A10322:68
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.
orders & admitteth on thereto that hath kept or haply keepeth many concubines, a whoremonger be in better case then an honest man: and if a whoremonger be so by the Popes law,i whether we ought to judge that this is most absurd or no. Here if he should answer me that the Popes law is not most just and therefore no marvel if it have some such things as were most absurd to be imagined by Christs law: I must acknowledge he spake reason. Well, I would spur him then another question, whether he think that I am in better case then any Jesuit, yea, then the best of them all. Fie he will answer, there is no comparison. The best? nay the worst of them is in better case then I am: Yet I may marry if I list: and none of them may because of their vow. Belike this Vow-Doctrine was not established by the law of Christ, which is most just, but byk the Popes law rather. Or it is most absurd that a poor Christian should be in better case, then the proudest Jesuit. But here peradventure the man will say rather that we are Heretics, and they Catholics, and the meanest Catholic is in better case, even for his faiths sake, then any Heretic whatsoever: which if he do as it is likely, neither can he say ought with probability but to this effect, then hath he confuted and overthrown his own argument. For by this answer he cannot choose but grant that the simplest woman being put away unjustly from her husband is in better case for her chastity's sake, though she may not marry, then whatsoever whore that may. And I hope he will not say that the stews and courtesans at Rome are in better case then honest matrons there, divorced from their husbands. Yet may none of these, while their husbands live be joined to others: whereas the courtesans are free to marry whom they will, if any will marry them, who are soe free. Howbeit, lest any place of cavilling be left him, and of pretending a difference between those, who having had the use of marriage lose the benefit of it, ⟨p. 22⟩and those who lose it not, having never had it: I will set before him a plain demonstration thereof in married persons. Seianus (as thel Romaine History recordeth) did putt away his wife Apicata unjustly: thereby to win the rather the favour of Livia, which was the wife of Drusus.