A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 194 (Question 71 cont.)
SERMON CXCIV.
WE have conſidered the Duty enjoyned in this Command, viz. Chaſtity, in general, or as it concerns all Mankind; but it is requiſite that we take a more diſtinct and particular Account of it.
AND here we may obſerve, That though Chastity admits not of any Diſtribution into Species, yet Divines obſerve an Accidental Difference in reſpect of the Subject in whom it is required. It is the Duty of all Mankind to Live Chaſtly; nor is in reſtrained to this or that Condition of Life or Function which the Perſon bears: But the Manner of exerciſing it is diverſe, according to the Condition which the Perſon concerned is in. It is therefore uſually diſtinguiſhed into that which belongs to a Single, or to a Married State: For thoſe that reſtrain it to the former, and vote a Married State to be a State of Impurity, do Err, not knowing the Scriptures, and caſt a Reproach upon an Ordinance of God, who appointed Marriage from the beginning, and hath put great Honour upon it. Heb. 13.4. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefied And this Condition may well agree with the Deſcription which was given of C…tity under the former Diſcourſe. We may therefore Conſider theſe ſeverally:
Firſt, THERE is a Chaſtity required of Single Perſons, which they are to exerciſe in that Condition. And there are who diſtribute theſe into Two. viz Such as never were Married, and ſuch as are reduc'd to a State of Widow…b…ed, between whom there is ſome diverſity to be obſerved.
I. AS to thoſe who never entred into a State of Marriage; it is their Duty to maintain Modeſty, in Thoughts, Words and Actions; and with great Sobriety to wait the Time when God ſhall call them to Change their Condition; and accordingly to apply themſelves to, and Religiouſly follow the Rules before laid down in the opening of this Duty; 1 Theſ. 4.3, 4. For this is the will of God, even your ſanctification, that ye ſhould abſtain from fornication: that every one of you ſhould know how to p…ſſeſs his veſſel in ſanctification and honour. Only here Enquiry may be made.
1. WHETHER a Single Life be Eſſential to the Chaſtity required in this Precept? This ſome have defended with a great deal of vehemence, but it is altogether B…nter and Folly; for this neceſſarily condemns all Married Perſons, which is contrary to the Word of God, and the very Nature of this Grace, as we before had it Deſcribed And too often, there are none more Unchaſt, than ſuch as boaſt themſelves in C…labacy, who in the mean while nouriſh in them Unclean Luſts: Nor would God ever have made Marriage an Ordinance, if it neceſſarily had involved in it this Sin.
2. WHETHER a Single Life be for it ſelf more laudable and pleaſing to God, then a Married Life? As touching the Merit of it, which ſome have pleaded hard for, it is purely Antichriſtian, and utterly exploded by all knowing Chriſtians; But ſome of the Ancients have thrown out a great deal of Oratory, in making Hyperbolical Encomiums of Virginity and caſting Dirt and Reproach upon the Married Eſtate, making the one Angelical, and the other …enſual: But this not only Contradicts the Apoſtle in the fore-cited, Heb. 13.4. But it both is againſt the great Reaſon why God put ſuch a diſtinction of Sexes among Mankind, which was for the Continuance of the Species in it's Individuals, and Peopling of the World by them; and becomes a Temptation to many, for v…n glory, to expoſe themſelves to the moſt prodigious …ins againſt this Command.
3. WHETHER it be lawful for any to make a Vow of a Single Life? This alſo is much pleaded for, and practiced among the Papiſts; yea, how many are there among them who are conſtrained to it? But what horrendous W…redoms, and bloody Murders have been the Events of it, the World is not ignorant of; which gives reaſon to enquire into the Warrant for it: And there are Two things which may give light to it, viz.
[1.] A Religious Vow muſt be of ſuch things as God will be really ſerved in our Performance of, and w… … within our power of doing: F…r to Vow th… to God, which He will not be Glorified by, i… Profane; and to …ind our ſelves to that which we have neither Command of, nor a Prom… that God will give us Power to do it is a Temp… of God: But there is no Pr…cept in the Word of God for this, nor any Example …pproved by God of any ſuch thing; for as to that of J…p…s Daughter, it is not certain that ſhe was ſo devoted, and if it were ſo, there is no approbation of it ſignified in Holy Writ
[2.] Nor hath God beſtowed upon all a Gift by which they may Chaſtly … their Vow, which they have R…ſh…y made, and contrary to the Precept. It is true, that God hath given His Direction to it, as a Prudential for Perſons in Tim… of peculiar Troubles upon the Church, to abide in their Single State, if they can do it with a good Conſcience; but even then to take heed of expoſing themſelves to be endangered by it, to Sin againſt this very Command. 1 Cor. 7. …at. end.
II. THERE is a Chaſtity to be maintained by Perſons that have formerly been Married, but are now in a Widowed State. And he… alſo the general Rules forementioned, are to be obſerved by them during their Continuance in that Condition. Nor are there any particular Rules to be preſcribed to ſuch under this Conſideration. Only here is one CASE which hath been Controverted by ſome, & a very few Words may be ſufficient for the Reſolution of it, …. Whether it be lawful for ſuch to Marry again, or they ought to continue in their Widowhood? Some of the Ancients have alſo declaimed againſt this, and have confidently …anked it among the plain Breaches of this Command: But it is ſufficient to Confute all that can be ſaid againſt it, that it is ſo far from being forbidden in the Word of God, that it is there warranted and approved, Rom. 7. begin. 1. Tim 5.14. And it is certain, that Marriage Relation continues no longer than Life doth, nor will it revert again at the Reſurrection, being ordained to ſerve the Occaſions of Time, and Comfort of Man during his abode here; Matth. 22.30. It is true the Apoſtle ſeems to Diſcourſe of a ſort of Widows, which, were of Service in the Churches, 1 Tim. 5.9, &c. Let not a widow be taken into the number, under threeſcore years old, having been the wife of one man. — About whom there are various Conjectures, and moſt probably they were ſuch as were Aged and Neceſſitous, and were ſupported by the Church, and employed for the tending of the Sick, or what other Service was fit for them; and the reaſon why he would not have the Younger admitted to this Number, is leſt they ſhould be tempted to Marry, and ſo defeat the Service: But the… is no mention of the Breach of this Command in Caſe they ſo do.
BUT this may ſuffice in regard of ſuch as an Single Perſons.
Secondly, THERE is a Chaſtity require of Married Perſons, which they are … both in order to their Marriage, and of … are united in that ſolemn Covenant. Command herefore Divines do uſually refer the whole Doctrine of Marriage. It is true, Huſbands and Wives, as they do conſtitute one Order among Mankind ordained by God, and are under the Obligation of Relative Duties of Order, ſo they belong to the Fifth Command; under which we have already conſidered them: But then, us they are to be looked on with reſpect to that Modeſty and Chaſtity which is required of them ſo are they to be referred to the Seventh: And for the laying open of this matter, let theſe Concluſions be obſerved;
1. THAT Marriage is an Ordinance of Divine Appointment. Not as if all Perſons under all Circumſtances are bound to it, when come to Years of Maturity; for there are many Reaſons why Perſons may lawfully and prudently, and ſometimes neceſſarily, continue in their C…labacy, as the Apoſtle particularly in…ceth in caſe of Perſecution, 1 Cor. 7. tho' … great Caution and Limitation: But as to Mankind in general, God hath appointed it from the beginning; and it is included in the general Precept laid down, Gen. 1.27, 28. So God created he him: male and female created be them. And God bleſſed them, and God ſaid unto them, be fruitful and multiply —. And God gives this as the Reaſon, why He Created the Woman, (Gen 2.18.) It is not good that the man ſhould be a one. And for that Reaſon Adam declared upon it this Rule of Marriage, which was grounded on the Light of Nature, and was to continue in force to the End of the World, Ver. 24. Therefore ſhall a man leave his father and his mother, and ſhall cleave unto his uſe: and they ſhall be one fleſh. Nor could the Ends of Human Society have been anſwer'd but for Marriage, without which Mankind muſt have lived promiſcuouſly like Beaſts, which would have ſubverted all Order, and been a Foundation of Confuſion.
2. THAT one great End of God's ordaining Marriage, was for the preſervation of Chaſtity among Men. As Coelibacy it ſelf is not Chaſtity, but Chaſtity is to be maintained in it; ſo neither is Marriage Unchaſtity, but an orderly and …dable preſervative of Chastity among Men: …ence that in 1 Pet. 3.2. While they behold your beſt converſation coupled with fear. God appointed Mankind for Marriage; and when Per…ons ſo united, do keep true and faithful to the Rules preſcribed by God to ſuch, they do there… adorn this Virtue. God hath in His Word …et Bounds to the natural Inclinations of Men, … which He Himſelf is the Author, who … them into innocent Nature; and this is that foundation of the Con…ugal Relation; and there …re but a few of Mankind, that in their lapſed …ſtate, can live Chaſtly without their entring …to this Relation.
3. THAT there is no Order or Degree of …en exempted from this Liberty. Our Adver…ries make it a Sin for any Eccleſiastical Orders … enter into a Married Eſtate; but however, …ey trifle in pretending to prove it by the …ord of God; for there is neither Print nor Footſtep for any ſuch thing to be found ther… Nay, It is one of the Characteriſtical Notes of the Antichriſtian Apoſtacy, 1 Tim. 4.3. Forbidding to marry. Not as if it intends that they would forbid it altogether, but that they would prohibit ſome Orders of Men from it; and yet in the mean while they allow Whored …, and make it but a pece… dillo, one of the laſt Venial Sins in their moſt holy Orders; whereas the Spirit of God aſſures us in Heb 13.4. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed and fled: but whoremongers and … God will judge. i. e. in all ſorts or Orders of Men: How contrary then is it for Men to decree it to be Unclean? And we know that the moſt Holy Patriarchs and Apoſtles, are recorded to be Married Perſons: Yea, Peter himſelf, of whom our Antagoniſts make their Brags; and ſome have thought Paul too; however he aſſerts his Liberty ſo to be, 1 Cor. 9.5. Have we not power to lead about a ſiſter a wife as well as other apoſtles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
4. THERE are divers things requiſite to a Chaſt Marriage: And theſe are uſually reckoned to this Precept, the principal of which may come under our preſent Conſideration;
1. A Chaſt Marriage muſt be between One Man, and One Woman. That this is not ſo to be underſtood, as if it were unlawful to have a ſecond or more, after the Death of the former, hath already been obſerved; but that they cannot have more than One, whilſt they ſtand Related to that One in the Bond of Matrimony, and that neither of the Man's ſide, nor the If Woman's: And that this was not only a Law from the beginning, but agreeable to the Light & Law of Nature, is evident from the Word of God. That it was ſo from the Beginning, appears from that of Adam, Gen. 2.24. — And ſhall cleave unto his wife: and they ſhall be one fleſh. Which is apparently intended of Monogamy, or a reſtraint of this to One and One, as appears from the Gloſs which our Saviour made on it, Matth. 19.5. And ſaid, For this cauſe ſhall a man leave father and mother, and ſhall cleave to his wife: and they twain ſhall be one fleſh. Wherefore are they no more twain, but one fleſh. And that it is agreable to the Law of Nature, the Prophet ſeems to argue from the Creation, Mal. 2.15. And the Nature of the Relation it ſelf, and the Covenant in which it is contracted, do further confirm it: Nor can the mutual Duties required between Perſons in that Relation be diſcharged between more at once, as will be evident in ſome things that follow: And it is expreſly forbbiden, Lev. 18.18. Neither ſhalt thou take a wife to her ſiſter, to vex ber, to uncover her nakedneſs beſides the other in her life time.
2. IN a Chaſt Marriage it is neceſſary that it be made between Perſons that may lawfully come together. God hath not given to Mankind an Univerſal Liberty, but hath reſtrained them to Bounds. And that it is not I awful for a Man to take another Man's Wife, ſo neither may a Woman Marry to a Man who hath another Wife, for theſe are another's Property, and it would be horrible Adultery. But beſides this, There are ſeveral degrees of Relation which God hath ex…pte… from coming within this Liberty, as is evident in the Word of God. What theſe are, and to what Degree they are ſtinted, is not to be determined by Human Arbitrement, but by the Preſcript of the Word of God. And it is certain, that ſome Duties are Moral, and yet the Circumſtances and B…ands of them depend on the Divine Arbitrement. There is no little Diſpute w…ether theſe Degrees are Natural or P…ſ…ve, about which all Divines are not agreed. The … againſt its belonging to the Law of Nature, are partly from the conſideration or the … of Nature, which God co…itured in the Creation, in which all Men were to proceed from one Root or Original, for which it was neceſſary for the Propagation of Mankind, that Brother, & Siſters muſt Marry together; and this would have been had Man ſtood in his Primitive Integrity, and therefore would not have been a Sin, or going againſt the Light of Nature: As alſo becauſe there was a Paſ…tro… Law among the Jews, That if an Eldeſt Son ſhould Dye without Iſſue, his Brother ſhould take his Wife, as in Deut. 25.5. Whereas they ſuppoſe that there is no Diſpenſation with a Natural Law; and hence they take it to be meerly Juriſp…ſitive. Whereas on the other hand, it is demurred, that when God had ſet Bounds to theſe Degrees, He urgeth the Precept from the Conſideration, that theſe were the Abominations for which God out off the Heathen Nations, Lev 18 24, 25. D…ſ…e not you your ſelves in any of theſe things: for on all theſe the nations are defied which I caſt out before you. And the land is d…fi…ed: therefore I do viſit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land it ſelf …omiteth out her inhabitants. Whereas theſe are not Charged with and Puniſhed for the Tranſgreſſion of Laws meerly Poſitive or ſuch as were not engraven on Man's Heart at firſt Beſides, there was a Reſentment on the Minds of the Pagans of Horrour on the Account of ſome of theſe Degrees; hence ſome of their Governments had ſevere Laws againſt it, and ſome of their Poets have writ Tragical things about it; and we have ſuch an Expreſſion of Pauls about it, 1 Cor. 5.1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and ſuch fornication as is not ſo much as named among the Gentiles, that one ſhould have his father's wiſe. Some therefore will have only the aſcending and deſcending Line forbidden by th… Law of Nature, and ſo indiſpenſi…le; and that it had been Unnatural for Adam or Eve to have been Married to any of their Poſterity, to the very laſt Generation; but they will have the collateral Lines forbidden to be ſo, by a Poſitive Law, and accordingly diſpenſi…le: But others do not allow this, but reduce it to the Law of Neceſſity, when God had made Man in One Head, and Commanded them to encreaſe and multiply which they could not do, unleſs they came … theſe Degrees, it ſo became Lawful and a Duty; but upon the Ceſſation of that Neceſſity, Nature it ſelf dictated in Men's Conſciences that it was indecent and Unlawful And we find that the Gentile law extended further than the … Line, in judging and Puniſhing In…eſ…u…us Marriages or Matures. But then, to what Degrees this extends, is not agreed by all, but ſome contract it … er, and others extend it …; but as we before obſerved, this is determinable by the Law of God revealed in His Word; for it is certain that all Mankind are of one blood, and have a Conſanguinity; but of neceſſity it muſt … ſomewhere; and whether or no this was engraven on Man's Mind at Firſt, it is left as to Fallen Man. God gave a general Precept to Iſrael about this, Lev. 1….6. None of … ſhall appr… to any that is near of kin 1. …. to … their nakedneſs: I am the Lord: Which the Light of Nature ſubſcribes: But the Heathen Civiliz'd Nations ſeem to have extended it no further than to the Brother and Siſter; whereas many that call themſelves C…riſtians, from … general Rule, take the liberty to ſet the … according to their own Fancies; and the Pope… Canons have formed a great many things which never entred into the Mind of God, not … with Reaſon be juſtly brought within the compaſs of Inceſt: But this was only a Trick to enſnare Mens Conſciences, and to make way for Papal Diſpenſations, thereby to fill the… Coffers: For this reaſon therefore God hath is the fore cited, Levit. 1…. pricked the Bounds or Limits of this Precept; and it is not for Men according to their Fancies to ſtreighten or enlarge them: And it is a good Rule given by Divines, That nothing but what is there Pro… bited either expreſly, or what bears a Par…el thereto, may be judged Inceſtuous, and ſo Unlawful: And theſe refer either to Conſanguinity or …ff…nity, and ſo comprehends Father and father, Son and Daughter; the Father's Wife, and the Mother's Husband; the Brother and Siſter; the Brother …s Wife, and the Siſter's Huſband; the Grand Parents, and the Grand Children, and their Husbands and Wives; the Uncle and Aunt, and the Nephew and Niece, and their Husbands or Wives; the Wive's or Huſband …s former Daughter: So that any Relation that comes not within theſe Degrees, is not Prohibited, either by the Law Natural or Poſitive, nor are Men's Conſciences to be entangled by them.
AS touching the CASE as to Firſt or G…rmane Couſins, there have been many Debates among Caſuiſts, whether it …e Lawful or …; and much Scandal hath been occaſioned by it: All I ſhall ſay to it is, that whatſoever Reaſons of Prudence may be raiſed againſt it, yet it cannot come under the Breach of the S. v. n…h Command as Inceſtuous, except it had been expreſly forbidden in the Word of God, as it no where is; or had come within the Limits preſcribed in the Word of God; but it ſeems to be a Degree more Remote than any mentioned: And tho' it may be prudent to diſſwade from it on other Reaſons, the World being wide; yet where it is ſo, it is hard to Charge ſuch with a Sin, which God hath not Charged in His revealed Word.
AS to a Man's Marrying with his Wife's Siſter, or a Woman with her Husband's Brother, which ſome among us have pleaded for, it is forbidden, at leaſt in a thing Parallel, and therefore can never be juſtified, Lev. 18.6. Nor will the fore-cited Law Poſitive, (Deut. 25.5.) vindicate it; this being a Law Moral and Perpetual; whereas the other was accommodated to the Iſraelitiſh Pedagegy, and Reſtrictions.
AND in reſpect of Eccleſiaſtical Relations, in which Men are forbidden to Marry with their ſpiritual Children, as they call them; or C…il Relations, in prohibiting the Marriage of an Adopted Child to the Adopter, or his Daughter, and whatſoever of like Nature is enjoyned under Popery; they are ridiculous, as having no Contiguity of Blood produced by them. Finally, It is here to be obſerved, that in Af…y this Prohibition terminates in the Perſon, and extends no further. Tho one may not Marry his Father's Wife, yet this Command d…th not forbid Marrying with her Daughter; and tho' a Perſon may not Marry to his Wife's Siſter or his Brother's Wife, yet his Brother any Marry to her Siſter, &c.
3. IN a Ch…ſt Marriage it is requiſite that … be a Rational and Deliberate Conſent be… the Parties ſo Contracting. This is evident from the very Nature of the Marriage Covenant, in which the Parties do mutually give themſelves each to other, and take one …ther into this Relation, which neceſſarily …i…es rational Spontaneity. Hence we have that in Gen. 24.57.58. And they ſaid, we will … the damſel and enquire at her mouth. And they called Rebeckah, and ſaid unto her, wilt th… go with this man? And ſhe ſaid, I will …. Not is it ordinarily to be expected that ſuch Perſons as are Forcibly brought together, ſhould maintain a Chaſt Love between each other. As to the Conſent of Parents, doubtleſs it is required by the Law of God that Children ſhould be directed by them; it being a part of the Authority which God hath veſted them withal, and the Light of Nature directs …o it; and therefore Clandeſtine Marriages, ſtolen con…y to, or without their Conſent is a Breach of the Fifth Command directly; and muſt uſually argue an ungoverned Paſſion in the Perſons themſelves, which is againſt the Seventh, and therefore Civiliz'd Governments have provided ſeverely againſt it; tho' whether ſuch Marriages are altogether Void, is matter of Diſpute. And if Children are unreaſonably with-held by their Parents from Marriage, they ought to ſeek their Redreſs from the Civil Authority. It is hence alſo to be Inferred, that to Marriage ought to be made between Perſons till they come to Age of Maturity & Diſcretion: The Cuſtom uſed by ſome for Secular ends, to Marry Children together in their Infancy; when as they are neither capable of fixing their Affections, nor of making a Rational Choice, nor of diſcharging the Marriage Duties, is a great Sin, and contrary to the Nature of this Precept: Nor is it Rationally pleadable, that Parents may as well give their Infant Children in Marriage, as preſent them to Baptiſm; when they are not able to Covenant for themſelves; for the Infants of Chriſtians are taken into the Covenant by God, and are therefore to receive the …odge of His Covenant; whereas Marriage is a free Contract, in which each Party is at liberty to make their own Choice; and are under no tie to alienate themſelves in Marriage to this or that Perſon, any further than they do it by a free Conſent. And this alſo muſt needs condemn thoſe, who Raſh…y give themſeves away to Perſons who are Strangers, and ſuch of whom they had no fore-knowledge, which is a thing too frequently practiſed by too many amongſt us, who for the moſt part have occaſion to Repent at …eiſure, of what they did in haſte; and when by their ſo doing, they have involved themſelves in a Miſery irretrievable. And it muſt needs argue a: Un…hast and Ungovernable Spirit, when others Harms do not make ſuch to beware. A Sober and Moleſt Perſon will certainly be deliberate in a matter of ſuch Concern.
[DECEMBER 12. 1704.]