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prejudice and dispel the cloud of ancient ignorance." That it is "magnanimous, by bold efforts, to convince the world and especially Christians, that they have been hitherto mistaken in the meaning of the divine law and the extent of their liberty." Such language is characteristic of scoffers who fear not God nor regard man; but it is arrogant and insufferable in those who make a profession of religion.What claim have such presuming reformers to the attention or gratitude of the public? With what depth of investigation, with what force of argument do they support their pretensions? Is not their whole plea for marrying a sister in law founded intirely upon frivolous evasions and trifling objections? Do they enter at all into the merits of the question, or make any reference to the principles upon which its decision depends?

The divine law has not been obscured in a cloud, nor are prejudice and ignorance to be ascribed to believers, either under the Old or New-Testament dispensation. Throughout every economy of the Church, they understood the genuine institution of marriage, and knew the precise meaning of the prohibitions. They never could be impeached for

want of knowledge or a deficiency in a well informed zeal to obey and vindicate the law of God; and they are not disposed, at the present day, to repair to young expositors for instruction, nor to modern innovators for new morals. No fear of resentment nor desire to please, no frowns nor smiles can intimidate or allure Christians from their duty. Firm to their vows and faithful to their Lord, they now, as heretofore, are resolved to ask for the old paths— the good way, and they wILL walk therein.

How different from these boasters, were the principles and conduct of the humble and holy Apostle ! He trembled at the idea of offending his brethren, even in matters which were indifferent and certainly not sinful. He would not "offend in any thing," if even his eating meat should create an offence, he "would eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest "he make his brother to offend," and he commands all "to give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God."

Let not then the advocates for marrying a sister in law pretend, that such marriages, by being often repeated and unblushingly defended, do not any long

er give offence. They know that to be impossible. The Church which is not offended by them, would be an apostate from truth and duty, and cooperate to its own destruction.-The fear therefore of giving offence, abstracted from every other consideration, ought to restrain the advocates for such marriages from affording their patronage, and especially deter all from committing that evil. It is well known, and cannot be denied, that those connections always have been, and still are, considered by all the Churches, a shameful violation of the divine law and an open reproach to religion. That, with very few exceptions, Christians of all denominations are greatly offended and seriously grieved by such marriages. And it is time to have it known by experience, without further indulgence, wavering, or hesitation, that the Church of Christ, possesses sufficient information, authority, and means, to remove offences and punish offenders.

SECTION VIII.

SUMMARY.

THAT God forbids a man to marry his sister in law has been proved beyond contradiction. To il lustrate the subject and exhibit the arguments with precision, it was judged advisable to ascend to the first principles of marriage and affinity; to contemplate the evil of Incest-and ascertain the nature and extent of the divine law, which prohibits that crime. These interesting topics have unavoidably introduced a variety of observations, which are numerous and diffuse; but which are perhaps not calculated to afford the same instruction or excite equal conviction in the minds of some readers, which the same reasoning would produce, when compressed within narrower boundaries. As instruction and conviction are the primary objects in view, the following summary is annexed.

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