Anonymous on Article XXXII: Of the Marriage of Priests

4 whether Celibacy or Marriage ; that no Man may under- take Continency, but upon good Grounds, and with some Al- surance, that he may keep his Virginity. Those of the Clergy should especially weigh their own Inclinations, that they may not vow rashly, and under the Pretence of serving God better than other Men, offend him the more. Our Religion leaves every one to his own Liberty, and to avoid Fornication, allows every Man his own Wife; Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, as well as other Men.

9 oP then mult be blameless, the Þugband of one

te. |

Which gives us the Reason of the Thirty Second Article of our Church, which expressly says ; © Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, are * not commanded by God’s Law, neither to vow the State of sin- « ole Life, or to abstain from Marriage. Therefore it is lawful al-

o for them, as for all other Christian Men, to marry at their own

• Discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve better to Godli-

« ness”. From whence we may consider,

I. No Celibacy or single Life is enjoyn’d under the Gospel ; for

_ Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, are not commanded by God’s

Law, neither to vow the State of single Life, or to abstain from Marriage. | II. They, as well as other Men, are permitted to marry, accord- ing to their Discretion : Therefore it is lawful also for them, as for all other Christian Men, to marry at their own Discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve hos Godliness.

l. No Celibacy or single Life is enjoin’d under the Gospel to Bi.

shops, Priests, or Deacons ; they are at Liberty as other Men, to dispose of themselves to a single Life, if they fo think fit; but there is no Necessity laid upon them to do it. I shall consider, that Celi- bacy or single Life is left to every Man’s Choice, who finds himself fit for it; that it is unreasonable to force any to lead such a Life: If any that are single, may upon that Account be more useful in the Church, they may not be constrain’d to remain single: But Cale | bacy

An EXPOSITION of the

F

B Sn Ml.

My is not necessary for the Ministry ; however, if some chuse that

XXXII. Life, they ought to be well advised before they vow it.

Matt. 19. 12, latter part.

1. Celibacy, or a single Life is left to every Man’s Choice, whe- ther Bishop or Lay-man,according as he finds himself disposed and re- solved in the Service of God : Those that can understand the Permission of our Lord, and behave themselves in all Purity and Chastity in Obedience to it, may make themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s Sake”, and may devote themselves to a single Life: And if Bishops, Priests, and Deacons find themselves so inclin’d, and can abstain from Marriage, without offending God in some other Way, they are at Liberty to comply with that Permission , (as some will have it), and may consecrate themselves to a single Life,

if they think fit; if they have the Gift of Continency, they are

obliged to keep it, and to adorn it with a Chaste Conversation. And this any other Men, that find themselves equally qualified to devote themselves to a single Life, may do as well as they. For our Lor does not direct his Words to the Ministry alone in this Case; but 0 Men of any Station or Condition of Life; he that can obey him, is at Liberty to comply. And there be Eunuchs, which haue made themselves R for the Kingdom of « wag nic 5 be that is able to receive it, let him receive it, whether Bishop or Laymari, whosoever it is, that finds himself able to follow this, let him do 2. It is unreasonable to force any Men or Women, Friars or Nu

to lead a single Life. For our Lord hath left all at Liberty to con- sider their own Inclinationg, and to advise with their own Tempers ; and they that find, they may with Safety do it, may bind them: selves to it. But those that are otherwise disposed, are at Liberty to marry, and they may not be forced to abstain. ’ For what Man hath Authority to drive. Men to that by Compulsion, which our Lord hath left to Choice? For he only says © He that is able to re- 4 ceive it, let him receive it“; he does not command them to be fore’d and constrain’d, to be threaten’d and disinherited, if they do not, but leaves it to their Choice, if they have the Power. But

others say, The Priests must not be married; Friars and Nuns must

be single all their Days upon Earth; and that which our Savidur

1 Cor. 7. 36.

permits to be consider’d, is made a Command for all, and turn’d in- to a dee , Obligation; but without Reason; for if any find they can remain single, without any Danger, they may be as devout and chaste, as they please ; but they may not be constrain’d, for Force is

not consistent with Choice, or Necessity with a Free-Will Offerm

But if any Man think be bebaveth himself uncomely towards his 2 gin, if she pass the Flower of her Age, and 5 require, let him do what he will, he finneth not, let them marry. […] ©

3. If it be granted that single Persons, in some Respects, might be more useful to the Church, they may not be’ obliged for that Rea-

son to remain single, or forced to do that for a Temporal Advantage,

2 which

“ROWS

Thirty Nine AR T1CLES. 215

which may endanger their Eternal Welfare. It is not for Men to Article

prescribe in this Case, what is fittest to be done; for God is best XXXII.

able to judge who are fittest to attend in his Sanctuary, and who.

not: And since he hath no where forbidden married Men from draw-

ing near to his Altar, but hath rather chosen and appointed some of

them to be his High-Priests, to enter into the Holy of Holies,

and to attend 3 upon him, they are not to be excluded

from his Service, upon the Account of any secular Benefit; nay,

since under the Gospel, some married Men were chosen to be Apo-

stles, the Witnesses of Jesus, and to publish the glad Tidings of Sal-

vation, it is in vain to separate married Men from the Ministry ;

for doubtless they may, with as much Safety, be Bishops, Priests,

and Deacons, as they were Apostles and Evangelists. The Church

in this Case is not to consider fo much her own Advantage, as the

Will of God, and should not consult fo much how to be rich and

great, as how to be pute and good. For it is a scurvy Reflection that

may be cast upon her, when sne any where forbids Marriage. For,

In the latter Times, some shall depart from the Faith , giving beed to 1 Tim. 4. 1,3.

Se Spirits, and Dodctrines of Devils, forbidding to marry. at, We 8 0

4. As much as it is pretended, that Celibacy is for the Advantage of the Church, it is not necessary for the Ministry, and may not be impos d upon them. Married Men may be as able Ministers of

Christ as single Persons, may serve God as atceptably, convert Man- kind, and build up Men in their most = Faith, with as much Suc-

cess. Peter, a married Man, was the first that spake to: the People,

after he had received the Gift of Tongues, and was as successful in his Ministry as any. And ever since, God hath made no Difference betwixt the Ministry of the married and unmarried, but hath blessed their Endeavours with an equal Favour : Nay, in this present Age, he rather blesses the Ministry of the married. For whereas those in another Church are forced to lead a single Life, and are constrain’d to keep up Superstition and Idolatry, and are neither left to read the | Scriptures freely, nor to speak their Mind freely to the People: The married Ministry retain the Scriptures, instru the People with the Word of God, warn them against nag” and have experienced

God’s patticular Protection and Blessing. The Church therefore hath

no Authority to exclude those from the Mmistry, which God makes

use of for the good of Souls; and they may not be called unnecessary, which divide theWord of Fruth aright. And notwithstanding the great Praise that is given to Virginity, Paphmnis in the Council of Nice convinc’d his Hearers, that Marriage of Priests was Chastity in the Sight of God. Nevertheless be that standeth fledfast in his Heart, Cor. 7. 37: having no Necessity, but bath Power over his own Will, and bath so decreed in his Heart, that be will keep his Virgin, doth well, We condemn them not, if they live chastly as they ought to live.

5. If some prefer and chuse that Life, they ought to be well ad- vis d before they vow it, and tye up themselves so strictly, that they

Cal-

216 = EXPOSITION of the

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Article XXXII.

cannot without Sin revoke what they have done. There is no Doubt to be made, but those who have the Gift of Continency, may

devote themselves to God, and do well in it; but they ought to

know themselves well, to try their own Tempers carefully , and to take a steady View of that which may follow, before they engage themselves too far, and know not how to retreat. Our Church dis- covers in this Case the primitive Temper, condemns none for leading single Lives, provided they keep themselves undefiled Members of

Christ’s Body. But if Men have not that Gift, they may not ned

a Snare for their own Consciences, and resolve to vow that, whic

1 Cor. 6. 20,

they foresee they shall break some other Way. The Sum is this,

Our Lord hath left us at Liberty to live in Celibacy, or not; he leaves it to every ones Choice to determine, and to do, what he judges best. If Bishops, or others, continue single, and live in Cha- stity, they are to be commended for it: If they marry, they do not offend ; married or unmarried, we-should all take Care to live in all

Purity and Modesty, and to shew forth in chaste Conversation our

Christian Works with Wisdom. For ye are bought with a Price, 7 glorify God in your Body, and in your Spirits, which are Go So | N

II. Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, as well as other Men, are per-

mitted to marry, according to their Discretion, as they shall think

may conduce to their Welfare and Peace, and contribute to the Re- e and Quiet of their Lives. The Word of God gives them this Liberty, and they had better take it, than offend him by the sad Ef-

| fects of a forced Celibacy.

1. Our Church hath declated this with great Advisedness, con- sidering what God hath published in their Behalf. For his Word

hath asserted the Lawfulness of their Marriage, not only in general

Terms, which concern other Men as well as themselves, but in ex- press Words, as plain and clear as can be desired in such a Case. For the Spirit of God foreseeing, that in the last Days some would take the Confidence to forbid to marry, hath taken particular Care to ob- viate the Error, and to prevent such dangerous Mistakes, by making

• Provision in allowing Bishops, Priests, and Deacons to marry, in

direQing them in their Choice and Government of their Families.

They must chuse Wives that are grave, sober, faithful in all

1 Tim. 3. 12.

Things; and they must govern their Families well, rule their * own Houses with Understanding, having their Children in

« Subjection, with all Gravity. And therefore they are allow’d to dispose of themselves, as may best answer these Purposes. That Bishops

may marry, the Text says, Ye must be the Pusband of one Mike: That Priests or Elders may; Ordain Elders in every City,

if any be blameless, the Husband of one Wife. That Deacons

_— the sime Liberty; Let the Deacons be the Husbands of one

2. They

3. They had better marry, than be concerned with the bad Ef. Article feds of a forced single Life, which are too many, notwithstanding XXXII. the Vows of Chastity, where Priests, Friars, and Nuns are con. E

strain’d to be single. It is a current Maxim among them, That For-

nication is far more tolerable than Marriage. And it is for this

Reason reputed no great Crime to be unclean one with another and

where there is that impure Liberty taken, we may be sure the Ef-

fe&s cannot be commendable. How many Infants Skulls and Bones

have been taken out of the Walls and Vaults of Nunneries > No

less than Six Thousand found in a Moat, in Pope Gregory’s Time,

(as is reported ) cast in there to hide and conceal the Incontinencies

of Priests. | And fo it will be, when Men and Women privately in-

dulge their Lusts, and brutish Inclinations under the demure Covert

of a single Life, and would appear to be more Pious and Chaste,

than their Bodies will allow them to be. Much better had they done,

if they had married in the Fear of God, own’d their Children to

the World, and provided for them. For such Effects of a forced

Celibacy, are fo scandalous in themselves, and destructive to Man- kind, that if nothing else could be laid to the Charge of ir, those

that profefs it, mast needs know that © Marriage would have been more honourable, and the Bed undefiled; and that such Whore-

„ mongers God will judge. Flee Fornication. Every Sin that à 1 Cor. 6. 18, Man doth, is without the Body; but he that commiteth Fornication,

finneth against his own Body. 25

This being the Sense of the Article, I shall justify the Determi-

nation of our Church in this Case ; leave every one to advise with

their own Tempers and Inclinations ; and in whatsoever State the

are, I shall advise them to take Care that they lead Holy Lives; that

nothing of [mpurity or Uncleanness may be laid to their Charge.

Thirty Nine ARTICLES.

1. I must justify the Determination of our Church in this Case, which lays no Restraint upon Ministers or People, where Christ hath left them at Liberty. For as she hath no Power to make that necessary, which Christ hath left to every Man’s Determination, she hath done well in declining the Use of any such Power, and can-

not but be commended by those that can judge with Indifference : For if any Church challenges an Authority to bind the Consciences of Men and Women to do that which they cannot perform, and

which God never commanded, it exceeds its Commission, and must be acknowledged as erring from the Faith; Forbidding to marry , when God created Male and Female on purpose, that under his Bless- ing they should increase and multiply. We must give our Church her true Commendation, in leaving her Ministry and others at Li- berty, to advise with themselves about their own Disposal, and to marry, or not, as they shall think fit and expedient. Herein she does what God hath directed, treads in the Apostles Steps, and con- forms to the Practice of the best Times: And is fo far from being justly obnoxious to the Cenfures and Accusations of her Enemies, that she places a true Value upon the Word of Christ, and is to be esteemed for her Care dans 366 For why should Man bar | the

218 An EXPOSITION of th

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Article

1 Cor. 7. 2.

1 Cor. To 35.

of Christ; that ye may be modest in

the Use of Marriage to any Order, when God hath left it to every Man’s Choice and Determination; and when meer Reason will pre- fer to do so, rather than do worse ? To avoid Fornication, let ever

Man have his own Wife, and every Woman her own Husband ”, and not vow against it. |

2. Every one is left to advise with their own State and Inclinations, to consider what is properest for that State of Life they are in, and to determine for the best; that if they find Marriage necessary, they may dispose of themselves as Christians, chuse meet and proper Companions, and do that once with so much Prudence, that they may never repent of what is done, and never desire to chuse again, Or if a single Life agrees best with their present State, if they find it freest from Trouble and Care, more proper for Piety and Con- templation, more at Leisure for Devotion and Acts of Charity, they may carefully devote themselves to it, and adorn it with all Mode- sity and Purity, all Exemplariness and Sobriety, and may not in the

least make it a Cloak for Uncleanness, or a Pretence for private Li-

centiousness and Sensuality. Every one should thus deliberate and ponder with himself, before he chuses and prefers one State before another; and when Persons have determined either for Matrimony,or a single Life, they should take as much Care to behave themselves with all Purity and Continency ; that in whatsoever State they are, they may live as the Servants of Jesus, as subje& to his Holy Laws, and accountable to him for a married or single Life. Married or unmar- ried, all are his Servants, and are obliged to do their utmost in living up to his Laws; they must ponder and consider what State of Life may be to them most serviceable to Godliness, most edifying accord- ing to their Tempers, in Righteousness, and most preparatory to fu- ture Glory : And what they chuse, they ought to adorn with all Goodness and Purity. And this I speak for your own ah a not that I may cast a Snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that you may attend upon the Lord without Distraction. K-30

3. In whatsoever State ye are , see that ye lead Holy Lives, that nothing of Impurity or Uncleanness be laid to your Charge. If any of = prefer, for the present, a single Life, whether in Celi- bacy, or Widowhood, see that ye acquit your selves as the Servants

en chaste in your Words, and pure in your Actions; that your Resolutions may be strong, your Inclinations restrain’d, and that ye may be without Rebuke in the midst of an evil World. In order to be thus fixed in Goodness, it will be necessary for you to guard your Thoughts, to restrain your Fancies, to covenant with your Eyes, to avoid vain

Company, to fast and pray, and to use all other proper Helps, to

maintain your Integrity before God. But if ye are in a married State, ye must take heed that ye live within the lawful Bounds of it; that ye observe your Marriage Vows with all Faithfulness, and keep wholly to your Companion, as long as ye both shall live: Ye must often consider the Laws that Christ hath laid upon the n

2 | thnat

A.

as &.a tl ilk. —

[hirty Nine ARTICLES. 219

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that ye may please him in that State, and turn the married Life into Article an entire Submission to him. He thus {peaks to Husbinds by his XXXII. Apostle: “ So ought Men to love their Wives as their own Bodies, * he that loveth his Wife, loveth himself. Husbands love your

« Wives, and be not bitter against them: Dwell with your Wives

« according to Knowledge ; giving Honour unto the Wife, as the

“ weaker Veslel ; as being Heirs together of the Grace of Life,

• that your Prayers be not hinder’ d“. As he speaks, see that ye

obey. Likewise he thus commands the Wives, Submit your selves

e unto your own Husbands as unto the Lord. Let the Wives be

4 subje& in every Thing: Let the Wife see that she reverence her

« Husband ; be {ibies to your own Husbands ; and let your Ad-

“ dorning be the Ornament of a quiet and meek Spirit“. As he.

thus commands you, see that ye practise. And let all, Husbands

and Wives, single Persons, and in Widowhood, prepare for that hap-

py Place, where ye shall be like to Angels, and live for ever in Peace

and Glory: They neither marry, nor are given in Marriage, neither

can they die any more; for they are equal unto the Angels, and are Luk. ac. 35, the Children of God, being the Children of the Resurre&ion. zo.

Fx ART.

An EXPOSITION of tk

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