Finally, with Augustine, the strict doctrine of the early church takes a definite form, to which the masters of later times look back as to an authoritative canon of interpretation. He gave to the theory of indissolubility, declares Esmein, a "basis solid, in a measure scientific. He gave it a consistency forced from the sacrament of marriage. He set aside at one stroke all the causes of divorce admitted by the secular law: sickness, captivity, or prolonged absence. He was, one may say, the artisan who gave the final touch to the theory of indissolubility."[50] According to Augustine, adultery is the only scriptural ground of separation; but even this does not dissolve the nuptial bond. Moreover, those who, following the letter of Matthew's text, would for this offense allow the man, but not the woman, the right of repudiation, he "justly reproaches with violating one of the great principles of Christian law--the equality of the wedded pair."[51] Similar views are held by Hieronymus, Ambrose, Jerome, Chrysostom, and other contemporaries of Augustine;[52] and it is probably due to his influence mainly that in 407 the strict theory of indissolubility was proclaimed by the Council of Carthage;[53] as already in 405 it had been accepted in a decree of Pope Innocent I. addressed to the bishop of Toulouse.[54] [Footnote 50: ESMEIN, _op. cit._, II, 53. "Mais c'est vraiment dans saint Augustin que l'on voit établie pour la première fois une relation logique et nécessaire entre le sacrement et l'indissolubilité."--_Ibid._, I, 65. _Cf._ WOOLSEY, _op. cit._, 110; ZHISHMAN, _op. cit._, 124.] [Footnote 51: ESMEIN, _op. cit._, II, 51, 52, who collects the important passages from AUGUSTINE'S _De adult. conjug._, and his other works. _Cf._ FREISEN, _op. cit._, 772-74; WOOLSEY, _op. cit._, 69,110-12.] [Footnote 52: FREISEN, _op. cit._, 772-74; WOOLSEY, _op. cit._, 112 (Jerome). See CHRYSOSTOM, _Homilia_, XIX, in 1 Cor., chap. 7, as opposed to his _De libello repudii_, c. iii, already cited. HIERONYMUS, _Epist. 77 ad Oceanum de morte Fabiolae_, c. 3, thus expresses the doctrine of equality of the sexes: "Apud nos, quod non licet feminis, atque non licet viris." Such also is the view of Lactantius: WOOLSEY, _op. cit._, 116.] [Footnote 53: "Placuit, ut secundum evangelicam et apostolicam disciplinam neque dimissus ab uxore, neque dimissa a marito alteri conjungantur, sed ita permaneant, aut sibimet reconcilientur. Quod si contempserint ad poenitentiam redigantur": contained in _Decret. Grat._, c. 5 C. 32 qu. 7. _Cf._ FREISEN, _op. cit._, 774; ESMEIN, _op. cit._, II, 56, 57.] [Footnote 54: FREISEN, _op. cit._, 774, 775; ESMEIN, _op. cit._, II, 59.]