A68840:659
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.
That they had wives, the histories declare, the Canons do testify, & these Canons in especial which are of the Apostles, whereunto our adversaries think we must so much lean unto. For there we read, that he is accursed, which teacheth that a priest ought to despise his wife.
That they had wiues, the histories declare, the Canons do testifye, & these Canons in especiall which ar of the Apostles, whervnto our aduersaries thinke we must so much leane vnto. For there we reade, that he is accursed, which teacheth that a priest ought to despise his wife.
I am not ignorant, that there are certain wily heads, which by trifling words do so avoid the place alleged, as though it were only to be understand as touching meat and drink and clothing: for which things, they say a priest ought to provide for his wife when he is separated from her. As though a wife is not more despised, from whom the due benevolence is taken away, then if she should be neglected as touching meat and drink and clothing. The council also of Gangrensis decreed,1 that he is accursed which putteth difference between the oblation of a married priest from others. Here also (least they should be counted dumb) they say that a married priest, is taken for him which was once before married, and not he which is presently married: which they think happeneth, when either the wife is dead, or else if they be separated the one from the other.2 But grant which of these two ways thou wilt, yet one of the clergy can not be called a married man. For they are married folks, which both love together, and are not separated one from an other. And that the ministers in the primitive church had wives, and used them, the history of Nicolaus the Deacon sufficiently declareth. And it is hereby also easily proved, because if ministers accompanied not with their wives, Sircius, Pelagius, and other Roman Popes should not have needed to have made so many prohibitions, that it should not from thence forth be done, for these tyrants complained that it was so done, & therefore to their power by decrees ordinances, & threatenings they forbade the use of matrimony to ecclesiastical men: which they should not need to have don, if such matrimonies had not then been in use. At the length they deny not but that so it was, but they fly to this, that we must have a respect unto the times, & attribute somewhat to necessity. For in the primitive church (as they say) was there a great want of ministers, wherefore they were fain to chose them out of every state of men, & therefore there were very many of them which were married at the time. But now that the church is increased, we are not urged with that necessity, wherefore justly it is decreed that only unmarried folks should be chosen.