would seem to belong solely to mere administering. This strikes at the foundation of good morals. 4. There is a great inconsistency between the doctrine of the Church of Rome in this matter, and that which she teaches officially concerning the validity and even sinfulness of those who minister in holy things, while in a state of mortal sin. When speaking of celibacy, her ministers must possess angelic purity. But when she comes to speak of the efficacy and validity of the ministrations of wicked clergymen, she pronounces them to be valid and efficacious. Both in the Roman Catechism and by the Council of Trent, it is taught that the ministrations of wicked priests are both valid and efficacious, though the priests themselves may be stained with every sin.

6. Bishop Hay argues thus: "This is also manifest from the special reward promised by our Saviour, and bestowed in heaven upon those who lead a chaste life: our Saviour says, ' Amen, I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or wife, for the kingdom of heaven's sake, who shall not receive much more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.' " Luke xviii, 29. Let it be kept in mind that this passage is adduced to support the doctrine, that it is more pleasing to God for a man to live single than to be married. But, according to this exposition, it is more pleasing to God to be without a house than to have one; and to be without parents than to have them. Christ's words in the passage refer to circumstances in which the service of God may render it necessary for a man to forsake his nearest and dearest relatives, and even to lay down his life. But then this has no reference to the celibacy of the clergy.

7. They argue as follows: "Single life by the apostle is preferred before the married estate, and therefore the most fit for ministers. 'He that is married careth for the things that are of the world."" 1 Cor. vii, 33. Answer: 1. Single life is preferred to married in all men, and not only in ministers; and therefore as laymen are not bound to single life, though it be in itself more convenient, so neither ought ministers to be bound to celibacy. 2. Though a thing in itself be best, yet it may not be universally best for all men. Riches are better than poverty, because they are God's blessing, and may be employed for useful purposes; yet it is not best for every man to be rich. So single life is best for those that have the gift of chastity, and can, with a quiet conscience, live single; otherwise matrimony is much better. St. Paul, who wishes every one to live as he did, afterward declares, "It is better to marry than to burn." So that, in the apostle's judgment, to marry is best for those who have not the gift of continence.

8. They furthermore maintain, that the cares of a married life are incompatible with the duties enjoined on the ministers of Christ. This seems to be one of their strongest arguments. We will state it in the words of their own divines.

Bailly expresses the argument thus: "That law is justly, piously, and wisely instituted, which being made, sacred ministers can, most easily and accurately, perform the duties annexed to their order; but, in consequence of the law of celibacy, sacred ministers can the more easily and accurately fulfil the duties annexed to their order. For the principal duties of the sacred ministers are to sacrifice, to pray, to teach, to administer the sacraments, to take care of the poor, and

other duties of the same kind. But who does not see that these duties are much more easily performed by men devoted to perpetual continence, than by the married?"*

Bishop Hay expresses the same argument as follows: "The duties of their state, as pastors of the flock of Jesus Christ, make the married state in a manner incompatible with their vocation; for they are chosen by Jesus Christ, and separated from the rest of mankind for the service of the gospel of God,' Rom. i, 1. That they may go and bring forth fruit,' in the conversion of souls to God, and that their fruit may remain,' John xv, 16. They are dedicated by their vocation to this holy service of God and his gospel, and are obliged to give their whole attention to the good of their people's souls; to instruct them, to administer the sacraments to them, to comfort them in their distress, to assist them in their sickness, and especially when death approaches; and for this purpose to answer their calls at all times, by night, or by day, even though at the risk of their own life, when the good of their people's souls requires it. Now, it is evidently incompatible with the cares of a wife and family to discharge all these duties properly; and therefore St. Paul says, No man, being a soldier of God, entangleth himself with worldly business, that he may please him to whom he hath engaged himself,' 2 Tim. ii, 4. Now, the church well knowing that no kind of business so much entangleth a man and withdraweth him from the duties of the pastoral charge, as the cares of a wife and family, therefore she expressly requires her pastors to abstain from a state so inconsistent with that charge."

We present the following observations in reply to the argument of Bailly and Bishop Hay:-

(1.) In the Greek text, Toe, which the Douay version renders of God, is not added, but it is said in general ovdes spatɛvouevos, no one who warreth.

(2.) Therefore the apostle speaks concerning a soldier, properly so called, and not of a clerical spiritual soldier.

(3.) Вy праɣμatεlav Biov, the affairs of this life, the apostle does not mean the moderate use of the things which pertain to the support of life, but business, merchandise, traffic, and such things as do not consist with a soldier's life, so that the sense is, that each person should mind his own proper business, and should studiously abstain from what would be impediments to his vocation; as a soldier who enlists must abandon all other business or traffic, and devote himself to military affairs.

(4.) If by the affairs of life, marriage is understood, then the consequence will be that all soldiers ought to be unmarried, and no one can he a soldier who is not a celibate.

(5.) If the saying of the apostle is interpreted as meaning a spiritual soldier, the consequence will be, that no spiritual soldier can fight under the banner of Christ unless he be a celibate; and therefore the

Illa lex justè, piè ac sapienter instituta est, quâ positâ, multò facilius, multòque accuratiùs ministri sacri possunt implere officia suis ordinibus annexa; atque, positá celibatus lege, ministri sacri multo facilius, multoque accuratius implere possunt officia suis ordinibus annexa. Nain præcipua ministrorum sacrorum officia sunt cacrificare, orare, docere, sacramenta ministrare, curam pauperum gerere, et alia id genus. Quis autem non videt hæc officia multò faciliùs competere viris perpetuæ continentiæ devotis quam conjugatis-Bailly, de Ordine, tom. v, p. 428.

+ Sincere Christian, vol. ii, p. 144.

married can never be true Christians. But if this spiritual warfare has no place in the married state, why does Paul accommodate his spiritual panoply to married persons? Eph. vi, 11-and why does he command the married to return to their conjugal duties, lest Satan should tempt them? 1 Cor. vii, 5.

(6.) The apostle enjoins that a bishop should rule well his own house; how then could he expect he should pay no attention to the concerns of this life? He concedes that the virtues necessary for the ministry should have place in him who is the husband of one wife, and hath his children in subjection.

(7.) If marriage pertains to secular business or the affairs of this life, as inconsistent with the life of a devoted Christian, then the apostles, prophets, and patriarchs, who were mostly married men, were also seculars in regard to religion.

(8.) And why do the popish prelates employ themselves in the affairs of this life, when they exercise political jurisdiction, and exhibit a more than Persian splendour, having dogs for hunting, and live in pleasure?

(9.) To the assertion that marriage is an impediment to the discharge of ministerial duties, we oppose the institution of marriage, in which the wife is said to be a help meet for man. Gen. ii, 18. Nor can it be said that in family matters she is an aid to man, but in spiritual she is an obstacle and an impediment; for Rebecca was no impediment to Isaac, nor Elizabeth to Zachariah. Nazianzen commends his own mother by name, who was not only an assistant but a guide to his father's piety, who was also a bishop. Paul asserts that a wife

governs the house, 1 Tim. v, 14; and Solomon asserts that a prudent woman builds the house. Prov. xiv, 1. So that a pious wife may be a help to a minister, by whom he may be exonerated from many domestic and secular affairs.

There is not one thing mentioned in the duties of a faithful minister, which may not receive help from the aids of a pious and intelligent wife. He who is single must have some worldly care. His victuals must be prepared, his clothes washed and mended, his room attended But he who has a wife can devolve all these, and the care of his children too, and many other things, on her; not that she can always do all with her own hands; but she will either do them or take care that they are done.

to.

Nothing better exemplifies the advantage of female aid than the extent. of services which the wives of Protestant missionaries, and assistant female missionaries, have rendered to the cause of missions. By this means the domestic excellence of Christianity makes favourable impressions on the heathen mind. And hence, in a good degree, the striking contrast between Protestant and Roman Catholic converts from the heathen. The Roman converts are still heathen as before, with little, if any improvement, either in morals or intelligence. And such has been the character of their converts from the earliest times to the present day. We may well therefore retort this argument on Romanism, as we do in the following instances:

(10.) We retort it from the testified condition of the Roman clergy in the present times. We will cite the testimony of a distinguished Roman Catholic clergyman, of Spain, who became a convert to Pro

testantism, and renounced popery. We mean the Rev. Blanco White, who writes under the date of April 30th, 1835.

Mr. White says, "The cares of a married life, it is said, interfere with the duties of the clergy. Do not the cares of a vicious life, the anxieties of stolen love, the contrivances of adulterous intercourse, the pains, the jealousies, the remorse, attached to a conduct in perfect contradiction with a public and solemn profession of superior virtue: do not these cares, these bitter feelings, interfere with the duties of the priesthood? I have seen the most promising men of my university obtain country vicarages, with characters unimpeached, and hearts overflowing with usefulness. A virtuous wife would have confirmed and strengthened their purposes; but they were to live a life of angels in celibacy. They were, however, men, and their duties connected them with beings of no higher description. Young women knelt before them, in all the intimacy and openness of confession. A solitary house made them go abroad in search of social converse. Love, long resisted, seized them, at length, like madness. Two, I knew, who died insane hundreds might be found, who avoid that fate by a life of settled systematic vice."

Even in the golden age of monasticism, the holy monks, as they have been called, were not without their cares. Cyprian, in the third century, inveighed against the nuns on account of their shameless licentiousness; and this was not an incidental or local abuse; for it had spread itself on all sides, and had become, notwithstanding all remonstrances, the common usage of the cœnobite ascetics, and even of some of the anchorites. Not only did the aged monks avail themselves of the offices, and enjoy the society of young women in their cloisters; but young monks also did the same, in defiance of the unavoidable scandal of their conduct.f Young nuns also entertained their paramours under various pretexts.‡ "What a sight is it," says Chrysostom, "to enter the cell of a solitary monk and to see the apartment hung about with female gear, shoes, girdles, reticules, caps, bonnets, spindles, combs, and the like, too many to mention but what a jest is it to visit the abode of a rich monk, and to look about for you find the solitary uevos surrounded with a bevy of lasses, one might say, just like the leader of a company of singing and dancing girls; what can be more disgraceful! and, in fact, the monk is all day long vexed and busied with petty affairs proper to a woman

you;

Not merely is he occupied with worldly matters, contrary to the apostolic precept, but even with feminine cares, and these ladies, being very luxurious in their habits, as well as imperious in their tempers, the good man was liable to be sent on fifty errands-to the silversmith's, to inquire if my lady's mirror was finished, if her vase was ready, if her scent-cruet had been returned and from the silversmith's to the perfumer's, and thence to the linen-draper's, and thence to the upholsterer's and at each place he has twenty particulars to remember. Then, added to all these cares, the jars and scoldings that are apt to resound in a house full of pampered women! Paul says, Be ye not the servants of men; shall we not then cease to be the slaves of

* Practical and Internal Evidences against Catholicism, p. 143.

+ Chrysostom, tom. i, p. 279.

Idem., pp. 310, 312, et seq.

Paris edition, 1837.

women, and this to the common injury of all! Christ, who would have us behave ourselves as his valiant soldiers, assuredly has not, for this purpose, clad us in the spiritual armour, that we should take upon ourselves the office of waiting, like menials, upon worthless girls KOOOV Tpioßohiμaiwv: or, that we should busy ourselves with their spinnings and sewings, or spend the live-long day by their side, while at work, imbuing our minds with effeminate trifles."

The foregoing we have taken, as translated by Isaac Taylor, in his recent work on Ancient Christianity, p. 400.

From this description of the cares of ancient and modern professed celibates, and these citations could be multiplied to hundreds, we discover that the boast of immunity from cares, as the peculiar advantage of celibacy, is only in name, and has no existence in reality.

In brief, the celibacy of the Church of Rome has no foundation in Holy Scripture, accomplishes none of the good which its votaries ascribe to it; but it is injurious to the morals of the clergy and laity To establish this, we will adduce the following:

VI. Arguments against the celibacy of the Roman clergy.

1. The celibacy of the clergy is not supported by the divine law. Most Romanists allow this. Therefore as such a requisition is unauthorized by the written word of God, it is a high assumption to enforce it on all the clergy. Nor does it answer any purpose in this case to say, that the intention of it is to promote greater sanctity, and to produce greater utility; for he who made man knows what is best for him. He has sent down his Holy Spirit to sanctify man; and the fruits of the Spirit, as love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, will produce more good, and such good as will benefit all and honour God. But an artificial and forced sanctity or utility, of human invention, will ultimately do more harm than good, and in the place of purifying man, it will only tend to corrupt and debase him. This is proved by facts, as they exist connected with, and are a part of, Roman clerical celibacy.

2. Clerical celibacy is contrary to the divine law, as certainly as it is without its sanction. It is at variance with the very existence of the human race. It is contrary to the original institution of marriage, which was founded on these truths, that it was not good for man to be alone, that a help meet was necessary for him, and that the blessing of God was associated with it, because God blessed the union. It is contrary to the example of the most pious men from Adam to Christ. Our blessed Lord chose married men to be his ministers. He sanctioned marriage by his presence and approbation. The apostles themselves describe a bishop or pastor of a flock as a married man, not only in pointing out his personal duties arising from this head; but also describing the corresponding character which his wife and children should sustain, as well as pointing out as the model of his ecclesiastical government, the good order which a good father of a family exercises in his own house among his wife and children. In short, that the prohibition of marriage to the clergy is a part of heathenism, and is a heresy in the church of God, as well as a mark of antichristian pravity.

* Chrysostom, tom. i, pp. 295–297, abridged.