. excepte god did put it out bi his special grace. Why doth then saynct Paule saye, i. Corin. ix. that he dyd subdue and bryng his body vnder? For our preachers do vnderstand by it, that saynct Paule dyd mortify in him selfe, the fyer of incontinencye, by longe fastyng, by putting muche water into his wine, and by beating and scourging of his bodye.

Although sayncte Paule had not had the gyfte of continencie or cha­stitie, yet neded he no long fastinge: Answere. If our fat red cheke priests were but halfe handled as paule was they woulde not be so lusty as they are. for manye times beynge shut vp in darke prisons he had nothing to eat. He neded not to put much water in­to his wyne: For he dranke nothing elles but pure water, for the moste [Page] parte. And what neede (I praye you) had he, to beate and scourge his bo­dye? Dyd not he suffer strypes e­nough of the enemies of the trueth? And that he had the gyft of continencie, it appeareth most manifestly by his owne wordes, whyche he dothe speake in the fyrst epistell to the Co­rinthians: I would (sayeth he) that al men were, as I my selfe am. But euerye man hath his propre gyfte of God, one after this maner and ano­ther after that. Elles without all doubt, he would haue vsed the same remedye, that he did prescribe, and offer vnto other. He did then by these wordes, meane and vnder­stand that he did subdue and morti­fye his body i. Cor. vii. What sainct Paule dyd meane in the sentence a­fore aleaged. for to liue accordinge to the doctrine that he him selfe dyd teache: & that in all thinges he gaue a good example to the whole worlde For ye must vnderstād y ^t besides the incontinēcie of the fleshe, there be in mā many other concupiscēces which do moue a man to offend the lord. These concupiscences oughte to be [Page 63] mortifyed by suche meanes, as God hath appoynted. Which thing saint Paule folowed, in mortifiyng them that were in his body. As for the fier of incontinency, it was all together quenched and mortified in hym. As we do learne euery where, bothe by hys owne wordes, and also by hys owne doinges. For as I said before, if he had wāted the gift of continen­cie or chastity, he wold wyth al than­kes geuing, and submission of heart haue vsed the remedye, that he wyl­led all other men to vse.

Are all the Christians priestes? Question. for me thinke, that I hearde you saye of late that they were all pryestes. And this dyd I not onelye heare of you, but of manye other besydes. I haue mused many tymes, how that could be. Therfore, I wil desyre you, afore we departe, that I may heare what is your aduise in it.

If ye do vnderstande by the priestes, Answere. suche as be anoynted of God, for to [Page] offer sacrifices vnto hym. I say that all Christians are pryestes. All christians are pryestes and how. For they are anoynted of god not wyth mate­riall or earthly oyle where wyth the body onely can be anointed but with the vertue of his holy spirite, whiche of the blessed euangelist saint Iohn, is called anointyng. i. Iohn .v. The lorde then anointing all Christians, with this spiritual vnction or anointinge, dyd ordeine & make them all, a spirituall or kinglye priesthode, What sacry­fices the pryestes of the newe testamente do offer. not for to offer brute beastes, as the pryestes of the old law did, but for to offer spirituall sacrifices, I meane, the mortyfiynge of theyr owne bodyes, whyche is a liuely sacrifice, holy & acceptable vn­to God, for to offer also, the sacrifice of righteousnes, Roma. xii. of prayse, & of than­kes geuing with a contrite and humble hearte whyche are the true sacry­fyces of all them, Psal. iiii. Psal. l. Hebru. xiii. Psalm. l. that doe sincerelye professe Chryste, and are denomina­ted or called chrystians of hym. But yf by priestes ye doe vnderstande the ministers of the churche, I saye, that in the same signification, al Christi­ans [Page 64] be not pryestes: for, If by priestes we do vnder­stand miny­sters, all chri­stians be not pryestes. i. Corin. xiiii. they be not all called to the minystration of Ec­clesiastical Sacramentes, nor yet to the preaching of the gospel of our sa­uiour Iesu christ. For in the churche all thinges must be done in order.

And ought not the ministers of the church to be anoynted after the ma­ner of the olde lawe? Obiection.

No, Answere for after that Christ hath wate­red with his most precious bloud the consciences of the christians, all such vnctions & anointinges are vtterlye cessed, and are no more necessarye a­mong christians: And al they that go aboute to brynge in againe, or haue brought in agayne alredye, into the church, such Iuyshe vnctions and a­nointinges, are false Prophetes. A­gainst whom, S. paule hath written very sharply in all his epistels, & spe­cially in y ^e epistel to the Romains, to the Galatians, and to the Hebrues. In dede the Chrystyan Churche, doth vse certayne ceremonyes, as is [Page] the triyng and examynyng of them whom they doe chuse vnto that worthy office, What cere­monies, the churche doeth vse in chosing or makyng of mynysters. where vnto is added th [...] layinge on of handes. Of these ceremonyes doeth Sainte Paule speak [...] in his Epystels, but speciallye in th [...] Epystel to Timothee.

This then haue I learned in our [...] communication. Fyrste that all the scriptures, whych our preachers doe aleadge, The conclu­sion or Epitogus. for to impugne and ouer­throw the maryage of pryestes, are shamefully wrythed and wrasted.

Secondlye, ye haue proued vnto me, that the vowes, whyches all relygy­ous persons or seculare priestes, dyd make, for to bynde them selues per­petually vnto the state of single lyfe, are directly againste the holy and sa­cred scriptures, and worde of God, and that therefore they maye lawe­fully breake them, couplynge them selues in honest Matrinony, that so lyuinge in the feare of god they may kepe them selues vndefyled mem­bers of oure Sauiour Iesu Christ.

Thyrdlye, ye haue shewed and de­ [...]lared moste manifestly, both by the [...]xamples of the scriptures, and also by stronge argumente taken oute of [...]he same, that all religious persons, [...]r secular pryestes, that haue not the gyfte of chastytye, ought to mary, in [...]o much that if there were any, whi­ [...]he hauynge not the gyfte of chasty­ [...]ye, wolde not marrye, the godlye Magystrates ought to compel them, [...]nd yf they bee dysobedyente, to de­pose or put them downe, lest by processe of tyme they shoulde become an open sklaunder vnto the churche. Now fare ye well in the Lord til another tyme.