Wood. Yea, all, saving Paul and Barnabas, as I understand it.1 For these are Pauls words in the 1. to the Cor. 9. chap. Am I not an Apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ? Are not ye my work in the Lord? And if I be not an Apostle to other, yet to you I am an Apostle For you are the seal of my Apostleship in the Lord. Mine answer to them that ask me, is this: Have we not power to eat and to drink? either have we not power to lead about a sister to wife, as well as the other Apostles have, and as the brethren of the Lord? Either have not Barnabas and I power thus to do? So this text proveth, that Paul & Barnabas were unmarried. But Paul declareth that the rest had wives, & that they had power likewise so to have, but they found no need thereof. But Paul declareth in the 7. chap. of the 1. epistle to the Corin. that he that hath no power over his own flesh, may marry: For it is better to marry then to burn. Wherefore, to avoid fornication (sayeth he) let every man have his wife. 2He saith, Let every man have his wife, and every woman her husband. By this place of scripture I understand,3 that bishops & priests may have wives, because they are men, rather then burn, or to commit fornication. But I think verily, he that can abstain, having power of his own will, doth best: but if he marry, he sinneth not.
So then he debated the Scriptures with me divers ways, that a bishop nor a priest ought not to have a wife: but I proved by divers Scriptures both in the old Law & in the new,4 that women were at first made for the help of men, the which was spoken generally to all men. Wherefore (said I) every man may have a woman and sin not in honest matrimony, as well bishops & Deacons, as other men, which you call priests, if they be true Ministers of Jesus Christ, & of that order that Bishops & Deacons were in Pauls time.5 For Paul declareth to Tim. 1. and the 3. That a Bishop should be the husband of one wife, & how they should be honestly apparelled, and how they should bring up their children, and likewise the Deacons. This (said I) proveth more plainly, that both bishops & Deacons had wives in the Apostles time, the which he could not deny.
Wood. Yea, all, sauing Paul and Barnabas, as I vnderstand it.1 For these are Paules wordes in the 1. to the Cor. 9. chap. Am I not an Apostle? am I not free? haue I not seene Iesus Christ? Are not ye my worke in the Lord? And if I be not an Apostle to other, yet to you I am an Apostle For you are the seale of my Apostleship in the Lord. Myne aunswer to them that aske me, is this: Haue we not power to eate and to drinke? eyther haue we not power to lead about a sister to wyfe, as well as the other Apostles haue, and as the brethren of the Lord? Eyther haue not Barnabas and I power thus to doe? So this text prooueth, that Paul & Barnabas were vnmaried. But Paule declareth that the rest had wiues, & that they had power likewyse so to haue, but they found no neede thereof. But Paul declareth in the 7. chap. of the 1. epistle to the Corin. that he that hath no power ouer his owne flesh, may marrie: For it is better to marrie then to burne. Wherefore, to auoyd fornication (saieth he) let euery man haue his wyfe. 2Hee sayth, Let euery man haue his wyfe, and euery woman her husband. By this place of scripture I vnderstād,3 that bishops & priestes may haue wyues, because they are men, rather then burne, or to commit fornication. But I thinke verily, he that can abstaine, hauing power of his owne wyll, doth best: but if he marrie, he sinneth not.
So then hee debated the Scriptures with me dyuers wayes, that a bishop nor a priest ought not to haue a wife: but I prooued by diuers Scriptures both in the old Law & in the new,4 that women were at first made for the helpe of men, the which was spoken generally to al men. Wherfore (said I) euery man may haue a woman and sinne not in honest matrimony, as well bishops & Deacons, as other men, which you call priests, if they be true Ministers of Iesus Christ, & of that order that Bishops & Deacons were in Paules tyme.5 For Paul declareth to Tim. 1. and the 3. That a Bishop should be the husband of one wyfe, & how they should be honestly apparelled, and how they should bring vp their children, and likewise the Deacons. This (sayd I) prooueth more plainly, that both bishops & Deacons had wyues in the Apostles tyme, the which he could not deny.
- 11. Cor. 9.
- 21. Cor. 7
- 3Priests ought to have wives, rather then to burn, by Saint Pauls doctrine.Priestes ought to haue wyues, rather then to burne, by Sainct Paules doctrine.
- 4Gene, 2.
- 51. Tim. 3. Bishops and Deacons were married in the Apostles time. Papists •olde, that Bishops & Deacons having wi•es before, might keep them still: but not having before, might not afterward marry.1. Tim. 3. Bishops and Deacons were maryed in the Apostles tyme. Papistes •olde, that Byshops & Deacons hauing wi•es before, might keepe them still: but not hauing before, might not afterward mary.
