of such laws, have we not sufficient evidence to convince us, that the substance of the Decalogue was written on the hearts of Pagan nations, and that their wise men knew God, but not wishing "to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient?"
And in the absence of a law prohibiting a man marrying a deceased wife's sister, is not the existence of laws and the prevalence of customs, which have the force of laws, restraining the liberty of marriage within particular degrees, and going beyond the Divine law, sufficient to convince us, that the light of nature did teach heathen nations to impose such restrictions on marriage, for the preservation of purity in domestic, and of good morals in civil, life? Now, if our brother had treated the subject in this reasonable way, and extended his search, he would have found, as we have already shown, (pp. 72–79,) what were the laws and sentiments of the wise among heathen nations of antiquity, and would have come to a very different conclusion. In ascertaining the limits of duty on any particular subject of moral or natural obligation,
