A refutation of M. Ioseph Hall his apologeticall discourse, for the marriage of ecclesiasticall persons directed vnto M. Iohn VVhiting. In which is demonstrated the marriages of bishops, priests &c. to want all warrant of Scriptures or antiquity: and the freedome for such marriages, so often in the sayd discourse vrged, mentioned, and challenged to be a meere fiction. Written at the request of an English Protestant, by C.E. a Catholike priest.

THE SECOND PART OF THIS PARAGRAFFE.

Wherein the obseruance of the vow of chastity is proued not to be impossible, and other points befo••e mentioned, touching the Apostles pra∣stise, and Constitution &c. are discussed.

OF the fiue vntruthes touched in the begin∣ning of the former Paragraffe to be vttered togeather by M. Hall, the fourth was, if you re∣member, the impossible necessity which he supposed to be in the vow of a single life: for measuring the ability of Catholikes by himselfe, and his fellow Ministers, he telleth vs of scanning of his former rule, in turpi voto muta decretum, if they had not rather, sayth he, cautè, si non castè, as if all Catholikes were incontinent who vowed cha∣stity, by reason of the impossibility supposed, but yet that they concealed the matter so, as if nothing were knowne of that which yet indeed is done: but we no lesse declaime from this cloke, then from the thing it selfe, neither should this companion haue beene so bould to charge, wher (setting lyes and slanders a side) he had no shad∣dow of proofe: that wicked rule of couering a filthy life with faygned vertue, and beastly be∣hauiour with exteriour honesty, although it concerne some on all sides, for amongst great multitudes wicked will not want, and among them such also who though rotten in the root, will yet shew fayer in the rynd; notwithstan∣ding this is verifyed as much in English Mini∣sters

as in any other whatsoeuer, which (least I seeme by way of recrimination only to retort) may perhaps be proued out of this very princi∣ple, begged by M. Hall, but not graunted by vs, that the vow of chastity is impossible, and the ar∣gument may be framed in this manner. Perpe∣tuall chastity is a thing impossible, but some Ministers in England and Bishops also neuer had any wife, and are now old men, & not like to haue any, the consequence wil follow which I will not expresse: and if M. Hall will persist to vrge vs by false accusations, he may chance hear me proue him this better by some true examples then by any mood or figure of a logical syllogis∣me: and my examples shallbe taken from the liues of his owne Brethren and Lords, who though vnmarryed haue neither so cautè, nor castè carryed themselues, but that their behauiour is knowne, and lewdnes is lyable to open proofe, and demonstratiue euiction.

2. Which course vnles his intemperate scurrility, and iniurious calumniations force me thereunto, I abhorre to take, and willingly in disputing of matters of Religion discusse the cause, not touch the persons: and this seely man in forcing vs to the contrary, shall soone find by ripping vp the particulers what disaduantage he giues against himselfe, in so much as his friends shall haue little cause to thanke him (his fellow Ministers I meane) for rubbing so much on this soare, whose liues are such as most barrs and benches of the land will affoard vs testimo∣nyes of their vertues, their neighbours of their liues in generall, many records of speciall accu∣sations,

and some pilleryes and gibbets also of their due deserued shame: and all this not for faults forged by malice, as in the case of Catho∣like Priests it fals out, where truth is made trea∣son by Law, and fidelity to God & his Church disloyalty to the Prince, and emnity to the state: but by such cleere and euident proofes, as euen compelled the delinquents themselus to confesse their faults, to cleere their accusers, and accept their punishments as due vnto them by iustice, and to haue beene more mildly and mercifully inflicted, then the atrocity of their offence did require: the labour wil be long, because the store is so great of these good fellowes in this carnall Cleargy: and M. Hall needed not to haue been so hasty to slander others with his lyes abroad, that hath so many infamous examples of his owne cote at home. I speake not of his priuate person which I will not touch, but of others of his ranke and profession, of whome the tymes past & present yield vs much homely matter in this kind: but not to go further in this till I be fur∣ther vrged, I returne to the impossibility.

3. Whereas therfore M. Hall sayth that the vow of chastity, casteth vpon the makers an im∣possible necessity; this impossibility may spring from diuers heads, and so Luther sometymes assigneth one cause therof, sometymes another; as first he casteth it vpon the nature of our body, which sayth he, is made of womans flesh: Corpus nostrum pene in vniuersum muliebris caro est: Wherefore he that wil not marry must leaue the name of man, and the contrary vow is impossible, impium, nullius momenti, impossible, wicked, of no moment. Se∣condly

for that it is as naturall and necessary to marry as to be a man, woman &c. or as to eate, drinke and the like. Thirdly he deduceth it out of the end of mans creation: Nemo hominum (saith he) ad continentiam creatus est, sed omnes vn à ad gene∣randum sobolem conditi sumus, & ad matrimony toler an∣das iniurias. No man is borne to liue continent, but all of vs togeather are created to beget chil∣dren, and vndergo the miseries of marriage. La∣stly for that chastity is the gift of God, and in∣dependent of vs, in vowing chastity, sayth he, what els doth he do but vow a thing, Quae pror∣sus nec est, nec esse potest in manibus suis, cùm sit solius Dei donum, quod accipere, non offere potest homo: Vow I say a thing which is not, nor cannot be in our hands, because it is Gods gift alone, which a man can receaue but not offer: so as heere out of mans infirmity, his essentiall substance, the end of his making, and the nature of the vertue it selfe which is supernatural, and requireth spe∣ciall help, and influxe from God, we haue these vowes to be impossible, and not that only but further by a contrary command to be condem∣ned, euen by him to whome & for whome alone they are made and offered by the makers.

4. How far M. Hall approueth all these opi∣nions, I know not, for heere without any rea∣son he only supposeth his vnreasonable position and I find him notels where to insist on any o∣ther ground, then that only of the weakenes or imbecillity of Nature: for in another letter to S^r Thomas Challenor, in which he slaunders (if his word be a slaunder) the vertuous Religious Vir∣gins of Bruxells, after some other foleryes, which

I let passe, thus he writteth: They are willingly con∣streyned (sayth he) to serue a maister, whome they must and cannot obey, whome they neither can forsake for their vowes, nor can please for their frailty: what followes hence? late sorrow, secret mischiefe, misery irremediable. So this wanton companion. But God, and before God and his Angells, their owne consciences, & the whole world are witnesses of their purity, and so far they are from all sorrow, mischiefe, misery, as this man is from all truth, conscience, or hone∣sty: for besides that their innocency is so well knowne, and acknowledged, if this axiome or rule of his may be graunted, none would find greater sorrow, runne into more mischiefe and misery, then marryed men.

5. And not to exemplify in any other then himselfe, I demand when he was in France last with the L. Hayes, and was so long absent from his wife, whether he would hold him for an ho∣nest man, who should either openly charge, or closely by insinuation cast forth suspitions that both he, and at that tyme, was naught with o∣ther women at Paris, and his wife with some o∣ther men in England? For any may as well say of them both, as he of these vertuous Virgios, flesh is fraile, and M. Hall and his wife were far a sunder, temptations are frequent, a continent life is impossible, especially amongst Ministers, for of such as had primitias spiritus, when as yet this new Ghospell was, as M. Iewell in his Latin Apology reporteth, in herba, in the grasse or first growth, Erasmus euen at that tyme did write of them all: Quae (malum) est ista tanta salacitas? vnde tantacarnu rebellio in ijs qui se iactant agi spiritu Christi?

What so great lasciuiousnes is this with a mis∣chiefe? whence happens it that so great rebelliō of flesh is in these (Ministers) who brag that they are lead by the spirit of Christ? Which be∣ing so, that Ministers are so wanton, their wiues oftentymes but light huswiues, whereas M. Hall was far from home, and aswell he as his wife like others of the same impression, are both fraile and fleshly, what followes hence? but late sorrow, secret mischife, misery irremediable?

6. Were this Christian dealing M. Hall? doth it become a Minister, a Doctour, a Prea∣cher, and Character-maker thus to write? This is indeed & satyrae, and sat irae, to vse your owne words: for heere is more bitternes and rancour then discretion or modesty, and this veine of writing may much better beseeme some light headed satyrical Poet, then one that would fain be taken for a sober Deuine. For standing on these grounds and impossibility, I may well say to M. Hall, is it possible for you and your wife, so many moneths to liue chastly asunder (if you did liue chastly) and is it impossible that these virgins whose whole life is a continuall practise of vertue, after their vowes should remaine chast? or can you deuise a better argument to proue their incorrupted purity in any tribu∣nal of the world, thē that which they do bring, I meane the testimonyes of al, as well friends, as enemyes that know thē, for they liue not in any obscure corner, but the eye of the world; thither still resort forren Catholikes, thither Heretiks of all sects, thither come many English, & there now for many yeares haue resided either Em∣bassadours

or Agents to his Maiesty our Soue∣raigne, let euen their enemyes iuridical verdicts be taken vnder their oath, whether any of them euer heard by any of any credit, that Angelicall company, either in generall, or particuler to be touched, or so much as suspected in that kind? & why then do you so maliciously go about to slaunder them? Why do you endeauour to make others suspect ill of such, who yet neuer gaue the least occasion of any ill suspition? What lear∣ning or conscience can warrant this dealing? I doubt not, but if your wife should aske you▪ M. Hall, how you liued out of wedlocke so many yeares before you were marryed vnto her, but that you would cleare your selfe, and make her belieue, that you were an honest man: and the like would she say and sweare vnto you, if you should aske her, and yet in al that tyme was flesh fraile, many temptations occurred, and if for so many yeares togeather you could both liue a chast life, why no more? why not alwayes? Is it possible for you to liue the one part of your life (and that the more dangerous) chastly, and is it impossible to liue the other? I would gladly know the reason hereof, & wherein it is groun∣ded, why I say the later part should more force vs to marry then the former.

7. Againe this impossibility cannot stand with the doctrine of S. Paul condemning the yong widdowes mentioned, and counsailing S. Timo••hy to liue chast, nor yet with the common doctrine of all the Fathers exhorting to virgini∣ty, especially S. Ambrose and S. Augustine in their speciall bookes thereof, of which two S. Bernard

sayd: Ab his duabus columnis, Augustino loquor & Am∣brosio, crede mihi difficitè auellor: From which two pillers, Augustine I meane and Ambrose, beleeue me I am very hardly drawne: for where there is impossibility or necessity, there is no sinne, no counsaile, no exhortation; as none sinne in not making new stars, in not remouing of moun∣teynes, in not working new miracles: and it were ridiculous for any preacher to go about to perswade their Auditors to absteyne from all meate and drinke, sleep and rest, because it is impossible that our life can passe without these helpes: and no lesse impertinent was it in the Fathers to preach perpetuall chastity, to veile Virgins, to punish vow-breakers, when as they could not alter their natures, it being as impos∣sible for them, as these men will haue it to con∣tinue in that purity, as to liue without meat, drinke, or rest, yea or as it is for women not to be women, or men not men: and as no man is punished for that he is a man, so no woman can be punished for breaking her vow, the one as Luther doth teach being as necessary as the other: to such straits are they driuen who put these wicked, prophane, and detestable impossibilityes.

8. Which doctrine how wide a gap it fur∣ther opens to all lasciuiousnes, I shall not need to write, for this will also ensue therof, that no Father can blame his child for being inconti∣nent: for if he plead this impossibility, what can the Father reply? you will say, perhaps, he is bound to prouide in this case a husband for his daughter, and wife for his sonne: but that is not a worke of an houres warning, and if in

the meane tyme they be tempted what shal they do? to conteine implyes an impossibility; to do o∣therwise, is to offend their parents and shame themselues: offend their parents, I say, for they cannot offend God, when it lyeth not in their powers to do the contrary. If M. Hall say that for a while they are able to liue chast, but not for any long tyme; I aske againe how long that while shall endure, and what warrant they haue therein for not falling, seeing it may so fall out that in the while appointed, they may be more tempted then they shalbe againe in al their liues after, or were euer perhaps in their liues before, what then shal they do? if this temptation bring an impossibility for ouercomming it, then are pa∣rents most cruell tyrants that punish their chil∣drens incontinency, which lyeth not in their power to auoyde, but are forced thereunto by an ineuitable necessity: If the children be faulty, then it lay in their power not to fall, then was there no necessity, then as they could ouercome this tentation, they might as well ouercome an∣other, ouercome all, and remayne chast out of wedlocke to the end of their liues: where is the necessity? where the impossibility? And the same difficulty occurs in such as hauing beene marry∣ed for a tyme are after some occasion, as discord, diseases &c. separated the one from the other, & forced to liue a sunder all dayes of their liues, what shall such do? liue togeather they cannot, marry againe they may not, to liue continent with this man is impossible, what remedy is to be taken? must they be premitted to wallow in all vnlawfull wantones? that is more then

the very Turks Alcoran will allow them.

9. Besides these incōueniences we say with S. Augustine, that the thing is in our power, and although it require the assistance of Gods grace (which still preuenteth our wills) yet that hin∣ders not, but that we may if we list our selues, liue chast all dayes of our life, as we may belieue in God, as we may loue him, and for him our neighbour, which no lesse require Gods grace for their performance, then perpetuall chastity: Numquid tam multa quae praecipiuntur in lege Dei &c. Do so many things as are commanded in the law of God, to wit, that neither fornications, not

adulteryes be committed, shew vs any thing els then free will? For they should not be comman∣ded vnles a man had free will wherby he might obey the diuine Commandments, and yet it is the gift of God, without which the precepts of chastity cannot be kept. So S. Augustine: and a

little after answering the obiection of this c••r∣nall impossibility: ••i dixerit, volo seruare, sed vincor

à concupiscentia mea &c. If any shall say I desire to be chast, but am ouercome of my concupiscence (as M. Hall, Luther, and our English Ministers) the Scripture answereth to the free will of such a one that which before I sayd, Noli vinci à malo sed

vince in bono malum: be not ouercome of euill, but ouercome euill with good, which grace doth help vs to do. So he. Neuer dreaming of these impossible fancies which M. Hall and his do frame.

10. For supposing such a necessity of natu∣re, fornication or adultery should not be sinnes at all as I haue sayd, because they are not volun∣tary, but violent; as no man sinneth in not do∣ing

what he is not able, or in yielding to that which lay not in his power to withstand: as no sole man commanded by his king to subdue Constantinople, or take the vast Kingdome of China can be punished if he do it not, for the surpri∣zing of the one, and conquest of the other, can∣not be done without many thousands, or can he put any one to death for not going into the East, who was bound hand and foot, and violently carryed by others into the West: so if women be as necessary as our nature, as filthy Luther did af∣firme, and to liue chast be impossible, as M. Hall; how are men commanded not to commit for∣nication and adultery, which they cannot full∣fill, or are punished for the fact, which not their owne wills did moue, but violence did compel them to commit? Wherefore if we will graunt it to be a sin, we must with all necessarily graunt that it lay in our power, which without any impossibility was able to auoyd it, yea was bound to ouercome it, and for not ouercomming it is guilty of the offence, and condemned for the transgression.

11. And the same falleth out in wedlocke, the chastity of which requireth a speciall grace, no lesse then virginity: which grace as it profits the weaknes of nature, so is it neuer wanting, where the will is ready to accept it, which will is also preuented by the same grace, that it may not refuse to take it, and therefore both the vowes of virgins, and chastity of wedlocke are alike exacted, as both resting in our power, in our wills, and ability, which point S. Augustine in one place doth excellently deliuer saving:

Arbitrium humanae voluntatis ne quaquam destruimus &c. We destroy not the freedome of mans will, when not out of proud ingratitude we deny, but

out of a grateful piety we acknowlege the grace of God by which free will is holpen, it resteth in vs to will or desire, but the wil it selfe is war∣ned that it may rise, is cured that it may be able, is enlarged that it may receaue, and is filled that it may haue: for if we would not, then truely neither should we receaue the thinges that are giuen vs, nor should we haue them. For who hath continency (that amongst other gifts of God I may speake of this, of which I speake to your selfe) who I say should haue continency▪ but he who would haue it? For no man would take it, but he who would haue it: but if yow aske me of whome it is giuen that it may be re∣ceaued, and had of our wil, marke the Scripture; yea because you know it, remember what you, haue read: When I knew, sayth Wisedome, that no man could be continent, vnles God gaue it, and this was a part of wisedome to know whose gift it was: for these are great gifts, wisedome and continency, wisedome I say by which we are framed in the knowledge of God; and continency by which we are withdrawne from the world. God commandeth vs that we be wise, that we be continent, without which benefits we cannot be iust and perfect. And a little after: Qui dedit coniugatis fidelibus vt contineant ab adulterijs &c. He who hath giuen grace to mar∣ryed folkes that they abstaine from aduowtryes, or fornications, he hath also giuen grace to ho∣ly virgins and widdows to conteyne themselus

from all knowledge of men, in which vertue integrity of life (••y continuall chastity) and continency are now properly named. So S. Au∣stine.

Out of whose words, I frame against M. Hall this Syllogisme: It is as well in the power of single men to be alwayes continēt, as it is in the power of the marryed to keep coniugall chastity: but the chastity of wedlocke is in the power of the marryed: Ergo the other is in the power of the continent: and then further out of the same Fa∣ther; Gods concurrence with vs by his grace (which in euery good action is necessary) ouer∣throweth not our free will, but doth perfect it, and consequently as well the election, as obser∣uance of single life dost rest alwayes in our pow∣er and will, and is not impossible and necessary, but free and voluntary.

12. And if in the state of matrimony grace be giuen to both partyes to remayne faythfull to ech other, and that to the end of their liues, notwithstanding that continall cohabitation breed so many causes of distast, and the feruen∣test affections in many do wax cold, and much decrease with tyme; shall such want his help, who for his loue despise all earthly louers, and haue made choice of himself the author & louer of all pure desires? Shal he better loue such, who are deuided as the Apostle sayth from his seruice by marriage, then those who to serue him the better, haue withdrawne themselues from all wordly encombrances that might deuide them, and bestowed themselues wholy vpon his ser∣uice? or shall the grace of God graunted to vir∣gins be of lesse force to keep them faythfull to

their louer, then that which is giuen to them, who for carnall loue are combyned togeather? These men who are thus perswaded would ne∣uer preach vnto virgins, as S. Augustin did when he sayd: Si nuptias contempsistis filiorum hominum, ex quibus gigneretis filios hominum, toto corde amate specio∣sum forma prae filijs hominum: vacat vobis, liberum est cor à coniug alibus vinculis, inspicite pulchritudinem amato∣ris vestri &c. If you haue despised the marriages

of the sonnes of men, by whome you might be∣get the sonnes of men, with all your hart loue him who is fayrer then the sonnes of men. You haue leasure inough, your hart is free from ma∣trimony bands, looke vpon the beauty of your

louer. So. Augustine. And againe: Si magnum amo∣rem coniugibus deberetis &c. If you should owe great loue to your husbands, how much ought you to

loue him, for whose sake you haue refused hus∣bands? Let him be wholy fixed in your hart who for you was fixed on the Crosse, let him possesse al in your soule whatsoeuer you would not haue bestowed in other marriage, is it not lawfull for you to loue him a little, for whom you haue not loued that which was els lawfull for you to loue. And not to go further to shew the thing

possible, to shew it to be in our power to stand or fall, to breake off, or perseuere, to begin and continue vnto the end, he sayth: Vos autem sequi∣mini cum tenendo perseuer anter quod vouistis, ardenter fa∣cite cùm potestis, ne virginitatis bonum à vobis pereat, cùm sacere nihil potestis vt redeat. You virgins see you follow Christ perseuerantly, keeping what

you haue vowed, labour earnestly whiles you are able, least yee leese your virginity, sithence

you are able to do nothing, that if it be lost is

able to recouer it. So he. And doth he who so teacheth, so exhorteth thinke of M. Halls impossi∣bility? Doth he thinke that such virgins serue a Maister whome they must and cannot obey? whome they must for their vow, and cannot for their frailty? His words are too cleare to be corrupted by so base a commentary.

13. And no lesse plaine, no lesse absolute for this purpose is S. Ambrose, whose diuin books of this subiect I wish M. Hall to read: for in them he shall find the excellency of this vertue, not more eloquently then truely described: there he shall see the arguments of Protestants answered, there the keping of vows vrged, veiling of Nuns mentioned, this impossibility refuted: for to such as did cast these suspitious doubts, he sayth: Facessat hic sacris virginibus metus, quibus tanta praesidia tribuit primùm Ecclesia &c. Let this feare of falling be far from holy virgins, to whome first the Church affoardeth so many helpes, which care∣full for the successe of her tender issue, with full brests as a wall doth defend the same, vntill the siege of the enemy be remoued: then secondly of our Sauiour with stronger force, and last of Angels: Ne{que} enim mirum, si pro vobis Angeli militant, quae Angelorum moribus militatis: meretur corum praesidi∣um castitas, quorum vitam meretur: castitas etiam An∣gelos facit. It is no meruaile if for you

Virgins the Angells do warre, who in your behauiour do follow the purity of Angells: virginall cha∣stity deserues their help, whose life it deserues: for chastity also maketh Angels. And in another

place hauing perswaded them to ascend aboue

the world saying: Iustice is aboue the world, charity is aboue the world, chastity is aboue the world, and the like, he proposeth this difficul∣ty

which M. Hall proposeth, saying: Sed arduum putas humana virtute supra mundum ascendere: bene asseris &c. But if you thinke it a hard matter for hu∣mane force to ascend aboue the world: you say

well. For the Apostles deserued to be aboue the world, not as fellows, but as followers of Christ to wit, as his disciples, be thou also disciple, be a follower of Christ, he prayeth for thee who prayed for them: for he sayd I pray not only for my Apostles, but for those who by their doctrin shall belieue in me, that all may be one; therfore our Lord will haue vs to be one, that we may be all aboue the world, that there be one chastity, one will, one goodnes, one grace. So S. Ambrose.

Out of which wordes M. Hall may learne from whence all Religious haue their strength and force to continue vntil the end, to wit, from the merit of the prayer of our Sauiour, and his pecu∣liar assistance.

14. Furthermore concerning such enemies of purity, as M. Hall, who carped at S. Ambrose for his so feruent, so frequent perswading to chasti∣ty, and forbidding Religious women to marry, thus he putteth downe his aduersaryes charge, and his owne answere: Initiatas inquit sacris myste∣rijs, & consecratas integritati pu••llas, nubere prohibes. You forbid, sayth my acculer, such as are entred into Religion, and haue professed chastity to marry; to which he replyes: Vtinam possem reuocare nuptur ••s, vtinam possem flammeum nuptiale pio integrita∣tis mutare velamine &c. I would to God I were

able to hinder euen such as are to marry, I would

to God I were able to change the veile of mar∣riage with the veile of virginity: doth it seeme a thing vnworthy to you that the holy virgins be not drawne from the sacred altars to marry? & for them to whome it is lawfull to chuse their

husband, is it not lawfull for them to preferre God? And a little after he demandeth whether this be, improbum, nouum, aut inutile, vnlawfull, new, or vnprofitable: and against the first, that is against M. Hall, he sheweth that it is not bad, or vnlawfull: for then improba essent vota omnium, improba vita est, Angelorum, quàm gratia resurrectionis imitatur; qui enim non nubunt, ne{que} ducunt vxores erunt sicut Angeli in caelo. All vowes should be vnlawful, then is the life of Angells vnlawfull, which the grace of our resurrection doth imitate; for they who neither marry, nor are marryed, shall be like the Angells in heauen. Thus S. Ambrose, prouing immediatly after, this life to be of sin∣guler excellency, out of the words of our Saui∣our in S. Matthew of the Eunuches not so borne by the imperfection of Nature, or made by the ma∣lice of man, but by free election and voluntary choice, laying violent hands on the Kingdome of heauen, so framed by themselues: and after alloweth, yea defendeth the entrance of yong virgins into Religion, with more to the same ef∣fect, which for auoyding of prolixity I preter∣mit and conclud the possibility of this vow in al virgins, eyther yong or old, with the words of Origen, answering an obiection of the Heretiks that this gift is not for all.

15. Non omnes capiunt verbum hoc: all men re∣ceaue

not this saying but to whome it is giuen, and thereby some pretended that they would willingly haue liued chastly, but were not able: Quibus est respondendum, siquidem accipimus libenter quod dictum est, sed quibus datum est &c. to whome it

is answered (sayth he) if we take that simply, which is sayd, sed quibus datum est, but to whome it is giuen: and marke not what is sayd in ano∣ther place, Petite & dabitur vobis, & omnis qui petit accipit, aske and it shall be giuen vnto you, and euery one who asketh doth receaue: eyther we are not of the number of the faythfull, or vnder∣stand not the Scriptures: for he that will be ca∣pable of that which is sayd of chastity, let him aske, and trust in him who sayth, & accipiet, and he shall receaue, no way doubting of that which is sayd, omnis qui petit accipit, euery owne who as∣keth

doth receaue. So Origen. In whose words is insinuated another ground, from whence not only the possibility, but faciliiy also of these vows do proceed, that is from two mayne fountaynes, wherof one is the prayer of Christ for vs before mentioned, the other is our prayers to him: the first for acceptance can haue no repulse: the o∣ther hath his promise for our assurance, & both the one and the other makes all yokes sweet and burthens light.

1. And besides these helpes there is ano∣ther from which this power and possibility of a chast life doth principally flow: I meane the passion of our Sauiour, the meritorious cause of all our grace and sanctification, one speciall ef∣fect whereof is, that by vertue and force deriued from the head to the members, they may be able

to exercise all Christian vertues, to offer vp a pure sacrifice of vowed virginity to him, who being the Author of all purity, and sonne of a virgin, therefore as S. Hierome writeth, among other our redeeming torments, would be crow∣ned with thornes, that from them the roses, lil∣lyes, and flowers of virginity, the chief garland of his glorious conquest and triumphant spoile on earth might bud and spring forth: Ideo Iesus spinis coronatus est (sayth he) & delicta nostra portauit &c. Therfore was Iesus crowned with thornes, did beare our offenses, and lamented for vs, that

out of the thornes and tribulations of women, to whome it was sayd, the woman shall bring forth her children in sorrow and griefe &c. the rose of virginity, and lillyes of chastity might

spring vp: for this cause doth the bride-groome feed amongst the lillyes, and among them who haue not defiled their garments, because they haue remayned virgins, and haue obeyed that commandment: Let thy garments be alwayes white: and the Author and Prince of viginity speaketh confidently: I am the flower of the field, and lilly of valleyes. So S. Hierome.

17. From whose wordes I gather, our Ad∣uersaryes in this to be iniurious to our Sauiours passion, who in other things, as after we shal see to rid their hands of all labour, will out of pre∣sumptuous temerity seeme to rely thereon more then they should: for as from that euer flowing founteyne, or rather full ocean of merits & mer∣cyes, whatsoeuer force we haue to practise any action of piety is deryued, so to deny the same vnto this particuler, so particulerly gratefull

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vnto him, as to make it a thing impossible, what is it els then to weaken the force, diminish the value, and in a manner cuacuate the whole ef∣fect of his suffering? And to make such as are re∣deemed by his bloud, sanctifyed by his grace, & partakers of his merits, to be as faint and feeble in the workes of vertue, as any Pagan or Infidell liuing vnder the imbecillity of nature, and alto∣geather deuoyd of these supernaturall helpes: & which is more, to make that to be impossible to Christians which amongst Iewes, Pagans, He∣retiks, and infidells if we belieue the records of all antiquity hath in exteriour proofe and pra∣ctise been found possible: & out of this which I haue deliuered, we see this impossibility so di∣uersly refuted by the Fathers, as there are diuers meanes by them assigned to the contrary. S. Am∣brose as you haue heard named the protection of the Church, the patronage of Angells, the pray∣er of Christ; S. Augustine addeth our free will preuented by grace; Origen, our prayers procee∣ding from both; S. Hierome, the grace and merit of Christ his passion peculierly applyed to vir∣gins, all these praysed, al preached, al perswaded virginity, and not one of them all euer taught, thought of this fancy, nor yet any other here∣tike before Luther (whose incontinency was no∣torious) that I can remember: for albeit some abased the worth therof, & aduanced marriage too far, and because they could not reach to the highest, would confound high and low, gold & siluer, heauen and earth, marriage and virgini∣nity togeather, yet were they not so sauage, as to say that a chast life was impossible, or by an vn∣auoydable

necessity subiect to secret mischiefe, and irremediable misery, as this man and his maister doth tell vs.

18. And this being supposed that women the weaker sex can both lawfully vow virginity, & perseuere in the same to the end; there seemeth to be no lesse difficulty in vowes of Clergy men which proceed no lesse from their owne free & deliberate election: for the Church forceth non thereunto, but only to keep the vowes which without any enforcement they haue made, which is the very case of the widdowes before mentioned in S. Paul, and being come to so ripe age, to so perfect knowledge of themselues, and their owne forces, they may if they list take v∣pon them this sweet and easy yoake of a purer life, best beseeming the calling and function of an Ecclesiasticall man, and not aboue the power and ability of any that will sincerely imbrace it, and vse the ordinary meanes of prayer and such things as make our prayers more auailable, as fasting, haire cloath, disciplines, and other mor∣tifications to preserue it: for if yong virgins (to vse S. Augustins argument, which he vsed against himselfe being yet in heresy, when he was per∣swaded as our Protestants are that he could not conteyne) if yong virgins I say in all ages haue vowed and dedicated their virginity to God, & with so singular constancy haue preserued it, why may not mature men do the like? and if to them not only marriage be vnlawfull as S. Au∣gustine sayth, but euen the desire of marrying be damnable, why may not Clergy men also vow, and by their vowes be bound to conteyne or pu∣nished

punished if they transgresse?.

19. Yea so much is this within our power, assisted with Gods grace, which is neuer wan∣ting, if we be not wanting to our selues, that in case any who had no calling to an ecclesiasticall life should vnwillingly be promoted thereunto, yet were he bound vnto this chastity, to vow it I say, and neuer vnder deadly sinne to violate his vow: this if the Church now should pra∣ctise, how would M. Hall, and his lasciuious companions brand vs with Antichristianisme, crye out vpon vnlawfull vowes, forced continency, impossible necessity? How would he not stir vp his impure wit to inuent if he could baser tearmes then of shauelings, a filthy vow, a Popish tyranny, a do∣ctrine of Diuells? and yet this was not only appro∣ued, but practised also in the primitiue Church, and that very vsually: for thus writeth S. Augu∣stine against such as committed aduowtry, be∣cause as they sayd, they could not conteyne, which I feare me will proue the center of perfe∣ction of our marryed Ministers: Quando terremus ne adulterinis coniugijs haerendo pereant inaeternum, solemus eis proponere continentiam Clericorum, qui plerum{que} ad eandemsarcinam subeundam rapiuntur inuiti &c. When we terrify men (sayth he) least in their aduow∣trous marriages they euerlastingly perish, we are

wont to lay before them the continency of Cler∣gy men, who for the most part are taken against their wills to vndergo that burthen, & hauing vndergone it, beare it through to the end. We say therefore vnto the aduowtresse, what if you also by violence of people should be taken to beare this burthen? Would yow not chastly per∣forme

the office imposed vpon you, and present∣ly turne your selues to aske strength of God, of which before you did not thinke vpon? but they say that the honour doth much comfort Clergy men, and we do answere them, let feare also withhold you: for if many of Gods Mini∣sters haue receaued the office sodenly, and with∣out further thinking thereon, because they hope therby to shine more gloriously in the kingdom of Christ, haue liued chast; how much more ought you by auoyding aduowtry to liue chast∣ly, fearing (not to shinelesse in the kingdome of God but) to burne in hell fire? Hither to S. Au∣gustine.

And where at this tyme was the impossibi∣lity of which M. Hall heere dreameth? necessity I graunt there is of obseruing the vow once made and facility, impossibility there is none.

20. There would be no end, if I should al∣leadge the Fathers words for the possibility of single life. S. Augustine shall suffice, who sayth: Non terreat sarcina continentiae, leuis erit si Christi erit, Christi erit si fides aderit quae impetratà iubente quod iusse∣rit. Let not the burthen of continency affright vs, it will proue light if it be of Christ, it will

be of Christ if we haue confidence, which ob∣teynes the thing commanded of him that com∣mands. So he. And in another place speking of these vowes, and how far they bind the makers,

he hath these wordes: Quod cuiquam antequam vo∣uisset licebat &c. that which any man might law∣fully do before he vowed; seeing he hath vowed neuer to do it, shallbe vnlawful, but so as he

vowed, that which was to be vowed, as is per∣petual virginity, or continency after wedlocke

in such as are loosed from the band of matrimo∣ny by the death of one party, els let the fayth∣full & chast couple being aliue by mutuall con∣sent release to ech other these carnall dutyes, which for the one to vow, without the other is vnlawfull. These thinges therefore, and the like which are lawfully vowed, when men haue vowed, are by no means to be violated

&c. Thus far S. Augustine. With more to the same effect, in many other places of his workes, and so easy he maketh this matter to be, as if God did graunt nothing to man more willingly then this vertue of a pure life: Si pulsant (sayth he) qui desiderant castitatem, dat eis continuò gratiam & sanctitatem. If they knocke at the dore of his mer∣cy who desire chastity, he giueth them presently grace and sanctity: and if this in Gods graunt be so easy, from whence commeth the impo∣ssibility in our performance?

21. Notwithstanding al that hitherto hath beene sayd against M. Halles impossibility, yet to end this matter, I must and will condescend so far vnto him, as freely to graunt that amongst Ministers it is impossible to liue chast, taking the word impossible in that sense, which the Apo∣stle did, when he sayd: Impossibile est eos qui semel sunt illuminati, gustauerunt etiam donum caeleste &c. It is impossible for them who haue beene once en∣lightned, haue also tasted the heauenly gift &c. & are fallen, to be renewed againe to pennance: whereby impossible, as many interprete, is vnder∣stood a great and singuler difficulty of rising a∣gaine of such as are once fallen, and so in this case we now treat of, albeit amongst heretikes,

Iewes, and Pagans to liue chast be not absolutly impossible: for some euen among the ancient Ro∣mans are reported so to haue liued, and conti∣nued till their deaths, and may also among He∣retikes, yet were those very rare, and the diffi∣culty very great, as the historyes do recount, & much greater it is in Heretikes, & that for two reasons; the one of their persons, the other of the place: of their persons because for the most part all heretikes do preach carnall liberty, and take away all meanes of corporall austerityes by which the flesh is kept in subiection to the spi∣rit, and her rebellious appetits ouercome & sub∣dued, in which point we haue M. Halls cleare confession saying: All false Religions are carnall, and carry the face of nature their Mother, and of him whose il∣lusion begot them, Sathan. And long before him S. Hierome wrote: Nulla haeresis nisi propter gulam ven∣trem{que} cōstruitur, vt seducat mulierculas oneratas peccatis. There is no herely begun, but eyther for glutto∣ny, or the belly, that it may seduce light women loaden with sinnes. And this being the doctrin, this the practise of all Heretikes, and the one & the other so repugnant to chastity, no meruaile if they esteeme it almost as impossible to themselus thus disposed so to liue, as it is impossible for one to see where there is no light, or to walke where there is no place to fix his feet.

22. A chast life as it is a peculiar gift of God, and speciall grace, so it requireth also ma∣ny things in the receauer to conserue it, as much prayer, mortification, watch and custody of our senses, a humble a lowly mind, a grat care to auoyd all idlenes; and to liue vnited with God,

and the like, which Heretikes not attending vnto, but the contrary (for how can he be vni∣ted vnto Almighty God, who by schisme is se∣parated from his Church, and by that separation is become deuoyd of grace, humility, all other vertue and supernaturall help) they may well in their wordes still speake of the spirit, who in their brests haue no sparke thereof, and prate of vertue, who practise none; & blush not to blaze in pulpits, and printed books this brutish Para∣doxe, that chastity is a vertue impossible to all, be∣cause so it is to such lasciuious libertines, sensual and sinnefull people as heretikes are: for it is not one only wantonnes▪ but many sinnes togeather that alwayes attend and follow heresy, which makes all heretikes more prone to fall, and more feeble to resist tentations then other men: Si quis dicat (sayth S Augustine) haereticus est, non potest ho•• solum esse, quin & alia consequantur: carnalis est enim & an••m••lu a•• per ••oc ••mulus sit necesse est, & animosus & inuidus, & inimicus ipsi veritati, ab ea{que} dissentiens.

If any one say he is an heretike, he cannot alone be such a one, but that many other things must follow: for he is carnall and sensuall, and con∣sequently he is also contentious, stubborne and enuious, and an enemy to truth it selfe, and dis∣agreeing

from the same. So S. Augustine, and that men so qualifyed should be chast, is a thing of great difficulty, if not altogeather impossible.

23. Againe the place yieldeth great disad∣uantage to our aduersaryes: for though all Iews and Gentills be out of the Church, yet only he∣retikes in hostile campe, as open and professed enemyes, do most violently impugne her do∣ctrine,

and scorne her rites, when as yet she is the spouse of Christ, a pure virgin, but fruitfull mother of the faythfull, and only proper dwel∣ling place of this vertue: Ecclesia domus est castitatis sayth S. Ambrose▪ the Church is the house of cha∣stity: Virginitatis laudem (sayth S. Chrysostome) Iudaei aduersantur, admirantur & suspiciunt exteri, sola autem colit Ecclesia Dei. The Iewes abhorre the prayse of virginity, aliens (or such as are out of the fold of Christs flocke) admire and reue∣rence it, only the Church of God doth obserue it. And Optatus Mileuitanus: Ibi & sacerdotia sunt, & pudicitia, & virginitas quae barbaris gentibus non sunt, & si essent tuta esse non possent. In the Church there are Priests, there is chastity, there is virginity, which are not amongst the barbarous Gentils (or wan∣ton heretikes) and in case they were, they could not be secure. So he. And S. Athanasius in his Apology vnto Constantius the Arian Emperour, from hence draweth an argument to proue the truth of Catholike Religion, saying: Numquam sanctum illud & caeleste virginitatis mandatum feliciter adimpleretur, nisi duntaxat apud nos Christianos, at{que} in eo magnum documentum est, planè apud nos esse veram Re∣ligionem That holy and heauenly precept of

per∣petuall virginity, is only happily performed a∣mong

vs (Catholike) Christians, and therby we gather ours to be the true Religion. So he. And by this M. Hall may learne where to seeke and find chastity: and as this gift is giuen to the true Catholike Church, in which it doth and hath alwayes flourished euen to the admiration of Pagans, so hath it very seldome beene found in any schismaticall company, or hereticall con∣uenticles,

which breake the vnity, & deflower the purity of Christian doctrine: for the life and beliefe of such is commonly alike, being all or the most part without fayth perfidious, With∣out charity contentious, without chastity lasci∣uious, without all vnity seditious, disordered and turbulent. And I haue knowne some of speciall note, who leauing this confused Babylon of Protestants and Puritans, and being reconciled to the Catholike Church, haue freely out of their owne most happy experience confessed, that now they found chastity to be very easy, which whiles they were in heresy seemed impossible, yea they could neuer thinke vpon their former frayltyes commited, without great griefe, com∣punction, and teares.

24. But for that moderne examples do lesse moue a willfull mind: let M. Hall call to his re∣membrance the famous conuersion of S. Augustine from the Manichean heresy, from which not without a strong and extraordinary calling he was recalled to imbrace the Catholike truth, & he shall find that one of the greatest motiues to keep him backe, were the carnall pleasures in which whiles he was an heretike he had wal∣lowed: Retinebant me (sayth he) nugae nugarum & vanitates vanitatum antiquae amicae meae, & succutiebant vestem carneam meam, & submurmurabant: dimittis ne nos? & à momento isto non erimus tecum vltra in aeter∣num' & à momento isto non tibi licebit hoc & illud in aeter∣num? The toyes of toyes, and vanityes of vani∣tyes my old familiars kept my backe, & shaked my fleshly garment, and whispered me in the eare saying: dost thou now leaue vs? and from

this tyme shall it not be lawfull for euer for thee to do this and that? Quas sordes suggerebant? quae de∣decora? What filthy, what dishonest things did they suggest? And being in this bitter conflict, the flesh drawing one way, and the spirit ano∣ther, the Diuell desirous to deteyne him in er∣rour, and God determining to bring him to the truth, his pleasures past alluring him to looke backe, and future pennance affrighting him to go forward, being in this trouble (I say) and wauering of mynd, thus he describeth the suc∣cesse of the combat.

25. Aperiebatur ab ea parte qua intenderam saciem & quo transire trepidabam, casta dignitas continentiae &c. There appeared vnto me on that side where

I did cast my eyes, and was afrayd to go (to wit in the Catholik Church) the chast excellency of single life, cheerfull and not wantonly pleasant vertuously alluring me to come vnto her, & not to doubt at all, and she stretched forth her de∣uout hands full with the multitude of good ex∣amples of others to receaue and imbrace me: in them were to be seene so many yong boyes and girles, there store of others of youthfull yeares, and elder age, there graue widdowes, and old virgins, and chastity her selfe in all these was not barren, but a plentifull mother of children,

the ioyes of thee, o Lord, who art her husband, and she mocked me with a perswasiue scorne, as if she had sayd: Tu non poteris quod isti & istae? an verò isti & istae in semetipsis tossunt, ac non in Domino Deo suo? Dominus Deus eorum me dedit eis &c. Canst not thou do that these yong boyes and maydnes, wid∣dowes and old virgins do? or can these do it of

themselues, and not in God their Lord? their Lord God hath bestowed me vpon them, why dost thou stand, and not stand on thy selfe? cast thy selfe on him, and feare nothing, he will not slip aside, and let thee fall: cast thy selfe securely vpon him, he will receaue thee, and he wil cure thee. Thus S. Augustine: in which wordes as he sheweth the proper place of chastity to be in the Church, so withall doth he ouerthrow M. Halls impossibility confuted by the very examples of yong boyes, and maydes of all sorts and sexes, who in this sacred Arke, this house and taberna∣cle of God do professe and obserue perpetuall chastity.

26. And so far was S. Augustin from acknow∣ledging any impossibility of a continent life in the Church of Christ (albeit whiles he was a Manichean, he thought it a thing impossible to liue chast) that being himselfe now made a Ca∣tholike, his owne experience without other ar∣gument demonstrated the contrary vnto him, & made him see the thing not only to be possible, but most easy also and facile: for thus he writeth of himselfe: Quàm suaue mihi subitò sactum est carer•• suauitatibus nugarum & quas amittere metus suerat, iam dimittere gaudium erat &c. How sweet a thing did I find it on the sodain to want the sweetnes of former toyes, and now it was a comfort to cast away that which before I was afrayd to loose. Thou didst cast them out from me, who art the true and supreme suauity; thou didst cast them out, and didst enter thy selfe for them, more sweet then all pleasure, but not to flesh & bloud; more cleere then all light, but more close then

any secret; higher then all honour, but not to

such as are highly in their owne conceit: now was my mind free from all by••ing cares of am∣bition, of couetousnes, of wallowing or scrat∣ching the itch of ulthy lusts. So S. Augustine, and

heerby (to end this whole matter) M. Hall and his fellow Ministers may learne, that in case this itch of lust, or rather, as S. Augustine calleth it, scabiem libi••i••um, do so violently possesse, and driue them to this perswasion, that it is a thing impossible to liue a continent life; they must know the cause to be either for that the bru••ish spirit of heresy being fleshly and sensuall, com∣porteth not this purity, or els that chastity it self, as neither charity, can be separated from true fayth, as the materiall cause from the formall, that is, the chastity of the body from the chastity of the soule: Virginitas carnis (sayth S. Augustine) corpus intactum, virginitas cordis fides inco••rupta. The virginity of the flesh is the body vntouched, the virginity of the soule an vndefiled fayth: and out of him S. Prosper: Carnis virginitas intacto corpore habetur, virginitas animae est intemerata fides, and so it cannot be found in her entier perfection, in terra suauiter viuentium, but where pennance is prea∣ched, and truth professed, which is only in the Catholike, and Roman Church: to which S. Augustin when he left the Manichies did accrew, & I wish M. Hall so much happynes, as to follow his worthy example: and so much of this impossi∣bility, wherein for that I haue beene so long, I will be shorter in the rest.

27. There remayneth yet one of the fiue vntruths mentioned in the beginning, in which

M. Hall, if you remember, leaueth vs to scan the rule, in turpi voto muta decretum: In a filthy vow (for so this man will haue it Englished) change the determination, in scanning of which I can skantly explicate, or sufficiently admire his ig∣norance: for seeing that a vow is not properly of any indifferent thing, much lesse of any ill or filthy thing (for it is a voluntary promise made vnto God de meliore bono) there can be no such vow, no exchang of decree. And the words he citeth do not beare that sense, which he suppo∣seth: for the word Votum is taken there impro∣perly for a promise, and so it would haue appea∣red had he put downe the whole sentence of S. Isidore (if it be his) alleadged by Gratian, where he treateth of vnlawfull oathes and promises, for thus it stands: In malis promissis rescinde fidem, in turpi voto muta decretum, quod incautè vouisti ne facias, impia est enim promissio quae scelere impletur. Breake

the pact in ill promises, in a filthy promise change the determination, do not that which you haue vnaduisedly promised, for the promise

is wicked which is performed with mischiefe. So he. Wherefore from an vnproper acception of the Latin word, to inferre an argument as if it were taken in the proper sense, is the property of him who intendeth to deceaue, and to apply that title vnto virginity or the continency which Priests and Religious do vow, is so base, as it better beseemeth some Epicure, Turke, and Pagan (if among them any can be found so bea∣stly) then any Christian or ciuill man: for if virginity be filthines, where will he find purity, vnles perhaps in the bed of a harlot? But let vs

passe on to some other matter.

28. Hauing included vs (at he supposeth) within the labyrinth of an impossible necessity, he, preacheth the freedome of English Ghospel∣lers, and prayseth it as deuoyd of all such entan∣glements, hauing no vow, or necessity in it, nor any more impossibility then for a stone to tumble downeward (for supposing the knowne frailty of these men, I thinke it no great miracle for them to marry) and out of our owne graunt, and the cleare text thus he would demonstrate the same against vs. Euen moderate Papists

(sayth he) wil grant vs free, because not bound by vow, no not so far as those old Germans, pro¦posse & nosse. Or what care we if they grannt it not? While we hold vs firme to that sure rule of Basil the Great: He that forbids what God en∣ioynes, or enioynes what God forbids, let him be accursed. I passe not what I heare men, or Angels say, while I heare God say: Let him be the

husband of one wife. So he. And who would not thinke this controuersy at an end, seeing that both we allow the Ministers their wiues, and God himselfe not only to allow, but also to ap∣point and enioyne them to marry?

29. And truly for the first part I freely with other Catholiks graunt that our English Mini∣sters according to their calling make no vows: I graunt their marriage to be lawfull, I graunt that euery one of them may be the husband of one wife: yea further I graunt, that he may be the husband of as many wiues as euer was King Henry the eight, if he can rid his hands as fast of them as he did, that he may be bigamus or

trigamus, thrice told if he will: for there is no vow at all of single chastity, or simple honesty annexed to their order: this I say we graunt & deny not, but we deny them to be truly Clergy men, or to haue any more authority in the Church then their wiues, or daughters haue, and this because they want all true calling and ordination: for they entred not in at the dore like true pastours, but stole in at the window like theeues: we deny their ministery, I say, to be lawfull, because they did runne before they were sent, tooke their places by intrusion, thru∣sting themselues into the Churches, as robbers vpon the possessions of honest men, expel••ing the true owners by force and violence, hauing themselues no better claime, calling, authority, right, or title to these offices which they now vsurpe, then had the Arians, Macedonians, Pelagi∣ans, Nestorians, Eutichians, or any other Heretikes in former ages, to teach and preach as they did: Let M. Hall disproue this, and I will say, Tu Phyllida solus habeto. Let him keep his wife and benefice togeather, I wil no more contend with him. But till this be proued, the plea for Mini∣sters wiues is both idle and superfluous, & only sheweth their posse and nosse to be wholy in car∣nality, to sauour more of the body then of the soule, of flesh then of the spirit, of earth then of heauen, of humane infirmity, then Angelicall perfection.

30. Now for the other member, because the place of the Apostle concerneth true Bi∣shops, the place of S. Basil nothing at al this pur∣pose, and M. Hall misunderstandeth the one, &

the other, I will a little more discusse, especially this text of S. Paul. No man I thinke will deny the rule to be most true of his being accursed, who forbids what God enioyns, or els enioyns what God forbids: but what will M. Hall in∣ferre heereby? Will he say as he seemeth to insi∣nuate that all Clergy men are enioyned by God to marry? then why did S. Paul himselfe accor∣ding to the common opinion of most Fathers (gathered out of his owne words 1. Cor. 7.) ne∣uer marry? why did not S. Basil himselfe take a wife? why did all the ancient Fathers so much commend, so earnestly perswade, so faythfully practise, & exhort to virginity? was there none among them, who vnderstood this iniunction? yea supposing this ground S. Paul cannot be ex∣cused from errour in perswading the virginity, and preferring it before matrimony, seeing this hath the iniunction of Christ, and the other as a thing impossible, the prohibition. But of this iniunction or prohibition for clergy men from the first of S. Matthew, to the last of the Apocalyps there is no one sentence, word, or sillable to be found.

31. And it argueth little capacity in M. Hall when he sayth after the former rule: I passe not what I heare men or Angells say; while I heare God say let him be the husband of one wife, for I say that he vnderstandeth not the Apostle, who in the iudgment of Luther himselfe, as Bellarmine noteth is to be vnderstood negatiuely, and the sense not to be that euery Bishop is bound to haue a wife but that he is bound not to haue other women togeather with his wife. So he. But to our

purpose and agreable also vnto truth, S. Hierom sayth, Vnius vxoris virunt, qui vnam vxorem habuerit, non habeat. The husband of one wife, who hath had one wife, not he that hath her: that is, none is to be made Bishop, who hath beene twice marryed, or who yet vseth his wife in matrimony, but he who hauing beene once marryed, purposeth to liue in perpetuall conti∣nency: Episcopi (sayth he) Presbyteri, Diaconi, aut Virgines eliguntur aut vidui, aut certè post sacerdotium in eternum pudi••i. Bishops, Priests, Deacons are either chosen virgins or widdowers, or certes after their priesthood such as for euer are conti∣nent. So he.

32. Againe he sayth: Non enim dicit eligatur Episcopus qui vnam ducat vxorem, sed qui vnam habue∣rit vxorem. S. Paul sayth not, let a Bishop be cho∣sen, who may marry one wife, but who hath had one wife, and this for the cleanes required in the Episcopall and Priestly functions, as els where he declareth saying: Si indignè accipiunt mariti, non mihi irascantur, sed Scripturis sanctis &c. If marryed folkes take it ill (that I preferre vir∣gins

so much before them) let them not be an∣gry with me, but with the holy Scriptures, yea with the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with all the priestly and leuiticall quier, who know

that they cannot offer vp sacrifices if they at∣tend to the duty of marriage. So S. Hierome. And against Vigilantius, as though he had seene as it were in that roote, the progeny of our marryed Bishops in England, and ordering of Ministers, who should charge all the parish Churches with their plentifull offspring, he

cryeth out: Prohnefas! Episcopos sui sceleris dicitur habe∣re consortes &c. O villany! Vigilantius is sayd to haue Bishops partakers of his wickednes, if they

be to be named Bishops, who order not their Dea∣cons till they haue marryed wiues, mistrusting the chastity of single men, or rather shewing of what holines they are themselues, who suspect ill of all, and minister not the Sacraments of Christ, till they see the wiues of Clergy men great with child, and yong babes crying in their

armes. So he speaking in the person of Vigilan∣tius to all our English Clergy, who suspect that none can liue chast, and therefore will haue all to marry to auoyd forsooth this idle impossibi∣lity.

33. With S. Hierome agree in this exposi∣tion S. Augustine, and S. Epiphanius, and assigne also the same reason, to wit, the purity required in Priests & Clergy men. Non absurdè est (sayth S. Augustine) eum qui excessit vxorum numerum singula∣rem &c. Not without cause hath it beene

estee∣med that he who hath exceeded the singular number of wiues, should not therby be thought to haue committed any sinne, but to haue lost a certayne d••cency required to the Sacrament, not

necessary to the merit of good life, but to the seale of Ecclesiasticall ordination. So he, with more to the same effect. And S. Epiphanius: non suscipit sancta Dei praedicatio post Christi aduentum eos &c. The holy doctrine of God after the com∣ming of Christ admitteth not those, who after one marriage & death of their wiues do marry againe, and that for the excellent honour and dignity of Priesthood: and this the holy Church

of God receaueth with all sincerity, yea she doth not receaue the once marryed person, that yet vseth his wife, and begetteth children, but only such a one she taketh to be a Deacon, Priest, Bi∣shop, or Subdeacon, as abstayneth from his wife or is a widdower, specially where the holy Canons

are sincerely kept. So he, and I see not how possibly he could haue spoken more plainely for vs, or we for our selues.

34. S. Ambrose both in his commentary, & els where is no lesse cleare, and resolute in this point then the former: quamuis secundam habere v∣xorem &c. although (sayth he) it be not forbid∣den to marry the second wife, yet that one may be worthy to be a Bishop, he must leaue his lawfull wife, for the excellency of that order: because he must be better then others who de∣sire that dignity. So he. And in another place refelling as it were of purpose the opinion of S. Hierome, who held, that marriage before Bap∣tisme did not hinder, but that if a man tooke another wife after, as Carterius whom he defen∣deth did, he might notwithstanding (his wife marryed after baptisme being also dead) be made Priest, restrayning bigamy to the second marriage of the faithful only. S. Ambrose hereunto replyeth: Quisine crimine est, vnius vxoris vir, teneatur ad legem sa∣cerdotij suscipiendi &c. Let him be preferred to priesthood, who is without fault, the husband of one wife: he that hath marryed the second tyme, hath no fault by which he is defiled, but he is excluded from the prerogatiue of a Priest. So he, and addeth the Fathers in the Nicen Councell to haue decreed none to be admitted

at al into the Clergy after the second marriage.

35. And because S. Hierome vrged that all faults by the force and vertue of Baptisme were remitted, and so the first marriage by the same either to be taken away if it were a sinne, or cleansed if impure: he answereth heereunto: Culpa lauacro, non lex soluitur &c. The fault is for∣giuen in baptisme, the law not dissolued; there is no fault in wedlocke, but there is a law (for priesthood) the law is not remitted as a fault, but remaines as a law, therefore the Apostle made a law saying▪ if any be faultes the hus∣band of one wife. So S Ambrose. demanding in the same place this question, which I likewise demand of M. Hall, and all his marryed brethe∣ren in England: Quid interesset inter populum & Sa∣cerdotem si ijsdem adstringerentur legibus? What diffe∣rence should there be between Priest & people, if they should follow the same lawes? if both should marry, and both liue a like? truly none at al, and yet as this Father sayth: Debet praeponderare vita Sacerdotis sicut praeponderat gratia. The life of the Priest ought to be more eminent, as his calling is more high: and M. Hall as though he acknow∣ledged no purity out of wedlocke, or as though all that preferred continency were impure, ad∣deth after this testimony of the Apostle, that one word alone shall confirme me against all impure mouthes, but if S. Ambrose had beene his Bishop, he would haue taught him better to haue vnderstood the Apostle, and to haue inferred the contrary con∣clusion: for he sayth, that this authority doth not perswade vs to beget children in priest∣hood: Habentem enim dixit filios, non facientem. S. Paul

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sayth the Bishop that hath children, not he who begets them, as our English Bishops and Mini∣sters do.

36. With the Fathers now mentioned o∣thers conspire, whome I might also if it were needfull alleadge, who all acknowledge in the Apostles words a permissiue dispensation, not any positiue command, and that also at such a tyme, when amongst the Heathens conuerted vnto the fayth, there could not be found so ma∣ny single men as the Clergy required, which both S. Epiphanius, S. Hierome, and Theodoret do obserue: and truely if he had meant to haue left this matter free, there had beene no need of this restrictiue limitation, to the husband I meane of one wife, but that as S. Chrysostome wel noteth: Castigat impudicos dum non eos permittit post secundas nuptias ad Ecclesiae regimen, dignitaetem{que} Pasto∣ris assumi. He checketh the incontinent whiles he permitteth them not after their second mar∣riages, to be preferred to the gouernment of the

Church, and dignity of Pastour. So he. And that this was only for that tyme: and out of the errour thereof he further in another place con∣firmeth saying: Voluit orbis Pastores constituere &c.

S. Paul went about to place Pastours ouer the world, and for that vertues were rarely found,

ordeyning Bishops he sayth to Titus, make Bi∣shops as I haue disposed, the husbād of one wife not to that end that this should now be obser∣serued in the Church: for a Priest ought to be adorned with all chastity. And after: Non quod id

legis loco posuerit, sed quod errori ignoscebat. Not that he made a law that euery one should marry, as

M. Hall interprets him, but that he condescen∣ded to the errour, to wit of those tymes.

37. I will only adioyne one more, whom M. Hall citeth for himselfe, and is very eager in defence of his wordes, as after you shall see: so as his authority must needs be without excep∣tion on his behalfe, to wit; S. Isidore Bishop of Seuill, who thus conforme to the other Fathers and truth also, expoundeth the former words Vnius vxoris virum, the husband of one wife thus: Sacerdotium quaerit Ecclesia, aut de Monogamia ordina∣tum, aut de virginitate sanctum: Digamus autem haud fertur agere sacerdotium. The Church seeketh for

priesthood, either decent from single marriage, or holy from virginity; he that hath been twice

marryed is not to be Priest. So he, so others, so all. And by this any may see who agree with the Fathers, and who leaue them, who inter∣pret the Scriptures out of their owne spirit, and who follow the beaten path of the Churches doctrine, who antiquity, who nouelty, who truth & who errour, which point I might fur∣ther dilate, if the lawes of a letter restrayned me not to a more contracted breuity.

38. If M. Hall say, that S. Ambrose by me cited acknowledgeth in the Apostles wordes a law, and S. Chrysostom denyeth any law to be in them, but only a dispensation for that tyme, and occa∣sion, I answere that both of them speake proper∣ly, both truly: S. Ambrose speaketh vpon suppo∣sition, that a marryed man is to be made Priest or Bishop, and then sayth, that there is a law prescribed by the Apostle, that he haue beene marryed but once, so as this law is negatiue, to

wit, none is to be ordered who hath twice been marryed: but S. Chrysostome speaketh absolutly of a positiue law, and affirmeth that the Apostle by no such law doth bynd euery Priest of Bishop to marry, which I call positiue, because it must runne in this tenour. Euery Priest or Bishop ought at least once to be marryed, for neither doth S. Ambrose graunt this law, or S. Chrysostome deny the other, but both iointly agree, that none heereby is bound to marry, and he that hath beene twice marryed is not to be ordered.

39. With this doctrine concurreth the pra∣ctise in all ages: for Tertullian neere the Apostles tymes, thus out of his own knowledge writeth: Apud nos pleniùs at{que} strictiùs praescribitur &c. Among vs it is more fully and straitly ordained, that such alone be chosen to be made Priests, who haue beene but once marryed, in so much as my selfe remember certaine who were twice mar∣ryed to haue been deposed. So he. And in the 4. Councell of Carthage it is defined, that if any Bi∣shop should wittingly order any who had mar∣ryed a widdow, taken againe his wife whome he had left, or taken a second, that he should be depriued of all authority of ordering any more. And the same was appointed in diuers other Councells heere by me noted, and their wordes are alleadged by Coccius in his rich treasure of the Catholike truth. Which assertion of ours is so cleare & euident, as Beza himselfe could not de∣ny it, but in his book of Diuorces doth confesse it, as he who reads him will confesse that he is the vndoubted scholler of Antichrist: Digamos (sayth he) id est eos qui plures successiuè vxores vel etiam

vnam & eam viduam duxerant &c. So far did most

men in tymes past esteeme those who were Di∣gami, that is those who had taken more wiues one after the other, or els had marryed but one and she a widdow, to be vnworthy of the sacred ministery; that they did not only exclude them from holy orders, to wit, of being Bishop, Priest Deacon, or Subdeacon, but once also they ex∣cluded them euen from the very Clergy: Let this be neuer so ancient, notwithstanding I af∣firme it to be most wicked, and not tolerable in the Church. So he▪ Giuing at one clap as you

see the checke-mate to all Fathers, Councells, Churches, antiquity, and whatsoeuer, yea (if all the Fathers haue not in their commentaryes erred) to the very Apostle himselfe: so sharp are these men set to defend their wiues, as they af∣fect rather as it should seem to be kind husbands, then sincere Christians.

40. For M. Hall also euen in this very epi∣stle maketh his chiefe plea for his owne and his fellow ministers trulls out of the Councell of Trullum, which although it neuer had in al parts full authority in the Church, as not receaued for Oecumeniall or lawfull, although against the Protestants it haue many articles, and those in matter fundamentall, although it haue one Canon denyed by all Protestants, Catholikes, and others except Iewes, and some few Brownists in Suffolke, yet because it fauors the marryage of Priests (notwithstanding in this also it neither reach so far home as M. Hall would haue it, for it denyes all marriages after their ordination) yet I say for this point alone, it is by him called

a sacred Councell, and vrged to the confusion of al replyers, with a bitter exclamation against vs, for cutting out this soueraigne decree, being as he sayth, so flat confirmed by authority of Emperours, and àbiding no denyall. Againe this one authority, sayth he, is inough to weigh downe a hundred petty conuenticles, and many legions (if there had beene many) of priuate contra∣dictions. But of this Councell shall speake in due place, now only you may consider that these men seem, as I sayd, to care more for their wiues then for their Religion: and it seemeth that if we graunt them that comfort, they will not further contend with vs: for if they receaue this Synod as sacred, then we shall haue altars, reall presence, immaculate sacrifice, and other things as after we shall see, which they call Antichri∣stian: and if in these points this Councell in their iudgments erred, how can it be sacred, & of so great authority only in the behalfe of their wiues? Who seeth not wherunto this doth tend? but not to digresse further from M. Halls me∣thode.

41. I haue beene the longer in examining this place of the Apostle, because it is the only place on which this man relyeth: and you see in the Fathers iudgements what small reliefe his cause hath thereby, and if therein he find no∣thing besides his ignorance and mistaking to leane vnto, much lesse would he find in other places, which with this controuersy haue no coherence, reference, or dependence at all, as when immediatly after the former authority he addeth: He that made marriage sayth it is honorable, what care we for the dishonour of those who corrupt it?

To which I answere that as he who hath made marriage calls it honourable, so in like manner do they call it, so esteem it, who by vow of higher perfection haue for euer debarred themselues from it: Honorabile connubium in omnibus, & thorus immaculatus &c. sayth S. Fulgentius: marriage is

ho∣nourable in all, and the bed vndefiled, and ther∣fore the seruants of God in that they abstaine from wife & flesh, do not refuse them as things vncleane, but follow the rule of a purer life, & when they forbeare marriage they do it not for that they thinke it a sinne to marry, but for that they are certayne continency to be better then good marriages, especially in this tyme of grace, when of continency it is sayd: He that can take it, let him take it; but of marriages, He that can∣not conteine, let him marry: in the one is an oc∣casion of vertue, in the other our weaknes is holpen with a remedy. So he. And if any in

this more eminent estate haue by their inconti∣nency fallen the dishonour is personall, the state not defiled, the state we defend, we dislike the abuse: as marriage it not the worse in his owne nature, though some as you say dishonour themselues, and liue in aduowtry, no more is chastity, for the faults of the incontinent.

42. That wedlocke is called a chast worke, vndefiled bed, and the like, is not by vs denyed: for we yield willingly thereunto so many ho∣nourable titles, as the truth will beare, or as may without preiudice of virginall perfection, holy widdowhood, or ecclesiastical continency which are of a higher degree, be giuen thereun∣to: Ecclesia, sayth S. Hierome, matrimonia non dam∣nat

sed subijcit, velitis nolitis maritus subijcitur virginitati

& viduitati. The Church condemnes not matri∣mony but maks it inferiour, will you, nill you a

marryed man is inferiour to virginity and wid∣dowhood. So he. And to enter into the praises of marriage, which no man dispraises, is but to trifle, vnles M. Hall could proue that we either in publique schools, generall Councels, or by com∣mon consent mainteyne the contrary, which he shall neuer be able to do: if he will thus inferre, you preferre the one, ergo you condemne the o∣ther, the illation is too childish, and deserueth rather contempt then answere, yet do our Ad∣uersaryes very often blot their papers with these idle inferences.

43. Like vnto which argument follows another: for he sayth, If God shallbe Iudge of this controuersy it we••e soone at an end, who in the tyme euen of that legall strictnes, allowed wedlocke to the Ministers of his Sanctuary. So he. For if he meane that for pu∣rity or perfection of life the law of Moyses was more strict then the Ghospell of Christ, the vn∣truth is notorious, and euery where contradi∣cted by Christ himselfe: and if not, why doth he add, euen of that legall strictnes? and how doth he conclud that because their Priests mary, ours should also do the same? any one would rather thereof proue the contrary, seing the old law to be but a shaddow of ours, and their sacrifices to haue only figured the sacrifice of the new law, as S. Hierome and other Fathers do learned∣ly discourse: for the perfecter the sacrifice is which is offered, the more perfection is requi∣red in him who offers it: and the holier the sa∣craments,

the greater holynes is exacted of the receauers, and more strictnes to be vsed where the abuse offered by vnworthines, both in the offerer & receauer is iudged for damnable: Tan∣tum interest inter propositionis panes & corpus Christi, quantum inter vmbram & corpora &c. There is as great difference betweene the shew-breads

and the body of Christ, as there is betweene the shaddow and bodyes, betweene the image and truth, betweene the paterns of things to come, & those things which were prefigured by these paterns: therefore as there ought to be in a Bi∣shop meeknes, patience, so briety &c. so likewise a peculiar chastity, and (as I may say) a priest∣ly purity, that not only he absteyne from al vn∣cleane worke, but that soule which is to conse∣crate the holy body of Christ, must also be free

from euery light looke, and bad thought. So S. Hierom, rightly vpon the inequality of the things done, deducing a disproportionable perfection in the doers: and the permission of wiues in the Aaronicall priesthood argueth euidently the imperfection of that Law, as according to the title of his booke, Eusebius doth demonstrate say∣ing of the Iewish Priests in respect of ours: re∣missiorem at{que} liberaliorem vitam agebant, they liued a more easy and free life, and the strictnes was only in the multitude and manner of their ceri∣monyes, not in the perfection of their liues, as M. Hall doth seeme very fondly to imagine.

44. To confirme this matter, and to ouer∣throw vs by our owne Authors, he bringeth in the testimonyes of a Cardinall, of Gratian, & of Pope Pius 2. speaking in his behalfe: and for the

first he magnifyeth him very much, and craueth audience for him: Let Cardinall Panormitan (sayth he) be heard to speake. And then hauing cited a short sentence to no purpose, a little after he cry∣eth out: Heare, o yee Papists, the iudgment of your owne Cardinall, & confesse your mouthes stopped. And hauing cited the words of Panormitan, againe he braueth and demands: is this a Cardinall thinke you, or a Hugo∣not? but if his red hat be not worthy of respect &c. To answere first vnto his last question, I say that Pa∣normitan was neither Cardinall, nor Hugonot, but dyed in the schisme that was made against Euge∣nius the fourth: and albeit Felix the false Pope made him Cardinall, yet did the sayd Felix re∣nounce his falsely vsurped Popedome, and so as some write would Panormitan haue done also his counterfet Cardinallship, if he had not been preuented by death before he could effect it.

45. So as we respect not the red hat, nor wil heare him speake as a Cardinall, much lesse will we acknowledge him for our Cardinall, vnles he had come to that dignity by better meanes then he did: and as well may M. Hall tell vs that the Protestant Bishops of England be our true Bishops, as that this Abbot was our true Cardi∣nall: for we belieue both the one & other alike, knowing full well their ordinations to haue beene either schismaticall, or hereticall: not∣withstanding seeing M. Hall doth request vs to fauour him so far, we are content to heare him speake (for that now he stands with his hat of) and to tell vs, that continency is not of the substance of the order, nec deiure diuino, nor annexed by diuine law. And this we will not only heare him speake,

but graunt him also, taking the diuine law, as he taketh it, for that which is expresly deter∣mined in Scriptures, where we also say there is no euident precept set downe of continency in Ecclesiasticall men by the Apostles, yet is the same there so insinuated, & the obseruance hath beene so ancient, as Bellarmine noteth, that it may truly be tearmed Apostolicall, which is all that we require, and is not gaine sayd by Panormitan.

46. And whereas he alleadgeth Gratian in this manner: And Gratian out of S. Augustine yet more: their marriage, sayth he, is neither forbidden by le∣gall, nor Euangelicall, nor Apostolicall authority: I must make bold to tell him, that in these words is a very grosse vntruth: for Gratian taketh nothing out of S. Augustine, who in the text of Gratian speaketh no more of mariage then of midsomer Moone: for the difficulty in that question is a∣bout lotts, whether the practise of casting them in any matter of moment be lawfull, seeing the same was vsed in the detection of Achan, and e∣lection of S. Matthias, to which end he quoteth this short sentence of S. Augustine: Sors non aliquid mali est sed res est in dubitatione humana diuinam indi∣cans voluntatem. A lot is no ill thing, but it is a thing shewing, where men do doubt, the will or pleasure of God. So much out of him and no more, which as you see nothing at all concer∣neth the marriage of Ministers: and the wordes which follow are of Gratian himselfe, deciding the controuersy thus: His ita respondetur: antequam claresceret Euange ium multa permittebantur quae tem∣pore persectionis disciplinae penitus sint eliminata &c. To these thus I answere that before the manifesta∣tion

of the Ghospell, many things were permit∣ted,

which in the tyme of more perfect discipli∣ne were quite abrogated: for the carnall copu∣lation of Priests or kinsfolkes (permitted in the old law) is not forbidden by any legall, Euan∣gelicall or Apostolicall authority; Ecclesiastica ta∣men lege penitus interdicitur, sic & sortibus &c. But yet

by Ecclesiastical law it is altogeather forbidden, so likewise in lots it is cleare that there is no harme in them, notwithstanding they are for∣bidden to be vsed of the faythfull, least vnder the colour of this diuination, they should fall backe againe to the old worship of Idolatry. Thus Gratian, which as you see is no more then Panormitan before sayd, & we graunted, touching the diuine law: but touching M. Hall there are two foule faults in this citation, the one of com∣mission in auouching both in the English text, and Latin margent these words to be taken out of S. Augustine, the other of omission in con∣cealing the marriages of kinsfolkes within the prohibited degrees, which although only for∣bidden by Ecclesiasticall law, yet dares not M. Hall as I thinke transgresse it, so as this law hath greater force then he supposeth it to haue.

47. Neither doth the demaund he maketh much moue vs, vnles it be to laughter for his folly, or compassion of his simplicity, when he asketh vs saying: God neuer imposed this law of conti∣nency: who then? the Church: as if a good spouse would gainesay what her husband willeth? To which idle question I answere, that this Spouse cannot gainesay what her husband willeth, because she hath his spirit to leade her into al truth, his pro∣mise

that Hell gates shall neuer preuaile against her: his command that all shall obey her, or be held as Heathens and Publicans; she is espoused to him, who neuer dyes, who will neuer seeke di∣uorce; she is so beautifull as without spot, so bright as all may see her, so sure as she is the pil∣ler and foundation of truth, so permanent as she shall endure to the worlds end: and this minister who would make the one to gainesay the other should bring some place or sentence to shew the same (which he may chance to do the next morning after the Greeke Calends) or els neuer auouch so vnchrhristian a paradoxe. I passe ouer his other passage of Panormitan with which he would haue vs confesse our mouthes stopped, as though this man alone were Apollo Delphicus, and euery thing he sayth were to be held for an ora∣cle: we tye not our selues to euery mans opiniō, for that were to preiudice publicke authority: the common is Catholike, priuate iudgments are subiect to more then priuate exception, & this sentence is censured by Bellarmine as errone∣ous: neither is it otherwise deliuered by the au∣thor, but as his own proper opinion, supposing the abuse of some Cleargy men, as it should seem in his dayes, who liuing incontinently, he thought it better for them to marry euen after their orders, then to giue such scandall: but no law can preuent all abuses: euen in matrimony we find adulterers, and they who in single life so lewdly follow their lust, would also perhaps not haue beene restrained in marriage within the prefixed limits of coniugall chastity; at least for the errours of some, the law is not to be alte∣red

that bindeth all, especially being so ancient, so vniuersall, so necessary, as we shall after shew this law to be.

48. The like liberty I might vse in preter∣mitting other of his impertinent allegations, if I thought the man would not, where he fin∣deth no answere, thinke that they were vnan∣swerable, & therefore I meane to examine them all, though this which followes be not worth the taking vp, had he not by misinterpreting the Latin made it more aduantagious to his cause, then euer the speaker meant it: for thus he writeth: But if this red hat be not worthy of respect, let a Pope himselfe speake out of Peters chayre, Pius the se∣cond, as learned as hath sit in that roome this thousand yeares: marriage, sayth he, vpon great reason was taken from the Clergy, but vpon greater is to be restored. VVhat need we other Iudge? Thus M. Hall: in which words are two manifest vntruths, the one that he spake this out of Peters chaire: for he neuer made any decree thereof, and Platina who alone is cited to report it, sayth that in familiar talke only he was wont so to say, which is far from defyning out of S. Peters Chayre, which requires a defi∣nitiue sentence, as from the head of the Church and deliuered in absolute tearmes, for the affir∣matiue or negatiue of any assertion: for in like manner Kings are not sayd to do out of king∣ly authority, what they do or say in familiar discourse or recreation amonst their subiects, but what they do or say by their publique laws, edicts, proclamations, commands, and the like.

49. The other vntruth is more malicious: for whereas the Latin wordes in the margent

are: Sacerdotibus magna ratione sublatas nuptias, maiore restituendas videri, which truly trāslated signify no more, but that marriage vpon good reason was taken from Priests, and may seeme vpon greater to be restored: this man bringeth in one lye to confirme another, to shew, I say, that the Pope defined out of S. Peters chayre, he maketh him ab∣solutly to say, Marriage vpon great reason was taken from the Clergy, but vpon greater is to be restored; and to make it haue a large extent, insteed of Priests he translateth Clergy, which includeth also Bi∣shops, who yet are excluded by his owne sixth Councel, as we shall after shew, and then exclai∣meth, VVhat needeth other iudge? and I say there needeth no other, but some who vnderstand their Grammer, to tell M. Hall three things, that the word Sacerdotibus signifyeth Priests, and not the Clergy, 2. that nuptias restituendas videri, is to be Englished, marriages may seeme to be resto∣red, and not are to be restored: and 3. that euery compassionate speach of dislike in familiar talke, is not a decree from S. Peters chayre. As for his superlatiue lashing of this Popes learning in comparison of others, no regard is to be had thereunto: for now this Minister measures all thinges by marriage, and seeth nothing but through false spectacles; a schismaticall Coun∣cell is for fauouring wiues presently become with him sacred, and the authority irrefragable, Paphnutius for fauouring the same as ••e supposeth in the Nicen Councell is stiled, a Virgin famous for holynes, famous for miracles. S. Athanasius, holy Athana∣sius, a witnes past exception, and shall serue for a thou∣sand historyes till his tyme: if he cite a Cardinal then

must his red cap stop our mouthes, and he be termed a learned Cardinall: if a Pope, then ex tripode he defines him to be as learned as any hath beene in that roome for a thousand yeares: But if any speake a∣gainst this licentious liberty, as did Gregory the seauenth, he is presently a brand of hell, S. Dun∣stane no more but plaine Dustane, and the like of S. Anselme most famous for learning and holy∣nes of life. But all sanctity, all learning, all au∣thority is lost with this man, if you allow not marriage vnto Priests, Bishops, Monks, Nunnes and all other votaryes.

50. From the lawfullnes and necessity, he commeth to the antiquity of the marriage of Clergy men, and because he will deduce it from the Apostles tymes, yea from their examples he beginneth with this exordium: How iust (sayth he) this law is you see; see now how ancient: for some doctrines haue nothing to plead for them but tyme: Age hath beene an old refuge for falsehood: Tertullians rule is true, that which is first is truest. So he: in which ob∣scure words without any interposition at all of any other, there is a flat contradiction: for if age haue beene the refuge of falsehood, how can the other part be verifyed, the more ancient, the more true? againe if Tertullians rule be true, that which is first is truest, how can prescription of tyme be a refuge for falshood? Do these men wake or sleep, when they write? do they deale in matters of cōtrouersy, or deliuer their dreams? if that which is first is truest, then must priority of tyme be the guardian of truth, and not the refuge of fals∣hood, which doth shunne and auoyd this tryall.

51. If this Maxime of trying truth by tyme,

had byn obserued of King Henry 8. in England, Martin Luther in Saxony, and Zuinglius in Zuricke, these late hereticall noueltyes, with which Eu∣rope is now pestered, had not entred with such full saile as they did: but then age was a refuge for falshood, and Tertullians rule was ouerruled as irregular, which now in the marriage of Priests is made to be the only square of truth: & truely as M. Hall doth handle the matter, it is made a Lesbian rule, which may be turned, chan∣ged, wrested, and applyed as you list: for if you vrge the constant, vniforme & generall consent of all places, tymes, pastours, writers for purga∣tory, reall presence, merits, iustification by good workes, the Supremacy of the sea of Rome, and the like, alwayes confessed, neuer without the brand of heresy denyed, then is age the refuge of falshood, mother of errour, and no certainty can be drawne from the authority of men: let but a minister haue but one seeming place of any Fa∣ther neere the Apostles tymes, although but of one among all, and of all others disproued, as heere M. Hall presumeth of Clemens Alexandrinus, though he make indeed nothing for him, and then forthwith Tertullians rule is true, that which is first is truest, and these men will be the Aduocats of antiquity,

—Quo teneam vultus mutantem Prothea nodo?

52. Now that he may for age ouerbeare vs he beginneth with Moyses, and sayth, that it is cleere what he and the Iewes did, which is not denyed, though yet in eating their Paschall lambe they had their loynes girt, absteyned from their wiues when they did minister in the Taberna∣cle,

or did eate their shew-breads, had many puri∣fications and cleansings, and in fine he who spe∣cially figured the eternall Priesthood of Christ our Sauiour in the sacrifice of bread and wine, to wit, Melchisidecke is not read to haue had any wife at all, and the perfection of the new law being in so excessiue a degree aboue the other of Moyses, no argumēt grounded in equality or pro∣portion can be made from the one to the other, or if any be, it must be the quite contrary to this of M. Halls, as before I haued noted. Wherefore omitting the old law, let vs come to the new, in which also this man would out strip vs: for he demandeth what did the Apostles? I answer that none after their Apostolicall vocation did marry, and they who were marryed before, did leaue their wiues. He asketh againe: Doth not S. Paul tell vs, that both the rest of the Apostles, and the bre∣thren of our Lord, and Cephas had wiues (and which is more) carryed them still along in their trauells? I answer him, no. For they were not wiues, but deuout women who followed them sometymes, and maintayned them, as there were some who did the like to our Sauiour, as S. Luke recounteth: and it must needs argue great ignorance in this man, in not vnderstanding the Apostle expoun∣ded alike by all the Fathers, and intol erable pride (as these qualityes commonly go togea∣ther) in preferring his iudgment before all who euer wrote or commented on this place, in the Greeke or Latin Church, one only excepted, and not only preferreth his owne iudgment, but with exceeding contempt reiecteth them, laughes them to scorne.

53. For besides the omission of the article 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which should haue beene expressed as Bel∣larmine noteth, if the Apostle had meant wiues, the other two words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the iudg∣ment of S. Hierome, S. Augustine and others, as we shall now see, do cleane ouerthrow this fancy, but what sayth this man heereunto: for that chil∣dish elusion (sayth he) of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, who can a∣bide but to laugh at it? and citeth in the margent the translation of the Rhemes Testament, a sister a woman; which interpretation notwithstan∣ding is approued by themselues in the mar∣gent of the later editions of the English Bible, and therefore we may as well conclude, that S. Paul saying mulierem sororem did speake of a woman not a wife, as S. Peter saying, viri fratres, did speak of men, and not of husbands, for els 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Greek were superfluous: vpon which word alone S. Hierome against Iouinian M. Halls prede∣cessour, doth most cleearely euince that they were not wiues, but other vertuous women: Si autemillud nobis opposuerit &c. If Iouinian (sayth he) shall obiect that vnto vs, to proue all the Apost∣ples to haue had wines: haue we not power to carry about women or wiues (because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with the Grecians doth signisy both) let him ioyne thereunto what is in the Greeke copies: Numquid non habemus pote∣statem sorores mulieres, vel vxores circumducendi? Haue we not power to carry about sisters women, or sisters wiues? Out of which it appeareth S. Paul to haue spoken of other holy women, which ac∣cording to the custome of the Iewes, did main∣taine their teachers out of their wealth, as we read the like done to our Lord himselfe: for the

order of the wordes importeth so much: Haue we not power to eate and drinke, or to carry about sisters women? where first he speaketh of eating and drin∣king and maintayning them, and then he inferrs of women sisters, of which it is euident, not wiues but those other women to be vnderstood (as is sayd) which mainteyned them of their goods, which also is recounted in the old law of that Sunamite which was wont to receaue Elizaeus, & prepare him a table, bread, and candlesticke, or truly if we take the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for wiues, not women, that which is added sisters taketh away wiues, & sheweth that they were their true sisters inspirit, not their wiues. Thus far S. Hierome.

54. The same likewise sayth S. Augusine, to wit, that they were fideles mulieres habentes terre∣nam substantiam, Christian women of wealth, who out of their substance maintayned the A∣postles: and addeth (which I with M. Hall to marke) hoc quidam non intelligentes, non sororem

mulie∣rem &c. This some not vnderstanding, inter∣prete it not a woman sister, when the Apostle sayd: haue we not power to carry about a wo∣man sister, but a wife, the double acception of the Greeke word deceaued them, because in the Greeke tongue by the same word is expressed a woman and a wife, although the Apostle haue so expressed this, as they should not haue beene deceaued, because he sayd not only a woman, but s••rorem mulierem, a sister woman, or woman sister, and sayth not of marrying, but of carrying them about. Neuertheles this ambiguousnes of the word deceaued not other interpreters, who expounded the word a woman, and not a wife.

So S. Augustine. And now let M. Hall if his beard be thicke inough to hide his face from blushing laugh at S. Hierome, & S. Augustine, for relying so much vpon the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sister, on which alone as you see they do both learnedly and di∣rectly inferre that they were not wiues, and S. Augustine also further addeth, that they vnder∣stand not the Apostle who otherwise interpret him: for the word sister is a cleare euiction they were not wiues: whereas on the other side this seely poore soule, against the one and the other, vpon his bare word sayth, they were wiues, but proueth it not; and that the word sister is so far from being an euiction, as it is a childish illusion, and that he cannot but laugh at it: Vtricreditis audite∣res? whome had you rather belieue and follow, these most learned and renowned Doctours, or this ridiculous light headed Minister?

55. Neither do these two alone (though they alone where nothing is brought to the contrary might suffice) follow this exposition: for except Clemens Alexandrinus whose singularity in this against the maine multitude of others, we rather seeke to excuse then follow, and per∣haps for this amongst other thinges did Gelasius condemne his bookes as Apocriphall: besides him I say, al others, as well Greeke as Latin in∣terpret as we do. So S. Ambrose, Tertullian, S. Cy∣prian (if he and not Origen were the author of the worke desingularitate Clericorum) Primasius, Hai∣mo, S. Bede, S. Thomas, and others of the Latin Church; and of the Greeke S. Chrysostome, Theodo∣ret, Occumenius, Theophilactus &c. who as I suppose vnderstood Greeke somewhat better then our

English Ministers do, and to charge all these with childish illusions, or to laugh at them, may better beseeme the franticke folly of some lewd Mini∣ster, then the iudgment or grauity of any dis∣creet and sober man.

56. Againe it is to be noted, that Clement albeit he acknowledged more Apostles to haue had wiues then other authors will graunt, al∣beit he interpret S. Paul of carrying them about (a pretty vagary for the Apostles wiues, to runne vp and downe all the world ouer after their husbands) yet doth he deny that they vsed them as wiues, but only as sisters: so as neither the au∣thority cited out of him, or S. Ignatius whome he also citeth, maketh any thing against vs at al supposing all were graunted which they say: for touching our cōtrouersy as well may we graunt all the Apostles to haue had wiues as one, and as much difficulty there is to answere one as all▪ for it suffiseth vs that after their calling to be A∣postles, they vsed not their wiues, which Cle∣ment confesseth, though as Baronius proueth S. Paul had no wife, for which we may cite S. Paul himselfe: Non potuisset (sayth S. Ambrose) ad tan∣tam Apostolatus sui peruentre gratiam, si fuisset allig••tus coniugij contubernio. He could neuer haue come to so great honour of his Apostleship if he had beene tyed to a wife. So he, & the testimony of S. Ignatius to the contrary is a meet forgery of t••e ••ther Grecians, there being no such thing to be found in all the more ancient copyes that are extant.

57. But sayth M. Hall, their owne Cardinall lear∣ned C••ietan d••th auouch and euince it. We acknow∣ledge

C••ietan to be our Cardinall, we acknow∣ledge him to haue beene learned, especially in schoole learning, which far trāscends this poor Epistlers capacity, and in interpreting the Scrip∣tures we no lesse acknowledge him to haue had his errours, among which this may passe for one of turning S. Paul his companion into his wife, wherin he not only swarueth from all commen∣taryes Greeke and Latin, but euen from Caluin, and Beza M. Halls great Rabbyns, and yet for the cause in hand maketh nothing against vs, who rest contented with eyther of these two graunts, to wit, that he was not marryed at all, or if he were marryed, that he vsed not his wife after he was made an Apostle: and this later our owne learned Cardinall doth both auouch and euince for vs, and that in this very place by M. Hall in these wordes: Constantissimè credo, & nullatenus dubito &c: I do most constantly belieue & no wayes doubt, that if S. Paul had no wife before his

conuersion that he neuer had any at al: for hauing commit∣ted vnto him the charge of preaching the Ghos∣pell ouer the whole world, he had beene the ve∣ryest foole aliue, and had gaynsayd the doctrine of Christ, if he had marryed a wife: and much comfort must the wife haue had of such a hus∣band, still ouerwhelmed with iniuryes, stripes, wounds, brands, vncertainty of place, and ex∣cessiue

pouerty: these I say had beene dainty marriages. Againe I would most earnestly de∣fend, yea clearly euince and perswade one who were not stubborne (for it were most easy) not one of the Apostls of Christ, who followed him after their calling, not only not to haue mar∣ryed

but to haue renounced their wiues which before they had taken. So our learned Cardinall: &

will M. Hall allow this learning? I thinke not, and therefore I may well challenge this Cardi∣nall to be truly ours in this controuersy, and all his auoucbing and euincing to be against the Protestants, so good choice hath he made of an Aduocate. But let vs proceed.

58. To end this matter of the Apostles he cō∣meth from their practise, as he sayth to their Constitutions, & bids his Reader looke in these Canōs, which the Romish Church fathers vpon the Apostle, & Fran. Turrian their Iesuit sweats to defend it in a whol volume, there you find, Can. 5. enacted that no Bishop, Presbyter, Deacon, shall forsake his wife (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) in pretēce of Religion, vpon paine of deposition, it would moue laughter to see how the Iesuits gnaw vpō this bone, & suck in nothing but the bloud of their own iawes, while the sixt Generall Coun∣cell auers and proclaims this sense truely Aposto∣licall, in spight of all contradiction. Hitherto M Hall. In which words if you marke them wel, one part doth ouerthrow the other: for he sayth of the Canons, that the Romish Church fathers them vpon the Apostles, & that the Iesuits sweat to defend it, which is as much as if he had sayd, that they are not indeed theirs, and by Protestants they are disauowed, neither in other things will M. Hall stand to their authority. Wherefore this Canon euen in his own opinion is not so Canonicall, as now he would make it, & how then doth he tell M. VVhiting: this was their practise, what was their constitution? How is it made such a hard lone, as he

who gnawes it can sucke in nothing but bloud out of his owne iawes? For granting that it was not made by the Apostles, which Protestants do, and we may also if we list, there is no hardnes or difficulty in it at all. Wherefore to obtrude it for such, is a meere coosenage of his friend, and deluding of his Reader, or if he, more then his mates, will admit these Canons, then let him expound vs the 17. in order, wherin it is decreed that none can be made Bishop, Priest, or Deacon, who hath marryed a widdow, or one who was di∣uorced from her husband, or a seruing mayd: which if it were practised amongst them in our country, and all such deposed as are so marryed, who seeth not that the English Clergy would be soone reduced to a smaller number.

59. But the truth is, that he maketh no more account of this Canon, then of any coun∣terfeit thing whatsoeuer, and thereby his Rea∣der, & especially M. VVhiting, may know whom he trusteth: for to proue not only the doctrine & practise, but Constitutions also of the Apostles to stand for the marriage of Priests, he produ∣ceth for the later this Canon, and besids this no nother authority, only for the approuance of the sense which he pretendeth, the Trullan Councell is cited, or rather misalledged, as pre∣sently I shall declare: and this Canon when he talketh with M. VVhiting, is so hard a bone as they who gnaw thereon can sucke nothing but bloud out of their owne iawes; but afterwards forgetting what he had sayd to him, he telleth his tippling ridicu∣lous friend Thomas Iames of Oxford another tale, & maketh this proofe out of the Apostles Constitutions,

as light as a fether, and with one blast bloweth both it and some nyne or ten Fathers with it a∣way togeather, exclayming against vs for rely∣ing any authority thereon: VVhat a flourish (sayth he) do they make with vsur••ed names? whome would it not amaze to see the frequent citations of the Apostles owne Canons, Constitutions, Liturgyes, Masses, Cle∣ment, Denis the Areopagite, Linus, Hyppolitus, Martial of Burdeaux, Egesippus, Donations of Constantyne the Great, and Lewys the godly, of 50. Canons of Neece, of Dorotheus, Damasus his Pontificall &c. and a little af∣ter of all these and others he sayth, that all carry in them manifest brands of falshood and supposition: and consequently this matter of Priests marriage which he would shew to M. VVhiting to be the Apostles constitution, and that out of one of their owne Canons, drawing bloud from the iawes of all Catholikes that gnaw theron, is only a meer cosenage & deceit; for this Canon, this Constitution is nothing els, but a vayne flourish of vsurped names, and amazing of M. VVhiting with the citation of a Canon, and con∣stitution Apostolicall, which by his owne con∣fession hath nothing in it of any Apostolicall authority, but only of meere falshood, supposi∣tion, and forgery: this is indeed to incurre the Apostles checke of pulling downe that which before he had built, this is to blow hoat and cold with the same breath, to say and vnsay, al∣low and disallow any testimony or authority at his pleasure.

60. Neither were it a matter of any diffi∣culty to iustify the credit of all the Authors he reproueth if I would digresse so far, and the

thing it selfe did so require: but to auoyd larger excursions into other matters not incident to the controuersy in hand, I will leaue all our proofe in this matter, and in one word deale with M. Hall, as God did with the Aegyptians, of whome in the Prophet Isay he sayd: Concurrere faciam Aegyptios contra Aegyptios. I will set Aegipti∣ans against Aegiptians, Protestants against Pro∣testants, M. Halls brothers or rather Maisters and Superiours against him, to speake, to defend, to vrge the authority of S. Clement, S. Denis, S. Da∣masus, S. Dorotheus heere denyed, and others of no lesse vncertaine authority with some of our Ad∣uersaryes, then any that M. Hall hath named: for this is a solemne custome and very currant a∣mongst these men, that in case some Catholike do vrge any of these Authours against their he∣resy, then presently to discarde them with con∣tempt, to twite them with bastardy, or (as M. Iewell scornfully was wont to do) to say they are of the blacke guard: but when Protestants and Puritans warre one against the other, then are these Authours classicall, their workes vndoub∣ted, their words of weight, their credit vncon∣trollable, which point as I sayd were not hard to shew in diuers particulers if I would stand v∣pon them.

61. M. Doctour VVhitgift lately tearmed of Canterbury, when he wrote against the Puritans vrged the authorityes of the foure aboue named, and for that they were denyed by Cartwright and others, as branded with falshood and suppositi∣on, the Author of the Suruey of the pretended disci∣pline in a long chapter (wherein the Puritans

dealing with the ancient Fathers, Ecclesiasticall historyes, and generall Councels are layd open) checketh them for the same: for (to pretermit other charges of their contempt and reiection of Fathers) thus in one place he writeth: To proue the antiquity (sayth he) and lawfullnes of the name of Archbishop, there being alleadged the authorityes of Clement, Anacletus, Anice••us, Epiphanius, Ambrose, & Sozomenus &c. the Puritans tearme the bringing in of these authorityes, the mouing and sum∣mouing of hell, that those tymes were not pure and virgin∣like but departed from Apostolicall simplicity, and do tread them all vnder feet with as great facility as may be: Cle∣ment, Anacletus, and Anicetus, are discharged for rogues, and men branded in the fore-head. So there, with more to the same effect: and after to proue S. Timothy to haue beene Bishop of Ephesus, are cited among others Dorotheus and Dionysius Areopa∣gita, with the like disallowance of the the Puri∣tans as the former: whereas yet Oliuer Ormerod in his Picture, towards the end, to proue the inter∣rogatoryes made in Baptisme to be no trifles or ioyes, as the Puritans tearmed them, but vsed in the Apostles dayes, citeth S. Denis Areopagita▪ and A. N. in his Bible-bearer doth the like to proue the vse of the Crosse vsed in the same Sacrament saying: Dionysius Areopagita, who liued in the Apostles tyme, maketh mention of the Crosse in Baptisme &c. But not to digresse further from the Suru••y▪ wher immediatly before the place aboue cited for the antiquity of the name of Archdeacon were allead∣ged sayth this Surueyour, the testimonyes of Da∣masus, Hierome, Sixtus, Sozomene, and Socrates, to whose authorityes their answere is: two of them

are counterfaits: Damasus spake in the dragons voyce: among men the best ground beareth thistles: those tyms were corrupt, and yet Sixtus liued Bishop of Rome about the yeare 265. and was a godly Martyr. So the Suruey, and M. Iewell in his Reply citeth also Fabian, Alexander, Anacletus, and others: so as with the Protestants, S. Clement, S. Denis, S. Damasus, Anacletus, Anice∣tus, Sixtus, Alexander, Fabian, Dorotheus, are good Authours, and if they speake in their behalfe their words must be admitted for true authority in respect of their vertue and venerable antiqui∣quity, and the Puritans for denying their testi∣monyes, condemned as enemyes to the ancient Fathers.

62. This is the course held by the Prote∣stants against the Puritans, but when they write against vs, then do they turne their sayles, and then are all these Fathers counterfeit, and not the authours of those workes extant vnder their names, then will M. Iewell tell vs that this S. Denis cannot be Areopagita S. Pauls disciple, and M. VVill. Charke very soberly lets vs know, that he hath not beene a companion of our bastard Denis in his iour∣ney to heauen. Then againe will M. Iewell demaund from whence commeth M. Hardings Clement? then Damasus, Anacletus, Anicetus, Sixtus, Alexander, Fabian and all other Popes decretall epistles do manifestly depraue and abuse the Scriptures, they maintayne the state and kingdome of the Pope, they publish vaine and supersti∣tious ceremonyes, and proclaime such things as are knowne to be open lyes: then will he labour to shew, that they cannot possibly be theirs whose names they beare. So he sayth of them all in generall, and after by name he casteth of Anacletus, Anterus, and Fabian, but yet

in the same diuision, forgetting himselfe to con∣firme what he would haue, he citeth a decree of Anaclete, and in the next diuision after, another of Fabian, saying: Fabianus also Bishop of Rome hath plainely decreed that the people should receaue the Commu∣nion euery Sunday. So as if these Decretall epistles make for him they are forth with authenticall, if against him then is there nothing in them but deprauation of Scripturs, superstitious ceremo∣nyes, knowne and open lyes.

63. And whatsoeuer M. Hall in wordes doth pretend of the other ancient Doctours whose workes are allowed, and whome in one place he setteth forth with their honourable titles, as sententious Tertullian, graue Cyprian, reso••ute Hierome, flowing Chrysostome, diuine Ambrose, deuout ••ernard, and who alone is all these, heauenly Augustine, adding further their Counsells, verdicts and resolutions to be wise and holy, and in another place confessing the Court of the Fathers, as reuerend a tryall as any vnder heauen: yet notwithstanding all this, when this tryall shallbe made, this man will stare post princi∣pia, play least in sight, or rather fly far out of the field: for the chiefest champions of these later Sectaryes haue still refused to enter into this combat, & he by name who gaue the first name to the base brat of the Sacramentary heresy, Zu∣inglius I meane, in one place thus writeth of them all togeather: Mox incipis clamare Patres Patres &c. Presently (sayth he) you begin to crye the Fa∣thers

the Fathers, so forsooth the Fathers haue deliuered, but I reply vnto you that not the Fa∣thers, nor the mothers, but the word of God it

is that I require. So he. And Musculus so much

reuerenced euery where by M. VVhitaker, sayth that he is malignāt to the Church of God, who admits the tryall of Fathers. Doctor Humphreyes in Iewells life sayth: Quid rei nobis cum Patribus, cum carne & sanguine? What haue we to do with the Fathers, with flesh and bloud? and M. VVhi∣taker makes this Caueat: Cauendum semper est ne nimium Patribus tribuamus cum Papistis &c. We must still beware not to giue too much credit to

the Fathers with the Papists, but that in reading them we maintaine our right and liberty, and examine all their sayings by the rule of the Scripture with which if they agree, that we re∣ceaue them, but if they disagree, that then with

their good leaue we may freely reiect them. So he. And further demandeth this wise question, equum ne iudicas &c. do you thinke it meet, M. Cam∣pian, that if the Fathers erred in interpreting the Scriptures, that we should follow their

steps? and that we should forsake the truth we haue

found, because they could not find it? Lo what account these men make of the Fathers whose credit on the sodain is with M. Hall so great, and tryall so reuerend.

64. But not to enter further into this mat∣ter, Luther alone may suffice to cleare this questi∣on, who by name reiecteth all those whom M. Hall in words will seeme to admire. S. Cyprian he calleth a weake deuine, S. Chrysostome a babler, S. Ambrose vnlearned, Tertullian no better then Carolostadius, Luthers cōtemptible Antagonist, S. Ber∣nard a good preacher a bad disputer, in S. Augu∣stine nothing sayth he is singular, but especially aboue al others he raileth at S. Hierom, to whom

he sayth: Quin te Hieronyme conculcamus, cum tua Be∣thleem, cuculia & deserto. Why do we not tread thee Hierom vnder our feet with thy Bethleem, coole & desert. And in another place he sayth he was an Heretike, and addeth the cause, which some∣what concerneth M. Hall: Nihil de Christo loquitur, duntaxat illius nomen ore fert &c. he sayth nothing of Christ, only he hath his name in his mouth, I know none to whome I am so great an enemy as vnto Hierom, and why I pray you? what hath S. Hierome done to you more then the rest that may deserue so great hatred? mary sayth this fat Fryer: Tantùm scribit de ieiunio, de delectu ciborum, de virginitate &c. The wrong is euident: for he only writeth of fasting, of choice of meaner meats, of virginity, & the like, which is a yoke that neithee lewd Luther, nor M. Hall, nor any els of the one or other sect can support: and had M. Hall found any reliefe for his cause in any of these Fathers for the marriage of Priests, their names, and authorityes had not beene spared in his text or margent, but he citeth no one of them al for this matter, but two or three words of S. Cyprian about Numidicus, & they most sham∣fully mistaken, as shallbe shewed in the next Pa∣ragraffe: and when he shall reade their wordes by me cyted against him, he will I doubt not deale with their authorityes as he doth heere with the Apostles Constitutions, canonize them when they may seeme to make for his purpose, and afterwards tell vs they were all men, they had their errours: he will follow them as far as they follow the Scriptures, and no further, which is iust as much, and as a little as himselfe

listeth: for if they interprete the Scriptures a∣gainst him (as we see they did the wordes of the Apostle of carrying about a woman sister) then their learned Commentaryes shallbe childish illusions, and he cannot hold but, out of the re∣uerend respect he bears them, must needs laugh them all to scorne: but to returne to the Consti∣tutions.

65. If M. Hall contend that this authority though not approued by him, yet at least vrgeth vs who allow these Canons: I answere that our allowance of thē is not so absolute, but may ad∣mit restriction: for though some plead for them, yet others disproue them, and Baronius answering this very obiection, sayth of all these Canons: Apocryphorum non est tanta authoritas &c. there is not such authority to be giuen vnto Apocryphall Canons, as to infring things so certayne, so ra∣tifyed, & confirmed as is the single life of Clergy men: at least M. Hall should not haue put downe the matter in such peremptory and vndoubted tearmes, where on all hands he knew to be so much controuersy: and it is an vntruth worthy of himselfe to say, that the sixth Councell pro∣claimes this sense truly Apostolicall in spight of al contradiction: for there we find no such pro∣clamation, but the contrary especially concer∣ning Bishops: for in the next precedent Canon the people of Afrike and Lybia exhibited a com∣plaint against some Bishops for only dwelling with their wiues which they had marryed be∣fore they were Bishops, and the Councell de∣creeth, vt nihil eiusmodi deinceps vllo modo fiat, that no such thing hereafter be in any wise done,

with this thundring conclusion: Si quis autem tale aliquid agere deprehensus fuerit, deponatur. If any shall∣be round to do the like let him be deposed. For which cause in the next Canon whereon this man most relyeth, no Bishop is named, but only Subdeacon, Deacon, or Priest without any fur∣ther ascent, and you may imagine what these would haue sayd and decreed of our Protestant Prelats (who not only dwell with their wiues but vse them vs much as before) if such a com∣plaint had beene brought and exhibited against them.

66. Furthermore in the same Councell, the 48. Canon doth both confirm what I haue now sayd of Bishops wiues, and explicateth also this other Canon of the Apostles: for thus they de∣fine: Vxor eius qui ad Episcopalem dignitatem promotus est, communi sui viri consensu prius separata &c. Let the wife of him who is promoted, when he is orde∣red and consecrated Bishop, being by mutuall consent first separated, enter into some monaste∣ry, built far from the dwelling place of the Bi∣shop, and let her be maintayned by him. So this Canon, & so it seemeth that these men although incontinent inough, were not yet fully arryued to the perfection of our English Protestants, but came one degree behind them: and it is eui∣dent also that when in the Apostles Canon it is prohibited that no Priest eijciat, or abijciat, turne out of dores his wife, or shake her off to shift for her selfe, it is to be vnderstood not of their sepa∣ration the one from the other but of their main∣tenance, that their husbands should be bound to prouide for them: & the Greeke word which

M. Hall so often citeth, but seemeth not to vn∣derstand confirmes this sense: for it signifyeth as well warines, as Religion, and as Bellarmine well obserueth, the meaning is, that no Bishop or Priest vnder pretext of warines, because he is bound to liue continently, put his wife away without further care of prouiding for her: & this sense is also auowed by S. Gregory, and the 2. Councell of Towers, and was giuen long since to this obiection, as M. Hall may find in Gratian, where he hath found things of far lesse momēt, but this he listeth not to see.

67. And these are all the proofes he could find out of the Apostles writings, practise, and constitutions, wherein how little he hath gay∣ned you haue now seen, or rather how he is cast in them all: for whatsoeuer Apostolicall autho∣rity deliuered in writing, what practise soeuer recounted by antiquity, all Canons, and Consti∣tutions canonicall being taken in the sense they haue alwayes heertofore beene taken that is, in their true and proper meaning, without wre∣sting, mangling, misinterpreting, or other bad demeanour, are so far from succouring his cause, as they quite ouerthrow it, and yield inuincible arguments for the Catholike truth: hauing seen this I say, you may well iudge how well he de∣serueth according to his owne proffer to be pu∣nished with a diuorce, the greatest punishment as i•• should seeme that can be inflicted on this tender h••rted husband, which yet will be more cleare in the ensuing authorityes taken from the Fathers, which are lesse lyable vnto his com∣mentaryes then the Scriptures, of which many

Texts he boldly peruerteth with his own glosse, or which is all one with the commentaryes of late hereticall writers repugnant to the ancient: but the other testimonyes taken from the Fa∣thers, and historyes recounting only matter of fact, need no commentaryes for their explica∣tion, and so are lesse subiect to his abuse. Let vs then see what he alleadgeth.

Notes

• M. Hall measures the chasti∣ty of Ca∣tholike Priests by that which he finds in English Ministers.
• Many of our En∣glish mar∣ryed Mi∣nisters in∣continent.
• The cause why Lu∣ther held the vow of chastity impossi∣ble. Epist. ad VVolf. Reissenb.
• Locis sup. citatis.
• Tom in c. 7. primae ad Cortut.
• De votit Monast.
• Lutherus, Bucerus, Pellicanus sup. citati.
• Decad. 1. epist. 5.
• A malici∣ous sur∣mize of the En∣glish Reli∣gious of Bruxells.
• The spi∣rit of Ca∣tholike Religious Nunnes is far diffe∣rent from the spirit of the he∣reticall English Ministers▪
• The im∣possibility of a chast life refu∣ted by S. Paul. 1. Tim. 5.
• Bernard. epist. 77.
• The prin∣ciples of Protestāts open the way vnto all lasciui∣ousnes.
• M Hall hardly pressed.
• The ob∣seruance of the vow of chastity is in our power & not im∣possible. August de gratia & lib. arbit. cap. 4.
• Rom. 12.
• Wedlock requireth a speciall grace for the chasti∣ty requi∣red therin which yet resteth in our power to perfor∣me.
• August de bono vidu∣it. cap. 17.
• Let M. Hall mark well this argumēt.
• Virgins as more vni∣ted vnto God then marryed folke, so haue more strength to perse∣uere in their vo∣cation.
• August. l. de virgin. cap. 54. Ambr. l. ••. de virgi∣nib. initio.
• Lib. citat. cap. 55.
• Cap. 58.
• Ambr. l. de Virgin. propefi••ē▪ The di∣uers helps which virgins haue for their per∣seuerance.
• Ambr. l. 3. de vir∣gin, paulò antefinem.
• Ambrose ibidem circa med.
• This M. Hall will graunt though S. Ambrose do deny.
• Origen. tractat. 7. in Matth.
• Hier. ep. ad Deme∣triad. ante med.
• Cant. 2. Apoc. 14. Eccles. 9.
• Cant. 2.
• The vow of Clergy men vo∣luntarily made per∣formed with faci∣lity.
• August. l. 8. Confes∣sion. c. 11.
• Many vn∣willingly made Priests, who yet were bound to liue chast in the time of S. Au∣stine.
• August. l. 2. de adul∣terinis cō∣iugijs cap. vltimo.
• August. l. 2. de adul. coniugijs cap. 29.
• De adult. coniug. l. 1. cap. 24.
• August. serm. 171. detempore.
• How cha∣stity a∣mong Mi∣nisters is imposs∣ble.
• Hebr. 6.
• Hall. De∣cad. 3. ep. 3.
• Hieron. i•• c. 4. Hie∣remi••.
• The meanes •••• preserue chastity.
• August. l 4. de Ba••t. cap. 20.
• The Church of Christ the place of chastity.
• Ambr▪ in psal. 11••, octon. 6. Chrysost. 6. de virgin. cap. 1. Optatus l. 3. in 〈…〉〈…〉
• Athanas, Apolog••••.
• The con∣uersion of S. Augu∣stin shew∣eth the gift of cha∣stity to be only in the Church. August. l. 8. confess. cap. 11.
• Loco citat.
• A descrip∣tion of chastity.
• Prosopo∣p••ia.
• August. l. ••. Confess. cap. 1. S. Augu∣stin being made a member of the Ca∣tholike Church, presently sound it an easy matter for to liue chast.
• August. in psal. 147.
• Prosper. epig. c. 74.
• The fifth vntruth refuted.
• Turpe vo∣tum. A vow if it be true can neuer be filthy. See S. Thom▪ 2. ••. q. 88. artic. 2.
• Gratian. causa. 22. ••uaest. 4.
• The free∣dome of English Ministers.
• 1. Tim. 3. Answe∣red by Bellarmin c. 20. §. ar∣gument. 2. English Ministers may law∣fully mar∣ry, but they are not law∣full Cler∣gy men.
• The text of S. Paul willing a Bishop to be the hus∣band of one wife is discus∣sed.
• 1. Cor. 7.
• 1. Tim. 3.
• Bellarm. loco citat.
• Hier. l. 1. in Iouin.
• Apologia ad Pam∣mach. in fine.
• Apol. ad Pammach.
• Hieron. in Vigilant.
• Note this M. Hall.
• De boro coniugali cap. 18.
• Epiphan. haeres. 59. It is a∣gainst the ancient Canons that Priests should marry.
• Ambr. in 2. ad Tim. 3.
• Hier. ep. ad Ocean.
• Ambros. l. 3. ep. 25. edit. Vati∣canae ad Ecclesiam Vercellen∣sem. idem habetur l. 1. officiorū ••. vltimo.
• The liues of Priests ought to be more pure then the liues of secular men.
• Ibidem.
• 1. Tim. 3. 1. Tit. 1.
• Epiphan. haeres 59. Hier. l. 1. in louin. cap. 19. Theod. in comment. Chrysosto. comm••n••s. in 1. ad Ti∣tum.
• Chrys. ho. 2. in Iob.
• Isidor. d•• offici••s Eccles. l. ••. cap. 5.
• No disa∣greement betweene S. Am∣brose, and S. Chry∣sostome, though one do graunt a law in S. Paules wordes & the other deny it, because they do speake of different lawes.
• Tertull. exhort. ad castitatē cap. 7. Concil. Valentin. cap. 1. Carthag. 4. cap. 69. Toletan. 1. cap. 4. Concil. A∣ratisican. cap. 25. Arelat. 3. cap. 3. Roman. sub Hilar. cap. 2. Agath. cap. 1. Epaun. c. 2. Gerund. cap. 8. Aurel. 3. c. 6. &c. Bezal. de diuortijs.
• M. Hall seemeth to set more by his wife, then by his Reli∣gion.
• M. Hall. p. 131. 132.
• Imperti∣nent alle∣gations of Scripturs.
• Heb. 13.
• De fide ad Pet. cap. 3.
• Hieron. Apol. ad Pamma••h.
• M. Halls trifling.
• A bad col∣lection.
• Hier. in c. 1. ad Tit. in illa verba: Sed ••ospi∣••alem.
• 1. Cor. 11.
• See S. Bede in cap. 1. Lucae. Euseb. l. 1. demonst. Euang. cap. ••.
• Chrys. 3. d•• sacerdotio & ho. 14. in ep. ad Hebraeos.
• Much foolish & imperti∣nent ba∣bling.
• Panormi∣tan M. Halls Car∣dinal hath nothing against vs.
• A grosse vntruth.
• Iosue. 7. Act. 1.
• Two faults of M. Hal in one cita∣tion.
• An idle demand.
• Matth. 16.
• Bellar. l. 1. de Cler. c. 19. §. 1. an∣tem.
• False in∣terpreta∣tion of Pius 2. his wordes.
• M. Halls honoura∣ble tearms of such as he citeth in fauour of the marriage of Priests & disho∣nourable of the im∣pugners.
• M. Halls contradi∣ction a∣about pri∣ority of tyme.
• M. Hall makes an∣tiquity a Lesbian rule.
• Horac. ep. 1.
• No argu∣ment of equality in perfe∣ction can be drawn from the Priests of the old law, to the Priests of the new.
• No Apo∣stle after his calling did marry & such as were mar∣ryed be∣fore did after their vocation leaue their wiues. See this answered in Bellar. cap. 20. § Ad locum igitur. Luc. 8.
• See the Bible see out Anno 1613. and printed by Robers Barker. Act. 1. Hier. l. 1. in Iouin. The Apo∣stles car∣ryed not their wius vp and down the country after thē▪
• August. de opere Monach. c. 4. & 5.
• M. Hall is so light headed as to laugh at the ex∣position of all the Fa∣thers▪
• Clem. A∣lexan. 3. Strom••t ••
• Clemens Alexan∣drinus fa∣uoureth not M. Halls cause.
• Ambros. exh••re. ad v••g••••it. initio.
• Cardinall Caietan neuer al∣low••d that Priests should marry.
• This place of S. Paul is answe∣red by Bellarmin cap. 20. §. ad lo••um ex Philip.
• Caietan. ••om. in c. 4. ad Phil.
• M Hal by his owne Aut••ours proued to be stub∣borne.
• The Ca∣non of the Apostles.
• See this answered in Bellar∣mine c. 21. §. ad 1. Res∣pondet Hubertus.
• M. Hall. vrgeth the Apostles Canons for proofe & yet will haue thē to be counter∣feit.
• Decad. 4. pag. 18••.
• Gal. 2.
• Isa. 19.
• Suruey pag. ••29. 330. & dein••eps. Pag. ••••6. Against the Puri∣tans the Protestāts obiect Fa∣thers, which they refu∣se when they are obiected against themsel∣ues.
• Pag. 338.
• Dionys. de Ec••les. hie∣rar l. 7. c. de b••ptis.
• Iuell. Re∣plyart. 1. Chark in his Reply to the censure ••. Your last.
• Artic. 1. diuis. 29.
• M. Iuells dealing with the Fathers.
• Decad. 4. ep. 3. to M. Mat∣thew Mi∣lward. Loco su∣pra citat. Tryall by the Fa∣thers reie∣cted by the chiefe Protestāt writers. Zuing. in explanat. art. 64.
• Musculus in lo••is com tit. de Scripturis sacris.
• VVhitak. ad 6. ratio. Campiani.
• Sermon. conuiniali∣bus tit. de Patribus.
• Ad cap. 22. Genes.
• S••rm. couiu. cap. de cholaest. Theolog.
• No Fa∣thers euer fauoured the mar∣riage of Priests.
• Baron. tom. 1. an∣no 53. §. Hisigitur.
• Neuer lawful for Bishops to marry, or keep their wiues.
• Concil. Trullan. Canon. 48.
• The true sense of the Apo∣stolicall Canon.
• Greg. l. 7•• ep. ••••. Con. Turon. Can. 8. Distin. 3••. cap. O〈…〉〈…〉∣nino.