Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

THE SECOND PART, WHETHER Marie vowed Virginitie before the Annuntiation.

The Papists.

[error 81] THey would gather and conclude so much out of the answere of Marie to the Angell, who told her, she should conceaue and beare a sonne: How can this be (sayth she) seeing I know no man? That is, she plainly declareth, she could haue no childe by knowing a man, because of her vow, for otherwise she nee∣ded not haue asked such a question, how a woman might haue a sonne promi∣sed her, if she had maried to haue carnal copulation. Rhemist. Luk. 1. sect. 13. Bellarmin. de Monachis. cap. 22.

Ans. First, Ambrose maketh this to be the cause why Marie so answered, she had read the prophesie of Esay, that a virgin should conceiue & bring forth a sonne, and therefore knew very wel, that this holy childe should be otherwise conceiued, then by the knowledge or helpe of man, Fulk. ibid. Secondly, as al∣so the Angel deliuering at once his whole message, and shewing what maner of childe it should be: euen the Sonne of the most high, who should sit on the throne of Dauid, and of his kingdome there should be no end: that is, that the childe should be the Sonne of God: she straightwayes conceiued that such a holy seede could not be borne of man, and therefore asketh, how without man he might be borne. Sic Caluin. Beza.

The Protestants.

THat Marie, as she was an entire Virgin before the birth of Christ, so that she continued also a Virgin all her life after, we doe verily think, and condemne their opinion that holde the contrarie: but that she vowed or purposed Virgi∣nitie, before the message of the Angel was brought vnto her, it is rashly without scripture, nay rather agaynst it, affirmed.

Argum. 1. The text is playne, that they had a purpose to consummate their mariage: When as Marie was betrothed to Ioseph, before they came together▪ Math. 1.18. Ergo, there was a meaning to come together, if she had not in the meane time been found to be with childe of the holy Ghost: for otherwise, it shuld seeme to haue been a mockery on Maries behalfe, to promise mariage to Ioseph, without any purpose to performe the duety of mariage. But if it were done with both their consents, then mocked they with God, who instituted mariage for some ende and purpose, which could not be attayned out of mariage: for they should haue maried neither for auoyding fornication, nor for procreation, which are the two chiefe ends of mariage: as for the third, which is mutuall comfort, it ariseth of the former.

Argum. 2. It was not the manner among the Iewes to vow Virginitie, but

it was rather a shame and reproch to remayne and die a Virgin: and therefore Iephthaths daughter lamented her Virginitie, Iudg. 11.38. Howe then could Marie be induced contrary to the custome of the Church, to vow Virginitie? Yea Augustine confesseth as much: Hoc mores Israelitarum recusabant: The manners of the Israelites did not suffer it, de Virginit. cap. 4. though he himselfe els-where, and in the same place seemeth to incline to the contrary opinion.