A09453:254
A Reformed Catholic
A reformed Catholic: or, A declaration showing how near we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundry points of religion: and wherein we must for ever depart from them with an advertisement to all favourers of the Roman religion, showing that the said religion is against the Catholic principles and grounds of the catechism.A reformed Catholike: or, A declaration shewing how neere we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundrie points of religion: and vvherein we must for euer depart from them with an advertisment to all fauourers of the Romane religion, shewing that the said religion is against the Catholike principles and grounds of the catechisme.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1598Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1598
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.
III. Point of difference. They maintain such vows to be made, as are not agreeable to the rules before named: and herein also we are to dissent from them. The first and principal is, the vow of continency, whereby a man promiseth to God to keep chastity ⟨p. 162⟩always in single life, that is, out of the estate of wedlock. This kind of vow is flat against the word of God: and therefore unlawful. For Paul saith, 1. Cor. 7. 9. If they can not continue let them marry. 1. Tim. 4. 1. It is a doctrine of devils to forbid to marry. Heb. 13. 4. Marriage is honour able among all, and the bed undefiled. Again, this vow is not in the power of himself that voweth: for continency is the gift of God, who giveth it not unto all, but to whom he will and when he will, and as long as he will. They allege, that in the want of continency, fasting and prayer obtain it. Answ. It is not so: Gods gifts be of two sorts some are common to all believers, as the gift of faith, repentance and the fear of God, &c. others are peculiar to some only, as the gift of continence, 1. Corinth. 7. 7. I would that all men were as I my self am, but every man hath his proper gift of God, one this way, an other that way. Now, if we fast and pray for the increase of the common gifts of God, as faith, repentance, and all such as are needful to salvation, we may obtain them in some measure, ⟨p. 163⟩but the like can not be said of particular gifts. The child of God may pray for health or wealth, and not obtain either of them in this world; because it is not the will of God to vouchsafe these blessings to all men: & Paul prayed three times to be delivered from a temptation, and yet obtained not his suite. And so may we likewise pray for chastity in single estate, and yet never obtain it: because, it may be, it is the will of God to save us without it. This vow therefore we abhor as a thing that hath heretofore and doth still bring forth innumerable abominations in the world. Yet here mark in what manner we do it. First of all, though we mislike the vow; yet we like and commend single life. Marriage indeed is better in two respects: first because God hath ordained it to be a remedy of continency to all such persons as cannot contain: secondly because it is the seminary both of church and common wealth; and it bringeth forth a seed of God for the enlarging of his kingdom.