The Complaint of a Sanctified Sinner Answered, Verse 3
VERS. 3.
So then, if while the man liueth, ſhee take another man, ſhee ſhall be called an Adultereſſe: but if the man be dead, ſhee is free from the Law, ſo that ſhee is not an Adultereſſe, though ſhee take another man.
THe generall matter of this Verſe is briefly this: That a wife is at libertie when her husband is dead, and may then lawfully marry with another man: but more particularly we hauehave here offered to our conſideration,
Firſt, a conſequent, which the Apoſtle inferres on that which hee had before deliuered: for hauing ſaid in the Verſe before, that the wife is bound to her husband, while her husband liueth: here hee inferres on it, That if therefore the wife take another man, while her huſband liues, ſhee is an Adultereſſe, yea, he ſaith, ſhee ſhall be ſo called.
And then he deliuers by way of oppoſition to this, the Propoſition chiefly intended by him in this Verſe, namely this: That the husband being dead, the wiſe is at libertie, and may lawfully marry with another man, and that in ſo doing ſhee is no Adultereſſe. And this the Apoſtle ſets downe in the proofe of it: thus,
That the husband being dead, the wife is freed from the Law that binds her to her husband, and therefore then ſhee is freed from him, and though then ſhee take another man, ſhee is no Adultereſſe. But (ſaith the Apoſtle) if the man be dead, ſhee is free from the Law, ſo that ſhee is not an Adultereſſe, though ſhee take another man. And ſo wee ſee the generall matter of this Verſe. The wordes need not long to bee ſtood on touching the ſenſe of them: I will briefly cleere them.
So then, or ſo therefore, If while the man liueth, Interpretationſhee take another man, that is, if while the husband is aliue, ſhee ioyne her ſelfe to another man, and marry another man, ſhee ſhall be called an Adultereſſe, the word (called) here ſignifieth thus much, ſhee ſhall be held an Adultereſſe, and that by the voice and conſent of all men, all men that know her ſhall ſo repute her, ſo ſpeake of her, and ſo call her: we hauehave the ſame word, Act. 11.26. Act. 11.26.It is there ſaid, that the Diſciples were firſt called Chriſtians in Antiochia, that is, they were ſo named, not by the deuice of man, but by diuine Oracle, and that by a common conſent. (An Adultereſſe, a breaker of Wedlock, a tranſgreſſor of the ſeuenth Commandement.) (But if the man be dead ſhe is free from the Law) Theſe words we had in the Verſe before, and I ſhewed this to be the meaning of them: if the husbands naturall life be taken away and determined, ſhee is free from the ſpeciall and perpetuall Law of Marriage, binding her to her husband, ſo that ſhee is no Adultereſſe though ſhee take another man, that is, ſo that then ſhee is no Wedlock-breaker, nor tranſgreſſor of the Commandement of God, though ſhee ioyne her ſelfe in marriage to another man. So then the meaning of the words of this Verſe is, as if the Apoſtle had ſaid,
So then, or ſo therefore, if while the husband is aliue in this world, the wife ioyne her ſelfe to another, and marry another man, ſhee is a Wedlocke-breaker, and a tranſgreſſor of the Law of God, and that by the voice and conſent of all that know her, all that know her ſhall ſo ſpeake of her, and ſo call her, and may iuſtly call her an Adultereſſe: but if her husbands naturall life be taken away, ſhee is free from that ſpeciall and perpetuall Law of Marriage, binding her to her husband, ſo that then ſhee is no Wedlock-breaker, nor Adultereſſe, though ſhee ioyne her ſelfe in marriage to another man.
In that the Apoſtle hauing before ſaid, that the wife is bound by the Law to the man while he liueth; doth here inferre on that:
That if therefore the wife take another man while her husband liues, Obſer. ſhee is an Adultereſſe, ſhee is a Wedlock-breaker, and a tranſgreſſor of the Law of Marriage: we may note thus much briefly:
That Polygamie is vtterly vnlawfull: Doctrine 1 for a woman to hauehave more then one husband at one and the ſame time, Polygamie is vtterly vnlawfull.or for an husband to hauehave more then one wife at one and the ſame time, it is a ſinne, and it is a breach of the Commandement of God, and it is directly againſt the ordinance of God in the firſt inſtitution of Marriage, as it appeares, Gen. 2.24.Gen. 2.24. God there ſaith, that a man ſhall leaue his Father and Mother, and ſhall cleaue vntounto his wife, and they ſhall be one fleſh, not to his wiues, but to his wife, and they ſhall be one fleſh, which place Chriſt himſelfe cites, Matth. 19.5.& makes yet more plaine to this purpoſe. Matth. 19.5. where he ſaith: For this cauſe ſhall a man leaue Father and Mother, and cleaue vntounto his wife, and they twaine ſhall be one fleſh: ſee, hee brings it to one husband and one wife, they twaine ſhall be one fleſh: and to this firſt inſtitution of marriage had the Prophet reſpect. Malac. 2.15. when hee ſaid: Malac. 2.15.And did not hee make one? yet had he abundance of Spirit: and wherefore one? becauſe he ſought a godly ſeed. And we find a flat prohibition of Polygamie, of hauing two wiues or more at one time. Leuit. 18.18. Thou ſhalt not take a wife with her ſiſter, during her life, to vexe her, that is, as the phraſe there vſed ſignifieth, two wiues one to another. That is the meaning of that forme of ſpeech, a wife to another, as might be ſhewed if it were needfull: but not to ſtand on this.
It diſcouers what we are to thinke of the Polygamie of the Patriarkes and godly Fathers, Vſe. The Polygamie of the Patriarkes was a ſinne.in the time of the old Teſtament, that indeed howſoeuer the Lord, hauing promiſed to make Abrahams ſeed as the ſtarres of the heauen, and as the ſand which is vponupon the Sea-ſhore, Gen. 22.17. Gen. 22.17.was pleaſed to ſuffer varietie of wiues for a time, as a meanes to increaſe that poſteritie, and ſo it might in ſome ſort be excuſed, yet certainely it was a fault and a fayling in them, and cannot be iuſtified and defended as a thing ſimply lawfull, and void of ſinne.
Now here haply ſome may moue this queſtion: Seeing it is vnlawfull for a woman to hauehave more then one huſband at one time, and for an husband to hauehave more then one wife at one time:
Whether after lawfull diuorce for Adulterie, Queſt. the partie innocent may marry another or no?
The anſwere of Diuines, which I hold ſound & good, Anſw. is this: That the innocent partie hauing not the gift of continency, on leaue obtayned of the Church and Chriſtian Magiſtrate, may lawfully marry another.
It will be ſaid, Obiect. that then the husband ſhall hauehave two wiues both liuing at one time, and ſo the wife likewiſe.
I anſwere, No: For after lawfull diuorce, Anſw. the parties diuorced are not man and wife, the bond of Marriage is quite broken.
Of ſome then it may further be demanded; Obiect. Whether after manifeſt and knowne Adulterie, by which the bond of Marriage is broken, the partie innocent may take the partie delinquent, the partie that hath ſinned, vponupon Repentance, without a new contract and a new Marriage.
I anſwere, Anſw. the partie innocent may doe it, for though Adulterie do diſſolue the bond of Marriage, yet the ſame bond may be continued, and may grow vp againe by conſent of the partie innocent, and there may be a reconciliation betweene them, 1. Sam. 25.44.1. Sam. 25.44. Wee read that Saul had giuen Michal his daughter, Dauids wife, to Phalti the ſonne of Laiſh, which was of Gallim. And 2. 2. Sam. 3.14, 15.Sam. 3.14, 15. it is ſaid that Dauid ſent meſſengers to Iſh-boſheth Sauls ſonne, ſaying, Deliuer me my wife Michal, which I married for an hundred foreskins of the Philiſtims, verſe 15. And Iſh. boſheth ſent and tooke her from her husband Phaltiel the ſonne of Laiſh. And thus may the innocent party doe without a new contract, and a new Marriage.
The next thing obſeruable in this Verſe is this: Obſeru. The Apoſtle ſaith, The wife that takes another man while her husband liueth, ſhal be called an adultereſſe. That maner of ſpeech is to be obſerued: ſhee ſhall be called an adultereſſe, ſhee ſhall be reputed an adultereſſe; yea, all that know her, ſhall ſo ſpeake of her, and ſhall call her an adultereſſe, a wedlocke-breaker; Hence we may eaſily gather thus much:
That Adulterie is a foule and fearefull ſin, Doctrine 2 it is a ſinne that eueryevery one of any iudgement may take notice of, Adulterie is a foule ſinne, the light of nature condemnes it, Gene. 20.9.and is able to condemne, and to crie ſhame on, yea, the very Heathen by the light of nature were able to take notice of it, Gen. 20.9. And we find that the Heathen did ſharply puniſh the ſinne of Adulterie: but that the greatneſſe of this ſinne may yet further appeare, conſider that Adulterie is not onelyonly a breach of that Commandement of God, Thou ſhalt not commit Adulterie, but it is a breach of the particular couenant of Marriage, which Salomon, Prouerb. 2.17. cals Gods couenant, Prou. 2.17.which forſaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the couenant of her God, euen that ſolemne couenant that was made at the time of her contract and Marriage, both before God, and before the Angels of God, & before the people of God.
Againe, Adulterie defiles the body, in more ſpeciall manner then other ſinnes: whence it is that men or women are counted diſhoneſt, if not onelyonly, yet chiefly for the ſinne of fornication and adulterie. Adde to theſe the fearefull effects and fruites of this ſinne, which ſerue alſo to ſet out the greatneſſe of it: it brings forth an ill name and a poore eſtate, and a diſeaſed body; the Lord in his iuſt iudgement ſends an adulterer and an adultereſſe, filthy and lothſome and rotten diſeaſes, though they eſcape the cenſure of men, and being preſented to the Courts of men, they can ſhift it out by money, yet the Lord ſuffers them not to eſcape his puniſhing hand, but many times ſends on them viſible iudgements in this life; yea, Adulterie brings ſmart on the poſteritie, it is a meanes to roote out poſteritie. Iob. 31.12. Iob 31.12.It is a fire that conſumeth to deſtruction, and would roote out all mine increaſe. And which is yet worſe, it brings a dulneſſe and deadneſſe of heart, it makes a man or a woman vncapable of any good, it is like the ſinne of drunkenneſſe which taketh away the heart, they are ioyned together in this effect, Hoſe. 4.11. Whoredome, Hoſea. 4.11.and Wine, and new Wine take away the heart. And yet further, Adulterie makes both body and ſoule liable to the curſe of God, it ſhuts vsus out of the Kingdome of heauen, 1. Cor. 6.9. yea, not onelyonly the body and ſoule of one, 1. Cor. 6.9.but of two at once, euen two at one time, by that ſinne are enwrapped within the cōpaſſe of Gods curſe, & whoremongers are ranked with dogs and ſorcerers, and murtherers, and Idolaters, and whoſoeuer loueth and maketh a lie, that ſhall be without the holy Citie, Apoc. 22.15. Reuel. 22.15.and ſhall hauehave their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimſtone, Reuel. 21.8.which is the ſecond death, Reuel. 21.8.
Let vsus then take notice of the greatneſſe of this ſinne, Ʋſe. the world cōmonly makes light account of it; Wee are to take notice of the greatneſſe of the ſinne of Adulterie.yea, ſome eſteeme it a matter to laugh at, and make but a ieſt of it, and many are come to that height of impudencie, that they can euen glory and boaſt of it. Are there not ſome that ſticke not to ſay in plaine termes, they will louelove another mans wife, meaning indeede, they will luſt after her? and are there not ſome that ſhame not to goe to the Tauerne with other mens wiues, and thoſe wiues are not aſhamed to be ſeene ſo to doe, and there to bee at vnſeaſonable times, and to ſpend whole nights in dauncing and wantonneſſe? Oh, theſe things are too common in the world: ſuch perſons full little conſider the greatneſſe of the ſinne of Adulterie, they wil ſay, Can you charge vsus with Adulterie? I take not on me ſo to doe, yet certainely theſe are foule preſumptions, and a man may almoſt neceſſarily conclude, that the act of Adulterie followes on theſe things, and howſoeuer thou maiſt carry the matter cloſely and bleare the eyes of men, yet remember what hath beene ſaid, that Adulterie is a breach of the couenant made in the ſight of God; & know thou that though thou breake couenant with God, yet God will not breake his word with thee. Heb. 13.4.Hee hath ſaid, Heb. 13.4. that whoremongers and adulterers he will iudge; and he will certainely iudge thee for that ſinne of thine, his hand will find thee out, and thou ſhalt finde his puniſhing hand on thy name, on thy eſtate, and on thy body in filthy and rotten diſeaſes, and which is more fearefull, thou ſhalt find his hand on thy Soule, giuing thee vp to dulneſſe and deadneſſe of heart. That ſinne of thine, thorow the iuſt iudgement of God, ſhall make thee vncapeable of any thing that is truely good: and thou ſhalt go on in the way to perdition, as thou ſhalt hardly get out of that way: wofull experience ſhewes this to bee true. Some are ſo beſotted with that ſinne of Adulterie, as they goe on in it againſt knowledge, againſt conſcience, and againſt all good motions to the contrarie. And as the Prophet complayned in his time, Ier. 7.9, 10, 19. Ier. 7.9, 10, 19.They commit Adulterie, and then come and ſtand before the Lord in the publike aſſembly, and ſay, We are deliuered, and thinke all is wel, though they be guiltie of that foule abomination; they are ſo benummed with that filthy ſin.
Oh then take wee notice of the greatneſſe and fearefulneſſe of the ſinne of Adulterie, and learne to auoid it. Now the meanes that ſerue to that purpoſe, are theſe eſpecially.
Firſt, get the feare of God into thine heart, learne to feare God in his Word and Commandements forbidding that ſinne, that will purge thine heart from filthy luſts. Meanes to auoid the ſinne of Adulterie.Marriage is a meanes to auoid the act of filthineſſe, yet will it not kill luſt where the feare of God is wanting, that hath the promiſe. Eccleſ. 7.28. Eccleſ. 7.28.I finde more bitter then death, the woman whoſe heart is as nets and ſnares, and her hands as bands. He that is good before God, ſhall be deliuered from her, but the ſinner ſhall be taken by her.
Secondly, labour to hauehave thy heart poſſeſſed with a true delight in the Word and Ordinances of God. Pro. 2.10.That is a ſpeciall meanes to keepe out luſt. Pro. 2.10. Salomon ſaith, When wiſedome entreth into thine heart, and knowledge delighteth thy ſoule, Then, Verſ. 16. it ſhall deliuer thee from the ſtrange woman, euen from the ſtranger which flattereth with her lips.
Thirdly, earneſtly ſeeke to God by prayer, that hee would purge thine heart from vncleane luſts, and giuegive thee ſtrength of grace againſt that ſinne.
And laſtly, auoid all things and occaſions that ſtirre thee vp to finne, as idleneſſe, exceſſe and curioſitie in dyet, or apparell, wanton ſpeech and geſture, lewd company, and ſuch like.
And if thou carefully vſe theſe meanes, no doubt thou ſhalt find thine heart purged from filthy luſts, and thou ſhalt be enabled to auoid that foule and fearefull ſinne of Adulterie.
Now in that the Apoſtle ſaith, Note. ſhe ſhall be called an Adultereſſe, I might ſtand to ſhew that an Adulterer, a filthy perſon, may lawfully be ſo called; and that a Drunkard may be called a drunkard, and one that is openly prophane may heare of it, and may iuſtly be called a prophane perſon.
From the latter part of the Verſe, wee may gather the lawfulneſſe of ſecond marriage, that it is lawfull for a man (his wife being dead) to marry another. And ſo of the wife; and to this purpoſe the Apoſtle ſpeakes plainely, 1. Cor. 7.39. And he wills yonger widdowes to marry, 1. Tim. 5.14.