Mr. Blount's oracles of reason examined and answered in nine sections in which his many heterodox opinions are refuted, the Holy Scriptures and revealed religion are asserted against deism & atheism / by Josiah King ...

Pag. 144.

Whether the Solution of Justinian in the like cases of Affinity, in the first Book of his Institutions (Tit. 10. de Nuptiis) be not properly applicable to Leviticus 18. Ver. 18. Si una tibi nupta est, ideo alteram uxorem ducere non poteris, quia duas sorores eodem tempo∣re habere non licet— If you are Married to one, you cannot Marry the other, because you can∣not, that is, you ought not to be Married to two Sisters at one time.

ANSWER.

I do not remember that I have met with a greater Disingenuity in any Author, than I have here found in this place of Mr. Blount's. I have consulted Justinian's Institutes, with the Commentaries of Antonius Contius, Jacobus Gothofredus, and Franciscus Acoursius, and I cannot find the place cited in any of these E∣ditions. There is a place or two (Tit. de Nup∣tiis) concerning Marrying two Wifes, but not a Word of Marrying two Sisters. So that I have reason to think, that Mr. Blount wilfully and fraudulently changed these Words, duas uxores, (twice used in that Title) into duas sorores; two Wifes into two Sisters; although

the present case is wholly omitted. And I am verily perswaded that nothing can excuse him, unless perhaps some invisible Manuscript, or some Edition never heard of before.

It is not to be passed over in silence, that our Deist in this Page proposes a Query con∣cerning the Canons of the Church of England, viz. Whether if any of the Canons of the Church of England be dubious, it may not be proper and convenient to consult the antient Canons for Expla∣nation and Illustration?

What he designs by this Query (his other Queries have either nothing to the purpose, or have been already answered) I cannot con∣jecture; considering his Concessions relating to the 99th Canon, and the Table of Marri∣age set forth by Authority, 1563. Where∣fore to put all out of doubt, and to vindicate the Perspicuity of the forementioned Canon, and that the Illustration it receives from for∣mer Canons, makes more against Mr. Blount then otherwise: I will set down the Opinion of our Church concerning these Marriages, out of the Book Entituled —Liber quorundam Canonum disciplinae Ecclesiae Anglicanae, Anno 1581. in which Book we find these Words— Omnia Matrimonia, quae uspiam contracta sunt intra gradus cognationis aut affinitatis prohibitos in 18 Levitici, autoritate Episcopi diss••lventur: maxime vero si quis priore uxore demortua, ejus sororem uxorem duxerit: hic enim gradus commu∣ni Dostorum virorum consensu & judicio pu••atur

in Levitico prohiberi. That is, All Marriages which have been at any time contracted within the Degrees of Cognation or Affinity, prohi∣bited in the 18th of Leviticus, shall by Epis∣copal Authority be dissolved: Especially if a Man marries his deceased Wife's Sister. It is the Opinion of the Learned, that this Degree is prohibited in the forenamed Book of Levi∣ticus. The Conclusion is very obvious, and our Author's wonted Subtilty hath proved a Disadvantage to his Design.