Page:Cihm12428.djvu/31

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26

he he cites not a word from either! As to Luther, we may remark, that his translation of the Pentetuch first appeared in 1523. The whole Bible, revised by himself, Melancthon, Cuiciger, Justus Jonas, and Bugenhagen, was published in 1630. But however bent on reform and opposed to Popery, they retained the translation of Leviticus xviii. 18. common in the universal church.—And as to the Westminster Assembly of Divines, we quote their words in the Commentary on Ruth, chap. iv. 5-11, and leave our clerical friend to make out of them what he can:

"And the Lord make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel,"—"who, leaving their country, and following Jacob, as now Ruth hath done, lived comfortably and lovingly together, and bearing many children, multiplied Jacob's posterity and the Church of God."

THE CHURCH SILENT ON THE SUBJECT FOB 300 YEARS.—SECOND MARRIAGES FORBIDDEN ALTOGETHER.

It has been shown above, even from the evidence of Dr. Pusey, that no testimony is found in the history of the Church against the marriage of a man with his deceased wife's sister during the first 3OO years of the Christian Era. But long before the date of the 19th so-called Apostolical Canon,—the date of the first objection in the Church to marriage with a deceased wife's sister,—authorities can be found against second marriage at all; and the prohibition of marriage to the clergy altogether is contemporaneous with prohibiting marriage with a deceased brother's widow. The testimonies against second marriages commence before the end of the second century. Athenagoras, between the years 160 and 170, in his apology, boasts that the practice of Christians was to remain unmarried, or to many only once; "For (he says) a second marriage is a sort of decent adultery." About the same time, Theophilus of Antioch affirms that among Christians "Monogamy is observed." Contemporary with these Tertullian, before he embraced the errors of Mantanus, wrote two books to his wife to warn her against a second marriage, as contrary to the original institution,—"Nam et Adam versus Eve maritus, et Eva una uxor illius, una mulier, una costa." (For both Adam was the one husband of Eva, and Eva his one wife, one woman, one rib.) In