A68840:658
Most fruitful [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martyr Vermil Florentine, professor of divinity,…Most fruitfull [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martir Vermil Florentine, professor of deuinitie,…
Most fruitful [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martyr Vermil Florentine, professor of divinity, in the University of Tygure with a very profitable tract of the matter and places. Herein is also added [and] contained two most ample tables, aswell of the matter, as of the words: with an index of the places in the holy scripture. Set forth & allowed, according to the order appointed in the Queens majesties injunctions.Most fruitfull [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martir Vermil Florentine, professor of deuinitie, in the Vniuersitye of Tygure with a very profitable tract of the matter and places. Herein is also added [and] contained two most ample tables, aswel of the matter, as of the wordes: wyth an index of the places in the holy scripture. Set forth & allowed, accordyng to thorder appointed in the Quenes maiesties iniunctions.
London: printed by John Day, 1564London: printed by Iohn Day, 1564
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Farther we must mark, that the words which Paul there speaketh,1 belong not to common fasting, or to common & usual prayers: otherwise it were lawful for none ether to marry or to have a wife, for as much as all men are commanded to pray with out ceasing. And there are sometime certain solemn prayers and fastings appointed, ether for the avoiding of imminent calamities, or for the choosing of ministers of the Church, and for such like necessities, in which we must with the prophet & the Apostle counsel & exhort the husband not to depart out of the bedchamber, & the bride out of her bed. Howbeit I would gladly hear of these new masters & most severe censors, what they did in the old time in the church of Rome,2 which they so much allow above all other worship, what I say was done when christians did communicate as Jerome & Augustine write was done in their time. ⟨image 101⟩They indeed communicated, and yet had they wives.3 Moreover what did the high priest Aaron and his successors in the old testament, whose office was both morning and evening perpetually to minister at the tabernacle? For as then were not the courses of the priests distributed by David, Solomon, and Hezekiah. Used they not their wives? Undoubtedly they brought forth children. But they say, that then it ought to have been done, forasmuch as the succession of the priest hood was by carnal propagation, neither might the priests he taken out of any other tribe, then out of the tribe of Levi. But now that we are loosed from that law, and that we may every where have ministers of the church, it is mete that they be without wives. I will ask these men, who was the author, that the high priests & the priests in the old time should be continued by carnal propagation? It is marvellous if they grant not that God was the author. I will therefore conclude that they make themselves wiser then god, who is most wise, who also suffered & willed priests to use matrimony. He might have taken priests out of every tribe and commanded continency. But he would not do it. But these men dare do more then he hath commanded. Farther let them tell us whether there were ministers in the primitive church or no?4