Mariage once lauchfullie contracted, may not be dissolved at manis pleasour, as oure maister Christ Jesus doeth witnesse, onles adulterie be committed; which being sufficientlie proven in presence of the Civil Magistrat, the innocent (yf thei so requyre) ought to be pronunced frie, and the offendar aught to suffer the death as God hath commanded. Yf the Civile sweard foolischelie spair the lyeff of the offendar, yit may not the Churche be negligent in thair office, which is to excommunicat the wicked, and to repute thame as dead memberis, and to pronunce the innocent partie to be at freedome, be thei never so honourabile befoir the warld. Yf the lyfe be spared (as it ought not to be) to the offendaris, and gif the fructis of repentance of long tyme appeir in thame, and gif thai earnestlie desyre to be reconceilled with the Churche, we judge that thai may be receaved to participatioun of the Sacramentis, and of the other benefits of the Churche, (for we wold not that the Churche sould hold those excommunicat whom God absolved, that is, the Penitent.) Yf any demand, whether that the offendar after reconciliatioun with the Churche, may not marye agane? We answer, That yf thai can not leve continent, and yf the necessitie be suche as that thai fear farther offence of God, we can not forbid thame to use the remeady ordayned of God. Yf the partie offended, may be reconcilled to the offendar, then we judge that in nowyse it shall be lauchfull to the offendar to mary any other, except the partie that befoir hath bene offended; and the solempnizatioun of the latter mariage must be in the open face of the Churche lyke as the formare, but without proclamatioun of banns. This we do offer as the best Counsall that God geveth unto us in so doubtsome a case. But the most perfyte Reformatioun war, yf your Honouris wald give to God his honour and glorie, that ye wold prefer his expresse commandiment to your awin corrupt judgmentis, especially in punisheing of those crymes whiche he commandeth to be punished with death. For so should ye declair your selfis Godis treu and obedient officiaris, and your Commoun-wealth should be redd of innumerable trubles. [Sidenote: _NOTA_] We meane not, that synnes committed in our formar blyndnes, (whiche be almost buried in oblivioun,) salbe callit agane to examinatioun and judgment. But we requyre that the law may now and heirafter be so establisched and executed, that this ungodlie impunitie of synne have no place within this Realme. For in the fear of God we signifie unto your Honouris, that whosoever persuadeth unto you, that ye may pardone whair God commandeth death, deceaveth your saulles, and provokes you to offend Goddis Majestie. OFF BURIALL.[559] [559] In edit. 1722, Chap. XIV.