7.Comnaand. vpon the C.ommandements. i9 Queft. How then ? fre. Altogether in worldly refpe&s, as you may eafily fee, if youmarke this places. For firft for thofe wordes in the 26. verfe : that to hue tingle was better for the verI. prefent neccflity, you fee that it is a worldly caufe, and no matter of more holioeffe, For neceflity there either tigniheth the perdls and perfccutions of the Gofpell, which in thofe daies it was fubiect voto, wherein it were better for a man to be fingie than tyed to a charge that would both trouble him to keep', and grieue him to part with - all, orelfe it fignifietb the fcartity of Chriftian wises and husbands as then to be had the Gofpell beingbut youn , in regard whereof if they had the guilt to tary, without finne, it were better to be tingle than matched to an Infidell. So that I fay this taufe isaltogether worldly. For the fecond (peach of Tau/ in the fame chapter, that they which aremarried(hall bane tribulation in the f elb, that he would haue all men as he was, and that he w ifhed them without care, & c. you fee agame it is a worldly caufe. For what fignifieth tribulation in the flefh there, but either thofe griefes, cares, heart- breaker and forrowes which are incident daily to married folkes, fometimes about one thing, fometimes about another, as about their children, about the gouerninent of their family, about getting or keepingthefeavorldlymatters, or'byreafon of con - traryReligion, &c. in refped whereof faith Paul I fpare you, that is, I doe wifh you free and tingle, that you might miffe them all, if it might be, and that for the loue I bear toy ou.For his third fpeach,that themarritdwoman taketh careto pleafe her husband but rhevnmdrrted to pleafe the Lord, no way may it be taken to proue that none that be married either doe or can take care to pleafe God,for the contrary of that hathbcene euidently (hewed in the places before; or yet to inferre that the vnmarried doe euer feeke co picole him, 1°r experience too much ceacheththe contrary t but it onlyfhew- eth-thus much, that Inch as be vnmarried rf thhybe godlily difpofed,may more free- ly and readily as it were attend their deuotion than others that be married, hauing nothing to trouble them or to diftra ì their,cogitations withal!.Whichralfo as you fee is butan-outward refpeót And therefore we may now conclude that farm was it from the meaning of `Paul to preferretiingle life before Matrimony, in refpe& Of greater pietror merite before G O D, but onely inrefpeff of outward incombrances,wherof indeed' it is much freer than the other eftate is. Which preheminence and dignity if it would contentour'Papifts, INC and they fhould well agree: but they will necks haue virginity and the vowe of ( ingle life to be afatiffa,Rion for linnes,a deferuing of remiffion, of he gr ace of God, of faluation, and lift euerlafting: A s you may fee in the Catholicke confcfGoñ of one of their great teachers Petrol a Soto, and may alto note in the fpcath of the Bithop to them that made this vowe, who euer anfweredaf- ter they had peomifed in this manner, Et ego promitrottbs, fib.ec obferuauerrs, vieam aternam: Tnat is, and I promife thee if thou keep theft things life euerla fling : That is,ì.f thou hue (ingle, t e. Yet fee we Paul who they fay hued euer vnmarried ,notto dare ?tom q, once toexhibitehis tingle life tothe Maiefty of GOD to merite any thing for him;or to purchafc him anyfouour,but onely and wholy to depend vpon themerits ofChrift, Iefus And we fee not Peter, Phillip, or any in the new Tellament, that were married Philip. 3. to beg any pardon for it at Gods hand, or to infinuate any way any impiety of theirs in fo doing. Which yet affuredly they would haue done, if the opinion of Popery had beetle true concerning ( ingle life and Matrimony. Saint e4ugulline in his Booke hb.to.cap,26 of Virginity hath manywords of the rewards of Matrimony, and concludeth thus, that eternall life is giucn of the Lord both to married and vnmarried indifferently. The Courrfaileof Gangrent-hotightgood to make this Canon, that if any liuine fin- Ann. 3 %3 gle for the Lord fhould in.arrogancy and pride contemne thofe that were married, Can. to, they flaould be accurfed. Wherefore we conclude this matter, andfay as the Church of God laid in that rime :V,- tntty we commend, Widdewhood we pratfe, and the chafe Concha, bond of'godly wedlockg ree honour andrereine. But as for adultery, fornication aitd unclean- Gangren. tteffewharfoeuer either of body órminde ,weabhorrest and condemnett Thus then I hope EPiph.rom you fee bow the opinion of chaftity to confift onely in lining tingle is fprung vp turn r li .a.has. yy chcD c u ill, who knew not otherwife how to draw men tovncleannneffc being rob - Cep 48. bed i
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=