1 Timothy 4:1-3 Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits… I. HOW FAR THE POPISH DOCTRINE FORBIDDETH TO MARRY. II. THAT THE POPISH DOCTRINE WHICH FORBIDDETH THE MARRIAGE OF THE CLERGY, AND OF ALL UNDER THE CELIBATE VOW, IS A WICKED DOCTRINE. 1. That doctrine which is a false doctrine, and contrary unto the Word of God, is a wicked doctrine: but the popish doctrine which forbiddeth the marriage of the clergy, and of all under the celibate vow, is a false doctrine, and contrary unto the Word of God: therefore it is wicked. (1) The popish doctrine which forbiddeth the marriage of the clergy, and of all under the celibate vow, forbiddeth that which the Word of God alloweth. (a) The Word of God alloweth marriage, and maketh no exception of the clergy, or any under the celibate vow. That which God did at first institute and appoint, surely the Word of God doth allow (Hebrews 13:4). (b) The Word of God is so far from excepting the marriage of the clergy, that it doth plainly allow the marriage of such persons.(i.) In the Old Testament times the prophets, priests, Levites, and all those who attended more immediately the service of God, and at the altar under the law, were allowed to marry. Abraham, who was a prophet and priest in his own house, did not take Sarah to be his wife without God's allowance; otherwise, surely, God would not have so signally owned his marriage, as to make promise of the Blessed Seed unto him hereby. Rebekah was a wife of God's choosing for Isaac. God never blamed Moses, that great prophet, for marrying Zipporah; neither was Aaron faulty because he had his wife and children. Isaiah, that evangelical prophet, was married, and had children too, in the time of his prophecy; which the Scripture, in the recording of it, doth not impute to him for any iniquity. The priests and Levites generally did marry; and, however some of them are reproved in Scripture for divers sins, yet matrimony is never in the least charged upon them for any crime.(ii.) In the New Testament times ministers have a plain and express allowance to marry, as will appear by two or three places of Scripture (1. Corinthians 9:5; Titus 1:6; 1 Timothy 3:2, 4, 5, 11, 12). (2) The popish doctrine, which forbiddeth the marriage of the clergy, and all under the celibate vow, forbiddeth that which the Word of God in some case doth command (1 Corinthians 7:1, 2). 2. That doctrine which, under the show of piety, doth lead unto much lewdness and villainy, is a wicked doctrine: but the popish doctrine, which forbiddeth the marriage of the clergy, and of all under the celibate vow, under the show of piety, doth lead unto much lewdness and villainy: therefore this doctrine is a wicked doctrine. Whatever it be that leadeth unto lewdness and villainy, is devilish and wicked. "He that committeth sin is of the devil" (1 John 3:8). 3. That doctrine which forbiddeth the marriage of any, that hereby they may merit the kingdom of heaven is a wicked doctrine: but the popish doctrine which forbiddeth the marriage of the clergy, and of all under the celibate vow, forbiddeth the marriage of such, that thereby they may merit the kingdom of heaven. 4. That doctrine .which is a badge or character of antichrist is a wicked doctrine: but the popish doctrine which forbiddeth the marriage of the clergy, and of all under the celibate vow, is a badge or character of antichrist: therefore this popish doctrine is wicked. III. ANSWER THE POPISH ARGUMENTS WHICH THEY BRING TO PROVE THE UNLAWFULNESS OF THE MARRIAGE OF THE CLERGY, AND SUCH WHO ARE UNDER THE CELIBATE VOW. 1. Their first argument is drawn from the uncleanness which they affirm to be contracted by marriage; such as the clergy, and all who are more immediately devoted unto God, must abstain from. This they endeavour to prove — (1) By the Levitical uncleanness (Leviticus 15.); and the speech of Abimelech unto David (1 Samuel 21:4). (2) Such as are married, they say, "are in the flesh," therefore unclean, and so "cannot please God" (Romans 8:8). Answer 1. There is no uncleanness or unholiness in marriage itself, or in any use thereof; which is evident, because marriage was instituted in Paradise, in the state of man's innocency; and marriage, being God's ordinance, must needs be holy, because all God's ordinances are so. Moreover, the Scripture calleth marriage "honourable in all," where "the bed is undefiled" by adultery (Hebrews 13:4). 2. The papists will find it difficult to prove that there was ever any Levitical uncleanness by the use of marriage; that Scripture in Leviticus 15. speaking of something else, as will appear unto such as read and seriously weigh the place. 3. It is a gross misinterpretation of Romans 8:8, to apply it unto married persons, as if they were the persons spoken of by the apostle "that are in the flesh," and "cannot please God." 4. As to their inference from 1 Corinthians 7:5, — because such as would "give themselves to fasting and prayer," must abstain for a while, therefore ministers must abstain from marriage altogether, is such a non sequitur, as the schools will hiss at. 2. The second popish argument is drawn from 1 Corinthians 7:1, "It is good for a man not to touch a woman"; and, verse 8, "I say therefore unto the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I." If it be good for the unmarried and widows to abide in a single estate like unto the apostle, then, say they, it is evil for such to marry; and therefore the clergy should abstain from this evil. That may be good for some, which is evil for others. A single estate may be good and best for such as have the gift of continency, and are persuaded in their heart that in this estate they may most glorify God; whereas this estate may be evil for such as are without this gift, or in likelihood may most glorify God in a married estate. It may be good at some time not to marry; namely, in the time of the Church's persecution; and all that have the gift at such a time, should choose the celibate estate, that they might be the more ready both to do and suffer for Christ, and be the more free from temptations to apostasy. The apostle is so far from asserting it to be an evil for any in the worst of times to marry, that he asserteth the quite contrary when there is a necessity for it: "If need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry"; (vers. 36, 38). 3. The third popish argument is drawn from 1 Corinthians 7:32-34:Answer 1. It is not universally true, that all who are "unmarried do care for the things which belong to the Lord, how they may please the Lord," and that hereby they are taken off from minding and caring for the things of the world. As to the latter, who intermeddle more with secular affairs than many of the popish unmarried clergy? 2. Neither is it universally true, that such as "are married do care for the things of the world" chiefly, so as to neglect the things of God; as instance may be given in the holiness of many married persons, which the Scripture doth take notice of. It is said that "Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters" (Genesis 5:22). Abraham, who is called "the friend of God"; Moses, unto whom the Lord "spake face to face"; Samuel, who was so highly in favour with God; David, who was "a man after God's own heart"; Isaiah, Ezekiel, and almost all the prophets, were married persons: and we hardly read of any in the Old Testament that were famous for integrity and zeal for God, but they were such as were married. 3. Men may "care for the things that belong unto the world" moderately, and labour to please their wives in the Lord subordinately, and not transgress the bounds of their duty. (T. Vincent, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; |
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