Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Corinthians 7:15

15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart . A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases g: but God hath called us to peace .

If the unbelieving husband, or the unbelieving wife will leave his or her correlate, that is, so leave them, as to return no more to live as an husband, or as a wife with her or him that is Christian, let him depart. Such a person hath broken the bond of marriage, and in such cases Christians are not under bondage, they are not tyed by Law to fetch them again, nor by the Laws of God to keep themselves unmarried for their perverseness. But it [illegible: 1 letter]ay be objected, That nothing but Adultery by t[illegible: 1 letter]e Divine Law breaketh that bond. Answ. That is denied. Nothing but Adultery is a justifiable cause of divorce. No man may put away his wife, nor any wife put away her husband but for Adultery. But the husbands voluntary leaving his wife, or the wi[illegible: 1 letter]es voluntary leaving her husband, with a resolution to return no more to them, breaks also the bond of marriage, frustrating it as to the ends for which God hath appointed it, and after all due means used, to bring again the party departing, to their duty, doth certainly free the correlate. So that although nothing can justifie repudiation or putting away a wife or an husband, and marrying another, but the adultery of the person so divorced and repudiated, yet the departure either of husband and wife without the others consent for a long time, and refusal to return after all due means used, especially if the party so go[illegible: 1 letter]ng away, doth it out of an hatred and abomination of the others Religion, will justifie the person so deserted after due waiting and use of means to reduce him or her to their duty, wholly to cast off the person deserting, for no Christian in such case by Gods Law is under bondage.

For God hath called Christians unto peace, and in his ordinance of marriage aimed at the quiet and peace of his people in their se[illegible: 1 letter]vice of him in their families and relations; and therefore as Christians ought not to disturb the peace of their own consciences, turning away their relations, though they be Unbelievers: yet neither are they bound, if such will leave them, to court their own continual trouble and disturbance.

Marginal references: Gr, in peace.