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.
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Title
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.
Author
Bucer, Martin, 1491-1551.
Publication
London :: Printed by Matthew Simmons,
1644.
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Subject terms
Milton, John, 1608-1674. -- Doctrine and discipline of divorce.
Divorce.
Marriage -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A69646.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 26, 2024.
Pages
CHAP. XXIII.
That Mariage was granted by the ancient Fathers, ev'n after the vow of single life.
SOme will say perhaps, whersore all this concerning mariage after vow of single life, when as the question was of mariage after di∣vorse? For this reason, that they whom it so much moves, because some of the Fathers thought mariage after any kind of divorce, to be condemn'd of our Saviour, may see that this conclusion follows not. The Fathers thought all mariage after divorce to be forbidd'n of our Saviour, therfore they thought such mariage was not to be tolerated in a Christian. For the same Fathers judg'd it forbidd'n to marry after vow; yet such mariages they neither dissolv'd nor excommunicated. For these words of our Saviour, and of the holy Ghost, stood in their way; All cannot receav this saying, but they to whom it is giv'n. Every one
hath his proper gifs from God, one after this manner, another after that. It is better to marry then to burn. I will that younger Widows marry, and the like.
So there are many Canons, and Laws extant, wherby Priests, if they maried, were remov'd from their office, yet is it not read that their mariage was dissolv'd, as the Papists now-a-dayes doe, or that they were excommunicated, nay expressly they might communicate as Lay men. If the consideration of human infirmitie, and those testimo∣nies of divine Scripture which grant mariage to every one that wants it, persuaded those Fathers to bear themselvs so humanly to∣ward them who had maried with breach of vow to God, as they be∣leev'd, and with divorce of that mariage wherin they were in a man∣ner joyn'd to God; who doubts, but that the same Fathers held the like humanitie was to be afforded to those who after divorce & faith broken with men, as they thought, enter'd into second mariage: for among suchare also found no lesse weak, and no lesse burning.
Notes
I omit his testimonies out of Cyprian, Gelasius, Epiphanius, contented only to relate what he thence collects to the present purpose.