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as caufing her to commit adultery, and so the husband, by caufing her to do it, is particeps criminis, as an acceffary before the fact, and may be faid himself to commit it; as a man who hires, or causes another to commit a murder, is himfelf guilty of murder; as David, 2 Sam. xii. 9. Abab, 1 Kings xxi. 19.

This interpretation is not new; for Wetstein, on Matt. xix. 9. mentions fome copies, in which for uaxata-committetb μοιχαται—committeth adultery, is red - ποιει αυτην μοιχευθηναι caufeth her to commit adultery; and in one μοιχαταιτοτ ̓ ἐςιν αναγκάζει μοιχευθηναι committeth adultery; that is, compels her to commit adultery. I will conclude this point with obferving, that, in all this, there is not the leaft hint or glance at polygamy, as condemned, or even mentioned, in these texts.

The learned Grotius, whom I have mentioned and quoted, at the beginning of

"is rightly faid to do it, who occafions it to be

done. It is the custom of the Hellenists" (Jews, who spake or wrote in Greek)" to exprefs words of the "form Hiphil by active verbs." As Rom. viii. 26. where the SPIRIT's making interceffion for us, is his caufing us to pray in a right manner for ourselves; juft as His crying Abba, Father, (Gal. iv. 6.) is His enabling us fo to cry. Accordingly the apostle, Rom. viii. 15, fpeaks of Him as the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. See Guyfe Paraph. on Rom. viii. 26. and note.

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this chapter, às maintaining a new law of CHRIST on the fubject of polygamy, “af"terwards changed his opinion," (fee note e, on Grot. de Jure, lib. ii. c. 5. § 9.) as is plain from his annotations "on Matt. v. 32. where he fhews, that * in that place, and other like paffages "of the gofpels, polygamy is not con

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demned, but only the abufe of divorce, "from whatever cause it proceeds." "Hence (adds Gronovius) in that excellent "little work-De Verit. Relig. Chrift."he only fays-"The Chriftians follow "the ufage of the Germans and Romans, "who were content with one wife. Lib. ii. §13; and in the note there introduced,

Grotius, in the paffage here alluded to, doth not quote Tacitus fairly, whofe words are-" Severa illis matrimonia. Nam foli prope barbarorum fingulis "uxoribus contenti, exceptis admodum paucis, qui "non libidine, fed ob nobilitatem, pluribus ambiun"tur nuptiis." Which proves, that the Germans were, in a degree at leaft, polygamifts. As to the Romans, they were alfo polygamifts; for though they lived but with one, who was called uxor, a wife; yet their liberta, and ancillæ or ferve, with whom they alfo cohabited, amounted to the fame in point of fact.

Suet. in Vit. 7. Caf. faith that he made a law, "by which every man, for the fake of propagating children, might marry as many wives as he pleaf"ed." M. Antony had two wives at the fame time. So had Craffus, and doubtlefs many more, whofe names have not reached us.

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"he only refers to 1 Cor. vii. 4." This text, with the verfes preceding it, we have very fully confidered in the last chapter.

To all the weight of evidence which has been produced against the notion of CHRIST's introducing a new law, either with respect to polygamy, or any thing else, I will add one more teftimony, and fuch a one as muft carry its own conviction with it, even into the bofom of prejudice itself. Let us hear our LORD Himself, Luke xvi. 18. Whofoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, (*Tepav) committeth adultery; and whosoever marrieth her that has been put away (Toneλuμevv) from her husband, committeth adultery. This, fay fome, is CHRIST'S" new law, by which He for"bad polygamy, which was allowed un"der the Old Teftament."-As to the meaning of the words themselves, as they are much the fame as in Matt. xix. 9. I will not repeat what has already been obferved on that place; but as to their conftituting fome new law, we have CHRIST'S

The pav here muft, like the dλany, Matt. xix. and Mark x. 11. have reference to the yuvatxa 9: γυναίκα mentioned before, and of courfe fignify a married, i. e. a divorced, woman. The marrying a maid or a widow could not be adultery, even under the circumftance here mentioned, because there was no law of GOD to make it fo-for where there is no law, there is no tranfgreffion. Rom. iv. 15.

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own authority to fay they do not: for obferve the preface at ver. 17. with which our LORD introduces them, wherein He Himfelf gives us to understand, that, what He here fays, and of course what He fays elsewhere to the fame purpose, is grounded upon the law of the Old Teftament. It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. Having introduced what He fays, ver. 18. with this positive affertion touching the stability, unchangeablenefs, and perpetual obligation of the law, we muft, to be confiftent our- felves, or to make Him confiftent, conftrue what He says, as grounded upon that law, which He Himself lays down as the foundation on which He spake. This can be no other than the law of God as delivered by Mofes ; what that condemned, CHRIST condemned on its authority; but had He condemned what that allowed, or had He allowed what that condemned, there was an end of that law, and more than a tittle of it must be faid to fail―TEGENto fall-perish, and be deftroyed. It may be worth our while to take a fhort view of the context:-ver. 16. the law and the prophets were until John: fince that time, the kingdom of GOD is preached, and prefeth into it.

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"foretold, If. xl. 3. Mal. iii. 1. ye were "under the teachings of the legal and prophetical difpenfation; but fince John's "coming, that gospel, which was prefiσε ότ gured by the ceremonial and typical "rites of the Mofaic difpenfation, and "foretold for ages together by the prophets, is now openly declared. This " is not confined, as the others were, to "the Jews only; but multitudes of

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perfons, of what nation or character foever, even publicans and finners of the Gen"tiles, fenfible of their fin and mifery, "fhall be invited to partake of its blef❝fings, and will eagerly prefs for an in"tereft in them, though they be no ob"fervers of the rites and ceremonies of the law.

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"And yet the law is not hereby made "void; the prophecies, types, and fha"dows of the Old Teftament, are fully accomplished; the moral law is ho"noured and confirmed, its precepts explained, and all its commandments ef"tablished as a law of my kingdom, as

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an eternal and unchangeable rule of life "to all my subjects. Therefore think not "that I came to deftroy the law (naтahvoαi, "Matt. v. 17.) to diffolve it, or loofen men from any of its obligations in point of obedience-It is easier for "heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle.

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