Vows for the most part1 in the old Testament, were only external gifts and bodily Sacrifices: And who so ever therefore had vowed these things, was bound to perform the same. But what doth this appertain to the Vows of Priests, Monks & Nuns, which they make in their Monasteries and Colleges? For these vows of chastity, poverty, and of obedience, were never known in the scriptures or primitive church. And therefore they are in deed but vain words and no works amongst our unspiritual spirituality, as the whole world knoweth, proveth, and is forced to confess. For what chastity, poverty, or obedience is in these ⟨p. 123⟩days in their religious houses and monasteries? Truly all filthiness of lust, whoredom, gluttony, drunkenness, and all impudency, is both secrete and manifestly used and seen in them for the most part. Those which are poor and needy in this world, leaving the same, and entering into these religious houses, are in them made so rich and mighty, that oftentimes they govern in the world, and feel no want of any thing. Yea, whilst they obey their spiritual Lords, they do disobey the laws of God, the Magistrates instituted of god, yea, & oftentimes their natural parents. And what may the Faithful say of these? Or wherein may they praise them, having God and his word to warrant the same? Why then do they object against us, Vows, and the observing thereof? Let them rather show us, that God hath commanded these, and that these, which they now a days do, are acceptable unto him. For which of the Prophets or Apostles, at any time made any such Vow? And again, if their Vows be so good and ⟨image 134⟩holy, why then keep they them not them selves, sith they so straightly urge them on others? But let us see what they do, or what they keep, or what they are able to keep. For if they vow chastity, there is none other chastity but of the body and mind, who so therefore hath not this, may marry, and the same is also called chastity. Therefore, if they will observe chastity, they must either live chastely in a single life, or else marry, and so live from whoredom, drunkenness, & gluttony.
VOwes for the most part1 in the olde Testament, wer only external gifts and bodely Sacrifices: And who so euer therefore hadde vowed these things, was bound to performe ye same. But what doothe this appertaine to the Uowes of Priests, Monks & Nunnes, which they make in their Monasteries and Colleges? For these vowes of chastitie, pouertie, and of obedience, were neuer knowne in the scriptures or primitiue church. And therfore they are in déede but vaine woordes and no works amongste our vnspirituall spiritualtie, as the whole world knoweth, proueth, and is forced to confesse. For what chastitie, pouertie, or obedience is in these ⟨p. 123⟩dayes in their religious houses and monasteries? Truely all filthinesse of lutt, whoredome, gluttonie, drunkennesse, and all impudencie, is bothe secrete and manifestly vsed and séene in them for the moste parte. Those which are poore and néedie in this worlde, leauing the same, and entring into these religious houses, are in them made so riche and mighty, that oftentimes they gouerne in the world, and féele no wante of any thing. Yea, whilest they obey their spirituall Lordes, they doe disobey the lawes of God, the Magistrates instituted of god, yea, & oftentimes theyr natural parents. And what may the Faithfull say of these? Or wherein may they praise them, hauing God and his woord to warrante the same? Why then doe they obiecte againste vs, Uowes, and the obseruing thereof? Let them rather shewe vs, that God hathe commaunded these, and that these, which they nowe a dayes do, are acceptable vnto him. For which of the Prophetes or Apostles, at any time made any suche Uowe? And againe, if their Uowes be so good and ⟨image 134⟩holy, why then kéepe they them not thē selues, sith they so straightly vrge them on others? But let vs sée what they do, or what they kéepe, or what they are able to kéepe. For if they vowe chastitie, there is none other chastitie but of the body and minde, who so therefore hath not this, may marrie, and the same is also called chastitie. Therefore, if they will obserue chastitie, they must either liue chastly in a single life, or else marrie, and so liue from whoredome, drunkennesse, & gluttonie.
- 1The vows which are made in our days are only idle words without effect or works.The vowes which are made in our daies are onely idle woordes without effect or workes.
