The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principall teachers of this Churche of England collected and compiled in one tome togither, beyng before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the prayse of God, and profite of all good Christian readers.

The xiij. Chapter.

IN the xiij. he rageth and fareth exce∣dyng foule with him selfe. There he biteth, sucketh, gnaweth, towseth, and mowseth Tyndall. There he weneth that he hath wonne his spurres & that it is not possible to aunswere him. And yet there, because he there most stādeth in his owne conceite, I doubt not vn∣to them that be learned in Christe to proue hym most ignoraunt of all, and cleane without vnderstanding of god∣ly thynges.

And I say yet, that as no woman ought to rule a mans office••, where a * 1.1 man is present, by the order of nature, and as a young man ought not to be chosen, to minister in y^e Church, where an old mete for the rowme may be had by the order of nature, euen so it was Paules meaning to preferre the mari∣ed before the vnmaried, for the incon∣ueniences that might chaunce by the reason of vnchastitie, which inconue∣niences M. More might see with sor∣row * 1.2 of hart (if he had as great loue to Christ as to other thinges) to happen dayly vnto the shame of Christes doc∣trine, among Priestes, Fryers and Monkes, partly with open whores, partly with their sodometrie, whereof they cast ech other in the teeth dayly in euery Abbey, for the least displeasure that one doth to an other. M. More might see what occasions of vnchas••i∣tie be geuen vnto the Curates euery where by the reason of their office and dayly conuersation with the maryed.

And when he sayth, neuer mā could finde that exposition till now, there he sayth vntrue. For S. Hierome hymselfe * 1.3 saith that he knew them that so expo••∣ded the text, and rebuked them of Rome because they would not admit into the clergie them that had had two wiues, the one before baptim and the other af∣ter, saying: if a man had killed xx. men before his Baptime, they would not haue forbidden him, and why then should that which is no sinne at all be * 1.4 a let vnto him. But the God of Rome would not heare him. For Sathan be∣ganne then to worke his misteries of wickednes.

And when he saith, he that hath ten wiues hath one wife. I say that one is taken by the vse of speaking for one onely. As when I say, I am content to geue thee one, meaning one onely. And vnto him that hath no helpe, is there one helpe, to looke for no helpe where one helpe is taken for one one∣ly, and many places els.

And when M. More sayth, he that hath had two wiues one after an nother, may not be Priest, and that if a Priestes wife die he may not haue another, or that if he were made Priest hauing no wife, he might not after mary if he burnt. I desire a reason of him: If he say, it hath * 1.5 bene so the vse: then say I an whore is better then a wife, for that hath bene y^e vse of our holy father many hundred yeares. But I affirme vnto M. More the contrary. And I say first wyth Paule, that the kingdome of God is * 1.6 not meate and drinke, and by the same reason neither husband or wife, but y^t keeping of the commaundements and to loue euery man his neighbour as himselfe. And therefore as meate and drinke were ordeined for mans neces∣sitie, and as a man may care & drinke at all needes in all degrees, so farre as it letteth him not to keepe the com∣maundementes and to loue his neigh∣bour as himselfe: euen so was the wife created for the mans necessitie, and therefore may a man vse her at all hys neede in all degrees, as farre as she let∣teth hym not to keepe Gods lawe, which is nothing els by Paules lear∣ning, then that a man loue hys neygh∣bour as himselfe. Now I desire a rea∣son of M. Mores doctrine, what doth

my second wife, or my third hinder me * 1.7 to loue my neighbour as my selfe, and to do him seruice against I come to be priest? What let is your second wife to you to serue our holy father the Pope, more then your first would haue bene? And in like maner if my first wife die, when I am a Priest, why may I not loue my neighbour & do hym as good seruice with the second as with y^e first? And againe, if I be made priest hauing no wife, and after burne, and therfore mary, why may I not loue my neigh∣bour and serue hym wyth that wyfe, as well as he that brought a wife with hym?

It was not for nought that Paule * 1.8 prophesied that some should departe from the faith, & attend vnto disceaue∣able spirites and deuelishe doctrine, * 1.9 forbidding to mary and to eate meates which god hath created to be receaued with thankes of them that know the truth, to buy dispēsations, to vse law∣full meat and vnlawfull wiues.

And I aske M. More why he y^t hath * 1.10 the second wife or hath had two wiues may not be a Priest, or why if a Prie∣stes first wife die, he may not mary the second. He will aunswere because the Priest must represent the misteries or secrete properties and vnion of Christ the onely husbande of his onely wyfe the church or congregation that bele∣ueth in him onely. That is, as I haue * 1.11 in other places sayd, the scripture de∣scribeth vs in matrimonye the myste∣ries and secrete benefites which God the father hath hid in Christ for all thē that be chosen and ordeyned to beleue and put their trust in him to be saued. As when a man taketh a wife, he ge∣ueth her himselfe, his honour, hys ri∣ches, and all that he hath, and maketh her of equall degree vnto himselfe: if he be king, and she before a beggers daughter, yet she is not y^e lesse Quene, and in honour aboue al other. If he be Emperour she is Empresse, and ho∣noured of men as the Emperour, and partaker of all. Euen so if a man repēt and come, and beleue in Christ to be sa¦ued from the dampnation of the sinne, of which he repenteth, Christ is hys owue good immediately: Christes death, paine, prayer, passion, fastyng, and all his merites are for that mans sinnes a full satisfaction, and a sacrifice of might and power to absolue hym 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pena et a culp. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Christes enheritaunce, his loue and fauour that he hath wyth God his father are that mans by and by: and the man by that mariage is pure as Christ, and cleane wythout sinne, and honourable, glorious, wei∣beloued and in fauour thorow y^t grace of that mariage. And because that the Priest must represent vs this significa∣tion, is the cause why a Priest may not haue the second wyfe say they, which popishe reason hath deceaued many wise, as who can be but deceaued in some thing, if he receaue all his doc∣trine by the auctoritie of his elders, ex∣cept he haue an occasion as we haue to runne to Moses and the Prophetes, & there heare & see with our owne eyes, and beleue no longer by the reason of oure forefathers, when we see them so shamefully beguild themselues, and to beguile vs in a thousand things which the Turkes see.

Now to our purpose, if this doc∣trine be true, then must euery Priest haue a wife or haue had a wife. For he that neuer had wife can not represent vs this. And againe, he that hath an whore or an other mans wife hath lost this property, and therfore ought to be put downe.

And againe, the second mariage thē of no man is, or can be a Sacramēt by that doctrine. And yet I will describe you the mariage of Christ as well by his mariage that hath had ix. wyues, and hath now the tenth, as by his that hath now the first.

O will they say, his wyfe was no * 1.12 virgine, or he when they were maried. Sir the signification standeth not in y^t virginitie but in the actuall wedlocke. We were no virgines when we came to Christ but cōmon whores beleuing in a thousand Idoles.

And in the second mariage or tenth and ye will, the man hath but one wife and all his are hers, and his other wi∣ues be in a land where is no husbande or wife. I say therfore with Paul that this is a deuilishe doctrine and hath a similitude of godlines with it, but the power is away. The myste of it blyn∣deth the eyes of the simple and begui∣leth them, that they can not see a thou∣sand abhominations wrought vnder that cloke.

And therfore I say still, that the A∣postles meaning was that he shoulde * 1.13 haue a wi••e, if haply his age were not the greater, and that by one wi••e he ex∣cludeth them that had two, and them that were defamed with other saue their owne wiues, and woulde haue thē to be such as were knowen of ver∣tuous

liuing, for to do reuerence & ho∣nour vnto the doctrine of Christ. As it appeareth by the widowes which he excludeth before lx. yeares, for feare of * 1.14 vnchastitie, and admitteth yet none of that age, except she were well knowen of chast, honest and godly behauiour, and that to honour Gods word with∣all, than which the Pope hath nothing more vile. And whē M. More to mock, bringeth forth the text of the wydowe, that she must be the wife of one man. I answere, for all his iesting, that Paule excludeth not her that had x. husbands one after an other, but her that had ij. husbandes attonce. And when More laugheth at it, as though it had neuer * 1.15 bene the guise. I would to god for his mercy that it were not the guise at this day, and then I am sure hys wrath would not be so great as it is. Paule meaneth onely that he would haue no diffamed woman chosen wydowe for dishonouring the worde of God and the congregation of Christ, and there∣fore excludeth common women, and such as were diffamed besides their husbandes, and haply y^t deuorced ther∣to. And that I proue by the same doc∣trine of Paule, that the kingdome of God is no such busines but the keping of Gods commaundementes onely, & to loue one an other. Now looke on y^t thing and on the office of the widowe. It was but to waite on the sicke and poore people, and to washe straūgers feete. Now the widowes of ten hus∣bandes must haue be founde of the cost of the congregation, if they were desti∣cute of frends, as all other poore were, though in tyme passed they haue bene diffamed persons.

But vnder lx. would Paule let none minister for feare of occasions of vncha¦stity, and therto none but such as were well knowen of honest liuing and of good report. Now in as much as the widow of ten husbands must be foūde of the common cost at her neede, what vncleanes is in her by the reason of her secōd husband, that she is not good inough to be a seruaunt vnto the poore people, to dresse their meate, washtheir clothes, to make their beddes and so * 1.16 forth and to wash straūgers feete, that came out of one congregation vnto an other about businesse▪ and to do all ma¦ner seruice of loue vnto her poore bre∣thren and sisters. To haue had the se∣cond husband is no shame among the heathen: it is no shame amōg the Chri¦sten for when the husband is dead, the wife is free to mary to whom she will in the Lord, and by as good reason the husband, and of right who more free then the Priest? And therfore they shame not our doctrine nor our cōgre∣gation, nor dishonour God amōg the heathen or weake Christen. Now whē we haue a playne rule that he whiche * 1.17 loueth his neighbour as him selfe ke∣peth all the lawes of God, let hym tell me for what cause of loue toward hys neighbour, a widow of two lawfull husbands may not do seruice vnto the poore people.

Why may not a widow of fifty do seruice vnto the poore? Paule whiche knytteth no snares nor leadeth vs blind nor teacheth vs without a reason geuing of his doctrine, aunswereth, for feare of occasions of euill, lest she be tempted or tempt other: And then if she be taken in misdoyng, the doctrine of Christ be euill spoken of therto and the weake offended.

And when M. More mocketh with my reason that I would haue euerye Priest to haue a wife because few men cā liue chaste, I aunswere, that if he loued the honor of Christ and his neighbour as he doth his owne couetousnesse, he should finde that a good Argument. Paul maketh the same and much more sclenderly then I after your sophistrie. For hee disputeth thus, some yoūg wi∣dowes * 1.18 do dishonest y^e congregation of Christ and his doctrine, therfore shall no young widow at all minister in the common seruice therof: But shal all be maried & beare children and serue their husbādes. And it is a farre lesse rebuke to the doctrine of Christ and his cōgre¦gation, that a womā should do amisse, then the Bishop or Priest. I am not so mad, to thinke y^t there could no Priest at all line chaste. Neither am I so foo∣lish to thinke that there be not as ma∣ny womē that could liue chast at fifty, as Priestes as xxiiij. And yet though of a thousand widowes of fifty yeare old ix. hundred xc. & ix. could liue chast, Paul because he knoweth not that one wil let none at all minister in the com∣mon seruice amōg occasions of vncha∣stitie. Christes Apostles considered all infirmities and all that might hynder the doctrine of Christ, and therfore dyd their best to preuēt all occasiōs. Wher∣fore, * 1.19 as fish is no better then flesh, nor flesh better then fish in the kyngdome of Christ, euen so virginitie wedlocke and widowed are none better then o∣ther to be saued by in their own nature

or to please God with all, but with what soeuer I may best serue my bre∣thren, that is euer best accordyng vnto the tyme and fashion of the world. In persecution it is good for euery man to liue chast if he can, and namely for the preacher. In peace when a man may liue quietly and abyde in one place, a wise is a sure thyng to cut of occasiōs.

Then he would make it seme that Priestes wiues were the occasions of he∣resies * 1.20 in Almany. Nay, they fell first to heresies and then tooke wiues, as ye sell first to the Popes holy doctrine & then tooke whores.

More. The Church byndeth no man * 1.21 to chastitie. Tyndall. of a truth, for it ge¦ueth licence to who soeuer wil, to kepe whores, and permitteth to abuse mens wiues and suffereth sodomitrie, and doth but onely forbid matrimonie.

And when he sayth, chastitie was all most receaued by generall custome, be∣fore * 1.22 the lawe was made: one lye. And good fathers dyd but geue theyr aduise therto: an other lye. And it was ratified and receaued with the cōsent of all Chri∣stendome: the third lye.

They did well to chose a Poete to be their defender. First it was attemp∣ted in generall Coūcell and resisted by holy fathers which yet thēselues were neuer maried, saying that men might not knit a •…•…ate for their weake bre∣thrē, agaynst the doctrine of Christ and hys Apostles. Neither could it bee brought to passe, vntill the Pope had got the Emperours sword out of hys hād. The Grekes which were the one halfe of Christendome then I suppose, would neuer admit it.

Now godly loue would neuer suffer them to cōsent that we should be boūd vnto that burthen which they themsel∣ues could not beare as M. More in an other place affirmeth that they dyd. And agayne, we haue manifest storyes that it was brought in with violence ot sword & that all the Priestes of Ger¦many * 1.23 were cōpelled to put away their wiues. And we finde that whersoeuer the pope raigneth, he came in with de∣ceauyng the kyng of the countrey and then with his sword cō••elled the rest. The Pope came but now late into Wales to raigne there ouer the By∣shops and Priestes, and that with the sword of the kyng of England.

And yet though all the Clergie of christendome had graunted it, all the Church had not made it, nor yet the tenth part of the Church. The lay peo¦ple be as well of the Churche as the Priestes. Neither can all the Priestes in the world of right make any law wherin their part lyeth without their consent. Now it perteineth vnto the cōmon people and most of all vnto the * 1.24 weakest, that their Priestes be endued with all vertue and honestie. And the chastitie of his wife, daughter and ser∣uaunt perteineth vnto euery particu∣lar man, which we see by experience de¦filed dayly, by the vnchast chastitie of the spiritualitie.

Wherfore if the Parishes, or any one Parish, after they had sene the experi∣ence what incōueniences came of their chastitie, would haue no Curate except he had a wife to cut of occasions, as Paule when he had sene that proofe, would haue no young widowes mi∣nister, who saue a tyraunt, should be agaynst them?

Moreouer the generall Councels of the spiritualtie are of no other ma∣ner, * 1.25 sence the Pope was a God, then the generall Parlamentes of the tem∣poralitie. Where no man dare say hys mynde frely and liberally for ••eare of some one, and of his flatterers.

And looke in what captiuitie the Parlamentes be vnder the priuate coū¦sels * 1.26 of kinges, so are the generall Coū∣cels vnder the Pope and his Cardi∣nals. And this is the maner of both. Some one two or three wilye Foxes, that haue all other in subiection, as ye * 1.27 haue sene in my Lord Cardinall, ima∣gine, not what ought to be, but what they lust to haue and conceaue in theyr own braynes and go with child, some tyme a yeare. ij. iij. iiij. v. vi. or. vij. and some tyme. xx. and aboue, castyng, can∣••esing and compassing for the byrth a∣gaynst oportunitie: openyng the mat∣ter priuely vnder an othe a litle and a litle vnto certaine Secretaries whose part is therin, as they finde men of ac∣tiuitie and of courage, prepared to sell soule and body for promotion.

And the matter in the meane tyme is turmoyled and tossed among them¦selues: and persuasions and sutle rea∣sons are forged to blind the right way and to beguile mens wittes. And whō they feare to haue aduersaries able to resist them, for such, meanes are sought to bring them in vnto their partie or to conuey them out of the way. And whē oportunitie is come, they call a counsel or Parlamēt vnder a contrary pretēce. And a Masse of the holy ghost, whom they desire as farre away as were pos∣sible,

is song and a goodly Sermon is made, to blere mens eyes with all. And then sodenly other mē vnprouided, the matter is opened, after the most suttle maner. And many are beguiled with suttle argumentes and craftie persua∣sions. And they that hold hard agaynst * 1.28 thē are called aside and reasoned with a part and handled after a fashion, and partly entised with fayre promises and partly feared with cruell threatnyngs, and so some are ouercome with siluer syllogismes & other for feare of threat∣nyng are driuen vnto silence, And if a∣ny be found at the last, that will not o∣bey their falsehead and tyranny, they rayle on him and iest him out of coūte∣naunce & call him opinatiue, selfe myn∣ded and obstinate, & beare him in hand that the deuill is in him that he so clea∣ueth vnto his owne witte, though he speake no silllable but Gods word, & is asked whether he wilbe wiser then other mē. And in the spiritualitie, they excommunicate him and make an he∣reticke * 1.29 of him. And this to be true in the Clergies chastitie is as cleare as y^e day by manifest chronicles, in so much that the Prelates of Rome, were a brewyng it aboue an hundred yeares and I wot not how long lenger, yer they could bryng it to passe, and yet in vayne til they had got the Emperours sword to proue that it was most expe∣dient so to be. And for what entent? to * 1.30 bryng all vnder the Pope, and that the Prelates of all landes might as the old maner was, come and wayte on the Pope at Rome, where he prepared thē whores inough.

And that his sworne Prelates in e∣uery land, might the more conuenient∣ly wayte in Kyngs Courtes, to mini∣ster the commō wealth vnto the popes pleasure and profite. For had the Cler∣gie kept their wiues, they could neuer haue come vnto this where they now be, and to these pluralities, vniōs and totquottes. For there is no lay man though he were neuer so euill disposed, that could for his wife & children haue leysure to cōtr•…•…e such mischiefe, and to runne from countrey to countrey, to learne falshead and subtiltie, as our spi¦ritualtie do, which without feare of * 1.31 God and shame of man, keepe whores whersoeuer they come. And thus ye see, that the clergies chastitie, pertay∣neth as much vnto the temporaltie as vnto the spiritualtie.

And an other is this, no power a∣mong them that professe the truth may bynde where God lowseth, saue onely where loue and my neighbours neces∣sitie requireth it of me. Neyther can a∣ny power now binde them to come, but they may freely keepe or breake, as the thing is hurtfull or expediēt. Nei∣ther can there be any bond where loue and necessitie requireth the contrary. So that this law, loue thy neighbour, to helpe him as thou wouldest be holp, must interpret all mans lawes.

As if I had sworne young or vn∣wisely that I would liue chast & all the world had bound me, if afterwarde I burnt and could not ouercome the pas∣sion, I ought to mary.

For I must condition my vow and * 1.32 shew a cause of it thereto. I may not vow for the chastitie it selfe, as though it were sacrifice to please God in it self, for that is the Idolatry of heathen. I must therfore vowe to do my neygh∣bour seruice (which in that case he may not require) or to geue my selfe more quietly to prayer and studie (which is not possible as long as I burne, and the minde will not be quiet) or that I may the better keepe y^e lawes of God, which if I burne, I stand thorow my chastitie in more ieopardy to breake & * 1.33 to hurt my neighbour, and to shame y^t doctrine of Christ. And in like maner, if I had forsworne flesh, & al the world had bound me, yet if necessitie require it of me, to saue my life or my health, I ought to breake it. And againe though I had sworne chastitie, and the cōmon wealth or the necessitie of an other re∣quired the contrary, I must breake it. But on the one side, of all that euer burnt in the Popes chastitie, he neuer gaue priest licence to take wife, but to keepe whores onely. And on the other side, all that vow any vow, do it for the thing it selfe, as though it were as I sayd seruice or sacrifice to God that had delite in the deede, as young chil∣dren haue in Apples, and that for that deede they shall haue an higher roome in heauē then their neighbours, which is the Idolatry of the heathen, whē he ought to bestow his vow vppon hys neighbour to bryng him to heauen, & not to enuie him, & to seeke thereby an higher roome, not caring whether his neighbour come thether or no. And fi∣nally to burne and not to vse the na∣turall remedy that God hath made, is but to tempt God, as in all other thin¦ges. But & if God haue brought thee into a straite, and haue therto takē the naturall remedy from thee, then to re∣siste

and to crie vnto God for helpe, & to suffer, is a signe y^t thou louest Gods lawes. And to loue Gods law is to be sure that thou art Gods childe elect to mercy. For in all his children onely, he writeth that token.

And then he sayth, euery man hath his choyce whether he will be Priest or no. But what nettes and snares doth * 1.34 Antichrist lay for them?

First his false doctrine, where with the Elders beguiled, cōpell their chil∣dren * 1.35 and sacrifice them, to burne in the Popes chastitie with no other mynde, then those olde Idolaters sacrificed their children vnto the false God Mo∣loch: so that they thinke, by the me∣rites of their childrens burning, after the Popes false doctrine, to please god and to get heauen, cleane ignoraunt of the testament made in Christes bloud.

Then what a multitude are blinded * 1.36 and drawen into the net, with the baite of promotion, honour, dignitie, plea∣sures, freedome and libertie to sinne, & to do all mischiefe vnpunished, things which all euill that feare not God do desire?

And what a number brought vp i∣dely vnto xx. and aboue, then put their * 1.37 heades in his halter, because they haue no other crast to get their liuinges, & not because they can liue chast.

Also some liue chast at xxiiij. which same burne at xxx. And that to be true * 1.38 dayly experience teacheth, and good naturall causes there be.

And thē looke on the Apostles lear∣ning * 1.39 and ordinaunce. When one or two young wydowes had brokē their chastitie, he would neuer after let any moe bee chosen of the same age. How commeth it then that the Pope for so many hundred thousandes that misca∣ry, will neither breake the ordinaunce or mitigat it, or let any goe backe, but if any burne, sendeth them vnto the shame of Christes doctrine, and offen∣ding and hurt of hys Church, & neuer vnto the lawfull remedie of mariage.

And when M. More calleth it heresie, * 1.40 to thinke that the maried were as plea∣saunt to God as the vnmaryed, he is sure¦ly an hereticke that thinketh the cōtra∣ry. Christes kingdom is neither meate nor drinke, nor husband nor wife, nor widow nor virgine, but the keepyng of the commaundementes and seruing of a mans neighbour louingly by the doctrine of S. Paul, where not to eate helpeth me to keepe the commmaūde∣mentes better then to eate, there it is better not to eate then to eate. And where to eate helpeth me to keepe the * 1.41 commaundementes and to do my du∣tie vnto my neighbour, there it is bet∣ter to eate then not to eate. And in like case where to be without a wife help∣eth more to keepe the cōmaundemētes and to serue a mans neighboure, there it is better to be vnmaryed then mari∣ed, and where a wife helpeth to keepe the commaundementes better then to be without, there it is better to haue a wife then to be wythout. That hart onely which is ready to do or let vn∣done * 1.42 all thinges for his neighbours sake, is a pleasaunt thing in the sight of God.

And when he will haue the Priestes to liue chast, for reuerence of the Sacra∣mentes, * 1.43 it is deuillishe doctrine hauing the similitude of godlines, but the pith & marow is away. If he meane water, oyle, salt, and such like, then is y^• wyfe with her body and all her vses in the lawes of God, incomparable purer & holyer. If he meane the sacrament of Christes body, I aunswere, that the handes defile not the man, nor ought that goeth thorow the handes be they neuer so vnwashed, by the testimony of Christ, and much lesse can they then * 1.44 defile Christ.

Moreouer, the Priest toucheth not * 1.45 Christes naturall body wyth his han∣des by your owne doctrine, nor seeth it with his eyes, nor breaketh it wyth hys fingers, nor eateth it wyth hys mouth, nor chāmeth it with his teeth, nor drinketh his bloud with his lippes for Christ is impassible. But he that re∣penteth toward the lawe of God, and * 1.46 at the sight of the sacrament, or of the breaking, feling, eating, chamming or drinking, calleth to remembraunce the death of Christ, his body breaking and bloud shedding for our sinnes, and all his passion, the same eateth our Saui∣ours body and drinketh his bloud tho¦row fayth onely, & receaueth forgeue∣nes of all his sinnes therby, and other not. And all that haue not this doc∣trine of the Sacrament come therto in vaine. And therfore there is no more cause that he which sayth the Masse should liue chast, then he that heareth it, or he that ministreth the Sacramēt, then he that receaueth it. It is to me great maruell that vnlawfull whore∣dome, couetousnes, and extortion, can not defile their handes, as well as law full matrimonye. Curssed therefore be their deuillishe doctrine wyth false ap∣pearing

godlines, the fruit and power away, out of the hartes of all Christen men.

And when he bringeth the ensample of the heathen, I prayse him. For the heathen because they could not vnder∣stand God spiritually, to serue hym in the spirit, to beleue in him, and to loue his lawes, therfore they turned hys glory vnto an Image, and serued hym after their owne imagination with bo∣dely seruice, as the whole kingdome of the Pope doth, hauing lesse power to serue hym in spirite then the Turkes. For when the heathē made an Image of the axes or feuers and sacrificed ther * 1.47 to, they knew that y^e Image was not the feuers, but vnder y^e similitude of y^e Image, they worshipped the power of God which plagued them with the fe∣uers, with bodely seruice, as the Pope doth aboue all the Idolaters that euer were in the worlde. As when we paint Saint Machael weying the soules, & * 1.48 sticke vp a candle to flatter him, and to make him fauourable vnto vs, and re∣garde not the testament of Christ, nor the lawes of God, because we haue no power to beleue nor to loue the truth. And euen so, to referre virginitie vnto the person of God, to please hym ther∣with, is false sacrifice and heathenishe Idolatrie. For the onely seruice of god * 1.49 is to beleue in Christ and to loue the lawe. Wherfore thou must referre thy wedlocke, thy virginitie and all thy o∣ther deedes vnto the keepyng of the lawe and seruing thy neighbour only. And then whē thou lookest wyth a lo∣uing hart, on the law that saith, breake not wedlocke, keepe no whore and so forth, and findest thy body weake, and thyne office such that thou must haue conuersation with mēs wiues, daugh∣ters and seruauntes, then it is better to haue a wife thē to be without. And againe if thou see seruice to be done y^t thou canst not so well do with a wyfe as without, then if thou haue power to be without, it is best so to be, and in such like. And els the one is as good as the other, and no difference. And to to take a wife for pleasure, is as good as to absteine for displeasure.

And when M. More seeth no other cause, why it is not best that our spiritua∣litie were all gelded, then for losse of me∣rite in resistyng, besides that that imagi∣nation is playne Idolatrie, I hold M. More beguiled, if all we read of gelded men be true and the experience we see in other beastes. For then the gelded lust in their flesh as much as the vn∣gelded. Which if it be true, then the gel¦ded, * 1.50 in that he taketh such great payne in geldyng, not to minishe his lustes, but if lustes ouercome him, yet that he haue not wherewith to hurt his neigh¦bour, deserueth more then the vngel∣ded. And then it were best that we did eate and drinke & make our flesh strōg that we burned, to deserue in resisting, as some of your holy Saintes haue layd virgins in their beddes; to kindle their courage, that they might after * 1.51 quench their heate in cold water, to de∣serue the merite of holy Martyrs.

And whē he sayth, the Priestes of the old law absteined from their wiues when they serued in the tēple. Many thynges were forbidden them, to kepe them in bonde and seruile feare & for other pur¦poses. And yet I trow h•• findeth it not in the text that they were forbidden their wiues. And when he imagineth so because Zacharias, when his course was out, gat him home to his house, I thinke it was better for him to go to his house, then to send for his house to him, he was also old and his wife to. But and if they were forbidden, it was but for a tyme, to geue them to prayer, as we might do right well and as wel as they. But I read that they were for * 1.52 bidden to drinke wine & strong drinke, when they ministred: of whiche ours powre in without measure.

M. More. Christ liued chast and exhor∣teth * 1.53 vnto chastitie.

Tyndall. We be not all of Christes * 1.54 complection, neither exhorteth he to o∣ther chastitie then wedlocke, saue at a tyme to serue our neighbours. Now y^t Popes chastitie is not to serue a mās neighbour, but to runne to riotte and to carie away with him the liuyng of the poore and of the true preacher, euen the tythes of v. or vj. Parishes and to go & either dwell by a stewes or to ca∣ry a stewes with him, or to corrupt o∣ther mens wiues.

Paphnutius a man that neuer pro∣ued * 1.55 Mariage is praysed in the stories, for resistyng such doctrine with Gods word in a generall Councell before the Pope was a God. And now M. More a man that hath proued it twise is mag∣nified for defendyng it with sophistrie. And agayn me semeth that it is a great * 1.56 ouer sight of M. More to thinke that Christ though he were neuer maryed would not more accept the seruice of a maried mā that would more say truth for hym then they that abhorre wed∣locke:

in as much as the spiritualtie ac¦cept his humble seruice & reward his merites with so high honour, because he can better fayne for them, then any of their vnchast, I would say owne chast people, though he be Bigamus & past the grace of his necke verse.

And finally, if M. More loke so much on y^e pleasure that is in Mariage, why setteth he not his eyes on the thankes geuyng for that pleasure, & on the pa∣cience of other displeasures.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Age is to be prefer∣red before ••outh.
• * 1.2

  The chast vnchastirie of the Pa∣pistes is abhomina∣ble both to God and man.
• * 1.3

  S. Hie∣rome.
• * 1.4

  The Pope iudgeth no sinne to bee sinne, and sinne to be no sinne.
• * 1.5

  A Priest by the Po∣pes order may haue a whore but not a wife.
• * 1.6

  Rom. 14.
• * 1.7

  Mores doc¦trine is su∣perstitious
• * 1.8

  1. Tim. 4.
• * 1.9

  The Pope forbiddeth mariage.
• * 1.10

  Apparant godlynesse why the Priest may not haue y^• secōd wife.
• * 1.11

  Christes benefites to¦ward vs are figured by matri∣mony.
• * 1.12

  We were Idolaters when we came to Christ.
• * 1.13

  S. Paules doctrine is that priests shuld haue wiues.
• * 1.14

  Widowes.
• * 1.15

  More is a sco••fer.
• * 1.16

  The office of the w••d∣dowes in y^e primatine church.
• * 1.17

  Rom. 13▪
• * 1.18

  Young wi∣dowes we∣re forbiddē to minister in the com∣mō seruice.
• * 1.19

  Fishe no better then fleshe, nor fleshe no better then fishe in the kingdame of Christ.
• * 1.20

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. ☞ Tyndall.
• * 1.21

  More. Tyndall.
• * 1.22

  Three lyes at •…•…ce.
• * 1.23

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.24

  Priestes must be en¦dued wyth vertue and honesty.
• * 1.25

  Generall counsell.
• * 1.26

  Parl•…•…∣ment.
• * 1.27

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vsed both in generall to▪ •…•…es, and also 〈◊〉〈◊〉 parliamen∣tes.
• * 1.28

  A practise vsed in all counsayles and Parla∣mentes.
• * 1.29

  The spiri∣tualtie make here∣tickes of them that resist theyr power and will.
• * 1.30

  Why Priestes may haue no wyues.
• * 1.31

  The chasti¦tie of the ••••ergy per¦t••••neth to the tempo∣•…•…ie, as much as to the spiri∣tualtie.
• * 1.32

  Vowes.
• * 1.33

  No oth is to be kept that is a∣gaynst cha∣ritie or ne∣cessitie.
• * 1.34

  The popes snares.
• * 1.35

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.36

  2.
• * 1.37

  3.
• * 1.38

  4.
• * 1.39

  5.
• * 1.40

  Tyndall doth here playnly proue More an hereticke.
• * 1.41

  That is e∣uer best, that mo∣ueth man to the ke∣pyng of Gods com¦maunde∣mentes.
• * 1.42

  ☜
• * 1.43

  Deuilish doctrine.
• * 1.44

  Math. 15.
• * 1.45

  Christes natural bo∣dy is not in the Sacra∣ment.
• * 1.46

  The Sa∣crament of the body 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bloud of Christ how it must be receiued.
• * 1.47

  ☞
• * 1.48

  S. Micha∣el wayeth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 soules.
• * 1.49

  The true seruice of God, what it is.
• * 1.50

  Whether it were best that prie∣stes were gelded.
• * 1.51

  ☜
• * 1.52

  Leuit. 10.
• * 1.53

  More.
• * 1.54

  Tyndall.
• * 1.55

  Paphnuti∣us.
• * 1.56

  More had two wiues & therefore was Biga∣mus.