to him: from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted"; much less hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and least of all to deprive them of their dominions or lives, if he shall judge them to be hereticks, or upon any other pretence whatsoever °. ties and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. m 1 Pet. ii. 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Ver. 14. Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. Ver. 16. As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. n Rom. xiii. 1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. 1 Kings ii. 35. And the king put Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, in his room, over the host; and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar. Acts xxv. 9. But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? Ver. 10. Then said Paul, I stand at Cesar's judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged; to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. Ver. 11. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cesar. 2 Pet. ii. 1. But there were false prophets also 25 CHAP. among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. Ver. 10. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government: presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Ver. 11. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. Jude, ver. 8. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Ver. 9. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, (he disputed about the body of Moses,) durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. Ver. 10. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Ver. 11. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. • 2 Thess. ii. 4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Rev. xiii. 15. CHAP. XXIV. Of Marriage and Divorce. ΜΑ ARRIAGE is to be between one man and one woman: neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband at the same time a. II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife; for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and of the church with an holy seed; and for preventing of uncleanness 4. III. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are able with judgment to give their consent: yet it is the duty xiii. 15. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Ver. 16. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: Ver. 17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. I. a Gen. ii. 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Mat. xix. 5. And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife and they twain shall be one flesh. Ver. 6. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder., Prov. ii. 17. Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. II. Gen. ii. 18. And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone: I will make him an help meet for him. of c Mal. ii. 15. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the Spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. d 1 Cor. vii. 2. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Ver. 9. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. III. e Heb. xiii. 4. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 1 Tim. iv. 3. Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 1 Cor. vii. 36. But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely towards his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry. Ver. 37. Nevertheless, he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and G hath of Christians to marry only in the Lord. And therefore such as profess the true reformed religion should not marry with infidels, Papists, or other idolaters: neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are notoriously wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresies g. hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. Ver. 38. So then, he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage do eth better. Gen. xxiv. 57. And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth. Ver. 58. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.. f 1 Cor. vii. 39. The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only. in the Lord. 8 Gen. xxxiv. 14. And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us. Exod. xxxiv. 16. And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. Deut. vii. 3. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. Ver. 4. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. 1 Kings xi. 4. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other IV. Marriage gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. Neh. xiii. 25. And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. Ver. 26. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless, even him did outlandish women cause to sin. Ver. 27. Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God, in marrying strange wives? Mal. ii. 11. Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel, and in Jerusalem: for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god. Ver. 12. The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this: the master and the scholar out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts. 2 Cor. vi. 14. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? IV.h [Lev. IV. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the word; nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man, or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife. The man may not marry any of his wife's kindred nearer in blood than he may of his own, nor the woman of her husband's kindred nearer in blood than of her own k V. Adultery or fornication committed after a contract, being detected before marriage, giveth just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract1. In the case of adultery IV. h [Lev. Chapter xviii. 1 Cor. v. 1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. Amos ii. 7. That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek; and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name. Mark vi. 18. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Lev. xviii. 24. Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: Ver. 25. And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. Ver. 26. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: Ver. 27. (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled:) Ver. 28. That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. k Lev. xx. 19. And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy. mother's sister, nor of thy father's sister: for he uncovereth his near kin; they shall bear their iniquity. Ver. 20. And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife, he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless. Ver. 21. And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless. V. Mat. i. 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 child of the Holy Ghost. Ver. 19. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. Ver. 20. But while he thought on these things, behold, 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. G 2 m Mat. adultery after marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce m, and, after the divorce, to marry another, as if the offending party were dead". VI. Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments, unduly to put asunder those whom God hath joined together in marriage; yet nothing but adultery, or such wilful desertion as can no way be remedied by the church or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage: wherein a publick and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed, and the persons concerned in it not left to their own wills and discretion in their own case P. m Mat. v. 31. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: Ver. 32. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced, committeth adultery. n Mat. xix. 9. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away, doth commit adultery. Rom. vii. 2. For the woman which hath an husband, is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth: but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. Ver. 3. So then, if while her husband liveth she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress though she be married to another man. VI. Mat. xix. 8. He saith unto them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives: but CHAP. from the beginning it was not so. Ver. 9. [See letter 1 Cor. vii. 15. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. Mat. xix. 6. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. P Deut. xxiv. 1. When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her; then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. Ver. 2. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife. Ver. 3. And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; Ver. 4. Her former husband which sent her away may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, |