one flesh The truth of this may appeare by the Lords owne complaint against his people to whom he speaketh as to a wife that had forsaken her husband without a cause on his behalfe Isay 50. 1. Where saith he is that bill of your mothers diuorcement wherby I sent her away As if he should say I gaue her no bill but her departure and separation from mee is by her owne sinnes which phrase sheweth what was the custome of the Iewes in this case II. Point The straitnesse of this law appeares in this that the man onely was permitted to giue this bill vnto his wife but the wife might not giue it to her husband for Moses saith Whosoeuer shall put away his wife neither is there any place in Scripture to prooue that the wife had this libertie so to deale with her husband If it bee asked whether the wife in a iust cause as for adulterie had not the like libertie I answer If we respect Gods institution touching mariage the right of diuorce is equall to them both for in regard of the bond of mariage they are equally bound one to another Here indeed this libertie is permitted onely to the man by this politicke law not that he had more right but to preuent the euill of the hardnesse of his heart who taking displeasure at his wife would rather spill her blood then continue with her If it be alleadged that a man is the womans head I answer that is for regiment and direction in her place but not in regard of breaking the bond of mariage whereby he is bound to his wife as well as she to him as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 7. 4. III. Point The force and effect of this law was this It made the Bill of diuorcement for any cause giuen to be tolerable before men mariage after such a diuorce lawfull and warrantable in the Courts of men Deut. 24. 4. But yet in the court of conscience before God the diuorcement it selfe and second mariages made thereupon were both vnlawfull for God hateth this separation Mal. 2. 15. And whether partie soeuer marieth another vpon this diuorce commits adulterie Matth. 19. 9. This must be remembred for the true vnderstanding of this law of Moses the first words whereof are a permission to this effect If a man do conceiue such a dislike against his wife as that he wil not abide with her but will needes put her away then he may but yet so as hee giue her a bill of diuorce which doth not acquit him before God but before men onely Hauing thus shewed the true meaning of this law it remaineth now to see what the Pharises taught touching diuorce Their doctrine was this that hee which gaue a bill of diuorcement vnto his wife for any light occasion was thereby acquitted from her before God and thereupon might marie another without the guilt of adulterie and also that another man might lawfully marrie her that was thus diuorced That this was their meaning may appeare by the contrarie answer of our Sauiour Christ wherein he crosseth and confuteth this their interpretation in the words following Verse 32. But I say vnto you whosoeuer shall put away his wife except it be for fornication causeth her to commit adulterie and whosoeuer shall marrie her that is diuorced committeth adulterie Here Christ answereth not to Moses law but to the corrupt interpretation of the Scribes and Pharises whereby they depraued that law By fornication Christ meaneth not euery sinne of that kinde but onely the sinne of adulterie or that which is greater in that kind namely incest Adulterie is a sinne that is committed by two parties one whereof is either maried or espowsed as hath beene shewed before Causeth her to commit adulterie That is giueth her occasion to marie againe and so to commit adulterie because their first bond remaineth stil and he that marieth her that is diuorced that is for any small cause not for adulterie he also commits adulterie Here then two points are set downe First that he who puts away his wife for any light cause causeth her to commit adulterie Secondly hee that marieth her that is diuorced committeth adulterie Yet vnto both these Christ putteth an exception in the case of adulterie The Papists and some others would restraine the exception to the first part of the sentence and make it a negation to this effect He that puts away his wife beeing no fornicator c. But the truth is that the exception belongs to the whole answer of our Sauiour Christ denying diuorce saue onely for adulterie and permitting no mariage after diuorcement saue onely where the diuorce is for adulterie First whereas our Sauiour Christ opposeth vnto this politicke law of Moses concerning diuorce the law of nature touching mariage Ge. 2. 24. He giueth vs an excellent distinction between all politicke laws and the law of nature which is the morall law for that is a law of eternall equitie commaunding good and forbidding euill simply without respect of man but politicke lawes are tempered according to the cōditions of men and though they doe not approoue yet sometimes they permit euill for the auoyding of greater mischiefe yea they tolerate that which before God and in conscience is condemned This point must teach vs not to content our selues with performing obedience to the politicke lawes of men for the lawes of men may tolerate that which Gods law doth condemne so the law of this Land in practise tolerates vsurie but vsurers must not hereupon thinke that all is safe well with them and that they sinne not in taking ten in the hundred because the law of the land permits it for our law tolerates that for the preuenting of greater vsurie when as the law of God doth vtterly condemne the same Againe our laws are open for men to goe to law at the first vpon euery light occasion without seeking former means of agreement but yet such men as doe so are guiltie of sinne before God notwithstanding their libertie by our politike lawes Some politike lawes also tolerate contracts of mariage made without consent of parents yet such children sin against the law of God for herein God requires childrens subiection to their parents and gouernours And the like might be shewed in many other points so that it is no sufficient iustification of our actions to say the lawes of men allow vs so to doe Secondly hence we may learne that a man cannot lawfully and with good conscience put away his wife except it be for adulterie the text is cleare both heare and also Math. 19. 7. which confuteth the ciuill laws of some countries the popish constitutions that allow other causes of diuorce besides adulterie Here they obiect sundrie things in their defence against this doctrine As 1. the saying of Christ Whosoeuer forsaketh Father or Mother wife c. shall receiue much reward Math◠19. 29. Here say they is diuorce for
want thereof ought not to keepe the godly from this Sacrament for another mans euill conscience cannot defile thy good conscience another mans sinne cannot hurt thee vnlesse thou doe some way communicate with him therein Christ was more carefull in his dutie then euer man was and yet hee communicated with the wicked Iewes Scribes and Pharises in the seruice of God vnder the Law The fourth head from whence offence is taken is the state of the wicked principally in regard of their prosperitie Hence some holy ones suspect their owne estate and religion as either not good or not regarded of God This befell Dauid Psal. 37. when hee sawe the prosperitie of the wicked and their increase in riches with peace and ease hee said Certainly I haue clensed mine heart in vaine â—nd washed my hands in innocencie Hence also Ieremie reasons with God why the way of the wicked should prosper and they bee in wealth that transgresse rebelliously Hence vndoubtedly at this day many call into question the good prouidence of God Now the way to cut off this offence is to enter into the sanctuarie of God as Dauid did that is to come to the assemblies of Gods people where the word is preached for there a man shall see the manifold reasons why God will haue his owne people afflicted also the fearefull end of the pleasures of the wicked namely a fitting of them to further destruction Againe from this same ground doe many rich men take offence for hauing the world at will they blesse themselues with this perswasion that God loues them and thereupon take occasion to condemne all religion and to goe on in the pursuite of worldly profits and delights And this is one maine cause why among the rich we haue so few good and sound Professors because that from a false ground of outward things they perswade themselues of Gods loue fauour But to cut off this offence we must remember that mans case is the more fearefull when he wants all crosses for God chasteneth euery child whom he receiueth Heb. 12. 6. it is a marke of Gods child to be in affliction if he profit thereby the stalled oxe commeth sooner to the slaughter then the oxe that is vnder the yoke and the sheepe that goeth in fat pasture commeth sooner to the shambles then that which goeth on the bare commons so oftentimes God fatteth the wicked with the blessings of this life as hee did the rich glutton that he may more iustly condemne them in the world to come Lastly we must remember what Salomon saith No man knoweth loue or hatred of all that is before him that is of all outward things all things fall alike vnto all both good and bad therfore no man must so blesse himselfe with his outward estate that he be drawne to esteeme of religion as a thing needlesse or superfluous Verse 31. It hath beene said also whosoeuer shal put away his wife let him giue her a Bill of diuorcement 32. But I say vnto you whosoeuer shall put away his wife except it be for fornication causeth her to commit adulterie and whosoeuer shall marie her that is diuorced committeth adulterie Our Sauiour Christ proceeding further to restore the seauenth commaundement to his perfection doth here confute a false interpretation of a Politicke law of Moses giuen by the Scribes and Pharises For this ende first he laies downe the wordes of Moses politicke law but yet so as containing in them the false interpretation of the Iewish teachers ver 31. then hee opposeth the truth of God against their false interpretation and maintaineth the first institution of mariage v. 32. For the first Moses politicke law was That hee which put away his wife should giue her a Bill of diuorce This law the Iewish Teachers did falsly interpret for the better perceiuing wherof these three points are to be handled touching Moses politicke law 1. what kinde of law it was 2. the straitnesse of that law 3. what effect and force it had For the first the law is set downe Deut. 24. 1. when a man marieth a wife and she finde no fauour in his eies because he hath espied some filthinesse in her then let him write her a bill of diuorce and put it in her hand and send her out of his house This law was not morall but ciuill or politicke for the good ordering of the common wealth Now among their particular lawes some were laws of toleration and permission which were such as did not approoue of the euill which they concerned but did onely tolerate and permit that euill which could not be auoided for the preuenting of a greater euil which otherwise would fall out As when the sea hath made â— breach into the land if it cannot possibly be stopped the best course is to make it as narrow as may bee Such was the law concerning vsurie Deut. 23. 20. permitting the Iewes to exercise it vpon a stranger but not towards a brother and the like was the law touching polygamie Deut. 21. 15. If a man had two wiues the one hated the other loued and they both haue borne him children if the first borne be the sonne of the hated though shee were maried to him the latter yet her seed was legitimate and her sonne had the right of the first borne In both which lawes were tolerated that which God condemned onely for the preuenting of a greater euill Vnder this sort comes our law of vsurie for taking tenne in the hundred not approuing but permitting so much for the auoyding of greater vsurie Vnto this kind the Papists would reduce their law of permitting Stewes for the preuenting of greater sinnes but that law can haue no title to such permission for a law of permission is to diminish that euill which by man cannot possibly be cut off altogether now that sinne which they would preuent by their Stewes might be cut off among them if they would giue allowance to Gods owne ordinance of lawfull mariage vnto all sorts and sexes So likewise this law of Moses for diuorce was a law of permission not approouing of the giuing a bill of diuorce for euery light cause but tolerating of it for the preuenting of greater mischeife euen of murther for the nature of the Iewes was this if a man once tooke dislike to his wife he would neuer be at rest till he had shed her blood if they might not bee parted asunder Now this law of diuorce was giuen to restraine this great euill for hereby a man was tolerated to put away his wife when shee found no fauour in his eies lest hee should kill her yet so as he gaue her a bill of diuorce wherein hee must set downe the cause why hee put her away whereby also many were restrained from putting away their wiues because it was a great shame for a light occasion so highly to transgresse Gods holy institution who made them by mariage
wisdome did take occasion to glorifie God but here is meant the abuse of the sight that is the idle looking or curious looking of men vpon women or women vpon men Now idle looking is when one looketh without iust cause as when a man looketh with intent to lust Thus did the sonnes of God behold the daughters of men Genesis 6. 2. by whose looking came lust and for lust came the flood so Potisers wife first lift vp her eies vpon Ioseph and then lusted after him and Dina Iacobs daughter went out to see the daughters of the countrie and to bee seene againe and so when Shechem saw her hee lusted after her and rauished her so the Prophet Dauid liuing in peace and securitie cast his eie idlie and curiously vpon ' Bathsheba as shee was washing her selfe whereupon he lusted after her and so committed both Adulterie and murther This idle and curious looking Saint Peter calleth an adulterous eie both because it is the beginner of lust and the increaser thereof But this sinne is little regarded and made a small matter with many who can bee content to come with Christian eares into the assemblies and yet will bring with them idle and curious yea adulterous eies but such persons which so abuse their sight to the dishonour of God must know that they are adulterers before God howsoeuer they may perswade themselues that grace enters into their hearts by hearing yet vndoubtedly by their idle and curious eies Sathan enters into their soule and keepes out Gods word whereby the soule should be renued Wee therefore must here bee admonished to take heed how wee vse the sight of our eies especially when wee are in the assemblies of the Saints and holy exercises and to preuent this euill it were to bee wished that men and women would sort themselues and not bee mingled in the congregation vnlesse it were the husband with his owne wife Againe if the idle and curious eie be the beginning of adulterie then wee must learne with care to gouerne our eies as the seruants of God haue done ' Dauid praied the Lord to keepe his eies from regarding vanitie and Iob because hee would auoid vnchast thoughts made a couenant with his eies not to looke on a maide Now as looking to lust is here forbidden so by proportion are all other like occasions vnto adulterie as first reading of vnchast and wanton books of loue matters and vsing light and wanton talke Many are giuen to these kinds of delights but they must know that herein they sinne grieuously for they haue not onely a wanton eie but a lasciuious tongue also Secondly the acting of all such Plaies and Comedies the matter whereof is the representation of the light behauiour of men women for therein are idle and curious lookes set forth to the eie which ought not to be beeing here condemned Thirdly the wearing of vaine and light attire whereby others are prouoked to cast their eies vpon them vnto lust for if the light and wanton eie bee condemned then that which causeth it is much more condemned This ought to bee regarded for light and forraine attire is a secret profession of an vnchaste heart Fourthly mixt dauncing of men and women in time and measure for therein is more occasion and prouocation vnto lust then by the bare beholding of each other with the eie Fiftly euill companie so are the wordes of the Apostle Paul out of an Heathen Poet Euill conuersings corrupt good manners which may well include that vnseemely conuersing of men with women not warranted either by the generall or particular calling Sixtly the pampering of the bodie with daintie meates or strong drinkes this was the sinne of Sodome and it is much more an occasion of lust then the bare sight of the eie Seauenthly Idlenesse and lazinesse in not imploying the bodie in some honest calling for thereby also is lust incited And thus much of the meaning of this commandement forbidding all occasions to adulterie vnder a lustfull eie Now considering that a man is guiltie of adulterie that vseth the occasions thereof hereby we may see that we cannot excuse our selues from the breach of this law for though we be cleane from the bodily outward facte yet who can say My heart is cleane who is free from the occasions thereof as from a wanton eie vaine apparell wanton speech intemperance and the rest all which makes vs culpable of this sinne and therefore wee must laie our hands vpon our mouthes and condemne our selues of guilt before God we must humble our selues acknowledging our sinnes and breaches of this commandement and lastly we must take heede of all occasions that may mooue or incite vs vnto lust or wantonnesse The second point which our Sauiour Christ propoundeth in the interpretation of this law is this that the lust of the heart though it neuer come into acte is Adulterie now that we may know what our Sauiour Christ meaneth by lust sundrie points are to be handled First how lust can bee a sinne considering it is onely a hidden desire of the heart Secondly how lust can bee a sinne of the seauenth commandement seeing it is forbidden in the tenth and thirdly how great a sinne lust is For the first that lust is a sinne is thus prooued Gods Law requireth obedience of the whole man both in soule and bodie and in euery part facultie and power thereof Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength and that obedience which commeth not from the whole man is sinnefull Now when a man conceiueth vnchast thoughts in his heart then his soule and mind his affections haue not done their dutie vnto God and so he sinneth in lusting Yet this doctrine was neuer receiued of all but some haue still excepted against it and their principall reasons are two 1. They say lust is a naturall inclination desire and appetite which was in Adam before his fall and so cannot be a sinne Ans. Lust or appetite in the heart is not simply a sinne for so it is a naturall desire which was in our first parents in their integritie but to lust after that which God forbiddeth that is the sinne as for a man to lust after a woman or a woman after a man not beeing man and wife which we see here Christ condemneth 2. They say God blesseth adulterers and fornicators in their lust with the issue of seed in child-bearing as well as man and wife in lawful mariage and therefore it cannot be a sinne Ans. In adulterie two things may be considered the vnlawfull lust of the heart and the acte of generation now when God giues issue to adulterers and fornicators it is no approbation of their sinnefull lust but onely a common blessing of naturall generation which is his owne ordinance by creation for howsoeuer God approoues
religion allowed Ans. Christ by forsaking meaneth not that separation which is made by giuing a Bil of diuorcement but that which is caused by imprisonment banishment or by death 2. Obiect 1. Cor. 7. 15. If the vnbeleeuing depart let him depart a brother or a sister is not bound in such things Here say they is another cause of diuorce Ans. The malitious and wilfull departing of the vnbeleeuer doth dissolue the mariage but that is no cause of giuing a bil of diuorce onely adulterie causeth that Here the beleeuer is a meere patient and the diuorce is made by the vnbeleeuer who vniustly forsaketh and so puts away the other 3. Obiect Titus 9. 10. Auoide an heretake after once or twice admonition This say they is spoken to all Christians and therefore for heresie may a bill of diuorce be giuen Ans. First that commandemēt is not giuen to euery priuate person but to the Ministers of the church who after one or two admonitions are to excommunicate and cut off all heretikes from the Church Secondly it hindreth not but that the bond of mariage may remaine sure and firme though one of the parties be cut off from the Church for the beleeuing husband must not forsake his vnbeleeuing wife if shee will dwell with him 1. Corinthians 7. 12. 4. Obiect After mariage one partie may haue a contagious and incurable disease which may cause the other to giue a bil of diuorce Answer A contagious disease may cause a separation for a time but no diuorce and if that disease bee incurable and disable the partie from the dutie of mariage then such parties must thinke themselues as it were called of God to liue in single life 5. Obiect But maried persons may seeke to spill the blood one of another and therfore it is good to giue a bil of diuorce to preuent that euil Answer Such enmitie may cause a separation for a time till reconciliation be made but the bond of mariage must not therefore bee broken 6. Obiect Death maketh a diuorce Ans. Death indeede endeth mariage estate and setteth the partie liuing free to marrie in the Lord where he or shee will but this comes not by diuorce giuen of either partie so that the conclusion still remaineth firme that a man with good conscience cannot giue a bill of diuorce for any cause but for adulterie and therefore those lawes which permit diuorce for other causes are greatly faultie before God If any shall aske whether mens laws may not make more causes of diuorcemēt then this one I answer no for mariage is not a meere ciuill thing but partly spirituall and diuine and therefore God onely hath power to appoint the beginning the continuance and the end thereof If any yet aske why Idolatrie Magycke which be greater sinnes then adulterie may not breake mariage Ans. They are greater indeede against God but not in this ordinance of mariage for the sinne of adulterie breaketh onely the bond of mariage which may remaine still betweene two parties though one be an idolater a witch or an Atheist Now considering that Adulterie is so great a sinne that it cuts of the knot off mariage aboue all things those persons that are called to this estate must take heede of all sinnes so of this especially Thirdly here may be asked whether after diuorce for adulterie the parties diuorced may marrie againe without committing adulterie This point hath bin diuersly discussed wee will consider the reasons on both sides First for the lawfulnes of it especially to the party innocent 1. From Christs doctrine in this place for in his answer to the false interpretation of Moses politicke Law touching diuorce hee first propounds a generall rule and then puts an exception thereto the nature of which exception is alwaies to implie and put downe the contrarie to the generall rule As in this place the generall rule is Whosoeuer putteth away his wife causeth her to commit adulterie hee that marieth her committeth adulterie The exception then must bee contrarie namely that in the case of adulterie hee that puts away his wife lawfully conuicted thereof causeth her not to commit adulterie neither he that marieth her that is diuorced doth commit adulterie If it be said that Christ propoūdeth two rules one for the case of diuorce the other for the case of marying after diuorce applyeth his exception for adulterie only to the case of diuorce and not to the case of mariage after diuorce Ans. As the exception for adulterie is here in this chapter ioyned with the case of diuorce he that putteth away his wife except it be for fornication c. so in the 19. cha v. 9. the same exception for adulterie is expresly applied not only to the case of diuorce but also to the case of mariage after diuorce saying Whosoeuer shal put away his wife except it be for fornication and marie another committeth adulterie so that if in this place the exception make the diuorce lawfull for adulterie then in the 19. chapter it maketh it lawfull to marie againe after such diuorce without the guilt of adulterie 2. The innocent partie is not to bee punished for the wilfulnesse of the offender and therefore the partie that is faultlesse may with good conscience marrie againe after lawfull diuorce 3. God hath prouided mariage to bee a remedie against incontinencie for all persons 1. Corinth 7. 2. But if parties lawfully diuorced might not marie againe then they should want this remedie and bee depriued of this benefit If it be said they may reconcile themselues each to other and so haue remedie Answer But what if the partie offending liue in adulterie still then the partie innocent cannot in conscience ioyne him or her selfe to the other and reunite the bond of matrimonie for that were too much lenitie towards so foule a crime and a sinne against God for want of Christian reconciliation which requireth that this revniting should bee in the Lord and not in the flesh alone 4. The phrases of Scripture vsed by the holy Ghost concerning mariage after diuorce restraining it to some cases and allowing it in others seeme to take it for granted that after lawfull diuorce it is no sinne to marrie againe Reasons alleadged on the other side First Christs generall saying Whosoeuer putteth away his wife and marieth another committeth adulterie Hence some inferre that there may be no mariage at all after any diuorce But they abuse that Scripture for though Saint Marke put downe no exception yet Matthew hath made supply therof in two places Chapter 5. 32. and 19. 9. Now the Gospels were penned by seuerall men that that which was not fully expressed by one might bee supplied by another that so by conferring writer with writer the whole truth might be made manifest Secondly Matth. 19. 6. Whom God hath coupled let not man put asunder Therefore after diuorce they stil remaine man and wife before God and may not marrie to