PARENTS. This Word is properly said of the Father and Mother, but is extended also to all others that are related by Blood, especially in a direct Line upwards. The Exod. xx. 12.Scripture commands Children to honour their Parents; that is, to obey them, to succour them, to have an inward and outward Respect for them, to give them all sorts of Assistance that Nature, and their and our Circumstances shall require. This is the Extent and Signification of the Word to honour. Christ in the Gospel condemns that corrupt Explication that the Doctors of the Law gave to this Matth. xv. 5, 6.Precept; teaching that a Child was then disengaged from the Obligation of supporting his Parents, and giving them necessary Assistance, when he said, It is a Gift by whatsoever thou mightst be profited by me. As if they had said, I am no longer Master of my own Estate, it is consecrated to the Lord: But you will have your Share in the Merit of the Offering. See the Article CORBAN before.
Marriages among Parents and Relations were forbid within certain Degrees.
A Man was not allowed, for Example, to marry, First, his Mother; Secondly, his Mother-in-Law; Thirdly, his Sister by Father or Mother; Fourthly, his Granddaughter; Fifthly, the Daughter of his Father’s Wife; Sixthly, the Sister of his Father or Mother; that is, his Aunt; Seventhly, the Wife of his Unkle by the Father’s Side; Eighthly, his own Daughter-in-Law. Ninthly, the Wife of his Brother, or his own Sister-in-Law. Tenthly, It is forbid an Hebrew to marry at one Time or successively the Mother and the Daughter, the Mother and the Grand-daughter, or the Sister of his own Wife while she is alive. Here are four Verses that include all the Degrees of Relation now mentioned.
Nata, soror, neptis, matertera, fratris & uxor,
Et patrui conjux, mater, privigna, noverca, Uxorisque soror, privigni nata, nurusque, Atque soror patris conjungi lege vetantur.