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which has this excellence among other proofs of its heavenly origin, that it creates the quality, which it prescribes. Its doctrines establish its precepts. The belief of what the Scriptures affirm, that we are all sinners against God, to whom pardon is freely offered through the mercy of Christ, must inspire us, if it be sincere, with a corresponding feeling of mercy towards others. The Christian is "kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven him."2

This then is the secret for increasing such a spirit in our hearts: to meditate on our own need of mercy. If we remember the ten thousand talents which we owe, we shall forget the hundred pence which may be due to us. One who truly feels the weight of his own sins, finds it impossible to think severely or feel resentfully towards his neighbour. He must pardon others, when there is so much in himself to be pardoned. And if he has tasted in his own bosom the peace and comfort of his Redeemer's love, he must forgive, when he has been so much forgiven.

2 Eph. iv. 32.

LECTURE LXXXI.

DIVORCEMENT FORBIDDEN.

MATT. xix. 1—12.

1. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan;

2. And great multitudes followed him; and he healed

them there.

3. The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

This was a proper question, if it had been asked in a proper spirit. The law of Moses permitted divorcement, for certain causes.' This law had been greatly abused: reflecting persons must have seen the evils which the abuse occasioned, and prophets had rebuked it as one of the sins of the nation. So that persons sincerely desirous to know the will of God, might justly inquire of a teacher sent from him, Is it lawful to put away a wife for every cause? such good intention.

The Pharisees came with no They came as before in the matter of the sabbath: tempting him hoping to find a reason to accuse him. If he were to sanction the custom, he would contradict the last prophet who had appeared amongst

1 Deut. xxiv. 1; Matt. v. 31.

Mal. ii. 13.

:

them who had left it written, "The Lord regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For the Lord the God of Israel saith, that he hateth putting away.""

On the other hand, if he condemned the custom, as their consciences told them that he would, he would contradict the permission which Moses, for the hardness of their hearts, had granted: and hewould offend many who had used that liberty, following a practice which they had received as lawful from their forefathers. Therefore it was not for any good purpose, but out of their usual malice that the Pharisees came to him, saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

4. And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female;

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?

6. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

7. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 5

3 Mal. ii. 13-15.

4 Gen. ii. 24.

5 Deut xxiv. 1.

8. He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

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.

For the Lord was come to correct error, such errors as they had engrafted upon the law of Moses : he was even come to establish a purer discipline than that of Moses, and to bring in all righteousness. The will of God might be learnt from their own history: when at the beginning God made them male and female. For "Adam was first created:" and then, because "it was not good for man to be alone," the woman was formed "to be an help meet for him :" and Adam said, speaking in the Spirit, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: therefore shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh.

This primitive law of God was now to be established amongst all them that feared him. It was the law made in the time of man's innocency. Man's nature, indeed, had fallen, and his original innocency could not return to him. But it was part of the new covenant to be made with men ;—“I will put my laws into their hearts, saith the Lord, and in their minds will I write them." 66 My grace shall be sufficient for them;" sufficient to restrain them from doing evil, and strengthen them to do well. Instead, then, of putting away his wife for every cause, a man must look upon her as a part of himself. The

6 See Heb. x. 16; Jer. xxxi. 33.

two were made one; were no longer two. There are indeed reasons, such is human corruption, which may render it needful for a man to put away even his own flesh from him: he must sometimes consent to lose a limb, that he may preserve his life; and so there may be a cause why he should be torn from her, who had become as bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. But this must be what the severing of a limb is; no less painful, no less reluctantly consented to. Nothing else must be the putting asunder those whom God hath joined together.

The disciples, however, had been brought up under the corrupt discipline of their country. They were misled by evil custom; and did not understand the certain fact, that nothing so generally contributes to domestic harmony, as the knowledge that the marriage tie is indissoluble: nothing so surely disturbs mutual agreement, as the facility of separaThey venture to remonstrate against the strict rule which their master had laid down.

tion.

10. His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

11. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.

12. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Our Lord replies to the rash observation of his disciples in these condescending terms: telling them that their notion, it is not good to marry, cannot be

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