This fourth note in the scale of Milton's attempt to create a harmony among the Scripture passages on divorce focuses on chapter seven of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. Milton begins the section with Paul's statement in verses 10 and 11 that the Lord prohibits divorce. After a short passage describing how reason sometimes departs from love, especially from conjugal love with its dependence not only on moral but also on natural causes, Milton claims that Paul prohibits divorce only for "those maried who differ not in religion." Milton then moves on to a much more extensive look into verses 12 through 16, which deal with marriages between a believer and a nonbeliever. Despite Paul's recommendations that believers stay unified with infidel spouses in verses 12 through 14, Milton focuses especially on verse 15 with its inclusive phrase "A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases." By arguing that this plural "such cases" includes "bondage to any hainous default against the main ends of matrimony," Milton concludes the following:
That man or wife who hates in wedloc, is perpetually unsociable, unpeacefull, or unduteous, either not being able, or not willing to performe what the maine ends of mariage demand in helpe and solace...is worse then an infidel... The blamelesse person therfore hath as good a plea to sue out his delivery from this bondage, as from the desertion of an infidel.Crucial to Milton's argument is his stance that society of mind and spirit is the main end of marriage rather than the more traditionally favored ends of procreation and a solution to lustful burnings.
Milton's methods of commentary are less formal than traditional commentaries. Rarely does he analyze the linguistics or follow the literal exposition of the text by disputations, questions, or problems in the scholastic manner; nor does he use moral or allegorical interpretations to preach to the reader. According to the editors of the Yale Complete Prose Works, these deviations from the traditional commentaries are to be explained by Milton's desire to interpret the texts not from all points of view, but only from his point of view (572). After completing his exegesis of 1 Corinthians 7, Milton sets out to answer those who depend on the opinion of authorities in order to be persuaded. With a parade of Early Church fathers, other theologians, and legal theorists, Milton recreates his argument using pieces of the arguments of other scholars. The church fathers are cited for evidence as to the practice of the primitive church in regard to divorce. When it was framed or sanctioned by Christian emperors, Milton uses Roman law as further evidence of what was approved by leaders of the church. Few of these scholars are in complete agreement with Milton, and it is often difficult to know when Milton is citing a source as support to one component of his argument or as support to his argument as a whole. According to the editors of the Yale Complete Prose Works, only Erasmus, Bucer, Luther, and Melancthon support Milton's main argument in full (573).
Milton shows that his proposal of divorce for incompatibility has some precedent in a few Protestant treatises, although he also claims that he is "somthing first" in producing such a complete analysis of the subject. He strongly denies that the authorities that he has cited have influenced him: God, I solemnly attest him, withheld from my knowledge the consenting judgement of these men so late, untill they could not bee my instructers, but only my unexpected witnesses to partial men.
Milton's use of quotations needs some explaining to the modern reader. Milton considers that all reasonable requirements have been met when he reproduces the sense of the author he is quoting (Wolfe 574). The use of italics in this text cannot be assumed to be equivalent to our modern use of quotation marks. In the process of translating his sources from Latin, Milton also omits and rearranges components of the source being cited. Although he usually uses the King James Version (The Authorized Version), Milton sometimes takes the liberty of using his own translation of Scripture from Hebrew or Greek to better fit his argument; these occasions are noted in the annotations. It is important to note that Milton's exegesis is dominated by his humanist belief in the supreme power of reason, even when it comes in conflict with Scripture. This belief has led Milton to adopt controversial beliefs in Monism, Arminian views against predestination, and Arian views against the Trinity. Many people, both in his time and in more contemporary times, have pegged Milton as a heretic for his unorthodox theology (Dobranski and Rumrich). Geoffrey Rand Smith II
1 Cor. 7 See 1 Corinthians 7:12.
anomalies. Discrepancies between observed and computed positions of planets.
obliquities. A reference to the angled line of the sun in respect to the normal line to the Earth's surface at the equator.
accesses and recesses. Departures and approaches, as of the sun in different seasons of the year.
Exod. 34. 16. See Exodus 34:16.
Deut. 7. 3. 6. See Deuteronomy 7:3-6.
Nehem. 13. 24. 26. See Nehemiah 13:24-26.
Peter Martyr. A reference to the Sixteenth Century Italian religious reformer Peter Martyr Vermigli was invited to England by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer and became regius professor of divinity at the University of Oxford in 1547.
Mat. 19. See Matthew 19:29.
2 Chron. 19. See 2 Chronicles 19:2.
2 Cor. 6. See 2 Corinthians 6:14, 17-18.
Caiaphas. Probably an allusion to either John 18:14 or John 11:49-51.
Beza. Theodore Beza was an educator, author, theologian, and translator who assisted and later succeeded John Calvin as a leader of the Protestant Reformation in Geneva. Here Milton refers to his Tractatio de Repudiis et Divortiis (Geneva, 1596) 286-87: "Since the Apostle prefaces that not the Lord but he himself speaks this, some are heard to say triflingly that humanity makes this sentence, not divinity; whence that following sentence of Paul does not obligate us; nor was the Apostle's mind otherwise when he used that preface. I respond that this objection is not without blasphemy" (Wolfe 684).
Cameron. Milton refers to Cameron's Myrothecium Evangelicum (Wolfe 685).
Austin. Milton refers to Austin's De Conjugiis Adulterinis ad Pollentium, I, 13 (Wolfe 685).
Jerom. Saint Jerome (347-419).
suneudokei. See the Greek text of 1 Corinthians 7:12 (click on "C" for concordance).
Leunclavius. Johannes Leunclavius was the editor of Juris Graeco-Romani tam Canonici quam Civilis, Book VIII (Wolfe 685).
Balsamon. Theodore Balsamon was a twelfth century Byzantine emperor and commentator on canon law.
Theodotus the Patriarch. Theodotus Of Ancyra (died 446).
dissentanie. Contradictory or contrary. Cited in the Oxford English Dictionary (use search word 'dissentaneous').
1 Tim. 1. See 1 Timothy 1:5.
taxe, and taile. Milton is likening the reckoning up of Christian duty to the reckoning up of a tax.
Cameron. Myrothecium Evangelicum (Geneva, 1632), 208: "In the Corinthian Church there were women who fled congress with their infidel husbands, and men similarly who would not mix with their infidel wives, because they thought that they were polluted thereby" (Wolfe 687)
Beza. Milton refers to Beza's Tractatio de Repudiis et Divortiis.
Gerard. Johann Gerhard (1582-1637) was a German exegete and theologian.
we need not wait on a brother. See Matthew 18:15-17.
Beza. Milton refers to Beza's Tractatio de Repudiis et Divortiis.
Tim.1. 5. 8. Compare to the King James Version of 1 Timothy 5:8: "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."
inartificial. Not according to the art of logic.
Justin Martyr. Justin Martyr (about 100-165) was one of the Early Church Fathers, notable for his use of Greek Philosophy in his Christian Apologies.
Eusebius. Eusebius of Caesarea, also known as Eusebius Pamphili, was a fourth century bishop and historian. The account referred to by Milton is from Ecclesiastical History, IV, 17.
Tertullian. Tertullian was an important early Christian theologian who lived in Carthage (circa 155-220). Milton refers to his Against Marcion, Book IV (scroll to chapter XXXIV).
Origen. Origen (about 185-254) was an important theologian of the early Greek church. Milton refers to his Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Book XIV (scroll to the bottom and go up to the second-to-last chapter, #24, "Jewish Criticism of the Law of Christ")
Lactantius. An apologist of the early fourth century. Milton refers to his Divine Institutes, Book 6, chapter 23 (in Latin).
councel of Nantes. The date of this council is uncertain; some sources date it to 895, while others date it 658 CE.
Chamier. Daniel Chamier was a Protestant theologian from France. Milton refers to his Panstratiae Catholicae III, 348 (Wolfe 697).
Epiphanius. A sixth century Patriarch of Constantinople.
Ambrose. Saint Ambrose was a fourth century bishop of Milan whose ideas were influential in shaping the Church-State relations of the Middle Ages. All three texts to which Milton refers can be found in Expositionis in Lucam, VIII, 2-8 (Wolfe 698).
On the 1 to the Cor, 7. This reference to Ambrose can be found in Commentarium in Epistolam I ad Corinthios, VII (Wolfe 698).
Jerom. A reference to Commentaria in Evangelium Secundum Matthaeum, XIX: "Wherever therefore there is fornication, and the suspicion of fornication, the wife may freely be dismissed" (Wolfe 698).
Austin. A reference to De Conjugiis Adulterinis ad Pollentium, I, 17. "For if a man is permitted to be separated from his consort because of fornication of the body, how much more is fornication of the mind to be detested in the consort?" Milton goes on to refer to De Sermone Domini in Monte, I, 16, Retractionum, I, xix, and Conciliorum Omnium, II, 506 (Wolfe 698-699).
chap. 16. "16" is probably an error; most editions, older and modern, use "19."
mans. The Latin suggests that a word such as "wife" should be given for the sense (Wolfe 699).
Theodosius and Valentinian. Milton refers to Juris Civilis, Code, Book V, Title 17, Paragraph 8 (Wolfe 700). It is unclear as to which Theodosius and as to which Valentinian Milton is referring.
Constantine. Constantine the Great was the fourth century Roman Emperor who was the first Emperor to profess Christianity.
Justinian. Justinian I was the Byzantine Emperor from 527-565. Juris Civilis, Code, Book V, Title 17, Paragraph 11 grants a divorce to the husband if his wife goes to baths with men for lascivious purposes, if she has purposefully procured an abortion, or if she tries to get a husband while still married (Wolfe 701).
long before those dayes. That is, long before the days of Balsamon, who died around 1200.
Leo. Leo VI, Byzantine Emperor from 886-912.
Alaricus Alaric was the chief of the Visigoths from 395-410 and leader of the army that sacked Rome in 410, marking the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
Theodoric. Theodoric I was the Merovingian king of Reims from 511-533 who conquered Italy.
Gregory the Pope. Gregory I, also known as Gregory the great, reigned from 590-604 and is notable both for his writings on theology and for his organizational reforms of the Catholic Church. Milton refers to his Epistolarum Liber XI, XLV (Wolfe 705).
Alexander the third. Pope Alexander III reigned from 1159 to 1181. He is noteworthy for his defense of papal authority against challenges from Henry II of England and from the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.
Frederic Barbarossa. Holy Roman Emperor and German King Frederick Barbarossa was involved in a dispute with Pope Alexander III over investiture. Frederic repented at Canossa.
Henry 2. King Henry II of England (1133-1189) is probably most noteworthy for his quarrel with Thomas Becket over the rights of the church that ended in Becket's death in the Cathedral at Canterbury.
decret. Gregor. l. 4. tit. 19. Corpus Juris Canonici, Emendatum et Notis Illustratum Gregorii XIII, col. 588. Title 19 allows divorces for witchcraft and corruption of faith, heresy and infidelity, for adultery, and for plotting against the spouse's life (Wolfe 706).
Balaams. See Numbers 23 and 24 and Revelation 2:14.
Wicklif. John Wycliffe (1330-1384) was a promoter of the first English translation of the Bible and a forerunner to the Protestant Reformation.
Luther. Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German priest and theologian who played a key role in bringing about the Protestant Reformation.
Dutch. That is, German.
a proud Vasthi, and marry an Esther. See Esther 1:10-2:17.
saith Saint Paul. See 1 Corinthians 13:3 (King James Version reads "profiteth").
Melanchton. Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560) was a German theologian and friend of Luther who played an influential role in the early Lutheran Church. Milton refers to his "De Conjugio," Loci Communes Theologici.
Erasmus. Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536) is considered the greatest scholar of the northern Renaissance and the first to edit the New Testament. Milton is refers to his Annotationes in Matthaeum.
Bucer. Martin Bucer (1491-1551) was an English Protestant reformer.
Deut. 24. 1. Mat. 19. 1 Cor. 7. See Deuteronomy 24, Matthew 19, and 1 Corinthians 7.
Musculus. Wolfgang Musculus (1497-1563) taught at Augsburg, Berne, and Strassburg; he was a Benedictine monk who later professed Protestantism. Milton refers to his In Evangelistam Matthaeum Commentarii, 101-103.
Gualter. Rodolphus Gualtherius (1519-1586), also known as Rudolph Walther, was a classical scholar and follower of the protestant reformer Huldrych Zwingli, the leader of the Swiss Protestant Reformation. Milton refers to his Archetypi Homiliarum in Quatuor Evangelia.
Hemingius. Nicolaus Hemmingus. Milton refers to his "De Divortiis," in Opuscula Theologica.
Hunnius. Aegidius Hunnius (1550-1603) was a scholar who wrote against both Catholics and Calvinists. Milton refers to his Commentarius in Evangelium de Jesu Christo Secundum Matthaeum, in Operum Latinorum III (Wolfe 712).
Felix Bidenbachius. A German Theologian who lived from 1564-1612.
Wigandus. Johann Wigand (1523-1587) was a Lutheran theologian. Wigand is cited by Gerhard in his De Jure Connubiorum.
Beza. Milton refers to his Tractatio de Repudiis et Divortiis.
Aretius. Benedictus Aretius (1505-1574) was a Swiss theologian. Milton is refers to his Problema Theologica (Wolfe 714).
Alciat. Andrea Alciato (1492-1550) was an Italian jurist.
Wesembechius. Matthew Wesenbeck (1531-1596) was a Flemish jurist. Milton refers to his Pandectas Juris Civilis (Wolfe 715). See the Hebrew version of Ezekiel 16:26 (click on "C" for concordance).
Grotius. Hugo Grotius. Milton refers to his Annotationes in Libros Evangeliorum (Wolfe 715).
Edward the 6th. King Edward VI of England (1537-1553). Milton's statement that his father, Henry VIII (1509-1547), abolished canon law seems to be technically inaccurate, although true in the practice of law during his reign. Henry commissioned a draft of a new ecclesiastical code (Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum), but it was not revised and approved until Edward's reign. However, before this code could be made law by act of Parliament, Edward died (Wolfe 717).