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 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 doâ—nges may saue vs and that therfore they are necessary vnto saluation 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 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 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 that will not do it Iohn v. Iesus Chryste with his apostles doth geue a strayt coÌ„maundement 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 with fier sword al those that wil not agree vnto his doctrine Math. xxiii Iesus Christ wil not 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 of longe prayers Our sauiour 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 Robyn Papyst ¶ 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 The true Christian ¶ Naye ye shall vnderstand that he is a greate deale worse than Mahomet The Pope is worse thaÌ„ 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 thaÌ„ 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 shal be saued But that he shall not be so perfect as he should be by kepynge his rule Whereas youre 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 Robyn Papist 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 The true Christian 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 other gugawes Robyn Papyst What doth it signifye I praye you hath it any other signification than we do geue it commonly The true Christian 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 forbiddeÌ„ the 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 Robyn Papyst Yf this word priest doth signify an elder why do we call theÌ„ that serue in oure churches priestes sithe that 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 The true Christian ¶ 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 discretioÌ„ 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 Robyn Papyst Nowe therfore I do aske you whether Christ hath not forbydden such priestes or ministers of his church to marye The true Christian No verelye as ye your selfe shall easely perceyue if ye will reade diligentlie the scriptures both of the old and newe Testament Robyn Papyst 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 The true Christian 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 Robin Papist Howe knowe ye that to be true The true Christian 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 shal be quittted and 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 coÌ„mon whorehunter Robyn Papyst But they saye that the church hath so ordeyned long a go ♣ The truâ— Chrystian 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 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 Robyn Papist 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 wheÌ„ 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 The true Christian 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 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 shal be 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 incontinenciâ— 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 oâ—ne wyfe For to praye to faste 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 ¶ Robyn Papyst 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. The true Christian Answere I aunswere that Moses
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 Robyn Papist 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 The true Cristâ—an 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 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 Robyn Papyst There be some A substantial exposition and worthy to be written in god bachus booke that by the same one wife that 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 vnto their charge Some againe do say that pauls meaning is that they oughte to haue none other wyues but the Church The true Christian Answere Gaye syrs I tel you for to be the husbaÌ„ds 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 the 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 husbaÌ„d of one wife that they oughte to content them selfes with one benefice how doth it come to passe that some of them haue so many benefices that they do scarcely know the nuÌ„ber 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 yâ— by the bishop or priests house the church nothing els is vnderstaÌ„ded 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 congregatioÌ„ 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 with 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 Robyn Papyst 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 The true Christian It is of such importaunce Answere that by it all Byshoppes and priestes that haue not the gifte of constinencie 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 the maryages of priestes of al other ministers of the church of Christ ¶ Robyn Papyst 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 The true Christian 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 Robyn Papyst These be his wordes There was geueÌ„ 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 incoÌ„tynency of the flesh The true Christian Howe saynte Paule ought to be vnderstanded in the place afore aleaged There Sainct Paule vnderstandeth no suche
was then the onelye minister of the churche 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 that he doth minister holi thīgs how much more 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 Robyn Papyst 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. The true Christian 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 Robyn Papyst 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 The true Christian I wold faine know what sacrifice the pryestes of the newe Testament haue to offer vnto God dayly for the sinnes of the people Robyn Papyst 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 The true Christian 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 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 ¶ Robyn Papyst 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 The true Christian 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 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 the 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 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 Robyn Papyst There is a good cause whye Yet he wyll alowe none that haue broken stones or that lacke them The true Christian 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 ¶ Robyn Papyst 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 The true Christian 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
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 beare Thus doth Theodoretus Theodoretus Ambrosius and Erasimus in .xii. capitu ii ad Corinth Ambrose and also Erasmus expouÌ„d this place Robyn Papyst Ye did say a while ago that neither fastiÌ„g 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 The true Christian 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 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 vnderstaÌ„d that besides the incontineÌ„cie of the fleshe there be in maÌ„ many other concupisceÌ„ces which do moue a man to offend the lord These concupiscences oughte to be 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 waÌ„ted 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 Robyn Papyst 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 The true Christian If ye do vnderstande by the priestes Answere suche as be anoynted of God for to 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 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 ¶ Robyn Papyst And ought not the ministers of the church to be anoynted after the maner of the olde lawe Obiection The true Christian 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 the epistel to the Romains to the Galatians and to the Hebrues In dede the Chrystyan Churche doth vse certayne ceremonyes as is 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 thâ— layinge on of handes Of these ceremonyes doeth Sainte Paule speakâ— in his Epystels but speciallye in thâ— Epystel to Timothee Robyn Papyst This then haue I learned in ourâ— 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 deâ—lared moste manifestly both by the â—xamples of the scriptures and also by stronge argumente taken oute of â—he same that all religious persons â—r secular pryestes that haue not the gyfte of chastytye ought to mary in â—o much that if there were any whiâ—he hauynge not the gyfte of chastyâ—ye wolde not marrye the godlye Magystrates ought to compel them â—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. FINIS