x (7.e. ) The linen cloth or ſheer, as is expreſſed v. 17. which in the firſt congreſs was infe&ted with blood, as is natural and uſual. But becauſe this is not now conſtant,the enemies of Scrip- ture take occaſion to quarrel with this Law, as unreaſonable and , unjuſt, and ſuch as might oppreis the innocent, and hence take occaſion to reject the Holy Scriptures, It were nuch more reafon- able for theſe men either to expound this place metaphorically of producing thoſe proofs & teſtimonies of her virginity which ſhould be as ſatisfaQtory as if that cloth were produced,as ſome of the Jews underſtand it,or modeſtly to ackno ledge their own Ignorance in this, as they are foiced ro do in many otaer things, and not im-= pudently ro conclude it is inſoluble, becauſe they cannot reſolve it. Burt there is no need of ſuch general anſwers, many things may be particularly faid for the vindication of this law. 1. That it was ne- ceſſary for that people, becauſe of their hard-heartedneſs towards their Wives,and their levity and deſire of change of Wives. 2. That either this tryal, or at leaſt the proof of her Virginity, . was to be taken preſently after the day of marriage, and that proof was to be admitted afterwards upon occaſion.. 3. That this Law was ſeldom or never put in execution, as the Jews note, and ſeems to be made for terrour and caution to Husbands and Wives,as many other Laws have been in like caſes. 4. That that God who gave this Law,did by his Providence govern all Affairs, and rule the Tongues and Hearts of M-n, and therefore would doubtleſs take care ſo to order matters that the innocent ſhould not ſuffer by this means, which he could prevent many ways. 5. That there is a great difference iny times and climates. Who knows not that there are many things now by our Moderns thought uncertain or falſe, which by the Ancient Phyſicians were thought and affirmed to be true and cer=- tain in their times and Countreys, and that many ſigns of Diſeaſes and other things do generally hold true in thoſe more Southernly and warmer parts of the World, which are many times deceitfuf in our Northern and Colder Climates ? 6. That this very way of tryal of Virginity hath been uſed nor only by the Fews,bur alſo by the 4rabians and Egyptians, as is affirmed by divers Learned Writers, among whom yet 1t was more doubrful and hazardous than among the Jews, who might promiſe to themſelves thar God would guide the execution of his own Law to a juſt and good iſſue. 5. That this ſign if it were uncertain in perſons of riper years, yet it may be reaſonably thought certain and conſtant in Virgins of young and tender age,and that the Jews did ordinarily marry their Daugh- ters when they were about 12 or 14 years old, as is confeſſed, as making haſte to roll away that reproach which they thought to be in an unmarried ſtate. --4
I6 And the damſels father ſhall ſay unto the elders, I gaye my daughter unco this man to wife, and he hat- eth hers - | | . 17 And lo, he hath given occaſions of ſpeech againf ber. ſaying I found not thy daughter a maid : and yet theſe are the tokens of my daughters virginity ; and they ſhall ſpread the cloth before the elders of the city.
18 And the elders of that city ſhall take that man; and chaſtiſe him . - EE
* Either r. By the following mul&. Or, 2. By ſevere reproofs which that word off ſignifies. Or, 3. By ſtripes, as is expreſſed,
Deut.25.2,3. Which is not ſtrange,conſidering how precious a thing ones good Name is, of which he endeavoured to deprive his Wife.
19 And they ſhall amerce him in an hundred ſhekels of filver, and give #bexz unto the father of the damfſel y be. cauſe he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Ifrael : and ſhe (ball be his wife, he may not put her a- way all his days z. ene SES - y Becauſe this was a reproach to his family, and to himfelf, be= cauſe ſuch a miſcarriage of his daughter would have been aſcribed to his evil education. x Which Feras to have been his deſign in this falſe accuſation, and rherefore that liberry of a divorce whiclz 15 permitted to others, Der. 24. 1. ſhall be denied ro him.
20 But if this thing be true, and the rokens of virgini- ty be not found for the damfel : | |
2r Then they (hal bring out the damſel to the door of her fathers houſe, and the men of her city ſhall _
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her with ſtones that ſhe die «,becauſe ſhe hath wrought folly in Iſrael, co play the whore in her fathers houle :
ſo * ſhalt thou put evil away from among you.
s Ns. Why ſhould ſhe die when her crime was only Fornication, which was not puniſhed in a woman with death, Exop. 22. 16; 17 * Anſw. Becauſe there was not only Fornication in this caſe, as Exoa. 22. but this was accompanied with deep difſimulation and injury to her Husband in the falſe profeſſion of Virginiry,and it might be
reſumed that ſhe committed this folly after ſhe was betrothed to him, and therefore ſo obſtinately denied it, as knowing the dan- ger of it in that caſe; Or God ordered it thus for the honour and cuſtody of the matrimonial bed from all defilement, that ſhe, who being defiled before ſhe was married or betrothed, and therefore not punithable by death, yet if ſhe ſhould preſume to carry her deiile- ment into the married eſtate with a pretence of Virginity, ſhe ſhould then be pur to death. ; : 22 * If a man be found lying with a woman married
b to an husband, then they ſhall both of chem die : both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman : ſo
ſhalt thou put away evil from Iſrael. b Tf he be convicted of this faulr, though nor taken in the
&. ] —S k If a damſel that 3s a virgin be betrothed unto an
husband c,and a man find her in the city,& lie with her :
Chap: 13s 5o
'Levit. ©: I1IO©,
DF VITERON 0 M T