A10322:49
A defence of the judgment of the Reformed churches. That a man may lawfully…A defence of the iudgment of the Reformed churches. That a man may lawfullie…
A defence of the judgment of the Reformed churches. That a man may lawfully not only put away his wife for her adultery, but also marry another. / Wherein both Robert Bellarmin the Jesuits Latin treatise, and an English pamphlet of a nameless author maintaining the contrary are co[n]futed by John Raynolds. A taste of Bellarmins dealing in controversies of religion: how he depraveth Scriptures, misalleagthe [sic] fathers, and abuseth reasons to the perverting of the truth of God, and poisoning of his Church with error..A defence of the iudgment of the Reformed churches. That a man may lawfullie not onelie put awaie his wife for her adulterie, but also marrie another. / Wherin both Robert Bellarmin the Iesuites Latin treatise, and an English pamphlet of a namelesse author mainteyning the contrarie are co[n]futed by Iohn Raynolds. A taste of Bellarmins dealing in controversies of religion: how he depraveth Scriptures, misalleagthe [sic] fathers, and abuseth reasons to the perverting of the truth of God, and poisoning of his Churche with errour..
Dordrecht: printed by George Walters, 1609
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The next trick of Sophistry, whereto as to a shelter our adversaries betake them, is that the exception ought to be restrained to the former branch of putting away the wife only. To the which intent, they say that there are some words wanting in the text which must be supplied and perfected thus; Whosoever shall put away his wife (which is not lawful except it be for whoredom) and marrieth another, doth commit adultery. This devise doth Bellarmin allow of as probable, though not like the foresaid two of negation and negative exception. But our English Pamphleteer preferreth it before all. And surely if it were lawful to foist in these words which is not lawful: the Pamphleteer might seem to have showed greater skill herein then Bellarmin. But men of understanding and judgment do know that this were a ready way to make the scripture a nose of wax and leaden rule (as gPighuis doth blasphemously term it) if every one may add not what the circumstances & matter of the text showeth to be wanting, but what himself listeth to frame such sense thereof as ⟨p. 10⟩pleaseth his conceit and fancy. The sundry interlasings of words by sundry authors into this very place and the wrestings of it thereby to sundry senses may (to go no further) sufficiently discover the fault and inconvenience of that kind of dealing.
The next trick of Sophistrie, whereto as to a shelter our adversaries betake them, is that the exception ought to be restreined to the former branche of putting away the wife onely. To the which intent, they say that there are some words wanting in the text which must be supplied and perfected thus; Whosoever shall put away his wife (which is not lawfull except it be for whoredome) and marrieth another, doth commit adulterie. This devise doth Bellarmin allowe of as probable, though not like the foresayd two of negation and negative exception. But our English Pamphletter preferreth it before all. And surely if it were lawfull to foist in these words which is not lawfull: the Pamphletter might seeme to have shewed greater skill herein then Bellarmin. But men of vnderstanding and iudgmēt doe knowe that this were a ready way to make the scripture a nose of waxe and leaden rule (as gPighuis doth blasphemously tearme it) if every one may adde not what the circūstances & matter of the text sheweth to bee wanting, but what himself listeth to frame such sense thereof as