Veneer on Article XXXII: Of the Marriage of Priests

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The E xPosiTiON.

I N C E it appears from i Cor, ix. 5. that the Apoflles had, and led about their Wives for there St. Paul faith, Have isoe not a Power to lead ah out a Sifter a Wife as well as other Apostles and as the Brethren of the Lord ajid Cephas ? And since St. Paul tells us, i J/;??, iii. 11. what Qua- lifications the Wives of Presbyters and Deacons Ought to have, that they mufi he graue not Slanderers foher faithful in all things ; and finally, since we are told, Hch. xiii. 4. that Marriage is honour ahle in all and the Bed un defiled’ it follows, that ‘tis lawful for the Clergy to marry as well as for other Christians, as th© Article directs,

U u 9 fEK^

(578 An Exposition on the

Art. XXXII. T’EKTULLUNy a married Presbyter, \yy”\J v/rote two Books to a Wife in the seventh Chapter of which he intimates that he had made ufe of the Privileges of Matrimony, and faith. Why don’t we endeavour as much as we can after the Gift of Continence ? Let us take all Opportunities to obtain it, that we may in the Time of Widowhood dedicate ourselves to that which in a married State is impracticable. And S. Cyprian does not objed: against Novatus a Presbyter, on the Account of his being married, but on the Account of his having used his Wife with such inhuman and unnatural Violence, as caused her instantly to fall into Labour, and bring forth a dead Child f.

Nothing is here intended in Prejudice of such Laws as relate to Degrees of Kindred, and Consent of Parents and Governors allowed of in this Kingdom. *

t Epifl. 5-2.

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Article

Thirty-Nine Articles.