The Unlawfulness of Mixed Marriages, Part 1
A Word to those Congregations in general, who allow of Mixt-Marriages
BRethren, I cannot pass this oportunity, and occation, which now presents it self, but must in short discharge my trust, and a good Conscience towards you, whether I love you or no, and desire your present prosperity in Truth, Peace and Purity here, and Eternal Happiness hereafter, in what I shall say, Almighty God can only witness for or against me, I have that testimony in my self that I greatly long after you, and desire your welfare in the Lord, and could gladly spend, and be spent for you, though the more I love you, the less I am loved by you, and how much I have been grieved and in secret have mourned and with what fervency I have prayed, and still do, both in publick and private for you, the Lord knoweth, and many can witness; yet notwithstanding I know my Reward will be from some froward, and unmortified Spirits, no better then unkind reflections, with unchristian, uncharitable and rash censures, but however those things give me no discouragement, nor shall cause me to desist from any thing, may be hopefully a means to call you back from your declensions, to your first Love and works, I have seen to the grief of my Soul (which you have not regarded nor taken any care of) that you have defiled your selves, and corrupted your way in suffering the Doctrine of Balaam to be held, taught, and put in practice amongst you, namely Mixt-Marriages, Believers to be unequally Yoked together in Marriage with Unbelievers; which you in your Consciences have known, and have bore your testimony against with much zeal, as being a sin and Transgression, but now being perverted, I fear by your too much Love of the World, and delighting in the modes and fashions thereof, which you once protested against, and separated your selves from, hath made you so easy to be seduced, and turned aside from your Virgin purity and chastity, and not to keep out that sin, nor now it is got in, you suffer it and indulge it, and do not reform such enormity, by which you are, even the whole body defiled, you being partakers with them in that sin, in that you keep them in your Communion at the Lords Table; which by your so doing they continue in their sin, cum privilegio, and by allowance from you. And that you have long since inclined hereunto, (being seduced by the fair pretences of some whose minds were corrupted in that matter) as appears by your consenting to the passing of two decrees, or Church agreements in order thereunto, the First was to this effect, that no Member should call or give Mixt-Marriages the name of Fornication, which is the proper name the Spirit of God doth give it, as I have shewn from 1 Cor. 6.15.16, 18. Chap. 10.8. Rev. 2.14. Which I pray you carefully consider, this no doubt was the first step to the introducing of that sin, for, to take away the name of a sin which makes it look with a soul face, and sheweth the true and proper colours of it, is the ready way to incline Members both Men and Women to make less Conscience of it, and in time make none at all, the Second decree was, that those Members that did Marry contrary to the Rule of Gods Holy word, should upon the acknowledgement of their sin, and sorrow for the same, be Received into Communion again, or to this effect, this was another step to incline Members so to Marry, and to break down the bounds that hedged up the way of that sin, for who would keep himself pure from this defilement, when any carnal and worldly advantages do offer themselves, that is set so light by, that an outward confession and shew of sorrow shall not only make his peace with the Church, but shall also give him their approbation and consent that he shall now continue in his sin, and enjoy his Communion with them also, and by this means the way is stop'd up, by which the sinner and sin should go out, and be separated from the Church; these inventions and traditions of men (for no other name can I give them) contrary to the mind of Christ was the product of your Primary defect, and procidence from your pristine integrity, and that good order you once persued to keep this (with some other evils) out of your Camp; For the leaders of this People cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed. Isa. 9.16. And now at last you are so far from reformation, that you have suffered Mr. T. to publish to the world an absolute defiance against the Unlawfulness of Mixt-Marriages, and the Churches power to deal with any that shall Transgress, proclaiming to all the Churches both in City and Country that it is no sin, no evil in it self, contrary to no Law, and therefore Lawfull, and likewise that if it be a sin, the Church hath no Precept, nor no Example, and therefore no power to withdraw from any for so Marrying, so that what was done by you before in your agreements, though they were of the same tendancy, yet now he hath spoke plainly, what you in those agreements spoke but darkly, and unto his, you have rather writ Imprimatur then any ways made it your endeavour to detect his Errors, it being thus with you as is too apparant, your practice being sufficient proof, I can do no less then admonish you of these evils and defilements, that now seem to stick fast unto you, and to call upon you in the Name of the Lord to repent, and reform of those great evils and pollutions that are amongst you, before it be to late, and that you labour to work such a reformation as will be pleasing to the Lord, and also demonstrate to all, the Truth of your Repentance, and amendment, this I speak is in love to your Souls how ever you will take it, and in discharge of my Duty to God and you, and therefore whether you hear or forbear, I have discharged my Conscience in the sight of God, and shall not cease praying for you, nor to be willing to serve you in the Lord.
I. G.