Instit christ ca. 16. § 7 vers 9. non modicum not of small importance whether the Pope can dispence in the first degree of the first kinde of Affinity that two brethren may successiuely haue the same wife or two sisters the same husband It seemeth that hee can not because the Pope cannot dispence in the Law of Nature But the first aforesaide degree of Affinitie is prohibited by the Law of Nature Thou shalt not reueale the turpitude of thy Brothers wife because it is thy turpitude for that as Rabbi Moyses saith the Lawe giuen in that place excludeth onely those persons from marriage who are to conuerse and dwell together amongst whom the one is to keep the others pudicicitie and so only he excepteth them which by the law of nature are excepted from matrimony since the text brings a naturall reason saying Because it is the turpitude of thy brother And the refore herein the Lawe is not figurall but morall and no dispensation can be made of morall precepts And of this opinion S. Thomas seemed to bee for hee saieth In. 4 dist 39. q. 1 art 3. ad tertium that that Law doth yet continue because if Infidells and he speaketh not of Iewes but absolutely of all Infidells before they are conuerted haue contracted matrimony against that law after faith receiued they cannot continue in such matrimony Therefore this Law is morall and not iudicial And although from the beginning of mankind when the Author of nature dispenced for the fewnesse of men to contract marriages in the same degree yet not after multiplication because the dispensation and inclination of contracting ceased not only in consanguinitie but also in Affinitie And although God haue dispensed with the Iewes yea also cammanded a brother to take his brothers wife to raise his brothers seede that his brother might haue children that his name might not bee blotted out of Israel But if the brother had children it was forbidden Deuteronom 25 Leuiticus 20. for it is said Hee that shall marry the wife of his brother shall do an vnlawfull thing Since therefore that of raysing the brothers seed was a iudiciall Lawe and all the iudiciall Lawes were finished in the death of Christ and God dispenceth not in them it followeth that neyther the Pope can dispence with it because it is morall and naturall neyther is it alike in a Vowe and an Oath with the aforesaid degree of Affinitie or Consanguinitie because although Christ gaue power ouer all contracts and consents of men to annull them or change them Vt habetur in cap. quemad de iureiurando Because in all such the condition is to bee vnderstoode if it please the Superiour yet hee gaue them not power to chaunge Nature which should bee done if hee should dispence in the first degree of Affinitie and in others recited in Leuiticus and if sometimes it may bee found that dispensation hath beene giuen to some hoc fuit de facto sed non de iure This was a matter of fact not of right Hitherto Viguerius By which discourse it is cleare that hee holdeth the precept of one brother not to marry his brothers wife nor contrariwise to be a moral precept which admits no dispensation and therefore if the Pope dispence in it he doth more than belongeth to his ecclesiasticall power and authority whereby we see now that which I said in the beginning of this chapter to be specified viz. that the Church of Rome attributing too much by an ouer-deeming conceit of her owne power vnto marriage one way allowing it where it is vnlawfull and derogating from marriage an other way by restrayning it where it is by God allowed she is miserably deluded by the Diuell 9 Now therefore curteous Reader this being so My conclusion vpon the premisses haue I not had reason to flie from her daunger obseruing the reformed Churches to haue discouered this perillous deceit of the Diuells Had I not reason to vnite my selfe to them especially this of England from the which my Parents before mee were most vnfortunately seduced to the iust punishment of my name and family euer since not thinking it fit to rest vpon the example of Eutiches the heretike saying That as he had learned of his Fathers and beleeued in the faith wherein hee was borne euen so hee desired to die but rather to giue eare unto the Councell of God Concil Calced art 2. declared by the mouth of his Prophets properly agreeing to my selfe Walke not yee in the ordinances of your Fathers neyther obserue their wayes nor defile your selues with their Idolles Ezec. 20.18 19. I am the Lord your God walke in my Statutes and keepe my iudgements and doe them CHAP. XIX Containeth the Conclusion to the Reader with a recapitulation of all the precedent obseruations for the Readers profit WHen I turne backe my memorie courteous Reader vpon all the precedent obseruations contained in this hooke An acknowledgement of Gods mercie and loue in drawing me to his truth Osee 11. verse 4. by the which I see my selfe to haue bin drawne as it were with so manie Ropes of Gods bountifull loue and singular mercie from the manifolde errours nouelties and the most sinnefull Idolatries of the Church of Rome vnto the true Faith and Religion of Christ Iesus Mee thinketh I doe feele my selfe possessed with a burning loue of Gods goodnesse enforced to rancke my selfe as one of the number of those whome God by the mouth of his holy Prophet Osee promised to drawe vnto him saying Traham eos in funiculis Adam in vinculis Charitatis I will draw them in the ropes of Adam in the chaines of Charitie Could God drawe mee by stronger chaines of Charitie than such are as hee hath drawne mee by from darkenesse to light from ignoraunce to the knowledge of his trueth when with a true feeling I doe reflect vppon my former obseruations I beholde mee thinketh our Sauiour Christ Iesus shooting foorth the bright beames of his wisedome vpon my endarkened Soule by the which hee hath as it were drawne me and guided my wayes vnto him as comfortably as he did the Sages of the East to adore and worship him in his Cribbe at Bethlem which doeth exceedingly replenish my heart with true ioy and comfort in Christ Iesu our Lord and Sauiour In the serious speculation of which great fauour from heauen I am compelled to call to remembraunce that straunge thing which Saint Augustine in his Booke De Ciuitate Dei and ninth chapter vt refert Cornel. Muss auerreth himselfe to haue seene seeming to the hearer to bee a great prodigie and a most wonderfull myracle of Nature who reporteth that hee sawe a Loadstone of so great power and efficacie that it drew manie Rings vnto it which were one of them behinde the other placed farre off asunder first one then that drew the other the third the fourth and so consequently all the rest vntill that at length
antiquitie and approued euen by some of the Romanists themselues against themselues Yea Vergerius a learned Bishop as my Lords Grace of Canterburie noteth but of Sledian intending to write against Luther in that argument Doctor Hils reasons vnmasked reas 8. nu 2. fol. 307. Sleid. lib. 21. was by trauersing of it caught himselfe And so by the discouerie first of one veritie at length grew to abandon altogether the Church of Rome as any whosoeuer shall read this Treatise may well doe I hope with satisfaction and comfort to his owne conscience 7 I further began also to make triall of the doctrine of the Church of Rome concerning good works by this marke of antiquitie which teacheth them to be so perfect About the imperfection of good workes that in some sort they are simply absolutely and perfectly iust and righteous further that they are merits that they iustifie a man and that they are not onely mereitorious for encrease of grace but also of eternall glorie which doctrine tendeth exceedingly to the engendring and nourishing of a Pharisaicall pride and presumption in good workes whereas the doctrine of the Church of England teaching imperfection to be euen in our best workes of the righteous that they are not merits that they doe not iustifie that they are not meritorious is a most holesome doctrine for planting of the true Publicanes humilitie relying wholly vpon Christs righteousnesse and the imputation thereof when he said Deus propitius esto mihi peecatori Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner and so was pronounced more iustified than the Pharisie iustifying himselfe by his workes Luk. 18. vers 11. when he said I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publicane I fast twice a weeke I giue tythes of all that I possesse This obseruation I gathered by reading and diligently noting Bellarmines confused controuersies in the doctrine of iustification drawing the readers onely to a proud Pharisaicall presumption in their owne workes against whom I obserue many Fathers Our righteousnesse imputed first to account all our true righteousnesse to be Christs righteousnesse more than ours and ours onely by imputation and therefore our owne righteousnesse consequently very imperfect Saint Augustine hath in plaine tearmes thus Epist 106. ad Bonifac. The righteousnesse by which through faith we beleeue we are iustified that is wee are made righteous is the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. In Enche ca. 41. And againe He is sinne and we righteousnesse not ours but Gods neither in vs but in him as he is sinne not his owne but ours nor in himselfe but in vs so therefore we are Gods righteousnesse in him as he is sinne in vs to wit Lib. 2. de Iacob vit beata by imputation S. Ambrose sayth As Iacob of himselfe deserued not the primogeniture who being hidden in his brothers apparrell and clad in his garment which yeelded forth the best odor did insinuate himselfe to his father that to his profit he might vnder another person receiue benediction so doe wee lye hidden vnder the precious puritie of Christ our first begotten brother that from the sight of God wee may giue testimonie of our iustice With the doctrine of which auncient Fathers holy Bernard agreeth as well as the Church of England Bernard Ser. 61. in Cantic Cant. saying I will remember thy iustice alone for it is mine to wit thou art made vnto me thy righteousnesse from God for how can I feare that one iustice may not suffice vs both It is not the short cloake which according to the Prophet cannot couer two thy iustice is iustice for euer and this large and eternall iustice shall couer both mee and thee together Whereby it is cleare that all our righteousnesse is none of our owne but Christs and therefore all our workes in respect of our selues are sinfull and imperfect 8 Besides the imperfection of our workes appeareth Works imperfect because they cause not saluation in that although they are necessarie for many respects yet are they not the efficient causes of saluation for Saint Ambrose sayth This is appointed by God Ambros in 1. ad Cor. 1. that he that beleeueth in Christ be saued without worke freely receiuing by faith alone remission of sinnes And Saint Augustine hath these wordes August in Psal 70. Thou art nothing of thy selfe call vpon God sinnes are thine mercies are Gods chastisement is due vnto thee and when the reward shall come he shall crowne his gifts not thy merits Saint Chrysostome also sayth Chrysost in cap. 3. ad Rom. Herein the power and might of God is shewed in that he saueth iustifieth and leadeth vnto glorie by faith alone without good workes Basil saith thus Basil in Ps 114. Euerlasting rest abideth vpon those that striue lawfully in this life not for the merits of their deedes but out of the most bountifull fauour of God in which they haue beleeued All which places doe argue against the perfection of workes for our greater humiliation and Gods greater glorie 9. Moreouer the learned Fathers doe further shew VVorkes imperfect because impure Hieron lib. 2. aduers Pelag. that the workes of the righteous are not simply and absolutely iust and perfect for Saint Hierome writeth thus If according to Iob the Moone doth not shine and the starres are not cleare in his sight how much more man who is rottennesse and the sonne of man a worme For euery mouth is stopped and euery cleane one is obnoxious vnto God because before him by the workes of the law all flesh shall not be iustified and there is no difference of persons for all haue sinned and are in neede of the glorie of God being iustified freely through his grace Saint Augustine speaking to Pelagius sayth thus Aug. li. de natur grat The Lord if he would might lift vp mortall men to Angelicall puritie and so cause that they might perfectly keepe the Law but hee neuer did nor euer will doe it Epist 29. Saint Hierome also speaketh as plaine to this purpose when he sayth The fullest charitie which cannot be encreased so long as man liueth here is not in any but so long as it can be augmented truly that which is lesse than it ought to be is of vice out of which vice it is Lib. de perfec iustit resp 18. Lib. 9. confes cap. 13. that no man doth good and sinneth not who further sayth It is sinne when either there is not charitie which ought to be or when it is lesse than it ought to be And Saint Augustine Woe also to the laudable life of men if without mercie thou doest discusse it Lib 9. Mor. c. 1. And Gregorie the Great in his Morals sayth The holy man because he seeth that all the merit of our vertue is vice if it be seuerely iudged by the inward arbitrer doth right well adioyne if hee will
soules into hell fire 10 And in very truth Diuers Authors shew auricular confession not to be ancient Socr. li. 5. ca 19. Tripartit hist lib 9. 35. Sozom. li. 7. c. 16 Niceph. libr. 12. cap 28. Wald. tom 2 de saora ca 141. Dom à Sot 4. dest 8 q 1. Henriq sum pag 325. Andâ— Orthodox expl c. pag. 663. Bâ—ron tom 1. ann 56. nu 28. Homil 22. ad pop Antioch when I looke backeward vppon the beginning of Christianitie as by the Scriptures I finde no such doctrine of auricular Confession to Priests as a thing necessary to saluation so doe I finde it a nouell doctrine not agreeable to Antiquitie but to haue had beginning after the planting of Christianitie For Nectarius the Bishop of Constantinople Put it downe in his Church and all the Bishoppes of the East did the like in theirs This the learned est Writers of the Romaine Church know well enough and acknowledge rayling vpon Nectarius for so doing as Andradius and Baronius doe which is a signe that the refourmed Churches reiecting confession breake no commandement of God but follow the example of the primitiue church that refused it This seems to be most cleare by S. Chrysostome saying This is wonderfull in God that he not onely forgiueth vs our sinnes but neythâ—r doth he disclose them or make them knowne neyther enjorceth he vs to come foorth and teil them he requireth no more but that we speake to him alone and to him alone confesse our faults It is not likelie that these learned and holie Bishoppes would thus haue done and also taught if Auricular Confession with a numerall accompt of euerie particular sinne to a Priest had beene generally receyued as an essentiall part of pennance necessarie to saluation in theyr times I doe finde by diuerse that there is scarce anie kinde of thing which causeth more scandall vnto the Cleargie it selfe than this Doctrine of particular enumeration of sinnes For a certaine Writer saith Religious men themselues in no thing sinne so much as in dissembling confessions Alua. Pelag. de planot Eccles lib 2. art 28. p. 255. For scarce or seldome at all doe they confesse otherwise then in generall termes naming no great sinne What they say one day that they say the next as if euery day they sinned alike Yet this abuse is nothing to that the same Author addeth saying That it was an ordinarie practise for the Priests to commit execrable villanie with the Women at confession as if they were the Sonnes of Eli Art 127. pa. 111 rauishing wiues and deflouring maides in the Church Art 2. pag. 83. and committing Sodomie with yong men with other stuffe then this affirming That the Church was made a stewes I finde further that an other Romish Writer saith Art 2. 73. 83. Cornel. Agrippa de vanit c. 64. I could by many examples fresh in memorie shew how fit this confession is for bawderie for Priests Monkes and Nunnes haue this speciall prerogatiue that vnder pretence of religion they may goe vp and downe when and whither they will and vnder colour of confession talke with anie woman whom they oftentimes entertayne but homely closely they goe to the stewes rauish virgins and widdowes yea manie times which my selfe haue seene and knowne runne awaie with mens wiues and carrie them to their fellows and hereby whose soules they should gaine to God their bodies they sanctifie to the Diuell II. â—isconueniences ouerthrowing auricular confession Many other proofes might be alleaged of the inconueniences of auricular Confession as by opening such sinnes by women or yong men as the very hearing of them striketh impression in the Priests and many times engendreth such occasions of temptations to them as they haue no power to resist them besides euen to the penitents also some sinnes into which they may fall by humane infirmitie may bee of that nature that they can neuer haue the heart through bashfulnesse to confesse them and then follow vnperfect confessions and after continuall remorse and perplexities of minde which make their whole liues irkesome vnto them drawing them into the remedilesse gulfe of desperation especially when the sinnes are such in weake natures as the Apostle Saint Paul himselfe thought vnfit to bee named which are fitter to bee opened to GOD than to Men. Therefore no man can well thinke that auricular confession is a soueraigne medicine for sinne which often is an occasion of much sinne No doubt IESVS CHRIST and the Apostles were as carefull to preserue men from sinne as the Pope can be and yet they neuer prescribed this medicine For certes whosoeuer feareth not to commit sin in the presence of God that seeth all men will as little blush to confesse it after their manner to a Priest whom they may deceiue and hee that regardeth not the law of God will care as little for the Priests absolution the feare of God and awe of his truth being of more force to bridle our sinnefull nature than the pollicie of man so that to conclude obseruing this auricular confession not to be an essentiall part of Penance nor to haue any warrant in the word of God nor to bee ancient doctrine without beginning since Christ and his Aposses nor to bee agreeable to reason in respect of many inconueniences that ensue of it it followeth that Penance is not a Sacrament instituted by Christ and consequently that there are not seuen Sacraments instituted by him as the Church of Rome teacheth and therefore I could no longer bee frighted with the Excommunication of the Councell of Trent against those that should denie this doctrine like those qui trepidant timore vbi non est timor Who tremble for seare where there is no cause of feare 12. Strange sables deuised for the prâ—ose of auricular coniession I remember a notable fable worth the relating deuised to breede feare and terrour for want of totall confession into the eares of a Priest which is recorded in diuers Writers of the Church of Rome of which two one of them was Penitentiarius to the Pope a man of great learning and good life and the other to wit the yongest was a simple vnlearned man In mag Spec. exemplor dist 9. p. 531. Guil. Pip. tr 1. super Conc. c. 13. ex lib. qui dicitur Scala coeli It happened that these two trauailing abroade together were lodged at a certaine Castle where a great Ladie dwelt that had committed Adulterie nay Incest with one of her owne Kinne Who out of the shame shee had conceiued for hauing committed so enormous an offence remained for the space of eleuen yeares without going to confession to her Curate who entertaining this religious couple and obseruing them in their carriages to bee vertuous and grane and not to haue any acquaintance with her and considering that perhaps they might neuer come againe to her house shee thought shee might doe well to make her
and to attribute more vnto her then will stand with the nature of a pure Creature and derogate from her that most blessed benefit of her Redemption by Christ And further consider that if the approbation but of one heresie argueth infidelitie and sheweth no true faith in other points as the Church of Rome teacheth then are they who are led with this errour no true beleeuers at all CHAP. XVIII Containing an obseruation of the honourable state of Marriage prehibited by the Church of Rome to Priests who by Gods Law may lawfully liue in it and allowed to those who by Gods Law can not liue together without Incest AMongst all the fearefull dangers where-with the life of man is enuironed How miserably the Church of Rome is illuded by Satans wily suggestions by reason of the continuall outward assaults and hidden ambushes of our three Enemies the World the Flesh and the Deuill It is certaine that none of them can be more difficultly auoided or hardly resisted than those of the Deuill who being least apparent with greater subtletie can deuise his plots and slily conuay them with faire outward pretences vnto their designed ends than the other two can who by their outward appearances and shewes either of Beautie Riches Pompe or sensuall Preasures may bee discouered and with the more facilitie preuented or foiled The reason hereof is because the Deuill hath a knowledge surpassing mans knowledge and hath power so great that there is none vpon earth may bee compared vnto it by the first be knoweth how to deceiue man by the second hee is most able to performe the intentions of his deceiptfull nature Hence hee appeared to Eue in Pa adise in the disguised shape of a serpent by GODS permission that thereby were may learne how much his craft is to bee feared The Seraphicall Doctor of the Church of Rome noting as much Bonauen in breuiloquio part 3. cap. 3. when hee said It was the prouidence of God that the Deuill in tempting should assume the forme of a Serpent that his craft might not only bee discouâ—red but also that by that likenesse the wilinesse of the Deuill 〈◊〉 tempting might bee knowne to all the children of Adam Hence also bee appeared to our mercifull Redeemer in the Wildernesse as Saint Augustine and others thinke vnder the shape of a Râ—igious man that hee might the more craftily tempt him saying Si filius Deies die vt la pides isti panes fiant If thou art the Sonne of God say that those stones bee made bread Where saith Vega Didacus de la Vega tom 1. Dom. in Quadrag Iob 41. You may see how the Deuill vnder the shew of pietie hideth his malice Therefore well said Iob of the Deuill Quis reuelabit faciem indumenti eius Who shall reueale the face of his garment as if hee should say it is a difficult thing to reueale the Deuills countenance for hee often changeth his countenance to deceiue men and being full of fraude and malice hee vseth often to change his countenance and vnder the colour of some pietie and vertue to hide himselfe Which craftie imposture of the Deuill is not more liuely in any one thing to bee discouered than by his suggestions to the Church of Rome which vnder the colour of chastitie and for greater perfection hee hath guilefully induced to make a prohibition of Priests marriages which the law of GOD doth not forbidde thereby giuing occasion of farre greater abuses against chastitie than otherwise could haue happened to the dishonour of God to the scandall of the Church and to the ruine of infinite soules who being debarred of the lawfull and honourable remedie of marriage appointed and approued by God himselfe through the weakenesse of humane nature fall into such abhominable impurities as are not to be named Neither only hath the Deuill cunningly vnder this pretence deceiued the Church of Rome like a slie Serpent but also by too high a conceipt and estimation of her selfe an other way euer praising her authoritie and preheminence of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction by a sinister interpretation whereof shee soareth so high aboue her selfe in equalitie with God that hee hath enduced her out of her pretended fullnesse of authoritie and power to dispence with Marriage in those degrees of affinitie as GOD himselfe hath prohibited The doctrine of both which points are so repugnant to the holy Scriptures and so crossing thâ— practise of the first ages of the Church as nothing can be more 2. The prohibition of Priests marriages is not agreeable to the holy Scriptures Genes 2. vers 18. For first the prohibition of Priests marriage can no way stand with Gods truth reuealed in the holy Scriptures For first it is apparent that marriage is an institution and ordination of God himselfe instituted before the fall of man as appeareth in Genesis where it is written It is not good for man to be alone let vs make a helpe like vnto himselfe Which place of Scripture Cardinall Bellarmine most impetitinently wresteth in citing it De Matri Sacram lib. 3. c. 2. to proue marriage to bee a Sacrament of the new Law instituted by God for that purpose If this place proue it to bee a sacrament it will follow that it was also a Sacrament in the old Law which were inconuenient and against the whole current of Romish Doctors Thomas Aquinas teaching out of Saint Augustine That the Sacraments of the old Law are taken away S. Thom. 3. part q. 61. art 4. sed contra August contra Faustum lib. 19. cap. 13. tom 6. Thom. in corp vbi supra because they are fulfilled and others are instituted in power greater better for profit more easie to performe fewer in number And further Aquinas himselfe teacheth It is behouefull there should bee other Sacraments in the new Law wherewith the thinges should bee signified that went before of Christ besides the Sacraments of the old Law by where future thinges were foretold Bellarmine to proue his purpose should shew where in the new Law it is instituted as a Sacrament for as Thomas Aquinas saith marriage as it is ordained for the procreation of children 3. p. q. 42. art 2. in corp which was necessarie before sinne was instituted before sinne but as it affordeth a remedie against the wound of sinne it was instituted after sinne in the time of the Law of nature but as it representeth a mysterie of the coniunction of Christ and the Church it hath had an institution in the new Law and according to that institution it is a Sacrament of the new Lawe By which Doctrine of Thomas Aquinas first saying that it hath had an institution in the newe Lawe it is cleare to be very absurdly cited by Bellarmine for the institution of marriage before to prooue it to be a Sacrament and secondly that this Doctor himselfe committeth a great ouetsight in affirming it to haue had an institutioÌ„ in the new Law whereby it
And diuers other writers affirme Scot. 3. d. 37. Cost Enchir. pag. 51. that in the most ancient times of the Church and after the Apostles death they had their wiues And I obserue that hee was the first that forbad Priests to marrie Greg. à Valent. tom 4. d sp 9. q. 5. punct 5. §. 1. Dist 82. plurim Inuent lib. 5. cap. 4. Dist 84. cum in preterito gloss §. qui Sacrament Index expurg 381. uum 261. Naucler tom 2. generat 137. Jnuent lib. 5. cap. 4. Sigebert an 1074. Lambert pag. 201. 207. Auentine in Annal. lib. 5. Nauclâ—r vol. 2. ge 36. Baron an 174. Sigon reg Jtal. lib. 9. an 174. pag. 448. pag. 460. by the decree thereof extant in the Canon law as also by the confession of Polydor Virgil and the Glosse vpon the Canon law saith Syricius brought in the continencie of Priests and Deacons yea some affirme that of old before the time of Siricius Priests might contract marriage This Glosse Pius Quintus the late Pope hath commanded to be wiped out because it makes against the present doctrine of the Church of Rome but Nauclerus saith in effect as much that SyriÌ„cius commanded Deacons to be continent But although Pope Syricius began this matter yet as Polydor Virgil saith It could neuer be effected that their marriage should be taken away til Gregory the seuenth came to be Pope in the yeare 1074. Which thing when he attempted in Germany he was opposed against as one that brought in a new eustome neuer receiued before Auentine writeth that in those daies Priests had wiues openly as other men bad and begate children their wiues being called by aseemely name Presbyteresses And when the Pope forbad them marriage this to many Bishops and other learned and good men seemed a new doctrine and a pestilent heresie as euer troubled any Christian kingdom And he saith the Bishops of Italy Germanie and France met together and for this cause decreed that he had done against Christian pietie and deposed him for that among diuers other things he diuorced men and their wiues denying such as bad their lawful wiues to be Priests wheÌ„ yet in the meane time he admitted to the altars whore-mongers adulterers and incestuous persons Fast lib. 1. Mantuan saith that Hilarie a Fench Bishop was married and that in his time it was lawfull Sinesius the Bishop of Ptolomais writeth thus of himselfe Epist ad Enopt Niceph. lib. 14. cap. 55. The sacred hand of Theophilus hath giuen me a wife and hereupon I testifie vnto all men that I will neither forsake her nor yet as an adulterer keepe her company but I will pray God to send mee by her many and good children Athanasius reports that Bishops and Monkes liued married Epist ade Dracont Epist 321. Pius 2. apud Plaitn in vita and had children And Pius Secundus saith It is better for a Priest to marrie then to burne though hee haue vowed not to marrie And moreouer that there bee many reasons to forbid Priests marriage but more to allow it But no maruaile that this restraint was made by the Pope since the prohibition of marriages is a plaine marke of Antichrist who should bring in the contempt of women for after that the Prophet Daniel had said that Antichrist should persecute the holy teachers and the pious beleeuing people Daniel 11. and should exalt himselfe aboue all God hee addeth Hee shall know nothing of the God of his Fathers and hee shall know nothing of the loue of women and of euery God and that hee shall magnifie himselfe aboue all things Which version agreeth with the Hebrew truth and with the seuentie Interpretors and Aquila Therefore let not any man oppose that which is carried about and in which it is read Hee shall bee in the concupiscences of women Where Saint Hierome himselfe in his Comentaries vpon Daniel interpreteth this sentence thus That Antichrist shall counterfeit chastitie to deceiue many By all which it is manifest that this law restraining Priests from marrying is a noueltie brought into the Church by Popes by degrees and a great wrong vnto the state of marriage which I haue shewed to be honorable in all This I could exemplifie by the abuses come into the Church by this restraint both in former ages and in this present age wherein wee liue If this law had not been it is likely that Matthaeus Parisiensis would haue had no cause to leaue recorded vnto posteritie that a Cardinall did all the day in a Synode heere in England inueigh against the marriages of Priests Matth. Parisan Henric. primum who at night was taken in bed with a strumpet there are too many to bee found as carnall as this Cardinall If this law of the Pope had not restrained Priests from marrying occasion would neuer haue been giuen for a Gentleman in Wales this last yeare to haue written vnto Master Birkhead the Arch-priest complaining of a Iesuite who by the heate of the powder-treason was thought to be driuen into Ireland where he got his owne kinswoman with child neither would many the like abuses bee complained of in diuers if the wicked restraint of marriages which is in truth the very doctrine of Diuels had neuer been made and inuented Gentle Reader pardon mee if these obscaenities offend your eares I may as well relate truthes in iustification of true doctrine against the Church of Rome as that Church both by reports and printed bookes may disgorge multitudes of lies against the reformed Church of England your deare countrey I do not this of any delight I take to walke in the wayes of sinners bt onely to discouer the wickednesse of their doctrine by such their wicked fruits as iust punishments inflicted by Gods permission that they may see their errors and forsake their wicked wayes Now therefore since it appeared vnto me by these premises how the Church of Rome against the law of God against the practise of the purest ages to the scandall of the Christian world through Satans craft vnder pretence of chastitie restrained Priests from lawfull marriages I could not remaine in the communion of that Church lest by Gods permission in time I might also be partaker of her iust punishments 8 And as I was moued to abaÌ„don her by reason of this illusioÌ„ whereby the diuel maketh her his The Church of Rome alloweth of incestuous marriages so was I no lesse moued by the coÌ„sideration of her doctrine permitting such mariages to be lawful in such degrees as som of their own teach to be prohibited by the law of God nature as namely by suffering one brother to marrie his brothers wife when the other is deceased For so doth the Pope by dispencing in this case which notwithstanding is iustly to be reprooued as I proue out of Ioannes Viguerius the learned Bishop of Spaine who deliuereth his Doctrine thus It is a doubt Io. Viguer