255. XIX. THAT ADULTERY IS THE CAUSE OF DIVORCE. For this there are many reasons which, though visible in rational light, are yet concealed at this day. It can be seen from rational light that marriages are holy and adulteries profane; and thus, that marriages and adulteries are diametrically opposed to each other, and that when opposite acts upon opposite, the one destroys the other to the last spark of its life. It is the same with conjugial love when a married man commits adultery from some principle which he has confirmed and thus from set purpose. These reasons come into clearer rational light with those who know something of heaven and hell; for they know that marriages are in heaven and from heaven; that adulteries are in hell and from hell; that the two cannot be conjoined, just as heaven cannot be conjoined with hell; and that if they are conjoined in a man, heaven instantly departs and hell enters in. [2] It is because of this, then, that adultery is the cause of divorce. Therefore the Lord says:
Whosoever shall put away his wife except for whoredom, and shall marry another, committeth adultery. Matt. 19:9. He says that he commits adultery if he put away his wife, except for whoredom, and take anther, because putting away for this reason is a complete separation of minds. This is called divorce; but all other cases of putting away for specific reasons are the separations which have here been treated of. If after such separation another wife is taken, adultery is committed; but not after divorce.
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