44 INCEST. bewailed as a dishonour to the Christian name. Among all the sins most pointedly reprobated, adul- tery and incest were the chief. Of Xh^ former some instances occurred, and the guilty persons were im- mediately cast out and disowned as infamous mem- bers. The latter crime was greatly abhorred, and the Church was always prepared, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to excommunicate any person, whatever might be his previous reputation or stand- ing in the Church, who should be guilty of incest. But such was the universal detestation in which that crime was held, even among the Heathen as well as among Christians, that not a single instance of in- cest is recollected to be found, in the writings of the fathers, or the histories of the primitive. centu- ries; at least not among those who were considered orthodox in their doctrines. MiN. F^Lix published a charge, which was made by the Heathen against the Christians, in which, they accused them of promiscuous and in- cestuous lusts. But the charge was as malicious as it was false. It was boldly and ably refuted by Tertulian, Clemens Alexandrinus, Firmilianus, Athanasius, Lactantius, and Justin Martyr ; and the
