NEyther▪ my Charitie, nor my Leyſure, nor my Readers Patience, will allow me to follow my Detector in all his Extrauagancies, nor to change idle words of Contumely with a Babbler.Declamationes ambitioſorum opera, otioſorum cibi ſunt. Scal. Exer. 307. His twelue firſt Pages, are but the light froth of an impotent Anger; wherein he accuſeth my bitterneſſe, and profeſſeth his owne. For me, I appeale vnto all Eyes; if my Pen haue beene ſometimes zealous, it was neuer intemperate: Neither can hee make me beleeue, that my Paſſions need to appeare to my ſhame, in calling Rome Prostitute, Proſtituta illa Ciuitas. or himſelfe ſhameleſſe; or in citing from the Quodlibet of his owne Catholike Prieſts, the Art of his Ieſuites, in The particulars of this Hiſtorie he ſhall receiue in due place. Drurying of young Heires. There is neither Slander, nor Shame in Truth. For himſelfe, he confeſſeth to haue ſharpened his Pen, and to haue dipt it (perhaps too deepe) in Gall: But where his Inke is too thicke, he ſhall giue me leaue to put a little Vineger to it, that it may flow the better. In the meane time he ſhall goe away with this glory, That a fouler Mouth hath ſeldome euer wip'd it ſelfe vpon cleane Paper.

After thoſe waſte flouriſhes, his thirteenth Page begins to ſtrike;Refut. p. 13. wherein he chargeth me with odious baſeneſſe, and inſufficiencie, in borrowing all my proofes from Bellarmines Obiections, diſſembling their Solutions. The Man were hard driuen, that would goe to borrow of an Enemie. If all my Proofes be fore-alledged and foreanſwered by his Bellarmine; to what purpoſe hath this Trifler blurred ſo much Paper? There (he ſaith) ſhall the Reader ſee all my Scriptures anſwered, the Doctrine of Deuils explicated; there, that other, Let him be the Husband of one Wife, and, Marriage is honourable: Anſwered indeed; but as he ſaid ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) anſwerleſſely. Such cleare Beames of Truth ſhine in the face of theſe Scriptures, that all the Cob-web Vayles of a Ieſuites ſubtiltie cannot obſcure them.

Their very Citation confutes their Anſwer. And where had we this Law, That if a Ieſuit haue once meddled with a Scripture, all Pens, all Tongues are barred from euer alledging it? If Satan haue miſ-cited the Pſalme (He ſhall giue his Angels charge ouer thee) for Temptation, may not we make vſe of it, for the comfort of Protection? Briefly, let my Cauiller know, that it is not the friuolous illuſion of any ſhuffling Ieſuite, that can driue vs from the firme Bulwarke of the holy Scriptures. In this, they are clearely ours, after all pretences of Solution (as he ſhall well feele in the Sequele) and ſhall ſecure vs againſt all humane Oppoſition. Before the diſquiſition whereof, ſomewhat muſt of force be premiſed, concerning the ſtate of our Queſtion.

WHere, that all Readers may ſee, how learnedly my wiſe Aduerſarie hath miſtaken me, and himſelfe; I muſt tell my Detector, That all his tedious Diſcourſe ſits beſide the Cuſhion:Refut. p. 12. For thus he writes of my Epiſtle (ſo as his whole Scope is to diſproue the ſingle life of Catholike Priests, and thereby to impugne our Doctrine in that behalfe) vpon which conceit, he runs into a large proofe of the ſtrong Obligation of Vowes, the neceſſitie of their Obſeruation, the penaltie and danger of their Violation, the prayſe of Virginitie, the poſſibilitie of keeping it; and vpon this very ground builds he the tottering Wall of his whole enſuing Confutation: inſomuch, as (Pag. 130.) he ſayes, That Marriage all times, without contrary Iniunction, was lawfull, is not denyed; nor wil it be proued in haſte, That Prieſts, or ſuch as had vowed the contrary, might vſe that libertie: and we ſay not, that Virginitie is violently to be impoſed on any, for it commeth by free election; but where the Vow is free, the Tranſgreſsion is damnable. Thus he.

Now let all indifferent Eyes ſee, whether the only drift of mine Epiſtle be, not to iuſtifie our Marriages, not to improue their Singleneſſe; to defend the lawfulneſſe of the Marriage of our Clergie, not to iuſtifie the Marriages of the Romiſh; to plead for the Marriage of our Eccleſiaſtiques, not of Popiſh Votaries.

In expreſſe termes, I diſ-auowed it. The interuention of a Vow makes a new ſtate. Let Baal plead for himſelfe. What is it to me, if the Romiſh Clergie may not be Husbands? or if, according to the French Prouerbe, They haue a Law not to marry, and a Cuſtome not to liue chaſte? Let it be their care whom it concernes; only I will haue leaue to ſpeake for our owne. Neither did I euer derogate ought from ſacred Virginitie, or lay it leuell (whether abſolutely, or in all circumſtances) with holy Matrimonie; neither did I euer conceiue of an impoſſibilitie of Continence in ſome perſons: Take away theſe three Grounds, (which I vtterly diſclayme before God and Men) together with his petulant Raylings, and idle Excurſions; and what is become of the Volume of my great Aduerſarie? Thoſe three vaſt Paragraphes are ſhrunke into ſo few ſheets of Paper, that a Mouſe may as ſoone runne away with his Booke, as with his God.

My Maſters of Doway, if ye be the Superiors, vnder whoſe permiſſion this worthy Worke ſees the light; for ſhame keepe vp your lauiſh Vnthrifts of good time, and ſend vs ſuch Antagoniſts, as may not ſaine Occaſions to emptie their Note-Bookes. One daſh of a Pen might thus iuſtly anſwer the moſt part of this bloughtie Volume; wherein, like a Drunken Man, hee makes a Fray with his owne ſhadow, and like an idle Whelpe, runnes about after his owne Sterne. But, that hee may not complayne to be caſt off too contemptuouſly, hee ſhall receiue a faire account or Particulars.

MY ſecond vntruth (he ſaith) is, That I make the ſingle Life of Prieſts the brand of Antichriſtianiſme. Shameleſſe Mouth! Where did I euer ſay ſo? My words are; Refut. p. 19, 20. Were it not for this opinion, the Church of Rome would want one euident brand of her Antichristianiſme. The life is one thing, the opinion another. Single life is good, the opinion of the neceſſitie of ſingle life, and the vnlawfulneſſe of the Married, is Antichriſtian. What can bee more plaine; yet this wilfull Slanderer tells the World, that I make the profeſſion of Continence, Antichriſtian: Whereas wee doe willingly profeſſe, that true profeſſion of true Continency is truely laudable; that the forceable impoſition of it, as neceſſary to ſome ſtate of men, ſauours ſtrongly of that Man of ſinne: Now, let my Reader iudge, whoſe vntruths my Aduerſarie hath hitherto detected.

Neither can I eate that word of mine, vnleſſe I would renounce the Apoſtle; who ſeemes purpoſely to decipher our Romaniſts by theſe lines. For, hauing immediately before deſcribed the condition of Biſhops, and Deacons, with their Wiues & Children (allowing them indifferently with others a married eſtate) hee preſently (as fore-ſeeing that Point which would bee moſt ſubiect to contradiction) fore-tells, that the ſeducing ſpirits of Antichriſtianiſme would forbid marriage; and this hee fore-propheſies ſhall bee done in the latter, or (as their Vulgar and Rhemiſts turne it) in the laſt Times;And if 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may agree to all the Ages of the Church after Chriſt, yet moſt to the laſt, and that other addition ſeemes to ſtrengthen this ſenſe. and that by them, which ſhall ſpeake lyes in hypocriſie. Neither of which can ſo exactly agree to thoſe firſt Heretikes; who, as they were early in time, ſo alſo groſſe in their Doctrine; wherein there was more open impietie, then ſecret diſſimulation.

IN vaine therefore doth my Refuter bring in Saint Paul, as an a-better of his forced Continence; whiles he ſaith of yonger Widowes, that,Refut. p. 21. When they haue begun to waxe wanton againſt Chriſt, they will marry, hauing damnation, becauſe they haue forſaken their firſt faith. In which place (boulted before to the Bran by many Controuerſers) mine Aduerſarie hath learned of his Bellarmine, to triumph aboue meaſure. This first faith (ſaith hee) all the Fathers, without exception, vnderſtand to be a Vow, or Promiſe, made to God of Continence, in the ſtate of Widdowhood. It is a wide word (All the Fathers.) I had thought I had read in holy L. 6. de Trinitate de Beat. tit. Dei ad Theophilum. Et inſtrumenta libertatis ſemel conceſſa per iterationem infirmatis. ATHANASIVS, Vae vobis qui primam fidem baptiſmi coelitus inſtitutam irritant facitis; Wo to you that make void the firſt faith of Baptiſme ordayned from heauen. I had thought Non ſunt digni fide qui primam fidem Baptiſmi irritam fecerunt, Marcionem loquor & Baſilidem. Hier. Prooem. in Epiſt. ad Tit. Hierome had ſomewhere ſaid, They are not worthy of beliefe, which haue voyded their firſt beliefe, MARCION I meane and BASILIDES; whom yet I neuer found condemned for the breach of any Vow of Continence. I had thought, the Authour of the Interlinear Gloſſe, would not haue croſſed all the Fathers, in expounding it, Fidem baptiſmi; The faith of Baptiſme, which is indeed the firſt Faith; and the Apoſtle ſaith (The firſt) not (the former;) as for that other, which he imagines, a Vow of continued Viduitie, it was neither Faith nor Firſt; let him inſtance (if hee can) where our Apoſtle takes Faith for a Vow. Rather, as if hee meant to expound his owne word in this very Scripture, and this occaſion, he cleeres this doubt, whiles he ſpeakes of the wilfully improuident Man, that he hath denyed the Faith, and is worſe then an Infidell; and now in the ſame Context, he ſpeaks of theſe peruerted Widdowes, that they haue forſaken the Faith.

Much leſſe is it the Firſt, whether in Time, or Dignitie: For, they could not haue beene Church-widdowes, if not Chriſtians; and they could not bee Chriſtians, if they ſhould haue valued the Vow of their Widdowhood aboue the vow of their Chriſtendome; yea, ſo farre was this from the firſt Vow, (if it had beene one) as that it was the laſt of all; for according to them; their firſt Faith muſt bee to their Husband, their ſecond to Chriſt, in their initiation to Religion; their laſt in the vow of Widdow-hood; So as here is a fayned vow made Faith, and laſt made firſt; and all to vphold a crazy conceit of our Romaniſts, which hath no other ground but this one ambiguity.Refut. p. 20. Chryſoſtome indeede calls it ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) ad Pactum; a couenant; but what couenant, or with whom, he expreſſes not; whether of Chriſtianity, or of Widdowhood, or of Miniſtration; Some of the others that follow'd him, ſpake according to the Gloſſe which the corrupt conceit of the Times had ſet vpon him.

But what neede my Refuter ſtand vpon particular Authors (he ſayes) when he may bring 214.Refut. p. 21. Biſhops all ſitting in Councell at Carthage, all agreeing in this expoſition, poynting vs to the fourth Councell of Carthage (Canone vlt.) His Gratian had wont to tell vs (for the more Grace) that it was in the third Councell of Carthage, Can. 4. Now he is taught to change his note; So doth C. E. with his Binius, tell vs it was the fourth Councell and the laſt Canon. Wee haue reaſon to ſuſpect it was in neither; The very ſtile and maner of diſcourſe ſo different from the reſt of thoſe briefe Canons, and the faſhion of thoſe Times, carry in it open likelihood of Baſtardie: It was an eaſie fraud to patch it to the end of thoſe Canons; neither (which learned Iunius taught me firſt to obſerue) is it found among the Greeke; then which there cannot be a worſe ſigne.

But that I may at once anſwere this vaunt of Actiquitie, and ſtop the mouth of this Cauiller; Let me aske him whether thoſe Fathers, whom he cites for this ſenſe, doe not take thoſe yong Widdowes for Votaries? If they doe (as hee cannot denie) how can theſe two ſtand together, That they ſhould haue damnation becauſe againſt their vow, they would marry; and yet that the Apoſtle ſhould wiſh them to marry? Can he imagine that Saint Paul would aduiſe them to incurre wilful Damnation?

And if in this I ſhould haue diſſented from the interpretation of much Antiquitie, I ſhould but take to my ſelfe the liberty of his Maſters the Ieſuites, with whom this is no nouelty; for inſtance, his not vnlearned, and bold Maldonat. in Matth. 19.11. Maldonate (as we ſhall ſee afterwards) vpon a Text of this very Queſtion, confeſſing the current of the ſtreame of Antiquitie, can come in, at laſt, with a Doctorly wipe of Adduci non poſſum vt ſequar; I cannot goe with them: This priuiledge is for none but the Fathers of the Society, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . to controll the Fathers of the Church.

The ſtate then of theſe Widdowes was ſhortly this: They being for their pouerty ſuſtayned by Church-alms, vpon De his agit quae ad Eccleſiae ſtipem, vel miniſterium recipiebantur eius ſumptibus alendae, Espenc. de Cont. l. 4. c. 1. condition of attendance on the Saints, whether ſicke or trauelling, were to dedicate themſelues to this ſeruice; but, ſome of the yonger ſort being inueigled by Infidell-Louers, were drawn to leaue, not their Station only of their miniſtration, but their profeſſion of Chriſtianitie: Theſe had damnation moſt iuſtly, for caſting off their firſt Faith. Their marriage was accidentally faultie, becauſe it forced them from their holy imployment; Their Apoſtaſie was abſolutely and damnably ſinfull, in that they left Chriſt, and followed after Satan.

Refut. p. 21, 22.The inextricable Dilemma then of my Detector is eaſily anſwered; (I demand now of Maſter Hall, whether theſe yong Widdowes, in breaking their Vowes, did ſinne, or not; If they did not; why ſhall they haue damnation; If they did ſinne (as indeed they did) then how is the Vow vnlawfull? how the brand of Antichriſtianiſme?) Nothing can bee more baſe then to beg the Queſtion; What doe we diſpute, but whether any Vow were made? and if any, whether of Continence, or of Seruice? But why then ſhall they haue damnation? for waxing wanton againſt Chriſt, not meerely for marrying. If to marry, were to waxe wanton againſt Chriſt, why would the Apoſtle haue aduiſed it them? in a word, for abandoning both their Office and Religion.

Laſtly, Who can but wonder at the face of our Aduerſaries, that dare bring forth ſo playne a witneſſe againſt themſelues? For; if the Vow of Continence be the firſt faith here ſpoken of, then may not any Woman by the Apoſtles charge make this Vow, till ſhee bee threeſcore yeeres old; which, how is it at this day practized in the Romiſh Church? ſince,Bellar. de M • nachis, l. 2. c. 35. Can. 13. and as the Caeſar-Auguſtane Councell, and the Agathenſe abated it to fortie yeeres, and the third Councell of Carthage yet lower to fiue and twentie; ſo Pope Gregorie fell yet lower to eighteene;Greg. l. 1. Epiſt. 48. and ſome other Councels yet lower to twelue; Although the Trent-Conference very liberally riſe vp to whole ſixteene: Seſſ. 25. c. 15. Either therefore let them grant that our Apoſtle ſpeaks not of Votaries, or elſe let them follow his rule of the age of Votaries, that the World may thinke they haue honeſt Nunneries; and let them confeſſe their change preſumptuous.

Thus, I hope, This Gordian knot, that requires more ſtrength then Maſter HAL • S learning, and a ſharper edge then ALEXANDERS ſword to diſſolued, or cut, is proued more eaſie then the knot of a Friers girdle, which a very dull Whittle may cut aſunder; and C. Es. appeale to all Scholers, proclaymes him ignorantly confident.

Impoſſible. Vnlawfull.IF it had not beene for two poore words of mine (both yet miſſevnderſtood) I wonder how C. E. Refut. p. 23, 24. could haue diſcouered to the World his dexteritie, in ſeruing out his oftſodden Cole-worts; the refuſe of his Bellarmine, and Coccius. From pag. 26. vſ que ad 90. Threeſcore and foure Pages, or more, hath hee brauely ſpent in the vindication of Virginitie, which neuer honeſt and wiſe man oppoſed. Let their Shauelings (I ſaid) ſpeake for themſelues, vpon whom their vnlawfull Vow hath forced a wilfull and impoſſible neceſsitie. The man is angrie that I meddled with his crowne; but if his haire had not beene longer then his wit, this deepe offence had neuer beene; For, if he had taken my words, Cum grano ſalis, in the ſenſe which they will onely well beare: (Let ſuch of their Shauelings, as vpon whom an vnlawful Vow hath forced an impoſsible neceſsitie, ſpeake for themſelues) (none other neede ſpeaking for) he had found the ſentence ſo particular, that it might haue ſpared him both much ſplene and worke; ſince, neither was it in my heart euer to affirme the obſeruation of this Vow impoſſible to any man, neither will hee (I hope) hold that it is kept by all: It is not in the power of the Razor, together with the Haires, to cut off inordinate affections; ſome Vow which cannot contayne: Vpon this ſuppoſition onely, I called this neceſſitie impoſſible, and this Vow vnlawful; I cannot therefore but pitty my paſſionate Detector, that hee hath ſet himſelfe all on a froth, in running this Wild-Gooſe chaſe alone, following nothing but his owne fancy, whiles hee purſues a certayne Chimericall Monſter, that holds Continence vtterly & vniuerſally impoſſible. And that hee may the better repent him of this witleſſe waſte, and preuent the ſpoile of good Paper hereafter, let him know at once (which perhaps hath not hitherto beene allowed him) what wee hold concerning this Point. Wee doe therefore from our hearts honour true Virginitie, as the moſt excellent eſtate of life, which is incident to fraile Humanity; Gerſon hath taught vs not to call it a Vertue, but it is Couſin-German to a Vertue; Neither doe wee thinke that the Earth affords any thing more glorious, then Eunuchiſme for the Kingdom of Heauen; which is therefore commended by our Sauiour, not as a thing meerely arbitrarie, by way of aduice, but of charge to the able. Qui potest capere, capiat; In this we can gladly ſubſcribe to Saint CHRYSOSTOME, Bonum eſt Virginitas, &c. Virginitie is good, I yeeld it; and better then Marriage, I confeſſe it. Secondly, euery man therefore (not Eccleſiaſtiques onely) ſhould labour, and ſtriue to aſpire vnto this eſtate, as the better, vſing all holy meanes both to attayne, and to continue it: Neither doe wee thinke it any other then blameable, that yong Perſons (not ſo much as aduiſing with their owne abilities) without all indeuour and ambition of ſo worthy a condition, leape raſhly into the bands of Wedlocke. Thirdly, though euery man muſt reach for it, yet euery man cannot catch it; ſince it hath pleaſed God to reſerue this as a peculiar gift for ſome perſons, not intending it as a common fauour to all Suiters. Fourthly, thoſe then, which are vpon good triall conſcious to themſelues of Gods call to this eſtate, and his gift inabling them vnto it, may lawfully make profeſſion therof to the glorie of the Giuer, and (if need be) may vow (God continuing the ſame grace vnto them) an holy perpetuation thereof to their end; the obſeruation whereof, if they through their owne neglect ſhall let fall, they cannot bee excuſed from

Qui ſtatuit firmus in corde ſuo non habens neceſſitatem, poteſtatem habens ſuae voluntatis, & vouerit continentiam Deo, debet eam vſque ad finem totâ mentis ſolicitudine cuſtodire, Aug. de ſid. ad Pe • r.

Solutio voti mala, Coniugium tamen bonum.

BVt in ſpeaking of the impoſſibility of ſome mens continencie, it was not poſſible for my Refuter to containe himſelfe from a ſcurrill inuectiue againſt Luther, Pellican, Bucer; and it becomes him well. His Fathers, Refutat. p. 25▪ 26, 27. like Sepulchrall dogges, tore vp the graues of Gods Saints, and gnawed vpon their dead bones, and now this Whelpe of theirs commingit cineros, Bedribbles their aſhes.

The heroicall Spirit of Luther (for I cannot be flouted out of that word) hated the brothelry of their Cloyſters; and choſe rather (which galls them to the heart) to be an honeſt Husband, then a fornicating Frier. What did hee other in this, then the holy Fathers haue aduiſed him, yea then hee learned in their owne Schoole? for caſting, perhaps, his eye vpon the Index of their Aquinas, Votum Vergens in periculum perſonae, debet frangi ſecurè, ſi diſpenſatio non poſſit haberi. lnd. 3. in Ag. voce votum. he found there, Votum Vergens, &c. A vow tending to the danger of the perſon, may be ſecurely broken, if a diſpenſation cannot bee had: What other then all their more ingenuous Caſuiſts would thinke fit to giue way vnto. If Luther would haue ſtill kept on his Cowle, & but haue paid the fees of a Concubine, he had liued & dyed an holy Auguſtinian: but now all his crimes ſinke downe out of ſight, vna vxor ſupernatat (as that Father ſaid) his wife onely floteth: and poore honeſt Katherine Bora hath made more noyſe in their Papers,Plus habet hie luxuria quàm caſtitas. Gloſſ. extrau. de Bigam. c. Hieron. ad Ocean. Et Lupanaria thalamis praeferentur. Beatus vi • cui non imput • uit dominus vxorem. Refut. p. 28.29. then ten thouſand of their Curtizans. Neyther needs this man any other Inſcription on his graue to make him odious, then this, Here lyes the man that held marriage better then fornication. If now Doctor Luther in a vehement deteſtation of the impuritie of their holy Stewes, after the homely plaineneſſe of a blunt German libertie, vſed ſome ouer-broad ſpeeches to expreſſe his owne freedome, and their abominations; what is this to vs? If we honor the man, muſt wee hold his pen impeccable? This is enough to maintaine in their Vice-god of the Seuen hills. For vs, wee haue ſworne into the words of no Maſter, but that One in heauen, the eternall Word of his Father. But this we dare ſay, that this Aduerſaries Truth is no more in fathering all theſe reports vpon Luther, then in fathering Luther vpon an Incubus.

One of them tels vs, that a Deuil begot him:Cocbleus. Another tels vs, that (by his owne confeſſion) a conference with the Deuil begot his oppoſition to the Maſſe: Another, Peter Frarin. Louan. out of Stoltius in Somn. Luth. that he was in league and fauour with Solyman the great Turke, who by his inſtigation was drawne to warre vpon Chriſtendome: Another, Io. Fowler in the Tranſlat. of Frarines Inuectiue. Marg. that Luther would haue beene a King alone, and that from him ſprang the rebellion of Muntzer: Another, Vide Fulk. ag. Frar. 16. that Leonard Knoppen was his Bawd, and that his Katherine, for two yeeres together after her ſtealing away, was debauched by the Schollers of Wittenberge: And now laſtly, comes in that malicious Apoſtate (which ſhould rather haue changed the falſe name of Iuſtus, Iuſtus Baronius, formerly called Caluinus. then the ouer-worthy name of Caluinus) and auouches, forſooth, that LVTHER was yeſterday a Monk, to day contracted, to morrow an Husband, the next day a Father. Goe on, yee brazen-faced Paraſites of Rome, Lyes and Bloud may bring you into the Kalender.

But this laſt, my Detector countenances by the teſtimonie of Eraſmus, who, in a Letter of his to his friend Daniel Mauchius of Vlmes, deliuers the ſame Storie in more words. Reader, bee intreated to looke ouer that large Volume of Eraſmus his Epiſtles, and if there be no ſuch man found there (as there is not) no ſuch Letter, iudge what to thinke of theſe mens fidelitie. Yea to the plaine contrarie,Tom. 2. Lat. Colloq. Tit. de morbis Lutheri. my Detector (hauing not memorie enough for a true Lyer) in the Page 173. Vpon another occaſiō, contemptuouſly citing Luthers brood out of his own Workes, confutes this ſpightfull Fiction. Anno 1525. Iunij 12. vxorem duxi, &c. In the yeere, ſaith hee, 1525. on the 12. of Iune, I marryed; In the yeere 1526. my eldeſt Sonne IOHN was borne: In the yeere 27. my daughter ELIZABETH, and ſo the reſt. Eyther then my man hath a new Kalender of his owne, which contrarie to the Gregorian begins the yeere on Iune 13. or elſe Luther was not a Father the next day after he was an Husband. But what doe I trouble my Reader with this idle Scoganiſme? Scolds or Ieſters are onely fit for this combat.

As for thoſe exceſſiue ſpeeches of compariſon, Refut. p. 28.29. whereby Luther points forth the neceſſitie of carnall actions, they are ſpoken onely of ſuch perſons, as haue not the gift of continencie;Lib. 3. contr. Gent c. 126. Omnibus animalibus per • ectis in • ſt naturalis inclinatio ad coniuncti n • m carnalem. Item, Cum muliere ſemper eſſe, & illam non cognoſcere, maius eſt quàm mortuum ſuſcitare. Ioan. de ſanct. Geminiano. Simil. l. 2.10.27. whom naturall inclination (by which they are led) carries (without an higher reſtraint) importunately vnto theſe deſires: wherein he ſaies not much other then their owne Saint, AQVINAS, Omnibus animalibus, &c. In all perfect liuing creatures there is a naturall inclination to carnall coniunction.

But when Luther ſpeakes of men bleſſed from aboue with this gift, C. E. might haue heard him in another ſtraine; pleading both the poſſibility and worthineſſe of this condition. As in his Commentary vpon the Luth. in Pſ. 128. verſ. 3. Vnus idem que ſpir. &c. Pſalme 128. verſ. 3. (to giue one for all) thus he ſaith, For one and the ſame ſpirit hath diſtributed his gifts to ſome after one manner, and to ſome after another, &c. Let them therefore, to whom it is giuen to receiue this, abide in their ſingle life, and let them glorie in the Lord: On the other ſide, let them that are not ſo ſtrong, but know and feele their infirmitie, that they cannot liue both chaſte, and out of Matrimonie: Let theſe, I ſay, conſider more their owne infirmitie, then the diſcommodities and troubles that belong vnto Matrimonie. Thus hee grauely and holily.

NOw to follow my Aduerſary in particulars: Whereas all the world ſees, that the vnlawfulneſſe of their vow depends vpon the inability of performance;Refut. p. 29. hee, like a true Artiſt, begins firſt with the vnlawfulneſſe. It is well that all theſe ſheets of Paper which he hath ſpent in this poynt, may ſerue for ſome neceſſarie vſe; this which he hath put them to, is fooliſhly ſuperfluous.

Refut. p. 30. If the vow of Chaſtitie be vnlawfull (he ſaith) it muſt be eyther in reſpect of the vow, or the matter vowed; Not the firſt, becauſe vowes in generall are lawfull; which he will proue out of Scripture, and Fathers. Idle head! Who euer denied it, but the exploded Lampetians? His owne Cardinall could haue taught him,Bell. l. 2. de Monachis c. 15. Ad negotia buius vitae expeditius peragenda aut ad vitanda peccata, aut ad alios bonos fines. Refut. p. 32, 33, 34, vſ que ad 42. that Luther and Caluin approue the vowing of things commanded, firſt; and then of things not commanded too, to the auoyding of Sinne, or other good purpoſes; Not the ſecond, which hee will proue by many arguments; ſome of them from the Fathers, extolling virginitie, and comparing it with the ſtate of Angels, and preferring it before marriage: And who eeuer thought otherwiſe, except Iouinian? and perhaps not hee: And at laſt, after ſome ſeuere examples of penance inioyned to fornicating vow-breakers, by Chryſoſtome and Baſil, to incontinencie and rape,Refut. p. 43. vſ que ad 48. & pag. 54. vſque ad finem Parag. 1. Refut. p. 45. by the ciuill Lawes (as if theſe concerned vs ſo much as themſelues) he deſcends to this challenge; Let Mr Hall (if he be able) produce vs ſome proofe, although but one claſsicall authoritie of any one ancient Writer, where he hath euer perſwaded ſuch as haue ſolemnely vowed chastitie, to vſe Marriage as a meanes to ouercome temptations, and hee ſhall haue ſome excuſe for calling it a filthie vow; and his heroicall LVTHER for terming it a diabolicall thing: So hee. I take him at his word; onely let him not flye forth vpon the ſhift of ſolemnity, which their Scholer lately hatched; That were to ſeeke gray hayres in infancie; Firſt, I bring forth that famous place of Saint Cyprian in his Epiſtle written both in his owne name, and his fellow-Biſhops to Pomponius, concerning ſome vowed Virgins which were found in bed with men, whereof one was a Deacon; of which Virgines he with his Brethren paſſe this ſentence, Epiſt. l. 1. Epiſt. 11. Quod ſi ſe ex fide Christo dicauerunt, &c. If they (ſaith hee) haue faithfully dedicated themſelues vnto Chriſt, let them without all deceit perſeuere in the courſe of Chaſtitie, Pudicè & caſtè ſine vlla fabula perſeuerent. and ſo couragiouſly and conſtantly expect the reward of their Virginitie; Si autem perſeuerare nolunt, vel non poſſunt, &c. But if eyther they will not, or cannot perſeuere, it is better that they marrie, Melius eſt vt nubant, quàm in ignem delicijs ſuis cadunt. then by their wantonneſſe fall into the fire; Let them giue no ſcandall to their Brethren and Sisters. What could Luther or Caluin write more directly? So that Eraſmus notes in the Margine, Etiam virginibus ſacris permitit nubere; Here CYPRIAN permits euen holy Virgines to marry. Lib. 2. de Monach. c. 34. BELLARMINES ſhift hereof is ridiculous, That Cyprian, by occaſion of ſome Virgins which after their vow behaued themſelues dishoneſtly, aduiſed others, that if they had not a firme purpoſe of perſeuering, they ſhould not vow, but marrie; whom we remit to the checke of his owne Pamelius, of his conſcience; Indeed, what is this but to mocke both the Author, and the Reader? For doth Cyprian at all varie the perſons of whom hee ſpeakes? Doth he not ſpeake plainly of Virgins deuoted to Chriſt? And what perſeuering could there be but in that which they had vndertaken? And what had they vndertaken, but a dedication of themſelues to Chriſt? What is this, Reader, but willingly to try his oares againſt the ſtreame of Truth?

To the ſame purpoſe is that noted ſentence of Hierome, (Hieronymus impendio ſemper virgini • ati fauens, & ob id nuptijs, iniquior. Eraſm. though otherwiſe none of the beſt friends to marriage) who ſpeaking of Virgins, aſcribed by their vow into the celeſtiall Family, addes, Quibus apertè dicendum, &c. See the Scholia of Eraſmus vpon the place. Whom we muſt openly charge that eyther they would marry, if they cannot containe, or, that they would contayne, if they will not marrie. We know the eluſion of this place alſo; That Hierome ſpeakes of Virgins in purpoſe, not in vow; But whoſe name, I beſeech you, was defamed by their lewdneſſe? or, what was the heauenly and Angelicall Family, whoſe glory was blemiſhed herewith? Was it of any other then profeſſed Virgins? Or could the act of a purpoſed Virgin onely, ſhame Virgins profeſſed? To the ſame purpoſe is the aduice of Baſil. l. de virg. Baſil and Epiphan. Hereſ. 61. Melius eſt 〈◊〉 pe • ca • habere qu • a 〈◊〉 . 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 〈…〉 I would haue the ve • g • r Widdowes to ma • rie. Refut. p. 51. Epiphanius.

Adde to theſe an elder then they all, Tertullian, & with him all thoſe Fathers, which interpret Saint Pauls (vo • o iuniores nubere) of vowed widdowes; All which muſt needes hold, that our Apoſtle allowes marriage for the lawfull remedie of vnable Votaries.

Let not this malicious Maſſe-Prieſt then turne vs ouer to his Tyberianus, or Iouinian, for the firſt founders of our opinion, and practice, which we receiued from no other then that diuine Arch-heretike, that ſate at the feete of Gamaliel; from no other, then the holily-hereticall Fathers and Martyrs of the Church; As for thoſe two miſ-alledged Authors, to whom hee aſcribes vs, his skill doth palpably fayle him in both: For Tyberianus, he beeing ſuſpected of Priſcillianiſme, wrote affectly againſt that hereſie, at laſt foulely fell to that, which hee diſclaymed; whereon it was that Hierome ſayes, Canis ad vomitum, not vpon the marriage of his daughter. And for that particular fact, it is no leſſe mis-taken. Hierome ſayes onely,He married his daughter, being a Virgin dedicated to Chriſt. Filiam virginem Chriſto deuotam, matrimonio copulauit; but Sophronius (who it ſeemes well know the Storie) turnes it (Coegit vt nuberet. Vide Eraſm. Schol. in Hier. Catalog. Scriptor. Eccle. So Syagria in Greg. Epiſt. mar • to violenter ſociata. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ;) compelled his daughter (a conſecrated Virgin) to marry. A foule fact, which we deteſt no leſſe, then the contrary practice of thoſe Romaniſts, who compell their daughters (which would marrie) to bee conſecrated Virgins. It is then no leſſe falſe that Tyberian gaue beginning to vs, then it is true that Tyburne hath giuen a iuſt end to ſome of them. For Iouinian, what is he to vs? when neyther our practice was his, nor his opinion ours. Not our practice; for he liued and dyed a ſingle Monke. Not his opinion; How can wee be ſaid to admit marriage to an equall ſhare of merit with virginitie, when wee deny merit in eyther? Againe, that Eunuchiſme (not in it ſelfe, but) for the Kingdome of Heauen, is better then it we doubt not; But when Quamuis vniuerſaliter dicatur hamini melius eſſe continentiam ſeruare quàm matrimonio v • i, tamen alicui hoc melius eſt. Thum. l. 4. Contr. Gent. theſe two are reduced to their ſubiects; their value is according to their vſe. Chryſoſtome could ſay 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Chryſ. ad Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. Vſe marriage with meete moderation, and thou ſhalt be the firſt in the Kingdome; And Gregorie Nazianzen (beſides that he ſaith of his Siſter Gorgonia) when he commends the children of Bazil the elder, Greg. Naz. Orat. In laudem Baſilij Or. 22. tells vs, ſome of them ſo vſed their marriage, that it was no hindrance to them, quo minùs ad pacem virtutis gloriam aſpirarent; that they might not aſpire to an equall glorie of vertue with the Virgins; and made theſe two rather different kinds of life, then maners of liuing. Saint Chryſoſtome then, and Nazianzen, ſhall vſher vs into the Schole of Iouinian. Hier. l. 2. in Iouin. And if Iouinian were Formoſus monachus, craſſus, nitidus, &c. A fayre, fat, ſpruce Monke (as hee ſaith;) Mee thinkes hee ſhould rather haue hoped to match him in their Sybariticall Cloyſters, where they abound with meat, and drinke, and eaſe, then in our laborious Clergie;Reſut. p. 52. It is happy for vs, and for that reuerend Archbiſhop Marcus Anton. de Dominis, that this rayler can obiect nothing to him but an harmeleſſe lode of corpulencie. It moues their ſpleene enough, that this learned Prelate hath honoured our Iland with a Dalmatian Pall; Their cauſe feeles that he can (notwithſtanding) paſſe into the Pulpit: What ſpeake they of this? when, to their ſorrow, they ſee hee could paſſe ouer the Alpes to leaue Rome. This Beagle, and his balling Beyerlinck, and the kennel of Sorbon, may bay at him, but not one of their Bandogs dare faſten.

But why doe I ſuffer this babbler to lead mee out of my way?The reſidue of this Paragraph is ſpent in the Canon and Ciuill Lawes againſt vow breakers. Quid ad Rhombum? Refut. p. 54, 55, 56. What is all this ſleeueleſſe diſcourſe to a man that neuer ſaid, neuer thought euery vow of this kinde vnlawfull, nor euery breach of ſuch vow ſinleſſe? When he takes mee with this Tenet, let him load mee with authorities; Till then, his now-friuolous papers may ſerue for any honeſt vſe.

NO leſſe wiſe and proper is that other diſcourſe of Impoſſibilitie: For, to make ſhort worke; Refut. p. 57, 58, 59. That no man can contayne (though it be giuen him) I neuer ſaid; That any man may contayne (though it bee not giuen him) either he will not ſay, or if he doe, he hath Chriſt for his Aduerſarie. Why doe wee blot Paper? How the performance of this Vow is not poſſible only for all, but Maius miraculum eſt de propria carne fomitem eradicare luxuriae, quàm expellere immundos ſpiritus de corporibus alienis, Ioan. Brom. ſum. Praedic. cap. Caſtit. facill alſo, (which he contendeth) the iſſue proues too well, and the World bluſhes to ſee it. Let it not be too much burden to his patience, that I ſaid, Some of their Shauelings cannot hold; He knowes what their Gloſſe vpon Gratian ſaid of old (though now they haue pulled out that tongue for blabbing) Diſtinct. 81. Maximianus. Communiter dicitur, &c. It is commonly ſaid that a Clerke ought not to bee depoſed for ſimple fornication, Cùm pauci ſine illo vitio inueniantur; Since there are but a few found without that vice. This they haue wiped out of the Booke, but the Margarita Decreti (as happy is) holds it ſtill: And their honeſt Conſult. Art. 23. And Bellarm. Qui continent quos notum eſt non eſſe multos, de Monach. l. 2. c. 3. Caſſander ▪ yet more plainely, Vix centeſimum inuenias, you ſhall ſcarce finde one of an hundred free: And, if need were, I could tell him out of our old Io. Bromiard. ſum praedic. voce Luxuria. Bromiard, what the voice of a Ghoſt ſaid to a Prieſt of theirs, but I will not; only thus he ſhut vp; That there came daily ſuch ſtore of Priests to Hell for their Luxury, in plaine Engliſh, Lechery, that hee had not thought there had beene any left vpon earth. And to theſe I could adde the ierks of their zealous Preacher,Zelantiſſimus Praedicator. Tit. Concion. Frier Menot, who fetches the threefold ſhame of their Clergie out of the Aue Mary; The ſecond wherof (though the firſt in miſchiefe) is, In Mulieribus. But what ſhould I fill Carts with ſuch ſtuffe, as I eaſily might, when the ſalacitie of the Romiſh Clergie,Cauda ſalax ſacripculorum in prouerbium abyt. is growne to be the Prouerbe, and ſcorne of the World? Let not my Refuter ſcare vs with the threat of recriminations, wee know that in all Profeſſions, there may bee found lewdneſſe enough. But, when all is done, we ſhall iuſtifie that which worthy B. Iewell ſaid long agoe, Scortum apud nos modeſtiùs viuit, quàm apud vos PENELOPE; Our Strumpet is their Penelope. What needed hee therefore to vpbraid vs with that frumpe of ERASMVS (Que malùm eſt ista tanta ſalacitas, &c? Refut. p. 61. ) when he knowes how eaſily we can ouer-pay him in this Coyne? Was it not Eraſmus, whoſe word it was (which Maſter Doctor Collet, Deane of Pauls, was wont to haue familiarly in his mouth.)

Eraſm. Apolog. pro declam. Matrimonij. Ibidem Eraſm. Engliſhed thus,

And I would they were gelded indeed; which hide their vicious courſes with the glorious name of Eunuchiſme; more freely following their filthy luſts, vnder the ſhadow of chaſtitie. Neither will my modeſtie ſuffer mee to report, into what ſhameful courſes they fall many times, which reſiſt nature, &c.

Ex vita Sacerdotum palàm dedecoroſa, palàm contemnitur eorum doctrina; & inde perit fructus verbi Dei. Quod ſi ijs qui non cōtinent concederetur matrimonium, & ipſi vi • erent quietiùs, & populo cum authoritate praedicarent verbum Dei, Ad Chriſtoph. Epiſ. Baſil.

Now ſuch is the ſtate of the times, that you ſhall neuer find leſſe corruption of manners & life, then amongst the married. Was it not Eraſmus that ſaid▪ Atque vtinam verè castrati ſint, quicunque ſuis vitijs magnificum castrationis praetexunt titulum, ſub vmbra castitatis turpiùs libidinantes, &c. Neque enim mei pudoris eſſe puto commemorare, in quae dedecora ſaepe prolabantur qui naturae repugnant, &c. This is enough to let my Detector ſee, wee need not die in his debt for Eraſmus.

AS for his holy Siſters at Bruxells, the touch of whom hath ſo much enfired his Ghoſtly zeale; I intended no quarrell to them in particular; Refut. p. 60, 61. They may bee as honeſt, as their Champion is malicious. What I ſaid, was out of the ſuppoſition of the common frailty; And if hee haue beene ſo much in their boſome, as to know they neuer repented them, it is well known, that others haue; whoſe Song hath been in the hearing of thoſe I know: What ſhall I doe, ſhall I die, and neuer married be? Like vnto thoſe Veſtals, Faelices nuptae, moriar niſi nubere dulceeſt. As for the miſchief following hence, the viſible monuments of ſo many murthered Infants (if not in Gregories Ponds) in the very place where I now liue and Vid. Hiſtor. Radulphi Bourne Auguſta • enſis Eccl. Abbatis, qui teſtatur ſe vidi • e, in quadam • n • in Mo • iali • Ab • tia, quae Pro • nes d • c • batur, mul • a • a • rum oſſa, i ſa que corpo • a integra ibi reper • ebantur, Antiq. Brit. Reu • c. Clem. 5. Papae, ex • dam. Murim. elſewhere, conuinces it too much. But Refut. p. 61. my example (ywis) ſhall cleere his Veſtalls of Bruxells, and all other Votaries. Maſter HALL was abſent (ſome three Moneths) in France; Fleſh is fraile, Temptations frequent (adde to theſe his body ſickly, and well-neere to death) yet both then, and before his marriage, hee would take it in great ſcorne (as well he might) to be ſuſpected for diſhonest. True, and might defie Men and Deuils in that challenge. What of this? It followes then: If Master HALL could for ſo long together liue a chaste life, why no more? Why not alwayes? Demonſtratiuely concluded: As if a man ſhould ſay, C. E. doth ſpeake ſome wiſe words, how can he at any time write thus fooliſhly? A Chriſtian hath ſometimes grace to auoyd a Temptation, why not alwayes? Why doth hee not keepe himſelfe euer from ſinning? A good Swimmer may hold his breath vnder the Water for ſome portion of a Minute, why not for an Houre? why not for more? A deuout Papiſt may faſt after his Breake-faſt, till his Dinner in the after-noone, therefore why not a Weeke? why not a Moneth? why not ſo long as Eue the Maid of Meurs?

The Spirit of God (if at leaſt hee may bee allowed for the Author of Continency) breatheth where, and when he liſteth; and that God which makes marriages in Heauen, either auerts the hart from theſe thoughts, or inclines it at his pleaſure. Shortly, The great Doctor of the Gentiles had neuer learned this Diuinitie of Doway, whoſe charge is, 1. Cor. 7.5. Defraud not one another, except with conſent for a ſeaſon, that yee may giue your ſelues to Fasting and Prayer: And againe, Come together, that Satan tempt you not through your incontinency: He only wanted my Monitor, to jogge him on the Elbow, as here: What needs all this fleſhlineſſe? if they can ſafely contayne, whiles they giue themſelues to extraordinary deuotion, why not more? Why not alwayes? It is pitty, that no man would aduiſe the Apoſtle, how great a gap this Doctrine of his opens to all laſciuiouſneſſe. R • fut. p. 65. Let mee but haue leaue to put Saint Pauls Name in ſtead of mine, into this challenge of my Refuter, and thus he argues.

If Saint PAVL ſay that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,Refut. p. 65. for a while they are able to liue chaſte, but not for any long while; I aske againe, How long that while ſhall indure? and what warrant they haue therein for not falling? ſeeing it may ſo fall out, that in the while appointed, they may bee more tempted then they ſhall bee againe in all their liues after: How ſawcy would this Sophiſtrie bee? how ſhameleſſe? The words are his; onely the Name is changed; what the elect Veſſell would anſwere in ſuch a caſe for himſelfe, let C. E. ſuppoſe returned by mee.

THe Refuter hath borrowed ſome Weapons of his Maſter Bellarmine, and knowes not how to weare them. It would moue any mans diſdayne to ſee, how abſurdly thoſe poore Arguments are blundred together; We muſt diſtinguiſh them as we may.

Refut. p. 63. Firſt, Saint Paul condemnes the Young Widdowes mentioned; therfore he ouerthrowes this impoſſibility of contayning. I anſwere: Saint Paul aduiſes the young Widdowes to marry, and admits none into the Church-book, vnder threeſcore yeeres▪ therefore he eſtabliſhes in ſome, this impoſſibility.

Refut. p. 63, 64.Secondly, Saint Paul aduiſes Timothie to liue chaſte. Reader, tell him the word is ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) which their owne vulgar, 1. Tit. 8. turnes, Sober; and in 2. Tit. 5. Prudent; But, to grant him his owne Phraſe; Can my Detector deſcry no difference betwixt Chaſte and Single? Did hee and his Fellowes neuer heare of a coniugall Chaſtity? So they haue ſtill wont to ſpeake, as if Chaſtity were only oppoſite to Marriage, as if no Single life could bee vnchaſte. His Eſpencaeus might haue taught him that Verſe in VIRGIL, Caſta pudicitiam ſeruat domus: and hee might haue heard of that Roman law of Veſtals, Caſtae ex caſtis, purae ex puris ſunto; yea, his Eraſmus might haue taught him yet further, Eraſ. Apol. pro declam. Matr. Secundas gradus Virginitatis eſt Matrimonij caſta dilectio, Opus Imperf. in Matth. Refut. p. 64. Ab his duabus Columnis crede mihi difficile duellor. Ibid ex Bernardo C. E. E diuerſo nihil prohibet in coniugio Virginitati locum eſſe; that euen in Marriage there may bee Virginitie.

Thirdly, The Fathers exhort to Virginity; eſpecially Saint Ambroſe and Saint Auſtin. Let him tell this to them that know it not, to them that diſlike true chaſtity in Virgins, not to them that condemne vnchaſtneſſe in a pretended Virginity.

To what Vertue doe not the Fathers exhort? yet neuer ſuppoſing them to be within our lure. Laſtly, where is the ſhame of my Refuter, that cites Austin as the Man on whom hee depends for this vniuerſall poſſibility of Continency: when his owne Maldonate profeſſes that Saint Auſtin is the only enemie to this Doctrine?

Fourthly,Refut. p. 64. Where there is impoſſibility or neceſſity, there is no ſinne, no counſaile; as no man ſinnes in not making new Starres, in not doing Miracles. A ſtale ſhift, that oft ſounded in the eares of Auſtin and Proſper from their Pelagians; The naturall man in this deprauedneſſe of eſtate cannot but offend God, therefore hee ſinnes not in ſinning: Counſell giuen ſhewes what wee ſhould doe, not what we can. Aug. l. de Nat. & Grat. c. 43. Iubendo admonet, &c. ſaith Austin; In commanding, he admoniſheth vs both to doe what wee can, and to aske that which wee cannot doe. In Continency then our indeuour is required for the attayning of that which God will giue vs; God neuer imployed vs in making of Starres; Though my Refuter is euery day ſet on greater Worke, then making of him that made Starres. Laſtly, it is true, there is no ſinne in marrying, there may be ſinne (after a vow) in not vſing all lawfull meanes of Chaſtity: The Fathers therefore ſuppoſing a Poſt multam deliberationem & conſiderationem, &c. Baſil. pre-required aſſurance of the gift, and calling of God in thoſe, whom mature deliberation, and long proofe had couered with the vayle of Virginity, doe iuſtly both call for their continuance, and cenſure their Lapſes.

Fiftly,Refut. pag. 65. Vpon this ground the Father cannot blame his Childe for incontinence; To contayne implyes impoſſibility. Aske him wherfore ſerues Marriage? Yea, but to prouide an Husband or a Wife, is not a worke of an houres warning; in the meane time what ſhall they doe? Sure, the man thinks of thoſe hot Regions of his Religion, where they are ſo ſharpe ſet, that they muſt haue Stewes allowed of one Sexe at leaſt; Elſe what ſtrange violence is this that he conceiues? As our Iunius anſwered his Bellarmine, in the like, Hic homo ſibi videtur agere de equis admiſſarijs ruentibus in venerem, & de hippomane, non de hominibus ratione praeditis; he ſpeaks as if hee had to doe with Stallions, not with Men, not with Chriſtians, amongſt whom is to bee ſuppoſed a decent order, and due regard of ſeaſonableneſſe, and expediency: A doughty Argument, wherewith Maſter HALL is ſore preſſed. Marg. of the Refut. p. 65. (They may contayne till they marry, and therefore they may euer contayne and not marry.) How eaſie is it for me to take vp this lode, and lay it vpon my Sauiour, which ſayd, All Men cannot receiue it; and vpon his great Apoſtle of the Gentiles, who hath taught vs an ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) a proper gift,1. Cor. 7.7. which God hath beſtowed on ſome, not on others, and ſuppoſes a neceſſitie, that may bee, of giuing a Virgin in Marriage?

Refut. p. 65. Sixtly, The Husband and Wife are ſeparated vpon diſcord, or diſeaſe: What ſhall they doe? To liue continent with this man is impoſſible. I anſwere; If only their will ſunder them, that muſt yeeld to neceſſity; Diſſenſion may not abridge them of the neceſſary remedy of ſinne. If neceſſity, that findes reliefe in their prayers; If they call on him who calls them to continencie by this Hand of his, hee will heare them, and inable them to perſiſt. And why not then in the neceſſitie of our Vowes? This is a neceſſitie of our owne making; that is of his; Hee hath bound himſelfe to keepe his owne promiſes, not ours.

WHiles his Fellow,Refut. p. 66. or Maſter, Maldonate, talks of confuting Auſtin in this very point, by Austin himſelfe, this man will confute vs by him; whom hee no otherwiſe cites for himſelfe, then his Anceſtor Pelagius cites Lactantius, Hilarie, Ambroſe, Hierome, and Austin in this caſe. The thing (ſaith he) is in our power, and though it require the aſsistance of Gods grace, which ſtill preuenteth our will, yet that hinders not, but that wee may (if we list) liue chaste all the dayes of our life, as wee may vpon the ſame termes beleeue in God, and loue him. What impudency is this, to make him the Patron of the power of our Free-will to God, whome all the World knowes to haue beene Malleus Pelagianorum? and who in ſo many Volumes damnes this conceit to the Pit of Hell; euermore ſo eſtabliſhing the naturall facultie and vſe of the Will againſt Stoicall neceſſitie, as that hee abandons any power of the act, or exerciſe of it vnto good (without grace) againſt humane preſumption. When hee ſpeakes of this, here is not a cold & feeble preuention, but an effectuall inoperation, yea a powerfull creation.

Since my Refuter then will needs bee paralelling our abilitie of contayning, and of beleeuing, let him heare that holy Father ſay, Aug. de Nat. & Grat. 25. Non ſolùm Deus poſſe noſtrum, &c. God doth not only giue, and helpe our power to good, but workes in vs both our will and working of good.

And elſewhere; Cont. duas Epiſt. Pelag. He is drawne to Christ, to whom it is giuen to beleeue in Chriſt: Power is therefore giuen vnto them to bee made the ſonnes of God, which beleeue in him, when this is giuen them to beleeue in him. And ſo farre is he from ſaying with my Detector and his Bellarmine, that who liſts may beleeue when he liſts, that he reaſons thus? Quid mihi oſtendis, &c? Aug. l. 4. cont. • ul. c. 6. Qui igitur facit oues bomines, ipſe ad obediētiam pietatis humanas liberat voluntates: ſed quare iſtos homines oues facit, & iſtos non facit, apud quem non eſt acceptio perſonarum? Reſpondet Apoſt. O homo. What doſt thou tell me of thy Free-will; which can neuer bee free to do good, except thou be a Sheep of God? Hee therefore that makes men to bee his ſheepe, frees the wills of men to the obedience of Pietie: But why doth he make theſe men ſheepe, and thoſe not, ſince with him is no reſpect of perſons? The Apoſtle anſweres, O homo! &c. Thus he. Eyther therefore let him neuer cite S. Auſtin againſt vs in this point, or elſe wee muſt bee forced to countercite him once more then we meant. Ibid. Planè poſſumus dicere frontem haereticorum non eſſe frontem: And if there could bee any more on that holy Fathers ſcore, Father Maldonate hath paid it for vs. To conclude therefore for him; Arbitrium humanae voluntatis nequaquam deſtruimus: Wee know no man doth well againſt his will; God was not to make Virgins by force; and the ſame goodneſſe that giues Chaſtity to the marryed, continues Virginity to the ſingle:Refut. p. 69. What of all this? Therefore (ſaith he) it is as wel in the power of al ſingle perſons to be alwayes continent, as of the marryed to keepe coniugall Chaſtitie: An illation and concluſion worthy of my Refuters Logike and Diuinitie; As if he argued thus for himſelfe; The ſame God that diſpoſes of Orders, diſpoſes of the Popedome: therefore I may as well looke to weare three Crownes, as one ſhauen. Or the ſame God giues both Life, and Grace, and Glorie. Therefore all thoſe that liue the naturall life, may alſo liue the ſpirituall, and glorious. Who ſees not the reaſon of theſe vnlike? Coniugall honeſtie is abſolutely commanded of God to all marryed perſons; perpetuation of Virginitie (hee grants) was neuer commanded; The breach of coniugall honeſtie, is of it ſelfe, a ſinne to all; Marriage is not ſo. Againſt the one therefore, we may abſolutely pray in Chriſti erit ſi fides aderit qua impetrat à iuuente quod iuſſerit, Aug. de adult. con. l. 2. c. 19 Refut. p. 71.72.73. faith, againſt the other but with condition; God hath promiſed to deliuer vs from our ſinnes, not from our Marriage.

As for Saint Ambroſe, wee eaſily grant him large in the prayſe of Virginitie: But no one word of all his cited authorities toucheth our Aſſertion: The helpes of the Church, the ſeruice of Angels, the merit of the Prayers of our Sauiour we yeeld to bee good meanes of continence, where it is intended; but that it is meant to all commers, we deny; Let the ſucceſſe ſpeake.

Neither doe we taxe the Vow for any improbitie in it ſelfe, but for the incapacitie of the perſons: The Vow were good, if the men were not eyther euill, or vnfit. And here Refut p. 71. by the way; whereas C. E. like a maſterly Monitor wiſhes Maſter HALL to reade the diuine Workes of AMBROSE, concerning this ſubiect; Maſter Hall is bold (in requitall) to tell C. E. that he knowes not Ambroſe; and to teach him (ſince he hath not learn'd it of other Maſters) that the Book which he ſo oft, & ſo ſolemnly cites for AMBROSES, Cited foure times by C. E. vpon weightie occaſions. Refut. p. 3 • .43.48.50. Ad Virginem lapſam, is a noted Counterfeit, a true Nouatian; which his graue ignorance might haue heard from his Bellarmine and Poſſeuine.

And how much better is that other Tract which hee P. 41. Refut. cites from AMBROSE, Epiſt. 82. wherein mention is made of Vide Cenſur. Rob. Coci. p. 129. Venice; which was not extant till Ambroſe was not? And the Comentarie of Ambroſe, vpon 1. Tim. 3. whence hee fetches his forceableſt P. 94. Refut. Teſtimonie for forced Continencie; ſlit in the Noſe, and bored in the Eare long-ſince by Cenſur. Coci. p. 133. Salmeron, Baronius, Bellarmine, and Francis Lucas. Of the ſame ſtampe (that the Reader may here ſee once for all how he is gulled by this falſe Prieſt with foyſted Authorities) is his AVGVSTINE, De bono Viduatis, Refut. p. 20.49.68. thrice by him heere quoted, not without great Triumph; branded by Eraſmus, Hoſius, Lindanus: as likewiſe Refut. p. 40. his AVGVSTINE, de Eccleſ. dogmat. confeſſed counterfeit by Bellarmine, and his Friends of Louaine: and P. 80. Refut. the Sermons, de Tempore; caſhiered by Eraſmus, Mart. Lypſius, the Louanians: Wherto let vs adde the Booke of Great ATHANASIVS, de Virginitate, Refut. p. 35. produced in great ſtate by C. E. not without great wrong & ſhame fatherd vpon that Saint, as (if Eraſmus and Nannius did not ſhew) the ridiculous precepts therein contayned would ſpeake enough. To follow all were endleſſe: Of this kind, laſtly, is his CYPRIAN. de Diſciplin. & bono Pudicitiae, not more magnificently Refut. p. 36. brought foorth by C. E. then fairly eiected by Eraſmus, and Eſpencaeus. Theſe are the glorious Teſtimonies which grace the ſwelling Pages of mine Aduerſarie; Theſe are the pious frauds wherewith honeſt Readers are ſhamefully coozened. It ſhall ſuffice thus in a word to haue thanked my Reuerend Monitor for his ſage aduice, & to aduiſe my Reader to know whom he truſts.

Ʋid. ſupra.For Origen; wee haue alreadie anſwered; My Detector could not haue choſen a better man for the proofe of the facilitie of this Work, then him, who (according to the broad Tralation of his rude Rhemiſts) gelded himſelfe, and made himſelfe no man for it.

Refut. p. 74.75. That all graces are deriued to vs from the Fountaine, or rather the full Ocean of Chriſts Merits and Mercies (which hee ſhewes from Saint HIEROME) wee willingly teach against them; ſo farre are wee from being iniurious to the Paſſion of our Deare Redeemer; But if hee will therefore inferre, that euery man may be a perpetuall Virgin, he may as well hope, that therefore euery Scribbler may write all true. Our Sauiour himſelfe, which ſaid I will draw all men vnto me, yet ſaid, All men cannot receiue this; not, I cannot giue it, but they cannot take it.

As for that practice which hee cites from Saint Auſtin, Refut. p. 78. of forcing men both into Orders, & Continencie, it ſhewes rather the Fact then the Equitie; what was done in a particular Church, rather then what ſhould bee; The Refuter himſelfe renounceth it in the precedent Page; (For the Church forceth none therevnto) neyther is it any other then a direct reſtraint of that, which the Councell of Nice determined to be left free.

Laſtly, Pag. 79. that there may appeare to bee no leſſe impoſſibilitie of honeſt Truth in ſome men, then true Chaſtitie, hee cites one place for all, out of Saint AVSTIN: Lib. 2. c. 19. de Adulter. Coniug. vid. ſup. Let not the burden of Continencie affright vs, it will be light if it be of Christ, it will be of Christ if there bee Faith, that obtaynes of him which commands the thing which he doth command. See Reader, with what fidelitie, and by this eſteeme the reſt; Saint Austin ſpeakes thee of perſons diuorced each from other, whom neceſſitie (as hee ſuppoſes the caſe) calls to Continencie; The Detector cites him for the power of voluntarie Votaries; The very place confutes him. It will bee Christs Yoke (ſaith AVSTIN) if there bee faith that obtaines of him which commands the thing which he doth command: There can be no Faith where is no command. Now C. E. will grant there is no Neque enim ſicut non maec • aueris, non occides ita •• ci poteſt, non nubes Aug. de Virg. Sanct. l. ſing. c. 30 command of ſingle life to all; Therfore all cannot aske it in Faith, therefore all cannot thinke it the Yoke of Chriſt, all cannot beare it.

Refut p. 80. vſque ad 87. NOw at laſt (like ſome ſorrie Squib that after a little hiſſing and ſparkling ends in an vnſauourie cracke) my Refuter, after all theſe Flouriſhes of their poſſibilitie, ſhuts vp in a ſcurrilous Declamation againſt our Miniſterie; granting it indeed impoſſible, amongſt vs, to liue chaſte; and telling his Reader that wee bluſh not to blaze in Pulpits, and printed Bookes, this brutiſh Paradox, that Chaſtitie is a vertue impoſſible to all, becauſe ſo it is to ſuch laſciuious Illud dixerim tantùm abfuiſſe, vt iſta coacta caſtitas illam coniugalem vicerit, &c. (ſaith Polydor Virg.) This I may ſay that it is ſo farre off, that this compelled Chaſt • tie excelled the Coniugall Chaſtitie, that no crime of any offence could bring more hatred to the ſtate of Prieſthood, or more diſgrace to Religion, or more ſorrow to all good men, then the blemiſh of the vnchaſte life of Prieſts, &c. Polyd. l. 5. c. 4. Libertines, ſenſuall and ſinfull people, as Heretikes are, and here are ſordes, dedecora, ſcabies libidinum: the brutiſh ſpirit of Hereſie, fleſhly and ſenſuall. Impure mouth! How well doth it become the ſonne of that Babylonian Strumpet, to call the Spouſe of Chriſt Harlot? How well doth it become lips drencht in the Cup of thoſe Fornications; to vtter blaſphemous Slanders (Spumam CERBERI) againſt Innocence? By how much more brutiſh that Paradox is, ſo much more Deuilliſh is the vniuſt imputation of it to vs; Which of vs euer blazed it? Which of vs doth hate it leſſe, then the lye that charges it vpon vs? How many Reuerend Fathers haue we in the hyeſt Chaires of our Church; how many aged Diuines in our Vniuerſities, how many graue Prebendaries in our Cathedrall Churches, how many worthie Miniſters in their rurall ſtations, that ſhine with this vertue in the eyes of the World? If therefore the proper place of Chaſtitie bee the Church of God, (as this Cauiller pleades) it is ours in right, Hier. l. 2. in Uſe. Quicunque amare pud • citiam ſe ſimulant, vt Manichaeus, Marcion, Arrius, Tatianus, & inſtauratores veteris haereſeos venena • o ore mella promittunt caeterum iuxta Apoſtolum quae ſecre • o agunt, turpe • ſt dicere. Minut. Fael. Octau. theirs in pretence: And ſo much more noble is this in ours, for that in ours it is Inuiolati corporis virginitate fruuntur potius, quàm gloriantur. free, in them, Talis caſtitas quia non eſt ſpo • ta • ea, non • ab •• magnam ret • ibutionem. • ran. Carthuſ. O myſieria, O mo • es, vbi neceſsitas imponitur caſtitati, authoritas datur l • bidini: Itaque 〈◊〉 caſta eſt quae metu cogitur, n • c, &c. Illa pudica quae theſe tenetur. Ambroſ. • . 1. de virg. forced; Infida custos caſtitatis neceſsitas, as that Father ſaid; Neque opus paſſeri fugere ad montem; in them, as CHRYSOSTOME ſayde long ſince 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; The grace of Virginitie is loſt: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : The world makes ſport with ſuch Mayden-head. For the reſt; The God of heauen iudge betwixt vs and our enemies; To him wee appeale how wee deſire to ſerue him in chaſte Wedlocke, whom they diſhonour with vncleane and falſe Virginitie.

Not to put my Detector in mind how honourably he now ſpeakes of marriage, how dares he talke of our fleſhlineſſe, and their chaſtitie? as if hee had to doe with a world that were both deafe and blinde. Doe not their owne Records flye in their faces? and tell him there are but a few of them honeſt? Did not their owne Council. Delect. Cardin. Paul. 3. Exhib. Alius abuſus turbat populum Chriſtianum in Monialibus, &c. Vbi in plaeriſque monaſterijs fiunt publica ſacrilegia cum maximo omnium ſcandalo. ſelect Cardinals complaine, that the moſt of their Nunneries were iuſtly ſcandalized with ſacrilegious incontinencies?

Doe not our Mat. Paris Hiſt. Angl. Hen. 3 p. 1085. Et quod indignum eſt ſcribi, ad domos religioſarum veni • ns, facit exprim mammillas earundem, vt ſic phyfice, &c. Hiſtories tell vs that in the raigne of Henry the third, Robert Groſthead the famous Biſhop of Lincolne, in his Viſitation, was fayne to explore the virginitie of their Nuns by nipping of their dugs, indignum ſcribi, as Matth. Paris? Doe not the

In hac etiam vrbe meretrices, &c. Concil. del Card.

Prius eſt quàm maecha • i continentiam, ducere criminoſam. de ſingul. cler.

Refut. p. 88. AS if my Refuter had vowed to write no true word, hee challenges mee for tranſlating Iſidores Turpe votum, a filthie vow: I turne to my Epiſtle, and find it not engliſhed by mee at all. His owne conſcience, belike, ſo conſtrues it; or if ſome former Impreſſion of mine (which I beleeue not) had ſo turned it, here is neyther ignorance, nor vnfaithfulneſſe. Wherſoeuer is ſinne, there is filthineſſe: And if a lawfull vow be property de meliore bono, can there not therefore be an vnlawfull vow? What was that of Iepthaes, or that of Saint Pauls fortie Conſpirators? But the word there (ſaith he) ſignifies a promiſe; As if euery vow were not a promiſe; and if Iſidore take votum for promiſſum, Diſt. 28. • reg. Petro diac. l. 1. Ep. 42. Gregorie takes (by his conſtruction) promiſſum, for votum, in this very caſe we haue in hand.

This vow of theirs therefore is metonymically filthie, becauſe it makes them ſuch. In one word, (that he may raue no more of Epicures, Turkes, Pagans) Their vow is in profeſſion glorious, filthie in effect. And now for a concluſion of this poynt, I muſt out of all theſe groſſe and ignorant paſſages of his (though vnproperly, yet) truely vow to the world, that a truer Bayard did neuer ſtumble forth into the Preſſe.

Refut. p. 90, 91.MY Cauiller purpoſely miſſetakes my rule of Baſil the Great, and my Text of the Great Apoſtle; whiles from both I reſolue thus; I paſſe not what I heare Men or Angels ſay, while I heare God ſay, Let him bee the Husband of one Wife; he will needs ſo conſtrue it, as if I tooke this of Saint Pauls for a command, not for an allowance; As if I meant to imply from hence, that euery Biſhop is bound to haue a Wife: Who is ſo blind as the wilful? Their Leo Leo. ep. 87. ahas. 85. Tā ſacra ſemper eſt habita iſta Praeceptio. calls theſe words a Preception, I did not: If hee knew any thing, he could not be ignorant that this ſenſe is againſt the ſtreame of our Church, and no leſſe then a Grecian error. Who knowes not the extremes of Greece and Rome; and the Track of Truth betwixt them both? The Greeke Church faith, He cannot bee in holy Orders that is not married: The Romiſh Church faith, Hee cannot bee in holy Orders that is married: The Church Reformed ſayes, He may be in holy Orders that is married, and conuertibly; Some good friends would needs fetch vs into this idle Greciſme, and to the ſociety of the old Friſons Eſpenc. lib. 1. de Contin. c. 1. , and (if Saint Ierome take it aright) of Vigilantius, Eſpenceus, and Bellarmine and our Rhemiſts free vs. There is no leſſe difference betwixt them and vs, then betwixt May and Muſt; Libertie and Neceſſitie. If then (Let him bee the Husband of one Wife) argue that a Biſhop may bee a married man, I haue what I would, and paſſe not for the contrary from Men and Angels. Wee willingly grant with Luther, Refut. p. 91, 92. that this charge is negatiue: Non velut ſanciens dicit, ſaith Chryſostome; But this negatiue charge implies an affirmatiue allowance; we ſeeke for no more: As for the authorities which my Detector hath borrowed of his Vncles of Rhemes, they might haue beene well ſpared; He tels vs, Saint Ierome ſaies, Qui vnam habuerit, non habeat; Hee who hath had one Wife, not hee that hath one; I tell him Saint Paul ſaith Tit. 1.6. ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) If any man bee the Husband of one Wife, not, If hee haue beene: Let Chryſoſt. in 1. Tit. homil. 2. Saint Chryſoſtome therein anſwere Hierome, and Epiphanius, and all other pretended oppoſites: Obſtruere pro • ſus intendit haereticorum ora, qui nuptias damnant, &c. Hee purpos'd in this to ſtop the mouthes of Heretikes, that condemned marriage, ſhewing that that estate is faultleſſe, yea, ſo precious, that with it a man might be aduanced to the holy Epiſcopall Chayre. Thus he; Whom their learned Eſp. vbi ſupra. Biſhop Eſpencaeus ſeconds; and by the true force of the Text cleereth this ſenſe, againſt all contradiction. Nec enim Paulini de Epiſcopis, &c. For (ſaith he) thoſe places of Saint PAVL concerning Biſhops, Prieſts, and Deacons cannot be ſo eluded, as that they doe onely belong to men that haue beene ſometimes married, and are now Widdowers and ſingle; but the Text doth plainly note out Husbands; and thoſe that are now found in the preſent eſtate of marriage; which is implyed, both by the word eſſe, and by vnius vxoris vir; that is, hauing one Wife, not (as ſome haue vnderſtood it) which hath had one; for (as CHRYSOSTOME hath noted) the Apoſtle would by the ſociety of Marriage and Priesthood ſtop the mouthes of Heretikes that condemned Marriage; whereto adde, That the Apoſtle amongſt the vertues of a Biſhop reckons vp this, That he doth gouerne his owne houſe well, not, that hee did gouerne it. Thus he. Vnto which let me yet adioyne this other conſideration, that the Apoſtle deſcribes what manner of Wife a Biſhop ſhould haue; which as in other profeſſions he hath not done, ſo in this would haue beene vſeleſſe, if he had onely aymed at an eſtate paſt, and not preſent.

Where it is a cunning tricke of the Rhemiſts, and their Vulgar, in ſtead of Their Wiues, to reade, The Women, quite beſide the Scope and Context of the Apoſtle: As to the ſame purpoſe; Whereas their Leo in the fore-cited Epiſtle ſayes, that this Precept of a Biſhop to be the Husband of one Wife, was alwayes ſo ſacred,That the ſame condicion is to be vnderſtood of her that is to be choſen for the wife of the Prieſt. vt etiam de muliere Sacerdotis eligenda, eadem intelligatur ſeruanda conditio; BELLARMINE, and his Mates would needes face vs out, that the Copyes are corrupted, and contends to haue it read Sacerdotis Eligendi; of the Prieſt to be choſen, not, of the Wife; Whom our induſtrious and worthy Doctor Iames hath refelled both by the Preſſe, and the Pen; by the Coleine Edition, and Manuſcript authority.

Refut. p. 92, 93.As for that hee cites from Hierome againſt Vigilantius, he might haue found the Salue together her with the Wound; Our Rhemists dare vs from the imputation of his opinion. For the reſt. Nothing is more playn, then that our Apoſtle (according to the iuſt interpretation of Chryſoſtome, Theodoret, Theophylact, and others) alludes to the looſe faſhion, as of the Greeks, ſo eſpecially of the Iewes, with whom Polygamie and re-marriages, after vniuſt diuorces, were in ordinarie vſe; Theſe the Apoſtolicall Spirit finds vnfit for the Man of God, whom hee therefore charges to be only, The Husband of one Wife.

Neither doth it argue too much wit in my Refuter, Refut. p. 94, 95. to bring two Fathers vpon the Stage for his purpoſe, and then to ſet them together by the eares with each other, Ambroſe (I meane) and Hierome; who in this which he cites them for, confute one another; Hierome (though otherwiſe a back-friend to Wedlocke) cenſuring the opinion of Ambroſe, as ſauouring too ſtrongly of Cainiſme, and ſuperſtition: Howeuer, euen the more vehement of the two, out of this place doth hold Marriage compatible with holy Orders, which is the onely thing I required:Refut. p. 95. So as ſtill, This one word ſhall confirme mee againſt all impure mouthes; Impure, Not for preferring Continency, as my Cauiller will take it, but for deprauing of Marriage, by the foule titles of Fleſhlineſſe, and Senſualitie; ſuch as his owne; a worſe we need not: Neither doth S. Ambroſe at all controll me herein,Ibid. whiles he teacheth that the Apoſtle doth not here inuite vs to beget children in the Prieſthood; Habentem enim dixit filios, non facientem; we did not challenge hence any command, wee challenge an allowance, which we haue and proclaime: That I may not ſay, ſome Copies of Ambroſe run (according as I haue learned of our eminent Doctor Fulke) Habentem filios, aut facientem; Hauing children, or begetting them: The difference is not worth ſtanding for; Let it paſſe after his owne reading. I could ſtop his mouth with the ingenuous anſwere of his ESPENCaeVS: Habentem enim, &c. Eſpenc. l. Praecit. For he ſaid, Hauing children, not begetting them; Debellatum hic eſſet, &c. This Field were wonne, if either this were the Text and not the Gloſſe, or they that thus interpret it were Apoſtles, as they are not. Thus their owne Biſhop. But I neede not call for any ayde. The words of Ambroſe doe plainely driue againſt an inuitation, or command, which wee doe willingly diſclayme.

NOw vnhappie is this man that ſtill ſhoots his Arrowes quite beſides the Butt?Refut p. 96. He prooues, forſooth, with great zeale, that the Fathers neuer vnderſtood a poſitiue command in our Apoſtles words, which I neuer thought ſo much as in dreame: and then hee bends his Forces againſt Bygamie, which I no where auouched. The Man of valour loues to play his prizes alone.

Here is no command then (ſaith he) but a permiſsion; How much are wee bound to him for this fauour? Permiſsion? Thus much hee, with his holy Father, yeelds to their Stewes. No, here is a direct allowance. Let him be the Husband of one Wife; Not, Hee may be ſo: But this was only for a time, he ſaith, becauſe of the paucity of ſingle Clergy-men: Let him ſhew me the Apoſtles limitation, and I am ſatisfied; otherwiſe, this miſſe-grounded conceit (what countenance ſoeuer it may find in a priuate humane authoritie) ſhall paſſe with vs as a Gloſſe of Burdeaux, Refut. p. 96. that marres the Text. But how ſhameleſly, how fraudulently, how like himſelfe, doth my Refuter cite CHRYSOSTOMES Castigat impudicos, Chryſoſt. in Tit. Hom. 2. &c? He checketh the incontinent (ſaith that Father) whiles hee permitteth them not after their ſecond marriages, to be preferred to the gouernement of the Church, and dignitie of Pastors; and there my Refuter ſtops, with, So he; whereas, if hee had gone forward, the place had anſwered him, and it ſelfe: For (ſaith CHRYSOSTOME) he which is found not to haue kept his beneuolence towards his wife, which is The word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by them tranſlated falſely, Defunctum. gone from him, how ſhould he be a good Teacher to the Church? Plainly ſhewing vs, that hee intends this to thoſe vnchaſte Husbands, which after an vniuſt diuorce of their former wiues, haue married alſo a ſecond; not after the death of the firſt.

The like Prieſtly fidelitie hee vſeth in the place of Chryſostome, Hom. 2. vpon Iob; the poore man had taken vp ſome ſcraps of quotations vpon truſt, hauing neuer ſeene the Authors; For, Chryſostome neuer wrote any Homilies vpon the Booke of Iob; onely hee hath fiue Homilies of the Patience of Iob; whereof this cited, is the ſecond; wherein his errori ignoſcebat, hath reference rather to, ſine crimine, which he oppoſeth to irreprehenſibiles, then, to vir vnius vxoris, as the ſequell plainly ſhewes.

Refut. p. 97. As for Bigamie, it is out of our way; but ſince his loquacitie will needes roue thither, let him ſhew that before Montanus infected the World with a preiudice againſt ſecond Marriages after deceaſe, they were held vnlawfull for any calling, or perſon, and wee will grant him clamorous to ſome purpoſe.

Refut.. p 98. To prooue this opinion and practice of the Church, like a wiſe Maſter, he brings in Tert. Exhort. ad caſtit. c. 7. Tertullians authoritie, in his Booke which he wrote in the time of his Hereſie; whiles he was ouer the eares in Montaniſme; where hee tels vs hee hath knowne ſome eiected for ſecond Marriages. But if hee had euer read the Booke following, of Monogamie, he might haue found his Tertullian (then Montanizing) to vpbraid the true & Catholike Church, which he calls Pſychicos, with the vſuall practice & allowance of the ſecond Marriages of their Biſhops. Tert. De Monogamia, c. 12. Quot enim & digamipraeſident apud vos, inſultantes vtique Apoſtolo, &c? Miror te vnum protraxiſſe in medium, cùm omnis mundus bis ordinationibus plenus ſit, non dico de presbyteris, ad Epiſcopos venio, quos ſi ſigillatim voluero enumerare, tantus numerus congregabitur, vt Ariminenſis Synodi multitudo ſuperetur, Her. ad Ocean. de Carterio Hisp. Ep. digamo, &c. Refut. p. 99. Quot enim & digami, &c. For how many Biſhops are there amongst you twice marryed? But who-euer was matcht with ſo vaine a Babbler? I prooued from S. Paul, that a Biſhop might haue one Wife: hee prooues by Councels and Fathers, that hee may not haue two. It is pittie that his Maſters the Ieſuites haue no more Trees for him to ſet with the Rootes vpward: Any thing rather then to wearie the World with this fooliſh clacking.

Out of this indiſcreet and odious verboſitie (leſt hee ſhould want noyſe) he ſtumbles vpon the Councell of Constantinople before it come in his way, and ſpends a whole leafe only to tell vs, that he will talke of it hereafter. Hereafter hee ſhall receiue anſwere enough; What needes this diſorderly anticipation? To conclude then, this place of our Apoſtle ſtands for vs vnſhaken, by any the impotent blaſts of his friuolous Eluſions, and ſhall warrant vs againſt Earth and Hell, that a Biſhop may bee the Huſband of one Wife.

Refut. p. 100.101.MY next place, of the honorableneſſe of Marriage amongſt all, he ſmoothes ouer with a pretended conceſſion; profeſſing with Fulgentius, and Hierome, to giue all high Titles to that ſtate, only preferring the rule of a better life; prayſing Marriage, but more extolling Virginitie: But who euer made the compariſon? Theſe are faire Nets to catch Fooles; Whiles hee heapes vp all the reprochfull termes that ſpight can deuiſe, againſt the verie ſtate of Marriage, in ſome callings, not ſo much as preiudiced by Vow; how doth hee grant Marriage honourable amongſt all? If the compariſon bee the matter hee ſtands vpon, let him ſay, Marriage is good, and lawfull for all conditions; Virginitie is better; hee ſhall haue no Aduerſarie. And whereas (to call him to reckoning for arrerages) he turn'd off this place (when it was) with a ſcoffe out of Bellarmine, That Marriage is honourable amongſt all,Refut. p. 13. yet not between Father and Daughter, &c. the man alluded ſure to their great and good Alexander the ſixt, and his chaſte Lucrece, of whom he knowes the Riddle, Heere lyes Lucrece in name, Thais in life, The ſame Popes Daughter, Lemman, and his owne Sonnes Wife. Filia, Sponſa, Nurus.

For vs, that it is honorable in all eſtates of men by Apoſtolicall warrant, is ſufficient aſſurance, that to no calling, or eſtate it can bee diſhonourable and vnlawfull. But to vntye Bellarmines trifling knot: I ſay, Marriage is honourable, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but not, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : in all, but not betweene all: That is, euery man may marrie with a woman, but not with any woman whatſoeuer: as with his Mother, or Siſter. So Father and Daughter may marry, but not one the other. See now what a worthy Meſſe of Sophiſtrie is layd in Saint Pauls diſh by theſe Caruers, and how eaſily ouer-turned: So as I might very well proclaime to all the World (which I doe now confidently ſecond) that if God might be iudge of this Controuerſie, it were ſoone at an end. Refut. p. 102. If my Refuter make faces at this, their whole Schoole ſhall beare me out in it. Et Eſpenc. l. 1. de Cont. c. 3. Caiet. Opuſ. de Caſtit. ſane communis eſt ſcholae reſolutio, &c. And in truth it is (ſaith their ESPENCAEVS) the common reſolution of the Schoole, that if wee inſiſt only in thoſe things, which were ſpoken by Christ, and written by the Apoſtles, in the Canon of the New Teſtament, (ſecluding the Lawes of the Church) holy Orders, neither as Orders, nor as holy, are any hinderances of Matrimony. Thus he. And ſaid I any more? any other?

Ibid. p. 102.103.By their confeſſion then, GOD neuer impoſed this Law. My proofe was, that euen in the time of that legall ſtrictneſſe, he allowed Wedlock to the Miniſters of his Sanctuarie. Herein, how am I refuted? If hee meane (ſaith my Detector) that for puritie and perfection of life, the Law of MOSES was more ſtrict then the Goſpell, the vntruth is notorious; To which he addes out of Hierome, that the greater perfection of the Euangelicall Sacrifice exacteth greater Holineſſe; and concludes, that the permiſsion of Wiues in the Aaronicall Priesthood, argues euidently the imperfection of that Law. So he. Surely, God wanted this Counſellour vpon Mount Sinai; he could haue aduiſed him better Rules of his miſ-contriued Prieſthood.

Would my Refuter make himſelfe ſo ignorant, as not to know; that notwithſtanding the rather greater perfection of Moralitie required vnder the Goſpell, yet that Leuiticall Law placed impuritie in many of thoſe creatures and actions, wherein the Euangelicall findeth none? Did not the touch of ſome. Veſſels or Garments make a man legally vncleane? Did not the lawfull act of Coniugall Beneuolence? Did not the accidents of the holyeſt Child-bed carry in them an expiable impuritie? If hee bee not a Iew, hee will not ſay it is ſtill thus vnder the Goſpell. How iuſtly therefore might I inferre, that if our holy God, vnto whoſe Wiſdome it ſeemed good to ſtand of old, vpon ſuch points of outward vncleanneſſes, did notwithſtanding allow Wedlocke to his Prieſthood, much more (at leaſt no leſſe) vnder the Goſpell, doth he allow it, when as all thoſe imputations of impuritie are vaniſhed.

Ref. p. 103.104.I Produced the Teſtimonie of their Pope, their Cardinall, their Doctor. Baſils Rule is a ſure one, that the Witneſſes of Enemies are moſt conuictiue. Their Cardinall was Panormitan, Their Pope Pius the ſecond. Their Doctor, Gratian. For Panormitan; My Refuter likes his words ſo well, that like a ſawcie Fellow he dare pull off his red Hat, and trample it in the Floore; denying his Cardinall-ſhip, and charging him With participation of the Schiſme.

But firſt, hee cannot (I hope) denie him to haue beene their Abbot, then their Archbiſhop; As for his red Hat, it neuer came from Wittenberge nor Geneua; it was of their owne dying; FOELIX the falſe Pope (he ſayes) gaue it him. Reader, the famous Councell of Baſil, conſiſting of no leſſe then foure hundred reuerend Perſons; Cardinals, Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Doctors, gathered and allowed at firſt, by Pope Martin, then by his Succeſſour Eugenius the fourth, afterwards was vpon ſome Politike conſiderations called off by Eugenius; The Fathers of the Councell finding their owne ſtrength, ſtood vpon the right of their Superioritie, and (as they well might) cenſur'd the Pope; hee proceeded to obſtinacie; thoſe braue ſpirits (vpon ripe conſideration) iuſtly depoſed him. In the roome of this Eugenius, (otherwiſe called Gabriel Condulmarius) was by iuſt number of voyces elected Amadeus the Deuout Duke of Sauoy, and named Foelix the Fift, a man too good for that See; neither had hee euer any ſo great blemiſh in all his life, as the name of a Pope: Volateran can tell vs, what a Kennell of Hounds hee ſhoued to the Ambaſſadours, namely, whole Tables of poore ſoules daily fed by him; All Hiſtories ſpeake of his Deuotion, and Pietie; This man called from his intended retyredneſſe, muſt carrie the Keyes. Hee makes choice of Archbiſhop Panormitan for one of his Cardinals: What offence is here? But hee was a falſe Pope. If the Councell of Baſil were a true Councell, then was Foelix a true Pope. It is in my Readers choice whether he will beleeue foure hundred Diuines repreſenting the whole Church, or a Popes Paraſite. But Panormitan dyed in the Schiſme againſt Eugenius. The World knowes that the greateſt blot Panormitan euer had, was his violent plea for Eugenius; againſt the Biſhop of Argens, againſt eloquēt Segouius, againſt the whole ſtreame of that Councell; This is the thanke hee now carries away, FOELIX ſcelus virtus vocatur; If Eugenius had not dealt vnder-hand with the Dolphin of France, and Frederick of Auſtria, (then ambitious of the Empire) and tryed all his wits, both to make new Cardinals, and to diuert the Neutralls, Eugenius had not beene foelix; and Foelix had beene ſtill Eugenius, the true and vndoubted Succeſſour of Peter: How-euer, if th • ſe points ſhould be ſtrictly ſtood vpon, Rome would bee at a loſſe, which many a time hath bin to ſeeke for her head. But what though it were granted that Panormitan was Cardinalated by an intruding Pope? Can this call downe the authoritie of his iudgement and Writings? eſpecially thoſe which he wrote before hee was Cardinall or Archbiſhop, being onely Abbot: And yet may bee cited by vs vnder the name of Cardinall: as Bellarmines Dictates and Compoſures elder then his red Hat, yet are fathered vpon that Title.

Once, this I am ſure of, that Bell. de Cleric. lib. 1 c 19. Cat • olicum al • oquia & doctum authorem. Cardinall Bellarmine doubts not to ſtile Panormitan a Catholike and learned Doctor. This is the man that ſtands with his Hat off to this worſhipfull Clarke of Doway, and tels him that Continencie is not of the ſubſtance of Order, nor by Diuine Law annexed to it; whereto, hee ſhuffles out a miſerable & deſperate anſwere, as we ſhall ſee in the ſequel.

But in the meane time, ſee the cunning of my Catholike Cauiller; This is not the ſentence I ſtood vpon, of Panormitan; it was not this, whereto I proclaymed mine Oyez, but another, which hee ſlily ſmothers, not daring ſo much as to repeat it, leſt his Romanizing popular ignorant Readers ſhould heare and ſee and ſmell, that the ſacred Celibate of Prieſts did ſtinke an hundreth yeeres before Luthers time. I will therefore here ſupply for him, and, hoping he will in his next take notice of the ſentence, will repreſent it here againe.

The words are theſe: Melius foret, Abb. Panorm. de Cleric. coniugat. Cap. Cùm olim. et pro bono & ſalute animarū ſalubrius, ſi & vniuſcuiuſ que voluntati relinqueretur, it a vt non valentes aut non volentes continere, poſsint contrahere; Quia experientia docente experimus contrarium effectum ſequi ex illa lege continentiae, cùm hodie pleri que non viuant ſpiritualiter, nec ſine mundi, ſed emaculentur illicito coitu cum ipſorum grauiſsimo peccato, vbi cum propria vxore eſſet caſtitas. That is, It were better, and more wholeſome for the good and ſaluation of ſoules, if it were left to euery mans will; ſo as they which either cannot, or will not contayne, might marry. For wee finde by experience a contrarie effect to follow vpon that Law of Continencie; ſince the greateſt part of (our Prieſts) at this day liue not ſpiritually, neither are chaste, but are defiled with vnlawfull copulations, not without their most hainous ſinne; whereas, with their owne Wiues it ſhould be Chaſtitie. Thus he. A ſentence worthie of that Epiphonema of mine, (Is this a Cardinall think you or an Huguenot?) With this, my Detector deales, as their Inquiſition doth with a miſnamed Heretike; he chokes it vp in ſecret, or, if hee bring it forth, it is not without a gag in the mouth: All his anſwere is,Refut. p. 107. Wee tye not our ſelues to euery mans opinion; and, This ſentence is cenſured by BELLARMINE as erroneous; As if Panormitan were euerie bodie, and Bellarmine an Oracle. It is enough for vs, that one of their owne greateſt, learnedeſt, zealouſeſt Prelates iuſtifyeth our Marriages, and wiſheth them in vſe rather then their Continencie.

To that other Teſtimonie of Panormitan, he anſwers by a graunt, yeelding vs freely, that if wee take diuine Law for that which is expreſly determined in Scripture, it muſt needes bee ſaid, that there is no euident proofe ſet downe of continencie in Eccleſiasticall men by the Apoſtles; yet, that it is ſo inſinuated, and the obſeruation of it hath beene ſo ancient, Refut. p. 105. as BELLARMINE noteth, that it may be truely termed Apoſtolical; Thus hee. And euen for this are wee beholden to him; All his friends would not haue beene ſo liberall. His Ioannes Maior, his Clictouaeus, his Torrenſis, and all their rigorous Clients would not haue ſaid ſo: As, on the other ſide, the old Gloſſe was not ſo wiſe, that could onely ſay (which is now expunged) Apoſtoli docuerunt exemplo, The Apoſtles taught this by their example. But what are theſe ſo pregnant inſinuations? Good wits haue found them out; One was, that of Decret. p. 1. diſt. 28. INNOCENTIVS 2. That theſe men are the veſſels and Temples of God, therefore they may not Cubilibus & immunditijs ſeruire, ſerue for chambering and wantonneſſe. Ywis, no Layman is ſuch; Therefore hee may bee allowed to be filthie. Another was, of Franc. Luk. 21. Torrenſis, Take heed leſt your hearts be oppreſſed with ſurfetting and drunkenneſſe, and cares of this life: Whereof Biſhop Esp • nc. de cont. l. 1. Eſpencaeus is ſo aſhamed, that he anſwers it with an Abſit; God forbid (ſaith he) that wee ſhould thinke that the Lord, which is the author and Sanctifier of Marriage, ſhould hold it in the ſame ranke with ſurfeting and drunkenneſſe. Another was of the ſame Author (Tit. 2. Si quis legilimam commixtionem & filiorum recreation • m, corruptionem & •• tiaquinationem vocat, ille habet cohab • tatorem d • monem Apoſtatam. • gnat Epiſt ad Philadelph. teaching vs to denie vngodlineſſe and worldly Luſts:) vs, of the Clergie; belike the reſt neede not; And who knowes not the wittie and learned inſinuations of their good Siricius, Thoſe that are in the fleſh, cannot pleaſe God? Theſe, and ſuch like are the forceable inſinuations of this impoſed continencie, which euen very boyes and Ideots can hiſſe out of the Schooles.

IN the authoritie it ſelfe, his Cauils are childiſh; Where Pius ſaid, Marriage vpon g • od reaſon was forbidden to Prieſts, but vpon greater reaſon ſeemes fit to be reſtored. Refut. p. 109. Sacerdotibus magnâ ratione ſublatas nuptias, maiore reſtituendas videri; My firſt fault, is that I turne Sacerdotes, The Clergie, inſtead of Priests; which word is of a larger extent, including alſo Biſhops: The ſilly man ſees not that I tranſlated it to his aduātage, againſt my owne; For, euery Sacerdos is Clericus, not euery Clericus, Sacerdos. Very frequently are Biſhops comprehended vnder the name of Sacerdotes, as well as of Clerus; and no leſſe vſually vnder the name of Clerici, the ſuperior Orders are not comprehended. Hee is not worthy to write himſelfe Prieſt, that vnderſtands his Orders no better.

My ſecond error is, That I turned the laſt Clauſe of the Sentence, (Is to bee restored) whereas the words are, Restituendas videri. Here could be no fraud, whiles I ſet the Latin words in the Margine. The Man thinks of his ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) or his, Videtur quod ſic; probatur quod non; but if his Grammar had not been ill learned, he had known that (Videri) doth not alwayes ſignifie a doubtfull probabilitie, but ſometimes a certayne euidence, as, Viſum eſt Spiritui Sancto & nobis; and, Qui videbantur columnae; Or (if his Logike had fully taught him the Diſtinctions of Sunt and Videntur) this quarrell had beene ſpared. This Seeming was Beeing; Or, if this lawleſſe Lurker had euer had any taſte of the Ciuill or Canon Law, hee might haue beene able to conſtrue that Maxime, Quod quis per alium facit, per ſe facere videtur: and that iudged Caſe, Qui nomen debitoris legatum viuens exegerit, legatum ademiſſe videtur. In this ſtile ſpake this learned Pope, which my vnlearned Aduerſarie cannot reach vnto. For, if Pius, or Syluius, may haue leaue to Comment vpon himſelfe, when the Queſtion was of ſuffecting Amadeus, Duke of Sauoy, a married man, in the roome of Eugenius; Ex quo conſtat (ſaith he) &c. It is apparant that not onely hee, which hath beene married, but hee that is married, may bee aſſumed to the Popedome; and a little after: Fortaſſe peius non eſſet, &c. And perhaps it were not worſe if more Priests had wiues, for many would be ſaued in a married Priesthood, which now in a ſingle Priesthood are damned; hee ſaith directly, Damnantur, They are damned, not, They ſeeme to bee damned. And therefore to preuent this reall damnation, Marriage is really to bee reſtored to them, not that it ſhould onely ſeeme to bee reſtored. To conclude, take Videri, for bare Seeming, ſurely, it muſt be conſtrued, Videtur mihi; I Pope PIVS thinke, or iudge, that it were fit that Priests ſhould haue the liberty of marriage restored againe to them; which together with ſublatas implyeth, that in former times Prieſts were married, and as the caſe now ſtandeth ought againe ſo to be. Which is the very ſtate of this queſtion, which we auouch.

And in his Epiſtle to Iohn Freûnd, Credimus te non inſulſo vti conſilio; I thinke it is no ill counſell for thee (ſince thou canſt not contayne) to ſeeke for a Wife; although that ſhould haue beene thought of, before thou didst enter into holy Orders; but we are not all Gods, that wee can fore-ſee future things; ſince it is comne to this, that thou canst not reſist the Law of thy Fleſh, it is better for thee to marry, then to burne. Thus he. For which aduice, doubtleſſe, hee found good cauſe in his owne experience; who hauing beene imployed formerly in this Iland of ours, left two Baſtards behind him, the one, begotten of an Engliſh woman, the other, of a Scottiſh; The one wherof he commends to his Father Syluius, a Citizen of Syenna; the other he confeſſes to his friend P. de Noxeto: But this indeed was before his Prieſthood; Afterwards,Whiles he was Cardinall, he had his Concubine; to whom at laſt he gaue threeſcore Florens for her Dowry, Epist. 361. it is ſtrange what he confeſſes of himſelfe in his 92. Epiſtle: Mihi herclè parum meriti est in castitate; I cannot boaſt of any merit in my chaſtity, for to tell the truth (Magis me Venus fugitat, quàm ego illam horreo) Venus doth rather flie from mee, then I abhorre it. It was not therefore out of ſpeculation, but ſenſe, not out of ſeeming, but certaintie, that Syluius paſſes his Restituendas videri.

So now to ſhut vp this point, the bleſſed Apoſtle Saint Paul, and (in his Attendance) Panormitan, Gratian, and Pius (in their cleere ſuffrages for vs) are fully acquitted from the vaine cauils of my Detector; and God is on my ſide, the Church of Rome, on his. Let Sinceritie iudge which Scale of the Ballance is heauier.

Refut. p. 116. BVt what Boyes-play is this, To giue and take? Our doughtie Champion hath granted vs Clement of Alexandria, and now he puls him backe againe; Clemens (ſaith hee) grants the Apostles to haue had wiues, but hee denyes that they vſed them as wiues; cunningly diſſembling that which Clemens ſaid in the beginning of the ſame period; For Peter and Philip (ſaith hee) did beget children, &c. How did Peter beget them, if hee were not Peter when hee begot them? In the time of their painefull Euangelicall peregrination they forbore perhaps: doth it therefore follow that they did alwayes forget to bee Husbands? Whence, in all likelihood, had S. Peter his Petronella? if ſhee were not borne after hee was Peter? Whence was that inſcription on Pilagiaes Tombe, (if wee may beleeue Cit. ab Eſpen. loco citat • . Here lyes the Wife of Biſhop Dionyſius, Daughter to Thomas the Apoſtle. PERIONIVS) Hic ſita eſt ſponſa DIONYSII, THOMae Apoſtoli filia. There is not (I grant) neceſſitie in this proofe there is probabilitie. It is therefore too boldly affirmed by my Detector, that the Apoſtles, after that publike calling vndertaken, vſed not their Wiues. Is that of Saint Ignatius nothing againſt him? Opto Deo dignus, &c. I deſire to bee found worthy of God, as PETER and PAVL, and the rest of the Apoſtles which were marryed men, and Ignat. Ep. ad Philadelph. non libidinis cauſa, ſed poſteritatis ſurroganda gratia coniuges habuerunt. not for luſts ſake, but for propagation of Poſterity inioyed their Wiues. Thus hee. So much againſt C. E. that C. E. is no leſſe againſt him. The Teſtimonie of Saint Ignatius (ſaith hee) is a meere forgerie; eaſily anſwered. If Ignatius had either denyed or diſliked theſe Marriages, no mans word had beene more authentike; now, this clauſe hath made him falſified: Hee cannot (I hope) ſay that the ſentence came out of our Forge; wee take him as wee finde him; neither doth B. Eſpenceus, or any other ingenuous Writer, take ſuch exception, but finds the authority weighty. That more vnlikely Epiſtle which Ignatius wrote to Saint Iohn, and the bleſſed Virgin (though palpably reiected by their owne) is claſſicall enough, when it may ſerue a Coccius, or Bell. Tom. 1. pag. 837. Bellarmine, or a Pierre Cotton; But, here the Epiſtle it ſelfe is not queſtioned; only this clauſe is bored in the Eare. And why ſo? Forſooth the ancient Greeke Copies haue it not. Doubtleſſe, the man hath vexed the olde Greeke Manuſcripts; but when he hath done, his one Fellow ſhall giue him the lye; who confeſſes it to be in all Copies both Greek and Latine, old and new, whiles he ſaith, that thoſe words ( Thoſe wo • ds (And the other Apoſtles) are to bee razed out of the Text. Marga • . de la Big • e. Not. in Epiſt ad Philadelph. Et alij Apoſtoli) ex textu abradenda. Or if that will not ſerue; there is yet to bee ſeene in Baliol Colledge in Oxford, an olde Copie of the age of ſeuen hundred, or eight hundred yeeres, wherein the words are found; Only the wordes (S. Paul, & the other Apoſtles) blurred; yet ſo, as they are ſtill to be well diſcerned: If the Greek ſhould want the clauſe, what were this? The firſt Edition of Ignatius in Greeke was (1558.) as the Centuriſts haue noted; and how eaſie was it to leaue out one ſentence, that ſeemed preiudiciall? Let him neuer caſt this vpon the Graecians: they neuer ſo excelled in this Faculty of counterfeiting as the Romanes: Greece in this muſt yeeld to Italie, how-euer it pleaſes Erat conſuetudo Gracorum fere ordinaria corrumpendi libros, Bell. li. 4. de Pont. c. 11. Quoniam Romani ſicut non acumina, ita nec impoſturas habent, Greg. l. 5. Ep. 14. ad Noorſen. Pope Gregorie and Cardinall Bellarmine herein only to giue it ſuperioritie.

Amongſt the reſt, this very place puts mee in minde of a memorable iuggling Tricke of his Fellowes. The old Platina printed at Paris by Francis Regnault. An. 1500. (which I haue ſeene) and all other olde Copies, read thus of Saint Luke; Vixit annos 84. Platin. in Cleto. ad finem. Luke liued 84. yeeres, hauing a Wife in Bithynia. Hauing not a Wife in Bithynia. Vxorē habens in Bithynia. Now comes the Onuphrian Edition ſet forth at Coleine. An. 1600. from the ſhop of Materuus Colinus, and reades, Vxorem non habens in Bithynia; with which authoritie Eſpencaeus himſelfe was deceiued, citing Hierome for it as the Fountaine, whence perhaps Platina might fetch it; but if my Reader pleaſe to turne to that Her. Catol. ſcript. Illuſtr. Catalogue of famous Writers, aſcribed (not vniuſtly) to Hierome, there ſhall hee finde the very ſame coozenage; the words run ſo indeed, in the Latine printed Copies; but not acknowledged, not mentioned by Sophronius in the Greeke Tranſlation; and Eraſmus, reading it either, Hauing, or not hauing, at laſt ſhuts vp; Haec verba videntur adiecta; quandoquidem nec adduntur apud SOPHRONIVM, nec in exemplaribus emendatioribus. Theſe words (ſaith ERASMVS) ſeeme patched to the rest; ſince they neither are added in SOPHRONIVS, nor in the better Copies. Thus hee. It was fit my READER ſhould haue a taſte of the Romane integritie.

I alleaged the learned Cardinall Caietan for the likelihood of S. Pauls Marriage; Can my Refuter denie this? The words are plaine: Caiet. Com. in Phil. c. 4. Quia omnes Apoſtoli exceptis Ioanne & Paul • ▪ vxores babuerunt, Amb. &c. Refut. p. 117. Locus cogere videtur; The place ſeemes to inforce it, not by demonſtratiue reaſon but in all reaſonable ſenſe, that PAVL had a Wife, So he. Which is all I contended for. If now hee ſhall thinke to choke me with a croſſe Teſtimonie of the ſame Author, concerning Saint Pauls not conuerſing with his Wife after his Apoſtle-ſhip, he may vnderſtand, that I well remember Caietan to haue beene a Romane Cardinall; and therefore in ſome points neceſſarily vnſound; whoſe ingenuitie yet in this buſines I haue formerly ſhewed.

NOt to follow therefore this babbling vagary of my Aduerſary againſt Zuinglius, Ref. p. 126.127. Apoſt. Can. 5. Luther, Muſculus, Whitakers, (what Puppy cannot bark at a dead Lion?) we come cloſe to the Canon. That no Biſhop, Preſbyter, or Deacon ſhal forſake or caſt off his Wife in pretence of Religion, or Pietie, vpon paine of depoſition. Wherewith how much my Refuter is preſſed, appeares in that he is faine with Baronius to auoyd it, with, Apocryphorum non est tanta authoritas; There is no ſo great authoritie in Apocryphall Canons.

Where is the man that euen now vpbrayded vs with the lawleſſe rejection of ancient Records; and by name would vndertake to iuſtifie thoſe whom my Epiſtle taxed for adulterine, whereof theſe Canons of the Apoſtles were a part? now hee is faine to change his note, Apocryphorum non eſt tanta authoritas. Hee hath caſt off Ignatius alreadie, anon you ſhal find him reiecting Socrates, Sozomen, Nicephorus, Gratian, Sigebert, H. Huntingdon, and whom not? vpon euery occaſion ſhameleſly practizing that which hee cenſures.

If I alleage the ſixt general Councell, that of Constantinople, proclaiming this ſenſe truely Apoſtolicall, euen the ſixt generall Councell is reiected as neither ſixt, nor generall, nor Councell; That this Apoſtolicall Canon is bent againſt the deniall of Matrimoniall conuerſation, is apparantly expreſſed in thoſe Canons of Conſtantinople, how-euer the extent of it in regard of ſome perſons is reſtrayned. There is no way therefore to vntye this knot, but by cutting it; and my cauilling Prieſt with his Jeſuites may gnaw long enough vpon this bone, ere they ſuck in any thing from hence, but the bloud of their owne iawes.

Any of thoſe words ſingle might be auoyded, but ſo ſet together, will abide no eluſion, Let him not vpon pretence of Religion eiect his Wife.

The ſhift that C. E. Refut. p. 128. borrowes from Bellarmine, is groſſe, and ſuch as his owne heart cannot truſt ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) ſaith he) that is, In pretence of heedineſſe. praetextu cautionis. Looke ouer all the Copies; all interpretations of theſe Canons; that of Dionyſius Exiguus; that of Gentianus Heruetus; that of Caranza; that which Gratian, (whome my either graceleſſe or ignorant Aduerſarie dares name againſt mee) citeth from hence; all of them runne praetextu religionis. How cleere is that of their owne Diſt. 28. Sub obtentu religionis propriam vxorem contemnere. Law? Si quis docuerit Sacerdotem, &c. If any man ſhall teach that a Priest, vnder pretence of Religion, may contemne his own Wife, let him be accurſed.

And Zonaras, whom both our Iunius, and their Eſpencaeus cite out of Quintinus his Expoſition, is moſt cleere; Hoc enim videtur in calumniam fieri nuptiarum, &c. For this eiection (ſaith hee) would ſeeme to bee done in reproch of marriage, as if the Matrimoniall knowledge of man and wife cauſed any vncleanneſſe. Thus he. Where it is plain, that he takes it not of maintenance, but ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) of the Coniugall act. The neceſſitie of which ſenſe alſo is euicted by their owne Eſpenc. l. 1. de Cont. c. 4. Eſpencaeus out of Saint Chryſostome in his ſecond Homily vpon Titus. And In Canon. Apoſt. in P • ot. in neno Can. Balſamon no leſſe directly; Becauſe (ſaith he) before that Law of IVSTINIAN, it was lawfull for a man vpon any cauſe to diuorce his Wife: therefore the preſent Canon giues charge, that it ſhall not be lawfull for a Biſhop, Prieſt, or Deacon, vpon pretence of Pietie, to put away his Wife. Thus he.

From all which it is not hard to ſee, that in thoſe yong dayes of the Church, the myſtery of iniquitie began in this point to worke; ſo as Marriage, according to the Apoſtles prediction, beganne to bee in an ill name, though the cleere Light of that Primitiue Truth would not indure the diſgrace.

So as in all this I haue both by Moſes, and the Examples of that Leuiticall Prieſthood; by the Teſtimonie of the Apoſtles, by their practice, by their anciently-reputed Canons, & by the teſtimony of the agedeſt Fathers, ſo made good the lawfulneſſe and antiquity of the Marriages of perſons Eccleſiaſtical, that I ſhall not need to feare a Diuorce either from my Wife, or from the Truth, in that my Confident and iuſt Aſſertion.