Ln. I. The Honour of the Maried Clergie. A longer rhen his wit, chis.deepe offen<:e had never ?eene; For, ifhee had caken my word,, Cu111g•·aoo fali1, m the fenfe wh1ch they will onely well beare: ( D 1 [.eh oJ rh•irfhrwtlingf, M uponwho111 anul1/arJfitU Vow hathforcedani111ptjfihle nee ffifJ,JP?ak for tlx111ftlvu) (none orher need (peaking for) he had found rhe'fenrence fo parcicullr, that it m1ght have (pared him both much fpleene and worke; fi,,ce, neJ<hcr was it in my heart ever ro allirme rhe obferv•tion of rhis Vow impu!libletoany man, neither will he (I hope) hold that it is kept by all : ldsnot in the power of rhe l:tazor, together with the h::lires, to cmotfinordinateaffections; fi1me vow, which cannot cont•ine : Upon this fuppofirion onely, I called rhis n<cdlity im· poflible, and this Vow unlawful! ; I cannonherefore butpity my paf!iol\at" Dereltor, that he bath fer himfelfe all ona frorh, inrunning thisWild-Goofechaft alone, following norhing but hisowne fwcy, whileshe purfues a cert1ine Chimericall Monfier, that holds Continence utterly and univerfally impollible. And that hemayrhe better repent him ofthis witleffe waf!e, and prevent the fpoile ofgood Paper hereafrcr, let him know at once (which perhaps bath not hi herco been allo•.<ed him) wlllt we hold concerning this point. W<doe therefore fromour hearrs honour true Virginity, as the mofi excellent efiateof life, which is incident rofraile Hum•nity; Gerfonharh taught usnottocallita venue, bucirisCouGnGerman ro avenue : Neither doe we thinke rhat the Emb affords any thing more glnrious, then Eunuchifme for the Kingdome ofHeaven ; which is therefore commended by our Saviour, not asarhing meerely arbitrary, by way ofadvice, bur of.:h>rge to the able. ffl!!i pot eft capere. capiat; In this we can gladly fubfcribe to Saint cbryfojlome, Bonum eft VirginiiM,CJ"c. Virginit]ir good, Iyeeldit; 'ndhetttr then Mttriage,I co,fe./fo 11. Secondly, everyman therefore (nocEcdcfiaf!iquesonely) !houldl•bour, and firive eo afplfeumorhisef!ate, as the better, ufing all holy meanes both coattaine, and m continue 1!: Neirl)et doe we thinke it any other then blame>ble, chat young Perfons (not fo much as advifingwith their owne abilities) wirhom all indeavour and ambition of fo worthy acondition, leape rafbly into thebandsofWedlocke. Thirdly, thoughevery manmufi reach for it, yet every man cannot carch it; fince it bathpleafedGod to referve this as a peculiar gift for fame perfons, not intending it as a common favour to •11 Suicers. Fourthly, thofe then, which are upon g()()d criall confciousro themfelvesofGodscall eo thisefiate, and his gift inabling them D unco it, may lawfully make profeffiofl thereofeo theglory ofche Giver, •nd (ifneed be) may vow (God continuing the fame graceuncothem) an holy perpetuation thereofeo thcir end; rheobfetvarion whereof,ifthey through their own negleCt !hall let fall, they cannot be excufed from* finne, or freed from cenfure: But chafe which after all ferimlS indevours finde nothing but weakneffe and uncertainties in this behalfe, !hall finne, if they abfolutely vow; !hall nocfinne, ifthey marry, in what conditionoflife foever; nor finnein marying, howeverrheirmariagemay have faulty ciJ<umf!ances. Now my Detefror, by this time, in ouralfertions fees his owne folly; ifagainfi this he can except ought, he knowes where to finde an adverfary: In themean rime he needed notto take it fo highly, that in the Romifb ufe ofvowes I mademention of unlawfulneffi, of impojfibility : unlawfulnelfe in themakmg, impoffibility in keeping; I am ready comainraineborh, in refpeCI:oftheindifpofition, yea, incapacity oftheVotaries. SEcT. VIII. BUT in fpeakiog ofrhe impoffibilicy offomemens continency, it wasnot pofGblefor my Ilefurerro containe himfelfe from a fcurtill invefrive againfi Lu· tber, PeUican, Bucer; and it becomes himwell. His F achers, likeSepnlchrall dogges, toreup the graves ofOods Saint' , and gnawed upon their dead bones; and now thiswhelpe oftheirscommingit tim:rer, bedribhles their afbes. The heroicall Spirit ofLuther (for I cannot be flouted our ofchat word) hated the ·Q.!ip.rJJjt firm·~s 111 cndt (ronmh.1bms ntetjfitattm,pr ttflaumiJalmu fu t.·ollttttatiJ, &Vtlwm ct~n~ tinmthvn Dt~, tklttblm,M{ijltt adfiMm,t~d mtMif {Dfl'itM., dmerufiodirt-. Aut,.de fid.ad Pttr. Solvtio'I!Hi tn.J1 .z, COli.JII!i* tamt;'UnMm. Kt{ltt.p.t$0 2.6, •7·
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