Jones on Article XXXII: Of the Marriage of Priests

” Hear learn to abhor the abominable opinion of the papists, which hold that marriage is not an holy thing ; and that the ministers of the word of God be denied through marriage if they enter into the same ; which is an abominable doctrine and clean against God and his word. Therefore, St. Paul seeing beforehand in the Spirit, ’ In the latter times there shall come deceivers and false teachers which should teach doctrinam dcemoniorum, that is, the doctrine of devils, forbidding mar- riage ;’ which prophecy of St. Paul is verified now in this our time, in the papists ; for they say and teach that marriage is not lawful to every man, despising also the ordinance of God.

But here ye may see it is the very ordinance of God, and

is commended by Christ himself ; for he cometh unto it, and with his presence he sanctifieth it. And not only that, but he did a miracle at this marriage ; whereby he confirmed marriage to be good, holy, and acceptable before God. Therefore all those that go about marriage ought to know that it is good, holy, and lawful before God. Only thus I admonish you, have a respect to God-ward : that is to say, endeavour yourself so that God may be with you at your marriage, and that Christ be one of the guests ; for if he be there, you shall have no lack of any thing.” — Ser. John. ii. 1.

” He burdens us with breaking all laws of the Church, civil, canon, and the realm, in that we say marriage of priests is lawful. This is that which may not be borne ; this is thought so heinous that Christian men should not suffer it. If he were learned he could never have heaped so many lies together. All writers confess that the Greek church in the east part of the world (which is the greater part of Christendom) never

forbad their priests marriage, nor do at this day Hildebrand,

commonly called Gregory VII, was the first that ever brought about (but with much ado) that priests should not marry, and the married should lose either their wives or livings : but the priests of Spain withstood him by their bishop. Some afore attempted it, but never one could compass it. This pope lived about the conquest, five hundred year since ; and since the beginning of the world unto his time it was not brought to pass.” — Confutation of the Addition.

“But in thy judgment they be of Jovinian’s sect and Epicureans, divines that take away the difference of meats, that approve the marriage of priests and of others that be appointed to minister in the church, and improve the unmar- ried state of living. Then Paul is a Jovinian and Epicurean, which willeth it to be free to eat any kind of meat, and which doth not only condemn such as forbid marriage, but also com- mandeth bishops, priests, and others that be called to ministra- tion of the Church to be married.” — Translation of Curio’s Defence.

” I suppose, dear judges, that as touching these matters, Paul hath with these words sufficiently answered for us, seeing he saith evidently, that they which forbid to marry, and com- mand to abstain from meats, are departed from the faith and

follow the devil’s doctrine Even as great wrong do they

through their damning of priest’s marriage. But to the intent

20!)

that men should judge them to be excellent maintalners of chastity, they praise virginity out of measure, which in very deed is a singular gift of God, but given unto few. Neverthe- less, that they go about to maintain not virginity, but a state to live/unmarried, it appeareth plainly by this that when a priest taketh a wife, they will not only have him deposed from his ministration, but j udge him worthy to be put to death also, but if he against all honesty take an harlot, or keep another man’s wife, he is suffered as a profitable member of the Church, (of Rome, I mean.) Oh what an horrible wickedness is this.” — Defence of a Certain Poor Man.

” They are offended at the marriage of the ministers of the church : yet Gratian their great master saith, ’ the marriage of priests is not forbidden by any authority, either of the law or of the Gospel or of the apostles.’ The holy fathers that lived in the apostles’ time, and shortly after, report that Peter and all the other apostles, excepting only John, were married and had wives ; the prophet Isaiah was married, and yet he saw the Lord sitting upon an high throne ; Moses was married, and yet he saw God face to face. Will they reform the prophets and apostles ? Will they account that to be unholy which the apostle calleth honourable in all men ? Ignatius the scholar of St. John saith, ’ I wish to be found meet for God, as was Peter and Paul and the other apostles that were married.’ ” — On the Thessalonians.

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