A69646:72
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 22
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. XXII.
Of full divorce▪ what the ancient Churches have thought.
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.