A04468:1350
A defence of the Apology of the Church of England containing an answer to…A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to…
A defence of the Apology of the Church of England containing an answer to a certain book lately set forth by M. Harding, and entitled, A confutation of &c. By John Jewel Bishop of Salisbury.A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to a certaine booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge, and entituled, A confutation of &c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie.
Imprinted at London : In Fleetestreate, at the sign of the Elephant, by Henry Wykes, Anno 1567. 27. OctobrisImprinted at London : In Fleetestreate, at the signe of the Elephante, by Henry VVykes, Anno 1567. 27. Octobris
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
There is* no Law in the Church, that by constraint taketh away from men liberty to Mary. For S. Pauls words be plain,2 If thou take a wife, thou sinnest not. And likewise, If a Virgin marry, she sinneth not. But if any Persons have of their own will, and devotion Vowed to God chastity, the same have imbarred them selves of this general liberty, and by their Voluntary Promise, have bound themselves never to Mary. And in such, not only Marriage it self, but also a will to Mary is damnable, as S. Paul saith of Widows, which have Vowed to live chaste, that they have their damnation (not for that they Mary, but) for that they will marry. If the Gospellers allege against this Doctrine the words of S. Paul, If a Virgin marry, she sinneth not: We answer with Chrysostom, and other Fathers, that a Virgin by a Vow of Chastity dedicated to ⟨p. 181⟩God, if she marry,3 doubtless she sinneth much, for that beside Christ she hath surmaried an adulterer. If they object. It is better to Marry then to Burn: Let S. Ambrose answer: Who saith, that this saying pertaineth to her, that hath not promised, to her that is not yet veiled. And by restraining them from Marriage,4 the Church useth no tyranny: nor if it teach, that such ought to forebear Marriage, is that to be accounted the Doctrine of Devils, but of the Holy Ghost, whereby men are kept from wilful damnation. To forbid Marriage wholly, Universally, and altogether, that is the Doctrine of Devils. But to judge Marriage for some state, and Order, of less convenience, then the Single Life, or after Vow of chastity made, to require perpetual continency, this is not the Doctrine of Devils. For S. Paul him self did both. If these Defenders will not admit this answer, and being loth to forsake their fleshly pleasure, pretend to be moved with the Authority of S. Paul, who calleth the forbidding of Marriage the Doctrine of Devils: I send them to S. Augustine for an answer in his thirteenth Book, and Six the Chapter against Faustus the Manichee. Where for a sufficient solution of their objection, they shall find these plaine words: Ille prohibet, qui hoc malum esse dicit: non qui huic bono aliud melius anteponit. That is to sate, He forbiddeth (Marriage) which saith it is evil: