INFALLIBILITY INFALLIBILITY could not make one infallible, any more than two ciphers could make an integer. To say that it lodged in the church universal or diflusive, is equally erroneous; for this would be useless and insignificant, because it could never de exercised The whole church could not meet to make de crees, or to choose representatives, or to deliver their sentiments on any question started; and less than all would not be the whole church, and so could not claim that privilege. "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead | pope and council conjointly; for two fallibles bodily," which, according to some, asserts the doctrine of Canist's consisting of two beings; one the self-existent Creator, and the other a creature, made into one person by an ineffable union and indwelling, which renders the same attributes and honours equally applicable to both. See PRE-EXISTENCE. Dr. Owen's Glory of Christ, p. 368, 369, London ed. 1679; a Sermon entitled The true Christ of God above the false Christ of Men," Ipswich, 1799; Watts's Glory of Christ, p. 6-203; Adams's View of Religions, p. 267. INFALLIBILITY, the quality of not being able to be deceived or mistaken. The infallibility of the Church of Rome has been one of the great controversies between the Protestants and Papists. By this infallibility it is understood, that she cannot at any time cease to be orthodox in her doctrine, or fall into any pernicious errors; but that she is constituted, by divine authority, the judge of all controversies of religion, and that all Christians are obliged to acquiesce in her decisions. This is the chain which keeps its members fast bound to its comn.union; the charm which retains them within its magic circle; the opiate which lays asleep all their doubts and difficulties; it is likewise the magnet which attracts the desultory and unstable in other persuasions within the sphere of popery, the foundation of its whole superstructure, the cement of all its parts, and its fence and fortress against all inroads and attacks. The most general opinion, however, it is said, is that of its being seated in a pope and general council. The advocates for this opinion consider the pope as the vicar of Christ, head of the church, and centre of unity; and therefore conclude that his concurrence with and approbation of the de crees of a general council are necessary, and suff cient to afford it an indispensable sanction and plenary authority. A general council they re gard as the church representative, and suppose that nothing can be wanting to ascertain the truth of any controversial point, when the pro tended head of the church and its members, as sembled in their supposed representatives, mu tually concur and coincide in judicial definitions and decrees, but that infallibility attends ther coalition and conjunction in all their determina tions. Every impartial person, who considers this subject with the least degree of attention, must clearly perceive that neither any individual ner Under the idea of this infallibility, the church body of Christians have any ground from reason of Rome claims, 1. To determine what books or Scripture for pretending to infallibility. Its are and what are not canonical, and to oblige all evidently the attribute of the Supreme Being Christians to receive or reject them accordingly.- alone, which we have all the foundation imag 2. To communicate authority to the Scripture;nable to conclude he has not communicated to or, in other words, that the Scripture (quoad nos,) any mortal, or associations of mortals. The ho as to us, receives its authority from her.-3. To man being who challenges infallibility seems to assign and fix the sense of Scripture, which all imitate the pride and presumption of Lucifer, Christians are submissively to receive.-4. To when he said,-I will ascend, and will be like decree as necessary to salvation whatever she the Most High. A claim to it was unheard of judges so, although not contained in Scripture. in the primitive and purest ages of the church; 5. To decide all controversies respecting matters but became, after that period, the arrogant pro of faith. These are the claims to which the tension of papal ambition. History plainly in church of Rome pretends, but which we shall not forms us, that the bishops of Rome, on the de here attempt to refute, because any man with the clension of the western Roman empire, began to Bible in his hand, and a little common sense, put in their claim of being the supreme and in will easily see that they are all founded upon igno- fallible heads of the Christian church; which rance, superstition, and error. It is not a little they at length established by their deep policy remarkable, however, that the Roman Catholics and unremitting efforts; by the concurrence of themselves are much divided as to the seat of this fortunate circumstances; by the advantages wha infallibility, and which, indeed, may be consi-they reaped from the necessities of some prices dered as a satisfactory proof that no such privi-and the superstition of others; and by the gene lege exists in the church. For is it consistent ral and excessive credulity of the people. H with reason to think that God would have im-ever, when they had grossly abused this absurd parted so extraordinary a gift to prevent errors pretension, and committed various acts of ini and dissensions in the church, and yet have left tice, tyranny, and crucity; when the blind re an additional cause of error and dissension, viz. ration for the papal dignity had been greatly di the uncertainty of the place of its abode? No, minished by the long and scandalous schism surely. Some place this infallibility in the pope occasioned by contending popes; when these or bishop of Rome; some in a general council; had been for a considerable time roaming abou others in neither pope nor council separately, but Europe, fawning on princes, squeezing their ad In both conjointly; whilst others are said to place herents, and cursing their rivals; and when the it in the church diffusive, or in all churches councils of Constance and Basil had challenged throughout the world. But that it could not be and exercised the right of deposing and electing deposited in the pope is evident, for many popes the bishops of Rome, then their pretensions to have been heretics, and on that account censured infallibility were called in question, and the world and deposed, and therefore could not have been discovered that councils were a jurisdiction sup infallible. That it could not be placed in a gene-rior to that of the towering pontifis. Then t ral council is as evident; for general councils have was that this infallibility was transferred by many actually erred. Neither could it be placed in the divines from popes to general councils, and the INFANT opinion of the superior authority of a council above that of a pope spread vastly, especially under the profligate pontificate of Alexander VI. and the martial one of Julius II. The popes were thought by numbers to be too unworthy possessors of so rich a jewel; at the same time it appeared to be of too great a value, and of too extensive consequence, to be parted with entirely. It was, therefore, by the major part of the Roman church, deposited with, or made the property of general councils, either solely or conjointly with the pope. See Smith's Errors of the Church of Rome detected; and a list of writers under article POPERY. INFIDELITY would probably be advisable to admit them to INFANTS, SALVATION OF. ous opinions," says an acute writer, "concerning the future state of infants have been adopted. Some think, all dying in infancy are annihilated; INFANT COMMUNION, the admission for, say they, infants, being incapable of moral of infants to the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. good or evil, are not proper objects of reward or It has been debated by some, whether or no in- punishment. Others think that they share a fate. fants should be admitted to this ordinance. One similar to adults; a part saved, and a part perish. of the greatest advocates for this practice was Others affirm all are saved because all are imMr. Pierce. He pleads the use of it even unto mortal and all are innocent. Others, perplexed this day among the Greeks, and in the Bohemian with these diverse sentiments, think best to leave churches, till near the time of the Reformation; the subject untouched. Cold comfort to parents but especially from the custom of the ancient who bury their families in infancy! The most churches, as it appears from many passages in probable opinion seems to be, that they are all Photius, Augustin, and Cyprian. But Dr. Dod- saved, through the merits of the Mediator, with dridge observes, that Mr. Pierce's proof from the an everlasting salvation. This has nothing in it more ancient fathers is very defective. His argu- contrary to the perfections of God, or to any dements from Scripture chiefly depend upon this claration of the Holy Scriptures; and it is highly general medium; that Christians succeeding to agreeable to all those passages which affirm the Jews as God's people, and being grafted upon where sin hath abounded, grace hath much more that stock, their infants have a right to all the abounded. On these principles, the death of privileges of which they are capable, till forfeited Christ saves more than the fall of Adam lost." by some immoralities; and consequently have a If the reader be desirous of examining the subject, right to partake of this ordinance, as the Jewish we refer him to p. 415. vol. ii. Robinson's Claude; children had to eat of the passover and other sa- Gillard and Williams's Essays on Infant Salvacrifices; besides this, he pleads those texts which tion; An Attempt to elucidale Rom. v. 12, by an speak of the Lord's Supper as received by all anonymous writer; Watts's Ruin and Recovery, Christians. p. 321, 327; Edwards on Original Sin, p. 431, 131; Doddridge's Lect. lec. 168; Ridgley's Body of Dir. vol. i. p. 330 to 336. The most obvious answer to all this, is that which is taken from the incapacity of infants to examine themselves, and discern the Lord's body; INFIDELITY, want of faith in God, or the but he answers that this precept is only given to disbelief of the truths of revelation, and the great persons capable of understanding and complying principles of religion. If we inquire into the rise with it, as those which require faith in order to of infidelity, we shall find it does not take its oribaptism are interpreted by the Predobaptists. gin from the result of sober inquiry, close invesAs for his argument from the Jewish children tigation, or full conviction; but it is rather, as eating the sacrifice, it is to be considered that this one observes, "The slow production of a carewas not required as circumcision was; the males less and irreligious life, operating together with were not necessarily brought to the temple till prejudices and erroneous conceptions concerning they were twelve years old, Luke ii. 42; and the the nature of the leading doctrines of Chrissacrifices they ate of were chiefly peace-offerings, tianity. It may, therefore, be laid down as an which became the common food to all that were axiom, that infidelity is, in general, a disease of clean in the family, and were not looked upon as the heart more than of the understanding; for acts of devotion to such a degree as our cucharist is; we always find that infidelity increases in proporthough, indeed, they were a token of their action as the general morals decline. If we conknowledging the divinity of that God to whom they had been offered, Í Cor. x. 18; and even the passover was a commemoration of a temporal deliverance; nor is there any reason to believe that its reference to the Messiah was generally understood by the Jews. On the whole, it is certain there would be more danger of a contempt arising to the Lord's Supper from the admission of infants, and of confusion and trouble to other communicants; 60 that not being required in Scripture, it is much the best to omit it. When children are grown up to a capacity of behaving decently, they may soon be instructed in the nature and design of the ordinance; and if they appear to understand it, and behave for some competent time of trial in a manner suitable to that profession, it sider the nature and effect of this principle, we shall find that it subverts the whole foundation of morals; it tends directly to the destruction of a taste for moral excellence, and promotes the growth of those vices which are the most hostile to social happiness, especially vanity, ferocity, and unbridled sensuality. As to the progress of it, it is certain that, of late years, it has made rapid strides. Lord Herbert did not, indeed, so much impugn the doctrine or the morality of the Scriptures, as attempt to supersede their necessity, by endeavouring to show that the great principles of the unity of God, a moral government, and a future world, are taught with sufficient clearness by the light of nature. Bolingbroke, and others of his successors, advanced much further, and attempted to invalidate the proofs of the moral INFINITY INFLUENCES 2. His purity, holiness, and justice, Job iv. 17, 18; Isa. vi. 2, 3.-6. His omnipotence and eter nity prove his infinity: for were he not inf nite, he would be bounded by space and by time, which he is not. Doldridge's Lect. lect. 49; Watts's Ontology, ch. 17; Locke on Underst vol. i. chap. 17; Howe's Works, vol. i. p. 63, 64, 67. INFIRMITY, applied to the mind, denotes frailty, weakness. It has been a question what may properly be denominated sins of infirmity. 1. Nothing, it is said, can be excused under that name which at the time of its commission is known to be a sin.-2. Nothing can be called a sin of infirmity which is contrary to the express letter of any of the commandments.-3. Nothing will admit of a just and sufficient excuse upon the account of infirmity which a man beforehand considers and deliberates with himself, whether it be a sin or no. A sin of infirmity is, 1. Such a failing as proceeds from excusable ignorance 2. Or unavoidable surprise.-3. Or want of courage and strength. Rom. xv. 1. character of the Deity, and consequently all ex-ledge and wisdom, Rom. xi. 33. His power, pectation of rewards and punishments, leaving Rom. i. 20; Heb. xi. 3. His goodness, Ps. the Supreme Being no other perfections than those which belong to a first cause, or Almighty contriver. After him, at a considerable distance, followed Hume, the most subtle of all, who boldly aimed to introduce an universal scepticism, and to pour a more than Egyptian darkness into the whole region of morals. Since his time, sceptical writers have sprung up in abundance, and infidelity has allured multitudes to its standard: the young and superficial, by its dexterous sophistry; the vain, by the literary fame of its champion; and the profligate, by the licentiousness of its principles." But let us ask, What will be its end? Is there any thing in the genius of this principle that will lead us to suppose it will reign triumphant? So far from it, we have reason to believe that it will be banished from the earth. Its inconsistency with reason; its incongruity with the nature of man; its cloudy and obscure prospects; its unsatisfying nature; its opposition to the dictates of conscience; its pernicious tendency to eradicate every just principle from the breast of man, and to lead the way for every species of vice and immorality, show us that it cannot flourish, but must finally fall.And, as Mr. Hall justly observes, "We have nothing to fear; for, to an attentive observer of the signs of the times, it will appear one of the most extraordinary phænomena of this eventful crisis, that, amidst the ravages of atheism and infidelity, real religion is on the increase; for while infidelity is marking its progress by devastation and ruin, by the prostration of thrones and concussion of kingdoms, thus appalling the inhabitants of the world, and compelling them to take refuge in the church of God, the true sanctuary, the stream of divine knowledge, unobserved, is flowing in new channels; winding its course among humble valleys, refreshing thirsty deserts, and enriching, with far other and higher bless ings than those of commerce, the most distant climes and nations; until, agreeably to the prediction of prophecy, the knowledge of the Lord shall fill and cover the whole earth." See Hall's admirable Ser. on Infidelity; Fuller's Gospel of Christ its own Witness; Bishop Watson's Apology for the Bible; Wilberforce's Practical View, $ 3. ch. 7; Bp. Horne's Letters on Infidelity, and books under article DEISM. By infirmity also we understand the corrup tions that are still left in the heart (notwithstand ing a person may be sanctified part,) and which sometimes break out. These may be per mitted to humble us; to animate our vince; perhaps that newly convinced sinners might not be discouraged by a sight of such perfection they might despair of ever attaining to; to keep us prayerful and dependent; to prevent those booours which some would be ready to give to human nature rather than to God; and, lastly, to excite in us a continual desire for heaven. Let us be cautious and watchful, however, against sin in all its forms: for it argues a deplorable state of mind when men love to practise sin; and then lay it upon constitution, the infirmity of nature the decree of God, the influence of Satan; and thus attempt to excuse themselves by saying they could not avoid it. Clarke's Serm. ser. 12 vol ix.; Massillon's Serm. vol. ii. p. 213, Engish translation. INFLUENCES, DIVINE, a term made we of to denote the operations of the Divine Reg upon the mind. This doctrine of divine influ ences has been much called in question of late: but we may ask, 1. What doctrine can be more reasonable? "The operations which the power of God carries on in the natural world are no less mysterious than those which the Spirit performs in the moral world. If men, by their counsels and suggestions, can influence the minds of one another, must not divine suggestion produce a much greater effect? Surely the Father of spints, by a thousand ways, has access to the spirits b has made, so as to give them what determination, or impart to them what assistance he thinks pro per, without injuring their frame or disturbing their rational powers." INFINITY. Infinity is taken in two senses entirely different, i. e. in a positive and a negative one. Positive infinity is a quality of being perfect in itself, or capable of receiving no addition. Negative is the quality of being boundless, unlimited, or endless. That God is infinite is evident; for, as Doddridge observes, 1. If he be limited, it must either be by himself or by another; but no wise being would abridge himself; and there could be no other being to limit God.2. Infinity follows from self-existence; for a necessity that is not universal must depend on some external cause, which a self-existent Being does not.-3. Creation is so great an act of power, that we can imagine nothing impossible to that Being who has performed it, but must therefore ascribe to him infinite power.-4. It is more ho-ings to this source. nourable to the Divine Being to conceive of him as infinite than finite.-5. The Scriptures represent all his attributes as infinite. His understanding is infinite, Ps. cxlvii. 5. His know We may observe, 2. Nothing can be more scriptural. Eminent men, from the patriarchal age down to St. John, the latest writer, believed in this doctrine, and ascribed their religious feel Our Lord strongly and re peatedly inculcated this truth; and that he dad not mean miraculous, but moral influences of the Spirit, is evident, John iii. 3; Matt. vii. 23; John vi. 44, 46. See also, John xii. 32, 40; INJURY Rom. viii. 9; 1 Cor. ii. 14.-3. And we may add, nothing can be more necessary, if we consider the natural depravity of the heart, and the insufficiency of all human means to render ourselves either holy or happy without a supernatura! power. Sce Williams's Historic Defence of Experimental Religion; Williams's Answer to Belsham, let. 13; Hurrion's Sermons on the Spirit; Owen on the Spirit. INQUISITION jury is, wilfully doing to another what ought not to be done. This is injustice, too, but not the whole idea of it; for it is injustice, also, to refuse or neglect doing what ought to be done. An injury must be wilfully committed; whereas it is enough to make a thing unjust, that it happens through a culpable negligence. 1. We may injure a person in his soul, by misleading his judgment; by corrupting the imagination; perverting the INGHAMITES, a denomination of Calvin- will; and wounding the soul with grief. Perseistic Dissenters, who are the followers of B. Ing-cutors who succeed in their compulsive measures, ham, esq., who in the last century was a charac- though they cannot alter the real sentiments by ter of great note in the north of England. About external violence, yet sometimes injure the soul the year 1735, Mr. Ingham was at Queen's col- by making the man a hypocrite.-2. We may in lege, with Mr. Hervey and other friends, but soon jure another in his body, by homicide, murder, afterwards adopted the religious opinions and zeal preventing life, dismembering the body by wounds, of Wesley and Whitfield. We do not know the blows, slavery, and imprisonment, or any unjust cause of his separation from these eminent men; restraint upon its liberty: by robbing it of its but it seems in a few years afterwards he became chastity, or prejudicing its health.-3. We may the leader of numerous societies, distinct from the injure another in his name and character, by Methodists. They received their members by lot, our own false and rash judgments of him; by and required them to declare before the church false witness; by charging a man to his face with their experience, that the whole society might a crime which either we ourselves have forged, judge of the gracious change which had been or which we know to have been forged by some wrought upon their hearts. It happened in a other person; by detraction or hackbiting; by refew years, that some individuals who were much proach, or exposing another for some natural im respected, and who applied for admission, instead becility either in body or mind; or for some calamiof speaking of their own attainments, or the com- ty into which he is fallen, or some miscarriage of fortable impression on their minds, which they which he has been guilty; by inuendos, or indionly considered as productive of strife and vain-rect accusations that are not true. Now if we glory, declared their only hope was the finished consider the value of character, the resentment work of Jesus Christ; as to themselves they were which the injurious person has of such treatment sensible of their own vileness. Such confessions when it comes to his own turn to suffer it, the as this threw the congregation into some confu- consequence of a man's losing his good name, sion, which was considerably increased when and finally, the difficulty of making reparation, they found, that, on their having recourse as we must at once see the injustice of lessening usual to the lot, that there were votes against another's good character. There are these two their admission, which was considered as a rejec- considerations which should sometimes restrain tion from the Lord. On this they were led to us from speaking the whole truth of our neighexamine more particularly both their church, or-bour, when it is to his disadvantage. (1.) That der, and doctrines. After this time, Mr. Ing- he may possibly live to see his folly, and repent ham became much more orthodox in his senti- and grow better.-(2.) Admitting that we speak ments, and new-modelled his churches. The the truth, yet it is a thousand to one but when it book which he published is in general well is banded about for some time, it will contract a thought of by the Independents. He contends deal of falsehood.-4. We may injure a person very strongly for salvation by the imputation of in his relations and dependencies. In his serChrist's righteousness; and as to doctrine, the vants, by corrupting them; in his children, by chief point wherein the Inghamites differ from drawing them into evil courses; in his wife, by the Independents is respecting the Trinity. The sowing strife, attempting to alienate her affeccommon manner of speaking of the Divine Three tions.-5. We may be guilty of injuring another as distinct persons, they decisively condemn. They in his worldly goods or possessions. 1. By doing do not consider a plurality of elders as necessary him a mischief, without any advantage to ourin a church to administer the Lord's Supper. In selves, through envy and malice,-2. By taking other respects they much esteem the writings of what is another's, which is theft. See Grove's Mr. R. Sandeman. Their numbers have not Mor. Phil. ch. 8. p. 2; Watts's Sermons, vol. ii. been so numerous since they became more strict ser. 33; Tillotson's Sermons, ser. 42. in their public worship. INGRATITUDE, the vice of being insensible to favours received, without any endeavour to acknowledge and repay them. It is sometimes applied to the act of returning evil for good. Ingratitude, it is said, is no passion; for the God of nature has appointed no motion of the spirits whereby it might be excited; it is, therefore, a mere vice, arising from pride, stupidity, or nar Towness of soul. INIQUITY. See SIN. INJURY, a violation of the rights of another. Some, says Grove, distinguish between injustitia and injuria. Injustice is opposed to justice in general, whether negative or positive; an injury, 10 negative justice alone. See JUSTICE. An in INJURIES, FORGIVENESS OF. Sce FORGIVENESS. INJUSTICE. See INJURY. INNOCENCE, acting in perfect consonance to the law, without incurring guilt or consequent punishment. See MAN. INQUISITION, in the church of Rome, a tribunal in several Roman Catholic countries, erected by the popes for the examination and punishment of heretics. This court was founded in the twelfth century, under the patronage of pope Innocent, who issued out orders to excite the Catholic princes and people to extirpate heretics, to search into their number and quality, and to transmit a faithful account thereof to Rome, Hence they were called inquisitors, and gave INCEST Jacob could not rejoice in Joseph's exaltation be fore he heard of it. The woman mentioned in 24 Kings vi 29, could not kill her neighbour's son and eat him, when he was hid, and she could not find him. Hazael could not have smothered Benhadad, if he had not been suffered to enter his chamber. Potiphar's wife could not rejoice in it, if she con tinued under it. Had that woman been a very affectionate mother, she could not have killed her own son in a time of plenty, as she did in a time of famine. If a dutiful, affectionate son had been waiting on Benhadad in Hazael's stead, he could not have smothered him, as Hazael did. These are a few instances from which we may clearly learn the distinction of natural and moral inability. It must not, however, be forgotten, that moral inability or disinclination is no excuse for our omission of duty, though want of natural faculties or necessary means would. That God may command, though man has no present moral ability to perform, is evident, if we consider, 1. That man once had a power to do whatsoever God would command him, he had a power to cleave to God.-2. That God did not deprive man of his ability.-3. Therefore God's right of commanding, and man's obligation of returning and cleaving to God remains firm. See LIBERTY; and Theol. Mise. vol. ii. p. 488; Edwards on the Will; Charnock's Works, vol. ii. p. 187; Watts on Liberty, p. 4. INCOMPREHENSIBILITY wealth, to connect families, or to promote son political advantage. "The Levitical law, which is received in this country, and from which the rule of the Roman law differs very little, prohibits marriage between relations within three degrees of kindred; com puting the generations not from, but through the common ancestor, and accounting affinity the same as consanguinity, The issue, however, of such marriages are not bastardized, unless the parents be divorced during their lifetime." Pa ley's Moral Philosophy, p. 316. vol. i. committed between two persons who have a spi INCEST, SPIRITUAL, an ideal crime, ritual alliance, by means of baptism or confirme tion. This ridiculous fancy was made use of as an instrument of great tyranny in times when the power of the pope was unlimited, even queeus being sometimes divorced upon this pretence. I cest Spiritual is also understood of a vicar, of other beneficiary, who enjoys both the mother and the daughter; that is, holds two benefires, other. Such spiritual incest renders both the one whereof depends upon the collation of the one and the other of these benefices vacant. INCLINATION is the disposition or propen sity of the mind to any particular object of action; or a kind of bias upon nature, by the force of which it is carried towards certain actions pre about the nature and consequences of them. In viously to the exercise of thought and reasoning INCARNATION, the act whereby the Son of God assumed the human nature; or the mys-clinations are of two kinds, natural or acquired tery by which Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word, was made man, in order to accomplish the work of our salvation. See NATIVITY, and Meldrum on the Incarnation. 1. Natural, are such as we often see in children, who from their earliest years differ in their te pers and dispositions. In one you see the dawne ings of a liberal, diffusive soul; another gives us cause to fear he will be altogether as narrow and sordid. Of one we may say, he is naturally re vengeful; of another, that he is patient and for giving.-2. Acquired inclinations are such as are Superinduced by custom, which are called habits; and these are either good or evil. See Has INCEST, the crime of criminal and unnatural commerce with a person within the degrees forbidden by the law. By the rules of the church, incest was formerly very absurdly extended even to the seventh degree; but it is now restricted to the third or fourth. Most nations look on incest with horror, Persia and Egypt excepted. In the INCOMPREHENSIBILITY OF GOD. history of the ancient kings of those countries we This is a relative term, and indicates a relation neet with instances of brothers marrying their between an object and a faculty; between God own sisters, because they thought it too mean to and a created understanding: so that the mea join in alliance with their own subjects, and stilling of it is this, that no created understanding more so to marry into any foreign family. Vor- can comprehend God; that is, have a perfect and tigern, king of South Britain, equalled, or rather exact knowledge of Him, such a knowledge a excelled them in wickedness, by marrying his is adequate to the perfection of the object. Joh own daughter. The queen of Portugal was mar- xi. 7; Isa. xl. God is incomprehensible-1. As ried to her uncle; and the prince of Brazil, the to the nature of his essence, 2. The excellency son of that incestuous marriage, wedded his aunt. of his attributes. 3. The depth of his counsels But they had dispensations for these unnatural 4. The works of his providence, 5. The dis marriages from his holiness. "In order," says pensation of his grace, Eph. iii. 8; Job xxx "to preserve chastity in families, and be-25; Rom. xi. The incomprehensibility of God tween persons of different sexes brought up and follows, 1. From his being a spirit endued with living together in a state of unreserved intimacy, perfections greatly superior to our own.-2 it is necessary, by every method possible, to incul- There may be (for any thing we certainly know cate an abhorrence of incestuous conjunctions: attributes and perfections in God of which we which abhorrence can only be upheld by the ab- have not the least idea.-3. In those perfections solute reprobation of all commerce of the sexes of the divine nature of which we have some ide between near relations. Upon this principle the there are many things to us inexplicable, and marriage, as well as other cohabitation of bro- with which, the more deeply and attentively we thers and sisters of lineal kindred, and of all who think of them, the more we find our thoughts usually live in the same family, may be said to swallowed up; such as his self-existence, cer be forbidden by the law of rture. Restrictions nity, omnipresence, &c. This should teach us which extend to remoter degrees of kindred than therefore, 1. To admire and reverence the Divine what this reason makes it necessary to prohibit Being, Zech. ix. 17; Neb, ix. 5.-2. To le from intermarriage, are founded in the authority humble and modest, Ps. viii. 1, 4; Eccl. v. 231 of the positive law which ordains them, and can Job xxxvii. 19.-3. To be serious in our s only be justified by their tendency to diffuse dresses, and sincere in our behaviour towards one, |