The Confutation of the 13 Articles, Article 11
Shaxton. The .xi. Article
PRieſtes beynge once dedicate to God by the ordre of prieſtehod, and al ſuche men and women, as hauehave aduiſe dlye made vowes to God of chaſtitie or wyddowehod: may not lawfully marye, after their orders receyued, or vowes made.
Crowley.
You ſeme in thys Article, to aſſigne two impedimentes of mariage. One the dedicaon vntounto God, by the receyuynge of the ordre of prieſtehode. The other, the vowe of chaſtitie aduiſedlye made. For the fyrſte: I woulde gladelye knowe of you, wheiher it were not the ſame maner of dedication, that was vſed amonge the Iewes in the tyme of Moyſes lawe, that you ſpeake of. If it be the ſame, then is it of no greater force nowe then it was then. That it toke not away the libertie of mariage then, is manifeſte. For it was reproche to a Prieſte to bee wythoute yſhue, and they hadde lawes for theyr mariage. They myghte marye no commune or miſſiuynge woman. They myght mary us wyddowe: except it had bene the wyddowe of a prieſte. It can not be therefore, that thys dedicatiō, cā be an impedimente to mariage.
But here you wyll ſaye perchaunce, that thys is not the ſame. For. S. Paule ſayeth playnelye, that for as muche as the prieſtehode is traunſlated no remedy the law muſt alſo be traunſlated. I would not wiſh youre iudgement to be ſo ſclender in the ſcriptures that you ſhould take. S. Paul here to meane of anye chaungynge of anye maner of dedicatange the prieſtes to God: for Paule endeuonreth none other, but to declare, that lyke as the prieſtehode is nowe traunſlated from the tribe of Leme, to Chriſte and hys ſpiritual generation, whiche are prieſtes after the order of Melchelſiſedeth: ſo muſt the lawe alſo be traunſlated. That is to ſaye the ceremoniall lawe, whyche preſcribeth vntounto the Leuites, the kynde and ordre of theyr ſacrifices muſte nowe be traunſlated or altered. For Moyſes preſcribeth nothynge to thys prieſtehode, that is after the ordre of Melchiſideth. The prieſtes of thys order muſt folowe the exemple of theyr fyrſte and chyefe prieſte Ieſus Chriſte, who offered vp hys owne body and none other ſacrifice.
So muſte we, if we be prieſtes of that ordre offer vp our owne bodyes, a lyuelye and acceptable ſacrifice vntounto God, alwayes ſyngynge…om .xii Collo .iii. vntounto hym in our hertes, and ſo ſhall we be the true honourers of God the father & ſhal honour him in ſpirite & veritie. Thus much hauehave I ſayd, as cōcerning the trāſlatiō of the prieſthode & the lawe preſcribed to the muche… ſame. Not ſo much bicauſe it apperteineth anithyng to the preſēt purpoſe, as bicauſe it hath chan̄ſed me to be in preſence where certayne hauehave alleged the ſame text, to proue the Authoritie of the Romiſh church to be ſuch, that theyr holye father (or rather in theſe dayes, theyr holy mother the church) myght traunſlate from the Iewes prieſtes vntounto our prieſtes, the ceremouiall lawe. And that lyke as they did by the cōmaundement of that lawe vſe manye ceremonies, in offerynge of their crifices: ſo might theyr mother holy church ordeine that aboute the ſacrifice of the maſſe (as they call it) oure prieſtes (but rather the popes prieſtes) myght (yea ought) to vſe all ſuch ceremonies, as we ſe daily vſed therin.
But nowe to oure purpoſe. The dedication of prieſtes in the olde lawe, was not of force to reſtrayne the mariage of Prieſtes: Ergo, it is not of force nowe to wyth holde our prieſtes from mariage. If you hauc any thynge to the cōtrary of thys: I woulde you woulde ſet your pen to the paper, and trye your māhode therin. I cāſe nothing that can be wreſted to your purpoſe, vnles it be the power to lowſe & bind. Which your holy fathers hauehave made ſo ample, that they myght therbi reſtraine al liberti, & ſet at larg al that the goſpel bindeth. If this wer gran̄ted, thē would you ſay pretilie to vsus in this matter. But you muſte hauehave ſome newe ſcriptures made to eſtablyſhe thys opinion, or els you are not lyke to hauehave it graunted to you this yere. For the olde ſcriptures are altogyther agaynſte you herein.
Seynge therefore, that it can not be proned by ſcripture, that the dedication of the prieſtes to God, doeth reſtrayne mariage: it is of Antichriſtes fayeth, to beleue that prieſtes dedicated vntounto God maye not marye.
Nowe as concerny…ge your other impedimēt, the vowe of chaſtitie aduiſedly made. In very dede, thys hathe more appearaunce of trueth then the other hathe. And I thynke not contrarye, but if a man ſhoulde reaſon wyth you in thys mattier, you ſhoulde ſone be compelled to ioyne thys to the other and ſaye, that the ſtrength that the other hath, is none other thē the vow of chaſtitie that you ſaye prieſtes make when the byſhope ſayth. Accipe …gum chaſtitatis (that is, take the yoke of chaſtitie) when he putteth the ſtole aboute hys necke. And no doubte the ſcriptures are muche one youre ſyde in thys behalfe. For as vowes are not forboden in the ſcriptures: ſo are they alowed and commended, yea, and in maner commannded, and the breach of them threatened with eternall tormentes.
For if it be ſo, that we ſhall render an accompte at the laſte daye, for eueryevery Idle word that we ſpeake: muche more ſhall it be required of … for eueryevery Idle how we ſhal make. A vowe …f not be made, but the bleſſed name of God muſte nedes be named the rein, and the recherſynge of the name of God in vaine cannot be but worthy of dampna…ion.
To make a vayne vowe therfore (whych is not onelyonly to take the name of God in vaine but alſo to diſſemble wyth God) howe can it be anye leſſe worthye, then eter…ll dampnation? VponUpon thys you maye ryght wel cō clude, that all ſuche prieſtes as hauehave or ſhall make any ſuch vowes, and do not or can not perfourme them, had great …ede to repente and cal for Gods merci. For if a greater offence ſhould inſ…e vponupon the perfourmaunce of theyr vowes thē if they left of theyr vowed …rpoſe: I can not ſe howe you can proue it good for the prieſtes to refray…e mariage for then vowes ſake, but you muſt alſo b…dActu .xxiii. the Iewes (of whom is mētioned in thactes of the Apoſtles▪ that vowed, neyther to eate … …, tyl they had ſlayne Paule, to p… fourme theyr vowe alſo, and that it was not leafull for thē to ſuſtey…e theyr bodyes, but to … of …, vnleſſe (… to they… …) they myght … Paule.
… you are broughte into a narrow… … For eyther you muſte …, that by Gods law it was not leaful for theſe mē to ſuffer Paule to lyue, other els that they might breke theyr vowe, & ſo cōſequētly, that ſome vowes aduiſedli made might be brokē For if theſe men were bound by Gods law to perfourme their vow: thē might not they ſuffer Paul to liue, for they had vowed hys dea…h. But if by the lawe of God, theſe men might ſuffer Paul to …: thē were they alſo at libertie to eate theyr meate notwythſtanding theyr vowe, were it neuer …o aduiſedly made. But gra…t theyr cōſciēce woulde not ſerue thē to eat the…r meat, but to cōtmue ſtil in their ſeliſh vowed purpoſe, notwithſtanding they knew Paul was out of theyr reach If they had, I ſay famiſhed them ſelues for theyr vowes ſake: hadde they eſcaped the wrath of God becauſe they hadde famiſhed them ſelues for their vowes ſake? Doubtles in mine opinion) they had thē bene in worſſe takinge, thē if they had ſ…ayne Paule. For as the law would hauehave cōdemned thē for … therers if they had killed hym, ſo woulde it hauehave cōdēned thē, for killing thē ſelues. Yea & as it is a greuouſe offēce to kil an o…er: ſo is it an offēce of all other moſt gre…ouſe, for a mā to kil him ſelfe. It is manifeſte therfore that theſe mē myght not by any meanes per fourme their vowe, were it neuer ſo aduiſedly made, for the lawe of God forbiddeth the … therof on euerie ſide.
What was to be done in this matter? Was ther no waye for theſe Iewes to recōeile thē ſelues to God againe? Yeſe forſoeth. They ought (euen frō the bottō of theyr hertes) to lament theyr … malitiouſe intente and purpoſe, to ſhede the innocent bloude of that moſt godly man, & ſo cōmitte thē ſelues to the merciemercy of God, knowinge his mercye to be ſo oboūdaunt, & his cle…ēcie ſuch, that he both could & would (at the reſpect of their hūble & cōtriete hertes) forgeue theyr ſ…es.
Euē ſo our prieſtes. If they hauehave vowed ſuche a kinde of chaſtitie, as to lyue v…terlye wythout the veſſel that God hath prepared for mans natural operation, & yet fele in thē ſelues ſuch naturall working, that it may be iuſtly ſaid vntounto thē, it is better to mary then to burne: I ſay (&. S. Paule beareth me witnes) they ought to mary wi…es, notwithſtā ding their vowe, for the word of God is cō trary to the perfourmaūce therof. Peraduē ture you wyll ſaye, this is ſoner ſayed the… pro…ed. In verye dede, it is not ſo ſone proued as ſpokē.
But yet it is not ſo hard to be proned, but that it maye eaſilye be pro…ed, boeth by the teſtimonies of the …we and olde teſtament. Fyrſte tell me what. S. Paule meante byHebru .xiii. theſe wordes in his Epiſtle to the Hebrues.
Wedlocke is honourable in all perſons and the bed there of vndefiled. I know your interpretation vponupon thys place already (for I am ſure you will not make Paul to recant, as you did pore Baſil at Paules croſſe in Lō don, for exhortynge all menne to mariage, in hys boke of matrimony, not exemptyng the vowed anowterers) and therfore I wyll anſwere vntounto it.
You wyll ſaye, I am ſure, that in the time of Paule, prieſtes made no vowes of chaſtitie, and therefore they dyd marye in thoſe dayes and longe after (as it appeareth by cronicles) and theyr mariage was honourable, and the bedde thereof vndefiled. But if the vowe of chaſtitie hadde bene then vſed amonge prieſtes, Paule would hauehave exempted thē in hys Epiſtle. A thinge very lykely Paule wrote vntounto the Iewes, amonge whō was nothynge ſo muche eſte…d as vowes (as we reade in the bokes of the kynges, of Saule, Dauid, and diuers other) and yet he had not occaſion to exempte votaries in his Epiſtle. But the circumſtaunce of the texte geueth rather the contrarie interpretation, & that Paule dyd in thys place write thys ſentence by the vniuerſal ſigne, bycauſe the Iewes were ſo greatelie geuen in the perfourmynge of theyr vowes, that they thoughte all thynges lawfull that they had vowed to do, as appeareth by the vowe of the Iewes, wherof I hauehave ſpokē before. They thought it lawefull for theym to ſlea Paule, bycauſe they had vowed his death. And yet the prieſtes & elders could make thys anſwer to Pilate whē he bad thē take our ſauiour Chriſt, and iudge hyw accordynge to theyr lawe.
They coulde, I ſaye, anſwere hym, that it was not lawful for thē to kil any man. And bycauſe they woulde not ſeme to be murtherers: they found the meanes to make Pilate theyr butcher (I ſaye not that oure prelates hauehave vſed the ſame practiſe) By like the way to vowe mennes death was not then inuented. For if it hadde: they myghte hauehave rydde Chriſte, wyth leſſe ado then they made. But I thynke not contrarye, but it fared by them then: euen as it dyd by vsus of late dayes.
For as the numbre of the true chriſtians encreaſed: ſo dyd the byſhops & hyghe prieſtes inuente wayes to brynge them to the pote.
There were appoynted .iiii. ſeſſions in one yeare moe then were wonte to be. And for what other purpoſe (to ſpeake of) them by a boke oth to cōpel pore ſimple cōſciēces, to accuſe chriſtes true diſciples, that they myght be lapped in the chaynes of the ſyx Articles and ſo he broughte to the ſlaughter houſe, where no manne durſte once ſpeake in theyr cauſe, Yea they had by thys meanes, ſo binded the power conſciences, that they though they counde not do greater ſeruice to God, then in accuſynge one of the newe learnyng (as they call if) in ſo muche that manye ſimple and weake cōſciences, thought it a ſynne irremiſſible, to cōceale any ſuch if they chan̄ ced at any time to hauehave knowledge of them. As it appeared by thē that accuſed ſir Gorg Blage, nowe knight, but at the time of your Apoſtatie, moſte anworthilye accuſed, ſpedily condemned, and had not the mercy of his prince and Maiſter bene more large vponupon him then it was vponupon Iohn Laſſels: he had burned enē thē. I wyl not ſaye that you & other that were then in your takyng, thought it no daunger vponupon your othe to confeſſe all that you knewe to be of that opinion, which you then forſoke: notwythſtandynge you knewe that, that youre conteſſion ſhoulde be theyr death. By thys we maye coniect how it came to paſſe, that the Iewes thoughte it lawfull to vowe a mans deathe, and then to kill hym. For in Chriſtes time it was not ſo as it appeareth by that the hye prieſtes and elders ſought wytues agaynſt Chriſt, wher as it vowynge woulde hauehave ſerued, they myghte hauehave mads a more ſpedie diſpatche. They thē ſelues might, or els hauehave cauſed other to vow hys death, as I doubte not but ſome of theym dyd procure thoſe deuonte votaries, whyche vowed Paules death.
Take me not here (good maſter Shaxtō) as one that regardeth not an oth or vow But take me as one that wyll nother keepe othe nor vowe, the perfourmaunce whereof is againſt the commaundement of God.
If I therefore had vowed and ſworne by all the bokes vnderunder the ſunne that I would neuer marye, but lyue a lone lyfe wythout the lawefull companie of a womanne: yet if the rage of the fleſhe were ſuche that I ſhoulde be ready to ncye, as an horſſe, after euerye mans wyfe: I woulde not regarde my foleiſhe othes and vowe, ſo far aboue my ſtrength, but the promiſe that I made to kepe the commaundemente of God, whyche forbiddeth me the verye deſyre of my neyghbours wyfe. But you wyll ſaye, it is not moughe to ſaye, I wyll not regarde my foleiſh othes and vow: but it be houeth, that in this caſe I ſhewe that I ought not to regarde them.
True it is in dede the caſe requireth ſo, and ſo maye I fone do. For thys is playne if the cōmaundement of God (which I take to be the whole Euangelye of Chriſte) do forbid or dehort me from any kinde of thyng what ſo euer it be: no oth, nor vow, be it neuer ſo aduiſedlie made, can bynde me to it.
The worde of God forbid deth all kyndes of whoredome, and counſayleth, yea commaundeth all menne, that fele in them ſelues the naturall worcke of the fleſhe▪ to choſe thē an honeſt and fayethfull yokefelowe, wyth whome they maye lawefullye companye, ſo they do it not to take their fyl of the fleſhly luſt, but onelyonly to auoyde v…lawful deſyres of the fleſhe, whiche can not otherwyſe be auoyded. For ſuch as gyue themſelues wholy to the fleſhly luſt (notwythſtandyng they be maried) do ſtynke before God. For they knowe not to poſſeſſe theyr veſſels. They cal them wyues, but they vſe thē as whores Chriſtian matrimonye muſte be chaſte, modeſte pure and vndefiled. The chriſtiā yokefelowes muſt do the worke of nature, as cō pelled by nature, and not to ſatiſfye the wō ton deſpre.
But to our purpoſe. If I had made a ſolemne vowe that I woulde neuer laboure wyth my handes, ſhoulde I begge or ſteale, rather then breake thys foleyſh and vngodly vowe? God forbyde. And yet I thynke not contrarye, but if the matter were well knowen: the vowe that prieſtes make, byndeth them as w…ll to lyue Iolelye, as to forſake mariage. For ther was a decre made by theyr greate father of Rome (and I thynke it is per of ſtrengthe in the makynge of prieſtes) that none ſhoulde be admitted to holy or …e…s, vnleſe he were fyrſt in aſſuraunce of … ly…ing, ſo that he ſhould neuer be brought to beggynge, nor to laboure wyth hys handes, though he were by anye miſaduenture ſo maymed that he might not miniſter. Yea, the commune opiniō of the people was ſuch that they thought him far vnworthy the order of prieſth…de, that woulde laye hys fingers to anye kynde of laboure, thoughe he were neyther able to teache and enſtructe other, nor wyllynge to learne hym ſelfe.
Thys I…lenes I ſaye, and refraynyng frō laboure ſemeth to be a piece of theyr vowe as w…ll as the forbearynge of mariage, and yet S. Paul wylleth all men to labour with theyr handes, and to eate theyr owne breade (and not to be idle bealies, burtheynge and ouer chargyng the congregation) according to hys exemple, in that he (takeynge importune paynes in preachynge the Goſpell) laboured wyth hys handes, and lyued vpo… the ſwete of hys brow…s, bicauſe he woulde not be an example of Idle…es amonge them that dyd not ſo greatlye eſteme his painfull trauell in the Goſpell
But what neadeth it me thus to laboure in thys matt…er, ſeynge that all the worlde knoweth, that no maner of vowe or promiſe can make whoredome, and the deſyre of the fleſhelye companiynge, lawfull, ſythe God hath forboden them, and that as … co…ti… in theym ſhal not poſſeſſe the kyngdome of God?
I ſaye vntounto you (ſayeth S. Paule) that…. …. who ſo worketh ſuche thynges, ſhal not poſſeſſe the kyngdome of God. Wherfore ſerueth your vowe then? Shall it excuſe you at the latter daye? No no, It ſhalbe ſayed vntounto you. A…oyde from me you viciouſe votaries, you worckers of iniquitie. You forſware moſt pure and chaſt mariage, and embraced moſt fylthy and ſtinkynge whoredome and Sodemiticall buggerie. Yea, thoughe you hauehave not defiled your ſelues with this fowl ſynne: yet if you burned in the deſyre therof your wyckednes can not be excuſed. For the lawe (whyche ſhall be youre accuſer) ſayeth, thou ſhalt not deſyre. No vowe ſhal ſerue in thys caſe.
But he that is founde a traun…greſſoure of the law: ſhall be condemned by the lawe. Oure owne inuentions ſhall take no place there. OnelyOnly the obſeruation of Goddes wyll, ſhall be required of vsus. No merite of oures ſhall be accepted, toke we neuer ſo greate payne & trauayle: but onelye the merites of Chriſte ſhall be of value. No ſynne can be excuſed there: were it done for neuer for ſo good a purpoſe. No remedy all muſte be cōfeſſed. None ſhal be ſo bold in that day as once to ſaye I dyd it for this good intent … that, or I dyd … to fulfyll my vowe (for then myght Saule hauehave an excuſe for re…eruynge the ſpoyle whych he was cōmaunded to deſtroye, and Herod for beheadyng Iohn the Baptiſt) but when Moyſes, your accuſer, ſhal charge you wyth cōcupiſcence: your conſcience ſhall confeſſe the ſame: and where are you than? Perchaunce you ſet lyghte of it nowe, as the Phariſeis dyd, thynkynge it to be but a though: and that therfore it may be waſhed awaye wyth holye water, & ſuch other tryncketes of your owne making: but in that daye you ſhall knowe what Chriſte meante, when he ſayed to hys diſciples.
Excepte youre iuſtice be more aboundaunte then the iuſtice of the Scribes and Phariſeis you ſhall not enter into the kyngedome of God.
It is not Inoughe to refrayne the Acte, but the thought alſo. For what thynge is it that defileth the manne? Forſoeth the euyll thoughtes that aſcend from the her…e. To auoyde theſe thoughtes therefore: let euerye man (ſayeth S. Paule) hauehave hys wyfe, and euerye womanne hyr huſbande. He ſayeth not euerye laye man: but eueryevery man that cō teyneth not.
I conclude therefore, that all the vowes, that are or can be made (be they neuer ſo ſolemnely or aduiſedly made) can not make it vnlaweful for them to marye, that hauehave not the gyft of wyueles lyfe, but do deſyre naturall companie and copulation: accordyng to the wordes of S. Paule. Who ſo cōteyneth not (that is, whoſe fleſhe is naturally ſterred to generation, and vponupon that perceyueth the iſhue of natural ſede) let the ſame mary. For it is better to mary then to to burne.
Thus hauehave I proued by the ſcriptures: the thynge that you (maiſter Shaxton) and the whole aſſemble of the whole parliament agreed vntounto wythin theſe doſin yeares laſte paſt, and do ſtill to thys daye alowe and agre vntounto in that they ſuffer it (yea and commaūd it to be done. I meane the breaking of a vow aduiſedly made. I pray you was not the vowe that the monkes, friers, & chanōs, heremites, & nuns made cōcerning their apparayle: aduiſedlye made? And are they not conſtrayned to chaunge it? If they made no vowe concerninge theyr preſcribed garmentes: thē tel me what was the cauſe that ſome of them myght not put of theyr garmentes in the nyght: but they muſt be layd on their bed? Yea what was the cauſe that many of thē muſt nedes be buried in theyr garmēts? The Anchors alſo, and charter mōkes, vowed they not to die in theyr houſes? And why are they turned out of theyr cubbes, if vowes maye not be broken? I knowe well you wyll anſwer me, that theſe vowes are brokē bycauſe they are ſuperſticiouſe. And yet we hauehave no place in the ſcripture that forbiddeth any coloure or facion of garment. Superſtion therefore, is a ſufficiente cauſe to breake a vowe, and why ſhoulde not whoredome do aſmuche, ſeyng it is ſo deteſtable in the ſight of God, that the doers therof are threatened wyth eternall damnation? Thys had bene inoughe for my purpoſe, were it not that I woulde in no caſe be ſene to builde vponupon the Authoritie of man: that thynge that Gods worde doeth ſufficiently proue.