Law by Word or Deed; lest by imitating that Malices of we condenin in others, we should on the contrary approve it. It would have us do good in the first Christ, we Place, to those that are good; and then to the uso extin bad also, (a) after the Example of God, from whom we receive Gifts in common with all other, Men; such as the Sun, the Stars, the Air, the Winds, and the Rain. 14!! Rawnsley Yovels SECT. XIII. About the Conjunction of Male and Female. THE Conjunction of Man and Woman, whereby Mankind is propagated, is a Thing that highly deserves to be taken Care of by Law; which that the Heathen neglected, is no Wonder, when they relate (b) Stories of the Whoredoms and Adulteries of those Gods which they worshipped. And which is worse, (c) (a) After the Example of God, &c.] Matt. v. 45. The Lewdness of Apollo to reprove, None would remain to worship at their Shrines. See this Matter fully handled by Clemens in his Hortatory Discourse; by Athenagoras, Tatian, Arnobius, Book IV. Nazianzen, in his First against Julian, and Theodoret, Discourse III. (c) The Conjunction of Males, &c.] See this also, in the forementioned Places of Clemens and Theodoret. is is defended by the Examples of their Gods: In the Number of which Ganymedes of old, (a) and Antonius afterwards were reckoned upon this Account; which horrid Crime is also often esteemed lawful amongst the Mahometans, Chinese, and other Nations. The Greek Philosophers seem to take great Pains (b) to put a virtuous Name upon a vicious Thing. The most eminent of which same Greek Philosophers, (c) recommending Intercourse with women; what did they do else but turn a whole City into one common Stew, (d) when even Brute Creatures observe some Sort of conjugal League? How much (1) And Antonius afterwards, &c.] Mentioned by Justin, in his Second Apologetic; by Clemens in his Hortatory Discourse; by Origen in his Second and Eighth Books against Celsus; by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History, IV. 8. by Theodoret 8, and the Historians of those Times. (b) To put a virtuous Name, &c.] So indeed it was thought, not only by Lucian, in his little Book concerning Love; but by Gregory Nazianzen, Orat. III. against Julian; and by Elias Cretensis, and Nonnus, upon him. And also by Cyril, in his Sixth Book against Julian; and by Theodoret, very largely, in his Thirteenth Book to the Greeks. I cannot omit a Place of Philo's, who had a great Opinion of Plato, out of his Book concerning a contemplative Life. "Plato's Feast is spent al"most wholly upon Love, not only of Men eager after Women, and Women eager after Men; for such Desires may "be satisfied by the Law of Nature; but of Men after Men, differing from themselves only in Age; and if any Thing "be speciously said concerning Love and heavenly Venus, those "Names are used only for a cover." Tertullian concerning the Soul, preferring the Christian Wisdom to that of Socrates, adds, "Not bringing in new Demons, but driving out the "old; not corrupting Youth, but instructing them in all the "Goodness of Modesty." See (c) Recommending Intercourse with Women, &c.] Plato, as in other Places, so more particularly in his Fourth Republic. (d) When even Brute Creatures, &c.] See Pliny, Book X. Chap. 33. "The Actions of Doves are mightily taken "Notice of by these, upon the same Account; their Customs are the same, but the highest Degree of Modesty belongs specia ly much more reasonable is it then, that Man who is the most divine Creature, should not be born from an uncertain Original, whereby the mutual Affection betwixt Parents and Children is destroyed? The Hebrew Law indeed forbad all Uncleanness, (a) but a Man was allowed to have more Wives than one at a Time, and the Husband had a Power (b) to put away his Wife for any Cause whatsoever; which is the Custom at this Day among the Mahometans: And formerly the Greeks and Latins took so great a Liberty, that (c) the Laconians and Cato permitted others any adulia to have their Wives for a Time. But the Law ones interio of Christ, which is most perfect, strikes at the. very Root of Vice, and (d) accounts him guilty by ou before God, (who can see into, and judge the Hearts of Men,) that lusts after, though he has acious, rad not committed the Crime; or that attempts the Emed, a in Chastity of any Woman, or looks upon her with Lee God such Desires. And because all true Friendship is lasting, and not to be broke; it would, with very good Reason, have That to be so (e) which contains the Union of the Bodies, as well as "specially to them; Adulteries are not known to either of "them, they do not violate the Fidelity of Wedlock." Concerning the conjugal Chastity of Ring-Doves, see Porphyry in his Third Book against eating living Creatures. (a) But a Man was allowed, &c.] This appears from Deut xvii. 16, 17. xxi. 15. 1 Sam. xii. 8. So the Hebrews understood the Law; and Chrysostom, 1 Cor. xi. and Augustine, Book III. Chap. 12. concerning the Christian Doctrine; and others of the Ancients. Josephus, who best understood the Law, says, in the Fifteenth of his Antiquities, "It was the Custom of our "Fathers to have many Wives." (b) To put away his Wife, &c.] Deut. xxiv. 1, 2, 3, 4. Levit. xxi. 14. (c) The Laconians and Cato, &c.] See Herodotus, Book VI. and Plutarch, in his Cato Uticensis, and Lycurgus. (d) Accounts him guilty before God, &c.] Matt. v. 28. (e) Which contains the Union, &c.] Matt. v. 3. xix. 9. the the Agreement of their Minds; and which, without Doubt, is more convenient for a right Education of their Children. Among the Heathen, some few Nations were content with one Wife, as the Germans and Romans; and in this they are (a) followed by the Christians: Namely, that the Wife, having resigned herself entirely to her Husband, may be (b) recompensed with a like Return; (c) that the Government of the Family may be better managed by one Governor, and that different Mothers might not bring a Disturbance in amongst the Children. SECT. XIV. About the Use of Temporal Goods. TO come now to the Use of those Things which are commonly called Goods; we find Theft allowed by some Heathen Nations, (d) as the Egyptians, (e) and Spartans; and they who did not allow it in private Persons, did (a) Followed by the Christians, &c.] Paul the Apostle, 1 Cor. vii. 4. Lactantius's Institutions, VI. 23. Hieronymus against Oceanus. (b) Recompensed with a like Return, &c.] Sallust well expresses it in his Jugurthine War. "Amongst those that have many Wives, there is but little Affection, because the Mind "is distracted with a Multitude, so as to have none of them ❝ for an intimate Companion; but they are all equally esteemed "of no Value." Ammianus concerning the Persians, Book XXIII. "By Means of various Lust, divided Love grows faint." And Claudian, in his Gildonic War.. -They have a thousand Marriages, For they regard no Ties, no sacred Pledge, (c) That the Government, &c] Euripides in his Andromacha, rightly apprehends and expresses them both. (d) As the Egyptians, &c.] See Diodorus's Siculus's History, Book I. (e) And Spartans, &c.] See Plutarch in his Lycurgus. scarce scarce any Thing else in the Public; as the Romans, of whom the Roman Orator said, (a) if every one should have his Due restored to him, they must go back again to their Cottages. Indeed, there was no such Thing amongst the Hebrews; but they were permitted (b) to take Usury of Strangers, that the Law might in some Measure be fitted to their Disposition; and therefore amongst other Things, (c) it promised Riches to those that obeyed it. But the Chris The Christin tian Law not only forbids (d) all Kind of In-an, bidi us justice towards any Persons; but also forbids us (e) setting our Affections upon perishing Things; because our Mind is of such a Nature, that it cannot diligently attend to the Care of two aff Things, each of which requires the whole Man, and which oftentimes draw him contrary Ways: And besides, (f) Solicitousness in procuring and preserving Riches, is attended with a certain Slavery and Uneasiness, which spoils that very Pleasure which is expected from Riches; (g) but Nature is satisfied with a very few Things, and those such as can easily be procured, without any great Labour or Charge. And, if God has granted us something beyond this, we are not commanded to cast it into the Sea, (h) as some (a) If every one should have, &c.] Lactantius in his Epitome, Chap. 1. cites the Words of Tully to this Purpose out of his Third Republic. (b) To take Usury of Strangers, &c.] Deut. xxiii. 19. (c) It promised Riches, &c.] Levit. xxvi. 5. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, Deut. xviii. (f) Solicitousness in procuring, &c.] Matt. vi. 34. Phil. iv. 6, (g) But Nature is satisfied, &c.] 1 Tim. vi. 7, 8. (h) As some Philosophers, &c.] Laërtius and Suidas affirm this of Aristippus and Philostratus, of Crales. Philoso |