misery, as that he more desires to leave his life then feares to loose it: Shall not this equally concerne the office of civil protection, and much more the charity of a true Church to remedy?
Erasmus who for learning was the wonder of his age, both in his notes on Matthew, and on the first to the Corinthians in a large and eloquent discourse, and in his answer to Phimostomus a Papist, maintaines (and no protestant then living contradicted him) that the words of Christ comprehend many other causes of divorce under the name of fornication.
Bucer, whom our famous Dr Rainolds was wont to preferr before Calvin, in his comment on Matthew, and in his second booke of the Kingdome of Christ, treats of divorce at large to the same effect, as is written in the doctrine and discipline of divorce lately publisht, and the translation is exant: whom lest I should be thought to have wrested to mine own purpose, take something more out of his 49. Chap. which I then for brevity omitted. It will be the duty of pious princes, and all who govern Church, or common wealth, if any, whether husband or wife, shall affirme their want of such who either will, or can tolerably performe the necessary duties of maried life, to grant that they may seeke them such, and marry them; if they make it appeare that such they have not. This book he wrote heer in England, where he liv'd the greatest admir'd man; and this hee dedicated to Edward the sixth.
Fagius rankt among the famous divines of Germany, whom Frederic at that time the Palatine sent for to be the reformer of his Dominion, and whom afterwards England sought to, and obtain'd of him to come and teach her, differs not in this opinion from Bucer, as his notes on the Chaldey paraphrast well testify.
The whole Church of Strasburgh in her most flourishing time, when Zellius, Hedio, Capito, and other great Divines taught there, and those two renouned magistrates Farrerus and Sturmius govern'd that common wealth and Academy to the admiration of all Germany, hath thus in the 21. Article. We teach that if according to the word of God, yea or against it, divorces happen, to doe according to Gods word, Deut. 24. 1. Mat. 19. 1 Cor. 7. and the observation of the primitive Church, and the Christian constitution of pious Cæsars.
Peter Martyr seems in word our easy adversary, but is in deed for us: toward which though it be somthing when he saith of this opinion, that it is not wicked, and can hardly be refuted, this which followes is much more, I speak not heer saith he, of natural impediments which may so happ'n, that
