Luthers Alcoran being a treatise first written in French by the learned Cardinall Peron, of famous memory, against the Hugenots of France, and translated into English by N.N.P. : the page following sheweth the particular contents of the booke, which consisteth of symbolismes, parallells, identities.

The 21. Symbolisme; That the Turkish, and Protestant Clorgy do marry. CHAP. XXI.

BVt let vs goe to other points, Who write of the Religion of the Turks, affirms, that the Turkish Priests do marry, & take wyues. For thus one of their Historians sayth: Sacerdotes(1) Tur∣cici habent ••xor••s, & vxori liberis, & familia va∣cant. The Turkith Priest•• haue wyues, and all their care and imployment, as about their wyfe, their Children, and family. Yea the Turks are so great enemyes to Virginity, as that the for∣mer(2) Historian, and others(3) thus re∣cord of Mahumet: Mahumetes multum vrget. ne quis maturâ atate eutra matrimonium degat: Mahumet much presseth, that not any of full and ripe ago, should liue out of the stace of Matri∣mony. Mahumet further teacheth (as ano∣ther Historian recordeth) That, Veluptate••(4) corperis futarae faelicitati minime obsunt; The pleasures of the Bedy are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hinderances to future felicity; whi•••• is included in the eight Azoa∣ra of the Al••••ran, touching multiplicity of wiues.

Well now my deare Countrimen of France. Is not all this good Hugen••tis••••••, or Prote∣••tancy? Let vs examine the Particulars. And first touching Marying of Priests, or of Mini∣sters among those or that Reformed Religion; What Minister among them almost (& this

soub••••le protexte, & vaile de la gloir•• d•• Die•• (vn∣der the recture (forsooth) of Gods glory) who is not matried? And how ready are they wrongfully to detor•• in defence of their Mariage those Words of the Apostle, Honorabile(5) Connubium in omnibu••? A wife indeed is so inseparable a Character of our new Ministers, as that a Minister without a Woman, is but Halfe himselfe, and wanteth that which conduceth to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉. or per∣fect accomplishment of his function. So much doth the Flash dominere in these good men, who vaunt themselues to be All-spirit▪ who indeed liuing in flesh, do also liu•• af∣ter the flesh.

Now touching the aduancement of ma∣riage in all persons without exception, and depressing of Virginity with Mahumet, and Sergius, I•• is most strange to obserue, what the pens of your chiefe Professours haue left written. The first broaches of the vnsa∣very Vessell of your Religion, thus balan∣ceth Matrimony with Virginity saying: If we(6) weigh the Nature of Matrimony, and single 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnmaried lyfe in themselues; Matrimony is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Gould, and the spirituall state of single lyfe, as Dunge. To whome subscribeth Whitakerus, saying: Virginity(7) is not absolutly good, but on∣ly in some respect and manner. And hence it is, that the forsaid Luther more fully thus ex∣presseth himselfe•• He that(8) determineth to be without a Woman, let him lea•••• of the name of a man and become a plaine Angell, or spirit. A goa∣tish assertion!

Concerning the other point aboue men∣tioned, where Mahumet decreed, that (if we will belieue the Alcoran) the Pleasures of the Body are no lets to future felicity; It is the very doctrine of Luther, inuested in other words, who ascribeth so much to Fayth, as that no corporall Pleasure (how vnlawfull soeuer) or any other sinne can preiudice a Mans Saluation. His words are these: Tam(9) diust est Christianus &c A Christian is so ••ith, as that though otherwise he would, notwith∣standing he cannot loose his Saluation, by any s••nne how great seeuer, except he will not belieue. And hereupon Luther further thus catechizeth his Schollers: No(10) worke is dirallowed of God, except the authour, and worker thereof be disallowed. With whom the fornamed Whi∣taker••s accordeth in these words, full of in∣cirement to sinnet Si(11) quis actum fidei, ba∣bet, ••i peccatae non nocent: Thus fortably to these mens Ghospell, no pleasure, or sinne (as Mahumet toucheth) can hinder mans fu∣ture Happines: Thus much of these formes Points: And of this last point more fully hereafter.

Notes

• (1)

  Sept••••∣••a••••••. d•• fide & relig. Tur∣••••••••m, pag. ••9.
• (2)

  Septem∣castr. c. ••3.
• (3)

  Richerius lib. d•• moribus Tercerum, dedi••ated 10 Francis, king of France.
• (4)

  Cuspin do Religione Turearum.
• (5)

  Hebr. 1••.
• (6)

  Luther tom. ••. Wi••∣temberg. ad cap 7.1. Cor∣fol. 107.
• (7)

  Whita•••• contra Comp. rat. 8.
• (8)

  Luther▪ tom. 7. Epist. ad Wolf∣gengum, fol•• ••0••.
• (9)

  Luther com. 1. Wit∣temb. de Cap∣tiuie, Babyl. fol. 74.
• (10)

  Luther in his Sermons.
• (11)

  Whitak, de Eccles. con∣tra Bellarm. controuer. 2. quaest. 5.