A37046:1188
The law unsealed
The law unsealed: or, A practical exposition of the Ten Commandments With a resolution of several momentous questions and cases of conscience. By the learned, laborious, faithful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. James Durham, late minister of the Gospel at Glasgow.
Glasgow: printed by Robert Sanders, 1676
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
that Adultery, without restriction, is an iniquity to be punished by the Judge upon the man as well as upon the woman.
Of this sort also is Bigamy, the marrying of two wives together; and Polygamy, the marrying of many Wives, and keeping Concubines with Wives: For God made but two at the beginning, one Male, and the other Female; and hath appointed every man to have his own Wife, and every woman to have her own Husband. And although many holy men have failed in this, yet can we not exempt them from sin; neither will we ascribe it to Gods particular dispensation to them which we dare not make so common as that practise was, considering especially what abuse it came to, as may be instanced in Solomon, & from whom it had its rise, to wit, L•mech, and what bitter fruits and sad effects it hath had following on it in Families and on Posterity, as may be seen on Abraham, Jacobs, Samuel's Father Helkanab, which made mens marriage a vexation to them, contrary to its ends: But now our Lord, by reducing marriage to first its institution, hath very expressly abolished it in the New Testament.
Of this sort also is Bigamy, the marrying of two wives together; and Poligamy, the marrying of many Wives, and keeping Concubines with Wives: For God made but two at the beginning, one Male, and the other Female; and hath appointed every man to have his own Wife, and every woman to have her own Husband. And although many holy men have failed in this, yet can we not exempt them from sin; neither will we ascribe it to Gods particular dispensation to them which we dare not make so common as that practise was, considering especially what abuse it came to, as may be instanced in Solomon, & from whom it had its rise, to wit, L•mech, and what bitter fruits and sad effects it hath had following on it in Families and on Posterity, as may be seen on Abraham, Jacobs, Samuels Father Helkanab, which made mens marriage a vexation to them, contrary to its ends: But now our Lord, by reducing marriage to first its institution, hath very expresly abolished it in the New Testament.