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Now if these Commands, Lev. xviii. and xx. were not only Judicial to the Nation of the Jews, but of perpetual Obligation to All Chriftians: What Reason can be given why those other fo oft repeated Commands against Marrying with Idolaters, fhould be thought only Fudicial to the Jews, and to have no Effect upon Chriftians?

Is the one more Moral than the other, and of more Indifpenfible Obligation? Yes; for that of the Degrees Prohibited, muft have been Dif pens'd with in the beginning of the World, when ther was a Neceffity of Men Marrying their Sifters. And Abraham marry'd his HalfSifter, before this Law in Lev. xviii, was made. And by the Anfwer that Tamar made to her Brother Amnon 2 Sam. xiii. 13. it fhou'd feem, that it was then Difpenfible.

Whereas this of Marrying with Idolaters never was Difpens'd with, but feverely Reprehended even in Solomon, and many others.

Befides, the Reafon of this Law, against this Tentation to Idolatry, is Perpetual, much more than that of the Prohibited Degrees, and Alters not upon any Variation of Times, or Circumftances.

Laftly, It is Anew Prohibited to Chriftians in the New Teftament (as before has been fhew'd) which the Prohibited Degrees are not; I mean, not Exprefly, they are not particularly mention'd, tho' I grant they are Imply'd. Therefor this Law againft Marriage with Idolaters, is not only a Fudicial Law to the Jews, but of Perpetual Obligation to All Chriftians.

Let me here remind you of what is faid before, That all the Worship of God in the World, except that of the Jews, was then Idolatrous; and therefor this Command against Marrying

with Idolaters, was the fame thing as against - Marrying out of their own Communion. And fo comes up full to our prefent Cafe.

Having now thus far difcuffed this Mat-ter, let us go on to fee how God has treated this Sin in all Ages: That the Marks of His Heavy Difpleafure against it, may raise in Us a Juft Horror and Caution, left we fall under the like Condemnation.

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Inftances of GOD's Indignation against this Sin.

This is the particular Sin, for which it is 1. Before the faid, That God fent the Flood to Deftroy the Flood. whole Earth, except eight Perfons: Or it is told as the Root from whence all their other Great Wickedness did flow, That the Sons of Gen. vi. 2, 3, God did Marry the Daughters of Men; from 4, 13. which Mixture ther sprung a Race of Giants in all Impiety, Men Mighty and of Renown in Violence, Oppreffion, and Licentiousness, with which they Filled the Earth.

Thefe Sons of God were the Pofterity of Seth. The others, call'd the Sons or Daughters of Men, were the Pofterity of Cain.

God curfed Cain for his Sin, and I may fay Gen. iv, 11,14. Excommunicated him, as Cain faid to God, From

thy Face Shall I be hid: And it is faid, That
Cain went out from the Prefence of the Lord, v. 16.
and dwelt in the Land of Nod. Now the Land
of Nod was not out of God's Prefence, any
otherwise than as God's efpecial Prefence is
with His Church, more than with others. There
He is faid to Shew His Face; from which now
Cain was Hid. He Separated himself from his
Father, his Family, and Communion; and set up
for himself, living by Rapine and Violence,
which Encreas'd in his Pofterity to the Flood.

He

He is thought to have first invented and fet up the Worship of God by Images; perhaps for the fame Reafon as Jeroboam fet up his Calves, left the Peoples going to Jerufalem to Worship, fhould make them leave him, and re turn to their old Mafter. And fo with Cain, left thofe that follow'd him, fhould leave him, and return to Worship with Adam, as they had done before.

But however that be, it is granted by all, That he made a Separation from Adam, and erected a new Colony of his own. And that from that time forth, the Genealogy of Ifrael, or De duction of the City or Church of God was not carry'd from Cain, but from Seth; of whom Gen. iv. 26. and his Pofterity it is faid, That they did Call themselves by the Name of the Lord; which implies their standing in a Federal Relation to God, He chufing them as His People or Church, and they giving up their Names to Him as their God; calling themselves by His Name, as we call our felves Chriftians, from our being admitted into the Church of Chrift by Baptifm. And as Chrift calls Himself the Bridegroom of His Church, and Her His Spoufe; fo God called Himself to His Church of Ifrael, Ifa. Ixii. 5. And took the Name of Her Husband. Fer. iii. 20. xxxi. 32. The Expreffion of being called by a Man's Name, or having his Name called ирon them, fignifies Marriage, Ifai. iv. 1. and fre quently elsewhere; which being the fame Expreffion here ufed of Seth and his Pofterity in Relation to God, fhews these to have been thofe Sons of God who Marry'd the Daughters of Men. And then thefe Daughters of Men cou'd be no other than the Pofterity of Cain; ther being but these two Pofterities then in the World.

And

And here we fee the World once Destroy'd for this Sin.

Let us then go on, and look upon fome Examples of this Sin, in the New World after the Flood.

God having fet up His Church in the Family 2. Ishmael. of Abraham, we find the firft Perfecutor of it

(as he is called Gal. 4. 29.) Ishmael, was born Gen.xvi. 3. of Hagar an Egyptian: And tho' he was of the Peculium by his Father, and fo good a Man as Abraham; yet fo early did the Influence of the Mother appear, for She took him a Wife out of the xxi. 21. Land of Egypt, her own Country: Which no doubt, help'd him forward in his Perfecuting of Ifaac, and the true Church.

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By which Example Abraham being warned and to fhew, That this Principle of not Marrying out of the Peculium was known, and did prevail at that time, long before the Law of Mofes; which proves it to be either a part of the Law of Nature, or otherwise, That it was given in Command by God to the Patriarchs; I fay, to fhew this, let us obferve what Care Abraham took, as to the Marriage of Ifaac.

Read the Oath which he made his Steward 3. Ifaac. to Swear. I will make thee Swear by the Lord Gen. xxiv. 3. the God of Heaven, and the God of the Earth, that thou shalt not take a Wife unto my Son of the Daughters of the Canaanites amongst whom - I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my Country, and to my Kindred, and take a Wife unto my Son Ifaac. He fcrupled not the Journy or Di= ftance of Place.

But Lot took not the fame Care: He fuffer'd 4. Lot's Daugh fome of his Daughters to Marry in Sodom; and ters. they Perished, the others were faved.

We

Gen. xix. 14,

15.

5. Efau.

35.

We find the fame Ingredient in the Ruin of Gen. xxvi. 34, Efau; for his two Wives were both Hittites and this is faid to be a Grief of Mind to Ifaa and Rebekah. And immediately after follow his Rejection, and the Bleffing transferr'd tos Facob.

6. Jacob.

2.

Next we fee the fame Care taken by Ifaac t in the Marriage of Jacob, as before had been taken by Abraham in the Marriage of Ifaac Gen. xxviii. 1, And Ifaac called Facob and Blessed him, and Charged him, and faid unto him, "Thou shalt not take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan. Arife, go to Padan-aram to the Houfe of Bethuel thy Mother's Father, and take thee a Wife from thence, of the Daughters of Laban thy Mother's

Brother.

And to fhew the Benefit of having a Wife of the fame Communion, as the Danger of the con trary; this came from the earneft Solicitation Chap. xxvii. of Rebekah. And Rebekah faid to Ifaac, I am weary of my Life, because of the Daughters of Heth: If Facob take a Wife of the Daughters of Heth, fuch as thefe which are of the Daugh ters of the Land, what Good shall my Life do

46.

7. Judah.

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It is obfervable, That the two Eldeft Sons of Abraham and Ifaac, that is, Ishmael and Efau, who Marry'd out of the Peculium, were Rejected; and both turn'd Perfecutors of the Church: And the two younger, who Mar ry'd within the Peculium, were Received in their ftead, and the Peculium was deduc'd in them, and their Pofterity.

The Miferies of Fudah the Son of Jacob, and Gen. xxxviii. his Inceft proceeded from his Marrying a Canaanitefs; who bore to him thofe Curfed Brethren, Er and Onan.

Let

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