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evasions? Is it possible that men of understanding and conscience, who fear God and would
not presume to justify the wicked, will dare to patronise such daring Incest? Can they be contented to
rest their decision, in such an interesting subject, upon trivial and unimportant objections? Is the
holy Law of God to be invalidated by sophical subterfuges and unfounded inferences? Will not
some, who through want of information, have heretofore wavered on this subject, tremble at recollecting
that they have been in danger of approving an abominable crime? Will they not thank God if the
veil is now rent, and they withheld from vindicating a gross transgression of the divine Law? - Let
it be remembered, if Incest in one degree, and especially in one of he highest grades, be indulged,
that other species of that detestable sin will rapidly multiply. Men may soon be found sufficiently
depraved and unprincipled to marry their nieces, and perhaps before long, to take their sisters in blood.
It is impossible to foresee to what depths of debauchery the public manners may be debased, or where
the horrible scene will close. - It must be checked in the bud, and if the virtuous part of the community
be aroused, and the Churches faithful, it can
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yet be successfully resisted, and those scandalous marriages, which are a reproach to the Christian
name, and a disgrace to the nation, will be no more repeated.
4. The law of God is the infallible rule of our conduct. - In the establishment of a Theocracy under
the Old Testament, the moral law, and pointed explanations of all the precepts of the Decalogue,
were mingled with those which were peculiar to the external state of the Church, and the civil government of the Jews.
But the nature of the respective moral precepts remained essentially the same, and
were not in the least altered by being thus blended in one common code.
5. In the xviii chapter of Leviticus, chastity is commanded and every species of unclean forbidden.
There are various laws in that chapter suited to their different objects. Among other crimes which are all denominated abominable, Incest is
first introduced, and occupies a conspicuous place. - From verse 6 to 17 inclusive, the degrees of kindred,
within which God forbids marriage, are distinctly enumerated. - It is a rule of explanation
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