A little book of John Calvins concerning offences whereby at this day divers are…A little booke of Iohn Caluines concernynge offences whereby at this daye diuers are…

The Papists extol virginity with wonderful commendations, to the intent they may seem like the Angels, whosoever abhorreth marriage. As who should say, they had won at our hands, that out of marriage there were nothing but all chaste and virginlyke. But they seem to have their beds void of wives of their own, for this purpose only, that they themselves may be occupied in defiling other mens. For who knoweth not how it is a common saying among them, that seeing a Monk, or a Priest, is disbarred the right of taking a ⟨p. 98⟩wife as all other men do, it is good right and reason he should help him self some other way. And to the intent there should be no default on their part, almost all of them follow lustily this kind of hunting. There is no fitter pursuit for Bawdry than confession, as whereby they do not only wind into their own claws, such women as are guilty of any misbehaviour, but also do assign them over from one to another, and therefore now the matter is come to this point, that such as are contented with Lemans in their houses, are counted among the rest to be chaste and temperate. Their privy filthiness & unspeakable incest, I omit. And surely I would not meddle with these neither, though they be commonly known, but that it is needful the Readers should be admonished by the way, how honestly the adversaries of our doctrine deal with us, while they accuse it of dissolute licentiousness, because it permitteth lawful marriage for the amendment of so cruel mischiefs. Though they burst, which cease not to adorn with forged praises, the constrained singleness of the popish ⟨image 110⟩Clergy: yet it is most certain, that in most part of them is the bottomless pit of all uncleanness: & I say that in them which seem to be chaste, is nevertheless an unpure puddle. With such partly privy flames of lusts, & specially manifest abominations, doth God (as ye may perceive) revenge that Devilish audacity, for that despising the benefit of marriage, like Giants they build Babylonish towers, wherewith to vanquish God and nature by plain force. And so it behoved to come to pass, that at least wise men might learn, that, and none other, to be the true chastity, which Gods rule prescribeth unto us. But because we restrain the beastly lasciviousness, whereof there is no measure in the Papistry, by the bridle of wedlock:

The Papistes extolt virginitie with wonderfull commendatiōs, to the entēt they may séeme like the Angels, whosoeuer abhorreth mariage. As who should say, they had wōne at our handes, that out of mariage there were nothynge but all chaste and virginlyke. But they séeme to haue theyr beds voide of wiues of theyr owne, for this purpose onely, that they themselues may be occupied in defilynge other mens. For who knoweth not how it is a common saying amonge them, that seyng a Monke, or a Priest, is disbarred the right of takyng a