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Bearing these important considerations in mind we may proceed to collect the evidence of the New Testament as to the doctrine of our Lord on the subject of marriage. How far, if at all, did He modify the current practice? In the Sermon on the Mount our Lord sets in contrast the laws of His spiritual kingdom and the actual system of the Jews. He was not legislating in the true sense of the term, but rather laying down broad principles of action. And this He did positively by stating in its extremest form the action which the right principle would require, if it were logically applied without hindrance or mitigation: and negatively, by showing what the wrong principle implied even in its least important applications. The whole passage treating of the intercourse of the sexes runs as follows:

"Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart … It was also said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give