A68831:4532
The whole works of W. Tyndall, John Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…
The whole works of W. Tyndall, John Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principal teachers of this Church of England collected and compiled in one tome together, being before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the praise of God, and profit of all good Christian readers.The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principall teachers of this Churche of England collected and compiled in one tome togither, beyng before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the prayse of God, and profite of all good Christian readers.
London: printed by John Daye, 1573London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1573
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.
Innocent the third writeth in his 1decretals, on this manner: Those Priests, that after the manner of the country, hath not forsaken the conjunction of marriage, if they do break their wedlock, ought grievously to be punished, seeing that they may use lawfully matrimony. Mark how that this was the manner of certain countries, that Priests might marry. ⟨p. 323⟩Therefore it must needs follow, that Priests matrimony is not forbidden by Gods law. And if it be not forbidden •p Gods law? what charity is in the Pope to compel men so violently unto the thing, yt which God hath not bound them to. Is it not a cruel thing for the Pope to burn a man as an heretic, because that he keepeth not his commandment and liveth not in open whoredom? Why doth he not command him as well neither to hunger, nor yet to thirst? And if he either hunger, or thirst, why doth he not forbid him to eat and to drink? It is as much in our power to vow chastity, and to keep it, if we have not the gift of God, as it is to vow that we will neither hunger nor thirst: for they are both inclinations of nature, implanted of God. For as Cicero saith, and also the Emperor in his law: 2we are naturally inclined unto the conjunction that is in matrimony, for cause of propagation. And it is as much in our hands, neither to hunger nor to thirst, as it is to change this natural inclination. And as we 3when we are hungry and thirsty, can not abstain from eating and drinking: no more can we keep our chastity (notwithstanding our vow) if God have not given us the gift. Men may here please something themselves, and stand in their own conceit, & say how they can invent many remedies to keep their chastity by.
Innocent the thirde writeth in his 1decretalles, on thys maner: Those Priestes, that after the maner of the countrey, hath not forsaken the coniunctiō of maryage, if they doe breake their wedlocke, ought greuously to bée punished, séeyng that they may vse lawfully matrimony. Marke how that this was the maner of certayne countryes, that Priestes might mary.