our needs and what is good for us he would have given yea there is in it a despising his way and gracious provision for our meet helpfulness which iniquity is the greater by how much the more his provision is rich and graoious 2. This instruction condemns as heretical and devilish those doctrines that religiously forbid to marry as also that command to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received and that with thanksgiving of them that believe and know the truth 1 Tim. 4. 1 3-5 Though in some cases of distress and perplexity of Christian Churches and Nations it may be good that is to say commodious for a man if he can contain then not to marry yet if he or she that is unmarried do then marry they sin not nor do any thing worthy of shame meerly in marrying though such at such a time shall have the more trouble in the flesh yet it is better to marry then to burn if they cannot contain therefore let them marry 1 Cor 7. 7 8 9 26 27 28. For Marriage is honourable in all of what degree order or rank soever But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge 3. This also admonisheth not to abuse marriage which God hath in such wise and by such means made honourable Now marriage is abused either by treacherous breaking or violating the covenant of it or inticing others so to do or by a dishonourable use of it or behaviour in it And here give me leave to stay a while as to shew the abuse of marriage in both these branches and to warn of it it may be needful to some 1. Marriage is abused and prophaned by a treacherous breaking or inticing others to break and violate the covenant of it of which God is witness who will be a swift witness both against the adulterer against the false sweater see Mal. 2. 14 15. 3. 5. Therefore saith the Lord see that none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth namely that first taken when he was free and at liberty to marry either not having been married before or being by the death of a former wife free from the law of his wife or so the wife from the law of her husband For God is a witness between him and the wife of his youth and will take all treacherous dealing in neglecting or departing from the first taking or going in to another or looking upon another to lust after them during the life-time of the first as a breach of his Covenant which admits not of another to be added to the first taken during the life-time of the first no though under pretence of taking owning and caring for her as a wife nor of departing from or putting away the first See Levit. 18. 18. with the forementioned Scripture in Malachi So then the Marriage-covenant is violated and broken either by adding another or by departing from or putting away the first taken during her life-time 1. By adding another as a wife or concubine a wife to her sister or one wife to another during her life-time True it is that the taking and having more wives then one at at a time and sometimes divers wives and concubines also was customarily used in former ages even among Israel after the flesh And many good men allowed themselves in it without examination of the custom whence it came and whether it was according or contrary to Gods Law And in those times before that grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men had so appeared as now it hath by Jesus Christ more fully discovering and teaching to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts God winked at such things and did not so severely reprove them as since he doth and will do And might the rather suffer and forbear the strict taking notice of them that at the time of the manifestation of Christ and through the Gospel he might the more declare his righteousness in forgiving sincs that are past and for other holy ends Yet however in those times of ignorance among the Gentiles and under those darker dispensations to Israel while he spake to them but in divers parts and had not given so full and clear a revelation of the mystery of godliness as is now come forth by Christ to Jew and Gentile he in a sort winked at such things yet I say it was not so from the beginning as is already shewed nor did God ever give any declarative allowance of it but contrariwise did forbid it and declare it to be contrary to his minde and to the order he had set in creation as may be seen in the Scriptures already cited And in the way of his judgements also even enough might be seen to shew that he did not approve it though he did not so severely judge it as under this last dispensation he will That he did not approve it nor was it according to his minde may be seen in these Observations 1. The first that we read of that had two wives together was that Lamech not of the posterity of Seth but of Cain the fifth generation from him who went out from the presence of the Lord and was with his posterity separated and distinguished from Seths posterity who it appears abode in Gods presence and retained his Oracles and were called the sons of God probably as distinguished from Cains posterity who were called the sons and daughters of men Compare the 4 5 and 6 chapters of Genesis And see I. what befel that Lamech the first that broke Gods law and order set in creation in taking two wives he was led into and overcome of such a temptation as brought him under the sentence at least in his own spirit of an heavie judgement exceeding Cains tenfold which he was made sadly to bewail in the ears of both his wives who must reap the evil fruit of it with him And see how the mention of it is presently added to that of his taking two wives Gen. 4. 19 23 24. II. See also what wrath and judgement it brought upon the old world when the sons of God those of Seths posterity among whom the Oracles of God and his Worship was retained saw the daughters of men that they were fair and took them wives of all that they chose and thereby joyned with them in their evil manners and made their wickedness great hardening their hearts against the spiritual preaching of Jesus Christ in his Oracles and by such means as he afforded 2. And though after we read of some good men that added another wife or wives and concubines during the life-time of the first yet as they had no allowance from God in any of his oracles or instructions given them so to 〈◊〉 so likewise it may be observed 1. That they of them that we read of first in it were led into it by consulting with the flesh or drawn in unadvisedly by some temptation and through heedlesness of the Word and Oracles of God As for instance
an evil and sensual way to judge of God and his things according to outward appearance to judge him to be like us and approve our ways because he holds his peace or also still fills us with good things Psal 50. 21. Eccles 8. 11. Isa 57. 10 11 c. We are instructed to search try and examine our ways not by outward appearances or successes but by the Word of the Lord and now by that as come forth by Christ in the preaching of the cross which is that light that makes manifest all things reproved Ephes 5. 13. 1 Cor. 11. 28 29. Jam. 1. 25. Psal 1. 1 2. Jer. 17. 7 9. Object 3. God gave David Sauls wives into his bosome 2 Sam. 12. 8. Answ 1. He gave him also as the same Scripture tells us his masters house and the whole house of Israel and of Judah to be ruled fed and nourished by him as their Shepherd as well as also therein to be to him a rich portion for his present satisfaction and contentment and to magnifie him and so did give his masters wives into his bosome to be at his dispose and to be cherished by him as his masters wives and yet not give them to him to be to him as wives nor read we any where of his taking or having any of them as such yet they being so given to him to be cherished by him and their husband being dead it had been less evil in him to have taken any of them then to slay Vriah with the sword of the children of Ammon that he might take his wife yea first to take her and then so to slay him as he did And so his having those in his custody as aforesaid aggravated his evil in this as did all the great goodness that God had bestowed upon him And yet also 2. If we had found that David had so taken them and should understand this Scripture to say that God did give them into his bosome for wives or to be so taken and used by him if he desired it which it doth not Yet that would not prove Gods approving his so taking or having any of them as a wife during the life-time of another For God is said oft-times to give permissively those things which properly he allows not much less approves but suffers and permits and is pleased to wink at the sinfulness of mens desires in them as in a like case Moses for the hardness of their hearts under the ministration of the Law that had both veiledness and yet sharpness in many things holding under a yoke of servitude in which there was not such manifestation of the riches of the grace of God to melt and overcome to such whole submission to and delight in Gods government in every thing as is since come forth by Christ I say for the blindness and hardness of their heart under that ministration which was then more excusable he suffered them to put away their wives when as from the beginning it was not so And then as ever God who is one and with whom is no variableness or shaddow turning hated putting away See Matth. 19. 7 8. with Mal. 2. 14 15 16. and Mark 10. 5 6. But enough hath been said to shew that the taking or adding another wise during the life-time of the first was always an abuse and corruption of Marriage contrary to its first state and institution and a breach of its Covenant of which God is witness And to clear it against those objections that may be raised either from some former practices of some of the holy men of old I say of some of them for most of them were preserved from that abuse of marriage as Noah Isaac Moses Job and others that might be mentioned Or from God's suffering or winking at such practices in any sort under those darker dispensations though then he left not himself without witness against them even in the Oracles received and retained by those men and instructions and precepts delivered by them who yet themselves through temptation counsel of the flesh or evil examples not examined were led into such snares as is already shewed And yet more might be said as to mention a little in that one instance of Job Job was a man of whom God testifies that he feared God and eschewed evil and this is one of the great evils which in the fear of God he had then learned to eschew having one wife who yet sometime through her folly was an affliction to him He made a covenant with his eyes namely that he would not look or think on another to lust after her why then said he should I think on a maid For what portion of God is there from above and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high Is not destruction to the wicked and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity c If I have says he walked with vanity or my foot hath hasted to deceit If my heart hath been deceived by a woman or I have laid wait at my neighbours door Then let my wife grinde to another and let others bow down upon her for this is an heynous crime an iniquity to be punished by the judges See Job 31. 1-12 And now that God hath spoken to us in these last days by his Son he hath plainly declared his minde for the bringing us into rectitude in this as in other things see Matth. 19. 4-6 with Mark 10. 6-8 and what is before noted thereupon like to which is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 2 3. Let every man have his own wife and every woman have her own husband and that to avoid the so having knowing or looking upon to lust after any other by either of them All which is there signified to be fornication as things are now revealed Therefore also the same Apostle instructing Timothy and Titus what manner of persons they must be who might by them be ordained in every place as Bishops and Deacons mentions this as the first thing If any be blameless the husband of one wife 1 Tim. 3. 2 12. Tit. 1. 6 7. If any say this being a direction what manner of persons they must be that may be chosen into office of oversight of their brethren is not binding to all I answer 1. It is an instruction how such ought to be qualified that they may profitably teach and therewithal be examples to others in such things as the grace of God bringing salvation to all men now in this appearance of it teacheth all Therefore that which they must be is no other then what all others to whom that grace hath appeared ought to be according to their capacitie and are by their teaching and example to be instructed to as may be seen in the other things mentioned as vigilancie good behaviour being given to hospitality apt to teach as in any measure they have received the gift 1 Pet. 4. 10. not given to wine no striker or brawler not accused of riot
chap. 6. 13-20 Or when in their better works and indeavours they either are empty Vines to him and bring forth fruit to themselves as Hos 10. 1. or else having done some work and suffered many things and brought forth some fruit by him and through his strengthning and filling them and gracious presence with them they ascribe and attribute the praise of it to themselves to their greater wisdom and skill either in the word of righteousness or in other arts and sciences or to their prudent management of things their zeal care or diligence or the like and so deck their Idols with his ornaments as Ezek. 16. Or also seek to espouse and win the children brought forth unto and for themselves contrary to the minde and Spirit of Christ in his servants as before shewed and indeed this is also near akin to that more high degree of spiritual fornication before mentioned which is resembled by a mans having his Fathers wife And surely this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us even our sanctification that we should abstain from fornication both carnal and spiritual and as the mercies of the Lord as set before us in the consideration of the heavenly and spiritual Marriage resembled by the earthy and of the great and precious promises therein confirmed and given us yea and in the consideration of the earthy marriage also do powerfully oblige instruct and strengthen us to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord to present and yeild up the whole man a living sacrifice holy and acceptable which is but a reasonable service and not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of the minde as Rom. 12. 1 2 c. with 2 Cor. 7. 1. So likewise the holiness of the Lord and his severity against all uncleanness and filthiness of flesh and spirit and the dreadfulness of his wrath reserved against despifers or neglecters of his mercy and salvation that turn his grace into wantonness and will not be made clean as this is clearly shewed and to be seen in the discovery of that grace in Christ to manward which is abused by such rebellious despisers and neglecters is very useful to be considered to the same purpose and of powerful usefulness as so seen in that glass aforesaid to warn and admonish to flee fornication and all uncleanness yea the Apostles had abundant usefulness of such considerations of the terrour of the Lord upon their own spirits for awakening and admonishing to watchfulness denying the flesh and keeping under the body as they were also instructed by their Master their Lord and ours see Mark 9. 42-50 with 2 Cor. 5. 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 9. 27. And have also frequently in all their ministration both to believers and unbelievers presented this severity and terrour of the Lord in and with their preaching of the Gospel and as an instruction and consequent thereof to awaken warn and admonish all to give more earnest heed to the things set before them in the glorious Gospel See Acts 13. 38-40 41. Rom. 1. 18 c. and 2. 1-10 1 Cor. 6. 9-11 2 Cor. 5. 11. Gal. 5. 15-21 Eph. 5. 1-6 Col. 3. 5 6. Heb. 2. 1-3 and 10. 26-31 and 12. 15-25-29 Behold therefore the goodness and the severity of the Lord. And see to that purpose what is set before us in the other branch of this Sentence in the consideration of which I shall endeavour the more brevity having been much larger then I intended upon the former and especially in the last point of Usefulness Marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled But Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge In this later part of the Text viz. But Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge let it be considered 1. What is Whoredom and Adultery 2. Who are in Gods account and by him reputed Whoremongers and Adulterers 3. How in what sense and after what manner God will judge them 1. Whoredom and Adultery is here opposed to Marriage and the bed undefiled and by that opposition signified to be All carnal knowledge of or fellowship with a woman that is other or besides Marriage and the bed undefiled whatever of that nature is more or besides every man having his own one wife and every woman having her own one husband so much also is signified by the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 1 2 3. whatever I say is more then this or besides this in persons married and so all such carnal knowledge of and fellowship one with another in persons unmarried is Whoredom and Adultery I might also include those unlawful and dishonourable conjunctions though under pretence of Marriage yea the being married with such relations in the flesh as are mentioned Levit. 18. 6-18 with 1 Cor. 5. 1. This might be more particularly shewed by the Scriptures of truth but this may suffice in this place yet this I adde that our Saviour saith Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already in his heart understand it of a woman that is not his own wife and so where the having and following such a desire is sinful and forbidden for the desire of a man to his wife is not called lust or not an evil or sinful lust Yea the Apostle also mentions chambering and wantonness foolish talking and jesting as branches of this uncleanness and filthiness of the flesh Ephes 5. 4. Rom. 13. 13. I might also adde that the holy Ghost thus detecting and judging Adultery with a woman and all uncleanness or filthiness of the flesh of that nature doth more strongly imply the sinfulness and abominable shamefulness of a mans lying with man-kinde as with woman-kinde and of man or woman lying with any beast as Levit. 18. 22 23. with Rom. 1. 24 26 27. 2. They are in Gods account and by him reputed Whoremongers and Adulterers that when light comes to them loving and chusing darkness rather do as children of disobedience to the grace of God bringing salvation either go on to commit and serve and continue in the actual service of such unclean lusts or remain in and under the guilt of them that is to say 1. Such as Against the light and power of the grace of God reproving and moving to repentance do go on to commit such uncleanness as aforesaid or to serve and follow after such unclean and sinful lusts and make provision for them as by looking upon a woman to lust after her or by frequenting such company as is unclean or lascivious or by chambering and wantonness with any or foolish talking or jesting which are branches of uncleanness and filthiness of the flesh as is said and tend to further provocation of unclean lusts 2. Such as having polluted themselves with such uncleanness and filthiness of the flesh though they continue not in the actual service of it yet have not come to the fountain opened for their washing