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with an holy Seed; and for preventing of Unleannefs 4.

III. It is lawful for all Sorts of People to marry, Tho are able with Judgment to give their Confent. et it is the Duty of Chriftians to marry only in the ord f: And therefore fuch as profefs the true reormed Religion, fhould not marry with Infidels, apifts or other Idolaters: Neither fhould fuch as egodly be unequally yoaked,by marrying with fuch are notorioufly wicked in their Life, or maintain amnable Herefies &

IV. Mar

Mal. 2. 15. And did not he creed in his heart that he will keep ake one? yet had he the refidue of eSpirit: and wherefore one? that might feek a godly feed: thereOre take heed to your fpirit, and let ne deal treacherously against the fe of his youth.

d 1 Cor. 7. 2. Nevertheless, to vid fornication, let every man ve his own wife, and let every woan have her own husband. v. 9. tif they cannot contain, let them arry: for it is better to marry than burn.

III. Heb. 13.4. Marriage is hosurable in all, and the bed undeed: but whoremongers and adulrers God will judge. Tim. 4. 3. rbidding to marry, and commandg to abstain from meats, which od hath created to be received with anksgiving, of them which believe d know the truth. I Cor. 7. 36. a if any man think, that he behavh himself uncomely towards his rgin, if the pass the flower of her ze, and need fo require, let him do hat he will, he finneth not: let vem marry. v. 37. Nevertheless, e that ftandeth ftedfaft in his heart, aving no neceffity, but hath power ver his own will, and hath fo de

his virgin, doth well. v. 38. So then, he that giveth her in marriage, doth well, but he that giveth her not in marriage, doth better. Gen. 24. 57. And they said, we will call the damfel, and enquire at her mouth. v. 58. And they called Rebekah, and faid unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? and she said, I will go.

f 1 Cor. 7. 39. The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth: but if her husband be dead, fhe is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

8 Gen. 34. 14. And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our fifter to one that is uncircumcifed: for that were a reproach unto us.

Exod. 34. 16. And thou take of their daughters unto thy fons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy fons go a whoring after their gods. Deut. 7.3. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his fon, nor his daughter fhalt thou take unto thy fon. v. 4. For they will turn away thy fon from following me, that they may serve other gods: fo will

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IV. Marriage ought not to be within the Degrees of Confanguinity or Affinity forbidden in the Word nor can fuch inceftuous Marriages everbe made law ful by any Law of Man, or Confent of Parties, f asthofe Perfons may live together as Man and Wife The Man may not marry any of his Wife's Kind red nearer in Blood than he may of his own, no

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unequally yoaked together with ur believers: for what fellowship hat righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath ligh with darkness?

IV. [Lev. 18. chapter. ] 1 Co s. 1. It is reported commonly th there is fornication among you, an fuch fornication as is not fo muc as named amongst the Gentile that one fhould have his fathe wife. Amos 2. 7. That pant afte the duft of the earth on the heado the poor, and turn afide the way of the meek: and a man, and hi father will go in unto the fame maid to profane my holy name.

th the anger of the Lord be kindled a- of hosts. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Be ye n gainst you, and deftroy thee fuddenly. 1 Kings 11. 4. For it came to pafs when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. Neh. 13.25. And I contended with them, and curfed them, and fmote certain of them, and pluckt off their hair, and made them fwear by God, faying, Ye fhall not give your daughters unto their fons, nor take their daughters unto your fons, or for your felves. v. 26. Did not Solo mon king of Ifrael fin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him,: who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Ifrael: nevertheless, even him did outlandish women caufe to fin. v. 27. Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to tranfgrefs againft our God, in marrying ftrange wives. Mal.2.11. Judah hath dealt treacheroufly, and an abomination is committed in Ifrael, and in Jerufalem: for Judah hath profaned the holi nefs of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a ftrange god. v. 12. The Lord will cut off the man that doth this: the mafter and the scholar out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord

Mark 6. 18. For John had fa unto Herod, It is not lawful fo thee to have thy brothers wife. Le 18. 24. Defile not your felves in any of these things: for in all the the nations are defiled which I caft out before you. v. 25. And the land is defiled: therefore I do vifit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land it felf vomiteth out her inha bitants. v. 26. Ye fhall therefore keep my ftatutes and my judg ments, and fhall not commit an of these abominations; neither any of your own nation,nor any stranger that fojourneth among you 7.27 (For all these abominations, have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is

defiled.)

the Woman of her Husband's Kindred nearer in Blood than of her ownk.

V. Adultery or Fornication committed after a Contract, being detected before Marriage, giveth juft Occafion to the innocent Party to diffolve that Contract. In the Cafe of Adultery after Marri age, it is lawful for the innocent Party to fue out a Divorce m and after the Divorce to marry another, as if the offending Party were dead ".

VI. Although the Corruption of Man be fuch as is apt to study Arguments, unduly to put afunder

defiled.) v. 28. That the land fpue not you out alfo, when ye defile it, as it fpued out the nations that were before you.

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not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghoft.

you, that whofoever fhall put away his wife, faving for the caufe of fornication, caufeth her to commit adultery: and whofoever shall marry her that is divorced, committeth adultery.

in Mat. 5. 31. It hath been faid, * Lev. 20. 19. And thou shalt Whofoever fhall put away his wife, not uncover the nakedness of thy let him give her a writing of dimothers fifter, nor of thy fathers vorcement. v. 32. But I fay unto fifter: for he uncovereth his near kin: they fhall bear their iniquity. 7. 20. And if a man fhall lie with his uncles wife, he hath uncovered his uncles nakedness: they fhall bear their fin, they shall die childlefs. v. 21. And if a man shall take his brothers wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brothers nakedness, they shall be child Jefs.

V. Mat. 1. 19. Now the birth of Jefus Chrift was on this wife: When as his mother Mary was efpoufed to Jofeph, before they came together, fhe was found with thild of the holy Ghost. v. 19. Then Jofeph her husband being a juft man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. v. 20. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, faying, Jofeph, thou fon of David, fear

Mat. 19. 9. And I fay unto you, Whofoever fhall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery and whofoever marrieth her which is put away, doth commit adultery. Rom. 7. 2. Forthe woman which hath an husband, is bound by the law to her husband fo long as he liveth: but if the husband be dead, the is loosed from the law of her husband. v. 3. So then if while her husband liveth, fhe be married to another man, fle fhall be called an adulterefs: but if her husband be dead, fhe is free from that law; fo that the is no adulterefs, though the be married to another man. VI. Mas.

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those whom God hath joined together in Marriage; yet nothing but Adultery, or fuch wilful Desertion as can no way be remedied by the Church or Civil Magiftrate, is Caufe fufficient of diffolving the Bond of Marriage: wherein a publick and orderly Courfe of proceeding is to be obferved; and the Perfons concerned in it, not left to their own Wills and Difcretion in their own Cafe P.

CHA P. XXV.
Of the Church.

HE Catholick or Univerfal Church which

TH

is invifible, confifts of the whole Number of the Elect, that have been, are, or fhall be gathered into one, under Chrift the Head thereof; and is the Spouse, the Body, the Fulness of him that filleth all in all ".

VI. Mat. 19. 8. He faith unto them, Mofes, because of the hardness of your hearts, fuffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not fo. v. 9. [See letter ".] I Cor. 7. 15. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a fifter is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. Matth. 19. 6. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put afunder.

Deut. 24. 1. When a man hath taken a wife and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found fome uncleannefs in her then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and fend her out of his houfe. v. 2.

II. The

And when the is departed out of his house, she may go, and be another mans wife. v.3. And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and fendeth her out of his houfe; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; v. 4. Her former husband which fent her away may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled: for that is abomination before the Lord, and thou shalt not cause the land to fin,which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

I. a Eph. 1. 10. That in the difpenfation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Chrift, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth,

EVEN

II. The Vifible Church, which is alfo Catholick of Univerfal under the Gofpel, (not confined to one Nation, as before under the Law) confifts of all those throughout the World, that profefs the true Religion, together with their Children; and

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held, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, ftood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. Rom. 15. 9. And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy, as it is written, For this cause I will confefs to thee among the Gentiles, and fing unto thy name. v. 1o. And again he faith, Rejoice ye Gentiles with his people. v. II. And again, Praise the Lord all ye Gentiles, and laud him all ye people. v. 12. And again, Efaias faith, There fhall be a root of Jeffe, and he that fhall rife to reign over the Gentiles; in him fhall the Gentiles truft.

ve in him. v. 22. And hath put ill things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to he church, v. 23. Which is his boly, the fulness of him that filleth all n all. Eph. s. 23. For the hufband is the head of the wife, even as Chrift is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body. v. 27. That he might present it to himself A glorious church, not having fpot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing; but that it fhould be holy, and without blemish. v. 32. This is a great myftery: but I fpeak concerning Chrift and the church. Col. 1. 18. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firft-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. II. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Unto the church I Cor. 7. 14. For the unbeof God which is at Corinth, to them lieving husband is fanctified by the that are fanctified in Chrift Jefus, wife, and the unbelieving wife is called to be faints, with all that in fanctified by the husband: elfe were every place call upon the name of your children unclean; but now are Jefrs Chrift our Lord, both theirs they holy. Acts 2.39. For the proand ours. I Cor. 12. 12. For as the mife is unto you, and to your chilbody is one, and hath many mem- dren, and to all that are afar off, bers, and all the members of that even as many as the Lord our God one body, being many, are one bo- fhall call. Ezek 16. 26. Moredy: 'fo alfo is Chrift. v. 13. For over, thou haft taken thy fons and by oneSpirit,are we all baptized into thy daughters, whom thou haft born one body, whether we be Jews or unto me, and these haft thou facriGentiles,whether webe bond or free; ficed unto them to be devoured: is and have been all made to drink in- this of thy whoredoms a small matto one Spirit. Pfalm 2. 8. Ask of ter, v. 21. That thou haft flain my me, and I fhall give thee the heathen children, and delivered them to for thine inheritance, and the utter- cause them to pass through the fire moft parts of the earth for thy pof- for them? Rom. 11. 16. For if the feffion. Rev. 7.9. After this I be

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