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he hath Power to call Synods, to be prefent at them, and to provide that whatfoever is tranfacted in them be according to the Mind of God ..

IV. It is the Duty of People to pray for Magiftrates, to honour their Perfons, to pay them Tribute

evil away from the midft of thee. the judgment of the Lord, and for v.6. If thy brother the fon of thy controverfies, when they returned mother, orthy fon, or thy daugh- to Jerufalem. v. 9. And he charged ter, or the wife of thy bofom, or them, faying, Thus fhall ye do in thy friend, which is as thine own the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and foul, entice thee fecretly, faying, with a perfect heart. V. 10. And Let us go and ferve other gods, what cause foever shall come to you which thou haft not known, thou, of your brethren that dwell in their nor thy fathers. v. 12. If thou cities, between blood and blood, fhalt hear fay in one of thy cities, which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there, faying. 2 Kings 18.4. He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen ferpent that Mofes had made: for unto thofe days the children of Ifrael did burn incenfe to it, and he called it Nehushtan. [I Chro, 13. 1. to the 9. verfe. 2 Kings 23.1, to the 26. verfe. ]. 2 Chro. 34, 33, And Jofiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of If rael, and made all that were prefent in Ifrael to ferve, even to ferve the Lord their God. And all his days they departed not from following the Lord, the God of their fathers. 2 Chro. 15. 12. And they entred into a covenant, to feek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their foul; v. 13. That whofoever would not feek the Lord God of Ifrael, fhould be put to death, whether fmall or great, whether man or woman.

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8 2 Chro. 19. 8. Moreover, in Je rufalem did Jehoshaphat fet of the Levites, and of the prièfts, and of the chief of the fathers of Ifrael, for

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between law and commandment, ftatutes and judgments, ye fhall even warn them that they trespass not against the Lord, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and yeshall not trefpafs. v. 11. And behold Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the fon of Ifhmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the kings matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal coura giously, and the Lord shall be with the good. [2 Chro. 29. and 30. chapters.] Mat. 2. 4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and Icribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Chrift fhould be born. u. s. And they faid unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea : for thus it is written by the prophet.

h IV. 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort there fore, that first of all, fupplications, prayers, interceffions, and giving of thanks be made for all men: v.2. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honefty.

i I Pet. 2. 17. Honour all men, Love

Tribute and other Dues, to obey their lawful Commands, and to be fubject to their Authority for Conscience Sake. Infidelity or Difference in Religion doth not make void the Magiftrates just and legal Authority, nor free the People from their due Obedience to him": from which Ecclefiaftical Perfons are not exempted"; much less hath the Pope

Love the brotherhood. Fear God.
Honour the king.

Rom. 13.6. For, for this caufe pay you tribute alfo: for they are Gods minifters, attending continually upon this very thing. v. 7. Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, cuftom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.

1 Rom. 13.5. Wherefore ye must needs be fubject,not only for wrath, but alfo for conscience fake. Tit. 3. 1. Put them in mind to be fubject to principalities and powers, to obey magiftrates, to be ready to every good work,

pleafure, anfwered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerufalem, and there be judged of thefe things before me? . 1o. Then faid Paul, I ftand at Cefars judgment feat,where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knoweft. v. 11. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refufe not to dye: but if there be none of these things whereof these accufe me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cefar. 2 Pet. 2. 1. But there were falfe prophets alfo among the people, even as there fhall be falfe teachers among you, who m 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit your felves privily fhall bring in damnable heto every ordinance of man for the refies, even denying the Lord that Lords fake,whether it be to the king, bought them, and bring upon themas fupreme, v. 14. Or unto gover- felves fwift deftruction. v. 1o. But nors, as unto them that are fent by chiefly them that walk after the him, for the punishment of evil flesh, in the luft of uncleannefs, and doers, and for the praise of them defpife government, prefumptuous that do well. v. 16. As free, and are they, felf-willed: they are not not ufing your liberty for a cloak of afraid to speak evil of dignities; maliciousness, but as the fervants v. 11. Whereas angels, which are of God.

Rom. 13, 1. Let every foul be fubje&t unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be, are ordained of God. 1 Kings 2.35. And the king put Benaiah the fon of Jehoiadah in his room over the hoft; and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar. Acts 25. 9. But Feftus willing to do the Jews a

greater in power and might, bring
not railing accufation against them
before the Lord. Jud.8.Likewife alfo
thefe filthy dreamers defile the flesh,
defpife dominion, and speak evil
of dignities, v.
V.9. Yet Michael the
archangel, when contending with
the devil,he difputed about the body
of Mofes, durft not bring againft
him a railing accufation, but faid,

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Pope any Power or Jurifdiction over them, in their Dominions, or over any of their People; and leaft of all to deprive them of their Dominions or Lives, if he fhall judge them to be Hereticks, or upon any other Pretence whatsoever °.

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CHAP. XXIV.

Of Marriage and Divorce.

ARRIAGE is between one Man and one Woman; neither is it lawful for any Man to have more than one Wife, nor for any Woman to have more than one Husband at the same time a.

II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual Help of Husband and Wife ; for the Increase of Mankind with a legitimate Iffue, and of the Church with

and that no man might buy or fell, fave he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

The Lord rebuke thee. 1o. But hand, or in their foreheads: v. 17. thefe fpeak evil of thofe things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts; in thofe things they corrupt themfelves. v. 11. Wo unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gain-faying of Core.

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2 Theff. 2. 4. Who oppofeth and exalteth himself above all that called God, or what is worthipped; fo that he as God fitteth in the temple of God, fhewing himself that he is God. Res. 13. 15. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beaft, that the image of the beaft fhould both fpeak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beaft, fhould be killed, v. 16. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in the right

I. Gen. 2. 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and fhall cleave unto his wife : and they fhall be one flesh. Matt. 19. 5. And faid, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and fhall cleave to his wife: and they twain fhall be one flesh: v.6. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put afunder. Prov. 2. 17. Which forfaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

II. b Gen. 2. 18. And the Lord God faid, It is not good that the man should be alone: I will make him an help meet for him.

• Mal.

with an holy Seed; and for preventing of Uncleannefs d.

III. It is lawful for all Sorts of People to marry, who are able with Judgment to give their Confent. Yet it is the Duty of Chriftians to marry only in the Lord : And therefore fuch as profefs the true reformed Religion, fhould not marry with Infidels, Papifts or other Idolaters: Neither fhould fuch as are godly be unequally yoaked,by marrying with fuch as are notorioufly wicked in their Life, or maintain damnable Herefies 8.

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creed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doth well.. 38. So then, he that giveth her in marriage, doth well, but he that giveth her not in marriage, doth better. Gen. 24. 37. And they said, we will call the damfel, and enquire at her mouth.

58. And they called Rebekah, and faid unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? and she said, I will go.

f. 1 Cor. 7. 39. The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth: but if her husband be dead, the is at liberty to be married to whom the will; only in the Lord.

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& Gen. 34. 14. And they faid unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our fifter to one that is uncircumcifed: for that were a reproach unto us.

III. Heb. 13. 4. Marriage who nourable in all, and the bed unde filed: but whoremongers and adul terers God will judge. Tim 43 Forbidding to marry, and command ing to abstain from meats, which Exod. 34. 16. And thou God hath created to be received with take of their daughters unto thy thanksgiving, of them which believe fons, and their daughters go a whoand know the truth. 1.Cor. 7. 36. ring after their gods, and make thy But if any man think, that he behav fons go a whoring after their gods. eth himself uncomely towards his Deut. 7.3. Neither fhalt thou make virgin, if the pass the flower of her marriages with them; thy daughter age, and need fo require, let him do thou shalt not give unto his fon, nor what he will, he finneth not: let his daughter fhalt thou take unto thy them marry. v.37. Nevertheless, fon. v. 4. For they will turn away he that ftandeth ftedfaft in his heart, thy fon from following me, that having no neceffity, but hath power they may serve other gods: fo will over his own will, and hath fo de

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IV. Marriage ought not to be within the Degrees of Confanguinity or Affinity forbidden in the Wordh nor cam fuch inceftuous Matriages everbemade lawful by any Law of Man, or Confent of Parties, fo asthofe Perfons may live together as Man and Wife. The Man may not marry any of his Wife's Kindred nearer in Blood than he may of his own, nor Athe of hofts; 2 Cor. 6. 14. Be ye not unequally yoaked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

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wife. Amos 2. 7Thatipant after the duft of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn afide the way of the meek: and a man, and his father will go in unto the fame maid; to profane my holy named

the anger of the Lord be kindled as gainst you, and deftroy thee fuddenlyl 1 Kings 11. 4. For it came to pafs when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as IV [Lev 18. chapter. ] 1 Cor. was the heart of David his fathers. It is reported commonly that Neb. 13.25. And I contended with there fornication among you, and them, and curfed them, and smote fuch fornication as is not fo much certain of them, and pluckt off their as named amongst the Gentiles, hair, and made them fwear by God, that one should have his fathers faying, Ye fhall not give your daugh ters unto their fons, nor taketheir daughters unto your fons, or for your felves... 26. Did not Solo mon king of Ifrael fin. by these things yet among many nations was there no king like him, who i Mark 6018 For John had faid was beloved of his God, and God unto Herod, It is not lawful for made him king over all Ifrael: ne thee to havethy brothers wife. Lev. vertheless, even him did outlandish 18. 24. Defile not your felves in women cause to fin. v. 27. Shall any of these things: forin all these we then hearken unto you to do all the nations are defiled which I caft this great evil, to tranfgrefs against out before you. v.25. And the land our God, in marrying ftrange wives, is defiled: therefore I do vifit the Mal.2.11. Judah hath dealt treaches iniquity thereof upon it, and the rously, and an abomination is com land it felf vomiteth out her inhamitted in Ifrael, and in Jerufalemi: bitants. v. 26.. Ye fhall therefore for Judah hath profaned the holi keep my ftatutes and my judg nefs of the Lord which he loved, ments, and fhall not commit any and hath married the daughter of a of these abominations; neither any ftrange god. v. 12. The Lord will of your own nation,nor any stranger cut off the man that doth this: the that fojourneth among you: v. 27. mafter and the scholar out of the (For all thefe abominations, have tabernacles of Jacob, and him that the men of the land done, which offereth an offering unto the Lord were before you, and the land is ob l defiled.)

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