The Judgement of Martin Bucer concerning divorce written to Edward the sixth, in his…The Ivdgement of Martin Bucer concerning divorce written to Edward the sixt, in his…

With regard to these principle let us see what our Lord answered to the tempting Pharisees about divorce, and second marriage, and how •rre his answer doth extend

With regard to these principle let us see what our Lord answer'd to the tempting Pharises about divorce, and second ma•iage, and how •rre his answer doth extend

First, No man who is not very contentious, will deny that the Pharisees ⟨p. 22⟩asked our Lord whether it were lawful to put away such a wife, as was truly, and according to Gods law, to be counted a wife; that is, such a one as would dwell with her husband, and both would & could perform the necessary duties of wedlock tolerably. But she who will not dwell with her husband, is not put away by him, but goes of her self: and sh•e who denies to be a meet help, or to be so, hath made her self unfit by open misdemeanours, or through incurable impotencies cannot be able, is not by the law of God to be esteemed a wife; as hath bin shown both from the first institution, and other places of Scripture. Neither certainly would the Pharisees propound a question concerning such an unconjugal wife; for their depravation of the law had brought them to that pass, as to think a man bad right to put away his wife for any cause, though never so slight. Since therefore it is manifest that Christ answered the Pharisees concerning a sit and meet wife according to the law of God, whom he forbid to divorce for any cause but fornication. Who sees not that it is a wickedness so to wrest and extend that answer of his, as if it forbade to divorce her who hath already forsaken, or hath lost the place and dignity of a wife by deserved infamy, or hath undertaken to be that which she hath not natural ability to be.

First, No man who is not very contentious, will deny that the Pharises