The Confession of the Faith of the Germans

Here peradventure our adversaries shall cry out, that after the manner of Joviniane wedlock is of us made equal to virginity. But we will not for these rebukes and reviling words caste away the truth of the righteousness of faith, which we have before declared. And yet we do not make virginity equal to matrimony. For likewise as one gift is better then another, as prophecy is better then eloquence / eloquence is better then carpenters craft: so virginity is a more excellent gift then wedlock. And yet as an Orator is not more righteous before god for cause of hꝭ eloquence then a carpenter because of his carpentry: so likewise a virgin meriteth no more justification with her virginity, then a wife doth with the works appertaining to a wife / but every one in their gift ought to serve faithfully▪ and to think that by faith for Christs sake they obtain remission of sins, and by faith be reputed righteous before god. And neither ⟨image 171⟩Christ nor Paul do praise virginity therefore, because it doth justify: but because it is less cumbered and hath fewer cares belonging to it / and is less letted with domesticall occupations and businesses, in praying, in teaching, in doing service to god. Therefore saith Paul.¹ The virgin careth for those things, which be the lords. Virginity then is praised for the exercise and study. So Christ doth not absolutely and generally praise all them, which do geld them selves: but he addeth, for the kingdom of heaven, that is for to say, that they may have leisure to learn or to teach the gospel. For he doth not say that virginity doth merit remission of sins or salvation. To the examples of the levitical priests we have answered, that they prove not, that priests ought to be bound to abstain from marriage all their life time / again the levitical uncleannesses ought not to be applied to us. A custom against the law, was then uncleanness. Now such custom is not uncleanness / for Paul sayeth, All things be clean to them that be clean. For the gospel delivereth us and maketh us free from these levitical impurities. And if any man doth defend the law of abstaining from marriage, to the end to charge & lade consciences with those levitical observances:²

Here peraduenture our aduersaries shal crye out, that after ye maner of Iouiniane wedlocke is of vs made egall to virginitie. But we wyll nat for these rebukes and reuiling wordꝭ caste away the truthe of the ryghtousnes of fayth, whiche we haue before declared. And yet we do nat make virginitie egall to matrimonye. For lykewyse as one gyfte is better then another, as prophecy is better then eloquence / eloquence is better then carpenters crafte: so virginitie is a more excellent gyfte then wedlocke. And yet as an Oratour is nat more rightuous before god for cause of hꝭ eloquēce then a carpenter because of his carpentrie: so lykewyse a virgine meriteth nomore iustification with her virginitie, then a wyfe doth with the workes apperteinyng to a wyfe / but euery one in theyr gyfte ought to serue faythefully and to thynke that by fathe for Christes sake they obtayne remission of sīnes, and by fayth be reputed ryghtuous before god. And neyther