A69646:70
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…
The Judgement of Martin Bucer concerning divorce written to Edward the sixth, in his second book of the Kingdom of Christ, and now Englished : wherein a late book restoring the doctrine and discipline of divorce is here confirmed and justified by the authority of Martin Bucer to the Parliament of England.The Ivdgement of Martin Bucer concerning divorce written to Edward the sixt, in his second book of the Kingdom of Christ, and now Englisht : wherein a late book restoring the doctrine and discipline of divorce is heer confirm'd and justify'd by the authoritie of Martin Bucer to the Parlament of England.
London: printed by Matthew Simmons, 1644
Title page typeset from the transcription.
THE JUDGEMENT OF MARTIN BUCER TOUCHING DIVORCE. › Chapter 21
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.
CHAP. XXI.
The means of preserving marriage holy and pure.
The means of preserving mariage holy and pure.
Now since there ought not to be less care that marriage be religiously kept, then that it be piously and deliberately contracted, it will be meet that to every Church be ordained certain grave and godly men, who may have this care upon them, to observ whether the ⟨p. 5⟩husband bear himself wisely toward the wife, loving, & inciting her to all piety and the other duties of this life; and whether the wife be subject to her husband, and study to be truly a meet help to him, as first to all godliness, so to every other use of life. And if they shall find each to other failing of their duty, or the one long absent from the other without just and urgent cause, or giving suspicion of irreligious and impure life, or of living in manifest wickedness, let it be admonished them in time. And if their authority be contemned, let the names of such contemners be brought to the Magistrate, who may use punishment to compel such violators of marriage, to their duty, that they may abstain from all probable suspicion of transgressing; and if they admit of suspected company; the Magistrate is to forbid them; whom they not therein obeying, are to be punished as adulterers, according to the law of Justinian, Authont 117. For if holy wedlock the Fountain and Seminary of good subjects, be not vigilantly preserved from all blots and disturbances, what can be hoped, as I said before, of the springing up of good men, and a right reformation of the Commonwealth. We know it is not enough for Christians to abstain from foul deeds, but from the appearance and suspicion thereof.