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CHAP. XIX. (Book 19)
VERS. I.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
He came unto the coasts of Iudea beyond Iordan.
IF it were barely said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The Coasts of Judea be∣yond Jordan, by the Coasts of Judea one might understand the bounds of the Jews be∣yond Jordan. Nor does such a construction want its parallel in Josephus; for, Hyr∣canus saith he, built a fortification, the name of which was Tyre, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Between Arabia and Judea, be∣yond Jordan not far from Essebonitis.a 1.1 But see Mark here, Chap. X. 1 relating the same storie with this our Evangelist: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He came, saith he, into the coasts of Judea, taking a journey from Galilee along the Country beyond Jordan.
VERS. III.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉;
Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
OF the causes, ridiculous (shall I call them?) or wicked, for which they put away their wives, we have spoke at Chap. V. ver. 31. We will produce only one example here, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 When Rabh went to Dar∣sis, (whither, as the Gloss saith, he often went,) he made a public proclamation, What wo∣man will have me for a day? Rabh Nachman, when he went to Sacnezib, made a public proclamation, What woman will have me for a day? The Gloss is, Is there any woman who will be my wife, while •• tarry in this place?
The Question here propounded by the Pharisees was disputed in the Schools, and they divided into parties concerning it, as we have noted before. For the School of Shammai permitted not divorces, but only in the case of Adultery; the School of Hil∣lel otherwise. b 1.2
VERS. VIII.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.
Because Moses for the hard∣ness of your hearts, suffered, &c.
INterpreters ordinarily understand this of the unkindness of men towards their wives; and that not illy: but at first sight 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Hardness of heart, for the most part in Scripture, denotes rather obduration against God than against men. Examples occur every where. Nor does this sense want its fitness in this place: not to exclude the other, but to be joyned with it here.
I. That God delivered that rebellious people, for the hardness of their hearts to spiritual fornication, that is, to Idolatry, sufficiently appears out of sacred Story, and particularly from these words of the first Martyr Stephen, Acts, VII. 42. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. God turne d and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, &c. And they seem not less given up to carnal fornication, if you observe the horrid records of their Adulteries in the holy Scripture and their not less horrid allowances of divorces and polygamies in the books of the Tal∣mudists: so that the Particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, carries with it a very proper sense if you interpret it To, according to its most usual signification, Moses to the hardness of your hearts ad∣ded this that he permitted divorces: something that favours of punishment in it self, however you esteem it for a priviledge.
II. But you may interpret it more clearly and aptly of the Inhumanity of husbands towards their wives: but this is to be understood also under restriction: fo r Moses per∣mitted not divorces because simply and generally men were severe and unkind towards their wives: for then why should he restrain divorces to the cause of Adultery? but be∣cause from their fierceness and cruelty towards their wives they might take hold of and seek occasions from that Law, which punished Adultery with death, to prosecute their wives with all manner of severity, to oppress them, to kill them.