hast not followed young men whether poore or rich Then Boas called into judgement the next kinsman who out of covetousnesse suffered the accustomed disgrace for refusing to performe the duty he ought to have done And Boas as the next in degree tooke Ruth to be his * Ruth 4.10 wife In this story we discerne the many vertues of Ruth it is to be observed also that she was a Moabitesse of the line of Lot and of the issue he had by his daughters of this off-spring shortly after came the Prophet David from whom also in processe of time proceeded the Saviour of mankind Next we observe the passage betwixt Ammon and Tamar where it is said that Ammon loved Tamar in an unlawfull manner which the mayd as discreetly reproved desiring him not to force her but to aske her of the King for a wife in that sence she knew the King would not withhold her * 2 Sam. 4.13 but Ammon after his lust was satisfied despised her which act turned to his confusion and was the occasion of his slaughter Still we see the sister did not doubt to be her brothers wife but did detest the act of fornication which certainly is the thing meant in the forbidden degrees formerly mentioned And assuredly also that act proceeding from lust in kindred is the highest degree of fornication and of some perhaps not improperly termed incest if there be such a distinction But for the holy institution of marriage with the next of Kindred We see by all examples before and after it hath not onely been permitted but commanded Neither doe we finde any thing to the contrary in the whole progresse of the Gospell but still reproofe of fornication and especially amongst kindred which seems to confirme what is formerly said for so St. Paul It is reported commonly that there is fornication * 1 Cor. 5. amongst you and such as is not used among the Gentiles that one should have his fathers wife But the same Saint Paul hath these following words in the same booke Ch. 7 v. 3. touching marriage To avoyd fornication let every man excepting no degree or profession have his own wife and let every woman have her own husband And in verse 4. the wife hath not power of her own body but the husband nor the husband power of his own body but the wife in the singular number From hence may be inferred that men since the Gospell ought not to have plurality of wives but neither there nor in any other place where the like precept is given is there any exception to the next of kin but in case of fornication aforesaid Then let every man have his own wife this doth most and best represent the mistery betwixt Christ and his Spouse the Church else where it is said the man and his wife is one flesh not the man and his wives Although the Patriarks and Prophets under the Law had plurality of wives for the greater increase of a good Tribe or for other reasons and misteries which here we have not time to discusse And though the Turks and other Nations doe allow themselves plurality of wives perhaps alleaging the foresaid custome of the Patriarks as also to uphold the vastnesse of their Empire having such use for unmerous Armies yet we take their reasons to be more sensuall and politick then religious for we that live under the Gospell ought to conforme our selves unto that rule Let every one have his own wife in the singular mumber aforesaid but then seeing there is not one word in the Gospell to the contrary that any Popish Ordinance or other should bar a man to choose that single woman he liketh best to be his wife if she be also consenting and of ripe judgement seems to be both against the law of nature and reason Wherefore we conclude this point with the Apostles words that the forbidding of marriage is the doctrine of devils Again marriage * 1 Tim. 4.3 is honourable in all and the bed undefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Heb. 13.4 in all marke this here 's no exception yet it would have been here or somewhere if it had been unlawfull either in kindred or Ministers as the Popish doctors teach for lucres sake as is formerly mentioned But we are to beware of such as would spoile us through vaine deceipt that follow the traditions of men the rudiments of the world and not after Christ * Colos 28. so then the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery fornication uncleannesse lasciviousnesse idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditious heresies envyings murders drunkennesse with many others c. But as touching * Gal. 5.19,20 the holy institution of marriage intended according to the Ordinance with true love and sincerity of heart we finde no exception in any degree or profession And if the prohibition in the law formerly mentioned were meant of marriage as it is fully and amply proved to intend fornication onely because of the practice in marrying with their next of kin as well after as before formerly proved also yet were it not binding now for we understand the Law contained in Ordinances to be * Ephes 2.15 abolished And againe blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us nayling it to the Crosse Colos 2. 14. for the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity also a change of the Law Heb. 7. 12. observe also the second of the Corinthians There is a veile in reading of the old Testament which veile is taken away in Christ and * Ch. 3. v. 14 17. where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty But how what liberty to doe the works of the flesh formerly touched no God forbid The holy Ghost will witnesse with those that the Lord hath made his Covenant with he will put lawes into their hearts and in their minds will he write them their sinnes and iniquities will he remember no * Heb 10.16 17. more And in 1 Tim 4.9 The law is not made for a righteous man supposing such a one as contriveth not against a good conscience but for the lawlesse disobedient ungodly whoremongers liers stealers c. And in 2 Tim. 3. we have a large description of such as have no testimony of the good Spirit but are called perilous viz. Lovers of themselves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient unthankefull unholy truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce traytors highminded having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof And of this sort are they which creep into houses leading captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Now as James and Jambres withstood Moses so doe these also resist the truth men of corrupt minds c. Then was the chiefe Magistrate withstood how is it now if this portion of Scripture strike not point blanke at
neerest kindred which they were commanded was the cause but most certaine their hardnesse of heart infidelity and idolatry which was forbidden For was not Moses the meekest man and Aaron the sonnes of Amram who married Jocabed his Aunt The next place that seems to fortefie this opinion against all opposition is that of Judagh and Tamar his daughter in law which you have in Genesis 38. throughout the whole Chapter there shall you finde the wilfull and unnaturall trespasse of Onan in refusing to performe the kinsmans duty and therefore the Lord destroyed him but what shall we thinke of Judahs intention can we approve of it no verily he tooke her for * Judges 12.6 a Harlot yet was the sincerity and integrity of Thamar so sublime that from her Issue Vers 15. upon that conjunction came the Saviour of the world for from Phares descended Boas David and consequently our Saviour Jesus Christ according to the flesh and now old Judah could say because I have not performed what I ought of my part she hath been more righteous then I. Well yet let us object Levit. 18. the prohibition there with the glosse upon the Text entituled unlawfull marriages but we suppose it is a Popish glosse and of purpose mis-interpreted to increase his coffers for it will appeare hereafter that the uncovering of nakednesse there mentioned is meant of fornication onely and not of marriage yet the Popes purse upon that pretence hath pickt up many large fees especially where the joyning of Kingdomes or Dukedomes together hath been sought more for politick ends and chiefly if his owne cause hath been interested then the parties owne particular liking But now who is so ignorant to believe that any sinfull man can dispense with what God hath commanded or forbidden In the beginning men gave gifts and presents for fit wives of their owne Linage as appeares * Gen. 24.22 where Abrahams servant gave Rebecca the Earings and the Bracelets now since mens owne covetousnesse or the Popes have forbid such wives as is most naturall the custome is to barter and exchange for strangers so much money so much land c. as you doe for other things in fayre or market But to returne the Answer to the foresaid prohibition in Leviticus 18. is that the many Lawes given in that booke were not perpetuall but onely given to busie the minds of the children of Israel for that present and to divert their inclination from Idolatry unto which they were so subject from their deliverance out of Aegypt in their march to Canaan and perhaps for some other reasons known to men of learning for who doth believe it is not lawfull to eate Hare or Coney Swines flesh c. or to weare linnen and woolen plow with beasts of severall kinds with many other prohibitions whereof that Booke is full as well as in the degrees in kindred They were also peculiar to that people and therefore not binding elsewhere especially to Christians under the Gospel But to make the matter more cleare let us see how we can prove the prohibition in these degrees to be meant of Fornication as is formerly mentioned and not of the holy institution of marriage for instance in the foresaid 18 ch 16. ver it is said Thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy brothers wife it is thy brothers nakednesse uncover the nakednesse marke that though the Pope and ambitious men would delude us the holy Ghost is very wary the Text here speaks not of marriage but uncovering nakednesse and now repaire to Deut. 25. vers 5. There you shall finde that if a brother die the wife of the dead shall not marry unto a stranger her husbands brother shall goe in unto her take her to wife and performe the duty of a husbands brother unto her The rest of the verses following shewes how disgracefully and with what reproach he was to be used that refused to perform this duty So you see there is a vast difference betwixt uncovering of nakednesse and taking to wife for else did not these two Texts controvert each other point-blanke if they were meant of one and the selfesame matter what is then the right exposition no other then this by uncovering of nakednesse is meant fornication as is formerly said which in kindred is utterly forbidden but the other Text in Deutronomy speakes expresly of marriage and taking to wife which is likewise in kindred as directly commanded One other gradation may here be added to wit that the taking of strange women was sometimes in custome for it was no wonder before nor after to see men have children by concubines which they kept besides their wives And the children of Israel were commanded to kill all the males among the Midianites but to keepe the women to themselves * Num. 31.18 we likewise read the Levite had by him two Asses sadled his concubine was also with him Judges 19. 10. but in regard that marriage is honourable and the free woman more Noble then the bond-woman that great duty we ought to performe to our next of kin for so did Abraham to Sara that was his wife and sister but his coneubine was Hagar the bond woman which Sara afterwards dealt hardly with and caused her to flie * Gen. 16. 6. Here we are to note that Sara the kinswoman was a Type of the true Church and Hagar the contrary Moreover you shall finde what curses were threatned to such as married with strangers out of their Tribes as namely they should be snares and traps unto them * Jesh 23. 12 13. scourges in their sides and thorns in their eyes with many other of this kind which whoso please to study may finde at large And that this practice of marriage with kindred was in use not onely before the prohibition in Leviticus already answered but eversithence and never forbid in the Law or Gospell for ought we can finde is the next thing we shall endeavour to prove alledging then some presidents after the foresaid booke of Leviticus perhaps omitting many we will begin with the marriage of the daughters of Selophabad who married with their kindred by the Lords speciall appointment * Num 36. Then the foresaid Text in Deutronomy touching the marriage of the brothers wife Ch. 25. v. 5. And Othinel the valiant man was rewarded with Achsah his next kinswoman who also obtained a further boon of her father * Judges 1. 13. The story of Boas and Ruth is worthy our observation it is so full of goodnesse and charity conducing also to our argument first we see that Naomy Ruths mother in law instructed her how to behave herselfe towards Boas that she might not be unprovided as knowing it seems the inflexible nature of her very next kinsman whereupon after Ruth had uttered these words unto Boas Spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid for thou art a neere kinsman Boas replied Blessed be thou of the Lord for thou