Lightfoot, in a comment on the Sermon on the Mount[1], contained in his Hebrew and Talmudical Examples, says, "The School of Hillel said, 'If the wife cook her husband's food illy by over-salting or over-roasting it, she is to be put away.'" And a little lower down he says, "But not to relate all the things for which they pronounce a wife to be divorced (among which they produce some things that modesty allows not to be repeated), let it be enough to mention that of Rabbi Ahikah instead of all. R. Ahikah saith, If any man sees a woman handsomer than his own wife, he may put her away, because it is said, 'If she find not favour in his eyes.'"
And for this passage Lightfoot cites the Mishna. I think I have shown that the Rabbis are not safe interpreters of their own law for Christians.
I have purposely also passed by Dr. M'Caul's list of foreign divines since the Reformation. I deal with an English question. I do not consider Luther, who assumed a power to license polygamy, a very safe guide upon such a point. It is more interesting to know how the Kirk of Scotland has dealt with the subject. In 1643 the Assembly of Divines at "Westminster resolved, "A man may not marry any of the wife's kindred nearer in blood than he may of his own, nor a woman of her husband's kindred nearer in blood than she may of her own." This is still the doctrine of the Kirk,
- ↑ Matt. v. 31.
