Page:Unlawfulmarriage00jane.djvu/42

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38
HISTORICAL FACTS.

it as his opinion that the prohibition refers to marriage, and not to polygamy.

Calvin refuses to be in the list with those who he believes misinterpret God's law. Hear his strong and decided language, as cited by Dr. Livingston, in his Dissertation, page 155: "It is sufficiently known in what degrees of consanguinity, God, in his law, forbids marriage. What relates to the degrees of affinity is equally obvious. There are some who dispute, or rather cavil, whether it is not lawful for a man to take the sister of his deceased wife; and they seize, as a pretext, upon the words, Levit. 18:18., during her lifetime. But their error is refuted by the very words of that text; because, what is there condemned by Moses, is not for incest, but for cruelty to the wife. That text actually respects Polygamy."

Calvin is claimed by the Puritan, not only without proof, but against positive proof.

Selden is not found in the list on page 23; but, from various passages, it is evident the Puritan intends to claim alliance with this learned man, "who, as an oriental scholar," he says, "saw no superior." Hereafter we shall