450 Chap. 6. The di of Vncleannef?, &c. Com.'. But becaufe here we may fall into infinitequeftions about marriage, and not very pertinent to thisplace, we will therefore here contentour Selves only with thefe few conftderations,becatife.we have fpokenof them more largely already. Gen.24 3 i. We mu1} have Abrahams: care , not to match with the Canaanites, with the t Cur.7.39 wicked,but as St.Paul direEteth inDomino, bathe Lard. a. Secondly, confent of Parents mutt be had. Speak to. the King faith Tamar to 2 Snm.13. i3 Ammon, for be will not withhold me from thee: confellìng thereby that ff<e hadnot power to bellow her felf. Gen. z2 3. As God brought Eve to Adam,and gave her to him, fomull wedefire that our wifemay come by the hand of ßod,and he to make the match: which is when the marriage is matte by the Prietl (Gods deputy) in the faceof theChurch. t co-1%7,27 4. Which more nearly concernsthis place. In-Marriage we mull fo behave our 5 felves, in havingwives,as if we had none and to be content to matter our lullsfo,that for the duties of Chrifiianity, we may feparateour felves for a time. 5. We mull not depart or divorce our felves, but only in cafeof Adultery,accord- Matt.5.32 ing to our Saviours rule. 6. Afterwe are divided by the deathof one party,fotoabide if we can :or at leaf[ 1 Cor.7.4o not quickly towax wantonand marry again,but to flay for a time,till thebody of the 1 Tim 5.1 t party deceafed bediffolved into Earth, fromwhence it came. 8 Out of Matrimony we commit this fin, :.Either withoneallyed to us. Or 2.with rneefî. a llranger. T. Ifthe be allyed to us, either by father or mother , as agnata or cognata, it is called incefi,and is forbiddenby theLaw,and punifhed withdeath. It is fet down as Leva8.6 8 principle, ThouJhalt not difcover thefhame of tby mother becaufefhe is thymother 2o.17 nor of thyfeller, becaufethe it thyfetter : as though by the light of Nature, the very nating of mother or filler were enough to keep us from medling withthem. No man was hotter againfl this, than Plato in his Common- wealth. And yet this fin for a time was winked at. But the land fpued out the Canaanites and the Perizzites Levit.2ó.23 for thisabomination. And Reuben, beforethe Law, for this very fin of incefl, for- (cited both his right tothe Kingdom (whichwent from him toJudah) and to the Priellhood,which went to Levi. Poffeßyour veffell (faith theApoffle)inbolinefland 2 Theif 4.4 honour. Now thehonour we are to give to them of our own flefh, is, that we do not approach or come neer them. Other reafons hereof are : r. Thenearnefs of Education, of thofe that are ourkindred, or joyned in confan- guinity withus,is fuch,that it would prove a great incitement of lufl,and a great oc- cationof this in,if fuch marriages were allowed with thofe that ufually live together in the fame houfe,as parents and children,brothers and fifters,&c. ufually do. 2. Becaufenot only a family within it feif, but alfo one family with another, fhould have friendfhip and familiariry,which is molt efpecially procured bymarriage." Now ifmarriages fhould be made within the lime family , every houle would be a Commonwealthwithin it felf; whereas bymarriages abroad, there is unity and fami- liaritycontraf%ed between one family and another. It is true, the confiderationofA- dams children, who couldmarry with no other,makes it hard to decide,how far that confanguinity oraffinity extends, wherein marriage isprohibited ; yet this is agreed upon by all, that in the right line it was never permitted nor allowed in anycafe ; as for the collateral it may be faid as beforeof Polygamie, and divorces,they were.wint- leed at fora time,but never allowed as lawful. God faith, that for this fin of incell, or marrying within the degrees prohibited,tbe land/puedwit the Canaanite:, the inhabi- tants,becaufeof fuch abominations. Reubenwas punifhed for inceff,as we (hewed be- fore : and for the collateral line, John Baptilf flood to it,and died in the quarrel,that Mark6.18 Bernd might not take hie brother: wife.And the Apoftle faith, that one fhould have his Cons. r fathers wife, was afornication not oncenamed amongft the Gentiles. And the Prophet faith, that a man and biofather to go in toone maid, is a digoonour to the holy nameof Amos 2.7 God, and thatbe willnotPare them. So though for necetlity it were tolerated in the beginning, yes of it felt it is unlawful. 9. 2. Come we to thofe that are fir-angers and not allyed to us, and they are either, Adultery: r. married : 2 .0t freeandunmarried. Levit.tetao r. If married orefpoufed (which is all one) it is'adultery,and forbidden by the 20.,0 law, and punifhed with thedeath Of both parties.God is plcafed continually to liken beet.2z.22 idolatry to this fin of adultery,and there is no vice heoftner fetteth himfelf againi; and
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