Now we shall speak about that dissolving of matrimony which may be approved, in the sight of God, if any grievous necessity requite. In which thing the Roman Antichrists have knit many a pernicious entanglement to distressed consciences; for that they might here also exalt themselves above God, as if they would be wiser and chaster then God himself is, for no cause, honest, or necessary, will they permit final divorce, in the […] while whoredoms and adulteries, and wor• things then these, not duly tolerating in themselves and others, but therishing, and throwing then headlong into these evils. For although, they also dis-join married persons from board and bed, that is, from all conjugal society and communion, and this not only for adultery, but for ill usage, and matrimonial duties denied, yet they forbid those thus parted to join in wedlock with others, but, as I said before, any dishonest associating they permit. And they pronounce the bond of that […] to remain between those whom they have thus separate. As if the bond of marriage, God so teaching and pronouncing, were not such a league as bindee the married couple to all society ⟨p. 6⟩of life, and communion in divine & humane things; and so associated keeps them. Something indeed out of the latter Fathers they may pretend for this their tyranny, especially out of Austin and some others, who were much taken wth a preposterous admiration of single life; yet though the•, Fathers, from the words of Christ not rightly understood, taught that it was unlawful to marry again, while the former wife lived, whatever cause there had bin either of desertion or divorce, yet if we mark the custom of the Church, and the common judgement which •oth in their times and afterward prevailed, we shall perceive that neither these Fathers did ever cast out of the Church any one for marrying after a divorce, approved by the Imperial laws.
Now we shall speak about that dissolving of mutrimony which may be approv'd, in the sight of God, if any greevous necessity requite. In which thing the Roman Antichrists have knit many a pernicious entanglement to distrissed consuiences; for that they might heer also exalt themselvs above God, as if they would be wiser and chaster then God himself is, for no cause, honest, or necessary, will they permit final divorce, in the 〈…〉 while whordoms and adulteries, and wor• things then these, not duly tolerating in themselvs and others, but therishing, and throwing then headlong into these evils. For although, they also dis-joyn married persons from board and bed, that is, from all conjugall society and communion, and this not only for adultery, but for ill usage, and matrimoniall duties deni'd, yet they forbid thos• thus parted to joyn in wedlock with others, but, as I said before, any dishonest associating they permit. And they pronounce the bond of that 〈…〉 to remain between those whom they have thus separat. As if the bond of mariage, God so teaching and pronouncing, were not such a league as bindee the maried couple to all society ⟨p. 6⟩of life, and communion in divine & humane things; and so associated keeps them. Somthing indeed out of the latter Fathers they may pretend for this thir tyranny, especially out of Austine and some others, who were much taken wth a preposterous admiration of sing'e life; yet though the•, Fathers, from the words of Christ not rightly understood, taught that it was unlawfull to marry again, while the former wife liv'd, whatever cause ther had bin either of desertion or divorce, yet if we mark the custom of the Church, and the common judgement which •oth in their times and afterward prevail'd, we shall perceave that neither these Fathers did ever cast out of the Church any one for marying after a divorce, approv'd by the Imperiall laws.
