Page:Vindicationoflaw00hath.djvu/46

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LETTER 11.

that of great-grandparent to great-grand-child.

IV. That the examples are so given as to lead to a clear necessary inference, that the whole class, within the same degree of relationship as the particular example, is included in the prohibition.
V. That the Church of Christ from the earliest period so interpreted the Code, and held the marriage with the wife's sister to be forbidden by God's law; and in particular that our branch of the Church, in England (including always in that word the laity as well as clergy), has from the first so held.
VI. That the translation of a particular verse of the Code, viz. the 18th, even when translated after Dr. M'Caul's view, has not interfered with the above construction by the Church, or by any of the early writers, of the entire Code.

I. My first proposition, that the Code is binding on all nations, is readily proved by the following considerations. The Code is introduced by the preamble (verse 3): "After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances." Then follow the enactments of the Code, after which occur these words (vv. 24, 25): "Defile not ye yourselves in any of these