charming and
pleasant.

114. It is not a sin, therefore, that they marry, nor is the sex in
itself condemned. Condemnation lies in this, that with contempt of the
divine commandment they marry unlawfully; that they permit themselves
to be led astray by their wives from the true worship to the wicked
worship of a false church; that, after the fashion of the Cainites,
they pay no heed to parental authority and become guilty of violence,
oppression and other sins.

Moses clearly reveals their sin when he says: "They took them wives of
all that they chose," as if he said: To marry a wife is not an evil
but a blessing, if it be done lawfully. But they sinned in that they
married without judgment, against the will and purpose of the parents,
marrying whom and as many as they pleased, regardless of their own
estate, whether married or single.

115. This is a stern word, by which Moses characterizes it as a great
sin that they arbitrarily married two wives or more, exchanged them,
or snatched them from others, after the manner of Herod, who possessed
himself of his brother's wife. It is this unbridled reign of evil lust
that Moses discloses and condemns.

116. Berosus writes that incestuous marriages also took place among
them, so that they married even their mothers and sisters. But I doubt
whether they were so wicked as that. It is a sin sufficiently grave
that in marrying they dispensed with judgment, the authority of their
parents and even with the Word of God, following altogether the
guidance of lust and desire. They took whom they pleased and whom they
could, and by such license they brought chaos into domestic, public
and churchly relations.

B. DISORDER IN ALL BRANCHES OF SOCIETY

The sin of the primeval world was, therefore, an upheaval of all
established order, inasmuch as the Church was demoralized by idolatry
and false modes of worship. This condition was aggravated by those
oppressors who cruelly persecuted the righteous teachers and holy men.
Public discipline was destroyed by oppression and violent deeds, and
domestic discipline by uncurbed lust. Upon such overturning of piety
and integrity followed universal depravity; men were not merely evil
but plainly incorrigible.

C. THE TYRANNY EXERCISED.

V. 4a. _The Nephilim_ (giants) _were in the earth in those days,_

117. Moses continues the description of the sin and offense which
provoked the deluge. The first point was that the sons of God had
fallen