ought not to permitte than it foloweth that the saiyng of the Apostle if she go away let her remaine vnmaried we ought to teache that it is spoken of her whō we haue lerned may lawfully go away for no cause but for fornication Lest if we teache otherwyse by pretence of cōtinentliuyng we trouble christen mariages and lest against the most mercifull cōmaundement of our Lord we compel driue into adulteryes menne that wyl not liue continently without their wiues when thei be forsakē of their wyues that wyll not liue continently And so likewyse of women Than this that the lord sayth not in that sermon I expounded but in another place Whosoeuer putteth awaye his wyfe but for the cause of fornication and marieth another committeth adultery if we vnderstande it this waye that whosoeuer putteth away his wyfe for fornication and marieth another doth not commit adultery Than it semeth in this matter y t there is not like forme reason betwene the husbād the wyfe because the wyfe although she go from her husband for fornication marieth another yet she doth adultery but y e mā if he putteth his wyfe awaye for the same cause marieth another doth no adulteri But if ther be like forme in both than both be adulterours if thei marry other although thei separate theim selues for fornication And that there is like forme in this matter betwene the man the wyfe the Apostle sheweth there wherof I must often make menciō wher when he had sayd the wyfe hath not power of her owne body but the man he added and sayd likewyse the man hath not power of his owne body but the woman Than say you why did Christ adde to his saiyng the cause of fornication did not rather say generally whosoeuer putteth away his wyfe marieth another committeth adultery if he also cōmitteth adultery whiche putting awaye his wyfe for fornication marieth another I thīke because Christe would make mencion of that whiche is the greater fault For who denieth but it is more adultery to putte his wyfe away without cause of fornication and marry another than puttyng her away for fornication to marry an other not because this is no adultery but because it is lesse adultery whē after the fyrst wyfe put away for fornication the second is maried For sainct Iames the Apostle vsing a like speche sayth To him that knoweth to do well and do not it is synne Is it therfore no synne to him that knoweth not to do well and therfore doth it not yes truely it is synne but this is greater if he bothe knowe and do not And this is not therfore no synne because it is lesse But to speake then both after one sort like as whosoeuer putteth away his wife excepting the cause of fornication and marieth another cōmitteth adultery Euen so whosoeuer knoweth good doth it not synneth But like as it cā not be well sayd here therfore if he knowe not he synneth not for there be also sinnes of those that bee ignoraunt although thei be lesse than of those that knowe Euen so it can not be well sayd there Therfore if he putteth away his wife for fornication and maryeth another he cōmitteth no adultery For there is adultery also of theim whiche marry other forsakyng their former wyues for fornication but yet lesse than of those that marry other forsakyng their wyues not for fornication For like as it is sayd to him that knoweth good and dothe it not it is synne euen so this also may bee sayd to him that forsaketh his wife without cause of fornication and maryeth another it is adultery Therfore like as if we say whosoeuer maryeth a woman that is forsaken of her husband not for fornication cōmitteth adultery without doubt we say true and yet we do not deliuer him from that cryme that marieth a woman whiche is putte awaye for fornication but doubte not but bothe bee adulterors Euen so we pronounce him an adulteror that wtout cause of fornication forsaketh his wyfe marieth another and yet wee doo not therfore defend him from the spot of that cryme that putteth away his wyfe for fornication maryeth another For although one be more than another yet we knowe theim bothe to be adulterors For there is no man so vnreasonable that wyll deny him to bee an adulteror that marieth a woman whom her husband hath put away for fornication when he wyll call him an adulteror that maryeth her that is putte awaye without fornication After this sorte therfore these be both adulterors Wherfore when we say whosoeuer maryeth her whō her husband hath put away without cause of fornication committeth adultery we speake it of one of theim yet do not therfore deny him to bee an adulteror that marieth her whom her husband hath putte away for fornication So when both be adulterors that is to say both he that puttethaway his wyfe without cause of fornication and maryeth another and also he that puttyng awaye his wyfe for fornicatiō coupleth him selfe to another Truely when we reade this of one of them we may not vnderstande it so as though by him the other wer denyed to be an adulteror because he is not expressed But if sainct Mathewe the Euangelist make this hard to be vnderstāded by expressyng the one kynde and kepyng in silence the other did not the other Euangelistes comprehēd both so generally that it may be vnderstanded of bothe For in sainct Markes gospel it is thus written whosoeuer putteth away his wyfe and maryeth another committeth adultery vpon her and if the wyfe putteth away her husbād and bee maryed to another she cōmitteth adulterye And in sainct Lukes gospel thus Euery mā that putteth away his wyfe and maryeth another is an adulteror and he that marieth her that is put away of her husbande is an adulteror Than what are wee that do say there is one that puttyng awaye his wife mariyng another is an adulteror And there is another that doyng the same thyng is no adulteror seyng the gospel sayth euery manne is an adulteror that doth it Therefore if whosoeuer dothe it that is to say puttyng away his wyfe maryeth another is an adulteror without doubte than they bee bothe adulterors both he that without fornication and he that for fornication putteth away his wyfe For that is whosoeuer putteth away that is to say euery one y t putteth away And whē I brought furth the wordes of S. Mathewes gospel I dyd not skyppe ouer that was writtē and maryeth another and sayd thus he commytteth adultery as I can not tell why it is thought so to you but I put in the wordes whiche be red in the long sermon that the Lord made vpō the mountaine For that toke I on hād to intreate vpon which wordes bee there red so as I put theim that is to say whosoeuer putteth away his wyfe except the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery he
they can not nowe without damnation go from it and they that be driuē vnto it by necessitie make it to be voluntarie yf they trust not in thē selfes but in hym from whō euery good thing commethe Some doe clyme vp to thys gyfte of continēcy for the cause of more glorie that they might attein some greater rewarde other some flye vnto it for y e care and thoughte of their finall saluation leste they shulde perishe and be condemned but let thē bothe remayn let bothe walke euen to the laste end in that state they haue cōmed vnto let thē be feruent in studye and desire let thē be suppliant in prayer because y e one sorte muste thinke vpon their saluation beware they faul not from that their will hathe chosen and the other sort may not dispaire of greater glorye yf they loue to persyste and continue in y e state that necessitie hathe brought thē vnto For it may be possible come to passe that by god fearing and exhorting conuerting and replenishinge mans affection may he chaūged vnto the better and y t they shuld vowe to lyue moste cōstātely to their liues end without mariage without any carnall copulation and experience of filthy and vnclene pleasure y t althoughe y e dissolutiō of mariage by death gyue them occasion to marie other wifes yet it shulde be shut boūd by vowe that was opē and free by lawfulnes ▪ and y t it shuld be made perfite by charitie that was begō by necessitie to suche truely lyke rewarde shall be gyuen as to thē that by mutual consent with their wyfes doo vowe continencye or els beynge vnmaried haue chosen continēt life for the greater good But yf they liue continently after this sorte that they be in minde to marye other womē yf their wyues dye by whose lyfe they be stopped from suche mariages truely althoughe they departe before oute of ther bodyes in that kynd of cōtinent lyfe yet it can not be imputed but for chastitie in mariage for the whiche they doo not y t they wold doo yf it were lawfull For to lyue continently with thys intent is lytle to the atteynynge of y e rewarde of continencie whiche is frely chosen yet it is sufficient to auoyd adulteries See that you remembre that I speake these thinges of bothe the kindes of man womā but specially for mē which therfore thinke thē selfes to be superiours to women lest they shuld vouchesafe to be like in chastitie wherin they ought to go before y t their wyues myght folow thē as their heades And seinge the lawe forbiddethe adulteries yf the excuse of carnall infirmitie be admitted vnder pretence of incontinēcie there shall be an occasion of sinne destruction giuen to many vnder the name coloure of fained lawfulnes and impunitie For women also haue fleshe as men haue to whom men will not any suche thing shuld be lawfull as thoughe it wer lawful to them because they be men But god forbid that any thyng shulde be due to the honour of mā being the better kynd that is a derogation to the chaste honestye of the same seyng y t iust honor is due to vertue not to vice And truely seinge men require so great chastitie of women hauinge fleshe as they haue y t when they haue been very longe absent frō their wiues yet they wold haue thē passe ouer the heate of their youthe vndefiled with any adulterouse companie of man and very many moste chaste women specially in Syria passe ouer their youthe honestely whose husbandes beinge occupied about y e gaines of merchaundise leaue their wiues very younge and scarsely at laste returne again old men to their old wifes by this facte they proue euidently that it is not vnpossible whiche they alledge for thē selfes that they can not doo For yf the infirmitie of man can not doo it moche lesse the weker kind of women can doo it For which cause when we put thē in feare that thinke the excellencie of man is nothing but a licence to sinne leste by the means of adulterouse maryages they myghte perishe for euer more we are woont to sette y e cōtinencie of clerkes before thē which often times are taken againste their wils to beare that burden whiche when they haue taken it performe it by godes helpe euen to the due end of their lifes And therfore we say to them what yf you also be taken by the violence of the people to beare this burden wolde you not kepe y e office which you haue takē vpon you chastely beinge sodenly conuerted to purchase strengthe of the Lorde whyche you neuer thought of before But say they honour dothe comforte thē muche we answer againe let feare temper and bridle you the more For yf many of gods ministers take sodenly and at vnwares thys office that is laid vpō them hoping that they shall more bryghtly shyne in y e inheritaunce of Christe howe moche more oughte you beinge ware of adulteries to lyue continently fearinge not to shyne lesse in the kyngdome of god but to burn more in the fyre of hell These and suche lyke as we can we say vnto them that going frō their wiues by any means or puttynge them away for adultery will nedes marry other and when they are forbid they alledge to vs the infirmitie of their fleshe But now thys booke also is to be ended and god is to be prayed that either he wolde not suffre them to be tempted by the separation of their wiues or els suffre them so that the feare of their saluation whiche is in daunger may be an occasion of greater or more approued chastitie Here endeth the second booke ¶ Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the Signe of the George next to saynt Dunstones Churche by Wyllyam Powell Cha. 1. 1. Cor. 7. Cha. 2 ▪ 1. Cor. 7. Math. 5. Cha ▪ 3. 1. Cor. 7. Cha. 4 Cha. 6 Cha. 7 ▪ Cha. 8. Cha. 9 Cha. 10. Cha. 11 Cha. 12 Cha. 13 1. Cor. 9. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 10 1. Cor 8. Ro. 14. Cha. 15 1. Cor. 7. Cha. 16 Cha 17 Psal. 72 Cha 18 1. Es. 10. 1. Cor. 7. Cha. 19 Cha. 20 1. Cor. 7 Gala. 5. Cha. 21 Deut. 7. 2. Cor. 13 Cha 22 Cha. 23 Rom. 5. cha 24 Psal. 75 1. Tim. 5 Cha. 25 1. Cor. 7. Luke 6. cha 26 Rom. 14. Mat. 7. cha 27 1. Cor. 3. Ihon. 16 Cha. 28 Cha. 1. Cha. 2 Cha. 3 Cha. 4. Cha. 6 Cha. 7 Cha. 8 Cha ▪ 9 Cha. 10. Mark v. Cha. 11. Cha. 12. Eccle. iii. Gene. xxxviii i. Tim. v. Cha. 13. Cha. 14. Eccle. xxviii Matt. vi Rom. xii Cha. 15. Cha. 16. Cha. 17. Cha. 18. Mat. xix Cha. 19. Cha. 20.
A woorke of the holy bishop S. Augustine concernyng adulterous mariages written by him to Pollentius diuided into two bookes very necessary to be knowen of all men and women LONNDINI ANNO. 1550. The fyrst booke RIGHT welbeloued brother Pollētius the firste questiō of those which you writyng vnto me intreated as by way of consultacion is that the Apostle sayth To those that bee in mariage I commaunde not I but the Lorde that a wyfe do not go from her husbād but if she go from him that she remayne vnmaried or els be reconcyled to her husband again And that an husbande putte not away his wyfe Whether it ought so to bee taken and vnderstonded that the womā is prohibited to marye whiche goeth from her husband without cause of fornication for that is your opiniō or els as I thought in those bookes whiche manye yeres ago I wrote vpon the sermon in sainct Mathewes gospell whiche our sauiour made vpō the mountaine that he commaunded those women to remaine vnmaried which did go from their husbandes for that cause whiche is only permitted that is to say the cause of fornication For you thynke that a woman goyng frō her husbande ought not than to marye if she go away beyng not compelled by any fornicatiō of her husband And you considre not if her husband geue no cause of fornication that than she ought not to remaine vnmaried if she go away but she ought not at all to go frō him For truely she that is cōmaunded to remaine vnmaried if she go from her husband hath not the libertie of goyng awaye taken from her but the libertie to be maried Whiche saiyng of you if it be true than is libertie geuen to those women that be disposed to liue in continencie not to tarry nor regarde the consent of their husbandes that the saiyng of the Apostle let not a woman go frō her husband should seme to bee commaunded to theim that may chose not continencie but suche a deuorse as may bee lawfull to ioyne with other in mariage Therfore it shal be lauful to those women that loue to desyre no company of mā nor to beare the yoke of mariage to forsake their husbandes yea without any cause of fornication and accordyng to the Apostles saiyng to remain vnmaried And men likewyse for there is like forme in both if they wyl liue continētly may without the consent of their wyues forsake them remaine without any mariage For than as you thynke they may seke newe mariages if the deuorse be for the cause of fornication But when that cause is not than it foloweth after your mynd that the wyfe either ought not to go from her husband or if she go from him to remaine with out mariage or els to returne to her former husband again Therfore whan there is no cause of fornication it shal be lawful to either of theim to chose one of these thre thynges either not to go one frō the other or if either parte go away to remaine so or if they do not remain so then not to seke thē another but to returne to their former husband or wyfe againe And where is than that the same Apostle would not y t either of y e maryed parties shuld defraud the other in their carnall debt no not for a tyme for this cause also that they might wholy with more feruent diligēce applie them selues to praier but by their mutual consent Howe shall this be saued that the Apostle sayth But for fornicatiōs let euery husbād haue his wyfe euery wife haue her husband And let the husbād pay his debt to his wyfe and likewyse the wyfe to her husbande The wyfe hath not power of her body but the husband likewise the husband hath not power of his body but the wyfe How shal this be true except when the one partie wyll not the other partie may not liue in continencie For if the wyfe may so put away her husband that she may remain vnmaried then the husbād hath not power of her body but she her self Whiche is also vnderstāded of the husband Moreouer when it is sayd whosoeuer putteth awaye his wyfe exceptyng the cause of fornication maketh her to bee an adultresse Howe shall wee vnderstande this saiyng but that a man isprohibite to put away his wyfe if there be no cause of fornication and it is tolde why lest he make her to bee an adultresse Truely therefore because although she put not him away but be putte away her selfe she shall be an adultresse if she marry Therfore for this great harme and inconuenience it is not lawfull for a man to putte away his wyfe but for the cause of fornication For then in puttyng her awaye he dothe not make her an adultresse but putteth away an adultresse What if the man say I put away my wyfe without any cause of fornication but for that he wyll liue chast in continencie shal we therfore say that he dothe lawfully that he dothe Who dare say so that vnderstādeth the wyll of the Lord saiyng that he would not haue the wyfe put away no not because the mā would liue sole and chast which excepted only the cause of fornication But lette vs returne to the very wordes of the Apostle saiyng To theim that bee in mariage I commaunde not I but the Lord that the wyfe go not from her husband but if she go to remaine vnmaried And let vs aske of him as it were consult with him beyng present Why diddest thou say O Apostle if she go frō her husband let her remayne vnmaried Is it lawful for her to go away from him or is it not lawful If it be not lauful why doest thou commaunde her goyng from her husbād to remain vnmaried But if it bee lawfull than truely there is a cause why it should be lawfull This cause with no serchyng is founden but onely that which our sauiour excepted that is to say the cause of fornication And therfore the Apostle cōmaunded not a wyfe that did go from her husband to remaine vnmaried except she went from him for that cause for whiche onely it is lawfull for a wyfe to go from her husband For where it is sayd I commaunde her not to go away but if she do go away to remaine vnmaried God forbyd that she that so goeth away that she must remaine vnmaried should do any thyng against this commaundement Howe therfore is she commaunded to remaine vnmaried if she go away except ye vnderstād her that may lawfully go away which is not lawful to any wyfe but in case her husband committe fornication Who is it that wyll say if a wyfe go frō her husband without cause of fornication let her remain vnmaried seyng that she may not at all go frō him but for fornication Therefore I thynke that you nowe perceiue howe muche this your vnderstādyng is contrarie to the bonde of mariage where
that maryeth her that is loosed from her husbande commytteth adultery Where although diuers exāples of bookes haue in diuers wordes the same sence when it is interpretated yet they do not diffre frō that is vnderstand of it For some copyes haue Whosoeuer putteth away Other haue euery manne that putteth away Lykewise some haue except the cause of fornication other besyde the cause of fornication other but for the cause of fornication Lykewise some haue he that maryeth her y t is losed frō her husband is an adulteror other haue he that marrieth her that is dimissed or put away of her husband is an adulteror Where I suppose you see that it maketh no matter for one the same sentence although this last sentēce that is to say he that maryeth her that is put from her husband is an adulteror Diuers bookes bothe Greke and Latine haue it not in that sermō that the Lord made vpon the mountaine And I suppose therefore because this sentence may bee thought there to be explicated in this that is sayd before He maketh her to commit adultery Howe can she that is put away bee made an adultresse except he that shal marry her be made an adulteror The wordes also that you put in wherfore you thought that he cōmytted no adultery that put awaye his wyfe for the cause of fornication and maryed another be verely obscure and darkely put in Wherfore I meruail not if the reader do stycke at the vnderstādyng of them but yet they be not in that sermō of our Lord which I than intreated when I wrote these thynges that moued you when you red thē For in another place the same Mathewe calleth that Christ spake those wordes not when he made the long sermō vpon the mountayn but when he was asked of the Pharisies whether it was lawful to a man for any cause to putte away his wyfe But that whiche is not vnderstāded by sainct Mathewe may bee vnderstanded by other Euangelistes Wherfore when we reade in sainct Mathewes gospel whosoeuer putteth awaye his wyfe but for fornicatiō or rather this that is red in the greke text besyde the cause of fornication and marieth another is an adulteror Wee ought not by by to thynke him no adulteror that for the cause of fornicatiō putteth away his wife and maryeth another but yet bee in doubt tyl we cōsult and reade y e gospel of other Euāgelistes that write of the same matter What if all be not written by S. Mathewe that pertaineth to this matier but a part is so written that the whole may be vnderstāded of the part which thyng S. Marke and sainct Luke as it were makyng it plaine had rather speake the whole that the full sentence may appeare Seyng therefore fyrst not doubting that to be true that is red in S. Mathewe who soeuer putteth away his wife for the cause of fornication and marieth another is an adulteror we do aske whether only he is an adulteror in mariyng another wife that besyde the cause of fornication putteth awaye his former wyfe or els euery man that putteth away his wyfe and maryeth another that he may be also included that putteth away his wyfe for fornication Shall it not bee answered to vs by saint Markes gospell why aske you whether the one bee an adulteror and not the other Whosoeuer putteth away his wyfe maryeth another cōmytteth adultery Shall it not also bee sayd to vs by S. Lukes gospel why dout you whether he for the cause of fornicatiō putteth away his wyfe and maryeth another bee an adulteror or no Euery man that putteth away his wyfe and maryeth another is an adulteror And because it is not lawfull to say the Euangelistes do not agree in one sence and one vnderstandyng althoughe they speake of one thyng in dyuers wordes therfore we must vnderstande that it pleased sainct Mathew to signifie the whole by the part and to be of the same mynde not that one man that putteth away his wyfe and maryeth another that is to say he that putteth her away beside the cause of fornication is an adulteror and another man that putteth away hiswife for fornitation is no adulteror but euery man that putteth away his wife and maryeth another should not bee doubted but that he is an adulteror For that also that foloweth in sainct Luke he that maryeth a woman that is put away from her husbād is an adulteror howe is it true Howe is he an adulteror but because she whō he marieth is yet another mans wife so long as he liueth that did put her away For if he haue carnal copulation with his owne wyfe and not with another mannes wyfe than commytteth he no adultery But he doth commytte adultery Therfore she is another mannes wife with whom he kepeth company Moreouer if she be another mannes wyfe that is to say his wife that put her awai although she bee put away for fornication yet she ceasseth not to be the wife of him that did putte her away But if she cease to bee his wyfe than is she wyfe to him that maried her the tyme. And if she bee his wyfe then is not he to bee iudged an adulteror but an husband But because the scripture calleth him not an husband but an adulteror therfore she is yet his wyfe that did put her away for fornicatiō And therfore what woman soeuer he maryeth that putteth awaye his former wyfe for fornication she is an adulteresse because she companyeth with another wyues husband Than howe can it be that he should be no adulteror when it is certaine that she commytteth adultery whom he maryeth Nowe let vs see and considre this that the Apostle sayth But to other I say not the Lord beyng about to speake to vnequall mariages Unequal mariages is when bothe the parties bee not Christians but the one parte Whiche saiyng me thynke he sayd by the way of exhortacion admonishement for because the partie christened be it manne or wyfe may lawfully forsake and put away the other partie that is an infidele therfore not the Lord but the Apostle forbyddeth that to bee done For that the Lorde forbiddeth may not be done at al. Therfore the Apostle dothe exhort and admonishe the parties that haue receiued the fayth not to vse their licēce permitted them in forsakyng the infidele parties that there may bee an occasion to wynne many to the fayth But you thynke that it is not lawfull for the christians to putte away the infideles that bee maryed to them because the Apostle forbiddeth it When as I say it is lawfull because the Lord dothe not forbid it but not expedient because the Apostle doth counsail it not to bee done who also geueth a reason why it is not expedient to bee doone although it be lawfull he sayth When I was free from all men I made my selfe seruant of all men that I might wynne many men When he had sayd a lytle before Haue
cause which you put in your letters y t the Lord forbiddeth Christians to be maried to infidels for that is no cause in this matter where we speke of persōs maried not of persons to be maried If therfore you haue found no cause why the Lorde shulde not forbid that the Apostle forbiddeth for you see nowe as I suppose that it is no cause which you thought before was one then consyder whether this be y e cause which I thought was it and was then to be spokē and now to be defended that the Lorde sayth that thinge whiche rightwisnes before him permytteth which may not be trāsgressed by any meanes that is to say whiche the Lord so cōmaundeth or forbiddeth y t it is not lawfull at all to do otherwyse For what thyng he permitteth to the libertie of mans free wyl either to do or not to doo lawfully therin he semeth to geue place to the counsail of his seruauntes that they shuld rather coūsel that they shal see expediēt Let this rule be first and specially kept that no vnlawful thynges be done And where any thyng is lawefull after that sorte that to do otherwyse is not altogether vnlawful Than let it be done that is expedient or that is more expedient For that the Lord sayth as the Lord that is to say not by the aduice of a coūsailor but by the cōmaundement of a ruler it is not lawfull to do those thynges therfore not expedient The lord comaundeth a woman not to go away from her husbād but if she go away that is to say for that cause for whiche it is lauful so to do to remain vnmaried or els to be reconciled to her husbād For a maryed woman her husband beyng aliue is bounden to the lawe and duryng his life she shal be called an adulteresse if she be w t another husband because the woman is boūden so long as her husbād liueth Wherfore if a wife put away her husbād marierh another she cōmitteth adultery and he that maryeth her that is put fro her husbād is an adulteror And so by y e same cōmaundement of the lord let a man not put away his wife for he y t putteth away his wyfe without cause of fornication maketh her to cōmitte adultery but if he put her away for that cause yet let him remain so For euery man that putteth away his wyfe marieth another is an adulteror These constitucions of y e Lord must be obserued without any breach or retractiō For righteousnes before God wylleth these thynges whether men allowe them or disalow thē And therfore it may not be sayd that they ought not to bee kepte lest men be offēded or lest men be stopped frō that saluacion which is in Christ. For what christian man dare say lest I offend men or to wynne men to Christ I wyll cause my wife to cōmit adultery or I be my self an adulteror For it may come to passe that a christen mā when he hath put away his wife for adultry may be thus tempted that a certaine woman whiche hath not yet receiued the faith desiryng to be maried to hī do promise that she wyll become a christian not deceitfully but in very deede if he wyll marry her And when the man refuseth this mariage the tempter may make this suggestion the Lord sayth whosoeuer putteth away his wif without the cause of fornication and marieth another is an adulteror But if thou that hast put away thy wyfe for fornication do marry another thou shalt not cōmit adultery To this suggestion let him wisely answer that he cōmitteth more greuous adultery y t puttyng away his wyfe without the cause of fornication maryeth another but yet he that after his wyfe putte away for fornication hath maried another is not therfore no adulteror because he hath put away an adulteresse as he is an adulteror that maryeth her y t is put away without cause of fornication nor yet therfore he is no adulteror that maried her whō he found put away for the cause of fornication And for that cause y t which in S. Mathew is put very darkely wher the whole is signified by y e part is set furth plainly in other that haue expressed the hole generally as it is red in S. Marke whosoeuer putteth away his wife marieth another cōmitteth adultery And in S. Luke Euery mā that putteth away his wife and marieth another cōmitteth adultery They say not some do cōmyt adultery and not other some that put away their wyues and marry other but whosoeuer putteth away euery mā say thei without exception that putteth away his wife and marieth another cōmitteth adultery But if the christiā answer thus to the tempter vnderstāding that it is lawfull for him to put away his wife for fornication but not lawful to marry another What if that tempter say cōmit this sinne for this intent to wynne the womans soule to Christ that is dead by infidelitie who is ready to be made a christian if she be maried to thee what can the Christian answere els or say but that if he do it he can not escape cōdemnacion which y e Apostle made menciō of saiyng And as some report vs to say let vs do euil that good may come whose iudgement is iust Howe can she be a true christian womā that shal liue in adultery with him that maried her Adultery is not only not to be committed which not certain mē commit but euery man that putteth away his wife and marryeth an other althoughe he marry her for this intēt to make her a chrystian But also whosoeuer beinge not bounden to a wyfe hath vowed to God to liue contynentlye ought by no menes to sin by this pretence and recompence that he shulde beleue therefore he myght marry her to his wife bicause she that desyreth his maryage hath promised to becom a Chrystyan For that thyng that is laufull to any man before he hath vowed is not lauful whē he hath vowed he wil neuer do it if he vow that thynge that he may vowe as for example perpetuall virginitie or els continent life after the experience of matrimony when the parties be losed from the bond of mariage or by the mutual cōsent of the parties liuing and relesynge carnal debte one to an other both the parties beyng faythfull and chast whiche thing is not lauful for the man to vowe without the wyfe nor the wyfe withoute the man These thinges and suche other as may be vowed very well after that men haue vowed them may be broken by no condicyon which were vowed without any cōdicion For we must vnderstād that y e Lord cōmaunded so wher it is red vowe performe your vowes to your lord God Whervpon the Apostle cōcernyng certain women that vowed continēcie and afterward would marry whiche before they had vowed was lawfull for thē to do sayth Hauyng damnation because thei haue made voyde their first fayth and
they lye in desperacion of lyfe and be penytente within them selfes and can not answere for them selfes I thinke they ought to be baptized that this syn may also with the rest be wasshed awaye by the lauer of regeneracyon For who knoweth whether perchāce they had purposed to reteine styll the adulterouse pleasure and prouocacyon of the fleshe euen to baptisme or no But if they may recouer the health from that desperacyon they were in and lyue eyther they wyll do that they purposed or they wyll obey as they be taught or els yf they bee contemners it shal be done to theim as it oughte to be doone to suche naughty Christened men Moreouer that whiche is the cause of Baptysme the same is the cause of reconciliacion if by any chance the peryl of death do preuent the penytent For our mother the churche ought not to wyl theim to depart out of this lyfe without the pledge of their peace ¶ Thus endeth the first boke ¶ The second Booke FOR aunswere to these thynges you wrote to me of before Christen brother Pollentius I haue now writē agayn no smalle volume concernynge those y t hauing theyr own wifes or husbandes aliue yet be coupled and maryed vnto other Wich thyng when it was knowē vnto you you dyd adde certayne other maters to your boke desirīg me to make answer to those also but when I was about to doo so and to adde likewise to my boke so that ther shuld be but one boke of myne answer sodenly my former booke as soon as I had finished it it was published at the requeste of our brethren and not knowing y t any thinge was more to be added vnto it for that cause I am compelled to make answer in any other booke by it selfe to those thynges whiche you added And those your additions be not ioyned to y e end of your booke but are put interlaced wher it pleased you in the body of your boke The firste of them wherunto I thynke I must make answer is that in these wordes of the Apostle wher he saythe But to the other I say not our Lorde that the wyfe doo not forsake and goo from her husband but yf she goo from hym then to remayn vnmaryed or els to be reconcyled again to her husband your opinion is that it is not so spoken of S. P. yf she goo away that it shuld be vnderstāded of her goīg awaye from her husband cōmyttynge adultery for whiche onely cause it is lawfull to make deuorse but rather you thynke that she is therfore commaunded to lyue vnmaried that she myght be reconciled to her husband in case he will not lyue continently leaste she beyng not reconciled myght so bryng her husband to fornicacion that is to say to marye an other she beyng alyue Moreouer yf she goo from her husbande for fornicacion then you thynke that she is not cōmaundyd to remaine vnmaried but y t she dothe it because she wyll lyue continētly not that she shuld be taken as brekīg the commaundement yf she be afterward maryed Whiche forme also you thynke ought to be obserued of the husband lykewyse y t he doo not put away hys wyfe excepte it be for fornication but yf he put her away that he remayne wythout maryage that he myght afterwarde be reconcyled to hys chaste wyfe excepte she by chaūce haue chosen continencye leaste he refusynge to be reconcyled to hys chaste wife myght compell her to commyt adultery yf she forbearyng to lyue sole chaūce to be maryed to an other during her firste husbandes lyfe But yf he be deuorsed from hys wyfe for fornication than you thynke he is bownden by no commaundemēt to liue vnmaryed and that he cōmytteth no adultery yf she beynge alyue he doo marie an other because the saing of the same Apostle S. paul the woman is bownden so longe as her husband lyueth but yf her husband be dead she is deliuered frō that bond to marye whom she wyll you thynke yt ought so to be vnderstanded that yf the husband commit adultery he shulde be takē for dead and also the wife for dead therfor y t it is lawfull for eyther of thē as after deathe euen so after fornication of eyther parte to be maried to an other Now hauynge considered these your vnderstādīges I demaūde and aske vpon you whether he y t shall marye a woman that is deliuered from the bonde of matrymonye with her husbande is to be counted an adulterour or no I suppose you thynke hym to be noon For therfor a womā during her husbandes lyfe shall be called an adultresse yf she be w t an other man because she is bownden so longe as her husband lyuethe And yf thys bonde wer dissolued her husbande beynge alyue than without any cryme of adultery she myght be maried to an other man But yf she be bownden so longe as her husbāde liuethe thē by no meanes she may be called free from that bonde but by the death of her husbande Further yf thys bonde betwen the man and the wyfe be brokē and lowsed by the deathe of eyther party and as you say yf fornicatiō be counted for deathe then wythout dowt a woman shal be deliuered from y t bond betwen her her husbande whensoeuer she shall commit fornication For it can not be sayd y t she is bownden to her husbande yf any man doo marie her he shal be no adulterour But marke what a great absurditie it is that therfore the mā is no adulterour because he maryethe an adultresse Yea also whiche thīg is more mōstruouse the woman her selfe that committeth adultery shal not be called an adultresse bebause she shall be to the second man not an other mās wyfe but hys own wyfe For whē the former bond of matrimonie is brokē by adultrye to whatsoeuer man not hauynge a wyfe she shal be maried she shal not be an adultresse wyth an adulterour but rather a wyfe with her husbande Then howe can it be true that a woman is bownden so longe as her husbande liuethe Behold her husband liueth because he is neyther departed oute of his body nor yet hathe committed fornication which you wold haue reputed for deathe and yet the womā is nowe no more bownden vnto hym Doo you not marke howe directly this is agaīste y e Apostle saiynge a woman is bownden so long as her husbande lyuethe or wyl you perchaūce say that he lyuethe but yet he is not her husband for than he ceased to be her husbande when she by adulterye dissolued the bond of mariage Than howe shall she duringe her husbandes lyfe be called an adultresse yf she be wyth an other mā seying that her husbād is not now her husband the bond of matrymonie beying dissolued by the womās adultery For duryng which husbandes lyfe shall she be called an adultresse yf she be with an other man but her own husbande But yf he cease to be her husbād
is giuen to a fewe she gaue place to incontinencie and toke an husbande and yet an adulterour maried an adulteresse Bothe be giltie bothe are to be cōdemned both she that was maried her husband beinge alyue and he that maried her that had an husbande alyue Doe we here call Christes lawe vnmercyfull wherby she is made giltye of so great a cryme and is punyshed whom her husband put away without any former fornication of her parte because to liue continently is giuen to few in putting her away he compelled her to mari Why doe we not here say that the man is to be cownted as dead that by puttīg her wrongfulli away brake first the bond of matrimony For by what reason will you saie that he brake the bond of matrimonie that althowgh he be an adulterour dyd not put away his wife that he brake the bond of matrimonie that did put away his wife beīg chast but I sai that the bond remaineth in them both wher by the woman is bowndē so long as her husband liueth be he a continent liuer or an adulterour and that therfor the woman which is put away cōmitteth adulteri if she marie and that he is an adulterour that mariethe a woman put away whether her husbande that put her away be an adulterour or a continent liuer because the womā is bowndē so long as her husband liueth But now we dispute of the cōplaintes of incontinent liuers What is thought mor right wise thā the complaint of this woman that saithe I am put away haue not put away and because to liue continently is giuen to few I haue not liued continētly but leste I shuld cōmitte fornication haue maried yet I am sayde to haue cōmitted adulteri because I haue maried Shal we for this woman as it wer a iuste complaint thinke the lawe of God is to be chāged y t we shuld not iudge this womā to be an adulteresse god forbid But ye wyll answere that the woman ought not to haue been put away for that no cause of fornication was giuen before You say truth For y e lord expressed her husbādes syn wher he sayd he that putteth away his wife excepte the cause of fornication maketh her to cōmit adultrie But did not she therfore synne after in marieng because he synned befor in putting her way Therfor what dothe it profit him that the woman not liuinge continently complayneth of the lawe of Christe excepte he for hys murmuringe be punyshed Nowe let vs see those thynges that ye added in an other place wold haue me to make answer to them Where it moueth you and you haue pitie of that man that although it be not for that he liueth not continētly yet at leaste for the necessitie to beget children is compelled to lye with an adulteresse if it be not lawful for hym so to put her away that he may marie an other she being alyue Wher vpon you shulde be iustely moued yf it were not adulterye to marye an other his adulterouse wyfe beynge aliue But yf it be adulterie as the thinges before disputed haue taught why is the cause of bygettynge chyldren pretended We may not therfore permit and giue a licence to heynowse crimes and we may not so auoyd to dye without yssue of chyldren as we muste choose laboure to lyue oure selfes for euermore And adulterers be not suffred to lyue euermore who after y e firste death muste nedes be condēned by y e eternitie of the secōd deathe This excuse and allegation for the bygettinge of chyldrene compellethe men to put away not onely adulterouse women but also moste chaste womē yf perchaunce they be bareyn and to mary other which thing I suppose pleasethe not you Wherfore yf adulteries be not to be excused for y e cause of not liuing cōtinently how moche lesse are they excusable for the cause of bygettinge of children This infirmitie of incōtinent liuinge y e Apostel wold haue releaued by y e honestie of mariage for he saithe not yf she haue no chyldren let her marye but yf she lyue not cōtinently let her marye The generation of children is a recompence for that she giuethe place to incontinēt life by marienge For incōtinency is a vice but mariage is no vice therfore by this good the other is made veniall euell Seing therfore mariage is institute for generation for that cause oure fathers wer maried y t onely for generation not vnlawfully dyd company wyth women For than ther was a certaine necessitie of procreation whiche is not nowe because ther is a tyme of embracing as it is written which truely was than and ther is a time of absteininge from embracinge which is now Of the which tyme the Apostell speakynge saithe frō hence forthe brethren the tyme is shorte it folowethe that they that haue wyues be as not hauynge wiues Wherupon at this time it is very wel and aptly said he that can take let him take and she that liuethe not continently let her marye Continencye than descended to the offyce of matrimonie for the generation of chyldren but nowe the bonde of mariage releauethe the vyce of incontinencye that of them that lyue not continentlye shulde come the generation of children not by the dishonestie of fornications but by the honestye of mariages Why than saythe not the Apostell yf she haue no chyldrē let her marye because at this tyme of absteynyng from embracīg it is not necessarily to bygette children And why saithe he if she liue not continently let her marye Truely therfore leste by her incōtinencie she be compelled to cōmit fornication Yf therfore she liue cōtinently let her neyther marye nor bring forthe childrē but if she liue not cōtinētly let her marie lawfully leste she bring forthe chyldrē vnlawfully or els leste she vsing carnall copulation more vnlawfully bring forthe no children at al. Althoughe thys that I sayde laste some men doo it that be also maryed lawfulli For a mā lieth with his lawful wife vnlawfully dishonesteli wher the cōceiuyng of a child is auoided Whiche thynge Onan y e sonne of Iudas dyd for y e god killed him Therfore y e generatiō of childrē is the first natural cause of maryage for that cause they y t be maried by reason of incontinencie oughte not so to temper moderate their euel that they bānyshe the goodnes of mariage that is to say the fruite of childrē For the Apostell spake of incontinent liuers whē he said I wil that the yonger vydowes doo marie bring forthe chyldrē be huswifes to gyue no occasiō to the aduersarie of euel speakinge For now certayn be turned backe after Sathā When he said I wil y e yōger to mary he counseyled yt. to stay the fal of incontinencie but leste peraduenture they shulde thynke onely of the infirmitie of carnall concupiscēce whiche onely muste be serued releaued in the
godlines but for y t they haue fre libertie to marie again Laste of al I aske of you whether it be lawfull for a Chrysten husbād eyther by y e olde law of god or by y e romains law to caste away or kyl his wife If it be lawful it is better to refreyn him selfe from both that is to say bothe from lawfull punyshment yf she doo synne and also frō vnlawful mariage yf she be alyue And yf he continue erneste to choose y e one it is better for him to doo that is lawfull that the adultresse be punished then to doo that is vnlawfull that she beyng alyue he commyt adultery But yf that be saide that is more true that it is not laufull for a Chrysten man to kyll hys adulterouse wyfe but onely to put her away who is so madde as to say vnto hym doo that is vnlaufull that it may be laufull for you to doo y t is vnlauful For when by Chrystes law both is vnlawful eyther to kyll the adultresse or to mary an other she beynge alyue men must absteyn from bothe and not doo one vnlawfull thynge for an other But yf he wyll nedes doo that is vnlawful let him than cōmit adultery and not murdre and rather to marye an other hys wife beinge aliue than to shedde mans bloud and yf bothe be cruell wykednes he ought not to doo the one for the other but to auoyd bothe Here I see what may be saide of those y t lyue not cōtinently that he that puttethe away hys adulterouse wyfe suffrethe her to lyue yf he marie an other so longe as his firste wyfe liuethe he is a perpetuall adulteroure and dothe no fruitfull penaūce in y t he leauethe not hys wicked lyfe yf he be vnchrystened a learner of the catechisme he is not admitted to baptisme because he is not chaūged from that y t letthethe hym nor can not be recōciled by any means cōtinuinge in the same wickednes But yf he accusynge hys adulterouse wyfe doo kyll her thys synn because he is paste it remaineth not in it if it be cōmitted of a learner of oure faith it is washed and purged by baptisme and yfit be doon of hym that is Chrystened it is made hole by penaūce and reconciliation But shal we therfore say adultery is no adultery which without doubt is cōmitted if another wyfe be maried y e first adulterous wyfe beyng aliue But exceptyng this kynde of adultery you put no doubtes but that it is adultery if any man marry y e wife of him that liueth whiche is put a way from her husband by a lybell of diuorse without any fornicatiō of the woman What say we than when he shal see himselfe not to be admitted to Baptisme if he bee a learner nor to do penāce fruitfully if he did this fault beyng christened in that he correcteth not and forsaketh not his offēce if he wold or could kyll him whose wyfe he maried that his mischeuous sinne may either be washed by baptism or loosed by penaunce and so hys adulterye shulde not remayne the woman beyng voyd of the lawe of her husbande after hys deathe but for hys synne that is paste he shuld satisfie by penaūce or haue it washed away by regeneration Is Chrystes lawe therfore to be accused as cōpellyng murther to be done seyng it calleth it adultery to marry her y t is put away wtout the cryme of fornication In this matier if we cōsidre marke what we say many more weightie thinges may be spoken than you haue sayd For you whyles that you wyll not haue it adultery to put away their adulterous wyues to marry other haue found out this y t yf we call these adulteries y t mē shal be cōpelled to kyll their adulterouse wifes by whose lyfe they be stopped to marie other and to amplifie thys matier you sayde this semeth not to me moste louīg father to be a godly sense wher gentilnes pitie is excluded Thā yf any man not willyng to beleue it adulterie whē a woman forsaken of her husbād wtout the crime of fornicatiō ▪ is maried of an other man dothe inuent thys agaynste you y t by that reason men are induced to cōmitt murders by all trayns sclanders they cāe to lye in wayte for y e husbandes of these womē which being forsakē wtout cryme of fornicatiō they haue maried or els by some true crymes to accuse thē and kyll thē that when they are dead they may be true mariages which when they wer aliue wer adulteries will not this man in amplifiynge y e matier say vnto you thys semethe not to me moste louinge brother to be a godly sence where not only gentlenes pitie is excluded but also great malignitie wyckednes is prouoked For it is a great dele more lyght tolerable y t the husbādes shuld kil their adulterouse wifes than that adulterours shuld kyll their wyfes former husbandes Dothe it please you that for thys moste vayn enuie we shulde forsake y e defence of the lordes minde and sentence or els that we shuld moreouer accuse it saiyng adulterie ought not to bee punished reuenged although a womā forsaken wtout the cause of fornication be ioyned to another mā leste he be cōpelled to kyll her husband that put her away whiles y t he desyrethe by y e deathe of her former husbād to turn his adulterie into mariage I knowe thys pleaseth not you y t for thys moste vayn enuie Christes lawe beynge founde true and holsome shuld be called hard vnmercifull Euen so after this sorte you ought not to be of thys minde to denie it to be adulterie when the secōd wyfe is maried y e first adulterouse wyfe beīg alyue because y e husband by that means may be cōpelled to kyl the adulterous wife whiles y t he desirethe y t it may be lawfull for hym to marie an other wife she beynge slayn yf it be not lawfull to do it she beyng aliue For what yf the sclanderers enemies of Christes fayth shuld also speake this that men were compelled to kyll their wiues by wicked mischiefe craftie traines whiche they coulde not beare beynge paynfull and greuouse to dwell w t all or els being sycke with a cōtinual disease and not able to lye with them or els being poore or els for loue of som fairer wiues because it is not laufull besyde the cause of fornicatiō to forsake put away these wiues which they wyll not beare and marye other lest that they beyng boūden in a perpetuall adulterye can neyther bee baptized nor by penaunce healed Shal we therfore saye leste these myscheuous murders be doon that they commytt no adulteryes that put away ther wiues besyde the cause of fornication and be maried to other But nowe for as moche as you thinke it is no adulterie yf a man put away his wyfe for fornicatiō and marie an other doo you not