Page:Against profane dealing with holy matrimony.djvu/32

 prohibition among the newly-converted English, distinctly refers to Leviticus, as containing the present law of God on that subject: “The Holy Law prohibits intercourse with one near of kin.”…“With a step-mother, it is a grievous crime: since it is also written in the law. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father.”…“For, it being also written in the Law, ‘They two shall be one flesh,’ the step-mother's shame (who was one flesh with the father) was of course the father's shame. Again, connection with one near of kin is forbidden,—with her who by previous union was made one flesh with a man's brother. For which thing also St. John Baptist was beheaded, and crowned with holy martyrdom”. We, who are not modern Roman Catholics, may be contented with this distinct testimony to the view of the Roman Church in the time of St. Gregory. It need not much concern us, if there be any one of high authority in that Church now, who maintains, contrary to St. Gregory, that such marriages are not held by the Roman Church to be prohibited by Scripture.