lawes in al comeÌ„ wealthes wel ordered yea with the hethen men haue furnyshed and adourned matrymonie with moste hyghe honours But nowe men shal lose theyr lyues yea and that prestes agaynst the mynde of the canon lawes for none other cause but for maryage Paule calleth it the doctrine of deuylles which prohibiteth matrimony This thynge to be true may be easely perceyued nowe when the prohibition of mariage is defended with such punyshmentes But nowe as no mans lawe can take away the commaundement of god so no vowe can take away the commaundement of god Therfore CypriaÌ„ also perswadeth that women be maried which kepe not theyr chastytie promysed these be hys wordes in the fyrst boke the .11 epistle yf ether they wyl nat or elles they can not perseuer and abyde styl it is better that they be maried then that they fal into the fyer with theyr deyntiâ—s at the leste waye that they gyue none occasyon of euyll to theyr brethern and sustern And the canon lawes them selues do vse a certayn equitie shewe fauour towarde them whiche before they be of sufficieÌ„t age haue vowed as comenly it hath ben accustomed to be done ontyl thê day ¶ Of the Masse OUr churches be falsely accused that they vtterly destroy and take away the Masse for the Masse is retayned and holde styll with vs and is celebrate with hygh reuerence Also the vsuall and customable ceremonies all moste all are obserued and kepte sauynge that amonge the laten songes be mixed here there Germane soÌ„gê which be added to teach the people For ceremonies serue to teach the vnexpert rude people and that the intreatinge or handlinge of the worde of god may stirre vppe some men to the true feare faythe and prayer And nat allonly Paule commaundeth to vse in the Churche a tonge which the people do perceyue and vnderstonde but also it is so constitute and ordeyned by mans lawe The people be accustomed to vse the sacrament together yf any be apte therto and that also dothe augment and encrease the reuerence and the religion of publik ceremonies for none be admitted and allowed to receyue the sacrament but such as be examined before They be also monyshed warned of the dignitie and vse of the sacrament howe greate comforte it bringeth to feareful and tremblinge consciences to theÌ„â—ent that they may lerne to beleue and gyue credence to god and to loke for aâ— thynges that good is of god and to aske all thinge that good is of god This honour deliteth god such vse of the sacrament dothe noryshe loue and reuerence towardes god therfore it appereth not that the Masses be done more religiously with our aduersaries theÌ„ with vs. It is vndoubtedly euideÌ„tly knoweÌ„ also that this hath bene a comeÌ„ a very greuous complaynte of all good men a longe season that the Masses haue bene shamefully abused and applied to lucre and euery maÌ„ seeth howe wyde this abuse dothe appere in all temples and of what maner of men Masses be soâ—ge and sayde allonly for rewarde or stipende hoâ—e many agaynste the inhibiâ—ion of the Canons do celebrate But Paule greuously thretneth them whiche entreate and receyue the sacâ—ameÌ„t vnworthily wheÌ„ he sayeth who eaâ—eth thys breade or drynketh the cuppe of the lorde vâ—worâ—hely shal be gilty of the body and bloude oâ—â—he lorde Therâ—ore when prestes were monished with vs of that syn priuaâ—e Masses ceased with vs because almoste no priuate Masses were done but for lucre and aduauntage And the byshoppes dyd knowe of these abuses well ynoughe whiche yf they had corrected them in tyme there shuld haue bene nowe lesse dissentioÌ„ then there is Before by reason of theyr dissimulaâ—ion nothinge willynge to here and se what was amysse they suffered many vices to creape inâ—o the churche Nowe they begyn ouer late to complayne of the calamities and miseries of the churche where as in dede all thys busynes and ruffelinge toke occasion of none other thiÌ„g then of those abuses whiche were so manifeste that they coulde be suffred no lenger There be nowe great dissentions rysen as touchinge the Masse and the sacramente And paraduenture the worlde is punished for so longe prophaning and abusinge of Masses which these byshopes haue suffred so many hundred yeres in the churches and yet bothe myght also ought to haue ameÌ„ded them for it is writen in the boke of the tenne commaundementes of god called the Decalogie that he that abuseth the name of God shall not be vnpunished But syth the world beganne nothyng that euer god ordayned hathe bene so abused and turned to fylthy lucre as it appereth that the Masse hath ben There was added and putte to an opinion which encreased priuate Masses aboue measure that is to saye that Christe with hys passyon dyd satisfye and make amendes for origynall synne and dyd institute and ordeyne the Masse that in it shulde be made an oblation for quotidian and daylye synnes bothe mortall and veniall Of thys dyd sprynge forth a comen opinion that the Masse is a worke that taketh awaye the synnes of the quycke and of the deade by vertue of the worke wrought Then they beganne to dispute whether one Masse sayde for many were as moche worthe as yf for euery maÌ„ were sayde a seueral Masse Thys dysputation brought forthe and caused thys infinite multitude of Masses Of these opinions our prechers lerned men gaue warninge that they dyd varie and dissente from holy scripture did hurt diminyshe the glorie of the passion of Christ for the passon of Christ was an oblation and a satisfactyon not onely for the synne of byrthe called origynall syn but also for all other synnes as it is wryten to the Ebrues we are sanctifyed by the oblatyon of Iesu Christ ones for euer Also he made perfect the sanctifyed without oblation for euer Also the scrypture teacheth vs to be iustifyed before god by faythe in Christe when we beleue that our synnes be forgyuen vs for Christe Nowe if the Masse dothe take awaye the synnes of the quicke and of the deade euen of the owne proper vertue then iustifycation dothe chaunce come of the worke of Masses not of fayth Whiche thynge scripture doth not suffer but Christ commaundeth to do it in rememberaunce of hym Wherfore the Masse was institute to thentente that fayth in them that vse the sacrameÌ„t shulde remember what benefytes it taketh by Christe and so shulde rayse vp and comforte the trembling and fearful consciences For to remembre Christe is to remember the benefytes of Christ and to fele perceyue and thynke that truly and in very dede they be exhibited and gyueÌ„ vnto vs Nether is it ynough to remember the historie for thys maye also Iewes and wycked men remember Wherfore the Masse is to be done for this entent that the sacrament may be reached forthe and ministred vnto those that haue nede of comforte as Ambrose sayth Quia semper pecco semper
ruinous churches and shortly to reduce them into a godly and perpetuall concorde Amen ⧠¶ The Apologie or defense of the confessyon of the prynces of Germany THe fyrste article of our confessyon our aduersaries do allowe in whiche we expowne that we beleue and teache one essencie diuine indiuisible cÌ„ and yet .iij distincte persones of the same essencie diuine and coeternall the father sonne and holy ghoste This article alwayes we haue taught and defeÌ„ded And we knowe that it hath certayne and ferme testimonies in holy scriptures which can nat be auoyded And constantly we affyrme that they whiche thynke otherwyse be out of the churche and ydolaters and do moste hyghe dishonour and slaunder to god ⧠⧠Of originall synne ⧠THe Seconde article of Originall synne the aduersaries do approue but so yet that they disproue our definicion of originall synne whiche we recited by the way Here forthwith euen in the very frount of the matter the emperours maiestie shall espye that the wryters of the confutacyon lacked nat only ryght iudgement but also indifferencye and gentylnes For where as we of a siÌ„ple mynde went about to recyte by the way the thynges that original siÌ„ne coÌ„teyned they by theyr croked maliciouse interpretacion do craftely depraue the sentence whiche of it selfe is trewe ynoughe For thus they argue To be without feare â— to be without â—aythe is actuall synne Ergo they denye originall synne ⧠It appereth suffyciently that this subtyle argumeÌ„t was broght forthe in scoles and nat in the counsell of Cesar. But albeit that this cauillacion may easely be auoyded yet that al good men may se that we teache none inconuenyence in thys behalfe we fyrste requyre that our coÌ„fession be harde which diligeÌ„tly marked shall delyuer vs from the suspicion of strauÌ„ge doctryne â–ª for there is it wrytten thus ⧠we do teache that after the falle of Adam euery man naturally borne is coÌ„ceiued in syn and so is borne that is that they al from the wombe of theyr mother be inclyned vnto euyl whiche can nat haue by nature the feare of god nor no trewe faythe in god ⧠This place witnesseth that we plucke from them whiche be borne accordyng to the carnal nature nat only actes but also the powers and gyftes of performyng drede and hope towardes god For we say that they whiche be thus borne haue concupiscence nor can nat perfourme the trewe feare and trust towardes god what can be here reproued Truly vnto good men we iudge that we be sufficiently purged For the latine description is of lyke sentence detractyng from nature the power that is to say the gyftes and strengthe of perfourmyng feare and truste towardes god detractyng also actes in persons of the age of dyscretion And when we name concupiscence we vnderstande nat only actes or frutes but a perpetuall inclinacyon of nature ⧠But here after we shal shewe with more wordes that our definition agreeth with the vsual and auncieÌ„t definition For fyrste we wyl open our intent why we vsed these wordes in thys place Our aduersaries them selues in scoles graunt that the materiall as they calle it of originall synne is concupiscence wherfore concupiscence was nat to be omytted in the definition namely in this tyme when many do descant of it so vngodly ⧠For sum of them dispute that original syn is nat any vice or corrupcion in the nature of man but only a bondage or a state of mortalitie whiche all the issue of Adam do susteyne without theyr owne proper vice for another mans gylte and offence More ouer they adde that noman is dampned to eternall deathe for synne originall and to this purpose they briÌ„g forthe a similitude of the Ciuile lawe saying thaâ— lyke as of a bondewoman the yssue is bonde and susteyne thys condycyon or state without the vice of nature onely for the calamytie of the mother so is it of Originall synne But we to shewe that this wycked opinion dothe displease vs haue made mencyon of concupisceÌ„ce namyng it a sore and disease and expounding that mannes nature is borne corrupte and viciouse ⧠Nor we haue nat only named it concupiscence but haue sayde that there dothe lacke also the feare of god faythe whiche we haue done for this entente The scole doctours do diminyshe and make lyte the synne originall â–ª nat sufficiently vnderstandyng the definicion of originall synne whiche they recyued of the fathers Of the noryshment or kyndlyng whiche they calle fomitâ—m they dispute that it is a qualitie of the bodie and accordyng to theyr accustomed foly they brynge in question whether the qualitie be caught by contagion of the apple or by the breathyng of the serpent whether it be encreased by prouocacyons with suche sorte of questioÌ„s they oppresse the pryncipall matter Thus when they speake of originall synne they omytte the vices of mannes nature whiche be more greuouse as the ignoraunce of god the despysyng of god the lacke of feare the lacke of truste in god the hatynge of goddes iudgemeÌ„t the fleyng of goddes iudgemeÌ„t the beyng angrye with god the despayre of grace the trustyng in worldly socours cÌ„ These dyseases moste repungnat to the lawe of god the scolastycall doctours espye nat Yea more ouer they attribute to mans nature hole power to loue god aboue all thynges to do the preceptê of god quo ad substantiam actuuÌ„ as they call it that is to saye as muche as belongeth to the substance of actes nor they see naÌ„t that they speake thynges merely repungnat for to haue power of a mans ê“pre streÌ„gth to loue god aboue all thynges to do the commaundementes of god what other thynge is this than to haue originall iustice That if mannes nature haue these so greate powers that of it selfe it may loue god aboue althingê as the scolemen do boldly affyrme what shal be original synne what shal we nede the grace of Christe if we may be saued by our owne propre iustice what shall we nede the holy ghoste if mans powers of them selues may loue god aboue al thynges and do his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes who seeth nat howe vnryght the iudgemeÌ„t is of the aduersaries The lyter diseases of maÌ„nes nature they acknowledge but the most greuouse they acknowledge nat of the which yet the scripture dothe admonyshe vs in diuerse places and the prophetes do perpetually complayne of I meane of the carnall surenes of the cotempte of god of the hate of god and seÌ„blable vices engeÌ„dred within vs. But after that the scolasticall doctours dyd entermixe with Christes doctrine the philosophicall descantyng of the perfection of nature and attributed more than neded to frewyll and voluntarie actes taught men to be iustified before god by a certayne philosophicall or ciuile iustice whiche we also confesse to be subiecte to reason and after a fashyon to be in our power they coulde nat see the inwarde vncleÌ„nes of maÌ„nes nature For it can nat be iudged but by the worde of
For Christ rebuketh the pharises whiche thought theÌ„ selues to be made cleane in the syght of god that is to saye to be iustifyed by theyr oft washinges euen as a certayne byshope of Rome sheweth of holy water that it sanctifyeth and clenseth the people And the glose sayth that it cleneth from venial synnes Suche were also the opinions of the Pharisies whiche Christ reprehendeth and he setteth against this fayned purgatyon two maner of clennes the one inwarde the other outwarde he byddeth that they shulde be made cleane inwardly and addeth concernynge outwarde clennes Gyue in almose of your superfluitie and aboundance and so all thynges shal be cleane vnto you Our aduersaryes do not ryghtly applye thys partycle or sygne vnyuersall omnia for Christe addeth thys conclusyon to bothe members Then all thynge shal be cleane to you that is to witte yf ye shall be clane inwardly and shall gyue almose outwardly For he sygnifyeth that outwarde clennes is to be sette in the warkes commaunded by god and not iÌ„ the traditions of men as then were tho ofte wasshinges and nowe a dayes is the dayly sprinclyng of holy water the habites of religious persons as they be called the deuersite choyse of metes and lyke pompes But our aduersaryes do corrupte the sentence with sophistrie translatynge the vniuersall perticle to the one parte alone All thynges shal be cleane to you yf ye gyue almose as yf a man shulde make thê reason S Andrewe is present g o ergo al the Aposteles be present Wherfore in the antecedente both members ought to be ioyned together in thys wyse Beleue and gyue almose so all thynges shall be cleane to you For the scripture sayth in another place that the hartes be purifyed by faythe That if the hartes be clensed and afterwarde almose dedes be put to outwardly that is to saye almanner workes of charite so shall they be cleane al together that is for to saye not onely within but also without And that hole sermone of Christe ought to be ioyned together of which there be many partes wherof certayne do teache of faythe and certayne of warkê And it is no ê“perty of a good reader to pycke out the preceptes of warkes leuynge out the places of faythe There be some also which do interprete it to be an Ironicall locution Gyue ye almose and all thynges be cleaue vnto you For Christe semeth dryly to checke the vayne persuasion of the phariseis whiche whan they had theyr myndes laden with moste lewde affections yet in the meane season because they gaue almose thought theÌ„ selues to be halfe goddes Thys interpretatyon is nat vnmete neyther hath it any thing in it selfe dissonante or contrary to the other scriptures We wolde put to also other places but that we thinke that by these places which we haue rehersed and declared all other lyke may easely be iudged But we shall yet adde this scolastical argumeÌ„t Ryghtuousnes must nedes be in the wyll g o ergo faythe whiche is in the vnderstandyng doth nat iustifye This argument we do therfore reherse that the hole matter myght be made more playne howe fayth doth iustifye and what Paule dothe call iustifycatyon And fyrst because of certayne wayward persons we shall answere artificiously Thê is playne in morall philosophie that iustyce is called obedyence towarde the superiour such as he accepteth and alloweth But faythe is an obedyence towardes the gospell Wherfore faythe is ryghtly called iustyce for obedience towardes the gospell is imputed and rekened for ryghtuousnes in somuche that obedyence towardes the lawe only doth therfore please because we beleue that god is frely gracious and louinge to vs for Christes sake for we do neuer satisfye the lawe Nowe althoughe this faythe be in the wyl for it is to wyl and to receyue the promyse yet neuer theles this obedyence towarde the gospel is not for our clennes imputed for ryghtuousnes but because it receyueth the mercy that is offered and thynketh that we be reputed ryghtuous for Christes sake by mercy and nat for our owne fulfylling of the lawe nor for our owne clennes So the mynde is to be called awaye from gasynge on the lawe vnto the gospell and vnto Christe and we must assure our selues that we be reputed ryghtuous when we do thynke our owne selues to be accepted for Christes sake and nat for our owne loue or for our owne fulfyllynge of the lawe And faythe differeth froÌ„ hope for faythe receyueth at thê present tyme remissyon of synnes recoÌ„ciliation or acceptatyon of our owne selues for Christes sake But hope is busye aboute the good thynges that be to come and aboute delyueraunce to come Secondarely Iustifycation here in thê place signifieth to be reputed rightuous Now god dothe nat repute a man ryghtuous after the maner that a man is reputed ryghtuous in the corte of causes or in philosophi for the iustyce of hys owne warkes whiche maye wele be put in the wyl But he reputeth a maÌ„ ryghtuous by mercy for Christes sake so that a maÌ„ do receyue hym by fayth Wherfore fayth may be called Iustyce for it is that thynge which is imputed to rightuousnes as paule is wont to speake in what so euer parte of man it be put For that dothe nothynge at all let goddes imputatyon howe be it we do put thys faythe in the wyll of man for it is to wyll and to receyue the promyse of Chryste And thys scolasticall argument thus debated because it dryueth the matter to an art the hole cause semeth moche the better to be perceyued By 〈◊〉 these thynges it maye be also perceyued what is to be iudged de merito condigni that is to wyt of the meryte of worthynes of whiche our aduersaryes do fayne that men be ryghtuous in the syght of god for theyr owne loue and fulfyllynge of the lawe Here is no mencion at al made of the iustyce of fayth and in the stede of Christe the mediator is put that we be accepted for our fulfyllynge of the lawe These thynges are in no wyse sufferable but as we sayd before though loue foloweth renouatioÌ„ yet maye nat the glorie of Christ be taken froÌ„ hym and geuen to our fulfyllynge of the lawe but it is to be thought that euen after the renouation also we be accompted iust for Christes sake and that Christ remayneth styl a mediator and mercy stocke and that by the meanes of Christ and for him we haue commynge and entre to the father and that we do nat satysfie the lawe but that we haue alwayes nede of mercy and that we be alwayes compted iust for mercye And thys thynge dothe the hole churche confesse that we be made ryghtwyse and saued throughe mercie as we haue heretofore recyted forthe of Saynt Ierome Our ryghtuousnes is not for our owne meryte but commeth of the mercie of god But so it is that thys mercy is receiued by faith g o ergo cÌ„ But se
thynge thou shalte bynde vpon earthe it shal be bounde in heuen And what soeuer thyng thou shalte louse vpon erthe it shal be loused also in heuen Howe be it as we haue sayde before the keye hath not power to laye on punyshementes oâ— to institute honourynge of god but onely it hath coÌ„maundement to forgyue synnes vnto them whiche be conuerted and to rebuke and excoÌ„municate them which wyll not be conuerted For as to louse signifiethe to forgyue synnes so to bynde signifiethe not to forgyue synnes for Christe speaketh of a spirituall kyngdome And the commaundement of god is that the ministers of the gospel shulde assoyle them whiche be coÌ„uerted accordynge to that texte of Paule Power and auctoritie is gyuen vs to edification Wherfore the reseruation of cases is a politicall and ciuilâ— thynge For it is a reseruation of canonicall punyshement and not a reseruation of synne in the syghte of god in them whiche be truelye conuerted Wherfore oure aduersaries do iudge well whan they do graunte that in the article of deathe that reseruation of cases ought not to let absolutioÌ„ We haue set forthe and declared the summe of our doctrine as touchynge penaunce whiche doctrine we knowe assuredly to be godly and holsome to good myndes And good men if they shal compare our doctrine with the most confuse and troublesome disputations of our aduersaries shall perceyue ryghte well that our aduersaries haue lefte out the doctrine of faythe iustifieng confortyng godly hertes For they shall see that our aduersaries do fayne many thingê of the merite of attrition of that endeles rehersal of synnes of satisfactions hangynge nothyng together and as the olde prouerbe is touching neither heuen ne earth but strayeng and wanderyng clene wyde from the purpose and such as euen our aduersaries them selues can not sufficiently declare ☞ Of the numbre and vse of the ⧠sacramentes ⧠IN the .xiij. article our aduersaries do allowe that we do saye the sacramentes not only to be signes or tokens of profession amonge men as certayn men do fayne but rather to be signes and testimonies of the wyll of god towardes vs by whiche god moueth and styrreth hertes to beleue But here they byd vs also to accompte seuen sacramentes We thynke that men oughte to beware that the thynges ceremonies instituted in the scriptures be not despised howe many soeuer they be Neyther do we thiÌ„ke it to make any great matter although diuerse men for cause of teachyng do nombre or recken diuerse wayes so that they kepe well the thynges taught in the scripture For the olde wryters haue not all numbred them after one maner and facyon If we call sacramentes rytes or ceremonies whiche be coÌ„maunded by god vnto whiche is added a promyse of grace it is an easye thyng to iudge whiche be ê“prely sacramentê â–ª For rytê or ceremonies iÌ„stituted by men shall not after this maner proprely be called sacramentes For it belongeth not to the auctorite of man to promyse grace wherfore signes instituted without the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god be not sure and vndoubted tokeÌ„s of grace albeit peraduenture they teache ignoraunte simple persones or elles put them in remembraunce of somewhat The very sacramentes therfore be Baptisme the Souper of the lorde Absolution whiche is the sacrament of penaunce For these rytê or vsages haue for them the coÌ„maundement of god and haue also added vnto them a promyse of grace whiche is proprely belongyng to the newe testameÌ„t For hertes ought surely and vndoubtedlye to beleue that whan we be baptised whan we do eate the bodye of oure lorde whan we be assoyled that god dothe verely forgyue vs for Christes sake And god doth also by the worde the ceremonie moue and styrre the hertes to beleue and to gather fayth as Paule saythe â—ides ex auditu Fayth is by hearynge And lykewyse as the worde runneth in to the eares that it may stryke vnto the hertê euen so the ceremonie of it selfe runneth in to the iyes to moue and styrre the hertes The effecte of the worde and of the ceremonie is all one as it was full excellently sayde of sayncte Augustine who saythe that a sacrament is a visible worde because the ceremonie is receyued of the iyes and is as it were a picture of the worde signifienge the same thynge that the worde dothe signifie wherfore theffecte of them bothe is all one Confirmation the last enneylyng be rytes or ceremonies receyued of the fathers which the churche dothe not require as necessary to saluation bicause they haue not the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of god wherfore it is not vnprofitable to disseuer these ceremonies from the other aboue sayd whiche haue the expresse coÌ„maundement of god to maynteyne them and a clere promyse of grace Preesthod our aduersaries do vnderstande not of the administratioÌ„ of the worde of god and of the sacrameÌ„tes to be gyuen forthe vnto other but they do vnderstande it of sacrifice as thoughe in the newe testamente there oughte to be a preesthod lyke vnto the preesthode leuitical coÌ„mauÌ„ded by Moses law whiche shulde make sacrifice for the people and deserue remission of synnes to other men We teache that the sacrifice of Christ dyenge on the crosse was sufficient for the synnes of the hole worlde and dothe not nede besydes the helpe of any other sacrifices as thoughe it were not sufficient for oure synnes wherfore men be iustified not for any other sacrifices but for that onely sacrifice of Christe if they beleue them selues to haue ben redemed with that sacrifice Therfore preestes be elected called properlye to teache the gospell and to ministre sacramentes to the people Wherfore if ordre be vnderstanded of the ministratioÌ„ of the worde of god we wyll nat stycke to call ordre a sacrameÌ„t For the ministration of the worde hathe for it the commaundement of god And it hathe many greate promises as in the fyrst chapitre to the Romans The gospel is the power of god to saluation vnto euery one that beleueth Also Esaie in the .55 chapitre My worde that shal go out froÌ„ my mouth shall nat retourne vnto me voyde but it shall do what soeuer thingê I haue willed c. If ordre after this maner be vnderstanded we wyll nat be greued to call also the imposition or layeng on of the handes a sacramente For the churche hath a coÌ„maundement to constitute and ordeyne ministers whiche ought to be verie acceptable vnto vs because we knowe that god dothe approue that ministration and is present at that ministratioÌ„ And it is profitable also as much as may be to garnishe the ministration of the worde with al maner prayse agaynst mad men whiche dreame that the holy ghoste is gyuen nat by the worde but for certaine preparatioÌ„s of theyr owne if they syt ydle holdynge theyr tonges in darke places lokyng after illumination lyke as they dyd in olde tyme whiche were called enthusiastes whiche fayned them selues
also do dissolue breake those whiche were alredye contracted And this appereth euidently to be contrary to the coÌ„maundemente of Christe whiche saythe Whom god hath ioyned let no man departe in sondre Our aduersaries cry out in the confutation that to lyue single without wyues is coÌ„maunded by the councelles We do not accuse the the decrees of the councelles For these decrees vnder a certeyne condition do permitte wedlocke but we do accuse the lawes whiche the byshoppes of Rome haue made syns the olde generall couÌ„cels contrary to the auctoritie of the sayde councelles Thus do thÌ„e byshoppes of Rome despise the auctorities of the couÌ„cels whiche they wyll that other men shulde thynke to be mooste holy inuiolable This lawe therfore of perpetuall absteynyng from mariage is onely the lawe of this newe domination of the pope And that not without a cause For Daniel gyuethe this marke and token to the kyngedome of Antichriste that they shall contemne women Fyftelye althoughe oure aduersaries do not defende the lawe because of superstition forasmoche as they se that it is not wonte to be obserued yet neuertheles they sowe superstitious opinions whyles they pretende religion holynes They saye that they require the single lyfe and absteynyng from mariage because it is puritie clennes as who shulde say that mariage were vnclennes and synne or as though single lyfe dyd merite remission of synnes and reconciliation and wedlocke dyd not so And to this purpose they alledge the ceremonies of Moyses lawe that syth in the lawe durynge the tyme of theyr ministration the preestes were seperated from theyr wyues moche more in the newe testameÌ„t the preeste forasmoche as he oughte alwayes to pray ought always to conteine lyue chaste This folyshe vnmete similitude is alledged as it were a demonstration and a most stronge and euident proffe that preestes ought neuer to mary And yet in the similitude it selfe wedlocke is permitted and graunted onelye the vse of the wyfe is forbidden duryng the tyme of theyr ministerie And they be two sundrye thynges to praye and to ministre The holy men dyd praye euen than also whan they dyd not exercise any publike or open ministerie or office Neyther dyd the companyenge with theyr wyues let them that they myghte not praye But we wyll answere in ordre to these fayned tryfles and figmentes Fyrste our aduersaries muste nedes graunte this that wedlocke is pure clene in them that do beleue because it is saÌ„ctified with the worde of god that is to saye it is a thynge laufull approued by the worde of god as the scripture copiously doth recorde For Christ calleth wedlocke goddes ioynyng or couplyng together whan he saythe whom god hath ioyned together And Paule sayth of wedlocke of meatê and lyke thyngê They be sanctified by worde and prayer that is by the word wherwith the coÌ„science is made sure and out of doubt that god dothe approue and allowe it by prayer that is for to saye by faythe whiche vsethe it with gyuyng of thankes as the gyfte of god Also in the fyrste epistle to the Corinthianes he saythe The vnchristen husbande is sanctified by the christen wyfe c. that is to say the vse and companyeng of them together is laufull holy because of the fayth in Christ as it is laufull to vse meate and drynke c. Also to Timothe he wryteth The woman is saued by generation and by bryngyng forthe of chyldren c. If oure aduersaries coulde brynge forthe suche a place of scripture for single lyfe thaÌ„ wolde they make merueylous triumphes Paule saythe that the woman is saued by generation and bryngynge forthe of chyldren What coulde be sayde more honorable agaiÌ„st the hypocrisie of single lyfe than that a womaÌ„ is saued by workê of matrimonie by vse companye coniugale of the one with the other by bryngynge forthe chyldren and by other workes apê‘teinyng to the orderyng of an house And what is Paules mynde Let the reder obserue and marke faythe to be added and not the offices or workes of orderynge an house to be praysed without faythe if they abyde sayth Paule in the fayth For he speaketh generallye of the holle kynde of mothers Therfore he dothe principallye require faythe by whiche the woman receyueth remission of synnes and iustification Afterwardes he addeth a certain worke of callyng Lykewyse as in euery man there ought to folowe after faythe the good worke of a certein vocation This worke pleaseth god because of fayth So the workes of the woman please god because of fayth and the christen woman is saued whiche in suche sorte of workê of her callyng dothe godly seruise These auctorities testimonies do teache that wedlocke is a lauful thyng If thaÌ„ this worde cleÌ„nes betoken that thyng whiche is laufull and approued before god than be wedlockes clene because they be apê“ued by the worde of god And Paule saythe of laufull thynges Omnia munda mundis i. All thynges be cleane to them that he clene that is to saye to them whiche beleue Christe and be ryghtuous by faythe Therfore as virginitie in wycked men is vnclene so wedlocke in godlye men is cleane because of the worde of god and faythe But if this worde cleÌ„nes be taken as a thyng contrary to concupiscence so wedlocke betokeneth clennes of harte that is for to saye a mortified concupiscence because the lawe doth not forbyd wedlocke but coÌ„cupiscence adulterie fornication wherfore single lyfe is not clennes For there maye be more clennes of the herte in a maryed man as in Abraham or Iacob than in very many of those yea whiche be truely continente Finally if in suche sorte they vnderstaÌ„de single lyfe to be cleÌ„nes because it doth merite iustification more then â—edlocke we than playnly with open voyce say agaynst them For we be iustified neyther for cause of virginitie neyther for cause of wedlocke but freelye for Christis sake whan â—e beleue that for his sake we haue god good and gracious to vs. Here peraduenture our aduersaries shal crye out that after the maner of Iouiniane wedlocke is of vs made egall to virginitie But we wyll nat for these rebukes and reuiling wordê caste away the truthe of the ryghtousnes of fayth whiche we haue before declared And yet we do nat make virginitie egall to matrimonye For lykewyse as one gyfte is better then another as prophecy is better then eloquence eloquence is better then carpenters crafte so virginitie is a more excellent gyfte then wedlocke And yet as an Oratour is nat more rightuous before god for cause of hê eloqueÌ„ce then a carpenter because of his carpentrie so lykewyse a virgine meriteth nomore iustification with her virginitie then a wyfe doth with the workes apperteinyng to a wyfe but euery one in theyr gyfte ought to serue faythefully â–ª and to thynke that by fathe for Christes sake they obtayne remission of siÌ„nes and by fayth be reputed ryghtuous before
ben made hitherto be no vowes Wherfore that kynde of lyuyng may be safely ynough forsaken whiche is full of hypocrysye and of false opinions Here they obiecte agaynst vs and brynge out of the lawe the Nazareans But the Nazareans toke no vowes vpon them with these opinions whiche we sayde hytherto that we reproue in the vowes of religious men The rite and custome of the Nazareans was an exercise or protestation of theyr faythe before men it dyd not merite remission of synnes before god it dyd not iustifie before god Agayne lykewyse as nowe circuÌ„cision or sleynge of beastes in sacrifice shulde be none honour or seruice vnto god eueÌ„ so the rite and custome of the Nazarians ought not nowe to be sette forthe as an honour or seruice but it ought to be iudged nothing els but an indifferent thynge The Monasticall lyfe therfore which without the worde of god hath ben deuised to thentente that it shulde be a seruice wherwith to merite remission of synnes iustification is not wel compared and lykened to the custome of the Nazareans whiche had for it the worde of god and was not gyuen to merite remission of synnes but to be an exercise as the ceremonies of the lawe were The same may be sayde of other vowes taughte in the lawe There be alledged also the Rechabites whiche neyther had any possession neyther dyd drynke any wyne as Hieremie wryteth in the xxxv chapitre Then sample of the Rechabites agreeth full goodly be ye sure to oure monkes and freers whose Monasteries passe in sumptuousnes the palacies of kynges and whiche lyue moste delicately voluptuously But the Rechabites in that penurie of all thingê were yet maryed Our religious men whan they haue plentie of all maner delyces and pleasures do professe single lyfe But it were conuenient and mete to enterprete thexamples accordyng to the rule that is to wit accordyng to the vndoubted and euideÌ„t scriptures and not agaynst the rule scriptures Nowe this is moste sure and vndoubted that our obseruauÌ„ces merite not remission of synnes or iustification Wherfore sythe it is so that the Rechabites be praysed it must nedes be that they did not therfore kepe that maner and custome because they thought that by it they dyd merite remission of synnes or that the worke it selfe was a seruice or honour iustifienge or for whiche they shulde obteyne euerlastynge lyfe and not by the mercy of god for the sede that was promysed but because they had coÌ„maundement of theyr parentes therfore theyr obedieÌ„ce is coÌ„mended of whiche there is a coÌ„maundement of god whiche saythe Honoure thy father and thy mother Moreouer the custome had a propre ende of it self for it was vsed because they were strauÌ„giers and alienes and no Israelites and it appereth that theyr fathers wolde haue them dicerned by certeyn speciall markes and tokens from theyr owne countrey men to thentente that they shulde not fall agayne to the impietie wyckednes of theyr countrey men They wolde by these markes and signes put them in remeÌ„braunce of the doctrine of fayth and of immortalitie Suche maner ende or intente is laufull But the endes of cloyster lyfe be taught farre after another sorte They imagine that the workê of cloyster lyfe be seruices honours to god they fayne that they merite remission of synnes and iustification The example therfore of the Rechabites is vnlyke monasticall lyfe althoughe that we leaue out here many other incoÌ„modities and euylles whiche be ioyned and incideÌ„t to this monkyshe lyfe vsed nowe a dayes They alledge also forthe of the epistle to Timothe the place of wydowes whiche doinge seruice to the Churche had theyr lyuynge of the comen cost charge There Paule sayth They desyre to be wedded hauynge coÌ„demnation because they haue broken theyr fyrst ê“myse Fyrste lette vs imagyne that thapostle doth speake here of vowê yet this place shal not defende nor maynteyn Monastical vowê whiche be made of wycked ceremonies that also with this wycked opinion that they merite remission of synnes iustification For Paule with an hole voyce doth disallowe and condeÌ„ne all ceremonies all lawes al workê if they be obserued for suche purpose that they shulde merite remission of synnes or that for them we myghte obteyne eternal lyfe and not for Christis sake throughe mercy It ensueth therfore necessarily that the vowes of wydowes if there were any suche at al were farre vnlike to our monasticall vowes Besydes this if our aduersaries wyll not ceasse to wreste this place vnto wydowes this parte also of the texte muste be applyed to vowes that Paule forbyddeth a wydow to be chosen vndre thre score yeres of age So than vowes made before that age shal be voyde of no strengthe But the churche at that tyme knew not these maner of vowes Therfore Paule rebukethe wydowê not for that they wolde mary agayn For hym selfe byddethe yonge wydowes to be maryed but because they beinge founde of the comen coste and charge played the wantonnes and therfore dyd cast away theyr first fayth and promyse He calleth here the first faythe not the monasticall vowe but the promyse of christen lyfe And after the same fashyon he takethe faythe in the same chapitre whan he saythe If any dothe not care and ê“uyde for his owne namelye those of his owne house he hath renyed the fayth For he speaketh otherwyse of faythe than do sophisters he dothe not put faythe in them whiche be in deadely synne Therfore he saythe that they cast away fayth whiche do not care for theyr kynsfolke And accordyng to the same maner he saythe that wanton wydowes do caste awaye theyr faythe We haue ronne ouer breuely a fewe reasoÌ„s for our defense and by the way we haue made answere to the obiections of our aduersaries And these thynges we haue gathered together not onely for our aduersaries cause but moche rather for theyr sake which haue god lye and well disposed myndes to thentente that they may haue alwayes in theyr syghte causes why they ought to disproue and myslyke the hipochrisie and the fayned and couÌ„trefayte obseruaunces of abbey lyfe whiche altogether this one sayenge of Christ dothe defete whan he saythe They worshyp me in vayne with the coÌ„maundementes and traditioÌ„s of men Wherfore the vowes theÌ„ selues and the obseruaunces of meates of redynge of syngynge of garmentes of shoes and of gyrâ—els be vnprofitable seruices before god And let all godly myndes knowe this assured lye that it is a playne pharisaicall and a condempned opinion that those obseruaunces merite remission of synnes and that for them â—e be reputed ryghtuous or that for them we obteyn eternall lyfe not through mercy for Christis sake For it is necessary that all the sayntes and holy men whiche haue lyued in these kyndes of lyuynge dyd caste awaye all truste of suche maner obseruaunces and dyd learne that they had remission of synnes frelye for Christis sake and that