Section 15: Of the Excellency of the Law of Christianity above others touching Marriage.

Book 1 Section 15 (p. 23-24):
Of the Excellency of the Law of Christianity above others touching Marriage.

The conjunction of Male and Female, whereby Mankind is Propagated, is a thing most worthy the care of Laws. It is no wonder it was neglected by the Pagans, when the Gods they adored, are so famous (or rather infamous) for their Whoredoms and Adulteries, to say nothing of Buggery, which they learned by the example of their false Gods; into whose number was referr'd upon that score Ganymed, and after Antinous. The same impurity is frequent among the Mahumetans, among the Chinesis, and other Nations, it is allowed lawful; and the Greek Philosophers seem to have taken pains to impore upon a foul Thing, a fair and comely Title. Those Greeks, the most Eminent of them, having praised a community of Women, what have they else done, but turned the whole City into a common Stews. The very Animals, some of them, observe a conjugal Covenant; How much more should the divinest Creature, Man? That he might not spring out of uncertain Seed, and so the mutual affection that Nature hath kindled between the Parent, and the Children, be utterly extinguished. How almost incredibly vile the Nations were by unlawful Lusts, is set down by the Apostle, Rom. 1. who in the just judgment of God, they refusing to glorifie God, were given up to vile Affections, for even the Women did change the natural use into that which is against Nature; and likewise the Men leaving the natural use of the Women, burned in their Lusts one towards another, Men with Men working that which is unseemly: all which impurities, are so abandoned where Christianity raigneth, that these things are scarce imagined as posssible to be acted; so pure and so powerful is that holy Religion, to the killing such Iniquities. The Hebrew Law, indeed, forbids all Uncleanness, but allows one Man many Wives, Deut. 17.16, 17. and gives the Husband power to dismiss his Wife upon every cause, Deut. 24.1, 2, 3. Which at this Day is in use among the Mahumetans, and was of old among the Greeks and Latines, with so great and odious License, that their Wives were out to Use, and let for a time by the Laconians, and by Cato; So prodigiously foolish were their Wise-Men, and so unwholesome were the Laws under which they lived.

But the most perfect Law of Christ, pierceth to the very roots of Vices, and condemneth him that assulted any Womans Chastity, or defloured her with his lustful Eyes, as guilty in the Judgment of God; who beholds the Heart of Sin desired, though not performed. And seeing all true Friendship is perpetual and indissoluable; justly haith it required that Tye to be such, that contains with the society of Affections, the communion of Bodies too; which without question doth more conduce also to the good education of Children. Hence our Saviour established Marriage, according to its Institution in Paridise, Mat. 9.9. where the Lord joyned one Man and one Woman together. And the Apostle, as fully directs every Man to but one Wife, as every Woman to have but one Husband, 1 Cor. 7. Among the Pagans, some few Nations were content with single Wives; as the Germans, and Romans. This is the use of Christians, that the affection the Wife intirely bestows on her Husband, may be paid with equal Retribution; and that the Houshold Government may be more rightly ordered under one Guide; nor permits divers Mothers to bring in discord among the Children.