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their Posterity. Let us state this Case a little clearer than it seems to stand in your present View, and see if we can bring the World to have a right Notion of it, for at present, I think, the generality of Mankind are greatly mistaken about it.
1. The Obligation we are all under to the Laws of God, is a Foundation-Principle, every Christian must allow it; and that we ought not to commit any Crime against Heaven, that is, not to do any thing which he has forbidden. He that denies Principles is not to be disputed with; and therefore I lay this down as a Fundamental, a Maxim, which, without begging the Question, I may take for granted, while I live among Christians, and am talking to such.
2. The Obligation we are under to the Laws of the Country, under whose Government and Protection we live, is a rational Deduction from, and is commanded by the Laws of God, viz. to be subject to the higher Powers, and in all Things lawful to submit to Governours.
3. The Obligation we are under to our own Character, and the regard to Reputation, are undisputed; and we ought to do what is of good Report, seeing a good Name is better than Life.
All these three establish the Rules of Marriage to be not only lawfully imposed, but absolutely necessary; and that they ought to be exactly complied with: And all of them make it Criminal for any Persons, that is to say, Man and Woman, to lie together before they are legally married.
Having
