A10322:82
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.
Which is apparent to have been his meaning by that he teachetha that if an unbelieving man, who hath a Christian wife, do forsake her, then 5she is not in bondage. For if she be not in bondage, she isb free to marry: as the words of Scripture imply by the contrary, and the6 Pope declareth. If she be free to marry the band of the former marriage is loosed, else were she bound and not free. Wherefore sith the popes authentical record doth prove out of S. Paul, that a wife in some case is free to marry another while her husband liveth, the Papists must acknowledge that S. Paul meant, the band is not commonly loosed but by death, not that it is never at all loosed otherwise absolutely and simply. Bellarmin to frustrate and avoid this answer, saith that it may be proved by four reasons: which he bringeth forth poor, unarmed, weak ones of his own mustering, and with a strong hand putteth them to flight: ⟨p. 32⟩that soe men imagining these are all that can be alleged on our side for the proof thereof, might think that our whole force is quite discomfited and Bellarmin hath won the field. I have heard say that there is cunning in daubing. Surely there is cunning in this kind of dealing. Neither is it for nothing that cone of their Glorious Champions doth vaunt that the common sort of Catholics are able to say more for us, than we can for our selves. In deed they would bear the common sort in hand, that their learned men in handling of questions and controversies of religion do set down all objections that can be made of our part. And I grant, they set down more then oft times themselves can soundly answer. Yet they use discretion therein by their leave: and many a strong reason which would trouble them foully if it came in place, they are content to wink at and say nothing of it, whereto they join this policy now and then also, that they take upon them to be as it were our proctors and at turneys, in showing what may be said for us. Under which pretence they bring in such things as having a ready solution with the objection, and proving unsound, may turn to out causes discredit and to ours. So the Jesuit here his argument being grounded upon two places, the one to the Romans, the other to the Corinthians, we countermining the whole with one answer: