posset de hac re doctrina nostrorum. exaggerating nothing, to the end that the doctrine of our churches touching this matter might be understood. Primum de his, qui matrimonia contrahunt, sic docent apud nos, quod liceat omnibus, qui non sunt idonei a cælibatum, contrahere matrimonium, quia vota non possunt ordinationem ac mandatum Dei tollere. Est autem hoc mandatum Dei (1 Cor. vii. 2): 'Propter fornicationem habeat unusquisque uxorem suam.' Neque mandatum solum, sed etiam creatio et ordinatio Dei cogit hos ad conjugium, qui sine singulari Dei opere non sunt excepti, juxta illud (Gen. ii. 18)): 'Non est bonum homini esse solum.' Igitur non peccant isti, qui obtemperant huic mandato et ordinationi Dei. First, concerning such as contract marriage, thus they teach among us: that it is lawful for any to marry that are not adapted for a single life; forasmuch as vows can not take away God's ordinance and commandment. The commandment of God is, 'To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife' (1 Cor. vii. 2). And not only the commandment, but also the creation and ordinance of God, compelleth such unto marriage as without the special work of God are not exempted; according to that saying, 'It is not good for man to be alone' (Gen. ii. 18). They, therefore, that are obedient to this commandment and ordinance of God do not sin. Quid potest contra hæc opponi? Exaggeret aliquis obligationem voti, quantum volet, tamen non poterit efficere, ut votum tollat mandatum Dei. Canones docent, 'in omni voto jus superioris excipi:' quare multo minus hæc vota contra mandata Dei valent. What can be said against these things? Let a man exaggerate the bond of a vow as much as he will, yet can he never bring to pass that the vow shall take away God's commandment. The Canons teach, 'that in every vow the right of the superior is excepted:' much less, therefore, can these vows, which are contrary to God's commandment, be of force. Quodsi obligatio votorum nullas If so be that the obligation of
haberet causas, cur mutari posit: nec Romani Pontifices dispensassent; neque enim licet homini obligationem, quæ simpliciter est juris divini, rescindere. Sed prudenter judicaverunt Romani Pontifices æquitatem in hac obligatione adhibendam esse. Ideo sæpe de votis dispensasse leguntur. Nota est historia de Rege Arragonum, revocato ex monasterio, et extant exempla nostri temporis. vows has no causes why it might be changed, then could not the Roman Pontiffs have dispensed therewith. For neither is it lawful for man to disannul that bond which doth simply belong to the law of God. But the Roman Pontiffs have judged very prudently, that in this obligation there must equity be used; therefore they often, as we read, have dispensed with vows. The history of the King of Arragon, being called back out of a monastery, is well known; and there are examples in our own time. Deinde, cur obligationem exaggerant adversarii seu effectum voti, cum interim de ipsa voti natura sileant, quod debet esse in re possibili, [25] quod debet esse voluntarium, sponte et consulto conceptum. At quomodo sit in potestate hominis perpetua castitas, non est ignotum. Et quotusquisque sponte et consulto vovit? Puellæ et adolescentes, priusquam judicare possunt, persuadentur ad vovendum, interdum etiam coguntur. Secondly, why do our adversaries exaggerate the obligation or the effect of the vow; when in the mean time they speak not a word of the very nature of a vow, that it ought to be in a thing possible, ought to be voluntary, and taken up of a man's own accord, and with deliberation? But it is not unknown how far perpetual chastity is in the power of a man. And how many a one amongst them is there that doth vow of his own accord and well advised? Maidens and youths, before they know how to judge, are persuaded, yea, sometimes also compelled to vow. Quare non est æquum tam rigide de obligatione disputare, cum omnes fateantur contra Wherefore it is not meet to dispute so rigorously of the obligation, seeing that all men confess that it is
voti naturam esse, quod non sponte, quod inconsulto admittitur. against the nature of a vow, that it is not done of a man's own accord, nor advisedly. Plerique Canones recindunt vota ante annum XV. contracta, quia ante illam ætatem non videtur tantum esse judicii, ut de perpetua vita constitui possit. Alius Canon, plus concedens hominum imbecillitati, addit annos aliquot, vetat enim ante annum XVIII. votum fieri. Sed utrum sequemur? Maxima pars habet excusationem, cur monasteria deserant, quia plurimi ante hanc ætatem voverunt. The Canons for the most part disannul vows which are made before fifteen years of age; because that before one come to that age there seemeth not to be so much judgment that determination may be made concerning a perpetual life. Another Canon, permitting more to the weakness of men, doth add some years more; for it forbiddeth a vow to be made before one be eighteen years of age. But which of these shall we follow? The greatest part have this excuse for forsaking monasteries, because most of them vowed before they came to this age. Postremo, etiam si voti violatio reprehendi posset, tamen non videtur statim sequi, quod conjugia talium personarum dissolvenda sint. Nam Augustinus negat debere dissolvi, XXVII. quæst. I. Cap. Nuptiarum; cujus non est levis auctoritas, etiamsi alii postea aliter senserunt. Last of all, even though the breaking of a vow were to be reprehended, yet it seems not to follow directly that the marriages of such persons are to be dissolved. For Augustine, in his 27th quest. 1st chap. Of Marriages, doth deny that they ought to be dissolved; and his authority is not lightly to be esteemed, although others afterwards have thought otherwise. Quanquam autem mandatum Dei de conjugio videatur plerosque liberare a votis, tamen afferunt nostri et aliam rationem de votis, quod sint And although the commandment of God touching wedlock doth free most men from vows; yet our teachers do also bring another reason concerning vows, to show that they are
irrita, qui omnis cultus Dei, ab hominibus sine mandato Dei institutus et electus ad promerendam justificationem et gratiam, impius est, sicut Christus ait (Matt. xv. 9): 'Frustra colunt me mandatis hominum.' Et Paulus ubique docet, justitiam non esse quærendam ex nostris observationibus et cultibus, qui sint excogitati ab hominibus, sed contingere eam per fidem credentibus, se recipi in gratiam a Deo propter Christum. void: because that all the worship of God, instituted of men without the commandment of God, and chosen to merit remission of sins and justification, is wicked; as Christ saith: 'In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men' (Matt. xv. 9). And Paul doth every where teach that righteousness is not to be sought of our own observances, and services which are devised by men; but that it cometh by faith to those that believe that they are received into favor by God for Christ's sake. Constat autem monachos docuisse, quod facticiæ religiones satisfaciant pro peccatis, mereantur gratiam et justificationem. Quid hoc est aliud, quam de gloria Christi detrahere, et obscurare ac negare justitiam fidei? Sequitur igitur, ista vota usitata impios cultus fuisse; quare sunt irrita. Nam votum impium et factum contra mandata Dei non valet, neque enim debet votum vinculum esse iniquitatis, ut Canon dicit. But it is evident that the monks did teach that these counterfeited religions satisfy for sins, and merit grace and justification. What else is this than to detract from the glory of Christ, and to obscure and deny the righteousness of faith? Wherefore it followeth that these common vows were wicked services, and are therefore void. For a wicked vow, and that which is made against the commandments of God, is one of no force; neither, as the Canon saith, ought a vow to be a bond of iniquity. Paulus dicit (Gal. v. 4): 'Evacuati estis a Christo, qui in lege justificamini, a gratia excidistis.' Ergo etiam, qui votes justificari volunt, evacuantur a Paul saith, 'Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace' (Gal. v. 4). They, therefore, who wish to be
Christo, et a gratia excidunt. Nam et hi, qui votis tribuunt justificationem, tribuunt propriis operibus hoc, quod proprie ad gloriam Christi pertinet. Neque vero negari potest, quin monachi docuerint, se per vota et observationes suas justificari et mereri remissionem peccatorum, imo affinxerunt absurdiora, dixerunt se aliis mutuari sua opera. Hæc si quis velit odiose exaggerare, quam multa possit colligere, quorum jam ipsos monachos pudet. justified by vows, are made void of Christ, and fall from grace. For they also who attribute justification to their vows, attribute to their own works what properly belongs to the glory of Christ. Nor truly can it be denied that the monks taught that they are justified by their vows and observances, and merit the remission of sins; nay, they invented yet greater absurdities, and said they could transfer their good works to others. If any man wished to expand these things, so as to excite odium, how many things might he rehearse whereof the monks themselves are now ashamed! Ad hæc persuaserunt hominibus, facticias religiones esse statum Christianæ perfectionis. An non est hoc justificationem tribuere operibus? Non est leve scandalum in Ecclesia, populo proponere certum cultum ab hominibus excogitatum sine mandato Dei, et docere, quod talis cultus justificet homines: quia justitia fidei, quam maxime oportet tradi in Ecclesia, obscuratur, cum illæ mirificæ religiones angelorum, simulatio paupertatis et humilitatis, et cælibatus offunduntur oculis hominum. Moreover, they would persuade men that these invented religious orders are a state of Christian perfection. Or is this not attributing justification to works? It is no light offense in the Church to propound unto the people a certain service devised by men, without the commandment of God, and to teach that such a service doth justify men; because that the righteousness of faith, which ought especially to be taught in the Church, is obscured when those marvelous religions of angels, the pretense of poverty and humility, and of celibacy, are cast before men's eyes. Præterea obscurantur præcepta Moreover, the commandments of
Dei et verus cultus Dei, cum audiunt homines, solos monachos esse in statu perfectionis, quia perfectio Christiana est serio timere Deum, et rursus concipere magnam fidem, et confidere propter Christum, quod habeamus Deum placatum, petere a Deo, et certo expectare auxilium in omnibus rebus gerendis, juxta vocationem; interim foris diligenter facere bona opera, et servire vocationi. In his rebus est vera perfectio et verus cultus Dei, non est in cælibatu, aut mendicitate, aut veste sordida. God, and the true worship of God, are obscured when men hear that monks alone are in that state of perfection; because that Christian perfection is this, to bear God sincerely, and again, to conceive great faith, and to trust assuredly that God is pacified towards us, for Christ's sake; to ask, and certainly to look for, help from God in all our affairs, according to our calling; and outwardly to do good works diligently, and to attend to our vocation. In these things doth true perfection and the true worship of God consist: it doth not consist in singleness of life, in beggary, or in vile apparel. Verum populus concipit multas perniciosas opiniones ex illis falsis preconiis vitæ monasticæ. Audit sine modo laudari cælibatum: ideo cum offensione conscientiæ versatur in conjugio. Audit solos mendicos esse perfectos: ideo cum offensione conscientiæ versatur in conjugio. Audit solos mendicos esse perfectos: ideo cum offensione conscientæ retinet possessiones, negotiatur. Audit consilium Evangelicum esse de non vindicando: ideo alii in privata vita non verentur ulcisci, audiunt enim consilium esse, non præceptum. Alii omnes magistratus et civilia officia judicant indigna esse Christianis. The people doth also conceive many pernicious opinions from these false commendations of the monastic life. They hear celibacy praised above measure; therefore with offense of conscience they live in marriage. They hear that mendicants only are perfect; therefore with offense of conscience they keep their possessions, and buy and sell. They hear that the Gospel only giveth counsel not to take revenge; therefore some in private life are not afraid to avenge themselves; for they hear that it is a counsel, not a commandment. Others do think that all magistracy and civil offices are unworthy of Christian men.