of keeping his virginity in wedlock till such times as the Virgin had brought forth her first begotten son Matth. 1. ult Besides the husband and wife by wedlock are made one civil person Matth. 19.6 they twain shall be one flesh Wherefore they have all things common and in particular a common off-spring so that Joseph was not the adoptive but the matrimonial father of Christ and Christ was subject to him Luk. 2.51 Quest But how doth it appear that Joseph was then maried to the Virgin Mary seeing the Text says she was onely espoused vers 18. Answ 1 Espousals are as it were the first mariage because there is a mutual affiancing upon a presupposal of no essential impediments hence vers 20. Mary was then called Josephs wife 2 Joseph is bid not to fear to take her to wife vers 20. who being informed by the Angel no doubt did accordingly moreover taking doth presuppose giving for in many places and nations Virgins have been wont to be given to their husbands by their parents or guardians Besides Mat. 1.24 it 's said He did as the Angel commanded him and took her to be his wife V. 17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations Quest Why did the Evangelist divide all these generations into three fourteens Answ First to shew the threefold estate of their government 1 under Judges 2 under Kings 3 under Governours and Priests after the Captivity The Lord tried all ways to keep them in their duty and when nothing would serve he sent his Son 14 Generations By generation he means the person begotten which adds a degree Matthew omits some persons less considerable to make the number round and fit There wants one of these 42 and therefore the learned put in Jechonias twice the one Joacim which was confounded as Jerom thinks with Jechonias the other his son Jechonias Unless to make up the 42 generations we number Christ as the last person of the third Classis or Division V. 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found with childe of the Holy Ghost The birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise The Evangelist setteth not forth the whole History as Luke professedly doth onely shews first whence the Virgin was with child which was of the Holy Ghost 2 when it was that is to say when Joseph and Mary were espoused before they came together that is when she was promised by her parents or affianced unto him but yet before they came together she was not yet delivered into the hands of her husband by her parents but abode under their keeping and tuition Of the Holy Ghost Not that the Holy Ghost was the father of Christ but that the Holy Ghost did cause that a Virgin should conceive without a man for the Holy Spirit did not lye with the Virgin after the manner of men but that which the generation of man could do he himself could do much more perfectly without any such generation V. 19. Then Joseph her husband being a just man and not willing to make her a publike example was minded to put her away privily The Law was Deut 22.14 if a man took a Damsel and found her not to be a Maid then v. 22. they were to bring her out of her fathers house and the men of the City were to stone her with stones But Joseph being a just man and enclining to mercy would not expose her to open infamy or make her a publike example Lapide saith the Cretians were wont to bring adulteresses through the midst of the City to be beheld and mockt at by the people Was minded to put her away privily That is by a secret divorce giving her a bill of divorce secretly Joseph seeing the holy and spiritual life of the Virgin might seem to question how she should conceive of adultery and perhaps to have judged the contrary but whence or how she had conceived he knew not but because he knew she had not conceived by him he would put her away The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolvere signifies to absolve or free that is Joseph freed her from her promise and so to put her away onely upon some other pretence then adultery For husbands among the Jews had many other causes of divorce besides adultery Matth. 19.3 where the Pharisees ask whether it were lawfull for a man to put away his wife for every cause Observe 1. Innocent and harmless persons are sometimes exposed to suspicion 1 Sam. 22.9 10. 2 Obs We must so be angry at the sins of others that some mercy must be retained towards the sinner Moses Exod. 32.31 V. 20. But while he thought on these things the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying Joseph thou son of David fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost In this Verse three things 1 the anxiety of minde that was upon Joseph he was full of perplexity sometimes thinking her guiltless from the holy carriage he saw in her sometimes he thought her guilty because himself had not touched her many turnings and rowlings were in his minde what to do Saints are sometimes in much perplexity of spirit 2 Chron. 20.12 2 Cor. 4.8 2 The Consolation Against his trouble the Angel of God appears unto him in a dream bidding him not to fear to take unto him Mary his wife God is wont to come in the time of trouble Psal 46.1 so that Saints are not tempted above strength 1 Cor. 10.13 God appearing in the Mount Gen. 22.14 Quest Why doth the Angel appear to him in a dream and to the Virgin when awake Answ The Angel appears to Mary awake because faith and consent was required of her First she conceived Christ by faith before she conceived him in her flesh and her consent was required that she might as it were to use Bernards expression be the Bride of the Holy Ghost and conceive by him Besides it was needfull the Virgin should know whom she bore in her womb and whence she conceived 1 The Angel appeared to Joseph in his sleep not onely here but when he went into Egypt Matth. 2.13 and when he came out thence because according to his good pleasure he was wont to appear as well in dreams as in visions Numb 12.6 also vocally 1 Sam. 3.6 8 10. also inspiredly 2 The Angel appears to Joseph in sleep to let him see the provident care of God who thinks of our troubles when we do not think of our selves even when we are asleep Qu. But why did not the Virgin Mary her self tell Joseph of her thus being with childe Answ It is like she did which probably was the first ground of
res tibi agito that is look to thy own affairs conditione tua non utar in severing the betrothings placuit renunciationem interv enire Let him give her a writing of divorcement This was a writing whereby the husband commanded his wife to depart from him The form whereof was as Grotius mentions this Of my own accord and no mans compulsion I have decreed to leave refuse and put away from me thee hitherto my wife and even now do send thee away forsake and refuse thee and cast thee away from me that thou mayest be in thy own power and mayest depart whither thou listest at thy own will and pleasure neither let any man at any time forbid it and so be thou let go that it may be lawful for thee to mary to what man thou wilt Now that it was lawfull for a man to put away his wife without bringing the cause to the judge appears by Christs words for Christ saith It was spoken of them he that putteth away his wife let him give her a writing of divorcement Besides else how could Joseph have put away Mary privily The ancient Gaules and other nations granted the husbands power of life and death over their wives Grotius Quest Whether did Moses grant divorce onely in case of fornication Answ No for Christ saith that grant was made for the hardness of their hearts Mat. 19.8 Mark 10.5 But I say unto you Whosoever shall put away his wife except for the cause of fornication Qu. What if a wife be a witch or one that endeavours to murther her husband c. what then may she not be put away Ans yes but Christ names fornication because it is the proper cause of divorce and directly repugnant to mariage whereas other causes are general excluding from all civil society Quest But what if the adulterous wife repent may not the husband take her again to bed and board Answ He may pardon it because the offence is principally committed against himself but he is not bound because Christ here gives him liberty to put her away 1 Sam. 25.44 compared with 2 Sam. 3.14 15 16. Quest Whether divorced persons may marry again to one another after divorce Answ No Jer. 3.1 If a man put away his wife and she become another mans shall he return unto her again shall not the land be polluted The reason was least under pretence of divorce they should lend one another their wives as the Lacedemonians and Cato did Quest Whether divorced persons may mary at all without committing adultery Answ The innocent person doubtless may for why should a chaste person suffer for the Adultery of his yoke-fellow 2 God hath provided Mariage a Remedy against Incontinency for all sort of persons 1 Cor. 7.2 but if parties lawfully divorced might not mary again then they should want this Remedy and be exposed to a necessity of sinning Quest Whether putting away in any case be lawfull seeing Mal. 2.15 16. The Lord hates putting away Answ The Prophet speaks not of any putting away but of that which was done to innocent Women onely for Barrenness upon which cause Divorce first began at Rome and yet the Romans were an hundred and twenty years without an Example of putting away Abraham though Sarah was barren till ninety nine years of age never put her away Causeth her to commit Adultery How could this be A. She that was put away being branded with the Reproach of Divorce could not get another Husband and so being hopeless of marying as being counted defiled as Moses phrases it turn'd Strumpet now Christ casts the fault hereof upon him who for a slight cause would put away his Wife This is to expose the frail age of a young Woman to temptation Hence M.T. Cicero was blamed because for light causes he put away his Wife Terentia And whosoever marieth her that is divorced committeth Adultery Christ means it as Grotius thinks of one that is of the same Faith and Profession so that we may understand it of them who received those that were put away before there were Endeavours of Reconciliation used of one of them to the other 1 Cor. 7.11 But if she depart let her remain unmaried or be reconciled to her Husband Also it 's meant of those who being greedy of other mens Wives by Divorce made way to mary them Hence Matth. 19 9. the former Husband is said to commit Adultery if he shall mary another so that the Crime of Adultery falls on him he hath taken away all hope of agreement betwixt the former yoke-fellows so that hereby Christ would establish hope of Reconciliation Otherwise Moses Law standing in force as it did then it had been hard that they that had maried a Woman put away should be counted for Adulterers Quest What do you think of this case when a Husband remains a certain time from a Wife whether another man may mary with her Answ The absent party is either beyond seas or in his own countrey If beyond seas there must be a greater time granted to hear of him By the Law of Constantine if the Wife did not hear of the safety of the Husband in four years she was permitted to mary to another To give my opinion there must be a precise time set down wherein if the Wife do not hear of the Husband it may be lawfull to mary as if being in the same Nation he do not send to her in two years or if being in a foreign Nation he do not send to her in four years for in such a space of time it may be supposed a man may write from any part of the Earth unless he be in captivity such a Man not sending to his Wife in such a space of time may be supposed to put her away howbeit I think in these cases to consider seriously what the Laws of the Nation are is most expedient and so far as they concur with lawfulness and expediency to follow them For Application 1 Caution Not to put away Wife or Husband there are four Mischiefs in it 1 Such an one is a Murderer because he hates his Wife If Christians are commaâ—ded to love their Enemies how much more then their yoke-fellows who may have vitia but not flagitia perâ—â—ps faults but not heinous offences 2 Such an one is guilty because he hath put away one who hath not committed Adultery For this cause onely putting away ought to be for though there be other failings yet ought there to be reconciliation Lactantius saith He is an Adulterer who hath maried her that is put away and he is an Adulterer who hath put away his Wife except for Fornication that he may mary another 3 He is guilty because he makes her commit Adultery 4 Because he that takes her that is put away becomes an Adulterer 2 Exhort To keep the Bond of Matrimony inviolate in no wise to break it as being the Covenant of God Prov. 2.17 3 Learn not to put away a Wife or
Husband for Idolatry Infidelity 1 Cor. 7.12 13. onely if the Idolater will depart and put the Believer away the Believer is free Nor for Errour in person as if a man think he mary a Virgin and doth not because she hath done nothing since his Wife nor for Errour of Estate as supposing to mary one rich but she is poor nor for Idolatry Ezra 10.2 3. Compare Rom. 7.1 2 3 4. nor Heresie 1 Cor. 7.12 no nor yet for poverty is a person to put away his Wife no nor for frigidity or coldness because not able to perform the duty of Mariage nor for some incurable Disease these may hinder a Mariage from being but not break it after it is solemnized 1 Cor. 7.10 11. Let not the Wife depart from her Husband and let not the Husband put away his Wife Quest But what if the Wife be of contrary Religion as a Papist and will not live with her Husband in such Countreys where the Husband may safely profess the Faith Answ It was the judgment of Calvin and the other Helvetian Preachers that there might be a Divorce whereof there were two Examples one of Pizarro who maried a Wife who would not live with him save in the Roman Territories where he must either deny the Faith or lose his life After Divorce he was maried as I remember for I have not the Book by me to one Magdalen Moor. The other is of Galeazeus Caracciolus whose Wife refusing to live with him save in Italy where he was either in danger of denial of Christ or loss of life he was divorced from her and maried to a Gentlewoman of Roan who fled for the Gospel sake 1 Cor. 7.15 But if the unbelieving depart let him depart a Brother or Sister is not in bondage in such a case but God hath called us to peace that is to peace of conscience herein as Martyr expounds it Now the reason is because such a person totally puts away such a yoke-fellow for doing his duty or if retained it is with an intention to murder him 4 Exhort To be wary in choice of yoke-fellows seeing the Bond of Mariage is an indissoluble Bond it cannot be broken save for Adultery beware how you chuse let Women beware how they consent if it were as common Bargains that a man might be rid of them losing his Earnest or if they were taken as some take Apprentices upon liking or as some buy Horses to lose so much if they dislike and return them but this is an eternal Bond therefore ought to be done with much deliberation as being onely once to be done Beware then how you chuse for Beauty Portion Many Women are soon won for person kindred riches because he that hath her is able to deck her in fine Apparel and Jewels never looking what ability such a man hath to instruct her and to bring up the Children they shall have in Gods fear And so much more ought we to be advised because Mariage is that point upon which depends in a great measure our eternal Estate for the Estate it self it is but for a few years but eternal things both of our selves and posterity much depend upon it How angry was God for his peoples matching themselves with Idolaters Nehem. 13.23 24 25 26 27. Ezra 9.2 3. such kinde of mariages are in danger of turning us from God Deut 7.3 4. 5 To stablish the consciences of competent Judges in granting divorces when one of the persons is a fornicator it is of the light of nature that he that keeps not the conditions of a contract or bargain should lose the benefit of it and the contract be made void that whoredome was a just cause of divorce in Moses time was in respect of gentle husbands who would not have their wives put to death such an husband was Joseph to Mary or in respect of such husbands who though they believed their wives were strumpets and perhaps found them so yet they were not able to prove it in judgement the proper punishment thereof was death either burning Gen. 38.24 or stoning Levit. 20.10 Joh. 8.5 but now Christ warrants any Judge to proceed to divorce in this case of adultery But for other cases as for a woman against her husbands will to go to the banquers of strangers or without just cause to lye out all night or to go into the Baths with men these are no sufficient grounds of divorce though they may be grounds of suspicion 6 To rest contented in the state of marriage wherein God hath placed us and hate putting away Mal. 2.16 as God hates it so should we And so much more because God joyns persons in mariage Matth. 19.6 What God hath joyned together let no man put asunder Besides they are one flesh V. 33. Again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths V. 34. But I say unto you Swear not at all neither by heaven for it is Gods throne nor by the earth for it is his footstool c. In the words are two propositions 1 Thou shalt not forswear thy self Levit. 19.12 Ye shall not swear by my name falsely 2 Thou shalt perform to the Lord thine oaths Numb 30.2 If a man swear an oath to binde his soul with a bond he shall not break his word he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Out of these two places are the words of this text taken in the bare words there appears no corruption but in Christs answer the depravement appears in three particulars 1 Thou shalt not forswear thy self that is swearing by the name of God but if thou forswears by creatures thou mayest 2 For the latter but shalt keep or perform thy oaths that is oaths made by the name of God but to break oaths made by the creatures is no perjury 3 They taught that rash and needless swearing was no prophanation of the name of God so that they swore truly In opposition to these corruptions Christ saith Thou shalt not forswear thy self that is thou shalt perform that thou hast sworn to the Lord or by the Lord that thou wilt do Thou shalt perform thy oaths as all other oaths so in particular vows confirmed by an oath Besides to perform to the Lord thine oaths signifies that if we will swear we must swear by the true God not by idols From this thus explained observe Obs Perjury is an heynous sin before God There 's a flying rowl of curses that goes out against false swearers Zach. 5.2 3. It 's called a rowl because the Jews books were not distinct by leaves as we have but one piece of parchment wrapt upon a stick like a map which was called a rowl because rowled together In this was writ their perjuries and the punishments of them it 's said to be flying to signifie the swift vengeance that hangs over impenitent persons it hangs as
Josephs knowing her so to be but Joseph was slow in believing her till the Angel appeared to him Qu. Is there no use to be made of dreams now Answ 1 There are d vers sorts of dreams as 1 Natural so the things which the sense on the day time carries over to the understanding being more deeply setled there are sent back again to the fancy or common sense and this not only in men but in bruits A dream cometh through multitude of business Eccles 5.3 2 Moral which arises from wise discourses and reading books 3 Diabolical which come from Satan such are filthy dreams of which Jude 8 against these the ancient Church prayed Hâ—stemque nostrum comprime ne polluantur corpora Bridle our enemy that our bodies be not defiled 4 Divine so God appeared to Solomon 2 Chron. 7.12 13. Sometimes God hath appeared thus twice Job 33.14 15. twice he appeared thus to Paul Acts 16.9.18.9 and so he appeared to Pilates wife Matth. 27.19 2 There may be use made of dreams as the Urine or Pulse are signes of sickness or health so dreams may shew us what our natural complexion is and what humour is predominant where yellow Choler abounds there we dream of fire strife and fightings where black Choler abounds men dream of smoke darkness funerals where Phlegme abounds men dream of showers of rain wells of water rivers and such things as have a cold moisture where Bloud abounds men dream of things beautifull clear and sweet Martyr out of Galen tells of a man that dream'd he had a thigh of stone and in a few days after he fell into a palsey and of another that dream'd he fell into a cistern of bloud which signified aboundance of bloud and that he stood in need of bloud letting Sometimes in sleep men seem to have such a burthen they cannot bear it sometimes to be so light that they do as it were flye which is nothing else but the excess and defect of humours To conclude dreams of preferment do too much point out ambition in us unclean dreams do too much point out wandring imaginations on the day time or excess of gluttony at night terrible dreams may put us in minde what we might look for if God were not more merciful favorable and successful dreams may put us in minde what we might expect if our sins did not stand in the way But for Divine dreams when they are it s like the understanding on the day time hath been well employed in Divine things and the frequenter they are they denote perhaps a better frame of spirit aspiring after Divine things Yet as we are not to expect direction from them God having spoken cleerly by his Son so are we not altogether to slight them seeing God hath formerly manifested himself by them besides God hath not lost any of his prerogative but that he can manifest himself by them yet The third part is the ground of Josephs consolation which is For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost because fear will not be cast out by words but by reasons the Angel gives a reason why Joseph should not fear viz. because that which Joseph feared was an act of adultery was of the Holy Ghost and therefore he had cause rather to rejoyce then to grieve because of his spouse Mary the long lookt-for Messias was now to be born Such a message Joseph had at another time when he was in his fear Luk. 2.10 the Angel said Fear not for behold I bring you good tydings of great joy for unto you is born in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And therefore thou Joseph mayest take her from her friends or kindred to be thy wife and thou mayest with a quiet conscience live with her Moreover the Angel calls him the Son of David to raise up Josephs heart to consider that he as well as his wife was of that family to descend from whom the Messias was promised to all the believers of the Old Testament and so he the said Joseph should have the honour to be the civil father of this Messias as the Virgin his wife had the honour to be his natural mother And therefore vers 16. it s said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which in the feminine gender Christ was begotten not of whom to prove that Joseph was onely a civil father provided to take care of the Virgin and the Messias she went with V. 21. And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Here is a second ground to quiet Josephs heart taken from the quality or excellency of this son whom the Virgin should bring forth he should be a Saviour to save his people Bring forth a son Not as the Valentinians who taught that Christ brought a heavenly body from heaven and passed through the Virgin as a channel but as the Virgin truly conceived Christ so she brought him forth according to Esa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and shall bring forth a son and therefore thy spouse is not an adultress but a most pure Virgin This the Angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary Luk. 1.31 That she should bring forth a son and call his name Jesus and here the Angel tells the same in effect to Joseph And thou shalt call his name Jesus Fathers usually gave names to their children Jacob called his son Benjamin though his mother called him Benoni Gen. 35.18 Zacharias named his son John Luk. 1.63 yet sometimes the mother as Hanna called her son Samuel 1 Sam. 1.20 His name Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his saving Christ is the name of his Office Jesus of his Nature and Person the name in the Old Testament is Jehoscua ascribed unto Joshua the Captain and to Joshua the Priest in the Type but to Christ in the truth because he is the alone Saviour of his People Acts 4.12 Heb. 7.25 He is able to save them that come unto God by him for though Baptism is said to save 1 Peter 3.21 and Preachers 1 Tim. 4.16 Baptism doth save by way of signification Preachers as Instruments by way of publication For he shall save his People from their sins three things are considerable 1. Whom Christ saves Resp All Believers because by faith alone this salvation is received all his Body for he is called the Saviour of the body Ephes 5.23 2. From what Christ saves Resp From their sins which would bring them to Hell as a Physician brings a Potion to his Patient not to kill Death but to kill the Disease that would bring the Patient unto Death so Christ came not to quench the Flames of Hell but to save his People from their sins which would bring them to Hell Now Jesus saveth us 1. From the power of sin Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under
cast into hell These words belong to the former command forbidding adulterous looks They are an Objection Who can but love beautiful men and women nature inclines to love that which is beautiful Answ To this Christ answers by an argument from the greater to the less If a Gangrene had infected part of the body you would rather have that infected member cut off then have the whole body hazarded how much more should we do it when the doing thereof will prevent the eternal destruction of soul and body if we could not therefore save our souls otherwise we should be content to pull out our eys but I require no more but that thou turn thy eye from an ensnaring countenance thou oughtest to cut off thy hand but I require no more then that thou keep it off from unchaste touchings We suffer hard things for the saving of our body much more should we suffer hard things for the saving of our souls and so much more because it costs less namely the cutting off of our lusts Such phrases there are Matth 18.8 Mark 10.45 onely there they are applied to every darling sin here they are applied to that sin wherein persons have the least power of resistance Of this Job 23.11 My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined Job 31.1 I have made a covenant with mine eyes v. 7. No blot hath cleaved to my hands also v. 5. his foot hastened not to deceit the meaning of this precept is that the nourishment of lust is to be avoided lust travelling with a sinfull act Psal 7.14 Jam. 1.14 15. if it be hindered to bring it forth that sinful act becomes abortive and lust it self dies Therefore this command as all other commands that seem to command wickedness or sin ought to be taken figuratively literally this precept were a breach of the sixt command Thou shalt not kill and so it were a cruel command but it is a most gentle Command it had been hard if he had bid us keep company with women behold them and abstain from them Julian taking these sentences literally mockt at Chistian Religion as foolish cruel and vain because it commands to maim our own members He mockt at Christians because no man did it he mock at Christ because no man obeyed him but this Apostate might have seen from the scope that these words were not to be taken literally but figuratively For Christ teacheth this seeing there is so much danger of the eyes that they are as gates to let lust in and out they are to be pluckt away from vanity yea to be pluckt out rather then be offensive to the soul Some of the ancients understood by right hand kindred and friends any dear thing which draws from God but here is meant all occasions of lust taken from the eye in particular such was that curiosity of looking into the Ark of God 1 Sam. 6.19 Means to pluck out the abuse of the eye and to cut off the hand 1 Mortifie our earthly members Though corruption be in you let it be like a dead carkass 1 God works habitual or inward mortification not onely by raising up those that are dead in sin but by stirring up the affections of the soul to a desire of raising and then crucifying sinfull affections or lusts in us 2 For outward actual mortification that is our work hereby we resist temptations and keep in inordinate affections These sinful affections are call'd members as corruption is called a body Rom. 6.6 and because it puts forth its power in all the members of the body and as our natural members perform our natural actions so our corruption uses these sinfull affections as instruments to fulfil the desires thereof 2 Look upon every allowed lust as that which severs betwixt God and us Esa 59.1 we are eagerly affected against those who endeavour to sever betwixt us and our dearest friends 3 Look upon your old man as crucified with Christ Rom. 6.6 4 Get renovation in the imagination for want whereof there are so many filthy lustings in the eye and listnings in the ear 5 Look upon these as those which will destroy the soul as in the text V. 30. It hath been said Whosoever shall put away his wife let him give her a writing of Divorcement But I say unto you whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication eauseth her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery Christ further clears the seventh Commandement asserting that this command is broken if a man shall put away his wife except for fornication the Law allowed divorce in divers cases but Christ onely in the case of fornication It hath been said 1 By Moses from divine inspiration not upon his own private fancie for the commandements and statutes which Moses taught them the Lord commanded him for to teach them Deut. 6.1 for he that would not determine in a matter of inheritance as in the case of the daughters of Zelophehad without first asking God in a matter of greater moment would not do any thing without Gods command and though Christ Matth. 19.8 ascribes divorce unto Moses yet those things which came from God are ascribed to Moses Matth. 8.4 Mark 1.44.7.10 Luke 5.14 Now this divorce was made for some kind of filthiness as for leprosie scolding c. Deut. 24. 1 For it was scarcely used in case of fornication for if the wickedness of fornication appeared the adulteress was stoned Levit. 20.10 and if she were suspected she was purged with the waters of jealousie Numb 5.27 and God dispensing with the Jews for to put away their wives for sundry causes they did not sin herein in my opinion Ob. But Mat. 19.8 Mose because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives therefore it was onely a permission Answ This their hardness was the cause why God granted the Jews liberty herein lest the Jews should kill their wives whom they could not put away yet this grant did make their putting away lawful because God for the hardness of the Jews did dispense with them in the law of matrimony by this putting away of wives God typified the putting away of the Jews and the betrothing of the Gentiles Whosoever shall put away his wife For onely the husband by the Jewish law might put away the wife The Pharisees corrupted this law of divorce the original law was Deut. 24.1 That if a man hated his wife for some filthiness giving her a bill of divorce he might put her away but might never take her any more after he had put her away Now the Scribes and Pharisees depraving this law the Jews for every small matter put away their wives showing the seventh Commandement was not violated if they gave them a bill of divorce hence Christ reprehends this interpretation Now the form of this putting away as the Lawyers tell was Tuas res tibi habeto tuas