[260] Milton, "Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce," Prose Works, III, 185.
[261] The doctrine of indissolubility compels uncongenial minds to "fadge together, and combine as they may to their unspeakable wearisomeness, and despair of all sociable delight in the ordinance which God hath established to that very end.... All which we can refer justly to no other author than the canon law and her adherents, not consulting with charity, the interpreter and guide of our faith, but resting in the mere element of the text; doubtless by the policy of the devil to make that gracious ordinance become unsupportable, that what with men not daring to venture upon wedlock, and what with men wearied out of it, all inordinate licence might abound."—"Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce," Prose Works, III, 181.
[262] Ibid., 210, 211, 195. For similar expressions see ibid., 181, 182, 185, 267.
[263] However, chap. xxxiv of Bucer's work, entitled "That it is lawful for a wife to leave an adulterer, and to marry another husband," Milton disposes of with the remark that "this is generally granted, and therefore excuses me the writing out": "The Judgment of Martin Bucer," Prose Works, III, 300. But this must be considered in connection with his positive claim of entire jurisdiction for the man in divorce causes, below referred to. Occasionally he drops a word from which possibly it may be inferred that he believes in a reciprocal right of the sexes; but it is amazing how adroitly he avoids a direct statement to that effect. Cf., for example, "Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce," Prose Works, III, 182, where he seems to approve the liberal laws of the Christian emperors; ibid., 247-49, where he refers to Beza's view that divorce is for the benefit of the woman; "Tetrachordon," Prose Works, III, 359, 372, where he touches lightly upon the mutual rights of husband and wife.
[264] Milton, "Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce," Prose Works, III, 181. "And what his chief end was of creating woman to be joined with man, his own instituting words declare, and are infallible to inform us what is marriage, and what is no marriage; unless we can think them set there to no purpose: 'It is not good,' saith he, 'that man should be alone. I will make him a help meet for him.'"—Ibid., 187. Beza holds, says Milton, that divorce (by the Jewish law) is created "only for the help of wives." This leads him to exclaim: "Palpably uxorious! Who can be ignorant, that woman was created for man, and not man for woman, and that a husband may be injured as insufferably in marriage as a wife! What an injury is it after wedlock not to be loved! What to be slighted! What to be contended with in point of house rule who shall be the head; not for any parity of wisdom, for that were something reasonable, but out of a female pride! 'I suffer not,' saith St. Paul, 'the woman to usurp authority over the man.' If the apostle could not suffer it, into what mould is he mortified that can?"—Ibid., 247; cf. also ibid., 209.
[265] Jeaffreson, Brides and Bridals, II, 333. He was not solely actuated by irritation against his wife, Mary Powell, whom he had put away; for he retained his views after taking her back and to his life's end: ibid., II, 333.
[266] For Milton's theory of divorce procedure, as summarized in the text, see "Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce," Prose Works, III, 263-73. Cf. Jeaffreson, Brides and Bridals, II, 335-38.
[267] Scheurl, Das gem. deut. Eherecht, 294 ff., forcibly argues that the conception of divorce through magisterial intervention, as opposed to self-divorce, is a mark of Reformation thought. According to Luther, God speaks through the civil magistrate. Hence in case of divorce from the bond of wedlock by judicial decree it is not "man," but God himself, who parts man and wife. Therefore the command of Jesus is not broken. So here we have another illustration of the casuistry necessitated by the appeal to authority.
[268] Accordingly Milton justifies Parliament and the clergy in consenting to Henry VIII.'s putting away Anne of Cleves, "whom he could not like after he had been wedded half a year."—"Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce," Prose Works, III, 266.
[269] Cf. Jeaffreson's suggestion, Brides and Bridals, II, 337.