CHAP. XLIII.

That to grant Divorce for all the causes which have bin hitherto brought, disagrees not from the words of Chrift naming only the cause of Adultery.

OW we must fee how these things can ftand

NOV

with the words of our Saviour, who feems directly to forbid all Divorce except it be for Adultery. To the understanding wherof, we must ever remember this: That in the words of our Saviour there can be no contrariety: That his words and answers are not to be stretcht beyond the question propos'd: That our Saviour did not there purpose to treat of all the causes for which it might be lawful to divorce and marry again; for then that in the Corinthians of marrying again without guilt of adultery could not be added. That it is not good for that man to be alone, who hath not the special gift from above. That it is good for every fuch one to be married, that he fhun Fornication.

may

With regard to these principles, let us see what our Lord answer'd to the tempting Pharifees about Divorce, and fecond Marriage, and how far his anfwer doth extend.

First, no man who is not very contentious will deny that the Pharifees afkt our Lord whether it were lawful to put away such a wife, as was truly, and according to Gods law, to be counted a wife; that is, fuch a one as would dwell with her husband, and both would and could perform the neceffary duties of Wedloc tolerably. But the who will not dwell with her husband, is not put away by him, but goes of her felf: and fhe who denies to be a meet help, or to be fo hath made her felf unfit by open misdemeanours, or through incurable impo

tencies cannot be able, is not by the Law of God to be esteem'd a wife; as hath bin fhewn both from the first inftitution, and other places of Scripture. Neither certainly would the Pharifees propound a queftion concerning fuch an unconjugal wife; for thir depravation of the Law had brought them to that pafs, as to think a man had right to put away his wife for any caufe, though never fo flight. Since therfore it is manifeft that Chrift anfwer'd the Pharifees concerning a fit and meet Wife according to the Law of God, whom he forbid to divorce for any cause but Fornication: Who fees not that it is a wickedness so to wreft and extend that answer of his, as if it forbad to divorce her who hath already forfak'n, or hath loft the place and dignity of a Wife by deferved infamy, or hath undertak'n to be that which fhe hath not natural ability to be?

This truth is fo powerful, that it hath mov'd the Papists to grant thir kind of Divorce for other causes besides adultery, as for ill ufage, and the not performing of conjugal duty; and to separate from bed and board for these causes, which is as much Divorce, as they grant for Adultery.

But fom perhaps will object, that though it be yielded that our Lord granted Divorce not only for Adultery, yet it is not certain that he permitted Marriage after Divorce, unless for that only cause. I answer, firft, That the fentence of Divorce, and fecond Marriage, is one and the fame. So that when the right of Divorce is evinc'd to belong not only to the cause of Fornication, the power of fecond Marriage is alfo prov'd to be not limited to that cause only; and that most evidently, when as the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 7. fo frees the deferted party from Bondage, as that he may not only send a just Divorce in cafe of Desertion, but may feek another Marriage.

Laftly, Seeing God will not that any fhould live in danger of Fornication and utter ruin for the default of another, and hath commanded the Husband to fend away with a Bill of Divorce her whom he could not love; it is impoffible that the charge of Adultery should belong to him who for lawful caufes divorces and marries, or to her who marries after she hath bin unjustly rejected, or to him who receives her without all fraud to the former wedloc. For this were a horrid blafphemy against God, so to interpret his words, as to make him diffent from himfelf; for who fees not a flat contradiction in this, to enthral blameless men and women to miseries and injuries, under a false and soothing title of Marriage, and yet to declare by his Apoftle that a brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases? No lefs do these two things conflict with themselves, to enforce the innocent and faultles to endure the pain and misery of anothers perverfnes, or else to live in unavoidable temptation; and to affirm elsewhere that he lays on no man the burden of another mans fin, nor doth constrain any man to the endangering of his foul.

CHAP. XLIV.

That to those also who are justly divorc'd, fecond Marriage ought to be permitted.

His although it be well prov'd, yet because it concerns only the Offendor, I leave him to search out his own Charter himself in the Author.

CHAP. XLV.

That fom perfons are fo ordain'd to Marriage, as that they cannot obtain the gift of Continence, no not by earnest Prayer; and that therin every one is to be left to his own judgment and confcience, and not to have a burden laid upon him by any other.

CHAP. XLVI.

The Words of the Apostle concerning the praise of fingle life unfolded.

Hefe two Chapters not fo immediatly debating the right of Divorce, I chose rather not to

THE

infert.

TH

CHAP. XLVII.

The Conclufion of this Treatife.

Hefe things, most renowned King, I have brought together, both to explain for what caufes the unhappy, but fomtimes most neceffary help of Divorce ought to be granted, according to God's Word, by Princes and Rulers: as alfo to explain how the words of Chrift do confent with fuch a grant. I have bin large indeed both in handling thofe Oracles of God, and in laying down those certain principles, which he who will know what the mind of God is in this matter, must ever think on and remember. But if we confider what mist and obfcurity hath bin pour'd out by Antichrist upon this question, and how deep this pernicious contempt of Wedloc, and admiration of single life, ev'n in those who are not call'd therto, hath funk into many mens

perfuafions, I fear left all that hath bin said, be hardly enough to perfuade fuch that they would cease at length to make themselves wifer and holier then God himself, in being fo fevere to grant lawful Marriage, and fo eafie to connive at all, not only whordoms, but deflowrings, and adulteries. When as among the people of God, no whordom was to be tolerated.

Our Lord Jefus Chrift, who came to destroy the works of Satan, fend down his Spirit upon all Chriftians, and principally upon Christian Governours both in Church and Commonwealth (for of the clear judgment of your Royal Majefty I nothing doubt, revolving the Scripture fo often as ye do) that they may acknowledg how much they provoke the anger of God against us, when as all kind of unchastity is tolerated, fornications and adulteries winkt at: But holy and honourable Wedloc is oft withheld by the meer perfuafion of Antichrift, from fuch as without this remedy, cannot preserve themselves from damnation! For none who hath but a spark of honesty will deny that Princes and States ought to use diligence toward the maintaining of pure and honeft life among all men, without which all Juftice, all fear of God, and true Religion decays.

And who knows not that chastity and purenes of life can never be reftor'd, or continu'd in the Common-wealth, unless it be first establisht in private houses, from whence the whole breed of men is to come forth? To effect this, no wife man can doubt that it is necessary for Princes and Magistrates first with severity to punish Whordom and Adultery; next to see that Marriages be lawfully contracted, and in the Lord, then that they be faithfully kept; and lastly, when that unhappines urges, that they be lawfully diffolv'd, and other Marriage granted, according as the law of God, and of nature, and Constitutions of pious Princes have decreed; as I have