Leviticus 18

Leviticus 18:3

DOings] Ye shall preserve your selves from the abominations following, which the Egyptians, and Canaanites used.

Leviticus 18:4

judgements] judiciall lawes.

ordinances] Whether Moral, or Ceremoniall precepts.

Leviticus 18:5

which if a man doe, he shall live] But ever since the fall he was disabled to doe what the Law required; therefore the failing of justification and salvation, by what is in a mans self, serveth 1. to shew how perfect our condition was before the fall: 2. what God might expect of us since we have fallen, in that we fell not by his, but by our own default: 3. to direct us whither to have recourse, viz. to Christ, from the Law, Galatians 3:24. by whose merit and mediation we may be acquitted, when by the Law we are condemned.

I am the Lord] And therefore ye ought to serve me alone, as my people; this is often repeated, as vers. 4, 5, 6, 21, 30. to mind the people of Gods right of command, and power to punish; and to admonish men to marke and consider not so much what it is, as who it is, by whom any thing is commanded, or forbidden.

Leviticus 18:6

None of you, &c.] Hebr. man, man. That is, not any man shall approach any that is neer of kin to him.

Neare of kin] As according to the degrees after mentioned.

uncover their nakednesse] by this phrase is sometimes meant, the laying open of secret faults, or infirmities; but here it signifieth a literall uncovering of the body, for such familiarity with it as properly belongeth to lawfull marriage.

Leviticus 18:8

fathers wife] That is, not thine own mother, but thy stepmother: of this incest you may see 1 Corinthians 5:1. it was Reubens sin, Genesis 35:22.

thy fathers nakednesse] That is, that which none but thy father may uncover: and it may be called the fathers nakednesse, because the husband and wife, though they be two persons, are by the bond of matrimonie but one flesh: So that any fleshly action towards the one, hath a guiltie offensivenesse towards the other.

Leviticus 18:9

thy sister] By both parents, or by the mother onely; (for of sisters by a stepmother order is set down ver. 11.) born in marriage, or out of marriage, (by fornication, as a bastard;) yet it was not generally so taken, for Thamar thought, that David would have given her for a wife to Amnon, if he had made request for her unto his father, 2 Samuel 13:13.

Leviticus 18:10

thine own nakednesse] That is, so neer of kin unto thee, descending from thee in a right line, that besides thine own personall sinne and shame, thou wilt have so much more part and guilt in theirs, as they are more thine then others; so that their fault will be thine infamie, See Genesis 34:30. and by such an act, as her nakednesse is uncovered, so thy naughtinesse may be discovered by an incestuous birth.

Leviticus 18:14

approach] By this here is meant, the neerest degree of naked communion.

thine aunt] When thine uncle is dead; by the same reason that a man is forbidden the bed of his fathers brothers, or uncles wife, or aunt; a woman is forbidden the like neernesse to her aunts husband; for as in Logick, so in Divinitie, the difference of sexe varieth not the case so much, as to make it unlawfull in the one, and lawfull in the other; somewhat it doth, for where the Aunt is married by the Cousen or nephew, there a superior relation is brought under an inferior; but where the uncle marrieth his neece, there a superior is made head of an inferior, which is more decent; but that which here is most respected, is not so much the relation of a superior and inferiour, (for a mistris might marry a servant of the same religion and tribe, as well as a maister might marry a maid-servant) but the neernesse of blood, which is the same betwixt Aunt and nephew, as betwixt Uncle and Neece; so much the Hebrew phrase imports, vers. 6. see the text and margin, and therefore it is as unlawfull for the father to marry his own daughter, as for the mother to marry her own sonne; yet of the marriage of the Uncle and Neece there are divers examples, as of Nachor with his neece Melcham, Abraham with Sarah his neece, (as is most probable) and Amram, the father of Moses, married his Aunt; Exodus 6:20. but this was before this law was made; and for the Jewes, who at this day observe it not, it may be thought to be a part of their apostasie from true religion. By this prohibition of marriage with the Aunt, some conceive the marriage with Cousen Germans is forbidden, because there is consanguinitie betwixt them, but onely affinity betwixt the Aunt and the husbands sonne; but the husband and wife being one flesh, Genesis 2:24. this affinity may make more for prohibition of marriage then any other; howsoever, it is safe to forbear what is doubtfull, and to keep aloof from what is unlawfull; especially the choice of lawfull marriages being large enough, without the hazard of so great a sinne as Incest. If it be said, that this is a Leviticall law, which doth not oblige us under our christian condition; it may be answered, that the Jewes had allowance for neerer matches then other people, especially Christians; for among them a man might, or rather must marry his brothers wife (when he was dead) to raise up seed unto him; Deuteronomy 25:5. which in Christianity is condemned, Matth. 14. 3, 4. as well as marrying the fathers wife. 1 Corinthians 5:1. But what in this is forbidden to the Jewes, is much more forbidden to the Christians; who, having more latitude, and libertie of choice then they had, who were to marry, not onely with their own nation, but within their own tribe, and sometimes (as hath been said) two brothers must successively be husbands to one wife; are lesse capable of excuse, if in carnall concupiscence they transgresse these prohibitions: and in the generall, (since the gospel is the law of love and charity, not to one nation onely, but all the world over) as far as consanguinity, or affinity will work in affection, without a new tye of matrimony, so far reacheth matrimoniall prohibition, and should there first begin, where the relations are so remote, that they have little, or no operations of love; that, so charity might be more diffusive, and not so contracted to ones kindred, as it was among the Jews.

Leviticus 18:15

sonnes wife] when he is dead, much lesse mayest thou doe it when he is alive.

Leviticus 18:16

Brothers wife] Neither while he is alive, nor when he is dead; except in an especiall case, and upon an especiall warrant, Deuteronomy 25:5.

Leviticus 18:18

to her sister] This is not to be understood onely of another naturall sister, as if a man might have two wives, so they were not such sisters; or two sisters one after another to wife, the latter upon the death of the former; for the marriage of the brothers wife is forbidden before, vers. 16. and by consequence, a woman must not marry her sisters husband; and so two sisters are already forbidden to be married to one man, vers. 16. Wherefore it is most probable, that this is a prohibition of Polygamie: that is, of having more wives then one at once; and the reason sheweth it, that the one may not be a vexation to the other, which is like to fall out not onely betwixt naturall sisters, as Leah and Rachell, Genesis 30:1. 14. but betwixt those that are not of kinne; as betwixt Hannah, and Peninnah, 1 Samuel 1:6. And for the word sister, in a generall acceptation it may be applied to any woman; as the word Brother, to any man, Genesis 19:7. and it is to be noted, that it is sometimes applied to things, which in propriety of speech, come not under such a title or denomination; as the wings of the beast, Ezekiel 1:9. are said to touch a woman to ber sister, as the Hebrew phrase carrieth it.

Leviticus 18:21

passe through] The children dedicated to the Idoll Molech, passe through two fires, made on each side their way to it, that by that passage they may be purged, and so prepared for a sacrifice to the Idoll: all but the head of this Idoll represented a man, and being made of brasse, and hollow, fire was put into it, and children put into the armes of it; wherein with the burning heat they were tormented to death, while their deluded parents danced about them, with the noise of Drums, and other loud Instruments, which might out-sound their lamentable cries. This Idoll was called sometimes Molech, and sometimes Moloch, Amos 5:27. sometimes Melchom; all having a conformitie in sense and sound with Melech, a King: and this was the principall Idoll of the Ammonites, 1 Kings 11:7. and of their neighbours the Phoenicians, and from thence it came unto the Canaanites, called also Baal: compare 2 Kings 23:10. Jeremiah 19:5. & Chap. 7. 31. & Chap. 32. 35.

profane the Name] That is, dishonour it by departing from God, to serve such an Idoll, in such an abominable manner. See Jeremiah 2:7-8. Romans 2:24.

Leviticus 18:24

which I cast out before you] The sinnes of the Gentiles which had not the Law in Tables of stone, were sinnes against the Law of Nature, written in the fleshly tables of the heart; wherein their consciences might accuse them, Romans 2:14. and justifie God in his just judgements upon them.

Leviticus 18:25

visit] I will punish the Land, where such incestuous marriages, and pollutions are acted and permitted.

vomiteth] He compareth the wicked to evill humours, and surfetting, which corrupt the stomach, and oppresse nature, and therefore must be cast out by vomit.

Leviticus 18:26

stranger] Some take a stranger here, for a stranger in Nation, but not in Religion, which ingageth him to the same lawes and penalties with the native Hebrewes; but the sinnes here mentioned, were some of them so abominable, that they were to be punished with death in whomsoever. See Annot, on Chap. 17. vers. 13. & Annot. on Chap. 20. vers. 2.

Leviticus 18:28

spued out] Both for their wicked marriages, unnaturall copulations; and for their Idolatry, or spirituall whoredome with Molech, and like abominations. See Levit. 20. vers. 3. 5.

Leviticus 18:29

the soules] That is, the persons; See Annot. on Chap. 17. vers. 15.

out off] Either by the Civill sword, or by some plague, that God will send upon such wicked people. See Chap. 17. vers. 4.