Spiritus est vicarius Christi in terra. The poore mans garden, wherein are flowers of the scriptures, and doctours, very necessarie and profitable for the simple and ignoraunt people to reade: / truely collected and diligently gathered together, by Iohn Northbrooke, minister and preacher of the worde of God. Seene and allowed, according to the order appointed in the Queenes iniunctions..

¶ The. xxxix. Chapiter.

¶ The mariage of Priestes is lawfull.

TO auoide fornication, let euery man haue* 1.1 his wife, and lette euery woman haue her owne husbande.

If thei cannot abstain, let them marrie,* 1.2 for it is better to marrie, then to burne.

Haue wee not power to leade aboute a* 1.3 a wife beyng a sister, as well as the reste of the Apostles, and as the brethren of the Lorde, and Cephas.

I beseeche thee faithfull yoke fellowe, helpe those women,* 1.4 whiche laboured with me in the Gospell.

A Bishop therefore must bee vnreproueable, the husbande* 1.5 of one wife.

Hauyng children vnder obedience, with all honestie.* 1.6

For if any can not rule his owne house, how shall he care* 1.7 for the Churche of God.

Mariage is honourable among all, and the bedde vndefi∣led:* 1.8 but whore mongers and adulterers, God will iudge.* 1.9

Now the spirite speaketh euidently, that in the latter ty∣mes, some shall departe from the faithe, and shall giue héede vnto spirites of errour, and doctrines of deuils.

Forbiddyng to marrie, and commaundyng to abstain from* 1.10 meates, which God hath created to be receiued, with thankes giuyng of them, whiche beleue and knowe the truthe.

¶ The Doctors.

NOt onely thei dooe not, that thei teache: but also* 1.11 cruelly and without mercie, thei commaunde o∣thers to doe, that thei bee not able, not conside∣ryng or weighyng eche mans strength. Suche be thei that forbidde men to marrie, and from that thyng that is lawfull, driue, and force men to an immoderate kinde of cleanesse.

If thei either cannot, or will not continue, better it is to* 1.12

marie, then to fall into the fire▪ with their pleasures, at the least let them breede no sclaūder to their brothers and sisters.

Good are the •…•…andes of Matrimonie, yet are thei bandes: And although thei be bandes, yet are thei bandes of Charitie: wedlocke is good, that it shalbe no hinderaunce to perfect life.

We see bothe virgines carefull for the worlde: and mar∣ried men carefull for the woorkes of the Lorde.

All the Apostles had wiues, onely Ihon, and Paule excep∣ted.

a 1.13 Some men there bee, that saie, thei bee adulterers that marrie after that thei haue made a vowe: but I tell you, that thei synne greeuously, that put such a sunder.

Many of theim are kepte from marriage, not for loue of their goodly purpose of virginitie: but for feare of open shame, whiche shame also procedeth of pride, for that thei are more a∣fraied to displease men, then God. They will not marie, bi∣cause thei cannot without rebuke: yet better were it for them* 1.14 to marrie, then to burne, that is to saie, then with the flame of their concupiscense in their owne conscience to bee wasted, thei are sory of their profession, and yet it greeueth theim to confesse it.

Thei that sai•…•…, the marriage of suche men, or women (as* 1.15 haue vowed) is no marriage: but rather adulterie, seeme vn∣to me not to consider discretly and wisely, what thei saie.

It cōmeth to passe by this vnaduised opinion, that where∣as thei will remoue these women that so haue vowed, from their husbandes, and force theim to continue in their single life, thei make the husbandes of them adulterers in deede, in case thei marrie againe, their owne wiues beyng still aliue.* 1.16

The defraudyng of their purpose, and the breache of their* 1.17 vowe is blamed. Suche are blamed, not for that thei haue en∣tered into the faithe of Matrimonie: But for that thei haue broken their firste faithe, or promise of continent life.

Whereas saincte Paule saieth, she that is vnmaried, thin∣keth* 1.18 of the thynges that pertain vnto the lorde, that she maie be holy, bothe in bodie, and in spirite, it maie not so bee taken, as though we should so thinke, a Christian wife liuyng chaste∣ly

with her husbande, is not holy in bodie. For it is general∣ly saied vnto all faithfull, knowe ye not, that your bodies bee the Temple of the holy ghost? Therefore if the man, and wife kéepe their faith bothe betwéene them selues, and to the lorde, their bodies are holy.* 1.19

Moste holy Samuell begatte children: and yet nothyng a∣bated the merites of his righteousnesse. Zacharias the Priest in his olde age begatte a childe, wherefore then is that thyng accused, that is proued to doe no maner hurte.

The housbande of one wife, sainct Paule writeth not this* 1.20 as makyng a lawe, as if it were not lawfull, for a man to bee made a Bishop without a wife: but he appoincted an order in that behalfe. For it was lawfull for the Iewes, to be coupled in the seconde Matrimonie, and to haue twoo wiues at one tyme. Notwithstandyng, marriage haue muche trouble in it self, yet maie it so bee taken, that it shall be no hinderaunce to perfecte life.

Marriage, not onely hindereth nothyng, towardes the* 1.21 knowledge and seruice of GOD, if we will bee sober: but also bryngeth vs greate comfort, for it oppresseth the ragyng furie of nature, and suffereth vs not to bee dashte, and toste, as the waues of the sea: but causeth that our shippe maie luckely ar∣riue into the hauen. And for that cause hath GOD giuen this comfort vnto mankinde.* 1.22

So pretious a thyng is Matrimonie, that with the same thou maiest be promoted, euen vnto the Bishoppes chaire, vse marriage with discretion, and thou shalte bee the chief in the kyngdome of heauen.

The name of certaine virgines, not well behauyng theim* 1.23 selues, defameth and shameth the holy purpose of virgines, and the glory of the heauenly and Angelicall familie, whom we must plainly charge, that either thei marrie, if thei cannot conteine: or that thei conteine, if thei will not marrie.

Touchyng this place some men thinke thus: by custome of* 1.24 the Iewes, it was lawfull for a man, to haue twoo wiues, or m•…•… at once. And this thei take to bee the Apostles commaun∣demente, that he, that is to bee chosen a Bishoppe, haue not

twoo wiues, or mo together at one tyme.* 1.25

Let the Deacons bee the husbande of one wife, not that thei should needes marrie a wife, if thei haue none: but that they should not haue twoo wiues together.

And if Samuel, whiche was brought vp in the tabernacle,* 1.26 married a wife, what maketh that againste virginitie? As though that many Priestes had not wiues also nowe a daies, and that the Apostle describeth a Bishop to bée the husbande of one wife, hauyng children in all chastitie.

Let the Bishops and pristes reade this, which teache their* 1.27 sonnes secular learnyng, and maketh them reade Comedies, and sing writynges, after that they bee brought vp, by the charge and coste of the congregation.

If any man call lawfull copulation, and begettyng of chil∣dren,* 1.28 corruption and filthines, he hath the deuil, that fell from God, dwellyng within hym.

We must haue consideration of men, and measure our do∣ctrine* 1.29 accordyng to euery mans abilitie: and vnto suche men, as can not take the worde of chastity, we ought to graunt ma∣riage.

If any man consider that his owne virgine, that is to saie,* 1.30 his owne fleshe, groweth proude, and boyleth vnto lust, and cannot staie it, there is laide vpon hym a double necessitie, ei∣ther to take a wife, or to fall.

Let them studie to kéepe and continue the chastitie of their* 1.31 body vndefiled: or els, let theim be coupled with the bande of one mariage.

Excuse not thy selfe by thy mariage, thy lorde was at the* 1.32 mariage feast, and honoured mariage with his presence, and yet doest thou blame marriage? And saiest thou that marriage is an hinderaunce vnto godlinesse? I tell thee, marriage is no maner hinderaunce vnto godlines? wilt thou knowe that it hindereth not to haue a wife, and children? had not Moyses wife and children? Beholde Peter a Piller of the Churche: he had a wife, therefore finde no faulte with marriage.

Who speaketh these wordes? Esaias the beholder of the* 1.33 celestiall Seraphius: who, not withstandyng he had companie

with his wife, yet he quenched not the grace of God.* 1.34

Esaie had a sonne, and a wife, that thou maiest vnderstand that mariage is not ill: but fornication is ill.

What? did marriage hinder thée? no, thy wife is giuen to thee to be thy helper, and not to deceiue thee.

Many of the Bishoppes haue not married, contrariwise,* 1.35 Monkes haue become fathers of children.

At that tyme they saie, Eupsichius the Bishop of Caesaria* 1.36 died in Martyrdome, hauyng married a wife a little before, beyng as yet in maner a newe married man.

Clement in deede, writyng against theim whiche despise* 1.37 mariage, beside many other, saieth also these wordes: Do thei disalowe the Apostles also? For Peter and Philip had wiues, and married their daughters vnto men: but euen likewise, Paule the Apostle is not ashamed in a certaine Epistle of hys, to make mention, or to salute his companion & yoke fellowe, the whiche woman he saide that he led not aboute with hym, for this intente, that he might more easely and without lesse cumber preache the Gospell.

I also Policrates, the least of you all, obserue and kéepe af∣ter* 1.38 the tradition of my fathers, & of them onely whom I haue followed from the beginnyng, for seuen of my forefathers eche one after other in order, were Bishoppes (and I am the eight) whiche hath kept this daie.

My Mother beyng giuen to my Father of GOD, became* 1.39 not onely his helper, for that had 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no greate wounder: but also was his leader, and Capitaine, both by worde and by déede, trainyng him vp vnto the best. And albeit in other thin∣ges, it were best for her to be subiect vnto her husbande for the right of marriage, yet in religion, and godlines, she doubted not to become his maistres.

Neither of these twoo, matrimony, nor single life, dothe* 1.40 either ioine vs to God, or to the world, or withdrawe vs from God, or from the world: that the one ought to be refused, and the other absolutely, and of it selfe ought to be praised, it is the minde that ruleth, both marriage and virginitie.

There be some that saie, that marriage must bee broken* 1.41

for religions sake and holines: but this is to be knowne, that if the lawe of man graunt this, the lawe of God forbiddeth it, for the trueth by him selfe saith: those that God hath coupled, man can not parte a sunder.

If any man make difference of a married Priest, as if hee* 1.42 maie not minister the oblation, bicause of his marriage, and abstaineth from his oblation, accursed be he.

If any man contrarie to the Apostles Canons, presume to* 1.43 remoue either Priest, or Deacon, from the vse and companie of his lawfull wife, let hym be depriued. And in like manner let the Priest or Deacon be excommunicate, that putteth a∣waie his wife, vnder the colour of religion.

Deacons, as many as be ordered, if at the tyme of recei∣uyng* 1.44 orders, thei made protestation, and said, that thei would marrie, for that they finde not themselues able so to continue without marriage, if they afterwarde marrie, let them con∣tinue in the ministerie, for as much as the Bishop hath giuen them licence.

A vowe, ill and vnaduisedly promised, ought not to bee* 1.45 kepte.

The Scene whiche was gathered together at Nyce, wil∣lyng to redresse the life of Churchemen, did set them certaine lawes, whiche doe call Canons or Rules.

In the treatyng whereof it was thought good to some, to bryng in a lawe, that Bishops, Priestes, Deacons, and Sub∣deacons, should lie no more with their wiues, whiche thei had married, before their consecration: But the holy confessour Paphuntius rose vp and did resiste theim, saiyng, and prote∣styng, that marriage was honourable, and that it was chasti∣tie for a man to lye with his owne wife. And so he aduised the Counsaill, that thei should not make any suche lawe, assuring them, that the matter was greate, and might bee an occasion of fornication, either vnto them, or vnto their wiues. And thus Paphuntius did set for the the matter (all bée it he were vnma∣ried hym self.) And the whole Counsaile and Synode, com∣mended his opinion, and decreed nothyng in this matter, and lefte it to euery mans will, and not to be of any necessitie.

It maie happen that in some case, a vowe maie bee either* 1.46 vtterly ill, or vnprofitable, or an hinderance vnto some other good thynges of more weight. And therefore it muste of ne∣cessitie be determined, that in suche a case a vow ought not to be kepte.

If any man haue vowed, and cannot conteine, and hauyng* 1.47 assaied al meanes, yet be neuer the nerer, I would aduise him, that he should prouide for the safetie of his soule by marriage.

It cannot be proued, neither by reason, nor by aucthoritie,* 1.48 speakyng absolutely, that a Prieste synneth in marriyng a wife, for neither the order of Priesthoode, in that it is order, nor the same order, in that it is holy, is any hinderaūce to ma∣trimonie. For Priesthoode breaketh not marriage, whether it be contracted before Priesthoode, or afterwarde, settyng all Ecclesiasticall lawes a parte, and standyng onely vnto those thynges, that we haue of Christe, and his Apostles.

All the Epistles of the Apostles, whiche teache sobrietie,* 1.49 and continente life, where as thei containe innumerable pre∣ceptes, touchyng Matrimonie, bryngyng vp of children, and gouernment of house, yet thei neuer forbadde honeste, and so∣ber marriage.

Thei saie that in olde tymes, before Pope Siricius, it was* 1.50 lawfull for Priestes to marrie (this was foure hundred ye∣res after Christe.)

In an euill promise, breake thy faithe: In an vnhoneste* 1.51 vowe, chaunge thy purpose, that thou haste vnaduisedly vo∣wed, see thou dooe it not. It is an euill promise, that is kepte with wickednesse.

Pelagius Pope, did create the Bishop of Siracusa, who had* 1.52 wife and children, at that tyme.

Pope Siluerius: Pope Densdedit: Pope Adriane. 2. Pope* 1.53 Ihon. 15. Pope Felix. 3. Pope Osius: Pope Agapetus: Pope Ge∣latius: Pope Bonifacius: Pope Ihon. 10. Pope Theodorus. &c. were all Popes, Bishoppes, and Priestes, with many other more that are founde, beyng Priestes sonnes, ruled the Apo∣stolique See of Rome.

I recken that there was neuer more pure, and honeste* 1.54

Priestes in the Churche, then there was then, when the help of marriage was open to euery man, Clytoueus saieth, that the misteries and secretes of the aulter, be higher in dignitie, then that thei maie be occupied of married men. Then saincte Paule did wrong, and farre a misse, whiche alloweth and ad∣mitteth not onely Deacons: but also Bishops, and Priestes, whiche hath wiues, to the misteries of the Aulter. I will not speake now of Peter, whiche was married, and Philippe the Deacon. Belike the Churche of Christe was in greate blinde∣nesse, which then could not spie, that the misterie of the aulter should not bee committed vnto married men, what thinketh and iudgeth that Counsaill, whiche pronounceth them accur∣sed, which refused to be at the Communion of a Priest, which hath a wife.

A greate parte of the Priestes liueth in greate infamie,* 1.55 and with a sore wounded conscience and an vnquiete, hande∣leth the holy Sacramentes. And for the moste parte, thei left all their labours, and the fruict that should come of them, bi∣cause their teachyng is despised, and set at naught, for their shamefull liuynges.

There is nothyng more to bee desired, then that a Priest might liue frée from marriage, and might wholy serue the lorde: but after that he hath assaied all remedies, and is neuer the better, and the rebellion of the fleshe cannot be ouercom∣med, this then is nexte to be doen, lette hym liue chastly with one, not for pleasure: but for a remedie, hauyng his wife al∣waies, endeuouring him self with all his power, that he which hath a wise graunted hym, fill vp and recompence the weake∣nesse of the fleshe, with other good liuing beside, and with holy study, for by this meanes euery man shall knowe, that he hath taken a wife for neede, and not for pleasure.

And I doubte not: but there is many Bishops, whiche per∣ceiueth that it is euen so as we saie: but here I am afraied, that lucre and aduantage stoppe vs, that we followe not it whiche we knowe is beste. If the Bishoppes would assaie to chaunge the single liuyng into marriage, peraduenture the Officialles and Commissaries would repine, whiche doeth perceiue more

aduauntage of priestes Concubines, then thei should haue by Priostes wiues, if thei had them.

Take awaie from the Churche honourable marriage, and* 1.56 the bedde vndefiled, shal•…•…e thou not replenishe it with Concu∣binaries, with incestious persones, Sodomiticall vires, and fi∣nally, with all kinde of beastly filthiness•…•….

In those daies Priestes commonly had wiues, as other* 1.57 Christian men had, and had children also, as maie appeare by auncient instrumentes, and deedes of giftes, whiche were gi∣uen then to churches, to the Cleargie, and to religious houses, in the which instrumentes both the priestes, and their wiues also with them, whiche there be called Praesbyterissae.

These glorious braggers doe vaunte them selues, to be the* 1.58 followers of the lorde, who neither had wife, nor yet possessed any thyng here in the worlde. &c. To these the Scriptures ma∣keth aunswere: GOD with standeth the proude, and giueth grace to the humble. Againe, thei consider not the cause, why the Lord tooke no wife. First, he had his owne peculiar spouse, whiche is the Churche. Moreouer, neither was he a common man, that he should stande insuche neede of a helper, after the fleshe. &c.

There be some whiche take Gregory for a maintainer of* 1.59 their sect, whose temeritie I laugh at, whose ignoraunce I la∣mente, for thei doe not knowe that the perilous decree of this heresie, established of Gregorie, was afterward pourged of hym, with the worthie fruicte of repentaunce, when as vpon a daie, out of his pondes was drawen sixe thousande childrens* 1.60 heades: when he sawe it, he vtterly condempnyng his decree, did praise the counsaile of Paule: Melius est nubere quam vri, addyng of his owne, Mclius est nubere quam mortis occasio∣nem 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

If it happen that a priest be seene to imbrace, or cull a wo∣man* 1.61 (in his armes) it shall bee iudged and interpresed, that he doeth it to blesse her. (Beholde Popishe blessynges).

The restraints of priestes marriage, was firste attempted in Englande, in the •…•…ere of our lorde. 970. And the same after∣wardes was concluded in the Weste Churche, in the yere of

our Lorde, noo, and neuer before.

a 1.62 Priestes liued a thousande yeres together with their wi∣ues: no lawe beyng to the contrary.

b 1.63 The Grekes muke no promise of continent, or single life, neither secretly, nor expressedly.

c 1.64 Now as we doe not condempne marriage: neither denye: but that married men in the Primatiue Churche, and before the Gospell was so generally receiued, as it was at lengthe, were, and might be called to the dignitie of Bishoppricke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Cor. 7. 2.
• * 1.2

  9.
• * 1.3

  Chap. 9. 5.
• * 1.4

  Philip. 4. 3.
• * 1.5

  1. Timo. 3. 2.
• * 1.6

  4.
• * 1.7

  5.
• * 1.8

  Hebre. 13. 4.
• * 1.9

  1. Timo. 4. 1.
• * 1.10

  3.
• * 1.11

  Origene in his 24. treatise vpon Math.
• * 1.12

  Ciprian in his 1. booke and xi. Epistle vnto Pomponeus of virgines. Ambrose in his. 3. booke of virginitie. In his booke vpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1. to the Cor. 7 cap. In his boke vpon the. 2. to the Cor. 11. Chap.
• a 1.13

  Augustine in his boke of the goodnes of mariage, Di∣stinction. 27. Quidam.
• * 1.14

  In his boke of holy virginitie the. 34. Chap.
• * 1.15

  In his boke of the goodnes of widowhod, Cap. •…•….
• * 1.16

  the.
• * 1.17

  In the. 9. chap. of the same boke.
• * 1.18

  In his. 1. boke of the goodnes of mariage & 1•…•…. Chap.
• * 1.19

  In his questiōs of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and newe Testa∣mēt the. 127. Question.
• * 1.20

  Chrisostome in his. 10. Ho∣milie vpon Timothie.
• * 1.21

  In his. •…•…1. Ho∣milie vpon Gene.
• * 1.22

  In his. 7. Ho∣milie vpon the Hebre.
• * 1.23

  Hierome ad virginem De∣metriadem.
• * 1.24

  In his booke vpon the. 1. chap. to Titus.
• * 1.25

  Vpon the. 1. Epistle to Ti∣moth. and 3. Chap.
• * 1.26

  In his. 1 booke against loui∣nia•…•….
• * 1.27

  In his boke vpon the Ephe. the. 37. distin∣ction. Canon Legant.
• * 1.28

  Ignatius vnto Philadelphen.
• * 1.29

  Ciril in his. 16. boke vpon Le∣uiticus.
• * 1.30

  Hierom. in his 1. boke against Iouinian.
• * 1.31

  Ifidorus, the distinctiō. 23. Hic igitur.
• * 1.32

  Chrisostome in his. 3. Tome against the Ie∣wes, Gentiles & Heretiques. Pag. 363.
• * 1.33

  In his. 4. Ho∣mily and. 1.
• * 1.34

  Tome in Esay vpon these wordes. I haue seene the lord.
• * 1.35

  Athanasius to Dracon•…•…▪
• * 1.36

  Cassiodorus in his. 6. boke. & 14. Chap.
• * 1.37

  Eusebius in his 3. boke, and 30. Chap.
• * 1.38

  In his. 5. booke and. 24. Chap.
• * 1.39

  Gregorie Na∣zianzene, vpon the Epitaphe of his father. Bi∣shop of Nazi∣anzene.
• * 1.40

  Vpon the Epi∣taphe of Gor∣gonia.
• * 1.41

  Gregorie Pope in the. 27. Di∣stinction, and 2. question. Canon. Sunt qui.
• * 1.42

  In the Counsel of Gangra. cap. 4.
• * 1.43

  In the Counsel at Constanti∣nople, distin∣ction. 31. Quoniam.
• * 1.44

  In the counsell of Ancyra, Ca∣non. 9.
• * 1.45

  In the Counsel of Tolete. 8. Canon. 2. The Counsell of Nyce, hol∣den in the yere of our Lorde. 313. Distincti∣on. 31. Chap. Nycena.
• * 1.46

  Thomas of A∣quine. 22. q. 88. Arti. 10.
• * 1.47

  Alphonsus de Castro, Philip∣pica. 19.
• * 1.48

  Cardinall Ca∣ietanus in Quodlibetis, against Luther.
• * 1.49

  Clement Ale∣xandrinus in his. 5. boke, Stroma•…•….
• * 1.50

  In the. 8. Di∣stinction cum in piaeterito, in the Glose.
• * 1.51

  In the decrees. 22. Question. 4. chap. malis.
• * 1.52

  Out of the 28. Distinction.
• * 1.53

  Damasous Pope, Distin∣ction. 56. Cap. Sed hoc.
• * 1.54

  Erasmus in his aunsvvere to Iodocus Clito∣ucus.
• * 1.55

  In his Epistle to Christopher •…•…. of Basile.
• * 1.56

  Barnarde in his 66. Sermon v∣pon the Canri∣cles.
• * 1.57

  Auentious in Histor. Boioris.
• * 1.58

  Clement Ale∣xanden his. 5. boke Strom. 7. This Clemont wrote. 200. yeres aftor, Christe.
• * 1.59

  Hulderichus Bishop of Au∣gusta, to Pope Nicholas.
• * 1.60

  Beholde the fruictes of Po∣pishe Chastiry.
• * 1.61

  The. 11. cause 3. Question in the Glose, in the Chap. absit. Polidorus vir∣gill •…•…o his. 6. boke of the hi∣storie of En∣glande and in his. 5. booke of the inuention of thinges.
• a 1.62

  •…•…abran in his Chro•…•…icle in the pag. 293.
• b 1.63

  In the 31. di∣stinction Cap. Quoniam.
• c 1.64

  D. Har ling in his boke a de∣rection of sun∣drie foule e•…•…∣rours. &c. folio 80.