A Comparison betweene the auncient fayth of the Romans and the new Romish Religion Set foorth by Frauncis Bunny sometime fellowe of Magdalen College in Oxforde MATTHEW 15. 13. Euerie plant which my heauenly Father hath not planted shalbe rooted vp Printed by Robert Robinson for Raph Jackeson 1595. To the Right Honourable my verie good Ladie Katheren Countise of Huntingdon Frauncis Bunny wisheth increase of honour here and euerlasting life elsewhere * ⎠* IF trueth shame not more of anie thing then when she is hid as Tertullian truely writeth then it behooueth her friends to do her that fauor that by all meanes possible they will earnestly indeuor to bring her to light that shee may be seene of them that seeke her and knowen of them that loue her And although this may perchance seeme a hard attempt in these our dayes wherein falsehoode maketh so fayre a shew and hath so great appearaunce of that it is not and euery man claimeth to the trueth be their doctrines neuer so diuers yet since God hath giuen vs meanes to driue awaye those thicke cloudes of errour and ignoraunce that the sunne of trueth may shine vnto the worlde I haue indeuoured in this short treatise to take away that colourable shewe of trueth from the Church of Rome that the vndoubted trueth of the Church of Christ may the better appeare For we haue a touchstone the word of God that cannot lye a rule that cannot deceaue by which whatsoeuer we trie and examine it wil soone bee seene whether it bee true or false Truth also is a thing that is auncient and hath bin alwayes sayth Tertullian and like the good corne that was first sowen but errour is that bad seed which was cast after into that field by the enuious man Seeing therefore that is true that was first and what so euer commeth after is false howe easie a matter is it for such as search to see the light and for them that inquire after her to finde the trueth For if it bee true that the Scriptures teach that onely then al that is not agreable to that truth must needs bee false And if that onely be nowe true which in the Apostles times was true no number of dayes or yeares shall prooue that not to bee false nowe which then was not true Therefore for the benefite of all such as loue the truth I haue in this treatise set downe the doctrine which was first taught and preached at Rome in the Apostles dayes whereof no man doubteth but that it must bee the infallible worde of God and Christian religion Then also I haue added thereunto that which is nowe holden for the Romishe religion and Catholicke fayth there And because these two doe verie much differ as hee that readeth will soone see for indeede they are nothing like and wee are assured that that which Gods worde deliuereth and was first must needes bee currant that which hath no warrant in the worde and commeth after must needes be counterfeite I haue endeuoured to bee short because I hoped it woulde be the more willingly read and the better remembred And for that cause I haue not aunswered the argumentes which the Romish Catholickes vse for defence of their opinions and the rather because it is performed in an other treatise But I trust in this it will appeare that hee that will imbrace the Catholicke Fayth that was then when the faith of the Romans was commended whereof the Papistes make greate bragges must needes detest that Romish fayth that is now and accompt it most blasphemous This little worke I haue beene bold to dedicate vnto your good Ladiship not onely as a discharge of my duetie of thankefulnesse toward your Honour to whome you bounde mee long since by manie vndeserued courtesies but also because that then I knewe your great zeale and feruent desire and loue to the trueth and your Christian care to augment your knowledge of the will of GOD Whereof I nothing doubt but the Lorde hath giuen vnto you great and happie increase To whose abundant mercies in Christ I commit your good Ladishippe alwayes praying that hee will here confirme you in his trueth and continue all his good graces tovvardes you vntill hee shall take you out of this vale of miserie to raigne vvith him in endlesse glorie Amen A Comparison betweene the auncient faith of the Romans and the new Romish Religion set forth by Frauncis Bunny sometime fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford CHAP. I. IT is a daungerous stombling blocke which the Church of Rome hath cast in the waies of the ignorant whereby they are made to fall into the déepe dungeon of Popish heresies and superstitions when they beare the worlde in hand as much as they can that the Apostle in commending the faith of the Romans that then was or rather in testifying that it was published through the world doth approue the faith also that now is there taught True it is that onely they that are starke blind would stumble at that stone for hée that is but halfe sighted may plainely sée that the Apostle speaketh but of the faith of the Romans that then was and doth not promise or prophecy that it should be so alwaies In the beginning God planted true Religion the feare of him in the hearts of men and women but in continuance of time that plant of the Lords own plaining was so ouergrowen with the wéeds of wickednes of life and superstitions seruing of God that it was hardly to be séene emongst men In so much as of the times of Enos it is written as if the world had for a long time forgotten that there is any God that then he began to call vpon the name of the Lord. Yea that which was at the first deliuered from God as a perfect rule of life and written in the heart of man Yet was by the corruption of man so blotted out and by the darknes of our minds so defaced that God was forced as it were to write it a new that it might the better be remembred in the tables of stone Yea and such is the force of our naturall and hereditary infection that we cannot long kéep the truth sincerly deliuered vnto vs without mingling or mangling of the same And therfore Tertulian teacheth vs truly that the trueth must be before heresy euen as the body is before the shadow And he proueth it by that parable of our Sauiour Christ wherin the good séed is said first to be sowen after the â—ares And so concludeth that that doctrine is from the Lord true that is first that which commeth after is false and strange And Ciprian also confirmeth the same when for reformation of any error he teacheth vs to haue recourse to the fountain Which rule of Ciprian S. Augustin also commendeth vnto vs as a very good rule and worthy to be followed And Vincentius Lirinensis in his
to be at Rome they are content to cal Rome Babylon whatsoeuer I say he wrot in that Epistle which they say that he wrote from Rome we also most readily receiue as that old and authenticks Roman religion whereof we will make no doubt at all And further whatsoeuer doctrine can be proued out of Saint Markes Gospell which Maister Bellarmine goeth about by testimony of sundry auncient writers to shew that it was written at Rome as he heard Saint Peter preach the same that also we will acknowledge to bee the Roman faith which is still to be followed So that whatsoeuer eyther Saint Paule wrote to the Romans or Saint Peter being say the papists among the Romans wrote vnto the dispersed Iewes or Saint Marke at Rome haue taught and what soeuer is consonant and consenting therewith that is vndoubtedly receaued of vs. But that which cannot be found agréeable to any of these writings I trust any indifferent reader wil think that we may iustly suspect as neither taught by those godly teachers neither yet beléeued of those famous and faithful schollers and therefore of none acknowledged at that time for the faith of the Romans And if then it were not the faith of the Romans what néed either the Rhemistes in their edition of the testament or all the rest of them so confidently to bragge that the faith of the Romans was so commended of the Apostle Must it needes follow that the Romish faith that now is is true because that was good and godly Suspend thy iudgement good Christian Reader and come not with a preiudicate opinion Trie and then trust proue and examine whether we or the Romish Church come néerer to the auncient Roman faith and bee bolde to heare and followe them that beleeue as those first beleeuing Romans were taught and veleeued And who so euer they bee that dissente from that faith or swarue any thing from that religion or ad any thing to that doctrine say not to such so much as God spéed For they are in déed heretiks and enemies to Gods truth they are the corrupters of his most sacred word they are the verie botches and blanes of all Christian Religion And that thou maist good Christian reader more readily sée and more easily iudge both of that old Roman faith and this new Romish Religion my meaning is so to compare the one of them with the other that at one view thou maist sée them both Wherein I dare promise nothing but sincere dealing both in setting down whatsoeuer Saint Paule Saint Peter or Saint Mark haue taught vs concerning such points as are in question and also in poynting vnto the doctrine of our aduersaries I will not charge them with any thing vntruly I will not falsifie any of their writings that the truth may appeare and God may haue the glorie Let vs therfore see first what was then and what is now taught there of the word of God CHAP. II. SAint Paule in that Epistle that he writeth to the Romans teacheth that The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth By the Gospell he meaneth that part of Gods word that preacheth vnto vs that ioyfull newes of our attonement made with God which elswhere he calleth the word of Reconciliation This word he saith is The power of God For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to cast down holds casting down the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ Of this powerfull word GOD spake long before Saint Paules time by his Prophet Ieremie Is not my word euen like a fire saith the Lord and as a hammer that breaketh the stone Of the power of this word thapostle writeth that It is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entreth through euen to the deuiding asunder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioints the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Yea Christ himself in the Prophet Esay is brought in confessing that the Lord Hath made his mouth like a sharpe sword So that this word is neither so blunt or dull or so vnable to make the man of GOD perfect to euery good work as the aduersaries of the Gospell would haue vs to imagine it to be So that in this place Saint Paul doth giue testimony that the word of God is as Saint Iames saith able to saue our soules And profitable to teach to reproue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes Saint Peter therfore doth liken the word to a séed and that to such a séed as doth if the fault be not in vs spring and grow vnto eternall life For as the good séed if it be cast in a good ground and moistned in due season with the dew of heauen can not but be fruitfull when the time shall serue euen so Gods word if it sound To him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at his words and be watered by the graces of Gods holy spirit it cannot it will not be vnfruitfull Saint Mark also in that parable of the seed that falleth vpon the good ground and brought forth fruit some thirtie some sixtie some a hundred fold doth sufficiently testifie vnto vs of the efficacie of the word if by reason of the infirmitie of our flesh and corruption of our sinful nature the edge therof be not rebated and the force hindered Not because I ascribe such force either vnto the sound that we may heare or the letters that we may read but vnto the sence and substance of the word vnto the lesson that may be gathered out of the same Whereunto we sée Saint Paule writing to the Romans and Saint Peter being at Rome as our aduersaries affirme and S. Marke also there according to the doctrine of S. Peter as they tell vs penning his gospell do giue this effect that it is of power to saue and the very séede of eternall life They find not therein any such hardnes as should driue men and women from the reading therof They find no such dangers they spy no such perils But on the contrary it was holden for good doctrine at Rome when Saint Peter did write if from thence he wrote Alwaies to be ready with all meeknes and reuerence to answere to euery body that shall aske a reason of that hope which is in you And that this is required of euery man woman that should sanctifie the Lord God in their hearts euen of seruants and not of maisters onely of wiues and not of husbands onely it is more plaine then that it can be probably denied Now to yéeld a reason of thy faith requireth much greter knowledge then to make confession of thy faith So that héere the Apostle séemeth
his glorie is nothing in comparison of mine And this is not onely by the pride of the Popes themselues but wheras stories teach that the godly Christians prayed for infidell Emperours now their diuines doe affirme it to be lawfull to disobey to rebell against and to depose such kings or princes as they will call heritickes yea to kill such is with them an action godly and honourable yea meritorious too Would any man haue thought that S. Peter who so humbly as a fellowe elder intreateth the elders to feed the flocke which God hath committed to them not as Lords ouer Gods heritage could euer haue had so degenerate a successour to haue sit in his chaire as they say the Pope doth and yet in pride of heart doth not onely aduance himselfe aboue al bishops but also ouer all creaturs Or would a man haue imagined these holy fathers would euer haue hatched so barbarous treasons Let this then be recorded of a memoriall to all posteritie and for a perpetuall staine to that bloudy Church of Rome the mother of all treasons and tretcheries of al vnnaturall and villainous practises that shee doth not onely directly oppose herselfe to the worde of God the doctrine of the Apostles and the very Law of nature and nations but also shee and her deere darlinges by their most vile practises doe crie it out vnto the world more shrill then the sound of any trumpet that they quite haue abandoned the affections of men Haue not we in England good cause to detest such doctrine and doctours who haue wrought so effectually in the heartes of many of our English fugitiues that their treasons haue no ende their crueltie hath no measure but that they desire and attempt to lay violent handes vpon the Lordes annoynted which the Godly of all times haue feared to purpose or thinke against the most wicked Yea doth not the Catholicke Tyrant that calleth himselfe by the name of a king but is in deede a reproch and shame to the verie name that he so hath dishonoured doth he not corrupt with gold and intice by all fayre promises subiectes to kill their princes and to murther them whome they ought to defende obey and reuerence It is too true it is too playne What kingdomes hath he not tempted what princes hath he not indaungered Howe many hath he gotten destroyed So that I am often times driuen to wonder and maruell what sluggishnesse or security possesseth the heartes of Christian kings and princes that they ioyne not their powers together against that common enemie not to princes onely but euen to mankinde His ambition increaseth as doe his daies his cruel purposes cannot be numbred He incrocheth cōtinually as he can vpon other mens right and vniustly if his might will serue dispossesseth the iust heires of their kingdomes and dominions His doings declare that he enuieth all your glory O you potentates and aspireth to euery of your inheritances and principalities And will you thus stand gazing on as men amazed at his strange attemptes whilest hauing preuailed against your neighbors he also take you in hand when his power shall be increased and yours diminished Doe you not know that it is high time for you to looke about you when your neighbours howse it set on fire Bande therefore and combine your selues together to reforme or restrayne his vnbrideled affections I doe not wishe his subiectes to rebell against him for that we see is vnlawfull but I pray God to put such a hearte and courage into his neighbours and equals that they woulde teach him to knowe that his omnipotente minde made proude with his might and wealth shall not alwaies be satisfyed with the spoyle of other But to leaue this Romish Catholicke to his Catholicke practises vntill God shall eyther conuert his heart or confound his power what cause hath the Pope so to magnifie himselfe and to claime such soueraigntie ouer them whom he ought to obey we see the Apostles would haue all without exception subiect to princes The Popes supremacy is not once mentioned although S. Paule writing to the Romans might haue had good occasion to haue commended the glory of that seate if any such thing had beene and S. Peter if he had any such soueraignty had iust cause to haue required submission to himselfe as wel as to kings and should haue made more accompt of himselfe then to be but a fellow elder with others But the Apostles haue bin taught to speake by the spirit of God The Popes haue done according to the pride of their owne heart And it is a verie strong presumption against the supposed soueraigntie which they say S. Peter had ouer all that S. Marke his fauorit and follower who also if stories be true wrote his gospell at Rome at the request of Peters wel-willers yet the same his gospell neyther maketh any mention of the great miracles which they woulde haue vs to Imagine that he wrought against Simon Magus which is one of their principall argumentes to proue Peters being at Rome neyther hath one worde more then the rest whereby we may gather any such superioritie in him And if he make any mention of Peter it is without any signification of his iurisdiction ouer others Yea when he speaketh of his calling he thus barely deliuereth it vnto vs. And Iesus passing by the sea of Galile hee sawe Simon and Andrew his brother c. And reporting the contention that was among the Apostles which of them should be chiefe he taketh no occasion to commend to them or to vs that soueraignty although the later time Iames and Iohn desired the same from him and the rest reporting how Christ reproued him he vseth no excuse no mitigation of the offence Now seeing neither when he setteth forth his calling neither in pointing to his infirmity neyther in noting these contentions he hath so much as any way signifyed his superioritie it followeth that eyther S. Marke was iniurious to his master in not giuing to him his due place or vnmindefull of his duetie to Gods Church in concealing from it so necessary an Article of religion as nowe they holde it or else that there was rather no such matter and therefore he coulde not write of it For after Christ was once ascended and the holy Ghost sent in visible forme then was it time to knowe all the Articles of religion so that our abuersaries cannot tell vs that S. Marke for modesties cause did not write of these thinges For not to write of that which is necessary to be beleeued if hee knewe it had beene greate wickednesse Subiection therefore to Princes was of the auncient faith of the first faithfull Romans But this soueraignty and Supremacy of the bishoppes of Rome is but a poynte of the newe learning or else the dregges of Simon Magus his pride CHAP. XVI THE Apostle hauing exhorted vnto such Christian dueties as we may not omit
to Rome Ierusalem or Compostell in pilgrimage in holy bread holy water palme crosses ashes in haire-cloth in going barefoote in not touching mony in not speaking in bearing in thy bosome a piece of Saint Iohns gospell in Agnus deis or blessed grains hanging about thy neck in a Monks cowle in his bootes and great holines in S. Francis breeches in dead mens skuls and bones in the bloud of hayles many other such like thinges Whereby the true holines whichis the obedience to Gods holy lawes is almost forgotten while men content themselues with this vnholy and trifling trash which for want of better stuffe the Romish Church that now is giueth her fooles in steed of bables to play withall or make them pastime For why may I not accompt and proclaime them for fooles who wil not so much as heare the wisedome of God and will so readely nay so greedely follow such follies of men Or that wil imagine that God who is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirite and trueth can be any thing delighted in such apish toyes well to this ende haue I saide thus much that we may see that wheras the olde faith of the Romans retayned a Christian liberty in the vse of all these thinges to be vsed according to the rule of charitie the new Romish religion bringeth them that beleeue and followe it into a great bondage and subiection to almost all the creatures and make them to esteeme themselues vnholy if moderately without breach of any Lawe of God or offence of brethren with thankesgiuing as God appointeth they vse the same CHAP. XVII AND because the Apostle maketh his praiers and requestes sometime for the Romans I thinke it not amisse to consider of his petitions that he maketh that we may see whether heerein the Church of Rome doe follow his godly example or in his prayses and thankesgiuinges to God for his benefites towards them Which his prayers and thankesgiuinges if we doe marke are directed onely vnto God in the name of Christ for other mediatour hee did not Knowe but onely one mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus He taketh God to witnesse of the continuall mention that he maketh of them in his prayers And why doth he call God to witnesse thereof but because hee prayed to him he desireth that God of patience and comfort will giue them on mind and that The God of peace will crush Sathan vnder their feete Hee willeth them to pray for him to God not to any other Helpe me or striue with me by prayers to God for mee And in his thankesgiuings I thanke my God through Iesus Christ for you all And againe To God onely wise be glory through Iesus Christ foreuer The Apostle Saint Peter blesseth God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ For as the prophet Dauid saith I haue lift vp mine eies vnto the hils from whence commeth my helpe my helpe commeth from the Lord that made heauen and earth The Godly know no other helpe but God and therefore pray to none but him neither are thankefull to any but to him when they haue receiued any benefit And for this cause Christ when he woulde haue a supply of victuals to reléeue them that followed him and were hungry Hee looking vp to heauen blessed as S. Marke reporteth And so he looked vp to heauen likewise when he would cure him that was deafe and dumme For he who teaching vs to pray instructeth vs to say Our Father which art in heauen doth by this his gesture teach vs to lift our handes and eies and heartes vnto heauen to looke for helpe from our heauenly Father To him he prayeth Abba Father all thinges are possible vnto thee take away this cup from me And a little before he did yéelde vp the Ghost My God my God why hast thouforsaken me The whole scriptures agrée with this that héere is taught They are full of commaundementes wherein we are charged to call vpon God in the day of our trouble full of examples of the Godly that make requestes to God onely full of thankesgiuings wherein the faithfull acknowledge that euery good perfect gifte commeth from aboue from the Father of lightes and therefore they are moued to say with Dauid O giue thankes vnto the Lord for he is gratious his mercy endureth for euer Yea what way so euer we turne ourselues or what good thing so euer we consider in our selues we must confesse that all that we acknowledge our selues bound to be thankfull for is giuen vs of God Whether life or liuing thinges temporall or eternall or whatsoeuer other blessing And therefore to him onely must we make our prayers for that we want to him onely must we giue thankes for that we haue And such are the prayers that were made in the auncient Church of Rome Yea such are the prayers of all the godly through out the scriptures And this was the faith of Rome also in the daies of Iustin the Martyr who liued at Rome For he writing against Tryphon the Iewe or conferring with him of religion out of these words of the Psalms Thou art my God departe not from me saith thus He teacheth that euery man must repose his trust in God and aske for health and helpe of him So that as the Apostle did so Iustinus teacheth vs that we should doe I might to this end haue a whole cloud of witnesses out of the Fathers of the purer age of the Church but because I will not be tedious in so plaine a matter I content my selfe with that one place out of Tertullian Aske and ye shall haue is spoken to such as know of whom they should aske that is of him that hath promised anything euen of the God of Abraham Isaac Iacob And for the doctrine of mediation this onely will I say out of S. Augustine That he only that maketh intercession for al and none for him is the true Mediatour For as he inferreth afterwards If Paul had beene a Mediatour then other also his fellow Apostls should haue beene Mediatours likewise And if there should haue bin many then Paul himself had no reason to say one God one Mediatour between God man the man Christ Iesus Thus we sée that S. August confuting the auncient heretiks called the Donatists who made other Mediators besids Christ doth euen by the same weapons yea with the same blow beat downe our aduersaries the Romish Catholickes and giueth their doctrine of many Mediatours a deadly wound But the Romish Church that now is as in all things els they frame vnto themselues newe opinions so heere also they haue forsaken the old waies yea they haue committed two euils they haue forsaken God the fountaine of liuing waters to digge to themselues pittes broken pittes that will holde no water And we need not heerein examine their doctrine their practise doth
from performing their dutyfull obedience as he doth many times by his priuiledges As for indulgences and pardons any bodie that will pray and pay for them may haue them And they that dwell at Rome get yet another maner of blessing with his two fingers wherwith he blesseth the people that gaze at him when he is caried abroad To be short at certain times he blesseth those that are called blessed graines or Agnus dei or such like stuffe and causeth these to be sent into Countries far and neer deluding and deceiuing by such toyes the hearts of the simple therwithall filling their owne panches and purses as though they had gotten or those had giuen some great spirituall gift when they haue some such toy consecrated by the Pope These are his gifts such are his blessings If you would haue better he cannot afford them For he is not for the most part able to preach teach It is against honour and estimation to seek to comfort the afflicted conscience No neither the Pope nor his Colledge of Cardinals will busie themselues in the Ministerie of the word in the abundant blessing wherof Saint Paule reioyceth Is the darknesse more contrarie to the light then are these vain promises or shewes of spirituall comfort verie cloudes without water and trees without fruit of true consolation to that perfect peace of mind and ioy of conscience which the Apostle promiseth vnto them and purposed to work among them by the powerful preaching of the Gospell of peace This this is in deed a true consecrated sword which shall pierce euen to the heart and conscience of the sinner and make a deeper wound then all the hallowed swords that the Popes can sanctifie And thus to be short we see that where Paule commeth he bringeth with him spirituall gifts euen abundance of blessing by the ministerie of the word But the Pope because he cannot skill of such blessings vseth other be blesseth fire water salt oyle swords roses books belles candles palmes ashes wax paper parchments lead pictures or payntings falsely perswading sillie soules that hee is able to put holinesse into them And thus it appeareth that if we consider the doctrine of the Church of Rome examining it with that that was taught in the dayes of Saint Paul and Saynt Peter they are nothing like If their practise they are cleane contrarie so that the new Romish Church hath no cause to brag of that old faith of the Romanes CHAP. XIX AND these are if I bee not deceaued all the points of religion in controuersie betweene vs and the Church of Rome at this day Whereof out of the Apostles epistle to the Romanes wee may gather any certayne doctrine Wherein if we dissent from the religion of the Romish Church that now is that we may iumpe and ioyne with the auncient faith of the Romanes commended by thapostle as spoken of and that worthilie in all the worlde I trust no indifferent Christian that in singlenesse of heart seeketh the trueth either will or can iustly reprooue vs. And as hitherto I haue shewed what consent there is in the groundes of their doctrines betweene S. Paul who wrote to Rome to confirme them in the faith S. Peter who they say wrote from Rome and S. Marke also who wrot his Gospell at Rome as in histories it is recorded so now in one point let vs see what Saint Peter thinketh in one poynt I say not touched by Saint Paule in that epistle although in other places plentifully enough by him deliuered Saint Peter therefore in handling the dueties betweene man and wife doth thereby commend the honourable estate of marriage as a state of life whereof God hath a care and therefore giueth lawes and rules in obseruing whereof husbands and wiues may serue and please God And if he had so verie well liked of single life as they who call themselues his successours doe hee woulde no doubte haue taken occasion to haue put in some caueat for the same But himselfe was maried as the Rhemistes themselues confesse and though out of Hierome they would proue that being called to be an Apostle he forsooke his wife yet how false that is Saint Peter himselfe doth plainely enough declare For he exhorteth Husbands to dwel with their wiues according to knowledge that is to kéepe and continue holily and kindly with them not vngodly and vncourteously to forsake them And shall we imagine that S. Peter would teach others and not himselfe or say one thing and doe another or that in wordes exhorting them not to depart from their wiues by his example he would moue them to leaue them That be farre from vs once to imagine And this we may be sure of that if he had forsaken his wife as our popish Catholickes now or some other in former times iniurious to that holy ordinance did surmise he woulde yet so haue tempered this his general commaundement that his example shoulde not haue béene manifestly repugnant to his doctrine Therefore that he was maried the scriptures report and it is by our aduersaries confessed but that he forsooke his wife it hath no shewe of proofe no colour of trueth Yea further the Apostle doth insinuate that the dwelling together of man and wife in knowledge is a furtheraunce to their prayers And therefore vnto that former exhortation he addeth these wordes That your prayers be not hindred Thereby declaring that the dwelling together of man and wife as they ought to doe is a furtheraunce to their prayers Whereas on the contrarie their separating of themselues in bodie may breede such an alienation of mindes with other great inconueniences as may interrupt their prayers And although S. Peter meane not héereby that they shoulde so continually dwel together as that they might neuer withdraw themselues the more fréely to consecrate as it were and wholly giue them selues to prayer and fasting yet woulde he doubtlesse according to S. Paules rules haue such their abstinence when anie is To be by consent for a time and againe to come together that Sathan shoulde not tempt them for their incontinencie For all men and women are in danger of his assaultes and therefore To auoyd fornication let euery man haue his wife and let euery woman haue her owne husband saith his fellow apostle And although men or women may for a time feele themselues voide of wanton and vnchast lustes yet because Not all men can receiue this thing saue they to whom it is giuen séeing I say it is not in their power but a rare gift of God which how long they shal haue it they are not certain yea to know who giueth it is a high point of wisdome the wiseman saith what madnes is it to promise that which thou canst not performe Or to séeke for that which is not necessarie for thee or to indeuor to please God with that which he requireth not of thée How much better is it