V.

No ascendants may marry with their descendants, that is, parents with their children, reckoning upwards or downwards, in infinitum.

VI.

Brothers may not marry with their sisters, wheth er of full or half blood.

VII.

Uncles may not marry with their nieces, that is, with their brother's or their sister's children or grand children and descendants, nor may aunts be married to their nephews, that is to their brother's or sister's sons, or grand children and descendants; both in infinitum; since uncles and aunts, with respect to their nephews, sustain the place of fathers and mothers.

VIII.

With respect to the degrees of AFFINITY, or the relation produced by marriage: as the bond of mar

riage creates a communion, whereby husband and wife are made ONE; so it is equally interdicted and forbidden for a man to marry with any person related by blood or marriage to his deceased wife; or for a woman with any person related by blood or marriage to her deceased husband, who is within the degrees above specified; under the like penalty of being declared infamous, with corporal punishment and fine. For instance, no man may marry with his daughter in law, that is, the widow of his son, nor with the widow of his son's or daughter's son, and so on downwards, with no widow of any of his descendants. Also, no woman may be married to her son in law, that is, with the husband of her deceased daughter, nor with the husband of the daughter of her son or daughter, and thus with no one who has been the husband of any of her descendants.

IX.

No man may marry his step daughter, that is, the former daughter of his wife, nor with any of the descendants of his step children. So also no woman may be married to her step son, or the former son of her deceased husband, nor with any of the descendants of her step sons.

X.

No man may marry the remaining widow of his deceased brother; nor any woman the husband of her deceased sister.*

XI.

No man may marry the widow of his deceased nephew, whether it be the widow of the son of his brother or sister, nor the widow of any of his brother's or sister's descendants. So also no woman may be married to the husband of her niece, that is, to the husband of her brother's or sister's daughter, nor to any man who has been the husband of her brother's or sister's children's children or descendants. See Kerkelyk Plakaat-Boek, behelzende de Plakaaten, Ordinantien, ende Resolutien over de Kerkelyke Zaaken. door N. Wiltens. Quarto. deel. 1. page 804. &c.t

* Egeen man mach trouwen de negelaten weduwe van sijnen overleden broeder; noch egeene vrouwe den man van haare overledene suster.

+ The writer of this Dissertation recollects, that while in Europe, he received information by letters, of a member of the Church having married the sister of his deceased wife; a case which was the first that was recollected to have happened in America, and which excited great uneasiness. The informed communicated this to an eminent minister, (Professor H.) and asked him, how the Church of Holland would proceed in such a case? To which he replied: "It is a case which cannot happen in Holland. It is forbidden by the Canons of the Church, and by the civil laws of the state. Any minister who knowingly solemnised such a marriage would be instantly deposed; the incestuous connection would be declared null and void; and the parties severely punished."

L

SECTION XI.

CONCLUSION.

LET us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. What is the practical result? THE LORD GOD FOR

BIDS A MAN TO MARRY HIS SISTER IN LAW; WHETHER SHE BE THE WIDOW OF HIS DECEASED BROTHER, OR THE SISTER OF HIS DECEASED WIFE. BY THE DIVINE LAW SHE IS HIS SISTER. SHE IS NEAR OF KIN TO HIM. IT IS INCEST.

Marriage is a divine Institution. The law of God respecting that ordinance must THEREFORE remain the only standard, by which a judgment can be formed concerning the parties who may lawfully enter into that holy state, as well as of the duties incumbent for its protection after consummation.

The Union produced by marriage constitutes a source of kindred and creates relatives, which, as it respects the parties in the connubial connection, is