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…

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 ⟨p. 22⟩askt our Lord whether it were lawfull 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 shee 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 unsit by open misd•meanours, or through incurable impotencies cannot be able, is not by the law of God to be esteem'd a wife; as hath bin shewn both from the first institution, and other places of Scripture. Neither certainly would the Pharises propound a question concerning such an unconjugall wife; for thir depravation of the law had brought them to that passe, as to think a man bad right to put away his wife for any cause, though never so slight. Since therfore it is manifest that Christ answer'd the Pharises 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 wickednes so to wrest and extend that answer of his, as if it forbad to divorce her who hath already forsak'n, or hath lost the place and dignitie of a wife by deserved infamy, or hath undertak'n to be that which she hath not naturall ability to be.