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his is, who is brought under a perfuafion that celibacy is more pure and holy, and, as fuch, more acceptable to God than marriage. Such a one, who, under this perfuafion, abftains from marriage, lives in perpetual * oppofition to that command which was given with a bleffing from GOD-increase and multiply, and replenish the earth, &c. This was at the original creation of male and female upon earth. Gen. i. 27, 28. And again, at the renewal of the earth after the deluge, this commandment ftands, Gen. ix. 1, 7. repeated twice. Now can an oppofition to so positive, fo exprefs, fo reiterated an ordinance of Heaven, be reckoned a conftituent part of rightcoufness and true holiness? What is this, but to fly in the face of the divine wisdom and goodness, and to esteem ourselves wifer and holier than the LORD of all? So thofe who

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* Dr. Alexander, Hift. Wom. vol. ii. p. 269. introduces what he there fays on the fubject of emafculation on a religious account, with this pertinent and fenfible obfervation :

"The two fexes were evidently intended for each other, and increase and multiply was the firft great "command given them by the Author of Nature. But "fuppofe no fuch command had been given, how it first "entered into the mind of man, that the propagation << or continuation of the fpecies was criminal in the

eye of Heaven, is not eafy to conceive. Ridiculous, "however, as this notion may appear, it is one of thofe "which early infinuated itself amongst mankind, and

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plainly demonftrated, that reasoning beings are most "apt to deviate from nature; and not only to disobey "her plaineft dictates, but, on pretence of pleafing the "Author of Nature, to render themselves for ever incapable of obeying them."

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prefer a life of folitude to matrimonial connection, as holier and better, how much holier and better do they make themselves than Him who faid-It is NOT GOOD for man to be alone? It is remarkable that the reiterated command for the propagation of the fpecies ftands, Gen. ix 7. in direct connection, as it were, and immediately following after the pofitive law against murder: as privation of life is an offence against this, prevention of life is fomething very like it, and therefore fitly placed near it in the facred code.

Some of the fathers were wild enough to fay-hoc dictum, ratione multitudinis liberorum, pertinere ad tempora ante CHRISTUM, non ad nos qui alio vivimus ævo-mundum jam non defiderare ILLUD CRESCITE ET MULTIPLICAMINI. "This command, by reason "of multiplying children, belonged to the times before CHRIST, not to us, who "live in another age-the world does not now want that fame-Be fruitful, and multiply." Such were the delufions of Jerom -Tertullian-Chryfoftom-Cyprian-Oecumenius, &c. Bernard, in Cant. Serm. 59. thus gloffes on the words-The voice of the turtle is heard, &c.; which he fays is "the preach"ing of continence, refpecting those who caf"trate themselves for the kingdom of hea66 ven. At the beginning that voice was not

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heard, but rather increafe and multiply; for barrenness was fubject to a curfe; poly

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* gamy was allowed," &c. His words are "Vox turturis audita eft, quæ eft predicatio "continentiæ, eos, qui fe caftrant propter

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regnum cœlorum, fpectans; cum ab initio "vox ifta non fit audita, fed magis-crefcite "& multiplicamini, fterilitas etiam maledic"tioni fuit fubjecta, polygamia conceffa," &c.; but all this is now at an end, "quia hodie, repleto mundo, non tam fit neceffaria quam olim"-" becaufe now, the world being filled (with people) it is † not fo ne

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This fame St. Bernard, abbot of Clairval, from whom the Ciftertian monks derived the name of Bernardins, was one of the moft eminent among the Latin writers of the 12th century. He was a man of genius, taste, and judgment, in fome respects, in others weak and fuperftitious. See Mofh. vol. i. 591. A pretty clear proof of the latter part of his character lies before us. His confining the command-Be fruitful and multiplyto the days of the Old Teftament, is certainly a mafter-stroke of folly and weakness-however, his acknowledgment of the allowance of polygamy as a concomitant of that command, is much more fcriptural and confiftent, than the comments of fome more modern expofitors (or rather expofers) of the fcriptures, who contend for the obligation and permanency of the command itself, but deny the permanency and obligation of thofe laws which the divine wisdom enacted for its regulation.

+ De liberis ferendis non ita folliciti erant Chriftiani, ut ob id folúm ducendæ uxoris neceffitatem fibi imponerent; ideo quod finem feculorum de proximo inftare fufpicarentur, Tertull. de Monogamia. Crefcite & redundate evacuavit extremitas temporum. See Pole Synop. in 1 Cor, vii. 1. "The Chriftians were not fo folicitous concern"ing the propagating children, as if, on that account "alone, they were to lay a neceffity on themselves to "marry, because they might fufpect the end of the "world was very near. Tertull. de Monogamia. The "(fuppofed approaching) end of the times vacated the "command of increafe and multiply." See Pole Syn. i Cor. vii. I.

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ceffary as formerly." If the reader has a mind to fee how far folly and enthusiasm can carry people on these fubjects, -let him read Tertullian's epiftles to Euftachiusto Gerontius-and against Helvetius; Tertullian on Chastity; Chryfoftom on Virginity; Cyprian on the difcipline of Virgins; and Oecumenius on 1 Cor. vii.-then he will begin to find out how MARRIAGE ITSELF was vilified, and of course what gave rise to the condemnation of fecond marriages of all forts, therefore of polygamy, in the Chriftian church, till the church of Rome had the impudence to anathematize the man who fhould fay, that "it was not forbidden by the law of GOD," (fee Brent. Coun. Trent. p. 784) "just as they "did those who should affirm, that for a "prieft to marry was allowed by the law of "GOD." Ibid.

The confequences of all this unnatural plan of celibacy are too many to enumerate, too * horrible to particularize. It fared with

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*It is an obfervation of the excellent authors of the Hiftory of Popery, vol. i. p. 359. that "the first law against a certain unnatural vice in England was by An"felm Archbishop of Canterbury, in the days of William "Rufus; which faid vice feems not to have been heard "of here till priests were forbidden marriage. However, they treated it very gently, leaving it lefs penal in a priest, than to enjoy his lawful wife. Secular men, "guilty of this crime, were to be abfolved only by the bishop; but the monks and priests, it seems, might ci"villy abfolve each other. Yet even this canon, fuch as it is, was foon after recalled, and never published.' BERNARD, Cent. 12th, said, that fin was frequent among

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mumbers of the Chriftians, who did not like to retain the divine command in their practice, as it did with the heathens, who did not like to retain GOD in their knowledge-GOD gave them up to uncleanness, to dishonour their own bodies between themfelves: who changed the truth of GOD into a lye, &c. For this caufe GOD gave them up to vile affections, &c. See Rom. i. 24-28. When we endeavour to stop the course of a river by laying a dam across the stream, the effect must be, that it will either make its way, bearing down all before it, or it will make a paffage over its banks, and overflow and destroy the country. Such is the effect of endeavouring to stop the natural course of those defires which the Creator hath implanted in us for the purpose of carrying His primary command into execution. They will bear down all before them, or be turned out of their courfe; and then follows what the hiftory of the Popish celibacy abundantly acquaints us with. is a fubject too indelicate to dwell upon, I will only refer the reader to thofe books which treat thereof; fuch as Fox's Martyro

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the bishops in his time, and that this, with many other abominations, was the effect of prohibiting marriage. BURNET Hift. of Reform. vol. ii. p. 91, 3d edit.

* A thousand inftances of which might be given-fed ab uno difce omnes-Pope Sixtus V. on the petition of Peter Ricu, cardinal and patriarch of Conftantinople, of Je-. ronymo his own brother, and the cardinal of St. Luce, permitted" unto them and every of them, fodomy, with "this claufe-FIAT UT PETITUR-Let it be done as it "is defired." History of Popery, vol. ii. 292.

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