But Efau's thus running out, from the Practice of the godly, to take him fuch Wives as his airy Mind led him to choose, without Regard had to true Religion, fo fenfibly affected his good Mother Rebekah, that complaining to her Husband thereof, she faid, "I am weary of my Life, 'be"cause of the Daughters of Heth : "If Jacob take a Wife" (as his Brother hath done) "of the Daughters "of Heth, fuch as thefe which are "of the Daughters of the Land, "what Good fhall my Life do me?" Gen. xxvii. 46.

Good Ifaac thereupon, to prevent that Danger, calling his Son Jacob to him, gave him his Bleffing, and with it this ftrict Charge, "Thou "shalt not take a Wife of the Daugh"ters of Canaan. Arife, go to Pa"dan-Aram, to the House of Be

thuel, thy Mother's Father, and "take thee a Wife from thence," Gen. xxviii. I, 2.

Jacob,

Jacob, as became a dutiful Son, was obedient to his Parents herein : And the Lord was with him, and bleffed him, and bleffed his Family alfo, until they gave way to a Liberty not pleafing to the Lord.

Dinah, Jacob's only Daughter, was made an early Example of the Lord's Difpleafure, by his fuffering her to fall into Contempt, not only for her gratifying a vain Mind, in going out, through Curiofity, to fee the Daughters of the Land, whereby the came to be enfnared and defiled by Shechem, Gen. xxxiv. 2. but also, as it appears, Jacob's Houfhold were at that Time fo far relapfed, that they had strange Gods among them, and, as may be gathered from the Text, ftrange Attire alfo; which was to be changed and done away, before they might go up to the House of God, to worship him acceptably there, Gen. xxxv. 2, 3.

Thefe

Thefe Things might be likely to raise an Expectation in the Shechemites, that in Time they might draw them to become one People with them. Whereupon, having already got hold of one of Jacob's Family, they were defirous of a further Converfe, in order to enter into Affinity with them; faying, "Make ye Marriages with us, and give your Daughters unto us, and take our Daughters unto you; and ye fhall dwell with us," Gen. xxxiv. 9, 10. And, to entice them thereunto, they offered the Ifraelites what worldly Advantages foever they would ask, Ver. 12. Yea, they went so far, as to yield to take on them the Badge of Jacob's Religion, Ver. 24. but it was but for carnal and covetous Ends, Ver. 23. and fucceeded to them accordingly. But the Truth of the Matter was, and is, that Jacob, the true Seed (the peculiar People of God) must live alone, and not be mixed, or numbered among the Nations. Wherefore, notwithstanding

all

all the great Offers, and Importunity of Shechem (and the Condefcenfion of the Shechemites) to have obtained Dinah for his Wife, Jacob would not hearken to him: For Ifrael, having an Eye to the Covenant of God, wherein he and his Family were comprehended, he zealously withftood the Temptation; and thereby gave a Demonftration of his Faith. And when, foon after, the Lord commanded him to go up to Bethel, he called firft for a Reformation in his Family. Whereupon it is said, They gave unto him all the ftrange "Gods that were in their Hands,

and all their Ear-rings that were "in their Ears;" which he hid under the Oak that was by Shechem. And then, having cleanfed his Family from those heathenish Likeneffes, both he and they were thenceforth at Quiet from fuch like Attempts by their unbelieving Neighbours.

Having a little touched upon Things relating to the Faith and

Practice

Practice of the holy Patriarchs about these unlawful Marriages, and briefly fet forth fome of the pernicious Confequences that have always attended them both before and after the Flood, I fhall now come nearer to the prefent State and Difpenfation we are under.

When the Apoftles fpoke of this Ordinance of Marriage, they ran in the fame Channel as all the Faithful had done before, faying, "Be ye not "unequally yoked together with "Unbelievers," &c. 2 Cor. vi. 14. And Peter's Exhortation and Care for the Married was, that they might be "Heirs together of the Grace of "Life, that their Prayers might not “be hindered," 1 Pet. iii. 7. Then fuch must be of the fame Faith, and agree in Spirit, or elfe they cannot pray together acceptably, Mat. xviii.

19.

"Can two walk together, unlefs they be agreed," faid the Prophet Amos, Chap. iii. 3. Therefore fuch as are obliged to live and walk

together