Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 5 · Verse 32
Verse 32.
But I say vntounto 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 eueryevery sinne of that kinde, but onelyonly 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 vntounto both these, Christ putteth an exception in the case of adulterie. The aRhe…. on this place.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 onelyonly for adulterie; and permitting no mariage after diuorcement, saue onelyonly where the diuorce is for adulterie.
First, whereas our Sauiour Christ opposeth vntounto this politicke lawThe vse. of Moses, concerning diuorce, the law of nature, touching mariage, Ge. 2. 24. He giueth vsus 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 cō ditions 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 vsus, 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, vponupon eueryevery 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 vsus 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 aConcil. T…id …. …4. ca… 8.popish constitutions, that allow other causes of bN…n rep…d… …d divo… … … Mat…i. sac…. c. 14.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 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: onelyonly 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 eueryevery 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 hauehave a contagious and incurable disease, which may cause the other to giuegive 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 giuegive 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 giuegive 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 for2 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 against3 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 hauehave 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 aDeut. 24. 1, 2, 3. Math. 19 9. Luk. 16. 18. Bellar. de Mat…im. Sacra. cap. 16.holy Ghost,4 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, bMa…. 10. 11Whosoeuer 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 others. Ans. The partie offending breaks the bond of mariage, and so sinneth grieuously against that commandement: but the partie innocent marying againe after lawfull diuorce, only taketh the benefit of that libertie, whereto God hath set him free, through the vnlawfull breaking of the bond, by the partie offending.
Thirdly, Rom. 6. 2. The woman is bound to the man while he liueth, and therfore may not marrie againe after diuorcement. Ans. That place must be vnderstood of the state of mariage, continuing vndissolued till death: but in the case of adulterie, the bond of mariage is broken; and therefore that hindreth not, but mariage may bee after lawfull diuorce.
Fourthly, 1. Corinth. 7. 10, 11. Let not the wife depart from her husband, and if shee depart, let her remaine vnmarried, and be reconciled vntounto her husband, and let not the husband put away his wife. Here (say they) is a plaine place against mariage after diuorcement. Answer. The Apostle speaketh of departure, and putting away, for other causes then adulterie; as for hatred, dislike, &c. which indeede are no sufficient causes of diuorce, and therefore they that separate therupon, ought not to marrie.
Fiftly, The bond of mariage, is a resemblance of the coniunction that is betweene Christ and his Church, which is inseparable and eternall; and therefore mariage also is inseparable. Answer. That resemblance stands not in eueryevery thing, but in this, That as in mariage two are made one flesh, so spiritually Christ, and eueryevery true member of his Church become one; and that as Eue was taken out of Adams side, and made flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone; so the Church springeth as it were out of Christs bloode, which issued from his side: for else, if their reason were good, wee might say that mariage▪ should be eternall, in the life to come; because the vnion of Christ with his Church, is eternall: which we know to be false, for cMat. 22. 30.in the resurrection men mary not, but are as the angels of God.
Sixtly, If parties diuorced might mary again, their children should be miuried, hauing step-fathers or step-mothers in stead of their owne naturall parents. Ans. This reason is not sufficient to disallow diuorce, or mariage after it; for by the same reason we might delude all the iudicial lawes of Moses, and of all countries, which impose death for sundrie crimes, because thereby some children should loose their parents; but Iustice must be iustice with all men, though the posteritie hauehave hinderance by the execution thereof. Quest. But what if the lawes of some countries forbid mariage after diuorcement? Ans. Yet the libertie of conscience remaineth still, for this beeing giuen of God cannot be taken away by men; and therefore when men hauehave freedome from the Magistrate, they may with good conscience marie againe after lawfull diuorce. And yet here we must know, that diuorcement, or mariage after,Ca…ion. must not be done priuately by man and wife vponupon their own heads;1 but by order of law, before the Magistrate, according to the custome of that Church or Commonwealth whome it concernes. Againe, there2 be some particular causes which may iustly hinder mariage after diuorce: as first, if the parties reunite their bond againe by reconciliation; for the knot broken by adulterie, may be reunited by the consent of the partie innocent. Secondly, when the one partie is a manifest cause of the Adulterie of the other, and so becomes an accessarie to the others offence: for it seemes vnequall, that he who hath put his hand to the committing of a sinne, should reape any benefit or priuiledge by the same. And therefore I say the partie innocent hath freedome in this case.