Page:The ancient interpretation of Leviticus XVIII. 18 - Marriage with a deceased wife's sister is lawful.djvu/36

26 The learned Jesuit, Cornelius a Lapide (died 1637), on Leviticus xviii. 18, says:—"Nec revelabis turpitudinem ejus, adhuc illâ vivente, quia illâ mortuâ potes accipere uxoris tuæ sororem in conjugem. Hoc enim lege veteri licuit, sed in novâ jam non licet." ''Concil. Trident.,'' sess. xxiv.

The learned and judicious Protestant, Diodati, preferred the same rendering:—" Non prendere etiandio una donna insieme con la sua sorella per affliger-la, scoprendo la nudità della sua sorella che tu havresti presa oltre a lei, in vita sua."

Another learned Romanist, Bonfrere (died 1643), speaking of the prohibition to take two sisters together, says:—"Nec hoc jam naturæ est, habuit enim Jacob duas sorores simul conjuges .... conceditur tamen ut priore mortuâ alteram ducat."

So Tirinus (whose "Commentary" was published at Antwerp, 1632):—"Vetatur conjugium cum sorore uxoris adhuc viventis. Id ante hanc legem licuisse patet ex Jacobi exemplo, Gen. xxix., qui duas sorores Liam et Rachelem simul habuit. Mortuâ uxore, licebat sororem illius ducere."